EMPIRES, EAGLES AND LIONS - July/August 93 - Emperor's Headquarters, 5744 West Irving Park Rd., Chicago. Iii. 60634 - six issues for $33 - I just got ahold of the premier issue of EEL in it's new, reborn glossy magazine format, care of it's new publisher, EHQ. The same familiar bunch that produced the old MWAN-sized EEL are responsible for this effort as well. I like the new format a lot better. The magazine is far more readable somehow, even though it's still made up of the same columns as the past version. The color uniform plates and accompanying special units article, ala Military Modelling, is a nice new touch, and the magazine has lost none of it's devotion to historical truth and accuracy, judging from the offered articles. Bottom line; if this was the first time I'd ever saw FF7, I'd buy it again. Lots of potential. I'd like to see more illustrations, like famous paintings and contemporary Napoleonic prints.
WARGAMES ILLUSTRATED - #73, Emperor's Headquarters, note address on EEL - I usually give Wargames Illustrated a free ticket, but truthfully, #73 was disappointing. The color photos weren't inspiring, none of the new products offered were tantalizing, and the articles were full of things we've seen before. Even an apparently final article by terrain maestro Ian Weekley was rambling and confused. Get it together, WI. (There! A critical review! Hopefully, those seeking Truth and the Objective Review can now rest. We can only hope Mr. McFarlane's magazine can prosper after such scathing critique)
ZOUAVE - Fall 93 - 20578 Alliance-Sebrinq Rd., Alliance, Ohio 44601 - Battle scenarios for Second Manassas and First Day at Gettysburg, and the beginning of a series on the Monitor and the Merrimac are the features this issue. Four issues for $14.
Perfidious Albion - August 93 - Charles Vasey, 75 Richmond Park Rd., East Sheen, London SW14 8JY - Boardgaming fanatics may want to check out this MWANsized periodical, featuring detailed reviews on past and current boardgame offerings. Usually 40 or more pages in length, those who seek the critical review will be happy with PerfidiousAlbion - I don't think I've ever read a game review from Editor Vasey about a game he truly liked. This issue Mr. Vasey doesn't like games like Tet Offensive or Victory at Sea. To spite my last statement, he definitely likes Across Five Aprils, an ACW boardgame.
PW REVIEW - July, August, Sept - Walter Simon, 12905 Layhill Rd., Silver Springs, Md. 20906 - 12 smackers a year - After too long a hiatus, PW returns for review. For awhile there was nothing, and I feared the worst - PW screaming like a downed kamikaze into the deep Pacific, or fizzling like a dud bomb at the gates of Bhowelpur. Thnakfully, this is not the case, and the two oversized issues laid before me contain lo, many good things, like Wally's annual critique of the last Historicon's best and worst happenings, and a detailed Fire and Fury battle report on a game GM'ed by F & F rules-writer, Rich Hasenhauer. PW is a well-kept secret in hte wargaming hobby. It can be expected to consistently provide inspirational ideas, information regarding wargaming rules, and an irreverent, lighthearted look at the hobby that just happens to be very perceptive. Those seeking that sort of thing should look here first. One of the best.
KRIEGSSPIEL NEWSLETTER #24 - Howard Whitehouse, 312 Ridgecrest Dr., La Fayette Georgia 30728 - The newsletter of the great Prussian traditional method of gaming focuses on a fictional European circa 1880's clash - a la FrancePrussian with much new technology - plus, theres more on the currently popular Artillery Kriegsspiel.
SAGA _ July/Aug and Sept/Oct 93 - 890 Janes Rd., Rochester, NY 14612 - $20 for six issues - July/Aug offers diversity with a report on the make-up for an ancient Chinese army, WRG style, plus there's two rules reports covering Shieldhearer and De Bellis Multitudines, and still another educational article from the wandering traveler, P.R. Grey, who takes us with him as he visits the ancient ruins of Turkey. Sept/Oct takes a rules & reviews slant, by looking at the rules Legio from the UK (I've heard good things about Legio), offering DBA clarifications, and it's use for campaigning the Holy Roman Empire. Finally, there's a detailed look at the Crusades action, the Battle of Arsuf.
HELIOGRAPH - Sept 93 - Andrew Preziosi, 11017 SW 125th Ave., Miami, Fla. 33186 $10 for 10 issues - Most of this issue of the Colonial-era amateur newsletter is devoted to a hobbyist's personal version of a fantasy colonial world, aka Jack Scruby's Mafrica.
Volunteers - August 93 - Bob Medrow, 1322 Highland Dr., Rolla, Mo. 65401 - $15 for 4 issues - ACW boardgaming news and reviews is the sole purpose of Volunteers edited by Rob Markham, a well-known boardgames designer. Reviews this time include War for the Union, Lee Takes Command, and Autumn of Glory.
