"I feel sure the only reason you are publishing the letters regarding the lack of OO/HO figures is to keep my name in print and before the public's eye. Joking apart, however the following paragraphs may be printed by you and these at least give our variation of the situation.
When Minifigs first started producing figures there was a situation which suggested cause for concern about their parentage and in view of this Dick Higgs at least six years ago instituted the 00 scale of 4mm to the foot the slightly increased size allowed the designers to put on more detail and consequently the scale caught on. In the last three years every manufacturer with the exception of one metal and one plastic figure manufacturer, have changed to our scale so it is unrealistic for a small minority to blame the manufacturer for a situation which has arisen because the concerning wargamer wants good figures.
I do not know how long the authors of the last publication have been wargaming but if it is under five years they must blame themselves for sticking to the original wargaming size.
On behalf of Miniature Figurines Limited I completely refute allegations that we switch scales as a contrick. You will know the situation during the first two years of this Company and why we decided on the 25mm figure one. I am delighted to reply to Mr. Hutton's letter that Miniature Figurines decided that 25mm figures were the popular demand and as 99% of other manufacturers have decided to design to this scale we have been proved right.
I full appreciate the attitude of these wargamers who have collected over the last 7-10 years, and suggest that I am in the same boat as both my armies are in 20mm scale and unfinished. Despite having the production possibilities they will unfortunately remain incomplete a) because I cannot find all the masters and b) because I do not have the time to paint them if I had them.
I could go on for hours but will not do so as I hove no wish to be dogmatic about the lack of HO/00 figures but conclude by suggesting that this period has not been popular for some years now nor has the availability of figures and therefore the ball must bounce back into the court of the person who knocked it towards the manufacturers in the first instance."
"Having read your editorial in the November Wargamer's Newsletter, (which I agree with) I am sending you this very small article on the Peruvian Invasion of Bolivia in 1841, with a few details am, to why this happened. I hope Major Jump will be satisfied? Here it is:
General Andres Santa Cruz wished to join the countries of Bolivia and Peru into a union. (In the same way as Simon Bolivar's plan for a Great Colombia, which was made up of the Captaincy General of Venezuela, the New Kingdom of Grenada and the Presidency of Quito, modern Ecuador) he was invited by the deposed President of Peru, General Orbegoso, to intervene in Peru and to depose General Gamerra. So in 1835 Santa Cruz advanced into that Country where he defeated the Peruvian Army, he then assumed control of the Government, reorganising the nation into three Provinces. These were Bolivia under President Jose Miguel de Velasco, Northern Peru under General Orbegoso and Southern Peru under Pic Tristan. These became one country under the title of "Confederacion Peru-Boliviana" with Santa Cruz as Supreme Protector.
In 1839 Chile and Argentina decided that this partnership was too strong for comfort/sent their armies against Santa Cruz which defeated him at Yungay on the 20th January 1839, which is south-east of the city Concepion. Also at this time (before the Battle of Yungay) a revolution against Santa Cruz was started in Bolivia by Jose Miguel de Velassoo and Jose Ballivian declaring the Confederation abolished. Santa Cruz was compelled to resign and to leave the two countries.
Later a Peruvian congress annulled all the acts of Santa Cruz and adopted a new constitution on the 18th November 1839, this provided a bicameral congress, with the election of the execultive for a six year term, the President was General Gamerra. Meanwhile in Bolivia, Ballivian revolted against Velasco, causing a civil war.
In 1841 General Gamerre invaded Bolivia which was still in civil war, but the Bolivians united against him under Ballivian and defeated General Gamerra on the 20th November at the Battle of Ingavi - it was near the mountain of Ingavi (Yngavi) which is south of La Paz, The Bolivians had 3,800 troops whereas the Peruvians had 5,200 troops. The Peruvian army was routed and General Gamerre was among the killed. Peace was signed on the 7th June 1842.
Sources: "A Dictionary of Battles" by David Eggenberger; "Dictionary of Battles" by Thomas Harbottle; "Latin American History" by A.Curtis Wilgus and Raul D'Eca and "Latin America" by German Arciniegas.
"I am very pleased that Mr. Ibsy (Isby?) of New York regarded my article in "Newsletter" No.149 in the spirit in which it was intended - as did everyone else I have contacted since I wrote the article. I quite agree that the whole object of the hobby is defeated if the subject is taken too seriously - I was only remarking on unimpressive displays arranged for the public which can only damage the hobby and all connected with it, in the hopes that the organisers of such exhibitions may make a little more effort to portray wargaming as it should be.
