PERSONAL NEWS: Mazel Tov, Von Compton (9 April 2007)

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Baron and "gentleman adventurer" Otto Heinrich von Compton, Grand Naval Commander, Knight Of the Realm, Doctor Emeritus and Scholar Extraordinaire.
This photo was taken before the Baron acquired his "gentlemanly girth."

Hi Everyone,

GREAT NEWS!

The Baron's dear friend, President Scott "Pride O' the Rebs" Davis, American gentleman, distinguished scholar, and Phlogiston expert.

I wish to formally congratulate former local gamer Grand Naval Commander Otto Heinrich von Compton (otherwise known as Jon) on the successful and blessed birth of his first child.

The Lady and Baroness Karolyn Malonski showing off her finest smile.

Baron von Compton was only married last year to the Lady and Baroness Karolyn Malonski so it's a very blessed event to welcome Lady-to-Be Lauren G.A. von Compton to this world, 7 lbs, 7 oz, born at 4:42am on the fourth day of April of the year two-thousand and seven.

The wee angel next to one of the Baron's smaller aetherboat shells.
She's a real beauty, isn't she?
Wonderful shell. Simply marvelous.

Mazel Tov again, Baron and Baroness von Compton!

The Grande Admirale Jan-Michel "Mikos" Vincent-Brandeisium, foe of the Baron, paying his respects.

Baron von Compton is sorely missed around these parts and his annual Fourth of July and Birthday bashes were the joy of all. The Baron also has one of the finest collections of American Wild West and Victorian Science Fiction miniatures this side of the hemisphere. Baron von Compton is currently studying Advanced Aethersphere Engineering at an undisclosed university.

The von Compton Summer Home on Mars Colony.
The lady takes the utmost of effort in training her roses to Terran Imperial standards.

Have a glorious day and long live the Queen!

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

Notes regarding photos / pictures: These are not all my images. I am using various images from around the web, mostly from public sources and/or private sources used with permission. I have tried to include only images under public domain, creative commons, or fair use. If I have inadvertently violated any copyrights, please inform me and I will remove your image/s (if it is indeed an infringement).

GAMING NEWS: Please Send Positive Thoughts To Local Gamer!

. Hi Everyone,

Well, amidst some gaming this weekend, I've heard some news, both good and bad...

First the bad news, well-known and well-liked local gamer Scott Hayes is in the hospital, ailing and it's very possible he might not make it. For those of you who know Scott, you probably know him because you:

A. Bought "lead" (miniatures) from him...

Or...

B. Enjoyed playing WAB (Warhammer Ancient Battles) with him.

You might have played other games with him as I did... specifically Crossfire back in the day and even occasionally WHFB (Warhammer Fantasy Battles). While you certainly could always seem to find some aspect of the rules to quibble over, Scott has always been a good and reliable opponent. I have many fond memories of gaming with him over the years.

Among those fond memories, I'll never forget a game in which Scott and I were playing a WWII Eastern Front scenario and I had a little Russian recon tank, a T-37 if I remember correctly, penetrate and destroy one of those big armored WWII German monstrosities, a Tiger if memory serves. Lucky hit! Mark had rented the conference room of the Red Lion Hotel that year to host a big gaming bash. Last Friday I started getting worried when Mark started sending E-mails to the local community after being asked why he didn't run his traditional Westerns game recently:

Sorry, gang. I was planning on running a small French Foreign Legion Western Algeria game. But instead I was at the Hospital talking to my best friend, Scott Hayes. He is slipping fast. Damn Cancer.

Hopefully, we will be back up and gaming by next week.

And then...

Scott is at a local Eskaton Hospice Center. His brothers are with him as well as his father. His cousin is there as well. He was not really ever conscious today(Sunday). Manny R., my brother Joel and I visited him today. His family liked the idea that Dante C., myself, Manny R. and Roger M. came up with. That was keeping his Romans and Carthaginians together, maybe some of the better painters finishing any other units and having an annual Scott Hayes refight of Cannae or some other battle from the Second Punic War.
Mark.

If you're interested in helping out Scott or his family, please contact Mark Steinberg or I. If you contact me, I'll pass your message along to Mark.

And then...

Sorry to hear of this guys. I really enjoyed the times the boys, dad and I got to game with Scott. I got to play in a playtest with Scott for the Scenario game he was putting on with those Romans and Carthaginians. Picked up the WAB supplement that's come out since, but haven't done much gaming lately. I heard how serious the situation with Scott was at the ConQuest SAC planning meeting today (Sunday). I think it is a great idea to keep those two armies together.

