Dear Terry,

I think we (NASAMW) need to be more constructive and concerned in an area endeavor that we focused on a couple of years ago and have since let slide; recruiting. We should really look into running more FAVORABLE publicity for NASAMW during the major conventions whether we have a tourney there or not. And even at conventions we do have a tourney, we should use some of that time and table space a full scale recruiting effort on getting more people to play ancients and medievals.

Many of us have noticed how we as a group of gamers, seem to be graying more (and in my case a lot more!) than other sections of the miniature gaming community. that there aren't any new and excellent gamers that do game ancients, but look at the majority of the ages of gamers in other sections of the hobby.

Some folks have said, "Well, we run tourneys for the membership and others, a that's how to advertise the Society. Running tourneys is a method and it is fun, typically only for the experienced members or gamers. Perhaps we can put some oft same genius we seen in use in tourneys and create a battleplan to open our ranks receive some new gamers, both in and outside of conventions and tourneys. Let's generate some excitement among the hobby and show our best side; our love of the hobby.

Alan Spencer

26th April. 1994
Dear Terry

Many thanks for your note and for SAGA 943. I hope you are receiving by now copies of Slingshot, there was a hiatus at one time until Peter Barham managed to sort out the despatch system and found out what was going wrong. I understand that Gareth Simon receives copies of SAGA and Spearpoint from which we have chosen a good number of articles to appear in our magazine, and this is a very workable arrangement. I am interested to see that you picked out 'Arthur's Britain'; I have not had too much response here, neither of interest nor lack of interest for this article, so I was beginning to feel that it may have been a mistake. There is yet to come another showing more explicitly how to run the campaign; if I can find it amongst the files left to me by Paul Sz, it might get more response. We shall see.

You may have noticed that we are serialising a book by John Morrison about Ships. I have prefaced the first in this series:

"LONG SHIPS AND ROUND SHIPS by John Morrison, The Society of Ancients has received permission from The National Maritime Museum to reproduce in serial form a book by John Morrison Long Ships and Round Ships: Warfare and Trade in the Mediterranean 1300 BC - 500 AD. This is No. 2 in a series of 10 books, about the development of merchant vessels and vessels of war, commissioned and produced jointly by The Museum and by HMISO, to both of whom the Society is most grateful, especially as No. 2 is out of print- American correspondents please note that permission does NOT automatically extend to their reprinting this series."

Which is self-explanatory. If you feel interested to do the same you would have to write to Mr D. Spence, Head of Publications National Maritime Museum Greenwich, London SE10 9NF.

How anybody manages to edit 2 magazines, write articles. translate, work for a living, play a wargame or two, AND remain married I cannot imagine! I have an interest (through DBM) in naval warfare, and living within the District Council of Wealden, Sussex. I am thinking of starting up a new group to be called Wealden Widowmakers. But then I am only thinking about ft. Any response from your friends for DBM with naval elements? Any model manufacturers for same? Nice to hear from you. All the Best

Michael Grant

Dear Mr. Gore,

After reading your editorial in number 43 of SAGA, I was rather disappointed with some of your statements. Your editorial sounds like an indirect put-down of DBM. First, you mention that you are "perplexed" at the proliferation of articles for DBM. Second, you mention that "lots of people are playing DBM and seemingly enjoying it". Finally, you then go on to describe what you feel are the advantages of WRG 7th over DBM. Maybe descriptions of my experiences with DBM will help you understand better it's growing popularity.

Our hobby seems to be in transition. During Cold Wars last year, my friend Mark Huml received a playtest copy of DBM. When we got home, our group in the Chicago suburbs started playing DBM and NEVER went back to WRG 7th. At our local convention, Little Wars, our scheduled WRG 7th tournament turned into a DBM tournament by popular demand. This occurred even with outside people showing up for the tournament who wanted to play DBM rather than the 7th, such as Glen Boise & Rich Novak from Indiana.

