A question about the old TMP supplement "The Armory Volume 1"

[StainlessSteelCynic]

Thanks for the reply Kato, I thought this might be the case although I had hoped that it wasn't.
At one time when I was originally searching for it, I was given to understand The Armory was a cheaply produced supplement meant as practically a freebie for conventions and so on (anecdotal story and nothing I've seen in the last ten years has supported the claim). It was printed in 1983 by a publisher that no longer seems to be in operation and there is no ISBN from what I can find, all of which leant some initial credibility to the freebie claim.

With a little bit of checking on the net just now, there are copies for sale on Amazon, with an Amazon "ASIN" ID because there is no ISBN. A hell of a coincidence because there were none listed on Amazon, EBay etc. etc. for the last few years from what I recall.
Amazon ASIN: B0006EG1YY
USA https://www.amazon.com/Armory-Vol-Gu.../dp/B0006EG1YY
UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/cka/Armor...ent/B0006EG1YY

The Amazon page shows the later (I think third) print release with the colour cover, the copy I have appears to be the first printing with no proper cover.
There's a very small entry for the book on Wayne's Books, near the bottom of the page that shows the covers from what I think are the second and third printing.
http://www.waynesbooks.com/Weaponbooks.html#kd

If nothing else, at the very least, I might have made someone aware of this piece of early Kevin Dockery work. It was overshadowed by his much more comprehensive later book Edge of the Sword Volume 1: Compendium of Modern Firearms.
The Armory is almost in the realms of "the forgotten" these days, such a rarity that it's practically a unicorn - often wished for, sometimes seen, but rarely possessed.

[Project_Sardonicus]

Thanks it's available as a download on scribd

It's fascinating as it's been written with all the Morrow Project stats, E factor etc as well as the short descriptions about how the weapons could be used in game.

If it was written without permission it must be a copywrite nightmare.

[Sprocketteer]

I came across a pdf of this sometime ago.

Just noticed a couple of copies of one of the authors later books, Compendium of Modern Firearms on ebay for much cheapness, so I grabbed one.

Also inspired me to dig out my copy of Guns Guns Guns by BTRC , another oldie from the 80's.

[kato13]

Compendium of Modern Firearms is one of my top 5 weapon reference books.

[tsofian]

Two copies of the Armory Vol ! on Bookfinder.com

https://www.bookfinder.com/search/?a...apons%2520from

decent prices

[Gelrir]

I've got a copy; it has a color soft cover.

The Armory
Volume 1
Gunpowder Era Weapons From The
Foureenth Century To The Present.

New!
With Tables For Use With
Mercenaries, Spies and Private Eyes
And
Espionage

By
Kevin Dockery

No other volumes were ever published. About five are suggested on the inside front cover: Ancient Weapons, Science Fiction Weapons, Expansions of Modern Weapons, Exotic Weaponry, Nuclear Devices.

On the credits page it has:

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 84-148519
Copyright ©1983 by Kevin Dockery,
All rights Reserved
Published by
Firebird Ltd.
P.O. Box 4180,
Ann Arbor, MI 48106

On the last page are three ads: one for Golden Age of Champions (by Firebird, as a licensed Champions/Hero System product apparently); one for "Here There Be Tigers", a scenario for the Hero System, set in Laos just after the Vietnam war; and an ad for Firebird Ltd. itself, for Research and Consultation in the weapons field.

Inside the rear cover are ads for more Hero system and MS&PE supplements, and an NRA application. It's 158 numbered pages, more than twice the page count for MP 3rd Edition ... I don't think it was a "freebie".

My presumption is that Firebird was Kevin Dockery "doing business as".

--
Michael B.

[mmartin798]

Disclamer: I am not a copyright lawyer, but I did deal with copyright on a regular basis in a previous job.

I do think posting the entire document here is not a good idea just because I like this forum and want it to stay up. With that being said, a copyright search shows the original 1983 copyright. This would run out in 28 years unless an extension was applied for no later than 2011, which would extend the copyright out to 75 year from the original copyright date. The search did not show that an extension was applied for, so it is possible the copyright has expired.

[nuke11]

There where 2 editions of it made.

1st edition that looks close to TM1-1, plain beige cover and MP stats for each weapon.

2nd edition with full color covers, no MP stats for the weapons.

If you go to my page on it http://www.thesupplybunker.net/history-2.htm you will get a brief background on the 1st edition.