For those of you asking 'Richard Partridge, who dat?' allow me to briefly introduce myself. I am 41, married, with 4 daughters. I have been a wargamer for 30 years, with quite catholic tastes in periods, although I suppose I have tended to specialise in the period 1804 to 1815. My main areas of interest are however the mechanics of battle and how a soldier reacts to the many pres­ sures upon him. In many ways, I feel re-enactors can have significant input in this area, and I look forward to their contributions.

There are possibly two points that I would like to make regarding how I see the magazine developing, both of which are indicated by the change of title. The first is that the Napoleonic period is often seen as a stand alone one, whereas the period from 1792 to 1815 was a watershed, being a culmination of the Age of Reason, and the beginning of the First Industrial Revolution. Using these to start and end, I would like to see articles covering the 1760's to the 1850's, although I would not rule out the American Civil War if it reflected the influence of the earlier period. Similarly, we also tend to see the Napoleonic era in strictly military terms, although it was also one of powerful changes in the arts and society with the current emphasis for reenactors on Living History, articles on, for instance, architecture, fashions and popular culture are required.

I would like to see the magazine acknowledged as a research tool, with articles relying on primary sources, although to encourage new contributors, articles for the 'Terribly Obscure Battles' can depend on secondary ones. We are also soliciting book and product reviews which should be constructive and actively encourage good work. I hope that you will continue to enjoy the magazine.