None of you should fail to notice the changes in the format and content of your club's newsletter. It is easy to explain the format change; your editor is a few generations behind the technology curve and is unlikely to ever catch-up since I am content running Windows 3.11 on a 486 processor. The upshot for the newsletter is fewer graphics and more text than prior editions.

More text amounts to more content. To meet this challenge there will be a few new regular departments added to the newsletter. In Action is a cursory glance at the variety of games pulled-out and played at the prior meeting. I bet you will find something in this department that will catch your interest and draw you and a friend to the next club meeting. In future editions I would like to add a section with puzzles based on matters related to our hobby. There should be a few other ideas realized as we move along.

As I was assembling this edition of the newsletter a disturbing thought arose: why have I never contributed anything at all to the prior newsletter editions, and why do I have ideas now? The answer has to be that I never felt challenged to contribute in the past. What would you put in the newsletter if you were the editor? Content will always be a challenge for us. Lack of content will inevitably result in the use of longer words and larger margins.

Members' submissions, such as articles, puzzles, or notes will always be gratefully received. Please print or type your contributions, which can be submitted to me in person (at the club), over the internet at briancmiller@prodigy.net, or mailed to:

Brian Miller

2500 Knights Rd.

Apt. 159-05

Bensalem, PA 19020

I wish to acknowledge the prior editor, Jerry, for his aid in the smooth transfer of editorial duties and for his continued help in managing the club mailing list.

Mike Fisher is looking for a ride to COLD WARS 99 at Lancaster Host Resort on Saturday April 17, 1999. Call (215) 438-9966.

Ed. note: Has anyone besides Mike ever used the opportunity to post messages here?

EPGS officer elections were held by the attending members at the regularly scheduled club meeting on January 16, 1999. The names and offices of the new officers are listed on the bottom of the front cover. Thanks to all participants!

Club officers held an organizational meeting following the conclusion of the January club meeting. The meeting helped to identify the primary challenge facing the club: finding adequate gaming space to permit our club to grow by attracting new members while retaining current members. We do have a lease to keep us at our present location through August 1999, but we must search for facilities to meet our future needs.

All members are asked to assist in this search since fifty pairs of eyes would do a more thorough search than five pairs of eyes. There is probably a facility near someone's neighborhood or place of business that would be perfect for our needs. Please keep your eyes and ears open for a facility that can meet the following criteria:

• can guarantee meeting space every third Saturday of the month.
• minimum hours 9AM - PM.

• 1500 - 2000 square feet.
• rent about $150 or less.
• tables and chairs available.
• air conditioning, heat and adequate lighting.
• near major highways.
• access to public transportation.
• food nearby.

If you think you know of such a facility, please do a little research of your own. Ask the facility management some qualifying questions such as: rent, hours available, square footage, etc... When you have developed a solid lead, please inform our President, Steve Cameron, or another officer.

After decades of supporting the game industry, Jenkintown Hobby Center closed its doors on January 31st. This business played a major role for many of us in our gaming lives. When some of us first moved to this area, it was at Jenkintown Hobby that we met other gamers and found this club by reading all of those index cards that were allowed to be posted there. Our Thanks and Best Wishes go to Bob Frantz.

The Three Rivers Game Festival will occur May 28-31 in Pittsburgh, PA. Further details may be found at: www.andonunlimited.com

The club website will be changing again; we will be getting our own domain name: epgs.org. We will be doing some fundraising to defray some of the cost. Expect to learn more about the website in the next newsletter.

EPGS Member

Favorite Games Form

This form is for submitting to the website listing your favorite games, and whether you can teach them or not. Please reply vie e-mail if possible to the webmaster, Chris, at

chrism@snip.net

Your Name __________________

Your e-mail__________________

Your phone__________________

Top 7 games to play: Teach?

1.____________________ ____

2.____________________ ____

3.____________________ ____

4.____________________ ____

5.____________________ ____

6.____________________ ____

7.____________________ ____

Please note that this will be sent to those on

the e-mail list as a MS Word document, with

fields you can simply type information into,

so we can create the pages more easily.

IN ACTION

This was most, but admittedly not all, of the games played at our club's January meeting.

Air Baron (AH) - an economic simulation of the cut-throat world of "air fare wars"

Ancients (3w) - replay any tactical combat from 1800 BC to 1400 AD.

Ani-Mayhem (Pioneer) - anime collectible card game.

Arena of Death (Tom List) - played by Tom and his brother. They were both in good health at the end of the day, so I guess this wasn't played to conclusion.

Attack Sub (AH) - fast-playing two player card game simulating the tense cat-and-mouse aspect of contemporary submarine warfare.

Axis and Allies (MB) - you know the story.

Britannia (AH) - for three to five players; covers the period from the Roman invasion to the Norman conquest.

Gettysburg (AH) - historically accurate entry-level battle game designed for the novice.

Players represent rival guillotine operators vying for the best collection of noble heads during the French Revolution.

Hannibal (AH) - based on the Second Punic War; try to establish and keep areas under your political control.

Samurai (Hans im Gluck) - test of strength in Ancient Japan among priests, nobles, and rice farmers.

Saratoga, 1777 (GMT) - one or two players relive one of history's most decisive battles and the turning point of the American Revolution.

Short Lines (Bob Stribula) - a card game of building and operating a small railroad in competition with three other players. Can you deliver a load to each opponent before they do so?

Die Siedler von Catan (Kosmos) - an economic game of colonizing and resource trading.

Successors (AH) - a two to four player strategy game of conquest and civil war in the Macedonian and Greek world.

Super Giant Monster Showdown (Alex Strang) - the game that simulates titanic creatures in world-shattering conflict. Players create monsters that stomp and smash and bash and crash and slash and bust and burn!

Win, Place, and Show (AH) - the winner is the one who leaves the track with the most money (not necessarily profits) in his pocket.

MISSING IN ACTION

Quiz Time: What ten-letter word in the Editor's Notes is completely unnecessary?

A N S W E R B O X

The answer is "inevitably."