Volume 1 Issue 1 The Strategic Review - Spring 1975

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Volume 1 Issue 1 The Strategic Review - Spring 1975

They lead off with WHAT’S GOING ON HERE?

THE STRATEGIC REVIEW is the newsletter of Tactical Studies Rules,

which will quite naturally be used to carry advertisements for all of

TSR’s product line. However, it will do a lot more than that. Each

issue will contain as many features and news items as we can possibly

find space for. This being our first issue, all of the features pertain to

our product Iine. If we receive submissions for future issues which deal

with other things we will certainly print them, for this newsletter will

try to cover as much as possible. Getting back to what is at hand,

here is the format planned for each issue:


Regular columns will include STRATEGIST’S CLUB, CREATURE

FEATURES with a new Dungeons & Dragons monster, CASTLE &

CRUSADE, THE ARMORY, TSR NEWS, and the WARGAMING

WORLD of news and brief reviews. Material and space will dictate

how many of each of the regular columns will be in any given issue,

but we will always try to get the majority into each issue.

It continues to say that there will be one or two features each issue. They say they will probably increase the size and the frequency of the The Strategic Review. The first 6 page issue was $0.50. That would amount to $2.42 as of January 12, 2021. This did include postage, but you would have to write them a letter to subscribe and send a paper check. No jumping on the Internet and paying with a card.

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Next up is the Publishers Statement and I present it in full for historical context:

PUBLISHERS STATEMENT:

The STRATEGIC REVIEW is published quarterly by Tactical Studies
Rules, 542 Sage Street, Lake Geneva, WI 53147. It is available by
subscription at the rate of $1.50 per four issues. Single copies and
back issues are available at 50¢ each, but availability of all back
numbers is not guaranteed. (Subscriptions and single copies sent
outside the U.S. and Canada are $2.50 and 80¢ respectively, and
payment must be made in U.S. currency or by International Postal Money
Order.) AlI material published herein becomes the exclusive property
of the publisher unless special arrangements to the contrary are made.

Unsolicited material cannot be returned unless accompanied by a
stamped return envelope, and no responsibility for such material can
be assumed by the publisher in any event. AlI rights on the entire contents
of this publication are reserved, and nothing may be reprinted in
whole or in part without written permission of the publisher.
Copyright 1975 by Tactical Studies Rules.
Editor -- E. Gary Gygax
Assistant Editor -- Brian Blume

Change of Address should be sent as soon as possible, and in any
event not less than two weeks prior to the first day of April, July,
October and January, as applicable.

As you can see it is much cheaper to subscribe than to buy single copies. A subscription for four issues at $1.50 would be $7.26 today. For a black and white plain paper newsletter. And the SASE if you wanted unsolicited material returned.

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Next up is their plug for "The Strategists Club is a special association open only to TSR subscribers". Offering special privileges to members and  (maybe) a party one night that years GenCon VIII. Cost to join was a dollar and if you made four purchases with a coupon each year, they would give you an extra 25 cents discount to offset the membership cost.

You would also get to nominate: 

BEST NEW GAME OF 1974
OUTSTANDING DESIGNER
OUTSTANDING WRITER
OUTSTANDING WARGAMING MAGAZINE
BEST MINIATURE FIGURE RELEASE (SERIES)
FAVORITE S&S NOVEL OF 1974

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Next up (still on page one) is TSR news. They let us know that they purchased games from Guidon Games, specifically: Chainmail, Don't Give Up The Ship, and Tractics. They would be printing the 3rd printing of Chainmail (those of you who have seen one - this is it 99.99% of the time). The 2nd printing of Tractics. They also note that due to printing costs and more material the price will be going up. They plan at some uncertain future date and expanded version of Tractics, but sadly they let it go out of print instead.

Two companion booklets to Chainmail were planned one for the Crusades and one for mythical English Medieval times, sadly these were never done either. I was very interested in both of these.

