The Illustrated Target

Archives is the name of Target's new illustrated catalogue, to be published biannually. (Our dictionary informs us that "biannual" means "twice yearly," and not "every other year" - in case you were wondering.)

Why should you pay for the privilege of viewing their catalogue? The obvious answer is that it costs a lot of money to print these books up, and the publisher is hoping to defray their costs by charging for the book. Here's what is provided in this 64-page book:

• 2-page "World of Gaming" (introduction to the hobby)
• 2-page guide to the Warzone rules and supplements
• 22 pages illustrating the Warzone miniatures
• 2 pages describing the Warzone expansion sets
• 4 pages illustrating the Battlefield Accessories products (resin scenics for science fiction and fantasy)
• 2 pages covering the major Chronopia books
• 22 pages illustrating the Chronopia miniatures
• 2 pages describing the Chronopia expansion sets
• 2 pages advertising the official line of paints
• 2 pages about Chronicles, the company magazine
• 2 pages of mail-order information

Can't you get the same information by visiting Target's on-line store? Yes, and in fact the information will always be current that way. (For instance, new releases since the catalogue went to press have doubled the number of available Sons of Kronos packs.)

However, note that the quality of the online photographs cannot match the detail and clarity of the printed product. This isn't the publisher's fault, but rather, the state of current technology. For instance, we compared the catalogue photo of the Monarch (Sons of Kronos 12707, elk-mounted cavalry) versus the online photo. At our screen resolution settings, the online photo was about a third larger than the printed version. Even so, the tattoos on the rider were blurred in the online photo, while they were crisp and dark in the catalogue photo.

The bottom line is this - if you want clear pictures of painted miniatures, or if you just find it more convenient to browse a printed book rather than an online catalog, this is the reference source for you.