Back in 1995 I started out testing the rules for what I hoped would be a play by mail campaign. In 1996, I started out the play by mail (PBM) game. I recruited several of the wargaming friends I made through contacts made by reading MWAN. Writing letters to people who contribute articles and letters to MWAN or by having the readers of MWAN write to you is a great way to make friends world wide.

Currently I have seven active players. There are 10 other active major more player states in operation. I have nine map areas that make up the Volci campaign world. Five of them have active countries in them. As the Volci campaign continues its world becomes more developed and complex.

Here is what I have going on now with the conclusion of the second month of the second year. In the far east I have a Zhou dynasty style Chinese empire. It is feudal in style but the Emperor Wang-Wu-Shu-Ti is firmly in control of his vassals. How much longer will the old boy live? He is getting ready to celectrate his 101st birthday. As long as nobody wants to play a Chinese country, he will live forever. On the western border are the Tu Chu. They are Tibetian in style and are building a nice little empire. Their leader decided submission to the Empire in the East would be a smooth political move. He is Gong k'Bong and he received the glorious title of "Lord who submits to Virtue."

Further west, the Parthian kingdom of Kucha is at war with the Sultanate of Bertelk. Further west the Calip Abu Yabu of Shazom is attempting to re-establish his political as well as his spritual authority over the world of Islam in Voki. The faith is divided into four rival sects. There are the Fatimids who dare declare that their leader is the true Caliph. Then there are the Sufi and Shiite sects.

Finally there are the Sunnis for whom Abu Yabu is the spiritual leader. The Bersippan Empire under the rule of Leio IV is enjoying power, peace, and tranquility. Going north is the Kingdom of Belgorad. King Michael has been building his Kingdom and spreading Christianity the old fashion way. He is currently at war with the Kipchak whose lucrative slave trade he has interrupted.

In the far northwest is what I call Viking world. Starting in the south east of Viking world is the Arthurian style kingdom of Trent. It is at war with the great Saxon Kingdom of Warvic. King Gwydion has already won two battles against the men of Warwic. In the center of Viking World is the Saxon Kingdom of Elmet. In the southwest the Saxon Kingdom of Kent is enjoying peace after the death of King Clark under his brother King Ralph whose exploits at the dinner table are legendary.

In the far northwest the Welsh Kingdom of Laughlin under King Llewelyn is taking care of its Viking problems. It is in the process of beseiging the last Viking colony on its coastline. With King Cuthbert's conquest of Worth, the Kingdom of Elmet shares a border with the Viking Kingdom of Oseg under the rule of Fred the Red who has also been conquering. In the northwest a great war is being fought between the Vikings. The Viking Kingdoms of Borg, Siggurd, and the Jurldom of Frossa have been fighting over the bones of the once powerful Viking Kingdom of Upssala.

To the far south is the Kingdom of Macedon which has been expanding under the rule of King Alexandios. In the PBM Volci Campaign. the city state of Volci is not active. I made a decision that if I got players for my Hellenistic area, Volci would remain inactive unless some player requested to have it.

Temporarily active were the city states of Turquinni and Roma. Both were victorious in battle but suffered disasters while conducting seiges. The targeted countries have now formed a defensive league between them.

To the east is the Kingdom of Ashur. It has enjoyed some success but it looks like one of its neighbors (as I see it, that is a very unAssyrian thing to do) it lent some of their troops. The Sumans used them to conquer the neighboring Kingdom of Mauri. Suma is now a major power with the strength to fight Ashur on equal temms. The Assyrians better be ready for trouble.

It is an unwritten rule of mine developed from the solo campaign days that when one minor state conquers another, it becomes a major state. That is where the World of Volci is now. I am already playing year Two, Month Three for the nonplayer states. The plot thickens.

Two Kingdoms are now big and powerful enough for their nonplayer neighbors to make major trouble for them. The Tu'Chu are now at war with the Zin who are attempting to put the exiled King Dharma back on his throne. The Emperor Wang-Wu- Shu-Ti is looking for ways to reign in his newest vessel. He is working behind the scene to form an anti-Tu'Chu barbarian alliance amongst Gong'k'Bong's northern Tibetan neighbors.

The Kingdom of Belgorad is another case. Their Kipchak enemies have already conquered the Guzz and are lending assistance to the Slavs of Yeg in their war of resistance against King Michael. They have also demanded the surrender of the Ghuzz Khagan who sought refuge with King Michael. They expect him to refuse and plan to invade a second time. The last time they were defeated in the Battle of Torusa.

I don't have to create enemies for King Gwydian of Trent, King Cuthbert of of Elmet, or Fred the Red of Olseg; they have each other. I did not want to give King Sennacherib a nonplayer enemy yet, but he blundered his way into it. King Glenman of Suma is one of those selfseeking types who is only interested in his own gain. I am having fun with the Upssalan war as a nonplayer solo wargame campaign for myself.

I run the Volci Campaign on a monthly turn basis. Each turn is due the 15th of each month. Most players send their moves in early which I like. That gives me the time I need to play each player's move out and send him back the results without being rushed. I no longer worry about players who do not respond. If I don't hear from them I just play out the other player's moves as I receive them; then I take care of any necessary nonplayer moves. When that is done, I then play out the nonplayer's move in a logical manner. Then I start nonplayer moves for the next month, after which I write letters and articles like this.

I am excited and thrilled with my Volci Campaign. With it I am having the time of my life and I hope and wish my players the same!

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