I'd like to congratulate the HMGS folks for putting on the Fall-In convention in Gettysburg, PA. Another good show. It is a little further for me to drive (about an hour more), but the Eisenhower Center is rather large, well lit, and will no doubt gel into an ever larger convention. As far as my own experience, it was smoothly run for the 750 or so attendees plus another 125 or so manning the dealer tables. I met Ian Knight at the show, he was a guest since the theme was Colonial, and I met him at the On Military Matters book booth (where MagWeb was set up). Ian's a prolific author and edits the magazine Age of Empires, which used to be called Colonial Conquest. It is published by Partizan Press over in the UK, which leads me into the whirlwind publisher trip to the UK that I took back in September-October 1997. He brought a fine turn of the century Zulu ceremonial shield and knobby head-basher. Good to see The Courier continuing its series of hosting games. I had a good chat with Leo and Toby at the show. Also good to see the new Courier #73 came out at the show--in fact, here's an interesting anecdote (well, interesting to me) about a rabid reader. I was showing Vol. 1 #1 of the Courier (1979) on MagWeb to a fellow, noting that it contained an article on Zulu Firepower by Ian Knight (by the way, Ian was impressed with it, too), when he mentioned that he just picked up the new issue of The Courier. I thought he meant #73, but when he pointed to #72, I corrected him and said that was #72, and #73 was hot off the press here at the show. He jolted to full attention, asked, "It is? It's here?" and bolted away on the double to pick up a copy without as much as a "thanks and good bye." In between chuckles, I couldn't help but think about how this show must have made his day: buying #72 AND #73 at the same show. I saw a lot of Courier #73 around the show, evidently a good seller. Combat Simulations, a good WWII gaming magazine that sadly departed the scene, may be on the verge of making a come back. I talked to its owner at the show, and he's readying plans to bring it back, broadening its focus in the process. More News The Zouave will change editors next year, Dave Reynolds has done an excellent job turning out an American Civil War magazine on a regular basis for six years and will now be concentrating on running his business, The Command Post (painting service and more). Dave will finish off Volume XI. Let me congratulate two magazines: The Rebel Yell (from HMGS South) and The Penny Whistle (from Lions Den Wargaming). Why? Because they have gone to color on the front page and within. Now, these are not glossy magazines, but they've been able to incorporate color and it makes for a more visually appealing magazine. Good job! This just in about The Gauntlet (taken from an e-mail to me by new US distributor/publisher Craig Martelle: I'm proud to announce that I'll be starting the U.S. side of publication and distribution of The Gauntlet - a quarterly magazine described as U.K.'s MWAN. Mark Hannam has Published The Gauntlet in the U.K. for almost three years now, and it finally comes to the U.S., not as a photocopy, but as a beefed up new magazine. The Gauntlet will be published four times a year, January, April, July, and October. What I'll be adding is a full color cover, an editorial, product reviews, other write-ups (to include both fiction and non-fiction), add a scenario or two, and to greatly enhance advertising. Mark is publishing in the U.K. at a loss, but does it simply for the love of the hobby. I don't think operating in the red is the answer, but am not looking to do more than cover costs. I want The Gauntlet to be a nice complement to MWAN and at about 100 pages per issue, it can do that. It's also in MWAN format (5"x 8"), in addition to at least one set of rules and one scenario per issue (sound familiar?). What does The Gauntlet have for me? - I can answer this by simply including a table of contents for #9 and upcoming from #10. #9 - Great War Naval role-play rules, The River of Shame: The Battle of Solway Moss (solo scenario suitable for DBA), Carabobo (South America), Guide to Reusing Broken Figures, Mr. Brown Goes Off to Town: rules for skirmish Home Guard action in WWII (tongue in cheek), Dog Soldiers: Indian Skirmish (Wild West) rules, Horse Soldiers: ACW scenario, Le Hamel: ANZACS & Armor in 1918, 5 Rounds Rapid: 20th Century personal firepower, Zen and the Art of Scenario Design, numerous product reviews, an editorial, and you see what I mean. #10 - U.S. Frontier Skirmish Rules, Generic Ambush rules, WWII Rapid Fire scenario, DBA