As I write this, the first week in January (starting OPS's 8th year and The Gamers' 10th), it's high time for thank-you notes, so here's to you. Thank you for your support (and I'm not talking about wine cooler here). Last year saw a big turn- out for HomerCon, a huge interest in DAK, and consistent proof from our customers that our direct-mail approach is meeting your gaming needs.

Having said that, it's time for my editor's appeal for more Operations articles. Yes, I have some articles on hand that have been waiting for a long while to see print. But the time they have spent waiting their turn does not mean I'm swimming in material. I know from reading the Gamers e-mail list that plenty of ideas are flying around out there. Hey, don't you guys want to earn some free issues for your labor? Some of the articles I have under consideration cover pretty old games, and I'm a firm believer in responding to your confinuing interest in games you have been playing for years.

Still, what I can really use now are good player-oriented articles about the games from 1997 and 1998. By "player-oriented," I mean articles that provide tactical and strategic advice, replays, variants & scenarios, and other such articles that you like to keep in mind when you step to the gaming table. Jerry Ankey has already come through (last issue) with a good piece on Gaines Mill. How about articles on DAK or A Raging Storm or GD '41 (a '96 release, true, but ripe for further coverage).

And plenty of you must have your Semper Fi! war stories, since that game practically jumps up and says "play me!" Or how about a description and analysis of the Commonwealth's best first player-turn gambit in Scenario I of Crusader? Or perhaps your favorite Axis strategy for stabilzing that Turn I situation? Other interesting topics might be whatever exciting developments are happening at your local gaming club. If you live outside the US, please consider describing the gaming scene in your country.

If your muse has a competitive edge, write up your solution to Lee Forester's TCS Tactical Problem #2 (page 20 of Ops 27). This problem's scope is modest, so you should be able to test and hone your plan. I'd like to see a bigger response to this problem; I hope Lee feels up to "grading lots of papers." Also, don't forget that we run articles on games from "consortium" members, Moments in History and Operational Studies Group. You will notice a pair of support pieces on a pair of panzer games from MiH this issue.

Meanwhile, back at the shop, Dean is hoping to have the computer-based order tracking system working in time for the summer game-buying season. No promises (we're talking about software, after all), but that's the plan. Also planned for this year is work on a new series from The Gamers: Dean will be starting full steam ahead with Age of Rifles and hopes to have some rough playtest stuff ready for HomerCon. Also coming up: Seven Pines, Gazala, and This Hallowed Ground for sure, with TCS and SCS titles on deck (see "Up & Coming" on the next page). To those of you who fear OCS withdrawal in '98, I can only say: you have your DAK, your bordello, and your condoms -- what more do you want?

Regarding A Raging Storm, Dean wants you to know: "I want to extend my apologies for Raging Storm. The game has entirely too many counter errors and this is totally unacceptable. The errors made do not do justice to the hard work put into the game by the designers and these should have been caught and corrected in development. As the named developer of the game, these are my fault. If anybody feels a need to blame someone for these mistakes, the blame is mine. Now, I want to make things right. When we do our summer counter printing (the next time we will be printing counters), I will have the correction counters printed. These will be sent out (free of charge, of course) with the summer game's pre- pub mailing along with instructions for their use. I do not feel it is right to wait until the next Christmas mailing to send these; I want to fix this problem as soon as I can. I also don't want these screw ups to keep anyone from enjoying this fine game. The corrections for Semper Fi! will be included in the same mailing."