My goodness! I seem to have let time slip through my busy fingers and have bypassed September! My apologies to the readers and purveyors of the Penny Whistle. I'll try to make it up with a great issue.
First on our agenda takes the Lion's Den gang to Branson, Mo. for Punic Wars IV on October 2- 3. Dave Pritchard and the Carthage Military Historians put on this convention, and the best part is, its free! It is held at the College of the Ozarks, Point Lookout, Mo. just south of Branson. Games abound in range and there is always a spot to join in the fun. We plan to run games about the American Civil War and Bald Knobbers, which covers some local history in the 1880's. The Bald Knobbers have become quite the favorite of the Punic crowd, but I have a feeling that the ACW game will turn some heads.
Another feeling I have is that the convention only has room to grow. The College of the Ozarks is more than happy to allow us to invade the campus and run rampant through the meeting hall. They are very cordial and many students have participated in games. This convention has the possibility to be huge. Watch out for it!
Football season is upon us and'that means only one thing, ELECTRABOWL! I mention this now for the coaches to get their electric football teams in training camp so they won't be injury prone as the real NFL teams are. Man, it seems like its open season on quarterbacks and running backs this year! Electrabowl is like nothing else we play. Friendships end and innuendoes abound in this hair pulling, gut wrenching event. If you have ever been around an electric football game, imagine six or eight of them going at once, talk about crowd noise!
This issue brings a scenario for BLEEDING KANSAS that is set in the Ozark Mountains of 1887. The Bald Knobbers have become very large in numbers by this time and have branched off into other counties of Missouri. Our scenario takes place in Chrtsttan County where the Bald Knobbers were more apt to wear the masks and clothes they are depicted in books and pictures. My Great-Grand Father, John Haworth, was a stout Anti-Bald Knobber and had several altercations with them. Stories and legend, passed down about the vigilantes can be found in a book titled BALD KNOBBERS: VIGILANTES ON THE OZARKS FRONTIER by Mary Hartman and Elmo Ingenthron, Pelican Publishing, Co. Tnc., Gretna, LA.
Our FULL SAIL campaign has become one of growing British dominance. It seems that every opportunity we have at engaging the French, we seem to come out heavily damaged, but we also possess a French warship or two. Most of the players have made -- or will make it -- to the rank of RearAdmiral. As Vice- Admiral, I am starting to realize that the tide is turning in the British favor. We have enjoyed "calm waters" and am counting the days before a French '`hurricane" blows in and delivers us a sound beating.
On the Internet war front, look up Map Maker. I believe this is share ware that you can get that will make maps and gnds for your games. I have not had a good chance to review this sight, however the time that such a program would save seems too good the pass up. The web address is: http://www.angelfire.com/wa/rogerswhome.
Don't forget to check out MagWeb at http://www.magweb.com. Membership is very reasonable and you can gather tons of ideas and information through this site. The Penny Whistle is among the publications that can be located there.
We always look forward to articles and ideas from everyone. Hope to see you soon. Good luck and good gaming.
- Adieu to old Kirbyville,
I can no longer stay
Hard times and Bald Knobbers
Has driven me away,
Hard times and Bald Knobbers
Has caused me to roam,
I'm just an old country farmer
Near Kerbyville's my home.
Excerpt from The Ballad of the Bald Knobbers
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