Dark Ages scenario, WWII reading list, expanded product review section, Piquet: Point of Attack scenario, classified ads, letters to the editor,... All periods of historical miniature gaming will be addressed from Ancients to modern, from air to land to sea, all eras are fair game. Normal Subscriptions are $20 for a year's worth (4 issues), $30 for overseas customers (U.S. military FPO excluded), or single issue price of $6. Craig Martelle, 1203 English Bluff Ct., Brandon, FL 33511. Though not a new magazine it's seems as if many UK publishers are looking to the US for growth. The SWA has done well with Lone Warrior, and now it looks as if the Gauntlet will follow. When Craig sends me a sample copy, I'll include a review. As always, if you need to reach me: 161 Lambertville-HQ Rd., Stockton, NJ 08559, ph: 609-397-4265, e-mail: lockwood@magweb.com, Web site:http://www.magweb.com As before, each rating: PQ (Physical Quality of layout, print quality, and use of graphics), WR (Wit Rating or quality of writing and sustainable interest level), and IR (Inspiration Rating or creativity of ideas and reference value) comes with a grade (A, B, C, D, F). indicates the magazine is part of MagWeb, which offers the full text and graphics of magazines' articles. Check http://www.magweb.com for free samples from over 40 magazines. After the Battle-- #97; 54pgs.; 8.5xl2"; PQ A, WR A, IR A; After the Battle Publications, Church House, Church St., London, E15 3JA UK; 15 pounds per year (UK), 17.08 pounds (overseas); quarterly. Profiles of battles and sites (primarily WWII) with period photos next to modern photos taken from the same "angle" along with an article about the subject. This issue focuses on the 1944 Battle of the Alps, a look at excavating a crashed Spitfire in Belgium, preservation of a V2 rocket base, and recovery of the "dambusters" bombs. American Revolution Journal -- Vol 1 #2; 56pgs.; 5.5x8.5", PQ A, WR A, IR A; Jim Purky, 2521 Thayer St., Evanston, IL 60201; $25 per four issues ($30 outside US) Biannual. Vol. I No. 2 is now out, crafted by the same folks who publish The Seven Years War Asso. Journal. Articles include the Georgia Brigade, battle of Stone Ferry, British Deserters List 1781, re-enactor news, event news, Chester Courthouse wargame, and more. The Art of War Annual -- #27/28; 40pgs.; 8.5xll"; PQ A, WR B, IR A/D; Clash of Arms, The Byrne Bldg. #205, Lincoln & Morgan Sts., Phoenixville, PA 19460; $10 per 4 issues, ($2.50 cover price) quarterly The new and expanded Art of War includes a bit of The Naval SITREP as well as the full support of Clash of Arms boardgames. Articles include Artillery tactics in From Valmy to Waterloo, issue #12 of The Naval SITREP (includes Gunnery Standards and lots of Harpoon game data), and game scenarios and errata for a variety of COA boardgames. And in an interesting twist, a full-color counter sheet (140 counters) for a variant of Waterloo--with Alexander the Great attacking Wellington using La Batallie de Mont St. Jean game. Chainmail -- #43; 26pgs.; 5.5x8.5"; PQ B, WR B, IR D/B; Renaissance Ink, 335 Torrance Ave., Vestal, NY 13850; $14 per year, bimonthly. Mostly for role-playing, hence the D (if you don't do roleplaying) or B (if you do), this "official newzine of Dragonslayers Unlimited" includes fiction, monsters' stats, poetry, rules for mass combat, a murder mystery adventure, reviews, an interview with a gaming club president, and more. El Dorado -- Vol. 8 No. 1; 54pgs.; 8.5x5.5"; PQ B, WR A, IR A; South and Central American Military Historians Society, 27 Hallgate, Cottingham, E. Yorkshire HU16 4DN, UK (US: Paul Walsh, 3412 Huey Ave., Drexel Hill, PA 19026); 6.75 pounds (UK), 7.50 pounds (Europe), $25 (US) per year, quarterly. The latest journal brings part 4 of C.A. Norman's examinations of circa 1865-1870 Brazilian uniforms, part 4 of Col. Alberto Marquez Allison's series on the Independence War, and part 5 of Paul V. Walsh's AFV series--this time concentrating on the Falkland Islands and Panama. In addition, D.A. Darmanin offers a biographical profile of Argentinian naval hero Juan Bautista Azopardo, some Mexican naval Officers from the 1800s, Brazilian naval information, Alberto Del Pino Menck supplies illustrations and information on Latin American Badges, and Part 3 of a series by Jose Luis Meige Amezaga on Spanish Troops Sent to Americas 1811-1820 (in Spanish). And of course, much more. The Games Annual 1998; 192pgs.; 8.5xll"; PQ A, WR B, IR B; MSM, 5575 Arapahoe Rd., Suite D, Boulder, CO 80303; $7.95 per issue (+$3 shipping [US] or $5 shipping [non-US]). Following up on last year's