This month, it's a monster issue as it contains the 48-page Salute show guide, so we've upped the total pages to 96, the biggest MW ever! It also happens to be the first birthday of Miniature Wargames with Battlegames: the first combined issue was published exactly a year ago.
Forward observer
Neil Shuck discusses the kick-off of the show season with Hammerhead and WMMS, wonders aloud at the sudden appearance of so many MDF Pegasus Bridges and Dark Age buildings, examines the Raiders supplement for Dux Britanniarum and the Wild West Chronicles cowboy game from the writers of Operation Squad, begins skirmishing in the Age of Lace with Donnybrook, and anticipates the forthcoming Jugula gladiator rules from Studio Tomahawk and Gripping Beast.
Graf von Sutherland
Diane Sutherland, our wargames widow, has been busy collecting Easter eggs and cardboard flowerpots. From this strange combination, she miraculously conjures up hot air balloons and dirigibles suitable for Steampunk and fin de siècle fun.
Fantasy facts
John Treadaway finds some quirky stuff to review this month, with the cast of Oliver! in miniature from North Star for Victoriana/Steampunk games, lumbering Mountain Orcs from Shieldwolf Miniatures, hover tanks from Iron Wind Studios, 15mm sf stuff from Brigade Models, teeny-weeny 6mm sf offerings from Angel Barracks, a bizarre selection of Oriental Legends minis from C P Models, including deadly household objects known as Tsukumogami, and a variety of sporting nutters. There are also 15mm vehicles and Colonial Defence Force soldiers from Ground Zero Games, and a selection of Hammer's Slammers stuff from Ainsty.
Flagstone fleets
Phil Dutré likes nothing better than to get together with his chums in Belgium and lie around on the patio. At the same time, expect to see him equipped with a telescope and charts as he commands squadrons of men 'o war as they do battle outside his back door. Yes, not content with simply sitting around with their Trappist beer, the Schild and Vriend Gentlemen's Wargaming Society like nothing better than to scuff their knees and toes over a watery tussle in the garden. Hard a' starboard and watch for sails on that concrete horizon!
A trader among us
Helena Nash is… Well… How can I put this diplomatically? A woman. And she plays wargames. More than that, she sells wargaming stuff, reads military history books, and kicks back her heels to watch The Longest Day with the rest of us. And she's got something to say, so pay attention!
Salute 2014 SHOW GUIDE
CENTER SECTION NUMBERED 1-XLVIII
Welcome to Salute 2014
Club Chairman and President Phil Portway welcomes you to the annual extravaganza to be held in the ExCel Centre in London's Docklands on 12th April.
Sculpting Commander Maud
Michael Perry explains how he approached the task of sculpting this year's exclusive and highly distinctive miniature for the show, a figure paying tribute to a famous film as much as the man (and his dog!) himself.
Painting Commander Maud
Kevin Dallimore describes with step-by-step photos how he went about painting Commander Colin Douglas Maud, DSO, DSC, principal Beach Master of Juno Beach as portrayed by Kenneth More.
Commando forward!
David Barnes of the South London Warlords describes the events behind the advance of the Royal Marine Commandos to relieve the troops that had taken this famous landmark during the early hours of 6th June 1944 – complete with bagpipes!
Lest we forget
Alan Patrick outlines the exciting gaming potential of WWI, especially if you're prepared to look beyond the cliché of 'the mud and the blood' of the Western Front.
Salute 2014 Games
Three pages listing the hundreds of games taking place at this year's event alphabetically to help you find them easily.
Salute 2014 Floor Plan
A double-page map showing you exactly what is going on where in the vast hall.
Salute 2014 Traders
All this year's traders at the event, listed alphabetically.
Pelennor Fields forever
Peter Merrit and John Treadaway describe the major fantasy game being staged by the South London Warlords. This promises to be a visual feast, using large-scale miniatures!
Barbastro 1837
Chris Thompson describes this colorful clash during the Carlist War in Spain, where the French Foreign Legion serving the Christinos met its nemesis in the Carlist lines…
Salute 2013 painting competition winners
Three sumptuous pages of beautifully painted and photographed miniatures showcasing the achievements of last year's competitors.
END OF Salute 2014 SHOW GUIDE
Send three and fourpence
Back in the regular part of the magazine, Conrad Kinch wonders just how closely we really want our wargames to resemble reality. Some things, perhaps, we are just too civilized for…
Salamanca's siren call part 6
In a piece lavishly illustrated with wonderful watercolor illustrations by Bob Marrion, Henry Hyde concludes his series on his favorite Napoleonic battle for the time being, introducing rules for hand-to-hand fighting and morale. Together with part 5 in the previous issue, you now have a complete set of horse-and-musket-era rules!
Competition
Casemate U.K. are giving away a copy of their monster Encyclopedia of Warfare, worth nearly £50.00 GBP! You'll want to win a copy of this tremendous reference work.
Recce
Our review team peruse a clutch of new Osprey books, a lavish uniform book from Histoire et Collections, Jeff Knudsen's Napoleonic Command rules, and the landmark The Book of the Ninja (which we will examine in more detail in due course).
The Battlegames Combat Stress Appeal
Not only have we reached an impressive running total (which also leapt by several hundred pounds more just after this issue went to press), but we now also have a new and simple way for U.K. residents to donate: simply text
MWBG99 £5.00 GBP (or any other amount you like) to 70070. *NB* leave out the "GBP" letters that Bill's software adds to the amount!
Publication date is this Friday, 21st March (which is also when I'll be travelling to the Wargames Holiday Centre near Newbury for our Donald Featherstone Tribute Weekend).
That's it for now: I hope to see many of you at Salute!