At our monthly ancients games held at a local hobby store, we used to play multi-player WRG 7th games and couldn't get many people interested. We changed to DBM and are now experiencing great interest, even from fantasy gamers who are intrigued by the games. Some gamers with annies they haven't pulled out in years have also come out to play DBM. This year at Cold Wars, the DBM tournament had more players than any single tournament except DBA. Every gamer I talked to was enjoying the DBM system and had been former 7th players. This year at the Little Wars convention, we put on a large multi-piayer demo DBM game of the battle of Zela which generated much interest. Our stack of flyers that advertised our monthly DBM games was totally depleted. We have also heard of similar events from those in other areas who are now playing DBM (with the sole exception of Dusty Koellhoffer). Interestingly, Phil Barkees letters indicate this is happening in England as well. So, why is all of this occurring9

I believe it is because of the very things I have seen you describe in previous editorials as well as some of the "hand wringing" about the current state of WRG 7th in SAGA and Spearpoint. WRG 7th is no longer supported by Phil Barker & he will apparently no longer update those rules. The army lists are ftorn older historical research and need updating and reformatting. The new 7th army lists from WRG are totally unacceptable. The rules system has been clarified and "interps" made in seemingly endless fashion.

The needless complexity of the 7th has spawned rules such as Tactica indicating a need for something more playable. Our group had been playing the 7th for years because we felt it was the best available, but were never really quite satisfied with it. DBM has, for us, resolved these problems with an innovative rules system that can be easily learned without the needless complexity.

The very things you mentioned in your editorial about how you get enjoyment fromm the 7th are also found in DBM. Sure, DBM has a die intensive movement/combat system. When I used to roll 4's in combat for my Thracian Peltasts or 1's when my Macedonian Companions waver tested, I used to think the 7th was die intensive. But, the planning for several turns in advance, the "mental battle" between commanders, quick judgments for movements, and the ability to customize your army with the latest research & army lists are all to be found in DBM as well. While not as complex as the 7th, DBM has all the flavor and subtleness in a game one could want. Why not try it some more and see for yourself You may just find that you could save yourselves much expended time, effort and money trying to "re-write" the 7th or come up with new army lists when the NEW is already here. It would seem the handwriting is already on the wall that WRG 7th is in decline. You have even stated in Spearpoint how difficult it is to get people to submit articles anymore for the 7th. Do I think the 7th should be phased out'? No, but why don't you and others join us and see what you're missing. Then, if you're still not convinced, then go on ahead and revise the 7th again if that is what you feel needs to be done.

Sincerely, Dave Moore

[Ed. Dave's letter reiterates what several DBM players are saying ... join the new age and get into DBM. WRG 7th is in decline thanks in part to the fact that WRG is now putting most of their publishing effort into DBM. There's something available for all of us, however, and we should feel fortunate indeed to have so many rules Systems to choose from.]

Dear Terry,

Here are 20 big ones. I finally broke down and bought DBM and its existing army list books. I have also played it. The action is quick and I feel like I am fighting a battle. I want to thank Richard Bodley Scott for inventing the game mechanisms that made DBM, HOTT and DBA possible.

I was looking at the troop costs and was surprised and stumped to see the price for a stand of pikes was cheaper than a similar stand of spears. At first I wondered if it was a misprint. Then I realized that for pikes to be effective their formations had to be deeper hence their smaller cost.

I also read Dusty Koelhoffer's complaint about the vulnerability of Knights (1) in the flank and rear. Is that realistic? it certainly is. I have read of many battles where they were displayed in such a manner. Just open up your copies of Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome by Phil Barker. turn to page 46. There it is; the Battle of Tigranocerta 69 B.C. Roman legions attacked Armenian Cataphracts in the flank and routed the entire army.

I am getting ready to run my 3rd monster battle. This time the theme will be the armies of the ancient world. In it will be my 700 Spartans and the rest of my Greeks. The will be Early Imperial Romans, Carthaginians, Macedonians, Ancient British and Galatians. That will be 2500 of the 5000 figures I am going to have. What I have decide is if I want to use my Assyrians, Babylonians and other Biblical armies or my Late Roman Empire, Goths, Sassanid Persian, Blemye's and Picts ... then there are my Han Chinese!

[Ed. My God! This would be fun to play in. I remember several years back when several of us would put all our 25mm Dark Age figures out on a 12 foot table and spend two or three evenings trying to reach a decision. It Was great fun. At Historicon, Jamie Fish and I have also brought over a thousand figures to play a WRG big battle game, always a good time.]

Jon Laughlin

Dear Terry: I want you to know I truly enjoyed issues 42 and 4Z. It appears to me that SAGA goes from one strength to another. If any wargamer wants to teach an old wargamer (38 years old) new tricks, such as DBA and DBM, please have them call me. I will travel (within limits of the Jamiaca, NY area) and I make a great opponent. The only recommendation I would like to suggest is that the authors publish their addresses. I am certain they would be interested in receiving feedback.

Stuart Schoenberger