Bruce and Terry, I really enjoyed not only gaming with you but talking to you and getting to know you. It makes the headaches and fatigue and distractions of a convention easier to take (and doubles the enjoyment too).

I will let you know what Dave Bonk and I are doing at Fall In when we iron out a few more details. Right now it looks like a variation on the Historicon matchup with the Mongols coming back to Poland a few years after Liegnitz with some subject Russian allies along. Possibly including an assault on a Polish village/town if the figures come out in time...

Anyway, I know it is early to plan any final details of the tournament, but I couldn't help thinking about it and wanted to give you some ideas/suggestions while they were fresh in my mind (and so I can stop thinking about it and go on to something else too).

First, I would propose a 600 point list, 3 round tournament (possibly with 2 lists as this is what the DBM tournaments allow - I don't know about 7th). Anything less than this seems too small for a three-general list from what I have looked at in the lists.

Second, I think it might be wise to make the matches as historical as possible for all rounds - i.e., determine all of the matches by historical interaction rather than placement in standings.

Third, given that everybody will know who they are playing in each round they can have the flexibility to play where and when they want to, as long as they finish by a certain time. If they finish up round one quickly and their opponent in round 2 finishes early also they can get in their second round immediately and have 3-4 hours to goof off, eat, go to the dealers hall, kibitz, etc.

Fourth, I would like to work on a trophy/prizes for the winner/best sportsman. Given the probably modest nature of this first tournament I would think 2 prizes would be enough and something like best sportsman would be a good signal that this is supposed to be primarily a "fun" tournament. I was thinking that you might be able to persuade the Foundry to provide a gift certificate for one and I was thinking about a small trophy (a 54mm medieval figure mounted on a wooden base with a placard) for the other. I would provide the painted figure -- it sounds like a fun thing to do -- and awarding such a trophy should have more impact than the things that I have seen given out in the existing tournaments.

Fifth, you should probably specify which, if any, optional rules will be in force or whether they can be included by mutual consent.

On Medieval Warfare Rules

Anyway, just a few of my initial thoughts. I also wanted to mention a couple of things about MW that I had noticed and see what you thought.

First, I couldn't find anywhere in the rules a discussion about how handgun and artillery armed troops count a dice for every figure vice one per stand. Without this factor no one will ever take this type of troop as they go low on missiles after every shot. [Ed. Each firing figure with HG or each artillery crewman gets a d10, unless the unit is Low on Missiles.]

Second, I notice that dismounted knights are just as vulnerable to missile fire as are mounted knights of the same armor class. I can think of no positive inducement for knights to dismount in the face of missile fire. In fact being under fire longer positively hampers you and you receive a lesser bonus in the charge when you finally do arrive. Would it make more sense to have LB/CB gain a -1 modifier against armored/fully mailed foot while still negating the entire modifier against mounted. Would you like me to play test some HYW type battles to see how it plays out? [Ed. The fact that the cavalry go from three figures per stand mounted to four figures per stand when they dismount give them the abiltity to absorb more punishment dismounted, reflecting their 'harder to hit' factor, but play your suggestion through and let me know how it turns out.]

Third, I assume that the lists are going to change to reflect the new notations of A, PA, HI/HC, etc. that are in the new cheat sheet? If so, I would be happy to rework these for you if you could send me the text file. Also, I would be happy to go through the AW lists with a fine tooth comb to look for possible errors and inconsistencies (easier to show in a file marked with revisions -- and offer unsolicited opinions as the mood strikes).

That's it for now. Hope you are caught up back home (or at least as close to caught up as you were before you left). Talk to you soon.