Terry,

I hope you are well. I've enjoyed reading the articles you've published about your Medieval Warfarerules. They sound great! I'm writing to order a copy. I've been looking forward to this rules set.

I've begun to collect 25mm Late Antiquity//Dark Age figures. I've tried to limit my armies to about 100 ffgures each-- ha, ha--well maybe some of them. I use the 25's for skirmish and grand skirmish type rules such as Richard Davidson's 1066, Gary Comardo's Groans of the Britons, and Gamer's Guild's Warlord.

I've tried 'historical Warhammmer' and they were okay, but a lot of dice rolling for one melee. I do like the large units. My Arthurian Britons have 2x15 Cambroji Heavy Cavalry (Partially Mailed Cavalry under MW - Ed), 1x8 Companions for the Big Man, 3x30 Spearmen (1 Lowland City Militia, 2 Levy units) and 2x15 figure Bow units as well as 1x12 figure javelin skirmisher unit.

I also have 1/2 of a Carolingian army (Tactica Medieval size), about 100 Vikings with two small ships and about 120 Saxons in warbands of 30. I've just discovered that Old Glory Early Germans make good Saxon/Frankish raiders. 21 out of 30 figures per pack can be painted up as Saxon pirates - I replaced the oblong shields for round ones. The nine that I did not think would work are wearing only loin cloths so I will give them the early Germanic shields, and mix them with the others if I need 1st Century Germans.

I've recently read Osprey's Warrior series Anglo- Saxon Thegns and discovered that the early Germans and Saxons were using wedge formations about the time of our period (4th-6th centuries A.D.). I've always wargamed them as shieldwall, and wonder how much difference it would make in, say 7th edition WRG if they could use wedge. Have you seen information on the early Saxon use of wedges to attack instead of a shieldwall? (Actually, accounts of early allude to the Saxon use of the swine-array, Mark). I wonder if this means that Federates may have learned the use of the shieldwall-likd formation from the Romans or if the Germans used it as a defensive formation. It would certainly fit in with what you said about commander's using terrain and formation and correct tactics.

Terry,

Sorry did not get the review done for your rules. Very interested in the letters in No. 59 regarding 7th/DBM. Obviously 7th is a far more complex and serious game, whilst DBM is a damn good game. As to which will win out, I think there must be far more people out there wanting to play DBM over 7th. If people want 7th to continue, I suggest they try buying the rights and the remaining copies rather than asking for them given. Unfortunately, there is little chance of making money on the deal. Players spend far more on their figures than they are prepared to spend on the rules.

However, all is not lost. I count 18 sets of ancient/medieval rules out there and available, including three big ones, DBM, 7th and Armati. If you cannot be bothered with spending 2-3 years of your life writing and testing and testing your own set of rules I'm sure you can find something close which someone will be willing to sell you for not much money.

I will be happy to supply copies of my rules database to anyone who asks for it (please indude 3 IRC's as it's fairly heavy) and even happier to sell them a copy of my own Alea Iact Est rules (contact either me or Pharoah's Arms for the rules).

(Justin's rules are quite good. As he said, those who are not happy with existing sets can drive themselves nuts and write their own.... I can hear Fish agreeing with me, he gets to hear my frantic voice every couple of weeks! -Ed)

Dear Terry,

We saw your ad in MWAN and would like to subscribe. My son and I have played Space Marines and 40K for the last three years and would like to try historical wargames. We are going to try ancients. If you have any back issues on the Punic Wars would you please send us a list?

We have not decided on 15mm or 25mm or what rules to play with. Can you recommend any brands of figures to look into? Also what rule books to think about. (As stated, we can handle the Space marine games, anything more complex might be over our heads the first time around). Thanks!

(Ed- Welcome to historical miniatures! The future of the hobby rests in bringing new players into it, as always. I sent Matt some addresses and a couple issues to get them started. Encourage the fantasy-RPG gamers at your local hobby shop to sit in on a game sometime. You might just find a new opponent!)