Knight Models introduced new Star Wars figures in July 2010  with the will of giving the modelers the opportunity to
assemble, paint and collect figures of their favorite characters from Star Wars Universe.
Scale 70 mm Line.

Scale 30 mm Line.

Luminara Unduli & Barriss Offee

Luminara Unduli

Barris Offee

Figures are 70mm and 30mm tall, made of the highest quality white metal and resin materials and will include a methacrylate base with the Star Wars logo and a character sheet containing its story and skills, all in a metallic case with pictorial reference for assembling and painting.

For more pictures and information please visit our web site:
www.knightmodels.com

Osprey Modeling Series New Releases

Displaying Your Model

Painting and Finishing Techniques

During the past few months, Osprey Publishing has been very busy releasing new books for the gamer and modeler.  Below are short reviews of these new book releases in the Modeling Series of books.

Displaying your Model

by Richard Windrow

This is book number 44 in Osprey’s Modeling series of books

When a modeler finishes his model he has an important decision to make which is how should I display it.  Should it be placed in a diorama, a simple case. a mirrored stand, figure dome, a deep picture frame box or even a light box, this book will show you the methods used to display models.  This book covers all the various methods and techniques for model display.  Entry level modelers as well as more experienced modelers alike will learn methods and techniques from the experts.  A series of dioramas and vignettes from masters around the world are used to illustrate the different modeling display methods.  This book is well written and is an excellent reference book for the modeler.

Paperback, $19.95 US / $22.95 CAN 

Painting and Finishing Techniques

By Gary Edmundson

This is book number 45 in Osprey’s Modeling series of books.

Many modelers can master the basic techniques of construction and painting, however it is with the advanced finishing of their kits that many modelers begin to struggle.  It is this skill that gives a model a distinctive look and feel and separates a good model from a truly great one.

Painting and Finishing Techniques provides a detailed step-by-step approach to creating realistic, colorful finishes to armor and aviation models using a variety of different media and techniques.  The book is aimed at both the beginner and intermediate modeler who is looking to improve their skills.  Through clear text and photography, each chapter presents a guide to this interesting subject.

Each chapter in the book deals with a particular element of the painting and finishing process, whether it be creating camouflage schemes or dealing with markings and decals.  In the end, you see how an award winning model is created through a comprehensive study of the subject.  Relevant tools and materials are discussed in sidebars, while a Gallery of Armor and Aviation models is presented showing a wide range of models in different color schemes and finishes.  This is another excellent book in the Osprey Modeling Series that will make an excellent addition to the model builders reference collection.

Paperback, $19.95 US / $22.95 CAN

During the past few months, Osprey Publishing has been very busy releasing new books for the historian, gamer and modeler.  Below are a few of the new book releases in the Elite Series of books with short a description of each book title.

Elite 172 Roman Battle Tactics 390 – 110BC This is book number 172 in Osprey’s “Elite” series of books. By 390 BC, the organization of the Roman army was in need of change.  Fighting in the Greek-style with a heavy infantry was proving increasingly outdated and inflexible, resulting in Roman’s defeat at the hands of the Gauls at the battle of Allia.  Following on from this catastrophe and in the next fifty years of warfare against Gallic and Italian tribes, a military revolution was born: the legion.  This was a new unit of organization made up of three flexible lines of maniples consisting of troops of both heavy and light infantry.  However, at the end of the 3rd century BC, Rome’s prestige was shattered once more by the genius of Hannibal of Carthage, causing Roman battle tactics to be revised again.  The legendary general Scipio Africanus achieved this, finally destroying the Carthaginian army at the climatic victory of Zama.  A wholly new kind of soldier had been invented, and the whole Mediterranean world was now at Rome’s feet.  This book reveals these two defining moments in Roman military history and the revolution in battle tactics that was the result.   Paperback, $18.95 US / $22.00 CAN

