Wargame Magazine Review

by Russ Lockwood

MWAN started out 1996 with a bang by going to a full-color cover, cleaning up the copy editing bugaboos, and increasing pages from 144 to 160. You know, Hal is really flirting with that A rating for PQ. You can probably assume rates will go up to, but that is the price to pay for progress.

Speaking of progress, and specifically as you read these words in MWAN, let me offer some words of appreciation to all the publishers.

If you've ever tried to coordinate articles, advertisements, printers, and postage, then you know the chaos involved in putting out a magazine or newsletter. Add in a dollop of accounting and paperwork, and such publications started as hobby enhancers begin to appropriate time from that hobby, not to mention the rest of your life. This is tough enough to pull off as a full-time job, much less a part-time venture.

With that in mind, it would be a pleasant thought if you, the subscriber, dropped your favorite publication a letter expressing some appreciation for their effort. I realize many would say resubscribing expresses that sentiment, but I suspect a word of encouragement--about an article, or review, or bit of news--helps an editor stay focused and provides feedback about the type of articles you want to see in a magazine. Even if it's on the back of a postcard and consists of nothing more than a "keep up the good work" message, or "liked the article on" sentence.

If the muse strikes you, then perhaps you might want to pen a short description of your latest game, some facet of history that fascinates you, a tip on painting or terrain making, or just a comment--pro or con--about a product. Miniatures publications need the voice of individual gamers and interests--it's what makes gaming a social hobby. Each bit that you offer adds to that hobby.

If you want to reach me, my e-mail address is:

lockwood@voicenet.com

or write me at

As before, each magazine rating: PQ (Physical Quality of layout, print quality, and use of graphics), WR (Wit Rating or quality of writing and sustainable interest level), and IR (Inspiration Rating or creativity of ideas and reference value). A grade (A, B, C, D, F) rates each area.

The Civil War Courier -- Vol 12 #1; 72pgs.; 11x17"; PQ C, WR C, IR D; 2503 Delaware Ave., Buffalo, NY 14216; $20 (US), $24 (Canada), $30 (Overseas) per year; bimonthly.

This newspaper contains advertisements for ACW stuff and info, with a few historical pieces and book reviews. It's hard to believe there are so many vendors...

The Heliograph -- #91; 10pgs.; 8.5x11"; PQ C, WR C, IR B; Richard BrooksPO Box 718, Swansea, SC 29160; $12 per 6 issues

The rate bumped up, but pages will increase, says the publisher, starting with #92. #91 includes campaign supplies, interesting ideas on campaign scale, book reviews, and news about the colonial period.

The Journal -- #21; 66pgs.; 8.5x12"; PQ B, WR B, IR B; Society of 20th Century Wargamers, 25 Buttermere, White Court, Black Notley, Essex, England CM7 8UY; $30 per 6 issues, quarterly

The rate bumped up here, too--paper prices to blame. Articles include some interesting rules that cover hostage rescues, some solo Spanish Civil War rules, quite the interesting adaptation of DBA ancient rules for Russian Civil War gaming (!?, with firing ranges, aircraft melees, and propaganda pips), a travelogue (with historical anecdotes) on revisiting Sicily for the 50th anniversary of its invasion (1943), and a nifty commando scenario covering the taking of Priptek Bridge (1941). Reviews, letters, and news round out the issue.

Lone Warrior -- #113; 36pgs.; 8.5x11"; PQ B, WR B, IR A; Solo Wargamers Assn., 1707 Ridge Rd., Levenworth, KS 66048; $20 per year, quarterly

This is the US edition of the UK magazine, using desktop publishing software to spruce up the UK version. Liked the multiple campaign articles (especially ancients), enjoyed the seven computer software reviews, and read the letters. Part 2 of the 1776 solo campaign has some interesting ideas.

Lone Warrior -- #113; 40pgs.; 5.5x8.5"; PQ C, WR B, IR B; Steve Moore, 120 Great Stone Rd., Firswood, Manchester, England, BB5 5RD; USA $35 airmail, quarterly.

This is the UK version, virtually identical to the less-expensive US version. However, this edition contains figure reviews by David Barnes and an overview to British (and some French) battlefields that is right on (at least for the ones I walked).

