Holding everyone's interest through an entire miniatures campaign has always seemed the biggest drawback. Trying to keep a thing like that going. Oh, sure, initially everyone's gung-ho (a new toy, etc.) but as the weeks pass by interest wanes and soon the whole thing seems to just fade into dim memory. With this failing in mind, we decided to do a campaign in which the participants would be more than just such-and-such a king of Lower Moldavia, but an actual character, a historical personage who not only lived and breathed, but made a mark, however dispicable or glorious, in the annals of history. Not only our individual characters would have their fortunes up for splendor or defeat, but each unit of troops as well. If losing a miniatures battle, for instance, and a unit of archers (the Lombard Mercenaries) were in rout at the end of the game, not only would half of them never come back again, but those that did would be scorned and tainted (count 1 morale class lower until on the winning side of a battle and not routing at game's end). Likewise, if Alan's Norman knights, surrounded and outnumbered four to one fought gallantly and didn't break by games end, they should go up 1 morale grade.

With this in mind, each participant should also have the ability to make whatever alliances, deals and backstabbing decisions he wished to. In this respect, history is used as a framework, not (as in the case of most if not all historical boardgames) set and unbendable.

The participants have the right to go for whoever or whatever they want, and blood feuds do develop. This is what makes the game more than just a simple round of note-taking and roster sheets, it involves us as personalities, yet in a realistic and historical way, not as some 58th level wise wizard or whatever,

In the next issue of Saga, we are introducing our preliminary campaign rules for our play by mail Norman Conquest campaign. These are the rules welve been using here in Rochester for the last year or so and again, they're a framework for working within, many questions arise which.are judged on their individual merits and decided upon by the umpires. If you are interested, please drop us a postcard and preferences (Saxon, Norman, Scot, etc. and as soon as all is ready we'll begin (hopefully next issue). Any battles which develop will be fought by us here and fully documented. Any questions please address to David ot myself.

For England!