Thinking of Scott,
Alfred A.

And then...

Yes, this sucks. Scott is a good player and an asset to the Sacramento gaming community. Hopefully he'll get through this somehow. If not, it will definitely be a blow to our community.
Mark H.

All I can say is that I've put Scott in my prayers and that I'd ask any others who are willing to put Scott and his family in your prayers or whatever your beliefs allow you to do.

There has been some talk of putting together an annual ancients game in Scott's name and I plan to contribute however I'm able. I'll keep people updated here as to how the game evolves.

However, there is good news as well... Jon von Compton AKA Grand Naval Commander and Baron Otto Heinrich von Compton just announced that he is expecting a child with his wife. I'm very happy for him... couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

Mazel Tov, Jon and Carolyn!

Have a great Monday!

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

Notes regarding photos / pictures: These are not all my images. I am using various images from around the web, mostly from public sources and/or private sources used with permission. I have tried to include only images under public domain, creative commons, or fair use. If I have inadvertently violated any copyrights, please inform me and I will remove your image/s (if it is indeed an infringement).

MINI WARGAMING: Happy Birthday, Otto Heinrich von Compton!

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Hi Everyone,

I want to first wish my old friend, Jon Compton, a happy brithday!

The "ol' gang" got together at Vynnie's place this past Thursday to celebrate Jon's birthday with pizza, beer and a rousing game of:

Sky Galleons of Mars!

Jon has always loved SGoM so it was perfect.

You can check out Vynnie's well known and loved site, Reconnaissance in Force, here:

http://tinyurl.com/op7bs

The following folks showed up:

MIGHTY GAMEMASTER & SUPREME HOST:
League of Nations Supremely Important Chancellor played by:
- Vynnie "The Man," Wielder of Mighty Dice & Tomes

GERMANs, MARTIANs & the BIRTHDAY BOY:
Grand Naval Commander Otto Heinrich von Compton played by:
Jon von Compton commanding the:
- LZ-5 zeppelin
- Red native corvette Swiftwood

Martian Lackey, Grand Vizier Schmendrick Smelchak played by:
Maksim-Smelchak commanding the:
- Liftwood tripod transport Moltke
- Red native cruiser Glory Sled

FRENCH NOGOODNIKs:
Grande Admirale Jan-Michel Vincent-Brandeisium played by:
"Dirty Mike" B. commanding the:
- Gloire gunboat

Admirale Sebastien De'l Ordures (French name for a Southern Gentleman) played by:
President Scott "Pride O' the Rebs" Davis commanding the:
- Ney boarding sloop

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The evening started out with a briefing to the French commanders:

To: Commander, Aerial Gunboat Gloire
From: French Admiralty, Thymiamata

TOP PRIORITY

You are ordered immediately to take the field in the interests of Liberte and La France. Reliable French intelligence has revealed certain negotiations on the part of the infamous "gentleman adventurer" Otto Heinrich von Compton by which he would supply unaligned red native tribes with rifles, machine-guns, terrestrial cannon, and even tripod assault walkers in return for their use of such equipment against the interests of the Republic.

Von Compton has long been a thorn in the side of civilized colonial interests. His warmongering ways must be stopped, and those of the red natives who stoop to deal with him must be punished.

You are to requisition as escorts any military vessels available immediately to hand, put up full steam to Von Compton's headquarters, and level the trading lodge he has constructed. You are also to punish by bombardment the red native settlement within which it sits. Gloire, being a modern and heavily armored steam ironclad, shall be indestructible by the light vessels that Von Compton has at his command.

Viva La France!

- The game started out with both French ships hot on the tail of the German / Martian forces, who were attempting a perimeter defence of the Von Compton trading lodge. Initial volleys were traded as Smelchak's command truned into the wind to engage the mighty Gloire while Von Compton's forces ran with the Ney in hot pursuit.

- Initial volleys were traded and the Glory Sled took a terrible blow to her tiller, which nearly put her out of commission while her crew labored to keep her from falling to the Martian soil. However, that sacrifice opened up the mighty Gloire to boarding actions by the crack German marines of the Moltke. Bloody fighting broke out on the deck of the Gloire, which was to last no less than three turns.

