When first contemplating this Editorial, my mind was completely devoid of ideas until, when searching for a suitable front cover illustration, I came across a batch of old photographs taken in this house at the very first Wargames Convention some fourteen years ago.
Chieftain tanks of Badger Squadron of the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment firing during training at Munsterlager Ranges, Germany. (photo: S/Sgt K. McLaughlin, Army PR)
About eighteen of us crammed into my study and then filled my small wargames room in this Saturday/Sunday affair which brought to Southampton Peter Young, Charlie Grant, Lionel Tarr, Bill Mell, Tony Bath, Jeff Kelker; Stan Aspinall, Frank Tippetts and some others whom I regret I cannot, recall. Those were the days when all the wargamers in the country seemed to know each other and now the hobby is claimed to have more than a quarter of a million adherents in Great Britain alone!
My wargames room has seen many faces since then and a regular Thursday night gang has a long history of friendly enthusiasts who battle with us for a few weeks or months and then go their ways, such as Dick Tennant to Taiwan, Keith Robinson to Peterborough and others to points too distant for regular visits. In 1967 the Wessex Military Society was formed and has gone from strength-to-strength, meeting regularly once a month in Southampton, its meetings are divided into halves with a military speaker taking up the first part, of the afternoon and then wargaming from 14.30 until 10 p.m. Between 30 and 50 wargamers of all ages regularly battle in various periods on half-a-dozen tables while the board wargamers sit, quietly around card tables at the far end of the room. Encouraged by an enthusiastic Wargames Sub-Committee, large-scale wargames are organised - Quatre Bras; is due shortly with a couple of thousand beautifully painted 15mm figures being deployed by a score of wargamers on the 24' x 6' table.
This scale would seem to be that of today and tomorrow and Miniature Figurines and Peter Laing, among others are to be complimented on their foresight. Nevertheless, there will always be those amongst us faithfully stick to our 25, 20 or even 30mm scales and our wargame will be none the less keen and enjoyable because our figures are larger. Individual wargaming has come onto the scene in a most colourful fashion and the recent remarkable upsurge of interest in Middle Earth characters and figures has drawn back yet another curtain to reveal realms of mediaeval and imaginary pageantry beyond our conceptions.
Perhaps this enthusiasm for Middle Earth indicates a self-conscious desire to escape from reality, to temporarily leave behind this rather grim and depressing era of inflation and increased charges coupled with lower financial resources. Certainly current reports within the wargaming world indicate that dwindling finances are hitting both commercial organisations and publishers.
Of course, WARGAMERS NEWSLETTER has no immunity from these financial worries and, in a world of ever increasing costs, we have been hit by rises in the price of paper, printing and postage the latter being perhaps the most grievous wound. During the past year the publishers have taken a substantial financial loss and can only continue to back the Newsletter if they at least break even. Therefore, in order to avoid increasing the actual cost of the magazine itself, we are seeking various economies such as thinner paper to cut postal costs, cheaper methods of reproduction and a paring-down of "fringe" costs. But postage still remains the bug-bear -- and we have been warned of substantial increases in the near future which it will be impossible to absorb.
UMPORTANT NOTICE
Owing to the increased costs of paper, printing, postage and wages, the publication of this magazine is no longer a viable proposition and it must be discontinued unless drastic steps are taken.
It seems that there is no option other than to make a charge for postage, perhaps our biggest headache.
To avoid asking subscribers who have already paid their subscription to send an additional amount for postage, we intend reducing the number of issues they receive to TEN.
Any subscribers who object to this new arrangement will have the balance of their subscription refunded on request.
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© Copyright 1975 by Donald Featherstone.
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