Miniature Wargames/Battlegames

We are away for a Karate training weekend so there is no painting for me. Instead the hours are spent either in the pool or watching my 10 year old doing drills or Kata for 2 hours/day.

However in order to help pass the time I was able to get the latest MW with BG from W H Smiths last Friday.

Having been a subscriber to Battlegames before it merged/was taken over by MW, I was cautiously optimistic about the relaunched magazine. Two issues in and I am contemplating a subscription.

I felt the old MW was somewhat 'tired' in appearance. I know nothing about publishing but the overall impression, format, font and cover now look a lot 'cleaner' and the articles are easier to read.

With paper or pdf periodicals now competing with online content the challenge is for editors to find articles that aren't either too 'newsey' or factual. There is no way that a magazine can compete with say TMP in terms of 'breaking news'

Some of the articles that Henry has brought to him from Battlegames seem to hit the nail on the head. In particular I am thinking of those by Diane Sutherland Jim Webster and Arthur Harman.

The advantage that MW has is that it is not perceived as a 'house' magazine in the way White Dwarf clearly is and Wargames Illustrated seems to be going.  I havent read the former for years and every month I am less inclined to the latter even though I have the elements of a Flames of War Luftwaffe Felddivision painted, being painted or bought.

Independence gives editorial flexibility and allows variety. As long as MW has a little something to tickle the tastebuds of most gamers I am sure the new format will allow it to prosper.  I have little interest in The Spanish Armada but the fact it was 'different' encouraged me to read it.

Additionally the scenario concept could be easily adapted and 'moved' to another period. Now is the ideal time for a Victorian Steampunk scenario I would have thought !

Henry is a nice guy and deserves success. I hope this works out well for him and Atlantic Publishing