- Meanwhile, Scott's Ney aimed numerous volleys at the retreating Zeppelin and liftwood Martian corvette Swiftwood... with little to no effect. Ney with her superb boilers quickly cut off the Von Compton flotilla and encountered a GREAT SURPRISE!

- The Swiftwood was manned by "flying monkeys," a winged and fully flight-capable variant of the red native species, otherwise known as High Martians, who quickly took off on their mighty wings to flood across the skies to the deck of the Ney, where fierce and bloody boarding clashes ensued. The crew of the valiant Ney repulsed the inital "flying monkey" attack by killing the Martian leaders, which demoralized the Martian boarders. However, the "flying monkeys" returned to the Swiftwood, regouped and very shortly returned with a new resolve backed by new Martian officers to utterly wipe out the crew and officers of the Ney... and they did! Oh, unhappy French day!

- The crew of the Gloire was finally overcome after much fighting, only a skeleton crew was left to survive with the Moltke. The Gloire's deck was awash with the blood of fighting men and liftwood sailors. The Glory Sled finally recovered from her near mortal blow from the Gloire (...after three turns) and closed into boarding range and found the Gloire overcome by the crack German marines of the Moltke. The Glory Sled, pride of the Martian liftwood navies, had been utterly knocked out of the fight with a single broadside from the mighty Gloire.

- And the game ended up being decided by boarding parties. Both French ships were boarded by the German / Martian forces and boarded in bloody hand-to-hand clashes that ended up with both French ships being captured after inflicting sizable casualties on the German / Martian boarding forces. And it was no fault of the French commanders either, they chose to start in an uncomfortably close proximity to their enemies, which was exploited by the outgunned German / Martian forces in a mad dash to grapple and board... a good fight by all the gentlemen involved.

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I wish everyone a good Saturday!

And a happy belated Sukkoth to those who celebrate it!

Shabbat Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

PERSONAL NEWS: Happy Fathers Day (18 June 2006)!

Hi Everyone and especially the fathers among us!

First of all, Happy Father's Day to all!

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Secondly, things have been very busy on the home front...

I'm still gaming and have the materials for several more gaming session reports, but I've been kept busy with the job search... earlier this year, I got on with the State part-time, but there was no chance for uch more than part-time so I moved on and ended up working for CBT / McGraw Hill, an educational company, and not the best job in the world, but a decent filler job until something better comes along...

The last few months, I've been obsessive with the job search... applying all over the place and very often at that... on the 27th of this month, I'll FINALLY get another chance at a State job... they finally opened examinations again after having what's been at least six months of a hiring freeze and very likely longer.

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I also have two weddings coming up in July... the first for my friend Jon Compton and the second for my baby sister... alot is going on.

http://joncompton.com/

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I'm still gaming and looking forward to ConQuest SF coming up in about a month or two and, in the meantime, am still gaming at A-1 Comics on Sunrise just about every Wednesday evening and occasionally elsewhere.

http://avalonconventions.com/conquestsf/

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The gaming group has been busy too...

Kurt and Mark are addicted to on-line computer gaming crack...

Kimbo is getting over a move and a phobia that the dice have it in for him...

Dave is in a weird sort of malaise although well...

Dick bought a new Toyoya Prius and is trying to salvage the MWSS gaming club...

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/M_W_S/

Mike O'Brien is looking for a better job and taking care of his lovely girlfriend, Donna, or maybe the other war around...

Tony recently hurt his leg and is getting over that...

Mike Warde has been very busy lately... his son Conor is getting ready to head off to Bible camp...

Chris has been around quite a bit lately... I'm really getting to know and like him.

Nils is vaccilating between building a 10mm and a 6mm WWII miniatures set...

Joe Riddle has been doing some amazing things with his 15mm HOTT armies...

George has hosted several games lately and is out of his cocoon...

Vynnie is well and kicking...

http://www.recon-in-force.com/

Marcus has put up a web site for his wonderful beer & pretzels skirmish game, Skank:

http://www.skankgame.com/

And the rest of the gang has plenty going on as well!