issue, TGA is a cross between large marketing mag and historical summary of the gaming business. It covers all games, from card to board to miniatures to computers to roleplaying to, well, everything related to gaming. They printed 30,000 copies last year and 45,000 copies this year--so they must be doing something right. There are no critical reviews, and indeed, some is written directly by companies, Gerald Swick seems to write about half of the rest, and it is a rollicking ride if you are looking for a broad overview of gaming. The Heliograph #102, #103; 22pgs.; 8.5xll"; PQ B, WR B, IR B; Richard Brooks, PO Box 716, Swansea, SC 29160; $12 per 6 issues ($15 Canada, 15 pounds for Europe) Lots of colonial-era news, reviews, and other information. Richard has big plans for 1998 to celebrate 100th anniversaries. #102: Articles on Russia in Central Asia (1873), book review of Kitchener's Sword Arm, copies of movie posters "Storm of the Nile" movie, how to make British Field Tents, new products, letters, and more. #103: Articles on: More Russia in central Asia, modeling native supply, book review of End of Custer, review of Guernsey figures "Reno's Reinforcements," letters, and more. Lone Warrior -- #120 (North American edition); 40pgs.; 8.5xll"; PQ A, WR B, IR A; Solo Wargamers Assn., 1707 Ridge Rd., Levenworth, KS 66048; $20 per year (US), $25 (Canada), quarterly. This issue has Graham Empson's solo mechanics for the ACW are well worth a look, infantry patrol rules for WWII, narrative wargaming by Don Featherstone, more Solo campaign rules (good series this), some "generic rules," a pair of reviews about Piquet, a fantasy scenario, analysis of computer gaming, some PBM updates, and letters. Napoleon -- #10; 64 pages; 8.5"xll"; PQ A, WR A, IR A; The Emperor's HQ, 5744 W. Irving Park Rd., Chicago, IL 60634; $33 per year (US), $35 (Canada), $38 (all other countries via surface mail), bimonthly. Another installment (the 9th) in the 200th Anniversary series introduces and profiles the men who made the revolution and their legacy, an excellent history of the French carabiniers with more color and black and white uniform plates from Keith Rocco and others, an interview with Col. John Elting, review of Talonsoft's Napoleon in Russia, flags of the French revolution (in color), new products, book reviews, upcoming events, and more. The carabinier article is absolutely brilliant. The Naval Sitrep -- #12/13 (July/October 1997); 32 pages; 8.5xll"; PQ B, WR B, IR B; Clash of Arms, Byrne Building #205, Lincoln and Morgan Streets, Phoenixville, PA 19460; $15 per year, quarterly. This newsletter focuses on 20th century naval and air information and supports the Harpoon and Command at Sea rules sets. Issue #12/13 (double issue) covers Naval Gunnery in the 20th c.,; torpedo data (chart heavy) and errata for Harpoon; news; specs for the British Astute SSN, Japanese F-2 fighter, IL-28 Beagle, Russia Alexander Nevski CL, Prinz Eugen CA, Bismarck BB, and FW200 Condor patrol aircraft; tour of India's Godavari frigate; Harpoon 1989 scenario off the North Cape between NATO and USSR; and WWII Japanese Patrol Boats history. Operations -- #25, #26; 32 pages; 8.5"xll"; PQ A, WR A, IR A/C; The Gamers, 500 W 4th St., Homer, IL 61849; $16 per year (US), $24 (overseas), quarterly. Operations #26 (Fall 1997), Operations #25 (Summer 1997) support The Gamers board games, as opposed to miniatures--hence the A/C rating: A if you play the games, C if you don't. These issues include an outstanding selection of articles includes an analysis of the Italian Navy's efforts to supply Rommel and the Afrika Korps in WWII (26), previews, errata, and scenarios for a host of The Gamers boardgames, origins '97 convention reports, an ACW game quiz on tactics (26), a MONSTER chart rating hundreds of board wargames, Stalingrad historical OOB (25), design philosophies, and more. The Penny Whistle -- #33; 16 pages; 8.5"xll"; PQ B, WR B, IR B; The Penny Whistle, 1205 Allendale Dr., Greenwood, MO 64034; $12 per year, bimonthly. Color bumps up the PQ rating. Scenario for Fighter Air Combat rules system (1945 P-51s vs. ME-262s), complete with appropriate charts, review of 25mm Guernsey figures, a Gnatz air combat charts for P-38 Lightning and B-24 bomber, a 1941 scenario for Gnatz (P-40s and Buffalos vs. Ki. 21 Sallys and Ki D Nates) with combat sheets, and a future scenario (year 2000) pitting F-15Es vs. Mig-29Cs (based on a book, Fighter Wing by Tom Clancy), with sheets. Also, there is a "special Edition" included with a boardgame within based on the American Civil War Battle of Wilson's Creek. The