We received the following press release--RL

I'll be going to a number of conventions this year to meet you guys, answer your questions and generally spend time with the heart-n-soul of the hobby, the players.

Here is my current schedule:

• 1-4 June: Homercon Europe, Braufels, Germany
• 24 June: Michicon, Detroit, MI
• 13-16 July: Origins, Columbus, OH
• 2-7 August: WBC (DonCon), Hunt Valley, MD
• 28 Sept-1 Oct: HomerCon, Homer, IL
• 27-29 Oct: TennCon, Knoxville, TN

I hope to see you there!

Game Room At Origins From the Room Honcho (Andrew Fischer) At Homercon last year I was disturbed to hear that a number of regulars to Homercon did not attend Origins. The reason often cited - there is not enough gameplay. I trust that this year will see the beginning of a new era in gaming at Origins.

All gamers are invited to the gaming room hosted by The Gamers at Origins 2000.

In order to make Origins a satisfying gaming experience for all participants, The Gamers are arranging for a series of games and demonstrations to be held in the Gamers' gaming room. In addition to showcasing the latest Gamers releases, Aspern-Esseling, Drive on Paris, Sicily and This Terrible Sound, there will be demonstrations of OCS technique, both for the novice and for experienced players, and the RSS game system. This is a unique opportunity to see the latest releases in four game series, an opportunity not to be missed.

We also need your help! Please tell us what you will be playing at Origins or what you would like to play - we may be able to hook you up with another gamer also looking for an opponent. If you are not planning to attend Origins, please let us know what you would like to play or see played so that we can get you there.

Please contact Andrew Fischer at andrewf@fischerassociates.co.za

Sicily: Triumph & Folly Pre-Publication Offer

Sicily: Arguably the largest amphibious operation in history (depending on who does the counting and how), the campaign in Sicily represents the first permanent Allied lodgement within the borders of an Axis nation.

The campaign in Sicily was a watershed in the development of the Western Allies. The US Army started to flex its muscle and work toward its final status as senior partner, while the British Army fought for its premier status against the rising number of yanks. The Allied air forces dropped the ball again in support of the ground forces, but the dynamic leadership of US combat commanders (Patton, of course, but also Bradley and several excellent division commanders) broke the stalemate and executed the first US Blitzkrieg of WW2.

Sicily allows players to look at this campaign in more detail than earlier games on the subject. The OOB detail is here and a map scale open enough to allow the detail to show through. It gives the detailed scenario set ups other games did not provide.

While the Allies are in a race against time to take the island, the Axis player is presented with the balancing act of trying to hold out as long as possible while also withdrawing (intact) the German forces deployed there. The Axis player must balance these conflicting goals with fighting off the Allies with elite, but few in number, mobile formations with a large number of less-than-enthusiastic Italian forces. Who knows, maybe a sortie by the Italian Navy is in order...

Sicily is the seventh game in the popular Operational Combat Series. These games are each major studies of their topic and are designed to give the experienced player a meaty full-court treatment. Sicily comes with the new v3.0 OCS standard rules-the result of five years of additional development and the comments of countless OCS players.

This is a limited edition, ONLY 2,000 copies will be printed.

• Designed by Dean Essig
• 1,260 counters
• Two Maps
• OCS v3.0 Rules
• Two Sets Charts & Tables
• Game Specific Rules
• 8 Scenarios
• Box and Dice

Release Date: Origins, 2000 Order Early and SAVE!! You can save quite a bit by ordering now or before 31 July 2000, a little less before 31 August 2000.

This Terrible Sound Pre-Publication Offer

This Terrible Sound: The Battle of Chickamauga was the 'most even' major battle of the Civil War. At the end of a brilliant campaign that caused the Confederates to abandon Chattanooga, Rosecrans found himself confronted by an attacking Army of Tennessee. At the end of two days of struggle in the woods of Northern Georgia, the Union Army withdrew northward to Chattanooga (and stayed there until the later Battle of Chattanooga). Bragg's Rebels failed to pursue (much to the chagrin of Nathan Bedford Forrest who announced he would no longer serve under "that man", Braxton Bragg (he said other things, too, but you get the idea).

This Terrible Sound provides the depth, detail, and scenarios missing in another recent release on the subject. The designer of that game glibly suggested that players use the scenarios here to flesh out his game (which you can do if you like, but why mess around with the middleman, when you can play the real game instead?). This is another of Dave Powell's tour de forces, and it shows in every way. As was the case in his earlier game, This Hallowed Ground, TTS sets the gold standard for research into this most interesting battle.

This Terrible Sound is the second game in the new Regimental Sub-Series of the Civil War, Brigade Series. Following on the heels of the acclaimed monster, definitive Gettysburg game (This Hallowed Ground), TTS applies the same research enthusiasm and rigor to this Western Battle. From the words of Park Historians to the Ante-bellum County Farm maps used, no stone has been left unturned.

All RSS games feature the in-depth information above, but also apply a tactical system of ACW combat that allows a better presentation of the tactics of the time than heretofore available. Every bit of Dave's 30+ years of study, examination, and field experience come into play here. This is a real gem...on a topic that lends itself to great gaming!

This is a limited edition, ONLY 2,000 copies will be printed.

• Designed by Dave Powell
• 1,960 counters
• Six Maps (Four 22x34, Two 17x22)
• CWB v3.0 Rules
• RSS Sub-Series Rules
• Two Sets RSS Charts & Tables
• Game Specific Rules
• 12 Scenarios
• Detailed Loss Chart Books
• Multiple Full Color Play Aides
• Three Countertrays
• Box and Dice

Release Date: Origins, 2000 Order Early and SAVE!! You can save quite a bit by ordering now or before 31 July 2000, a little less before 31 August 2000.

Price Listings

Sicily Pre-Pub

now through 31 July 00 $56
1 Aug 00 to 31 Aug 00 $64
1 Sep 00 and after $75

This Terrible Sound Pre-Pub

now through 31 July 00 $99
1 Aug 00 to 31 Aug 00 $112
1 Sep 00 and after $130

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