With all the new games and magazines being released now one cannot help but wonder what their effect on the hobby, as a whole, will be. Basically, what is happening, is that wargaming is ceasing to be an academic pastime and becoming a full-blown hobby. And the implications of that are good. First, and foremost, is the need for many of the mail-order game people to go "over-the-counter."

This is particularly true in the magazine field. You get the best possible coverage of your game or magazine if it is available through the local hobby shop. Both S & T and PANZERFAUST are realizing this. Avalon Hill has always known it, and Conflict Games didn't even attempt to go the mail order route and went right to the hobby dealers. This is how a hobby grows, through local availability. And this is what we will probably be seeing more of. There are disadvantages, mainly higher cost of games, because then a manufacturer must figure in the dealer's profit when he sets his retail price. But this is strongly offset by how much exposure the hobby will be getting, and the vast number of new members it will be bringing in. And as the hobby grows, there will be plenty of room for most of all the new publications and games. I say most, because there will be a few that insist on staying direct mail only, and they will die. The other important thing for the new companys to realize is the need to "do your own thing."

We do not need any more imitations of S & T. What we do need are magazines and game companies that are more interested in pushing the whole hobby than their own little line of wares. The magazines must cease being "house organs" and become "wargame organs" instead. It seems that there is far too much petty bickering between the various establishments. Too much of the magazines seems devoted to "sniping" at the other magazines and games. This is bad, and could hurt the hobby.

And, if the hobby is to continue its healthy rate of growth and even increase this rate, the game companies must concentrate on getting their merchandise out to the hobby shops, and the magazines must cease their constant nit- picking of each other, and get the magazines out to the people. And all of us as wargamers must help too. Instead of congregating into our cliquish little clubs, we should concentrate more on perhaps getting some beginners started in the hobby.

And every time a new game comes out let us not all be in a mad rush to pick it apart and aloofly condemn it. So, I feel that this hobby of wargaming has a tremendous future in it, with room for all, if we all realize that the good of the hobby is more important than our own particular interests.

The Future of Wargaming Comments from Five Wargame Publishers

Donald Greenwood, Avalon Hill
John Hill, The Conflict Game Company
Dana Lombardy, Simulations Design Corporation
T. T. Dalgliesh, Gamma Two Games, Ltd.
Don Lowry, Guidon Games