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And concurrently , I've been on a quest to drop some pounds at the gym and actually HAVE! It must be close to six months now and I've lost at least ten to fifteen pounds and gained a ton of muscle mass... The hardest hurdle for me has always been making working out a habitual part of my life and I've been at it with success for a long time now... just need to keep it up.

http://www.24hourfitness.com/html/

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I'll be trying to update the blog sometime in the next week or two... I have drafts for a number of posts ready and just need to get them finished. I also added a link to my Photo Bucket gallery on the right side link lists of my blog and most of my photos are posted there for public perusal... even though they haven't found a post to belong to yet.

http://s44.photobucket.com/albums/f23/Maksim-Smelchak/

I'm wishing everyone well and would be happy to hear from anyone wanting to drop me a line!

Happy Father's Day again!

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

HUMOUR: The Damn Dam!

Hi Everyone,

My friend Jon forwarded this whopper to me:

This is actually a true story and the account of the investigation makes it even better...

The Dam

This is an actual letter sent to a man named Ryan DeVries by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Quality, State of Pennsylvania. This guy's response is hilarious, but read the State's letter before you get to the response letter.

SUBJECT: DEQ File No.97-59-0023;
T11N; R10W, Sec. 20; Lycoming County

Dear Mr. DeVries:

It has come to the attention of the Department of Environmental Quality that there has been recent unauthorized activity on the above referenced parcel of property. You have been certified as the legal landowner and/or contractor who did the following unauthorized activity:

Construction and maintenance of two wood debris dams across the outlet stream of Spring Pond.

A permit must be issued prior to the start of this type of activity.

A review of the Department's files shows that no permits have been issued. Therefore, the Department has determined that this activity is in violation of Part 301, Inland Lakes and Streams, of the Natural Resource and Environmental Protection Act, Act 451 of the Public Acts of 1994, being sections 324.30101 to 324.30113 of the Pennsylvania Compiled Laws, annotated.

The Department has been informed that one or both of the dams partially failed during a recent rain event, causing debris and flooding at downstream locations. We find that dams of this nature are inherently hazardous and cannot be permitted. The Department therefore orders you to cease and desist all activities at this location, and to restore the stream to a free-flow condition by removing all wood and brush forming the dams from the stream channel. All restoration work shall be completed no later than January 31, 2006.

Please notify this office when the restoration has been completed so that a follow-up site inspection may be scheduled by our staff.

Failure to comply with this request or any further unauthorized activity on the site may result in this case being referred for elevated enforcement action.

We anticipate and would appreciate your full cooperation in this matter. Please feel free to contact me at this office if you have any questions.

Sincerely,
David L. Price
District Representative and Water
Management Division.

Here is the actual response sent back by Mr. DeVries:

Re: DEQ File No. 97-59-0023;
T11N; R10W, Sec. 20; Lycoming County

Dear Mr. Price,

Your certified letter dated 12/17/02 has been handed to me to respond to. I am the legal landowner but not the Contractor at 2088 Dagget Lane, Trout Run, Pennsylvania.

A couple of beavers are in the (State unauthorized) process of constructing and maintaining two wood "debris" dams across the outlet stream of my Spring Pond. While I did not pay for, authorize, nor supervise their dam project, I think they would be highly offended that you call their skillful use of natures building materials "debris." I would like to challenge your department to attempt to emulate their dam project any time and/or any place you choose. I believe I can safely state there is no way you could ever match their dam skills, their dam resourcefulness, their dam ingenuity, their dam persistence, their dam determination and/or their dam work ethic.

As to your request, I do not think the beavers are aware that they must first fill out a dam permit prior to the start of this type of dam activity.

My first dam question to you is:
(1) Are you trying to discriminate against my Spring Pond Beavers, or
(2) do you require all beavers throughout this State to conform to said dam request?

If you are not discriminating against these particular beavers, through the Freedom of Information Act, I request completed copies of all those other applicable beaver dam permits that have been issued. Perhaps we will see if there really is a dam violation of Part 301, Inland Lakes and Streams, of the Natural Resource and Environmental Protection Act, Act 451 of the Public Acts of 1994, being sections 324.30101 to 324.30113 of the Pennsylvania Compiled Laws, annotated.

I have several concerns. My first concern is, aren't the beavers entitled to legal representation? The Spring Pond Beavers are financially destitute and are unable to pay for said representation -- so the State will have to provide them with a dam lawyer. The Department's dam concern that either one or both of the dams failed during a recent rain event, causing flooding, is proof that this is a natural occurrence, which the Department is required to protect. In other words, we should leave the Spring Pond Beavers alone rather than harassing them and calling their dam names.