This all spilled over on to page two where we learn Don't Give Up The Ship is to be reprinted in its original form. It was reprinted in 1975 and then allowed to die, although it still has a following. They also planned companion booklets:

two companion volumes which will detail the orders of battle of the fleets of the major and minor navies of
the world in that era and give rules for conducting large-scale, longterm campaings (sic) of an historic or fictional nature.

They also planned to add additional booklets to this series of booklets for DGUTS. Sadly AFAIK none of these ever happened.

Again we have cause to wonder what might have been had Don Kaye lived and had Arneson and the Twin cities folks not been chased away and if Rob Kuntz had been allowed to be part of the design end instead of the mail room. Along with a really good unbiased editor, with an emphasis on unbiased.

Also a promise to get a supplement out really soon.

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Then we have the "Creature Feature" or as it said in this issue "Creature Features".

This introduced the Mind Flayer. The damage and effects of  the Mind Blast were altered by Range, Intelligence of the target, the Class of the Target and any relevant magical items.

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Next up a section called Wargaming World with news and gossip and information about other newsletter or publications. A little dig at Avalon Hill in their competition with SPI.

Following this under the heading Armory are listed the rule changes to the new printing of TRACTICS.

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Then we  have something that I ignored in 1975 and oh is hindsight 2020 from 46 years later.

POSTAL DUNGEONS & DRAGONS VARIANT, a game which combines

D&D and MIDGARD will be handled through the magazine, FANTASIA.

To obtain full details, write: FANTASIA, Jim Lawson, 3508 Benton Dr.,

Calgary,Alberta,Canada T2L 1W8.

Had I had any foresight, I would have written for those full details and may have been able to get the full current and perhaps even the pre-D&D Midgard information. Both would have been treasures, if I had gotten them and preserved them until now. 

To the best of my knowledge this Midgard info still exists, but I believe that it has been purchased and buried by a collector for perhaps another lifetime.

We all want to think, if I had been there I would have saved those handwritten or mimeographed copies. Few people do that. I can only wish that I had been around and in the letter writing loop with all these people from the around 1965 on and had been on of those people who saved things. Sadly just a few years too young and sadly not prescient. What I really wonder is if a lot of these people had been asked in the 60's and early 70's if I could have the publishing rights for the year 2021 so it would not be lost to history, how many of them would have written back and said yeah , why not for a date that far in the future.

[The Perilous Dreamer]

This is followed on page 3 by CASTLE & CRUSADE By Gary Gygax a "column on the Medieval Epoch" and it goes into the effectiveness of the humble spear and how it can and cannot be used. He then promises that the next issue will provide a complete rundown on the polearm in its various forms and varieties.

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Next there is a short list of things to be included in the following issue, a teaser if you will.

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Then we have this:

SPECIAL FIRST ISSUE FEATURE!
SOLO DUNGEON ADVENTURES
by Gary Gygax, with special thanks to George A. Lord
Preliminary testing: Robert Kuntz and Ernest Gygax

He says:

Although it has been possible for enthusiasts to play solo games of  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS by means of Wilderness Adventures, there has been no uniform method of dungeon exploring, for the campaign referee has heretofor been required to design dungeon levels. Through the following series of tables (and considerable dice rolling) it is now possible to adventure alone through endless series of dungeonmazes! 

The rest of page 3 and all of pages 4 and 5 are the tables and advice on how to add variety when the tables start to repeat too much.

I would note a few things, one is that these tables are very easily expanded on and even more tables added so that the variety is easily increased. Two, bitd after looking through and it and noting that it was pretty cool, no thought of actually using it crossed my mind. We gamed about 16-22 hours every week. However, three, now in these days of isolation and no face to face games, I am considering dusting them off and giving them a spin. Might even motivate me to re-write them to make it the specific kind of game I like to play.

