EDITOR'S NOTE: Jim McClarron of STONE MOUNTAIN MILITARY MINIATURES recently sent us a very nice letter, reproduced in part below. He had kind words to say about our December issue and, interestingly enough, not-so-kind words about WARGAMER'S DIGEST Civil War campaign.
"I was pleased to see Stone Mountain mentioned favorably several times, especially from the Herr Professor Paul Koch. Our volume of business has doubled again this year and the months prior to Christmas have been extremely hectic--I really haven't meant to ignore my good friends along the Potomac.
I intend to increase the scope of my 20mm line of ACW figures next year--supply wagons, a line of ragged Confederates, etc. Paul recently sent me another list of "suggested new figures".,,
I wrote to Mr. Bryant ("Courier" editor) concerning his editorial on the price of figures and he assures me that he will publish my letter. I also want to assure Stone Mountain customers that there will be no price increase in 1981. Paul stated in his letter that our 20mm figures cost $0.21 each. That price is for the solid-cast figures used primarily for wargaming. The price is no more than for 15mm figures, but the variety of poses is much more ex extensive. They also are easier to paint and are larger (actual height is about 23mm). The figures with separate heads and bodies are priced at $0.30 each.
They require much more manual labor to produce, but are very popular since virtually any historical unit can be re-created. George Adams of your club has a good-sized collection containing some special units if anyone is interested in seeing the figures.
I will be sending some information for reprint in the "Digest", but have had trouble finishing any games lately. We have been participating in the Wargamer's Digest Civil War campaign, but it is so inaccurate we scrapped it and started one of our own. On December 6, we sponsored a game at a local "mini-con", but were forced to finish half way through the game because the University decided to close down for the evening. However, we will be conducting additional campaign games in the next few weeks.
In February, we will be providing a program for the Civil War Round Table of Colorado. We did two programs last year on the first day of Gettysburg and they were received with much enthusiasm. We structure our programs around the accounts in the Official Records and reconstruct the battle sequences on a 1:20 figure/men ratio using hundreds of stands of Stone Mountain figures. One member of my wargame club (The Colorado Military Historians) narrates the battle as several others manipulate the figures and add vocal "color". It's amazing how few people have ever seen a battle in miniature. Our program for February is entitled "Gettysburg, Act II, Scene l: The Destruction of the XI Corp". Future scenes will carry us through the end of the battle. If any of your readers are associated with Civil War Roundtables I recommend this approach for programs. I would be glad to provide additional information if there is any interest."
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© Copyright 1981 by Wally Simon
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