"Preview of Wargames Illustrated Issue 267 is Online" Topic

Sorry, but another issue I'll be skipping. Themed issues will do that. Pains me much though.

What's in the next issue? :-)

I think its Arnhem.

Has to be said, I think it's a cracking issue. It's not all First Crusade, there a nice little Vietnam scenario and WW2 (FowW & Rapid Fire) and 1936 Abyssinia as well.

Looks like another winner

Looking forward to it. I like the themed issues because it gives them to space to give enough detail on the theme to interest people.
Sure, if the theme flat leaves you cold, I can understand. But saying "hmm, I don't game Crusades" doesn't mean you won't like this issue.

No need for Schogun to defend his position, there's a lot of reasons he may prefer to leave the themes alone for which he does not owe us an explenation.

On my part, I think it's time to subscribe. At first I was buying from the local store to ensure they kept stocking the magazine, but now that I'm worried they'll be sold out before I can stop in the community should support it on its own, and I can get myself a box of Victrix.

I like the issue

I believe the reason many of us don't prefer wargaming magazines with a themed issue is because they tend to be quite heavy on the history, orders of battle, narratives, etc. This is great when one wants to learn about the history, background etc of the battle/period/era, but they are not hardcore wargaming, as some would say, and with which I agree. For me, and this is just my own preference, a magazine is a teaser, just the appetizer, not the whole meal plus desert!

As far as I am concerned, I buy magazines for the 'game' part of the wargaming hobby. I prefer to use my books and other references for the 'war' (read, history) part of the hobby.

The way WI reads lately, it is a good review of several Osprey publications, both in text and plates, but once you have already read/seen them in the original Osprey editions what is left is a taste of recycled material. I am not comfortable reading a magazine heavily based on abridged material that is already abridged to begin with…I prefer original articles talking about wargames!!!

I understand a very strong point is that we need to cater for the newcomers to the hobby or to new eras, but let's face it, how many of us are still newbies and how many times do we need to read an introduction to the ACW or the battle of Gettysburg?

Yet, it is the right of each publisher to shape their magazines the way they like it. But, it is our obligation as consumers to help them understand what we want by the way we spend our money. We probably think our own purchase 'vote' does not count, but it does when we all think alike and we act on it.

I have to agree.
The last one I bought was the Great war issue which had a long article outlining the opening campaign in Europe which I think is quite well documented here and there, especially on wargamers bookshelves.
In all fairness I did read and enjoy it but hey…

I liked it.

Hmm. We haven't even got the previous edition in the states yet. Think I'll pass.

-A.

That used to happen to me all the time as well, e.g. getting it at least a month late, so I could never participate in the limited time offers from the UK retailers.

Supposed to be "In stores 19 December" – well it is 23 December today and this subscriber still hasn't got his copy.

Same last month.

That's odd. I got mine (in Belgium) last week Thursday.
Very good issue again, even though I'm not all that interested in the 1st Crusade.
The rest more than makes up for it especially the VBCW article.

Really hoping they'll do a Spanish Civil War anytime soon.

Previous issue is out in Canada, has been for a month.

I'm the opposite ioannis. If the magazine were a bunch of scenarios for various periods and rules it'd hold no interest for me.
Yes, some of it is repeating history one could get elsewhere. However, much of it is an interpretation of that history for wargamers. Osprey is not always of the most use for wargamers, sometimes lacking information like saying which colour of rectangle which Canadian division wore on their arm in WWII

I'm in the middle of the US(Nebraska) and we got the last issue (266) in about a week and a half ago. So I guess it depends on where your located.

I did buy the magazine last Saturday. I have mixed feelings. The Crusade part I skipped through. The articles don't say anything new. It would have been more useful a "wargaming" approach, rather than a historical one.

However I believe that when the subject is a non-mainstream period, war or army a historical introduction is the correct approach. For example, the Hannoverian army of the Seven Years War. There are two books in English that cover the subject. One of them has been recently re-edited, but the author centers his attention in the British expedition to Germany, more than in the German troops of Prince Ferdinand's army. The other one is a hard to find uniform guide -an excellent book, by the way… if you are lucky enough to get a second-hand copy!-. Partizan has published an Osprey-style book recently, but it only deals with the uniforms and not too deeply for that. Thus if some German-speaking wargamer would prepare a series of articles on the Hannoverian army, using sources that aren't usually available to the common wargamer, and with a historical-wargaming approach, I would buy the magazines without second thoughts.

A balance between history and wargaming is what is needed. Wargaming approach when the subject is mainstream or easy-to-find information; a historical one when the subject is obscure or difficult to find information. To prepare an issue like that would be time consuming, though.

Best regards
Antonio

Just checked with the local gaming store and this issue 267 just arrived today. Good news for me at least!

I want to be able to justify buying WI but for 15 bucks a crack I just can't. For a few bucks more I could buy a Great War memoir from CEF Books, or any number of other interesting things.

I feel the same way about paying 13 bucks for an issue of "911 and Porsche World" though, and I sometimes buy it, so YMMV.

w.