[The Perilous Dreamer]

On page 6 they ask for feedback if you are so moved and then give a little help to generate feedback, saying letters may have an effect on what is published and asks for likes or dislikes of the following:

NOW (or soon) Covered by SR:          Other Periods/Wars:

Ancient Period                        30-Years War
Medieval Period                       7-Years War
English Civil War                     Revolutionary War
Napoleonic Wars                       American Civil War
American West                         Franco-Prussian War
WWIl/Modern                           Colonial Wars
Space Exploration/Warfare             WWI
Fantasy/Swords & Sorcery

From the above lists we can do the following kinds of articles:

Rules Additions Play-Test Rules
Rules Varients DIPLOMACY Varients
Rules Expansions Design Explanations
Battle Reports Design Justifications
Campaign Set-Ups Figure Reviews
Organizations Rules & Game Reviews
Weapons & Uniform Data Book Reviews

Sadly you can see a lot of great things died on the vine and never came to be.

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Then last, but not least, the ad/catlog section:
Warriors of Mars subtitled TheWarfare of Barsoom in Miniature
Rules for Individual and Large Scale Land and Aerial Conflict
56 pages over 20 illustrations
A complete map of Barsoom
$5.00 postpaid.

That would be $24.18 today.

The Space Adventure Game: Star Probe
Featuring a 22"x28" mapboard with over 2,000 stars and a rules booklet.
Price $6.00 postpaid or $29.02 today.

A number of other games are listed along with Dice sets, Miniature Figures from Scruby Miniatures and Prints of illustrations in the D&D rules booklets.

The D&D (OD&D) boxed set was $10.00 plus 5% for postage for orders under $25.00.
In today's dollars that would be $48.37 for the D&D boxed set and a $120.92 order to get free postage.

The last little portion was the mailing information for the post office to send the newsletter through the mail.

I won't be mentioning the last part again.

Please let me know if you have questions.

[Admin Pete]

This great TPD, I have never seen any of these. I know you can't post the whole thing, but this gives us a glimpse of it. Would you be able to talk about he solitaire game a little more? Or if you do your own version, will you post that?

[mao]

Jan 12, 2021 23:35:08 GMT -5 The Perilous Dreamer said:

Next up a section called Wargaming World with news and gossip and information about other newsletter or publications. A little dig at Avalon Hill in their competition with SPI.

Following this under the heading Armory are listed the rule changes to the new printing of TRACTICS.

This is the mini rules I am the most familier with, this is whtat I played a few games before the group introded me to D&D

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Jan 13, 2021 9:09:50 GMT -5 mao said:

Jan 12, 2021 23:35:08 GMT -5 The Perilous Dreamer said:

Next up a section called Wargaming World with news and gossip and information about other newsletter or publications. A little dig at Avalon Hill in their competition with SPI.

Following this under the heading Armory are listed the rule changes to the new printing of TRACTICS.

This is the mini rules I am the most familiar with, this is what I played a few games before the group introduced me to D&D

You could always start a thread in the Village and talk about TRACTICS, I've never seen or played the game myself.

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Jan 13, 2021 2:56:24 GMT -5 Admin Pete said:

This great TPD, I have never seen any of these. I know you can't post the whole thing, but this gives us a glimpse of it. Would you be able to talk about he solitaire game a little more? Or if you do your own version, will you post that?

OK, I can expand on this a bit later today. Yeah, if I create my own version, I will post it.

[xizallian]

I am going to be following this, I've never seen any of these things.

[Gar Guz]

Jan 12, 2021 23:30:51 GMT -5 The Perilous Dreamer said:

Then we have the "Creature Feature" or as it said in this issue "Creature Features".

This introduced the Mind Flayer. The damage and effects of  the Mind Blast were altered by Range, Intelligence of the target, the Class of the Target and any relevant magical items.

I always wondered where the Mind Flayer first reared its ugly head.

