When Lion's Den Wargames was founded in January 1995, there were no big expectations of global dominance in the field of wargame publishing. The biggest goal was to see if we could make it through the year and still have the same enthusiasm that we had when we started. It can be very easy to get "burned out" if things don't go according to plan, whether or not you started out with one. Some things did happen that kept the Lion on the hunt last year. In April, patrons of the Heart of America Historical Miniature Wargaming Society witnessed the rebirth of the Roman Empire with the release of AURIGAE. This 54mm scale recreation of the famous Roman Circus Maximus received great reviews from those that played and watched. One of the best features about this game is the fact that the chariots are not restricted to certain lanes on the track. Maneuvering is made simple by the use of a protractor system the deterrnine the arc of your turn. Mana: The Summoning is designed as a two player game based on the source of all magic. By moving your game pieces along the threads of time and space, you can create a mana source and destroy your opponent. Games run very quick, hence you may play several in an evening. A game board is included, but it is encouraged that you design and construct your own board out of materials that you wish to use. The game's inventor has his own personal board made out of leather attached to a natural tree stick frame, this gives the appearance of an ancient American Indian artifact. It is very nice! October saw the debut of THEATRE OF OPERATION at the fall convention of HAHMGS. The scenario was set in Stalingrad, 1942. The mission for units of the German 6th Army was to travel a predetermined distance over the table top to succeed. Their opposition and the type of encounter they had was randomly determined by turning cards from a card deck. This gives endless combinations as to what might be encountered. There are other scenarios in the rules, plus look for different scenarios to appear in the Penny Whistle in the months ahead. One such scenario is featured in this issue. Merril's Marauders pits the Japanese against the U. S. in Burma. This is the first scenario from the Asian theater that we have done. The encounters for the jungle marches can become extremely intense. Look for the public debut at the HAHMGS Call to Arms convention in April. There were several items that were planned for release in 1995 that never made it off the press. This does not mean that those items have been scrubbed, just set back enough to deliver a quality product for your enjoyment. The following list contains just part of the products that we intend to release in the near future. BLEEDING KANSAS is the working title for skirmish action set in post-Civil War Kansas. Western gunfights are everyday occurrences that separate the brave from the dead in a time when "justice" consisted of the fastest gun. Rules cover everything from wielding a knife to riding a horse. World War II aerial combat will be covered in FIGHTER COMMAND. This will be a fast paced game using 1/72nd scale aircraft. The unique feature of this game is the fact that your backyard is your tabletop. Aircraft move and maneuver in measurements of yards and shooting is scaled off in feet! Any theater of the war is available to you as long as you can find the model to use. As for sci-fi fans, STELLA IGNIS looks to be a simple space combat rules system for 25mm figures and vehicles. The system is based on points per model plus equipment, thus lending for a very balanced game. Ease of play and a huge fun factor will provide loads of entertainment. Hope the new year brings everyone happiness and prosperity. Keep the dice rolling and happy gaming to each and every one of you. Back to Table of Contents Penny Whistle #22 Back to Penny Whistle List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1996 by Lion's Den Publications. 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