Military -- #113; 56pgs.; 8.5x11"; PQ C, WR C, IR C; MHR Publishing Corp., 2122 28th St., Sacramnto, CA 95818; $15 per year, $28 for two years, $41 for three years, and $188 for a lifetime subscription. Overseas add $10 per year. Monthly

Subtitled "World War II, Korea, Viet-Nam, & Today," this newspaper in magazine format offers articles on 16th infantry regt history, Seabee Team 0307 with the Montagnard at Don Duong, Combat Patrol on Noname Ridge (Korea), and snippets of news and anecdotes covering the last 50 years. Be warned, though, that there is a fair amount of anti-Clinton rhetoric mixed in with the history.

Napoleon -- #1; 64pgs.; 8.5x11"; PQ A, WR B, IR B; The Emperor's HQ, 5744 W. Irving Park Rd., Chicago, IL 60634; $33 per year (US), $35 (Canada), $38 (Europe), bimonthly.

This glossy from the publishers of Empire, Eagles, and Lions goes the general history rout, leaving EE&L to deal with gaming topics. Jean Lochet is editor in chief, which is enough reason to get a copy. Inside are articles on Grouchy at Waterloo (Scapegoat or Villain?), analysis of the French staff system as Napoleon's secret weapon, profile of Pauline Bonaparte, interview with Proctor Jones, president of the Napoleonic Society of America, uniform study of the Vistula Legion, music and toy soldier overviews, and travel, trivia, and one game review.

Perfidious Albion -- #90; 52pgs.; 5.5x8.5"; PQ B, WR B, IR A; 75 Richmond Park Rd., East Sheen, London, England, SW14 8JY; L2.9 per issue airmail to US; published with "irregular frequency"

Perhaps a little too clever for its own good, this MWAN-szied magazine primarily reviews boardgames, including: Lost Victory (Kharkov 1943 by GMT), Rise of the Luftwaffe (GMT), and Borodino (Games USA). There are a number of columns with short capsule reviews of many, many, many games.

Practical Wargamer -- Jan/Feb 1996; 56 pgs.; 8.5x12"; PQ A, WR A, IR A; Wise Owl Worldwide Services, 4314 W. 238th St., Torrance, CA 90505; $26 per year bimonthly.

A little of this and that make this a fun issue. The Day Chicago Died (a song by Paper Lace, if I'm not mistaken) offers some gangsta rap rules for 1920s-30s cops and robbers games. Other articles include small-scale ACW cavalry scenarios, 1870s Red Indian Uprising rules for cowboys and indians games, Son Tay raid (Vietnam) scenario, an overview of the Spanish Army of Flanders (1567-1659), Yorktown (1781) scenario, Ian Weekly's scratch built Fort Sumpter (ACW), and more in the series on the Baden Foor Artillery 1806-1813 (color would be helpful in this uniform guide). Letters to the editor make a return, some columns, reviews, and news round out the issue.

PW Review -- Dec 95; 20pgs.; 8.5x11"; PQ C, WR A, IR B; Walter Simon, 12905 Layhill Rd., Silver Spring, MD 20906; $18 per year, monthly

More on what Wally games in his basement, such as D-Day (1944), a house rules strategy game, some medieval gaming, and an ECW battle.

Seven Years War Assn Journal -- Vol 8 #4; 64pgs.; 5.5x8.5", PQ A, WR A, IR A; Jim Purky, 2521 Thayer St., Evanston, IL 60201; $25 per year ($30 outside US) Quarterly.

Another fine issue includes The Ambush of the Olmutz convoy at Domstadtl (june 28-30, 1758) with OOB, a fascinating piece on Frederick the Great's narrow escape at Baumgarten (Feb 27, 1741), light infantry forces used in the Austrian-Prussian theatre, and a reprint of an old Campaigns (circa 1976) magazine on a May 1745 ride by the Zeiten hussars. Shorter pieces, news, reviews, and such round out the issue.

Volunteers -- #22; 20pgs.; 8.5x11", PQ B, WR B, IR B; Bob Medrow, 1322 Highland Dr., Rolla, MO 65401; $15 per 4 issues, $25 per 8 issues (+$1.50 per issue for Canadian, + $3 per issue overseas subscriptions)

ACW newsletter offers generally favorable reviews of Dixie (card game), Antietam Campaign (board game), and Damn the Torpedos (card game), a look back at S&T #129's magazine game Harvest of Death (second day Gettysburg) and replay, and a variety of news.

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