If you want the stream "restored" to a dam free-flow condition please contact the beavers -- but if you are going to arrest them, they obviously did not pay any attention to your dam letter, they being unable to read English.

In my humble opinion, the Spring Pond Beavers have a right to build their unauthorized dams as long as the sky is blue, the grass is green and water flows downstream. They have more dam rights than I do to live and enjoy Spring Pond. If the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection lives up to its name, it should protect the natural resources (Beavers) and the environment (Beavers' Dams).

So, as far as the beavers and I are concerned, this dam case can be referred for more elevated enforcement action right now. Why wait until 1/31/2006? The Spring Pond Beavers may be under the dam ice then and there will be no way for you or your dam staff to contact/harass them then.

In conclusion, I would like to bring to your attention to a real environmental quality, health, problem in the area. It is the bears! Bears are actually defecating in our woods. I definitely believe you should be persecuting the defecating bears and leave the beavers alone.

If you are going to investigate the beaver dam, watch your step! The bears are not careful where they dump!

Being unable to comply with your dam request, and being unable to contact you on your dam answering machine, I am sending this response to your dam office.

THANK YOU.

RYAN DEVRIES & THE DAM BEAVERS

I enjoyed reading it... hope you did too.

Have a great weekend!

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

GAMING NEWS: "The Next War" Session Two! (3 July 2005)

Hi Guys,

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On July 3rd, Jon Compton held a big Fourth of July party and asked all of us to get together to play our second session of "The Next War."

We started around 11:30am (although I got there closer to 1:00pm) and finished the Soviet gorund phase of turn one. Next session, we will finish the NATO part of turn one and FINALLY be completely done with turn one!

Part of the reason the game is taking so long is that we are all learning how the rules work.

We finished around 3:30pm and called the session a wrap. We went downstairs (Jon's game roon is upstairs... ) and got on with the Fourth of July party. We all had a good time and there were plenty of burgers, hot dogs and every kind of victual for everyone. We set off some fire works in the evening and went home.

Several of us (Including some British and US citizens) had a long discussion about about social services as well as the nature and future of socialized medicine in the US and abroad.

The next session will be this upcoming Sunday (10 July 2005).

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Next War is truly massive game and here's a link to a review of it:

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/8719

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The sides of the game are:

WARSAW PACT:
- Scott
(Soviet Marshal of the Baltic sector)
- Mike AKA Mikos
(Soviet Marshal of the Central & Northern Europe sectors)
- Rich
(Soviet Marshal of the Southern Europe sector)

NATO:
- Jon
(Supreme Commanding General of All NATO forces)
- Vince
(General of US NATO forces)
- Maksim
(General of German, British & Canadian NATO forces)

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SOVIET LAND PHASE of Turn One:

NATO was not able to take their ground phase this turn (not enough time... ) so only the USSR players moved their ground forces. Next gaming session, we will finish the NATO player's ground phase and end turn one.

The USSR ground forces made five major thrusts:

1. Soviet Movement in Southern Europe
- Marshal Rich made some very agressive moves to threaten Italy and Southern Europe.
- Southern Europe is held by a very tenuous defense of weaker Italian troops with some US reinforcement.

2. Soviet Thrust Against Austria
- Marshal Mikos moved several Soviet divisions very agressively in a thrust to make a breakthrough near the Austrian city of Wien in Central Europe.
- So far, the Austrians have held, but the Russian steamroller is persistent.

3. Soviet Movement to Crush the US Bulwark of NATO (Marburg Thrust)
- Marshal Mikos made some very ambitious and aggressive to crush US components of NATO in a thrust towards Marburg, Germany.
- Marshal Mikos very agressively moved his forward supply depots (FSBs) forward as well as support elements (Engineers, air defense cadre, etc.) in a big chain behind his forward combat units.
- He succeeds in making several breakthroughs punching a big hole through NATO lines.
- One of Marshal Mikos' biggest accomplishments is the uteerly brutal, quick and efficient taking of Berlin. NATO forces didn't stand a chance.

4. Northern Diversionary Thrust Towards Hamburg
- Marshal Mikos uses a number of armored and mechanized unit in a thrust towards the German city of Hamburg.
- There are no major victories achieved by Soviet forces, but the losses are likewise not very costly for their key result of keeping NATO forces occupied.
- The actions must be diversionary, but it still ties down NATO troops that are vitally needed elsewhere.