Elite 178 – Hatamoto This is book number 178 in Osprey’s “Elite” series of books. Each great samurai warlord, or daimyo, had a household division of troops, known as the Hatamoto- “those who stand under the flag.”  The Hatamoto included the personal bodyguards, both horse (uma mawari) and foot (kachi); the senior generals (bugyo), the standard bearers and color-guard, couriers, and other samurai under the warlord’s personal command. Apart from bodyguard and other duties, both horse and foot guards often played crucial roles in battle.  Their intervention could turn defeat into victory, and their collapse meant final disaster. As favored fighting men under the warlord’s eye, members of the bodyguards could hope for promotion, and some rose to be daimyo themselves. All three great leaders of the 16-17th century – including Oda, Hideyoshi and Tokugawa had their own elite corps.  Such troops were distinguished by dazzling apparel and heraldry, with banners both carried and attached to the back of the armor, all of which are detailed in an array of color artwork specially created for this publication. Paperback, $18.95 US / $22.00 CAN

Elite 179 – Pike & Shot Tactics 1590-1660 Throughout the 17th century, large parts of Europe were depopulated during the wide-ranging and savage wars of religion and dynasty involving all the major powers.  These included the Dutch-Spanish wars of independence, The Thirty Years’ War and the English Civil Wars.  This was the key period in the development of modern infantry tactics, incorporating the use of pole-arms and muskets together.  Although cavalry participated in such conflicts, it was the infantry that was the decisive arm.  Such Infantry tactics infolved different national schools of thought and practice, tested bloodily in great battles. Paperback, $18.95 US / $22.00 CAN

Elite 180 – US Coast Guard in World War II The full history of the US Coast Guard in World War II is revealed in this Elite title.  The book draws attention to the little known history of how the US Coast Guard ran a number of landing craft throughout D-Day in 1944 as well as providing crucial anti U-Boat patrols throughout the war years.  A number of Coast Guard servicemen were lost in thse two campaigns and their undeniable contribution to the US war effort deserves greater recognition.  There was a diverse array of roles within the wartime Coast Guard aviators and gunners to the Merchant Marine and Port Security Services.  These roles are all fully explained and illustrated with a number of rare photographs and artwork. Paperback, $18.95 US / $22.00 CAN

Elite 181 World War II Battlefield Communications The biggest difference in the fighting between the world wars lay in the technological invention of the man-portable radio.  This technology advancement allowed a greater coordination of tactics between units.  This book offers a unique view by providing an informative study  of the use of small radios, field telephones, signal flares and ground-to-air signaling that revolutionized these battlefield tactics. Paperback, $18.95 US / $22.00 CAN

During the past few months, Osprey Publishing has been very busy releasing new books for the historian, gamer and modeler.  Below are a few of the new book releases in the Campaigns Series of books with short a description of each book title.

Campaigns 219 – Dunkirk 1940 This is book number 219 in Osprey’s Campaign Series. During the Battle of Dunkirk in 1940, German forces successfully cut off several units of British, French and Canadian troops from supporting forces and supplies.  Nearly 350,000 Allied troops were left stranded on the beaches and harbor of Dunkirk, in France, amounting to what Winston Churchill called “the whole root, core, and brain of the British Army.”  Between May 26 and June 4, 1940, in what was named Operation Dynamo, a total of 338,226 soldiers were rescued by hastily assembled boats, British destroyers and other large ships and taken directly back to England. This book relates the operational perspective of this operation by showing the various overlapping and interconnected struggles – land force vs. land force, air forces vs. air forces, air forces vs. naval forces, all in a race against time – and their operational impacts on one another in one coherent, coordinated volume. Paperback, $19.95 US / $22.95 CAN

Campaigns 223 – Operation Nordwind 1945 This is book number 219 in Osprey’s Campaign Series. Operation Nordwind is one of the lesser known campaigns of World War II yet one of the more intriguing.  Largely overshadowed by the Battle of the Bulge further north, Nordwind was the last great operation by the Waffen-SS Panzer divisions in the west, and the last time the Wehrmacht was on the offensive in the West.  The campaign also highlights the difficulties of inter-Allied cooperation between the Americans and the French.  This campaign has been extensively treated in German and French accounts, but is not well covered in English. Paperback, $19.95 US / $22.95 CAN

