Do YOU have Problems? A TRUE letter to a manufacturer! Dear Sir Please supply me with your catalogue, I enclos 15p in cash. Post so as NOT to arrive on a Monday, if I am out, guard dog attacks mail, seriously! Yours faithfully, ? Studious "At present I am still at school studying for my A-levels and so fight most of my battles at the weekend with my father. We both obtain a great deal of enjoyment and pleasure from these encounters and the hobby provides relaxation from my studying and my father's work. The spare bed room has been classed as the "wargames room" and is out of bounds to my younger sister and my mother." --Neil Pinner of Doncaster Enjoyable "Just a note to let you know how much I enjoy the Wargamer's Newsletter in its new format. I was over in the U.K. last November for three weeks business and looking up relatives, however time flies on these sort of trips and I was no where near Southampton. However will be visiting again in the not too far distant future. I spent some time in Tradition and Ted Suren's establishment, purchased more models than I could afford. At present we have a small group playing together - this group consists of Richard Norris, Bruce Juder and myself. We have had some exciting battles and a few failures. I am writing up one of the battles for the Newsletter and will be forwarding it on shortly. I saw a reprint of "Wargames" in the bookshops over here, my first copy was getting a bit battered so purchased a new one. Brings back old memories of my first wargame played Featherstone rules. Our group at present are playing Grant rules and a few of Jeffrey's rules however I find so much paper and referring to rules boring and eventually leaves one disinterested. I have been needling the group to get back to rules on a card, I will eventually succeed, I hope." --Jim Shaw of New Zealand Archer vs. Firearm "I write a brief line to say how much I agree with the note on the incomparable English Archer in the November Newsletter, and the reason for his decline. The firearm, until the Minie, was an inferior weapon, but the decline of the English Yeoman meant that the "pith and power" of the longbow was lost - for it required strength and much practice. The firearm was the "equaliser". Falstaff knew this when he said "Clap me a calver in Wart's hands: give me ever your old chopped shot." I may have misquoted from memory, but the sense is there. You will remember how Hugh Latimer in his sermon on the bow deplores the decline of English Archery. John Edson, in one of his "Dusty Fog" Western tales makes "Dusty" quote "Leave us remember the immortal words of Colonel Sam Colt: "Be not afraid of any man No matter what your size When danger threatens, call on me And I will equalise." "Villanouse saltpetre" made the machine take the place of muscle. To turn to another matter. I was very touched by your recent editorial on Steve Curtis. Though it will be only a small one I shall be very pleased to make a contribution to a Memorial Trophy if the idea is taken up, as I hope it will be. It is rather a moving thought, how much that wargaming gave to Steve Curtis, and how much he in turn gave back to it." --Bill Thurbon of Cambridge The Eagle Has Landed "I can thoroughly recommend a new fiction book "The Eagle Has Landed" by Jack Higgins. Briefly it is a plan to capture Churchill in 1943 with German paratroops similar to the Skorzeny raid. It is a first rate book and is currently in the top ten books in U.S.A. It lays out the background and characters for a superb individual wargame." --Dick Tennant of Taiwain, Republic of China Rules...Almost Ready "While I appreciate your mentioning of the "Jeu Feu, Chargez" rules in the Wargamer's Newsletter, I must clarify a few points. John Mansfield's mention of the rules was totally unexpected and therefore, the publicity was a bit too soon. The rules themselves will not be available for sale until around February or March 1976. The author of these rules is Ben King, who has spent several years labouring to produce such a fine set of Napoleonic rules as "JFC" are. 99.9% of the sweat goes to Ben. All I did was make what I hope were constructive suggestions. The prematurity of publicity has caused some embarrassment, but those interested should be able to purchase the rules soon. I will keep you advised on this matter and will forward the address of where the rules may be purchased when it becomes known." --Sgt. D. A. Starr of APO New York Book...Almost Ready  "It was most thoughtful of you to give some advance notice of Mike Blake's book in Wargamer's Newsletter. Unfortunately due to some production delays "Making Model Soldiers" will not now be published until 2nd February 1976. If you do have space to note this point in your next issue I should be most grateful." --R.B.Bloomfield of Stanley Paul and Company Limited Napoleonic Period "Being a subscriber for about half a year, I want to express my gratitude to the Wargamer's Newsletter. Thanks to all your