FIRST EMPIRE - #12 and #13 - On Military Matters, 55 Taylor Terrace, Hopewell, New Jersey - Napoleonics is the theme here, in what appears to be one of the fastest growing, newest specialty magazines in the hobby. Editor Dave Watkins spurns the color photos hyped by other glossies and chooses instead to focus on content - but this is not done in an attempt to be a pompous, scholarlysort of thing, oh no. Matter of fact, many articles are light in nature, showing a touch of humor, and Editor Watkins makes sure he never takes himself too seriously. That doesn't mean you don't get something out of First Empire. It's entertaining and informative, and as a budding Napoleonics freak myself, I find something I've never seen before in each issue (and with this job I read a lot, buddy) Number 12 has a concise history on the 95th Foot, and another good 'un on the morale of the British soldier, while #13 has details on Swedish artillery and the Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland.
COURIER - Sept/Oct 93 - 2503 Deleware Ave., Buffalo, NY 14216 - $17 for six issues - Under new editor Dave Gallagher the newspaper Courier is fast gaining a new look via enhanced graphics and other illustrations. The same old selection of classifieds are there, but I dunno, there seems to be more life and enthusiasm nowadays. I'll keep you posted.
CANADIAN kVdCAMERS JOURNAL - Summer 93 - Box 1725, Station M,Calgary, Alberta T2P 2L7 - four issues for $15.50 US - CWJ has dropped it's status as the official voice of the boardgame, World in Flames, and has also started to produce it's own products, like the rules booklets Habitants and Highlanders, and Flower of Chivalry. Articles this time cover the War of 1812 with a miniatures scenario. One lenghty games reveiw was so well done (Westfront) I felt compelled to buy it, something that's never happened between Steve and boardgames before.
MILITARY DIGEST - Aug and Sept 93 - $36.95 for 12 issues - PO Box 5526, Madison, Wi 53705 - I'm really glad to see Military Digest back in full swing again. For review are two issues, with September devoted to the art of maneuver, with articles on the 73 Arab-Israeli War, and the tactics used by both 8th Army and the Afrika Korps in North Africa. August's theme is air assault, covering both the past history and the potential for the future. Military Digest tends to focus heavily on WW II and modern conflict, but there's usually an article or two each printing on Napoleonic, ACW, ancients, or wargaming hints.
Schwerpunkt Sept 93 - six issues for $16 - 3W, PO Box 155, Cambia Ca 93428 Before us is the premier issue of another boardgaming magazine, in full color print and looking quite a lot like Avalon Hill's General. As does the General, Schwerpunkt totes games made by 3W, which include multitudes of span-the-histories offerings like Army Group Center, Crossbows and Cannons, Run Silent, Run Dee , and an ECW game, Cromwell. Colorful and easy to read, with graphics of and game maps and game counters making up the illustrations. It reminds me of Strategy & Tactics, another boardgaming magazine.
SCENARIOS FOR WARGAMERS - Summer 93 - four issues for $20 - PO Box 15172, Chevy Chase, Md. 20825 - I've seen this advertised in various hobby magazines, and have been looking for a copy to review. It's all in black and white with sane illustrations. There's a few photos, but most pictures are perioc: prints to accompany the articles. First impression is that the articles are well-written and it's obviously a professional effort, but I doubt I would buy another copy, given the wealth of other hobby magazines already available. Fran the title I would assume that gaming scenarios would be the focus, but most of the article content was historical in nature, like you'd find in Military History. Much of the magazine was given to orders of battle for the articles requiring same, and that seemed a bit of an overkill with 10 of the 36 pages devoted to OBs alone. Right now Scenarios for Wargamers offers the same fare as it's competitors, it needs to focus it's content on it's specialty title, scenarios, to make it unique amongst the other publications.
COURIER - Sum, JOURNAL _ #13 - Mark Wheeler, 25 Buttermere, White Court, Black Notley, Essex CM7 8UY - $20 US for eight issues - Society of 20th Century Wargamers - For those who grew up with Rocco Minitanks and Airfix HO scale soldiers and never lsot their love, this is the one you should be reading. For those who haven't kept up with 20th Century wargaming since those days, you will be delighted to know there's a lot of new product available, especially in the UK. U-7hile there's often great articles on new material, like this issue's history of Navy Seals from 1983-92, the wealth of each Journal is found in the Treat reveiws on new toys. Seperate columns detail figures, vehicles, aircraft, terrain and buildings currently available for 20th Century gaming. A big plus to Society membership/Journal subsription is the discounts available form many well-known hobby dealers and manufacturers. I can't say enough good about this magazine. I've enjoyed every issue.
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© Copyright 1994 Hal Thinglum
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