Date of publication (as given): September/October 1973
Some context. In September 1973: Jackie Stewart’s 4th place finish in the Italian Grand Prix (Monza) secures his 3rd Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship. The elected president of Chile, Salvador Allende, is overthrown by a military coup led by General Augusto Pinochet. The Prisoner of Second Avenue, a theatrical comedy by Neil Simon, starring Peter Falk, Lee Grant, and Vincent Gardenia, closes at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre in New York City after 798 performances.
In October 1973: the Yom Kippur War begins with Syria & Egypt attacking Israel. Dolly Parton releases her single Jolene, the title track of her then forthcoming album. Europe and Asia are connected over the Bosphorus for the first time by the completion of the Bosphorus Bridge (also known as the 15th July Martyrs Bridge and the First Bridge) in Istanbul, Turkey.
Game included
PanzerArmee Afrika by James F. Dunnigan. PanzerArmee Afrika is a two-player game about the war in the desert from April 1941 to November 1942. Game turns represent one month of real time, units are battlions, regiments, or brigades, and each hex is 12 miles. SPI later sold the game to Avalon Hill, who published their version around 1982. For my view of the game, see here. For more information about the game, see here.
Articles
- Outgoing Mail – editors/publisher
- Panzerarmee Afrika and the War in the Desert – Albert A. Nofi
- Seelöwe – Frank Davis
- Sackson on Games – Sid Sacksom
- Military Unit Symbols – Redomnd A. Simonsen
- Pass in Review (book reviews) – Albert A. Nofi
SPI Games Advertised
- Desert War ($7)
- Sniper (No price stated)
- Solomons Campaign (No price stated)
- The Battles of Bull Run (No price stated)
- WW II ($7)
Enter the Lawyers
From page 41 of the editorial (Outgoing Mail):
As you may have noticed, we have changed the names of two games. Battle of Stalingrad is now Turning Point: The Battle of Stalingrad. Lee at Gettysburg is now Lee Moves North. These changes were made on the advice of our lawyer. We are trademarking the titles of our games now that we are selling them in stores and the above two titles might have run into trouble with the trademark people in Washington. Just more details to attend to.
On a Personal Note
Having an S&T subscription was a blessing and a curse. The blessing was getting all these new games. The curse was seeing adverts for all these other new games (not part of the subscription) that I couldn’t afford. From the adverts, I kept a note of those I wanted, so the information was readily to hand when my birthday and Chanukah came round. From this issue, WWII was top of my wanted list. My financial position improved when I went to university, but that’s a story for another time.