"Wargames Illustrated and narrow coverage" Topic

I have subscribed to Wargames Illustrated for many years and have tended to enjoy the content. I am not a FoW gamer but I have no problem with tha FoW content, it is perfectly transferable to other rule sets and the quality of the images is great.

Having said that I have noticed that the content of the mag does tend to stick pretty narrowly to certain rule sets almost to the complete exclusion o anything else. Looking back over the past 12 months Black Powder, Hail Caesar, Pike & Shotte, Bolt Action, Saga and Mukets & Tomahawks pretty much dominate ever single edition.

I know that Battlefront own the magazine, but I was wondering if there was a tie in with Warlord and with Studio Tomahawk? Other mags seem to manage a much broader coverage of the hobby. Frankly I play almost none of the rules mentioned, or Chris Peers rules which also get a fair slice of the action, and am considering not renewing my sub.

I find the same thing, and I have only just started to read the magazine.

I like it still from an eye candy pov, but it would be nice to see other games covered. Regiment Fire and Fury would be a nice change.

Those *are* pretty big releases in rules the past year….

:shrug:

I suspect there is something of a tie up in advertising, but also a lot of companies now back their rules releases up with articles for the leading magazines.

I you want to see a diversity in articles then try submitting something – WI can only publish what they are sent.

Mike

No longer my cup of tea for the reason cited above plus the Battlefront style "eye candy" does not appeal.

@black hat – It's a good idea, but not all of us are writers. Also, most magazines do not take unsolicited material. Still, a good idea.

Matthew

Anything related to Osprey is also related to Battlefront.

That's essentially a list of what's popular in my area, so I can't feel too much surprise that those specific games are getting a lot of press. I only own 2 copies of WI, both of which I got for the Saga factions published in those editions.

I subscribe to the electronic version of Wargames Soldiers and Strategy, which has a broader scope in terms of what games they cover, but is very much focused on British gaming. No magazine can cover everything, so some narrowness of coverage is to be expected. If the magazine you buy is narrow in areas you don't like, there are always other publications.

I think its a combination of factors.
They print what they get. Companies send them more stuff than individuals do. And, the mags also print what they write themselves to support their own products.

There also seems to be a tendency to assume that most readers are gadflies who bounce from one new shiny rule set to the next new shiny rule set. In my experience, historical gamers don't do that. They tend to stick with what they like once they find it.

It sounds like what is needed is probably another magazine like MWAN used to be. That was always a good hobby read.
Larry

I miss MWAN. Even contributed a few articles in my time.

It sounds like what is needed is probably another magazine like MWAN used to be. That was always a good hobby read.

I think Battlegames is pretty close to that.

I used to be a regular purchaser and I did buy their big mag a couple of months back, but other than that I have given up on them as I find them to be a BF rag, which I have zero interest in. I've switched to Wargames, Soldiers and Strategy and find it to be much more my cup of tea and much more of what I am looking for in a wargaming mag.

And long live Hal!

This month is themed to WWI, that combined with the usual FOW means that this month in particular there is less of an interest for me, so I passed it by on the shelves.

Also 28mm and 15mm FOW dominate the illustrations, I would like to see something more inclusive of the smaller scales.

I enjoy the other three wargame mags that are on the shelves, although, Soldiers, Stratgey and Tactics is also theme based and so I find that a bit hit and miss, liked their naopleonic issue and recent AWI issue but passed on their gangster / bond / hero type issue.

I think the "blogosphere" has pretty much taken over MWAN's spot. It certainly is not Battlegames (which I subscribe to, by the way, along with WI, MW, and LW).

What is it you are really looking for? Battle reports? There are hundreds out there in blogs? Rules reviews? There are dozens of blogs, and forums like this, with rules reviews. Eye candy? Well, if that is what you are looking for, those magazines all provide it in spades (okay, maybe not LW). Still, a lot of blogs provide that too.

Sure, you may have to slog through a number of posts that don't appeal to you, but you have to do that with magazine articles too, don't you?

To be honest, what has gotten me to the last few sets of rules I went in big on (Saga and Bolt Action) were interviews with the game designers on podcasts. There was usually a remark or two that piqued my interest and then I went back to the magazines, found the articles that I had glossed over, and then read them a little more thoroughly.

Podcasts are where its at. You can listen while painting AND while on the toilet! What could get better than that?

By the way, that is not to imply that I paint while on the toilet …

All the UK based magazines have their quirks but out of all of them I strangely enjoy reading WI the best. It's not just the FoW stuff (although I do play it and some of the articles are useful) but it is perhaps the best at introducing various historical wars to gamers who don't know much about them. Treated as a noobs magazine, it hits the spot. Battlefront have tended to treat the readership of WI as enthusiastic newcomers. As for the companies you see advertised and featured, it's all the big glossy ones who offer the "one stop shop" games; again, ideal if you're new to an era.