information, I was able to purchase the necessary literature and figures concerning my favourite period (Napoleonic, HO-00 scale). However, I lack the stimulating personal contact in this hobby and wonder whether there are Dutch readers (I suppose there are), who feel the same?" --J.T.A. Gussinklo, P.J.Troelstralaan 31b, Amersfoort, Holland Wargame Training: British vs. IRA "I was recently asked by the Officer Commanding of one of our squadrons if I would be willing to take the part of the IRA and fight against soldiers of his unit on the wargame table. I readily agreed but then realised that I had no rules to cover this type of combat. I was therefore quite relieved to see the advertisment for your book "Skirmish Wargaming", it sounds like the solution to my problem. I am to use your rules as the skeleton around which I will develop my own, bearing in mind that they must be as realistic as possible to achieve the object of the exercise, which is to give patrol commanders and troops a chance to see what sort of situations. they may be involved in and to enable them to see (in safety) the results of their actions. I believe that the Prussians used the wargames table in much the same way many years ago. Do you know of anyone who is interested in Urban Guerilla Warfare and can give me any assistance in forming my rules? The type of things I have in mind are not liable to be in your book but are common occurrences in Ulster. A list of a few of these factors are listed below: a. Car bombs. How are they neutralised? How many game moves would it take? Odds on the bomb going off before it is defused? b. Hijacking of vehicles. How long before the Security Forces learn that the i.e. car has been stolen and then the time it will take to inform the troops on the ground? c. Civil Police. Liaison between the Army and the RUC, should it be accepted as a fact ani any information the police receive be accepted as automatically also being relayed to the Army? d. How to determine how long it would take a terrorist to mingle with the crowd having disposed of his weapon to an accomplice and the chances of him being caught 'in the act' by the Army? e. Hoax calls. These would have to be investigated and therefore could well draw a patrol away from a i.e. bomb factory. Are all the calls to be checked or should some be ignored? With these factors and many more besides the planned rules start to become complex. I personall like simple rules and in this case they must be so because my opponents will be new to wargaming and if there are too many 'little' rules the point of the game will tend to be lost. I am happy to say that my wargaming is progressing very well. At the moment I am halfway through an English Civil War campaign, perhaps the use of the word 'campaign' is a bit of an exaggera tion because the plot (political background) revolves around a very strong force of Roundheads transporting one of their siege cannons and a considerable sum of money from Warwick to Leicester with drastic results should they fail in their mission, being harassed by a small but highly mobile Royalist force. This convoy has been going on for about 3 weeks as a solo game and is very good fun. Twice a week I am dragged into the 19th century by my friend Mark Orphan and we are just about even on battle honours. Shortly we are going to battle in the style of the ECW but have a slight problem in that we are both Confederate sympathisers! I look forward to getting my Newsletter, please keep up the good work and keep them coming. I would like to say thanks for all the help which you have, indirectly, given me over the years through the publishing of your books, rules and of course the Newsletter." --Cpl. K.W.Hart RE, RHQ TP, 28 AMPH Engr Regt., BFPO 31 North London Wargames Group The North London Wargames Group will be holding two meetings each Month, starting in Januarys. 1976. On the second Sunday of each month there will be a 'Napoleonic' meeting, followed on the fourt Sunday with an 'Other Periods' meeting. Both meetings are at the White Hart, 265 High Street, Enfiel Middlesex, and start at 2 p.m. If anyone would like further information they should write to - Jack Devlin, 5b Grand Parade, Green Lanes, London N.4. New Club We have formed a new Club "NORTH WAKEFIELD MODEL SOLDIER SOCIETY" and anyone who may be interested in joining, please contact Paul Burke, 78 Willans Avenue, Rothwell, Leeds LS26 ONG, Yorks. We are holding a Military Model display at the BLACKBURN HALL, ROTHWELL, LEEDS, on the 21st February 1976; from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission for adults - 20p; children - 10p. All the proceeds are going towards the '7th South Leeds (Rothwell) Scout and Cub Pack. Trade Stands have been invited. --P. Burke Back to Table of Contents -- Wargamer's Newsletter # 167 To Wargamer's Newsletter List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1976 by Donald Featherstone. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com