"Single best issue of a wargaming magazine ever?" Topic

Simple enough. Any "wargaming" related mags count.

Simple but hard. For myself, to narrow it down, I'll just focus arbitrarily on magazines that came with complete minigames.

The palm goes to that issue of Strategy & Tactics which had the Voyage of the BSM Pandora sologame in it. I got SO much fun out of that one back in the day.

I always liked MWAN. Read most of Sam Mustapha/Mustafa's articles. Informative and humorous.
W.

For me, I believe it was a "Wargames Illustrated" issue that came out in the early 90's. It covered the real life characters Macbeth and Duncan from late dark age Scotland.

It had a brief history of each of the waring factions in Scotland in the late 900s including their alignments with the other states and their respective leaders. It including a basic map good enough for creating campain games.

It got me thoroughly intersted in wargaming dark age Scotland where I had no interest before.

For me it's a tie between White Dwarf 109/110, the RT Imperial Guard army list with those great Paul Bonner drawings and WD 127/128, the emergence of "modern Eldar" with all of the concept drawings by Jes Goodwin.

Jay, I remember that Imperial Guard issue well. I loved those clunky old plastic guards.

For me it's the Courier that included their tongue-in-cheek April's Fool issue.

Battle for Wargamers, the Fantasy special Issue (April 1977 ??).

I now have 2 copies. The first one I read and reread until it quite literaly fell apart. Nothing I have ever encountered ever had a bigger effect on my wargaming life. Heck, let's be honest, it shaped the next 10 years of my life – figures, RPGs, painting, gaming – lots of gaming, conventions, more figures, more games…..

That I can no longer recall the month of issue with certainty shows that I have calmed down a bit now.

WD127 is wholly responsible for my long-standing obsession with all things Eldar.

Practical Wargamer December '88.
It was sublime.

For me it has to be spotting and buying the first ever 'Miniature Wargames' back in 1983.

It had a massive impact on me not least for the lovely cover shot of the late, great Peter Gilder's French Carabiniers.

Not having access to a local club at that time it gave me a reference point for the rest of the hobby plus it had several lovely colour pictures of miniatures.

I still have the mag.

Happy memories.

Wargames Illustrated issue 12 – first one I bought.

Uesugi Kenshin – who wrote that macbeth article, I think I remember seeing a few like that?

Best mag?
The one with the fold-out of Miss April, 1989…
Oh.
GAMING mags… Sorry for the miss read…

Challenge Magazine #37 which added Undead Space Marines to Rogue Trader…
link
We got ALOT use outta that one. Plus it had adventures for Star Wars d6, Twilight:2000, Space:1889… Lots of use outta that one.

But an honorable mention needs to go to:
The old Space Gamer issue (V2.#2) that added Helicopters to Rogue Trader link

IMHO The last issue of MWAN is still superior to anything printed since

The last issue ? Are you sure ?

I'd accept "the last issue under Hal".

I agree with 20th Maine dude after Hal MWAN "crashed and burned" in record time.

My personal vote for best single issue of a wargame magazine would be the October 1978 issue of Wargamer's Digest. It was the issues where Gene McCoy introduced his "Series 78 standard units" concept for WWII games. Great reading and was responsible for me moving from board gaming and D&D into miniatures!

I miss "The Avalon Hill GENERAL".

I really miss MWAN. The old Courier was pretty good too.

@The Person Above, dont recall. It may in fact have been a two-parter. Ill do a search for the issue.

@Richardisney, undead space marines! I wish I knew about that when i played RT!

I would vote for the issue of WI that had the Trojan War God cards in it. Great stuff.

Oooh, tough choice, and seconding two already mentioned:

* Wargamers Digest, October 78. The introductory article was entitled: "Second World War STANDARD UNIT GAMING CONCEPT Grand Tactical Warfare Without the Parking Lot Appearance". I'm still using Roco minitanks that I started collecting right then.

* Also, Miniature Wargames #1 in 1983, wow was the full colour treatment so inspirational! Plus, I was in Edinbrugh that year and got to visit my first wargaming club and see so many different periods and scales all in action at once too. Those events really got me painting lots of armies.

@Person Above, looks like its this one:
"The Picts and the Scots
Book review
Miniature Wargames 140, capsule

Historical Background

What Bloody Man is That?
Wargaming Macbeth (a guide to medieval Scotland)
Miniature Wargames 141, 5 pages (1 map)"

This is a difficult one to vote on as I am currently deployed and the issue in question is at home. Someone may be able to help out with the exact issue.

My vote goes for the MWAN issue with "Birth of a Notion"* that set out from inception to completion one of our wargaming brother's project to build a WSS project with BIG battalions ala Brigadier Peter Young.

It was entertaining and inspirational!

MAJ B
KAF

Major – that sounds a great article. Does anyone know if it is available as a scan/download anywhere.

I agree about the Wargamer's Digest Oct 78 issue about standard units. The idea itself was not unique (the rules "1944" by Arnold Hendrick, New England Wargamers Association, [4th ed. published in 1977], introduced the one vehicle is a platoon idea). McCoy's elaboration and support of the idea really kicked off a new era in WWII gaming (and rules such as Spearhead, Command Decision, Kampfgruppe Commander, and others continue the tradition).

I do miss the MWAN and Courier.

I really miss Avalon Hill's General magazine, too.

Wargames Illustrated No 1
Miniature Wargames No 1
Battlegames No 1

Courier Vol. 1, #3 – first one I saw. Naval wargaming in the Seven Years War. Miss the Courier.

MWAN – "Birth of a Notion" issue. I have it somewhere but I'm not sure which issue it is. MWAN is a love lost.

Avalon Hill General Vol. 1, #1 – inspirational. There are others out there just as crazy as me!

Wargames Illustrated Vol. 1, #1 – first one I saw. Great color photos, first of the One Day Campaigns series by George Gush.

yes those One Day Campaigns were a great inspiration….

Funny enough some issues become classics because of the rammed content remember some WIs had every article a cracker!