As a side point, all the UK magazines seem to have it in for any scale other than 28mm. The editor of WSS has mocked 15mm and 10mm but to be fair he did print an article in praise of both.

@45thdiv

most magazines do not take unsolicited material

Oh yes they do! But it's a good idea to contact the editor first to get hold of the relevant magazine's contributors' guidelines. Mine can be downloaded from my blog.
link

@Nick H

all the UK magazines seem to have it in for any scale other than 28mm.

Categorically not so. I've run many articles featuring other scales, from 2mm to 40mm, including one issue headlined "The joy of six". It always comes down to what an editor is sent. If ANYONE sends me a well-written article, with good quality photos, the scale is irrelevant, and that applies to all the magazines. It just seems that gamers in other scales seem more reluctant to send in articles, which is a great shame IMO.

Henry
Battlegames

I would echo – I miss MWAN showing up in my mailbox

The editor of WSS has mocked 15mm and 10mm

Sorry, when did I do that exactly?

Guy

Ah well I was avoiding commenting but it seems inevitable…

WI's still a good read IMHO. There are several occasions recently when I've said 'Damn, I wish we'd done that…'.

There is always a danger with new games – you can't really ignore the likes of SAGA, Bolt Action or Black Powder. We try to keep things at a balance.

WSS may be a little eurocentric, I am always endeavouring to get authors from far and wide. There are a few we tend to rely on as they can write what I ask to a high standard and to deadline. We have tried to steer the magazine so it caters for other scales other than 28mm.

As Henry said, magazines do take unsolicited material. Anyone can write to WSS with a good suggestion, in fact we've had some of our best articles that way. Please drop me a line (if Henry hasn't grabbed you up first!).

As to podcasts, they have their place but I personally find them a little too friendly. You generally won't find critique of a new game there, particularly if they are interviewing the author, and critique is what you want. With your average rule set costing £30.00 GBP, readers need to know what sort of game they are buying and if it'll suit them.

Thanks,

Guy

Nick H, after a good night's sleep I think I know what you're referring to. There was a mistake which crept in one of my Editorials which was supposed to read 'Note' but appeared as 'Not'. That wasn't mockery, that was a typo!

Guy

Sign the 'fession Guy

Regards
Guy

I can't remember the exact issue, I think it was 3 ones ago, and it was an editorial aside in brackets in the article by the American chap praising smaller scales. I stand corrected and apologies to the Battlegames team because I was primarily thinking of WI, MW and WSS when I wrote that previous message: though I might add that when it comes to figure reviews of eras in WSS a lot of space seems to be given to 28mm manufacturers with only whistle stop mentions of 10, 15 and 20mm.

I've realised I've gone off topic.

Thanks Nick,

I think you may be referring to the old WS&S before Karwansaray took over. We've been going just under 2 years.

By all means drop us (or Henry) a line if you have a good idea for an article. My email is editor@wssmagazine.com

On our reviews, we can only review what we are sent. If there are any budding manufacturers out there we'll be happy to review any miniatures regardless of scale.

Cheers,

Guy

I wouldn't dream of commenting on another editor's story selection policy but, speaking just for MW, I always aim to have a diversity of coverage in terms of periods, rules, scales etc. and modestly believe I have achieved that over the course of the 4.5 years I have been running the show.

I think it is an excellent thing that all the major hobby titles have such diverse approaches. By contrast, try picking up four auto or PC magazines off the shelf in Smiths and I defy you to spot the difference.

Finally, far from not accepting unsolicited material, very little in MW is actually commissioned by me. The vast majority is submitted by our fellow gamers and I prefer that people write about what they want to write about instead of me trying to tell them what I think they should want to write about.

Anyone interested in writing for MW should email me for an initial discussion and a copy of the Notes for Contributors

andrew[at]miniwargames[dot]com

I think it is an excellent thing that all the major hobby titles have such diverse approaches. By contrast, try picking up four auto or PC magazines off the shelf in Smiths and I defy you to spot the difference.

Brilliantly put!

Henry
Battlegames

Nah, WSS ignores 1/72 plastics. When they do a figure review for a period in their folio section, plastic NEVER gets a mention.

Apart from that it is ok :-)

WI, last one I picked up had a guide to Waterloo buildings, so worth it for me for that alone.

And Practical Classics is very different from Autocar :-) Or Top Gear for that matter. So hurrah for diversity.