Here we are with Kriegspieler #6 and I'm pleased to say that the magazine continues to go from strength to strength.. Again we have been able to bring you a wide range of articles covering some of the many differing facets of wargaming.
Readers may notice that a significant portion of the magazine is devoted to a number of contributions from various clubs throughout the country. As a regular segment of the magazine we intend to feature at least one club and its activities in each issue. In conjunction with this we will also be publishing the contact details for every organised wargaming group we know about. So, if your club or group doesn't appear on our Club Contact page or you would like to see your group featured in some way in Kriegspieler then get in touch with us and send us your details, contributions in the form of articles, pictures of activities etc.
We also intend to publish a calender of events in the magazine so if you've got an event or competition that you want publicised send us the details. We've mailed out copies of issue #5 to every major club and group in both Australia and New Zealand (over 40 of them!) so its now up to the various club executives and members to start giving us feedback on their respective club or wargarning group. Kriegspieler is intended to be your forum fellow wargamers - so make good use of it!
Also very pleasing is the number of positive responses we've received from the businesses associated with wargame supplies. I think it fair to say that we have a majority of the major wargames suppliers in Australia now advertising in Kriegspieler. For those who are still hedging about placing an ad in Kriegspieler I'll say - get with the strength! For those of you subscribing and/or reading this mag, I'll say support your local wargaming business! Take advantage of the many great offers to be had from the advertisers - healthy businesses make for a healthy hobby and Australia (and New Zealand) are indeed fortunate t, given the relatively small size of the market, to have such a wide variety of wargaming product to choose from.
I'd like to thank a few of these advertisers for supporting this magazine from the outset Nathan Vinson of ELITE, Ray Compton of ESSEX MINIATURES, Tim Sleigh of UNREAL ESTATES, Leroy Simpson of 1 st CORPS, Dean Bedlington of OLYMPIAN and more recently Gerry Ware of CASTAWAY ARTS and Greg Blake of CFM (reviewed in this issue) plus a host of others who have put their money where their mouth is and placed ads in Kriegspieler. Advertisers and subscribers equally will ensure that Australia will continue to enjoy its own wargaming magazine.
Also bringing great joy to this editor is the variety, number and high standard of articles contributed to the magazine. To appreciate what I mean read Phil Clark's second article in his "Campaigning the 30 Years War" series, the second in Ian 'Duke' Turton's AWI series "Hessians" or our H&M editor David Osborne's comprehensive review of rule amendments in his "Issues in WRG" article. In this issue we also touch on the philosophy of wargaming and the ethics of conduct on the 'Field of Honour' in Phillip Jones' thoughtful piece "The Art of Wargaming" - sentiments that this editor strongly endorses - and to show we're not complete Philistines we've even published a poem: "History" by Christopher Powell.
In short, there's a bit of something for everyone.
We're receiving contributions from a wide variety of enthusiasts and reader may notice advertising for the WA-based Living History Association and contact details for the 42nd Regiment Re-inactors Association. We would still like to receive contributions from boardgamers and computer wargamers, reviews etc, of new products as well as short articles on military history subjects, events etc, to round things off more evenly
Finally I'd like to close with a call to all readers of K-riegspieler to use this magazine as a forum for discussion and dissemination of views and ideas - in other words - letters to the editor! My theory is that the 'health' of a hobby can to some extent be gauged by the discourse that can be read in the 'Letters' section of a publication. Every wargamer I've ever met has an opinion on anything and everything (and sometimes more than one!) - so come on then, let's hear from you.
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