Campaigns 221 – The First Battle of the Marne 1914 This is book number 221 in Osprey’s Campaign Series. The Battle of the Marne was one of the decisive encounters of World War I, saving France from  a catastrophic defeat that would have certainly knocked her out of the war.  The German failure to defeat the French committed her to a war on two fronts, which would lead to trench warfare and the war of attrition that the General Staff had hoped to avoid.  While the battle was not a decisive defeat, it was an Allied Strategic Victory.  Attempts by each side to outflank the other led to the formation of a continuous front from the North Sea to Switzerland. Paperback, $19.95 US / $22.95 CAN

1/35 Diorama

French Advertising outdoor posters

16 large French outdoor posters in 12 different styles. These are LARGE oversize advertisement posters in the Art Deco style.

AR35328 - $6.95

SURFACE DETAILS

O-Scale (1/48) Treadplate

Treadplate texture for GE U and -7 locomotives.  This is a relatively generic dot pattern that will work well on 1/72 armor subjects as well as railroad models.

Researched by Allan Gilbert

AR88046 - $14.95

HO-Scale Treadplate

Treadplate texture for GE U and -7 locomotives. This is a relatively generic dot pattern that will work well on 1/72 armor subjects as well as railroad models.

Researched by Allan Gilbert

AR88047 - $14.95

O-Scale (1/48) Treadplate

Treadplate texture for GE -8/9 and GEVO locomotives.  This is a relatively generic dot pattern that will work well on 1/72 armor subjects as well as railroad models.

Researched by Allan Gilbert

AR88048 - $14.95

HO-Scale Treadplate

Treadplate texture for GE -8/9 and GEVO locomotives. This is a relatively generic dot pattern that will work well on 1/72 armor subjects as well as railroad models.

Researched by Allan Gilbert

AR88049 - $14.95

NOTICE OF PRICE INCREASE

We sincerely regret that due to a sudden and substantial increase in the cost of materials required to manufacture Surface Details we have no alternative other than to increase prices on these products. This is the first time in our 21 years of doing business that we have raised prices, but we have no option other than discontinue them, and we’re not about to do that.

AS A COURTESY TO OUR EXISTING CUSTOMERS we will continue to sell at the current price so you have a chance to stock up at the old price but effective July 1, 2010 the price of Surface Details will increase from $14.95 to $17.95.

There will be no other public announcement of this price increase.

————————————————————–

ARCHER FINE TRANSFERS
PO Box 1277
Youngsville, NC 27596-1277
24 hour FAX/Voice Mail: (919) 570-1026
http://www.archertransfers.com/

The Story of an SAS Hero
By Pete Winner and Michael Kennedy

Available from Osprey Publishing at $16.95

This book is not a complete autobiography, in that it covers only Pete Winner’s life after joining the Royal Engineers. Pete was restless; the ordinary routine of Army life was boring to him. He decided to apply to the selection process for the Special Air Service. The SAS is Britain’s version of the Green Berets, the Navy Seals or the Russian Spetznaz. You join him at the Hereford Barracks during the initial stages of the selection process, or as the instructors call it, “The Rejection Process”.

After completing the necessary tests and the endurance run, Pete is one of only seventeen, out of 135 applicants, who are “badged”. Being “badged” is being accepted into the regiment. His first assignment is in the Aden Protectorate, in what is now part of Yemen. Operation Jaguar is his first taste of combat. The operation is to capture an airfield in the highlands from the Adoo communists. He goes on to fight at the Battle of Mirbat, where he loses a number of friends. Shortly thereafter Britain withdrew from Aden.