Incidentally, Mr.Ibsy (Isby?) - I know my name is a long and tedious one, but I am very glad you were not around in the Anglo-Scottish border country in the seventeenth century - or I am afraid my ancestors would have retaliated to your deliberate error with three feet of broadsword - very uncivilised but difficult to argue with!!!"
"Having just finished reading "Napoleon's Army" by Rogers I feel that your review in October's Newsletter does it less than justice. On the basis of the review, I do not think anyone would be inclined to rush out and buy the book, but it seemed to me that it was one of the most useful books, from a wargamer's point of view that has been published for a long time.
For the first time that I have come across, the operations of lower level units then divisions and corps are dealt with in some detai1s which is after all what most wargamers are trying to recreate. Consequently it is possible to gain some impression of the confused and often "bitty" tactics that were characteristic of Napoleonic warfare, as opposed to Frederician linear tidiness, without oneself having to do extensive research into often unobtainable first hand sources.
The illustrations add to this effect in a way that the usual run of technicolour single figure illustrations would not have done, besides which Detaille's engravings have a certain charm and deserve to be republished in a generally available form. The relatively low price (compare "The Cavalry Army" reviewed in the same issue, priced at £ 4.75P for the same number of pages) ensures that it is relatively easy to afford, and could not have been achieved had all the plates been done by Gerry Embleton. Besides there are a hundred and one uniform books already available, any one of which is adequate for the creation of a wargames army. What has not been generally available has been a book dealing with the French Army of the period as a subject in its own right, rather than as part of Napoleon's success story. My only complaint is that the cover illustrations are liable to get dirty and torn, so that it is a pity they are not repeated inside."
"A Peninsular Protest? I sit here feeling hurt and bewildered by your reference to my conduct at Almeids (October Newsletter). I am sure it was someone else you saw attempting to slip a disc. Furthermore, to scotch any further rumours of a like nature I claim:
- 1. I was not the person who split his coat pocket carrying 24 lb of shot in it!
2. Neither was it one of mine which rolled up and down the luggage rack on the way back to Ciudad Rodrigo, threatening every wine bottle in sight.
I feel that our staunch Gibralterian, Eric Prescott, deserves special praise for his magical ability to conjure omelettes and steaks from the most unlikely places, (even the French found foraging difficult in Spain).
Frantically saving my coin for 1975."
"I am setting up a big army of the Crimea, Russian, French, English, Turkish and Italian (Piedmontese), although it is very difficult to find really exhaustive works on this period (save for the English). I find mostly difficult to get any notice about Russian flags. Can somebody help me?"
"Had a visit last week of the editor of the Vancouver Sun, Jack Hutchings who is also Regional Director for the West Coast Canadian Model Generals Clubs. He defeated me in one hour! I commanded the Prussians at Gravelotte (August 1870) while his III Empire French under Marshal Bazaine forced my Prussians back (in spite of General Goeben's arrival with reinforcements) all the way to VERDUN!!!"
"I have just read "Wargamer's Newsletter" May issue in which it is stated that you will be willing to accept new subscribers and as I am not living in Moscow or Peking.
I am a 54mm figures collector of the British Army during the 1870-1945 period. I have been able to buy several Britains, but nowadays these are no longer in our market so I have to make my own models either in balsa wood or transforming plastic figures. I am very much interested in tanks, but I have only been able to buy a few Centurions and only two Chieftains. The only book I have been able to get is "The Royal Armoured Corps" by Captain J.W.Murland of the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards.
You will never be able to imagine what it would mean to me to be able to receive "The Tank". I would like to know how much it would cost me if you send it to me by registered Air Mail as a Printed Matter. I thank you very much all the kind attention you will grant to my request.
Thois letter was received by TANK magazine (Journal of the R.T.R.) after it had been mentioned in a Newsletter editorial.--DF
"I note the Editor's opinion (NO-152) that Mr.R.W. Morrell of Nottingham is in the wrong hobby, which implies that he should take up some other form of leisure activity. May I suggest CLUEDO?
The reason I suggest this fascinating game for Mr. Morrell is because it involves murder suspects and detective work, and Mr. Morrell evidently enjoys sleuthing. Unfortunately he does not seem to be very good at it, but practice makes perfect.
Recently, it appears, Mr. Morrell has been doing some sleuthing into the reviews in WARGAMERIS NEWSLETTER, and what he calls their "insipid, almost totally uncritical comments". He asks "whether we can expect an objective review of figures produced by the firm that now produces WARGAMER'S NEWSLETTER, or, for that matter, whether the journal is willing to be critical if to be so means lose of advertising revenue?"
