We received the following item. --RL This is NOT an ordinary plain-jane tour with 52 people stopping at gift shops to buy porcelain souvenirs. And not a Veterans tour that spends half its time in cemeteries. We see many major battlefields, have the opportunity to play games en-route & enjoy it all without all the hassle of planning and travel details. We are limited in how many travelers we can take because our custom-redesigned motorcoach (see SPW PS IV below) will have tables installed for wargaming while driving. To make it more affordable, I have negotiated unbelievable group air fares. (Designed by wargamer (39 years)/travel agent (30 years), Bill Owen, of Decatur IL USA) With the following features included: Unique games* aboard table-equipped, custom-reconfigured motorcoach plus games at local gamers' clubs in Rome & Ghent Games at Salute might require an invitation to play since they are really "demonstration" games intended to wow people rather than be competitive... British gamers really do an awesome job of the terrain & troops plus the opportunity to buy stuff directly from what seems like 60 million manufacturers is a big reason to attend not to mention meet in person finally many of the famous UK gamers who see posted on e-mail-lists... if you "know" someone from an e-mail list he may be able to get an invitation to something. Round trip group rate air flights on British Airways Custom designed American Express Destination Services itinerary for wargamers and military history buffs Meet others in Europe with like interests Met on arriving continent & transportation, airport-hotels-airport Accommodations & meals per itinerary Group rates on all features See more, do more, in less time it would take to do on your own (even if you do speak all the languages) Option to extend trip for Rome arrival/home from London Baggage handling tips Unique features Taxes & fees quoted separately because subj. to change First Class & Tourist Class hotels Rates guaranteed against foreign currency fluctuations! Games Featured at Stops & Aboard Our Sonderkraftfarzeug Panzerspiel IV (otherwise known as Automatischkampfspielkahrzeug I) We feature aboard our "Sdkfz PzSp IV (Aukaspfzg I)" several miniature games actually on our American Express motorcoach (first European motorcoach with a good-sized magnetic miniatures table), Boardgames (on smaller tables & WiFi lan games)! Since we keep the same touring coach throughout the core trip, you can leave stuff on board when dismount and hit the battlefields or pack precious lead items underneath in cargo. Advise if you want to host a game for a tour discount. Space is very limited for # passengers on board because we have a custom-configured coach with gaming tables (usually seats 52 but we're taking out many seats and putting in many tables). don't delay! This is a unique opportunity to see battlefields firsthand AND play wargames en route (both on board the coach and at several stops)! Wargames & Battlefields from Agincourt, World War II & Waterloo! 1. Full Tour Start... Before the core tour would be 4/13/2003 fly to Rome, 2 nights there as Arturo takes us to Anzio (and its battlefield museum) and games that invasion (and perhaps as many as 4 other battles) in his club's giant clubhouse/bunker. We will also have a quick tour of major sights in Rome. I have visited Arturo in the past in Rome and he warmly welcomed me and my family. He has generously offered to feed us yummy REAL Italian Pizza while there. We then fly to Luxembourg where we join the arriving Core Tour members. (Incidentally, we chose to offer the Full Tour and Core Tour separately for folks who are just too short on time or money to do the full trip. But I recommend you don't miss Rome and London and the great folks we'll meet.) 2. Core tour 11 days, 9 nights, from 4/15 (from the U.S. & flying overnight) starting in Luxembourg 4/16/03 when you are picked up by American Express tour manager coming out of the customs area & join the rest of us (I’ll be on the full tour) at the hotel (up from Italy same day) return home 4/25/03 unless continuing on to England. Tour starts with stay in Luxembourg (Bock Casemates). We visit Maginot Line fort (Cattenom & Galgenberg), continue on for stay in Bastogne & visit Bulge area, on up to stay in Liege and then have a private visit to Eben Emael (the most powerful fort in the world in 1940; until German glider troops landed on it with shaped charges), Waterloo, Gent splendidly restored olden city (where we will have a two stay including more miniature games with Edwin van der Straeten & optional visit to WWI battlefield Ypres/Passchendaele, Blockhaus d'Eperlecques--V3 site near Calais (never completed nuclear tipped artillery Hitler planned to bombard England), Agincourt, Caen, Pegasus Bridge, Sword, Longues Battery, Arromanches (Mulberry bits still visible out in the harbor), Omaha Beach, Pointe du Hoc, Utah, St Mere Eglise, Samur Tank Museum (rivals Bovington - which is awesome itself - and was Patton's Cavalry School!), Le Mans (I DO have an Avalon Hill game for THIS too!) & Chartres (neither anything to do with battlefields, I just wanted to stop along the way), fly home from Paris or continue on to... 3. Full Tour "Resumes" ... Fly to London 4/25 3 nights, a possible visit on arrival to Imperial War Museum the light cruiser Belfast and Tower of London, Salute next day (THE best British wargame convention with dozens of vendors and incredibly beautiful demonstration games of all descriptions; our hotel is nearby so you don't have to forklift the lead you buy too far), Tank Driving (YOU drive'em!) option (it's not included in the package price & you are not forced to do this since it's pricier than the average side trip) at a rather armor-minded farmer's place near the Salisbury plain (I did this in 1997 and it was great fun with Mark, Mitch & Nick; you will get to drive Chieftain, Abbott Self Propelled Gun, APC & Quad Biking; minimum 5' height and maximum chest size of 44"; suggest you consider bringing a video camera for this event!), fly home 4/28/03. Component Prices Itemized Please advise whether you want “full” trip from Rome to London or the "core" trip from Maginot to Paris. Total price includes all air fares, current taxes & fees, hotels, baggage handling, transportation, sightseeing per itinerary and some meals. and is per person, based on two sharing a room with 2 twin beds. Extra costs would be tank driving option in England (est. $250), lunches & dinners on most days. Singles If you do not have a roommate, we guarantee that we can find someone and even if we don't you will have a single room at no extra charge. If you definitely want a single room, the extra cost is $590. Note that European single rooms are smaller and limited in number at each hotel, so book early. Core Tour Dates April 15-25, 2003 Starting & Ending Airports Luxembourg (Maginot Line) - Paris Land Tour Portion (double rate, per person) $1,588 for 11 day & 9 nights Intra-Europe Air Flights (2 or 3 respectively) $150 Transatlantic Air Fares $399 Current Taxes & Fees $128 Total Package Price** $2,265 Full Tour April 13-28, 2003 Rome - London (incorporating core tour in the middle) $2,298 for all 16 days & 14 nights Intra-Europe Air Flights (2 or 3 respectively) $366 Transatlantic Air Fares $399 Current Taxes & Fees $128 Total Package Price** $3,191 **Price based on double occupancy, per person. Deposit required, per person: $850.00. Includes transatlantic flight from NYC, other departure points available too! Call for details tollfree 800-397-2525, extension 150 or see URL: www.franklintravel.com/wargame.htm Back to 4th Quarter 2002 List of News Items Back to Master List of News Items Back to Master Magazine List © Copyright 2002 by Coalition Web, Inc. 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