From Gareth Simon

Dear Terry,

Your latest letter arrived on Saturday 18th May. Sorry for the delay in replying (insert standard opening #1). I've sent the latest 64 page Arquebusier off to the printer a week ago, and I've got to paste up the 1973 Compendia for printing asap, since I've advertised It for sale In that Arq. I'm proofreading the 1974 compendia at the moment prior to getting it done, since it's on offer as well. The 1973 issue is 60 pages and the 1974 is In two volumes, 48 and 40 pages. l'm preparing three new PA books on the battle of Flodden (c.260pp), a history of Mackay's Regiment, mainly 30YW (c.220pp) and the memoirs of Sir James Tumor 1632-1670 (c.300pp). I'm also putting the finishing touches to three books: on the campaigns of Fredericksburg 1862, c.180 pages, Koniggratz 1866, c.140 pages (both In two volumes), and a contemporary history of Wyatt's Rebellion against Queen Mary Tudor. The lives of Wallenstein and Hawkwood are still at the printer, they may turn up one day. I've sent off your two next booklets and a volume on the Anglo-Dutch Brigade 1572-1664, plus Gaul for another 20 copies. I have now got 1 copy of it left, and that's just been ordered. Paul S-Z has got a couple of reviews of it which might appear in the next Slingshot. I've not had time to do my accounts yet for last year, but there are still several bills not yet paid by bookshops. In the post to you are the most recent three books, Sir Thomas Fairtax's Memoirs (ECW), a life of Bartolomeo Colleoni 1400-1475, and a book on the battle of Langside, 1568. With the other hand I'm working on a complex computer system design in the office. Things have been pretty quiet of late, though a new wargames club has started up in Tonbridge, on a fortnightly basis, and I'm starting to get some figure gaming going there.

Chris Russell, the friend I met up with in Vienna is off to Florida in June for a conference, and has been trying to talk me into a holiday visiting the east coast battlefields you mention in your letter. I've got too used to the decadent European habit of comfortable train journeys and short intercity flights to want to spend the required time driving about in a car to take him up at the moment. Maybe one day... He's been working in Geneva of late, and has brought me back a picture of the battle of Moral, a copy of a 17th century engraving, a yard wide and about 18" tall. It I can get it photocopied before I frame it, I'll send you a copy.

I would appreciate copies of the reviews of the PA booklets to print in Arquebusier, and the Commines for Slingshot, too. The May Slingshot has a mention of the February SAGA, giving subscription information. Chris Parker is still the U.S. agent for subscriptions for the SoA, but his address is not given. The sub for 1991 is the same as for 1990. (Didn't I see Chris's name in SAGA recently?) SoA Committee ombudsman Steve Roper can be contacted via Box 7, FPO NY 09510 by anyone with queries or complaints about SoA subscriptions. I will speak to Paul about your exchange this week.

I have just come home from Charles Vasey's where we tried the new game in COMMAND magazine - ALEXANDROS: Conquest and Empire 334-323 BC. It is excellent, and I recommend you grab a copy if it still available. It is a strategic game with a tactical sub-system for resolving battles.

Anyway, I don't have much in the way of news at the moment, but as soon as I get the current bout of work out of the way, I'll write at more length.

The above was written on the 19th May, and was put aside for a few days while I finished off the review of Alexandros. Things got hectic at work, I took another holiday in Holland, and so I've only just got around to working on the review. More apologies for the delay. In the post to you already should be copies of your three booklets which turned up a week ago, along with the book on the Anglo-Dutch brigade. I've also tried playing the new Strategy & Tactics game on the Punic Wars - HANNIBAL: its terrible. A more reasoned description may follow after ALEXANDROS.

By ?

First let me say that I have enjoyed the content of each and every SAGA. I look forward to reading the issues cover to cover. I'm learning a lot about periods of history and wargaming, that I knew nothing about. The same goes for your monographs - they're super! You and Jake Kovel, NASAMW district person, for my area are sucking (not suckering) me into the Dark Age/Early Medieval period. I have a full 1500 point 1st Crusade Army on its way from England and I'm slowly building a Byzantine army too - both in 25mm.

Secondly, and not so positively, while I enjoy SAGA's content, I don not enjoy its layout. I'm sure you've heard all of this before so I'll say only one other thing i.e. can't you rally friends with home publishing equipment to publish the mag in a readable form? I will offer to help all I can. I do have an IBM computer and can do typing, editing, etc., but do not have desktop publishing capacity.

