Dear List
Some of you might have noticed in the September and December issues of last year a new feature in "Saxe N' Violets." in Septermber it had the headline "There But for the Grace." In December there was a second article in the series called "Down at the Train and Game." That will be the permanent title of the series.
"Down at the Train and Game:" is a compendium of humorous, happy, though sometimes sad and mellow stories of events that I have seen or been part of in the 53 years or so of in my life of war games, or related to me by others in the hobby. The characters all have made up names to protect the guilty, but they are all real persons, except for one. Remember the stories though, are all true stories.
The central figure of the stories is Grace Van Loon, an avid wargamer. If you want to know what she looks like, just look up on your internet images the illustrations of Gil Elvgren or any of the classic pin-ups that crews used to paint on the nose of their bombers. Oh yes, and she's 6 foot three.
The stories are, as I said about some of the hilarious things, and some of the petty mean things now and then that war gamers do to each other. I have a wealth of these stories and considering the whimsical nature of our hobby, our group, and our magazine I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I do writing them. They are for me a real challenge. It's not only getting them down, but getting them down in the right space. Usually at the end of each issue I have about a column and a half to two of space which is hard to fill with a new topic, and it's not small enough to parcel out the space to other stories by taking out lines or squeezing or expanding the type face. So it's a bit of a cut=-fit at times. But I've got it down pretty good.
Each new issue will have an entry with "The Train and Game" in the title, an epinomious game store/club house somewhere and everywhere and anywhere in the world.
Also, Beginning in March 2016, the first issue of each year will be a book review issue with reviews of books of interest to gamers. These can range from the classics of Little Wars, "War Games" and so forth to the most modern books and publications. Also history books and titles of interesting related topics. Generally in keeping with the nature of the sponsoring group, The Society of Daisy, they will be a little more "offbeat" than your standard boiler plate. Winder's "Danubia" and "Germania" are good examples, and once again the central intent is in the same style as the Society.
Finally in March 2016 we will be going to a booklet format instead of the loose tabloid format we had. The amount of space for articles and pictures are the same but it will now be a 8 1/2 by 11 saddle stapled booklet of 16 pages.
Happily we have found a printer who will do the work of full color art without requiring the ownership papers of your first born.
Otto
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