maps are 8.5xll" pages, the counters must be cut out from the issue (more likely photocopied and cut out), and units take hits on a roster sheet. Simple d6 combat system. Perfidious Albion -- #95, 48 pgs.; 5.5x8.5"; PQ B, WR A, IR B; 75 Richmond Park Rd., East Sheen, London, SW14 8JY UK; 2.10 pounds (UK), 2.9 pounds (airmail to US); published "irregular in frequency" "The Magazine of Chaotic Historical Simulation" covers miniatures, boardgames, cards, and other gaming is chock full of candid reviews of various games ("venom removed, but not the sting"): When Eagles Fight, a pair of Gettysburg Games, Jena, Borodino, Vitoria 1813, and many, many more. Plus book reviews, design considerations, and other topics delivered with style and verve. The Rebel Yell -- #6; 36pgs; 5.5x8.5"; PQ B, W.R B, IR A; HMGS South, 1203 English Bluffs Ct., Beandon, FL 33511; $10 per year, bimonthly. The Sept-Oct 1997 issue includes Imperial Sunset, a Napoleon's Battle Campaign Module system; part 3 of the MicroArmor miniatures list from 6 companies, and more. Saga -- #60, #61; 40pgs; 5.5x8.5"; PQ B, WR B, IR A; SAGA, 890 Janes Rd., Rochester, NY 14612; $25 per year ($30 Canada, $35 elsewhere), bimonthly. #60 (August-Sept. 1997) Good article on Cyprus military actions during the medieval times, humor piece, lots of book reviews (especially about Ottoman Empire), some NASAMW feedback on DBM-WRG, a piece on Physical Restraints in Battle from Paul Walsh (of El Dorado magazine fame) reprinted from the UK's SOA Slingshot magazine, and letters to the editor. #61 (Oct.-Nov 1997) Interesting look at Tunis Christian and Muslim Armies (circa 1535) across various rule sets, a good in-depth article on the Battle of Knockdoe (1504), reprint from Slingshot: Plundering the Picts, Terry Gore's thoughts on ancient warfare, letters, and a bunch of rules questions about Medieval Warfare. Valkyrie -- #14; 80 pgs.; 8.5xl2"; PQ A, WR A, IR A/F; On Military Matters, 55 Taylor Terr., Hopewell, NJ 08525; $36 per year, bimonthly. If you like science fiction and fantasy roleplaying gaming, this UK import blankets the industry with news, lots of reviews, adventure modules and scenarios, advice for running games smoothly, analysis of game systems and monsters, and even some fiction. In here, scenarios for Star Trek, Star Wars, Babylon 5 Project, Elric, EverWay, World of Darkness game systems, plus Cthulu background info, alternatives for adventure party unions, films, book and game reviews, and much, much more. Wheels and Tracks -- #60; 54pgs.; 8.5xl2"; PQ A, WR A, IR A; After the Battle Publications, Church House, Church St., London, E15 3JA UK; 15 pounds per year (UK), 17.08 pounds (overseas); quarterly. If you like vehicles, this magazine is for you. It contains literally hundreds of photographs of tanks, jeeps, trucks, and other vehicles, along with short write ups. The photos of the captured US/UK equipment pressed into service by the Germans in WWII are excellent. Profiles of the Charioteer (with schematics), Guiberson Radial Diesel engine, a cornucopia of photos of "sightings" across the world (including a "jumping" T-90 at an Abu Dhabi defense show probably a good 2-3 feet off the ground), events and museums, etc. White Dwarf -- #2xx -- 144pgs.; 8.5xll"; PQ A, WR B, IR B/F; Games Workshop. This house organ for Games Workshop products brings you all the wackiness associated with lasers and orks in space, and so on. However, I've noticed a subtle tread the last couple issues. The articles are evolving into a photo and long caption and it is becoming increasingly difficult to tell the ads from the articles (not that the articles are anything but adverts for GW products). It is still as colorful as ever, but even as they increase the already stratospheric prices of their miniatures, they seem to be putting less effort into the magazine and shifting more into separate guides (like the terrain guide, for example). Zouave -- Vol 11 No. 3 (Fall 1997); 28pgs.; 8.5xll"; PQ A, WR B, IR A; The Command Post, 20578 Alliance-Sebring Rd., Alliance, OH 44601; $16 per year, quarterly. This issue contains articles/scenarios on the Battle of Waltham Junction (May 7-8, 1864), a pretty good article on the Artillery used in the Gettysburg Campaign (with an extensive organizational list of batteries), Battle of Ocean Pond (Johnny Reb III scenario based on the 1864 battle), a letter from the front, index to volume X, a pair of biographies, ACW on the Internet, and more. Back to MWAN #92 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1998 Hal Thinglum This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com