Thirdly, given your high level of wargaming expertise, could you possibly do (or talk your contacts into doing) a series of articles for beginners on WRG 7th rules and especially on WRG 7th tactics? Jim Kasper's article on Irr. D in a recent Spearpoint is exactly the kind of thing I have in mind. You know as well as I that there are a lot of beginners (like myself) out there who could benefit from your obvious experience.

(ED.- You will note that this issue is physically larger than the previous two. I will try to finish out the year with this larger, cleaner format. It is a bit more expensive, especially when it comes to mailing, but Malcolm is right, the quality has got to improve and a larger print format is an obvious expedient to rectify this.)

From Craig Tyrrell

Dear Terry:

Enclosed is my latest submission - a short article and my regular columns. I hope you enjoyed the most recent issue of the MGM News.

I had a very enjoyable time at Historicon - I especially enjoyed coming out on top in our grudge match (at least now we're even). The "Free Trade Wars" mega-game was a real gas!! Hope your throne is more secure now

As always, the latest Saga was great. I really enjoyed the two new "Wargamers Guide" books as well - you've inspired me to break out some of my Dark Ages figures again. Take care and I hope to see you again at Cold Wars(?) or next year's Historicon. 

From Mr. Paul Giffen

Dear Terry,

Please find enclosed my check for $7.50, with which I would like to purchase a copy of "The Campaign for England 1066 AD."

I just received my first SAGA and it is excellent! As for my two cents... It is unfortunate that a brillant set of rules like WRG 7th has had to have so much editing and therefore confusion as to it's interpretation and what Mr. Barker really meant by this or that sentence. While I acknowledge that 7th has it's hard core of devotees (myself included) I feel a lot-people who are interested in ancient warqaming are turned off by complexity and the confusion in trying to keep up with the latest amendments.

I have recently embraced DBA and feel it is brilliant, simple, accurate enough and most important: allows more people to enjoy and discover ancients. I am currently experimenting with DBA with larger armies and I believe in many ways it is superior to 7th as an all around game. When you sit down to play chess or backgammon, everybody knows the rules. Also, the mechanics of these games are simple: anybody can learn them. It is the endless permutations of these games that makes them so popular. Hopefully, DBA will remain as is and stay simple, fast playing and have no amendments or at least very few. Again, good work Phil Barker!

On another subject, I happened to catch the last half hour of a program on PBS or ME (Get the two confused!) called "The Mahabarahtta." It turns out I was watching the last of a three night special on this Indian classic. The story is in many ways similar to Homer. Two families fight for control of a valley in 1000 BC India. The warfare was heroic chariot warfare similar to that in Homer. What little I saw was very violent, but, with beautiful dialog. Sort of Shakespeare meets Hector and Achilles! The photography was excellent! On a par with Kurisawa (Director of Ran) but in a different style similar to the last twenty minutes of Excalibur. Terry, if you know anything about this production and how to obtain a copy, please let me know. I close with a sampler from the text:

Than the violent Bhima, remembering the acts of family-hostility committed by the Kaurovs, leaped down from his chariot on to the ground, fixing his eye eagerly upon Duhshsana.

Drawing his sharp sword with its excellent blade, and treading upon the throat of the writhing man, he cut open his breast as he lay on the ground, and drank his warm blood. Then, having quaffed and quaffed again, he looked up and spoke these words in his excessive fury:

'Better than mother's milk, or honey with ghee, better than well-prepared mead, better than a draught of heavenly water, or milk or curd, or the finest buttermilk, today I consider this drought of the blood of my enemy better than all of these!'

With these words he rushed forward once more, bounding on to exhilaration after his drink; and those who saw him then, they too fell down, confounded with fear.

From James Boyd

Dear Terry,

I have really enjoyed your S.A.G.A newsletter. It seems that the NASAMW has really caused a stir in the ancients gaming world by stepping out with their clarifications and new rules. While I do not agree with them in total I do believe that they have pushed Mr Barker into answering officially those same questions himself.

I did not intend to write you a "soap box" letter. I wish to commend you on the excellent Campaign For Gaul booklet that you did and I would like to order the other two that you have out. I find your research very well done and the writing style very interesting to read. I hope that your guide on England contains something to help my huscarls roll up someday. If it were not for my god-like bondi hero's then my Vikings would be no fun at all!