[Gar Guz]

Jan 13, 2021 0:34:53 GMT -5 The Perilous Dreamer said:

Then we have this:

SPECIAL FIRST ISSUE FEATURE!
SOLO DUNGEON ADVENTURES
by Gary Gygax, with special thanks to George A. Lord
Preliminary testing: Robert Kuntz and Ernest Gygax

He says:

Although it has been possible for enthusiasts to play solo games of  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS by means of Wilderness Adventures, there has been no uniform method of dungeon exploring, for the campaign referee has heretofor been required to design dungeon levels. Through the following series of tables (and considerable dice rolling) it is now possible to adventure alone through endless series of dungeonmazes! 

The rest of page 3 and all of pages 4 and 5 are the tables and advice on how to add variety when the tables start to repeat too much.

I would note a few things, one is that these tables are very easily expanded on and even more tables added so that the variety is easily increased. Two, bitd after looking through and it and noting that it was pretty cool, no thought of actually using it crossed my mind. We gamed about 16-22 hours every week. However, three, now in these days of isolation and no face to face games, I am considering dusting them off and giving them a spin. Might even motivate me to re-write them to make it the specific kind of game I like to play.

Yes, publish your own solo rules.

[Dartanian]

Jan 13, 2021 10:49:12 GMT -5 The Perilous Dreamer said:

Jan 13, 2021 2:56:24 GMT -5 Admin Pete said:

This great TPD, I have never seen any of these. I know you can't post the whole thing, but this gives us a glimpse of it. Would you be able to talk about he solitaire game a little more? Or if you do your own version, will you post that?

OK, I can expand on this a bit later today. Yeah, if I create my own version, I will post it.

Looking forward to your version of this PD.

[Death Even XIII]

Jan 31, 2021 15:39:36 GMT -5 Dartanian said:

Jan 13, 2021 10:49:12 GMT -5 The Perilous Dreamer said:

OK, I can expand on this a bit later today. Yeah, if I create my own version, I will post it.

Looking forward to your version of this PD.

I am looking forward to all of your reviews and I would also like to see a solo play version.

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Regarding the solo dungeon Gygax says:

The upper level above the dungeon in which your solo adventures are to take place should be completely planned out, and it is a good idea to use the outdoor encounter matrix to see what lives where (a staircase discovered later just might lead right into the midst of whatever it is). The stairway down to the first level of the dungeon should be situated in the approximate middle of the upper ruins (or whatever you have as upper works).

[The Perilous Dreamer]

The first level of the dungeon is always begun with a room; that is, the stairway down leads to a room; so you go immediately to TABLE V. and follow the procedure indicated. Always begin a level in the middle of the sheet of graph paper.

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Now Gygax says to

proceed to the tables which explain all play.

So since he has said we start with Table V, I will start there to discuss the tables.

Table V is Chambers and Rooms: Roll for Shape and Size, then Exits and then Contents.

So under Table V are multiple tables: the first is for shape and area with a sub-table for Unusual Shape and area.

The next table under Table V is for Exits: Number, Location, and Direction (Passages in Chambers, Doors in Rooms).

This is followed by room contents. There is a 60%+ chance the room will be empty. You are sent to the rule books for monsters and he provides a treasure table here in this section.

[The Perilous Dreamer]

From Table V if it is a door then go to Table II. Depending on the result you might bot back to Table V or you might go to Table I which is Periodic Checks. This could send you to the rulebooks for Wandering Monsters or to Table II, III, V, VI or VII.

Table III is Side Passages, with a sub-table for width of the passage.

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Table IV is turns.

Table VI is Stairs.

Table VII is Trick/Trap, with a sub-table for gas.

Table VIII is Caves & Caverns with sub-tables for Pools, Lakes, and Magic Pools.

[The Perilous Dreamer]

First time I have time to do it I will work out my own solo play table and post it.

[Red Virtuoso]

Feb 12, 2021 19:42:18 GMT -5 The Perilous Dreamer said:

First time I have time to do it I will work out my own solo play table and post it.

That looks like a lot of fun, I would love to have you do this, I would like to try it.

[True Black Raven]

Great thing you have going here Perilous, have an exalt.

[mao]

I look forward to this and all the reviews you are going to do. Have an Exalt!