I know I promised this issue would be out in July, but here it is August and you're just now receiving it. Well, I have to blame at least part of it on my health again, as I ended up in hospital during the week I had set aside for S&S preparation. When I got out, our vacation for rather my wife's vacation) started and, considering what I'd been through lately, I'm afraid the vacation took priority over the magazine. Once again, however, I shall promise to do my best to get the next issue out on time. At the same time, though, I know that most of you are very patient and understanding for which I am very grateful.
Now, down to business. I'd like to thank all of you who have responded the the 'Dear Valued Reader' letter which was inserted in the last issue. Over 80 subscribers have responded with 'donations' ranging from a few dollars up to $50.00. I appreciate every penny of it and have published some of your comments in the 'Colonialists Write' column this issue. Your donations have helped a whole lot, but I will always accept more ... especially from those of you who have not yet responded. The road ahead looks a lot brighter thanks to your response, but I'm not out of the woods yet.
One reason I'd not out of the woods is, I think, evident in this issue's type style. As you can see, it's different from previous issues. The reason for this is that my printer died during my work on the IMPERIALISM rules set. The new printer set me back a few hundred bucks (about one half the cost of printing one issue), so that has put me in the hole a little again. I hope the new print style is agreeable to most of you. My old printer only did 10 CPI, but this one has several programmable options, including the 17 CPI which is used in this issue. Though I now get only 60 lines per column (instead of 75) I can get 60 characters per line (instead of 46), thereby increasing the number of characters per column from 3450 to 3600!
Regarding articles.... I'm afraid that Otto Yon Sydow has informed me that due to other pressing business and the unavailability of some key reference material, he will be unable to do his expected series on German Southwest Africa at this time. I'm sure that many of us are sad to hear this, but I'd rather have him wait and do quality work than to throw something together quickly. Luckily, I have a good backlog of articles, so there will be no delays caused by waiting for replacement articles. One Canadian reader wrote asking if anybody could do anything on the Riel Rebellion and Wolseley's Red River Campaign? I wonder if any of our Canadian readers would like to tackle this one? Please remember that S&S is totally dependent on reader contributions for its articles. My best suggestion (and Doug Johnson's as well, many years ago) is that if you want an article to appear on a specific subject of interest to you, you'd better write it yourself! If not, than you're subject to same the 'pot luck' that we all get each issue.
Finally I'd just like to plug the US 20th Anniversary T-Shirts and the W3 IMPERIALISM colonial wargaming rules, both available from S&S.
Next Issue:
As mentioned in "Editor's Notes", the expected German Southwest Africa series by Otto Von Sydow will not appear. In its place, however, we leave the Mahdists but stay with the Italians in Africa. Next issue will feature Ron Vaughan's "Triumph and Glory for Only Two Lire a Day; The Battle of Coatit." Also appearing will be the first of a two-part series on British India and the Afghan Frontier, "The Aradzai Campaign of 1879", by Paul Hinson. Plus the usual features. Watch for Vol. XVII No. 3 in October!
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© Copyright 2004 by Milton Soong.
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