Interspersed with the combat tales is his being sent for psychological evaluation by the regimental Colonel because of his numerous troubles with “the system”. One of these is a training assignment in Hong Kong where he gets into a bar fight and is arrested. After finally being cleared to serve again with the regiment he is involved in the 1980 taking of the Iranian Embassy and the elimination of the terrorists who held the staff hostage. The narrative goes on to tell of the SAS role in the Falklands War. In 1987, Pete retired from the service.

After the battle of Mirbat became a “political football” in the halls of Parliament, he submits an article to the Daily Mirror, defending the actions taken there and the memory of his fallen comrades. For this, he is banned from the installation and “blackballed” from the agencies in the field of security, which he has entered. Being barred from seeing his old comrades was bad enough, but being unable to make a living was worse.

He then starts to take the less “mainstream” assignments and ends up in Moscow and places like that. The newfound outlet eventually leads him to a career training civil servants in how to track compensation frauds.

This book is well written and, to use a cliché, “riveting”. You will find yourself unable to put it down. I can highly recommend this book, not only to the history buff, but also to those people who like human-interest literature. Pete’s journey through life is not always going forward, nor always going backward, but filled with the ups and downs we all go through. It is a good commentary on dealing with the system and the pitfalls of bucking that system. Again, I recommend this book, not only for its insights into the Elite forces it represents, but for the man who places himself into these situations and eventually comes out somewhat triumphantly.

MSRP $29.95

I’m a typical grognard. I like my maps, cardboard counters and CRT’s. So imagine my surprise and enormous delight when I was asked to take a look at “Spearpoint 1943”, a historical based card game that I immediately enjoyed. This is a game steeped in historical accuracy, research, playability and months and months of playtesting. What’s great to see is that all of this work has truly paid off to provide the gamer with a unique and extremely enjoyable experience with tremendous replay value.

The Game

The card game can be played in either of two ways. First there is the open game, where players choose their deck and play a game based on 100 points. Or there are pre-designed Scenarios that set up different historical or theoretical situations that are provided and can be played and you use the cards that are presented in the scenario.

First, there are four decks of cards that are used in the game. These decks are the Command deck, the Damage deck, the Allied unit deck and the Axis unit deck. First we will look at an Open or Standard game. The first thing players do is to choose a hand from their respective units deck totaling 100 points or as close to 100 points as they can get. Next, each player looks through the cards they just picked and chooses 4 units to put in play immediately. Now, the remaining cards that they choose are shuffled and are placed face down and this becomes their draw deck. Next, the Command deck is shuffled and each player is dealt 3 command cards each. These 7 cards for each player is their starting hand.

A turn consists of three unique phases that are simple to remember. They are Commitment, Combat and Draw. There is no set number of turns for a game to end and turns continue until one side or another achieves a win condition.

All units in each player’s hand represent units that are ready for battle but are uncommitted. Units in a player’s hand may be committed onto the game table in the Commitment Phase to one of two lines which are front or rear or no line depending on unit type. Combat occurs among opposing committed units that have legal targets during the Combat Phase. Players draw new Units and Command Cards into their hands in the Draw Phase. All I can say is SIMPLE….

Figure 1Target Declaration and Committed Units

First, lets take a quick look at the Commitment Phase of the game. This is conducted simultaneously by both players so that one has no advantage over the other. Each player sets aside the card or cards they wish to commit and then reveal the cards simultaneously and they enter the battle area in either the front or rear line.

Now, a quick word about front or rear line before we continue. The terms “Frontline” or “Rear Line” are printed on each Unit Card to indicate where each unit is committed and from where each unit operates. Frontline units are generally tanks, anti-tank guns, infantry, and vehicles. They protect the Rear line which consists of long range artillery and some self-propelled guns. Also, there are crews for all the units, so you need to match a crew with a unit for that unit to be used.

We now move onto the next phase of the game which is Combat. Needless to say, this is where the carnage and fun takes place. For each committed unit in the Battle Area, players may declare to attack a single “legal” target and choose the weapons used against that target to fire once until all of the attacks are resolved.

