1. This end-of-year issue is a double one, forced upon me because I couldn't get the regular November issue out on time. Had an ear operation of sorts, which left me whoozy for some time... evidently, an operation on the inner ear affects your balancing system, and temporary whooziness is the result. Although there are those of you out there who would indicate that that's my natural state...
Because the issue covers two months of table-top activity, it seems to cover the waterfront... you name the era and there's probably an article about it. A veritable compendium of gamery.
On occasion, certain select souls have written, asking for a complete copy of the rules systems I've described. Due to the brevity of the articles, I usually discuss only one or two sections of the rules, giving the remainder short shrift. If you are interested, don't hesitate to ask.
2. Received the latest HMGS newletter which contained the minutes of the meeting that took place during HISTORICON in July. I reported on this meeting in the August issue, indicating that all was disorder, turmoil, confusion and disarray.
Not so, according to the official HMGS note-taker. He created absolute order out of absolute chaos. I was definitely impressed by my misinterpretation of what went on. According to the official minutes, there was no hubbub, there were no arguments, no sword-fights, no across-the-room debates, no people shouting out of turn, no yelling, no hooting, no screaming, no bellowing, no cat-calling.
It became obvious to me as I read the minutes that I must have attended d different meeting. Perhaps T confused the goings-on around my own ping-pong table with the HMGS meeting.
3. The Potomac Wargamers end the year with "somewhere around" a massive $200 war chest, thanks, in part, to the results of our September flea market. Amongst other donors, I'd like to thank Hal Thinglum who contributed a couple of subscriptions to his Midwest Wargamers Association Newsletter (MWAN) which were auctioned off.
Note that I say "somewhere around", since there's some end-ofyear postage to be financed. My bookkeeping traditionally follows along the lines originally utilized by HMGS, which, in its reports, would state something like: "Our treasury is now somewhere between $40,000 and $50,000"... evidently, the nearest $10,000 increment was good enough.
I note, however, that HMGS' latest newsletter provides an updated, detailed financial report by Bob Coggins on the July HISTORICON proceeds, indicating that the organization made $2,651 on the convention. Aside from this, however, the newsletter did not contain a report of HMGS' total financial posture... perhaps the $10,000 increment position still applies.
4. Hal Thinglum's Midwest Wargamer's Association Newsletter (MWAN) arrived, Volume 13, Number 2, Nov/Dec/94. Russ Lockwood runs the column on wargaming magazines.
Russ rates the magazines via 3 factors, with each factor graded from A (best) to F (worst):
- a. PQ... the physical quality of the layout, such as print quality and use of graphics
b. WR... the wit rating or quality of writing and sustainable interest level
c. IR... inspirational rating or creativity of ideas and reference values.
Alas, the REVIEW's PQ rating was a lowly C... of the 15 magazines mentioned, only two of us received a C; all others were A's and B's. I guess the ol' xerox machine just can't hack it these days. And unfortunately, dear reader, our future PQ is as bleak as our present PQ. Until the Ford Foundation chips in with a grant for publication, I will continue to tippy-toe in to the xerox room at work at 6:00 AM and run off our copies.
A wee bit 'o good news. The REVIEW balanced its substandard PQ rating with an A in the WR league. I sleep peacefully at night, knowing that the REVIEW's pages wallow in wit.
Now, more bad news... and here's where it really hurt... the REVIEW merited only a B in the IR field. Eight out of the 15 magazines came in with an A, indicating they were "more inspirational" than the REVIEW.
What to do?? How to more fully plead my case for accuristical, realisticulor, historiculatory wargaming rules?? I am undone. Perhaps it's time for me to stop shaving, retire to a cave on the mountainside, don my hair shirt, and, like St. Francis, play with the surrounding four-footed creatures. Perhaps the woodland animals would think me more inspirational ... perhaps.
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© Copyright 1994 Wally Simon
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