The first thing to be said about this query of Mr. Morrell's is that it is rather vaguely put, as even an amateur Editor like the Newsletter's could tell at a glance; for Mr. Morrell does not actually say who the firm that produces the Newsletter is. So let us cast aside all coyness, false modesty and caution - after all, no one is going to sue us for it! The firm that produces the Newsletter is TRADITION.
Now that we have established that, let us pretend that we are an amateur sleuth embarking on the exciting business of investigating what could lie behind one of the things that Mr. Morrell evidently finds so irritating - namely, that reviews in the Newsletter are "almost totally uncritical". It is, indeed, a baffling and complicated case; but amateur sleuths are tenacious, not to be deterred, and we are no exception.
It may be, of course, that the Editor does not criticise things in his reviews because he likes to be nice to everyone. (Even Mr. Morrell has already thought of that one). We think there may be a more sinister reason. Mr. Morrell's letter, as we have already mentioned, did not actually name "the firm that now produces Wargamer's Newsletter"; (perhaps because he likes to be nice to everyone). But we, in our assumed capacity of fearless amateur sleuth, determined to get to the bottom of things, have gone one better than Mr. Morrell. We have identified the firm as TRADITION. (Who thereby become SUSPECT NUMBER ONE).
So now we can produce a really super Iieory! The reason that the Editor never criticises TRADITION figures is because TRADITION will not allow criticism of their figures to appear in the Newsletter. And as TRADITION now produce the Newsletter, what they say goes.
Unfortunately this theory won't stand up in court, or indeed anywhere else; because the Newsletter has just published a letter in which Mr. Morrell criticises TRADITION figures quite a lot; he says that TRADITION's Ancients are "matchstick-like" and that he has yet to meet a wargamer who actually likes TRADITION's 25mm figures.
So the mystery remains as baffling as ever, as our crestfallen amateur sleuth has to admit. But just a minute! What about that "loss of advertising revenue" that Mr.Morrell mentions in his letter? Of course! One of the firms that advertises in the Newsletter is TRADITION!
Our amateur sleuth is now really on to something. Clearly, the reason that the Editor never criticises TRADITION figures is because he is afraid that TRADITION will retaliate by stopping advertising in the Newsletter, which will mean a loss of revenue. So our brilliant amateur sleuth has solved yet another case, and can now investigate an even greater mystery, such as the baffling way in which TRADITION manage to sell so many of the figures that nobody actually likes.
Alas! Our amateur sleuth has overlooked one rather vital fact -- the fact that TRADITION does not pay the Newsletter for its adverts. So even if TRADITION stopped advertising in the Newsletter, the amount of advertising revenue that the Newsletter would lose is exactly nil.
As every policeman knows, the golden rule for all detective work is GET THE FACTS RIGHT; but unhappily our amateur sleuth did not apply it, which is why he failed to solve the case."
"I am one of your younger readers, being only 14, but I received the Newsletter this morning, and having read it cover-to-cover, by the time I reached the end I was more then a little angry. In this irate state, I felt the necessity to take pen in hand.
I am willing to bet that 90% of wargamers started with Mr. Featherstone's books, and without him and H.G.Wells, there would hardly be any of us! You cannot argue that it was Mr. Featherstone who put wargaming on the map, and yet in every page of his own paper he is attacked! I cannot stand back and see this happen calmly. His "back of a postcard" attitude to rules is famous, and I agree with him.
I specify in Ancients, Colonial and Old West Skirmishes, and 11500 World War II, with 15mm, English Civil War on the way. We (my brother and I) mainly use Research Group Rules, but the number of frustrated arguments are numerous! (Ask my father!). Now these would not happen with "easy" rules, for example Mr. Featherstone's or the Skirmish rules. Also, without the gentle persuasion of an unknown wargamer who played an exhibition game at Salute '73, and the Skirmish Line, I would not be enjoying my favourite type of wargames. I am persuaded to buy 100 Zulus after the Johnson's Crossing "Epic".
Long haired Steve Curtis boasts his presence amongst my Westerners, and again he would not be there without Mr. Festherstone's Newsletter. I rank the Newsletter along with Slingshot as the two best magazines on the market for wargamers.
There is widespread criticism about the "Must List" yet again, I think this is one of the best articles, bringing light to new additions to the figures available. So then, my message is: STOP KNOCKING DONALD FEATHERSTONE, without him we would be NOWHERE!"
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© Copyright 1974 by Donald Featherstone.
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