Players verbally declare to fire up to two (2) weapons of each attacking unit against a target vulnerable to those weapons and physically turn the attacking unit card so that the top of the card points toward the target. Players choose targets simultaneously. A target is “legal” if at least one of the attacking unit’s weapons may affect the target according to the Attack Icons. Frontline units may target other frontline units and aircraft. Rear line units (long range artillery) may target frontline or opposing rear line units and aircraft. Aircraft may target any Unit regardless of line. If a player’s frontline is destroyed, that player’s rear line becomes the frontline. Any newly committed rear line units form a new rear line.

After target declaration, each player rolls Initiative using one D10 die (D10) and applies any modifiers, re-rolling ties. The highest roll determines who resolves the first attack. Players then alternate resolving attacks in the order of their choice until all attacks declared this phase are complete.

Attack resolution is a simple yet provides accurate results in Spearpoint. To resolve any attack, roll two D10 dice (2D10) and sum the result. A hit occurs if the sum equals or exceeds the weapon’s Attack value based on target unit type. A miss occurs if the sum is less than the weapon’s Attack Value.

If an attack hits, the attacking player determines Damage as each hit occurs. For each hit, roll Intensity using 1D10 and add the Damage Index (DI) of the weapon. Higher Intensity rolls represent well-placed, more damaging hits. Raw Damage is the sum of Damage Index and Intensity. Subtract the target’s Defense (Gray Shield Icon) from Raw Damage to determine Net Damage. Net Damage is then subtracted from the target’s Full Endurance (Green Cross Icon) to determine actual damage inflicted on the target. Crews of Units are protected from Net Damage as long as the crewed Unit is not destroyed. Damage is instantaneous. If enough damage is applied to reach the half breakpoint (Red Cross Icon) or more as a result of any hit or cumulative hits in a single Combat Phase, draw a Damage Card from the face-down Damage Card Deck and apply the appropriate Damage Effect based on Unit Type. If a unit reached zero or less Endurance at any time, it is destroyed, scored, and removed from the game.

Finally there is the Draw Phase. The Draw Phase presents players with several choices for replenishment of Unit Cards and Command Cards up to the maximum hand size of each. Players may retain up to 7 Unit Cards and 5 Command Cards in their hand at the end of the Draw Phase. If a Unit Card must be discarded, it is placed under the Reserves Deck.

Each player draws (1) one Command Card and then chooses one of the following:

Draw (1) one Command Card and then (1) one Unit Card.

Draw (2) two Unit Cards.

Draw (2) two Command Cards.

A New Turn begins upon completion of the Draw Phase.

Winning the Game

In a Standard Game, the first player to reach 51 Victory Points wins.

Conclusion

While all of this may seem a bit complicated, believe me, you can learn this game in 30 minutes or less but mastering it will take a considerable longer time as the tactics are subtle and there are many fine nuances in the game that makes each game different and keeps you coming back for more. As I said beginning this review, I am a grognard plain and simple and never particularly liked card games. That’s not to say there are not some good ones out there such as (dare I say it) Magic the Gathering. Yes, I have played MTG (the card, the computer, and the online version) and really think it is an excellent game that has brought new life and many new players into fantasy gaming. Well I feel that the impact of Spearpoint 1943 will be to historical card gaming what Magic the Gathering was to fantasy gaming. I feel it will breath new life into historical card gaming by introducing neophytes into a new world with a historical background based on sound historical research that is challenging yet most important of all, fun to play. Sometimes simple is better! Get Spearpoint 1943, I highly recommend it.

Knight Models introduced three new Marvel figures in May 2010  with the will of giving the modellers the opportunity to
assemble, paint and collect figures of their favourite characters from comic books and films.

Figures are 70mm tall, made of the highest quality white metal and resin materials and will include a methacrylate base with the Marvel Universe or Star Wars logo and a character sheet containing its story and skills, all in a metallic case with pictorial reference for assembling and painting.

For more pictures and information please visit our web site:
www.knightmodels.com

NorEastCon 2010 was held this past weekend (April 30th and May 1st) at the American Airpower Museum in Farmingdale, NY.  This regional IPMS show had a nice attendance and was well organized by the IPMS Long Island Chapter. 

