1. The first article in this issue is a brief piece by Chris Parker which indicates that the ground scale in Tod Kershner's AGE OF REASON rules set is a wee bit out of kilter.
Readers of the REVIEW know that I am continually looking for truth and beauty in wargaming rules, but I must admit that ground scales are fairly low on my priority listing.
In my own horse-and-musket rules sets, for example, after establishing a ground scale of sorts and setting out what I term a battalion, I have a tendency to extend the impact of musketry far, far beyond the "effective" 100 yard distance. All the while I do so, I shout: "Playability!".
I've never really had a great desire to formally publish any of my systems, and consequently, no one has yet challenged me on my cries of "Playability!". I must admit, however, that it has been said that my rules creations do not make for truly "serious" games (this implies, of course, that, first, there is such a thing as a "serious" game, and second, that the speaker could recognize one if he saw one).
It appears, however, that if one dares to publish one's rules, thereby seeking respectability under the penumbra of scholarly expertise, one cannot shout "Playability!" as often as I have and not have one's audience question one's assumptions.
2. I had heard that at the Lancaster, Pennsylvania, HISTORICON convention, there was a reporter from the Wall Street Journal, probably taking even more notes than I. And sure enough, in the Wall Street Journal, August 24, appeared a fine line drawing of Todd Fisher on the first page, followed by an article on the convention.
The article indicated that Napoleon was Todd's role model. To this effect, Mr. Fisher saw fit to pose in his hairy bicorne, evidently attempting to look stern and commanding like old Nappy himself, but only succeeding in looking kinda silly, resembling a surly, unshaven Russian general before he's had his morning shot of vodka.
On every front page of the Wall Street Journal there appears a humorous piece, placed there to amuse and divert the filthyrich imperialist/capitalist reader from his daily routine of oppressing the down trodden masses. August 24th was our day on the Journal's cover. The article approached the hobby, as do just about all newspaper and magazine pieces that are written about wargaming, in tongue-in-cheek fashion.
3. The new Board of Directors of the Historical Miniatures Gaming Society (HMGS-East), has elected its new president. Pat Condray is the man-in-charge. I expect to see HMGS enter a new era of fiscal responsibility.
4. At HISTORICON, I had a brief talk with Dick Sossi, the man who just stepped down from the HMGS presidency. Dick is still a member of the Hoard.
Dick had not renewed his subscription to the REVIEW after its expiration in March of this year. I intimated that without his renewal monies, hundreds of poor PW children would be cast out on the street, homeless and shoeless in the snow, forced to stand on line at local soup kitchens for their daily meager cup of gruel.
No use. Mr. Sossi was not persuaded. He indicated that I had criticized him one time too many. "Why," he said, "Why should I subsidize a magazine that continually insults me?"
I must admit there would be a wee bit of logic in Mr. Sossi's argument if it was based on a correct premise, i.e., that I had insulted him. But my criticism in the past has been directed, not at Dick Sossi personally, but at the entire HMGS Board of Directors and their frolicsome ways.
In a more recent discussion with the new president, Pat Condray, I mentioned Dick's reluctance to resubscribe.
"No problem!" said Pat, and he whipped out his wallet and gave me 12 Yankee Dollahs, asking me to, once again, enroll Dick on the subscriber list.
"It's for his own good," said Pat, "And don't forget to send him all the back issues he missed."
Yes, it is obvious that HMGS is entering a new Age Of Enlightenment.
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© Copyright 1993 Wally Simon
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