Dear Terry,

Enclosed is an article which was to some degree inspired by your Norman list in the last issue of SAGA. What I have done is to try and design a couple of lists for the veteran player. Please print it it you see tit. As to your editorial regarding NASAMW, again we are in some disagreement, but that is nothing now. I believe that the decision to move the National Championship Tournament out West will in no way be detrimental to the Society or for that matter to ancients players in general.

The facts are as follows;

First the Nationals have not always been hold at Historicon. They have moved around the country in the past and the decision to move them is not a precedent by any means.

Secondly, appropriately 1/3 of our membership resides west of the Mississippi River. These people have not in the recent past had equal access to the Nationals.

Third and most importantly in my opinion in the fact that the Nationals are played an a far too serious note by the players involved. Mark Lewis touched on this in your last issue. So the fact that they will not be hold at Historicon is no big deal. It is also my opinion that the best thing that could happen to the Society is to lesson the importance that the National have held in the past. They should be one of the things that the Society does, but NOT the most important thing. Maybe the fact that those of us east of the mighty Mississippi will now have to reexamine the reasons we are playing in tournaments is an unfortunate side effect, but I think a good one.

As to having to join the Society to play in one of our sponsored tournaments the only one that this actually applies to is the National Championship tournament, and for very obvious reasons. Like if you want to be crowned NASAMW National Champion you should at least be a member, or the fact that with all of the work put in by Society members to organize the thing, the least they could ask is that those participating should be members. along with this, when hundreds of dollars worth of prizes are involved it is simply unfair to all players involved to have people not complete all rounds without a valid reason. one players forfeit may make a big difference in the outcome of a tournament. A player wanting to participate in the Nationals should be aware of this commitment before signing up. This is really only enforcing common courtesy.

The other tournaments though are open to all who wish to play, members or non-members, and players can drop out when they see tit. The table or tournament foes must be paid but not a membership. NASAMW would like to wave such foes, but it does cost money to supply prizes and pay for administrative foes. it you saw our Treasurers report you would know that we are not the wealthiest of organizations. So that a $3.00 to $5.00 fee for a weekend should not concern most players since most is returned in the form of prizes. Like you say IF someone is playing in one of our tournaments it is hoped that they would see advantages in joining. The opinion here at this desk is that you definitely do got your $12.00 worth in the SPEARPOINT, the sponsored tournaments, and access to fellow gamers.

Concerning rules interps we are currently working with Phil Barker, and I think we are on the verge of agreeing to agree an most points. We will publish another WRG interps issue this year, hopefully with the blessing of the author. Time will tell. It will be available to all WRG ancients players, they just have to join the Society or send In the cost of a copy.

As to SPEARPOINT being "scholarly". Well, only by accident, I hope to get back on schedule shortly the next issue to arrive around time for Sanity Clause to read.

So much for my rambling an serious things, it is my hope that we continue to discuss such things as these. We may continue to have our differences, but we editors do have one thing in common. We are nuts.

A couple of final notes, Jim Waters should contact WARGAMES in WV for a copy of CRY HAVOC they are the last folks that carried that gaming system and may still. Also you may wish to check with Phil, but I do not believe that there is such a thing as a 3rd in command. Kind of a moot point, because it your army needs one you usually will not have an army for him to command. Keep up the good work with SAGA. and I'll hopefully see you at Cold Wars. Maybe my 25mm Cartheginians will get a chance to try out your Kanigits as opponents.

Sincerely,
James C. Kasper, SPEARPOINT Editor

[ED. Jim's letter brings up a number of important points. First and foremost, I wholeheartedly agree with him that there is too much emphasis on the Nationals, but that those who do desire the quality of play which the Nationals brings out should have this forum open to then. How many of us have won a NASMW-sanctioned tournament and decided to NOT play in the Nationals? A fair number, I feel. But for those who do want this intensity of competition, why not provide a national forum... i.e. Historicon, Little Wars, Origins. Jim, the thing I objected to was the way this was foisted on us... numbers of letters, travelogues, the "Las Vegas is a nice place for kids... or "Denver's great for the whole family" and the "Okay, guys, we'll move it out west"... hey, wait a minute, do we get a say?

Yes, lessen the importance of tournament competition, I agree, and the Society (if it desires and can manage to continue to be a viable scholarly organization as well) should endeavor to attract historians as well as gazers as the SoA has done.

I admit to being a bit off base with respect to gamers participating in NASAMW sponsored events. Just because Scott always managed to hit me and Dave up for a fistful of dollars before we played, I assumed everyone had to Join the Society to play... sorry about that! I think the $12.00 is a bargain price for SPEARPOINT alone, without the tourneys, and other benefits of membership.

Please, Jim, don't put out the rules interps without Phil's okay... we all know where that led jest year! I don't so& any problem with Phil having access and approval rights before publication. With approved interps, you'll got my blessing, support publication in SAGA, and thanks.

As a final note, yes, Jim, we have to be nuts to do this six times a year! Dick Bryant got wise enough to only, try for four times per annum, but some of us must be slow learners! --TG

Dear Terry,

I thought you might like to know I spotted two books of interest in a Remainder Catalog recently, Victor Davis Hanson, The Western Way of War (479353. $6.95) and Pierre Ducrey, Warfare in Ancient Greece (575844, $8.95); From Edward R. Hamilton Falls Village, CT 06031-5000 Postage & Handling are a flat $3.00. He is certainly offering more real remainders than Publishers Central these days, but you still have to wade past a lot of junk to find the real pearls like the above. He mixes in all the Dorset titles at catalog list for example.