This event was a two day event for Friday and Saturday.  I was only able to attend on Saturday and regretfully got caught in traffic that had a normal 75 minute trip take over 3 hours.  Even with the travelling aggravation I was glad I attended as the models and figures on display were outstanding as you can see in the Photo Gallery (http://www.mataka.org/photos/index.php#photos).

While I didn’t get the opportunity to visit the dealer area, the show was supported by a large number of local dealers and manufacturers who were local to the show.

In speaking with a number of modelers and visitors, they all said that they really enjoyed the show and the venue at which it was held.  After looking at the exhibits or browsing the dealer area, you could go outside and see biplanes, P51’s, a C-47, and a variety of other aircraft.  Some of these were even flying as the day went on as the American Airpower Museum is adjacent to Republic Airport.

All in all it was a beautiful day weather wise and even a more fun day for the modelers and visitors.  They are considering holding another event (to be announced) at the same venue next year which would be nice to see.  NorEastCon 2010 is over but there will be many memories as new friends were made and old friends got reacquainted  during this lovely and well organized weekend.

If you do not see the graphics and text below, you can select here Gen Con Adds New Features! Hello Gen Con Fans! Each year we try to add new features to make your Gen Con experience better than ever. We have added a service to help you set up your travel as well as some new events for you to check out during the show! · Gen Con Travel Site - for all your travel needs · Video Games Live - concert pre-sale · Massage Services - relax during Gen Con Regards, The Gen Con Team Gen Con Travel Site Gen Con LLC has partnered with Expedia Affiliate Network (EAN) to provide attendees with a convenient, reliable, and affordable means of arranging their personal travel. The new service is dubbed “Gen Con Travel Support”, and can be accessed online via this image: on the right-hand sidebar of the Gen Con Indy Home Page. Users of the new site will enjoy the convenience of booking a broad selection of flights, rental cars, travel packages, and supplemental lodging. · To book a room within the Gen Con housing block, please visit the Gen Con Housing Bureau web portal by clicking here. You will need the housing access code provided at the time of registration in order to book inside the Gen Con block. · To book affordable flights, rental cars, and alternate housing, please visit the Gen Con Travel Support center by clicking here. Video Games Live Concert Pre-Sale Gen Con attendees get exclusive pre-sale privileges for the Video Games Live concert on Saturday, August 7 in Indianapolis. Get the best seats now before the public on-sale begins May 10. Tickets from only $26 include pre show festival and post show meet-n-greet. Lots of great new material for 2010! Click here to buy. This concert features the best music and synchronized video clips from the most popular games, including Mario™, Zelda®, Halo, Final Fantasy®, Warcraft®, Sonic™, Metal Gear Solid®, Kingdom Hearts, Myst®, Tron, Medal of Honor™, Harry Potter™, Pac-Man and a special retro Classic Arcade Medley featuring more than 20+ games from Pong® to Donkey Kong®. Check out the VGL Trailer here. Massage Services Available at Indy 2010 Gen Con has partnered with Enroute Spa to bring you rejuvenating massage services onsite for the 2010 convention. Convenient and easy to use, chair massage is effective in relieving shoulder, neck and back tension while increasing energy and alertness in as little as 10 minutes – no appointment necessary. Enroute Spa is an award-winning eco-friendly day spa located inside the Indianapolis International Airport offering wellness services, therapeutic body care and locally sustainable retail. Services include full- body massage, chair massage manicures/pedicures and foot massage with no appointment necessary. Emails from Gen Con - Be sure to let us get to our Inbox We want to make sure you receive our informational email newsletters and registration confirmations. Please make sure to confirm that your inbox will allow emails from *@gencon.com and *@genconreg.com. © 2010 GEN CON, the Gen Con logo, and The Best Four Days in Gaming! are trademarks of Gen Con LLC. All rights reserved. Used under authorization. Please see our Privacy Statement

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