I would like to thank everyone who passed on their comments regarding MWAN's new format. I too was very pleased with the final product and am looking forward to putting this issue together. It is too early, at the time this is being written, to determine if the new format will be successful at attracting new subscribers although MWAN's membership now stands at 146 compared to 145 at the end of Volume Three, and a number of new advertisers have been taken on. Please consider supporting them as it is due to their financial support that MWAN could afford (?) to assume a new format.
Did anyone happen to watch the program "60 minutes" on September 15th? A segment was devoted to D&D/fantasy gaming and the rash of teenage suicides allegedly attributed to such involvement. Interviews were conducted with families of suicide victims, law enforcement officials investigating such cases, a psychiatrist who has studied the issues, and Gary Gygax of TSR who was identified as the "creator" of D&D. My own personal opinion was that the subject was approached in an objective manner, but then, my own personal bias against D&D/fantasy gaming may have influenced that. The attention provided to the subject, however, does make me wonder if there will be an effect on historical gaming, especially when it is considered that teenage suicide in this country is being described as "epidemic" in proportion; there exists some feeling that perhaps there appears to be some manner of "relationship" between D&D/fantasy gaming and an alarming number of suicides; "60 minutes" is a most influential program; and action groups can accomplish a great deal especially when they are concerned with highly emotive topical issues.
D&D/fantasy gaming have their origins in wargaming and even though the two have taken separate paths and many, including myself, consider them sufficiently different enough so as not to be related, I fear that in the eye of the average observer, we are one and the same. I do not feel that we are large enough as a hobby to Initiate a public awareness campaign so as to differentiate ourselves from D&D/fantasy gaming, nor do I think this would be appropriate. It is not a simple matter as evidenced by the fact that there has been discussion within historical gaming to be mere "open minded" and open our historical conventions to D&D/fantasy gamers in hopes of obtaining "conversions" to allow historical gaming to grow; what we, as historical gamers, do could justifiably be labeled "fantasy", as what else would you call a group of grown men playing with "toy soldiers" purporting to commad armies; some figure companies are reportedly only able to produce historical figures because the sales of fantasy figures support them; and there are some historical gamers who "cross-over" and enjoy D&D/fantasy. I would appreciate your views on the subject - you have mine above.
I have, as of late, received a number of figure reviews from readers and am most pleased to see them. Reviews of wargaming products are invaluable to the hard-core historical gamer, especially in view of the multitude of figures currently available. I would like to take this opportunity to let my own bias as a figure reviewer be known. It is my belief that the usefulness or quality of a wargames figure lies entirely within the individual wargamer's taste.
There are no "bad" wargames figures; there may be some which are "larger" or "smaller" than others, some which may possess "more" or "less" detail than others, and some which may be "more" or "less" robust than others, but every figure produced by every wargames manufacturer has it's proponents, otherwise, the figures would not sell at all. My reviews, and others submitted thus far, have followed this approach and, in my opinion, it is a reasonable one to be utilized given the fact that none of us possess sufficient enough professional knowledge so as to be able to critically evaluate figures.
Another issue is that of writing articles for MWAN. When I began MWAN it was my intention to produce a newsletter than anyone could write for Wargamers are not overly concerned about grammatical and syntactical issues in articles, rather, it is the content of the article which interests them most of all. Submissions to MWAN need not be professionally written or typed, nor does the content need to be earth-shattering to the wargames community. In my opinion, wargamers like to read about what other wargamers are doing, how they are doing it, and in general, what they do with their "toy soldiers."
I have personally always enjoyed "letters" in wargaming publications as I feel they provide a true idea of what is happening to the average wargamer. Thus, feel free to submit any type of article/letter you desire. The only requirement is that it concern the hobby of historical wargaming in one manner or another, and, that it not attack others - we are too small of a hobby to allow such behavior.
I have decided, following some prompting by Greg Novak (who should bear the blame should this turn out to be a disastrous decision, although I will be more than pleased to accept all of the accolades should it be universally praised) to institute a means of formally recognizing, in a small way, an individual's efforts in the hobby of historical wargaming. I would like to, on an annual basis, recognize one person within the hobby who has made a sizable contribution to historical wargaming.
I am well aware of the myriad of difficulties expected to be encountered (i.e. "it will be a popularity contest", "what guidelines for selection for be used," "people who put them selves in the limelight do so for self-serving reasons," etc., etc., etc.) however, I will make no pretension of fairness, objectivity, etc., etc., etc., all of those lovely sounding terms which tend to kill projects such as this before they even get off the ground. Since MWAN stretches from sea to shining sea and encompasses such foreign lands as Italy, Northern Ireland, France, and Texas, I am not going to limit this popularity contest to a specific geographic location.
Although I intend on making this a one person selection board (me!), I would appreciate your input as to possible candidates (the stamps are on their way, Mom). A written background on the person outlining their contributions as much as possible would be sufficient. What sorts of treasures await the winner, you ask! Well, how about an article in MWAN proclaiming why Hal's best friend was selected as the MWAN MAN Of THE YEAR and a certificate of appreciation suitable for framing? Not too impressive? What if I threw in a year's subscription to MWAN, that dazzling, topical, relevant, professionally printed, newsletter? Nothing but class, uh? I'll bet that won you over. The selection will be made public in the July, 1986 issue so if you are interested in promoting someone, please contact me.
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© Copyright 1985 Hal Thinglum
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