"Looks like someone's house just got a new organ..." Topic

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We'll see if its a fluke or not- until now I thought WI had done an okay job of staying balanced after the Battlefront takeover.

Rich

Welcome to the present! We're excited you've caught up with the news. ;)

But seriously, what's the complaint? It's an issue dedicated to a mod for a popular game. That's a lot of material in one issue.

As someone who has never bought an issue of WI before, I'm pretty tempted to get that one.

Well, since I don't play FoW often, much less a Vietnam War version I won't buy it. The issues up until now weren't as bad. Lots of people said this was coming, some said 'no lets give them a chance', it now looks like those who wanted to be reasonable were wrong.

Rich

I'm more bothered by the themed nature of the magazine. We just got the AWI issue in the US & that was the worst so far. Other than the 5 AWI articles, & the requisite FoW article, there was 1 article on WW1 (last month's theme), an article on building bridges, & 2 articles on the new Black Powder rules (plus the regular reviews, etc).

So, there were only 2 other subjects covered in the issue that weren't covered in depth already. Not a great value if you don't happen to be interested in the theme they've picked.

They said they'd reconsider the themed issues in December, so hopefully they'll change their plans.

LOL, people and the silly axes they want to grind.

And if they had rolled out the Vietnam lists, rules, scenarios, etc across six issues people would cry about how BF was trying force folks to buy several issues for the complete content.

It's not a conspiracy. Themed issues are not a new or evil thing in the magazine business.

I'm not sure what the problem is, it looks like it is a magazine on Vietnam. Themed wargames mags are not a bad idea, if you don't like that particular period it allows you to skip the mag entirely rather than finding one article really interesting and the rest of the magazine not interesting.

I guess if you are a subscriber it might not be too bad.

But looking at this one there are 8 articles on Vietnam, only 3 of those cover vietnam in flames of war, hardly a house organ. As well as that it looks like they have not done any other flames of war specific content other than covering the "nationals" whatever they are.

I thought this would become a mostly WWII magazine and it has not so far. BF probably spends a lot of moeny on putting that mag out and they are certainly being pretty reasonable about the content so far. To call it a "house organ" for them seems a little absurd.

I can see why you wouldn't buy an issue that you are uninterested in but they really don't seem to have done anything close to what you are claiming that they have done.

No, no, Pictors, you don't understand. BF has an OBLIGATION to US (the homogeneous consumer who is always outraged) to not print any material about FoW in their magazine. Otherwise it's a house organ and that's BAD.

In summary:

Themed issues = bad
BF = bad
FoW = bad
House organ = bad
Printing anything I'm not currently in to = bad

Well, it would be irritating if one had a subscription and one weren't interested in Vietnam: one has already committed to buy it by purchasing a subscription. In the past, WI didn't have heavily-themed issues like that.

Also in the past, WI had gone so far downhill that I had dropped my subscription years ago. But I can understand why some people might feel like they're getting the (house) organ, as it were.

Allen

Take a look at Battlegames as an alternative. It is actually about the hobby, the playing of games, scenarios and all the goodies that we like to see in a wargame magazine.

Hmmm…I just finished reading 265 last night, and was going to do a review (although late) of it this weekend…I'm not an AWI player, and I liked the articles, and it did interest me in the history and gaming the genre…
The WWI article I felt should've been put in last months issue, and although I don't play FoW I read the battle report and was impressed kinda sorta of the recon mission. Not the standard hub to hub tank battles that you usually see in FoW…and yes…the bridge article is useful. Each issue they give an article on terrain.

Honestly?…when I look at OLD WI Issues and this new one, I kinda like the change….My only complaint has to do with the fact that each table displayed in the battle reports looks so professionally done, I wonder if any of us would ever be able to get an article submitted for it.

That and the fact of the ads for Perry figs, Victrix, Gripping Beast, etc…*sigh*

Whatever the theme, still way too much history and not enough gaming.

Harrumph!

;-)

Do you have to own FoW main rulebook AND the WI issue to play or can you play the game with just the magazine that contains the Vietnam rules?

As next years project will be 6mm Vietnam, I found this issue useful for the painting guides and Ideas.

I do not play FOW (Not my cup of tea) but have subscribed to WI as I bought it anyway. I don't mind the themed issues, as when it is an area that I am interested in then it has useful info and when it is an area that I am not interested in then sometimes it tempts me into areas that I would never have thought of trying……

P.S the new 15mm stuff looks nice for Nam but the prices!!!!! I'll stick to 6mm for my project thank you.

MH
:-)

As one of those who was highly suspicious when the takeover happened, I have to say up until now I've been pleasantly surprised by the relative amount of variety. As for the Vietnam stuff, I think it would have justified a front cover even if the mag were still in Duncan's hands. I'm more concerned with themes, however, especially as a subscriber. I don't buy WS&S precisely for that reason – along with the poor translation work, I confess, which does rankle a little.

Well I haven`t subbed to WI since a dispute with the previous editor over payment years ago, but the new guys seem to have a good rep and comments i`ve read about the magazine are in the main positive.

With this in mind I dropped them an email and have after reading their replies submitted a couple of articles/scenarios for them to publish as and when they can.

I`m hopeing for a long and profitable relationship with the new editor/owners – good luck to them.

Privateer, you will need the FoW rulebook to play.

Richard, my experiences with the new WI from a contributor point of view (1 review and 2 articles) have been extremely positive – good communication and timely payment as well (and all of the submissions were nothing to do with Flames of War). They seem very keen to get good contributions from a range of sources and have been very professional about it.