5. Baltic Spearpoint Aimed at Hannover
- The most feared Soviet Marshal, Marshal Scott, known for his intense aggression, pushes his units forward through NATO lines in a relentless push that exhausts his units to the limits of their endurance.
- A combination of mechanized thrusts and helibourne assaults brings Soviet forces to the city outskirts of Hannover.
- Denmark is one of NATO's Achilles Heels with many valuable sea and airports. If Marshal Scott can push this attack then he will remove many of NATO's most valuable staging areas for the war in Northern Europe.
- NATO generals fear Marshal Scott!

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NATO Commentary on Soviet Movement:
- The NATO generals were surprised that the Soviet Forces didn't extend themselves further.
- The NATO generals would have driven every unit to exhaustion tieing down as many NATO units as possible ina n effort to keep NATO units from forming into larger and more dangerous division-size units from the smaller battalions in which NATO left its units.

- All three commanding NATO generals were very surprised at the Marburg thrust. Marshal Mikos left his units sticking out in one huge finger thrust into the NATO apple pie.
- Unfortunately, almost all of the combat elements are concentrated at the tip of the finger with juicy support elements (Engineers, artillery, air defense cadre, etc.) lieing with their flanks exposed.
- With any luck, NATO units can cut this thrust off and decimate Marshal Mikos' units wholesale.

- The rest of NATO forces will take holding actions and concentrate on bringing NATO forces into better defensive salients.

------

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

GAMING NEWS: "The Next War" Session One! (23 June 2005)

Hi Guys,

Well, the guys and I got together yesterday evening and played part of the first turn of Next War...

Next War is truly massive game and here's a link to a review of it:

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/8719

Here's a blurb describing it:

BoardGameGeek:

The Next War is a brigade/divisional level sumulation of a Soviet-led Warsaw Pact invasion of the central European front of NATO in the late 1970's. The three maps cover the area from the far north of Denmark, through Germany and Austria to the industrial heartland of Italy.The standard rules constitute the fast game, and contain all the rules necessary to play "The Next War" land game - a complete game that can be played independently.

The most notable mechanic is the combination of combat within the movement of land units, with the ability of units to greatly exceed the basic movement allowance at increased risk of fatigue/attrition. Optional rules cover weather, supply, chemical/nuclear warfare, air and naval operations, airborne/airmobile and amphibious operations, helicopters and special forces, and electronic warfare and add can considerably to the record keeping and playing time.

The campaign game covers the first 60 days after mobilization in three basic scenarios, Sudden War, Spring Maneuvres, Tension. The differences between these three concern the timing of the outbreak of war and the resultant state of readiness of the respective forces. Due to the large number of optional rules, however, the players may in fact choose from a vast array of possible Campaign Game situations.

Six smaller scenarios depict smaller areas of operations over briefer periods of time in the regions of Berlin, Vienna, The Baltic, Fulda, North German Plains, and the Main Front (Fulda + North German Plains). The game components: three 22" x 35" map sheets plus one 6" x 8" and one 10" x 12" map extensions, 2400 die-cut 1/2" counters, one 32 page rules book, one 40 page Scenarios and Situation Briefing book, two identical 4 page Charts & Tables folders, and one 17" x 22" Air Allocation Display.

We started around 5:30pm and only finished the air phase (A massive furball over Europe with F-15s, Mirages, MiG-21s, MiG-23s, etc. dogfighting for air supremacy... ) around 9:00pm... Part of the reason it took so long is that we had to teach the Warsaw Pact players how the rules worked because they had problems downloading the rules (Darn computers!). We all ate sushi and snacks inbetween and had a good time.

We all ate sushi and snacks inbetween and had a good time.

Oh, I almost forgot to list the sides:

WARSAW PACT:
- Scott
- Mike AKA Mikos
- Rich (Absent for Session 1)

NATO:
- Jon
- Vince
- Maksim

Next War is truly a monster game and I'm glad I didn't get together with the guys last time to set the game up... 2,400 die-cut 1/2" counters!

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

P.S.
The Warsaw Pact won the first air battle and achieved air supremacy over Central and Northern Europe. NATO losses were severe: two F-4 wings shot down and a number of aircraft damged. The Warsaw Pact was also attritted severely, they must have had almost twenty aircraft squadrons severely damaged. The Soviet Gdansk boneyards must almost be full. And they only ran two big sorties with their remaining ground attack craft and didn't do more than pin down two battallions of NATO ground troops...