AHIKS Europe Despatch Issue 10-3, November 2004 Secretary’s soapbox little spare time. I'll just have Chris Geggus to win the Lottery! Chris Geggus As we head toward the festive Swan Con is coming up in season (at time of writing), I March (see ad elsewhere in wonder how many this issue) and, once again, boardgames will be appear- highly recommended. Not the ing in Christmas stockings greatest culinary experience this year. To a degree you will ever have, but a good boardgames have been tradi- friendly weekend. For anyone tional fare for many young- who is nervous of trying their sters and some adults over first AHIKS weekend, just pop Picture re- the years, but what about in during the Saturday and moved to mini- nowadays? The success of you'll find a game very quick- mize file size Trivial Pursuit, Mensa Con- ly. We don't bite (I exclude nections and some of the Jackie here as a non-mem- more family-oriented " Ger- ber). If you're not sure, give man Games " has proved to War & Peace show 2004 - A StuG III Ausf G be good news for boardgam- ers in general. We must have brought some new converts me a call. into our hobby. Most people, with any modicum of intelli- We have been reviewing our membership list and have War & Peace Show 2004 A gence, enjoy games on an StuG III Ausf G occasional basis. As long as had to cull a few members for the games are fun, attractive, non-payment of subs for the easy to learn and quick-ish to last couple of years. It is not play, a lot of people will have fair that the payers subsidise a go after a Christmas family a lengthening list of non-pay- lunch or later on during the ers. If you know anyone who school holidays. Can we push has been removed (i.e.. they more games at people and are no longer receiving Des- how? A good way of reaching patch), twist their arm and new audiences would be bring them back into the fold. Contents through schools, but who has A bigger club is inherently the time or the opportunity to stronger. At £10 a year mem- SwanCon 2005 sort out some sort of ap- bership, I hope that money is page 3 proach? My sons' school has not a determining factor, per- haps it's just lousy articles in On the Net a wargaming Club, but this is page 4 simply War Hammer and Despatch by your Secretary. nothing else. At this time my It's just that I have nothing to Membership change boys are not keen to take a say most months, so I simply page 10 new game into school and let my thoughts roam free. Perhaps I should concentrate Lightning War Midway introduce their friends to it. I page 11 would, but I have a job and on writing something more sensible and less vague! 1 AHIKS Europe Committee REGIONAL DIRECTOR ARCHIVES & DESPATCH PRODUC- Murray Cowles TION 6 Chafford Gardens John Warren West Horndon 49, Prideaux Road, BRENTWOOD Essex EASTBOURNE CM13 3NJ East Sussex BN21 2NE Tel: 01277 811540 Tel: 01323 731792 Fax: 01277 811103 email: email: [email protected] [email protected] SECRETARY EDITOR Chris Geggus Kevin Croskery 10 Talbrook 4 Beechey Way BRENTWOOD Essex CM14 4PY Copthorne Tel: 01277 261099 West Sussex RH10 3LT email: Tel: 01342 713675 [email protected] email: [email protected] TREASURER WEBMASTER Barrington Beavis Paul Barrett 16 Pump Close Little Dene, Elvaston Park Road, Leybourne Hexham NE46 2HT WEST MALLING Kent ME19 [email protected]. 5HH uk Tel: 01732 873529 email: GAMING AIDS OFFICER [email protected] Andy Watts "Pandamonium", MATCH CO-ORDINATOR Lelan Meadows, Jeff Hawarden Lelant, St. Ives, 9 Laburnum Road Cornwall TR26 3JS Helmshore [email protected] ROSSENDALE Lancs BB4 4LF rld.co.uk Tel: 01706 210194 email:[email protected] JUDGE Nickolas Frydas MEMBERSHIP RECORDS OFFICER 25 Linden Gardens, Dave Marsden Tunbridge Wells, 65 Westborough Drive, Kent TN2 5QU Halifax HX2 7QL email: [email protected] email: dave_marsden@homelands70. COMMITTEE MEMBER freeserve.co.uk Don Smith 16 Gilchrist Way, Braintree Essex CM7 7SY Issue 10-3, November 2004 Despatch 2 AHIKS Europe CLUB NOTICE BOARD SwanCon 2005 18 to 20 March 2005 Back to the Swan hotel in Knutsford for our Spring convention. Knutsford is just off the M6 and is served by train to Altringham, about 5 miles distant. As before the cost of the games room will be met by the society. Room prices are still being negotiated (last year was £46.95 per night, regardless of occupancy, but max of 2) breakfast is extra. Book early to avoid disappointment! Bookings to Keith Walton 29 Oxford Road Waterloo, Liverpool L22 8QE Telephone 0151 920 3971 Email [email protected] For the comfort of fellow gamers the games room is strictly non smoking. Match requests Jeff Hawarden (see page 2 for contact details) Monty's Gamble - Market Garden (MMP) Leslie King Fortress Europa (AH) Maj Terence Zuber We the People (Cyberboard and ACTS) Alan Poulter Submission deadlines for 2005 Ok, my new year resolution is to get 4 issues of Despatch out next year: you can help me by getting material to me. Thanks Steve Brophy for you review of Lightning War Midway in this issue. I would like to get the next Despatch out before SwanCon so if I get material by the end of Jan- uary I will publish by the end of February. Despatch Issue 10-3, November 2004 AHIKS Europe 3 • Ignorant Armies (Strategy & • Rick Young and Jesse Evans, Eu- On the Net Tactics/Decision) – WINNER! rope Engulfed (GMT Games LLC) – • The Lost Battalion (Strategy & WINNER! NEWS Tactics/Decision) • Napoleon at the Berezina (Against Clausewitz Award HALL OF FAME Hasbro and MMP The Odds) • North Wind Rain (Against The Kevin Zucker – WINNER! Hasbro, Inc., has agreed to extend its Odds) exclusive licensing agreement for I think all the above Awards go to former Avalon Hill wargame titles with Best DTP-Produced Boardgame deserving recipients. For more on the Multi-Man Publishing (MMP). The CSR Awards see the official web site: agreement to sell games in the Ad- • Marlborough Man (BSO Games) vanced Squad Leader and the Area • Thunder on South Mountain (Blue http://www.alanemrich.com/ Movement series will run for another Guidon) – WINNER! CSR_pages/CSRawards.htm five years. MMP plans to revive two • Victory in Vietnam II (Schutze more Avalon Hill games: Panzerblitz Games) Origins Awards Announced and Up Front. MMP President Curt • Warplan Dropshot (Schutze Schilling said: Games) The winners of the annual Origins • Zhukov's First Victory (MDG) Awards have been announced: "We're very pleased that Hasbro has shown and continues to show faith in Best Wargame Graphics Historical Board Game - Attack! us as producers of quality game prod- Traditional Board Game - A Game of ucts. We are grateful for their contin- • Ardennes '44 (GMT Games LLC) – Thrones ued support." WINNER! Graphic Design of a Board Game - A • Europe Engulfed (GMT Games Game of Thrones For more information, contact Keith LLC) Gamer's Choice Board Game - A Dalton at [email protected]. • Liberty! (Columbia Games) Game of Thrones • The Russian Campaign (L2 De- Gamer's Choice Historical Board 2003 Charles S. Roberts Awards sign Group) Game - Settlers of the Stone Age • Sun of Austerlitz (OSG Games) Traditional Card Game - Bang! These were announced on August Card Game Graphic Design - Bang! th Best Professional Wargame Maga- Gamer's Choice Card Game - 8 by host Walter Garman at the zine Munchkin Fu 2004 World Boardgaming Champion- Game of the Year: Indy HeroClix ships. A list of nominees and winners • Against The Odds – WINNER! follows: • C3i (GMT Games LLC/RBM Studio) I have heard good things about At- • Paper Wars (Omega Games) tack! and I enjoy playing A Game of Best Pre-World War II Boardgame • Strategy & Tactics (Decision Thrones, so I can recommend these Games) two. • Age of Napoleon (Phalanx Games) • Vae Victis – WINNER! For the official web site see: • Liberty! (Columbia Games) Best Amateur Wargame Magazine • Rise of the Roman Republic (GMT http://www.originsawards.com/ Games LLC) • The Boardgamer (Bruce Monnin) • Sun of Austerlitz (OSG) • Die Manoeverkritik (German His- The 2004 International Gamers • Sweden Fights On (GMT Games torical Society) Award for Best General Strategy LLC) • Panzerschreck (Minden Games) – Game WINNER! Best World War II Boardgame • Simulacrum (John Kula) I would not normally cover these • Ultra awards but this year a wargame won • A World at War (GMT Games LLC) in the two-player category. To quote • Ardennes '44 (GMT Games LLC) Best Game Review or Game Analysis the press release: • Europe Engulfed (GMT Games LLC) – WINNER! Paper Wars, #50, Drive on Stalin- Memoir ’44 earned the award in the • Monty's Gamble (MMP/The Gam- grad, by Adam Starkweather - WIN- 2-player category. Using the system ers) NER! pioneered by designer Richard Borg • The Russian Campaign (L2 De- in the 1999 release Battle Cry, Mem- sign Group) Best Historical or Scenario Article oir ’44 recreates over a dozen battles connected with the D-Day invasions Best Modern Era Boardgame Against the Odds Vol.1 No.4, of World War II. Released by Days of "Napoleon at the Berezina", by Rob- Wonder, the game is filled with over • Ignorant Armies (Strategy & ert Markham-WINNER! one hundred detailed miniatures, and Tactics/Decision) the board itself can be tailored to • Korea: The Forgotten War (MMP/ James F. Dunnigan Award recreate the famous battlefields sur- Gamers) To a Game Designer, Developer, rounding the Normandy landings.