Wargames Illustrated #300

[James Morris]

I was flattered to be invited to attend the launch party for WI#300, held yesterday at WI/Battlefront's new premises in Nottingham.  After a welcome from genial UK editor Dan, and a quick tour of the new offices (impressive and highly business-like), we got down to eating cake, meeting and greeting a variety of gaming personalities, and looking at the magazine itself.

It's fair to say that it's a monster - at 300 pages, it's half an inch thick (13mm for our metric cousins.)  They've printed 18,000 issues, of which some have a limited edition 'retro' cover laid out in the style of WI issue #1, ie black border, old logo and full-page battle photo (these are apparently available to subscribers or as special orders.)  For the Battlefront sceptics, there is some publicity near the start for the new FoW starter set, 'Open Fire' (for which, it must be said, the plastic 15mm figures look superb, and the boxed set is surely going to pick up some new gamers), and a caption that made me chuckle: 'V1 Flying Bomb.  Open Fire includes an awesome V1 flying bomb and launch rail as a cool centre piece for your table.'   

Anyway, once that's out of the way, the magazine is chock-full of a very wide variety of wargaming articles.  As the theme of the issue is simply 'Last Stands and Against the Odds', there is an even wider range of periods than usual.  These are arranged in chronological order ranging from Thermopylae to Somalia 1993, taking in Spartacus, the Roman attack on Anglesey (Mona 60AD, by Rick Priestley), Dark Ages (my refight of Y Gododdin, plus Martin Gibbins' SAGA battleboards for 7th century Arabs, Chris Peers' 'Franks Casket’ scenario and Ryan Lavelle’s article on Alfred the Great’s navy.)  The theme then shifts into the second millennium AD with Agincourt, Elizabethan naval warfare (by WI original Andy Callan), 17th century redcoats (eye candy by Barry Hilton), ACW, Wild West, Little Big Horn, Isandlwana (by Ian Knight), Sherlock Holmes vs Jack the Ripper,  Colonial, WW2,  Korean War and Black Hawk Down.  These are interspersed with articles celebrating the history of wargaming (e.g. a reprint of an Arthur Harman article from WI#1, an homage to Ian Weekley’s buildings, a memoir of gaming by David Bickley, a look at 3d printers in gaming by UK editor Dan, and others.)  Although it’s a hackneyed phrase, I think it’s fair to say that there’s something here for everyone. 
Wargaming has come an awful long way since 1987 when this magazine first appeared, and this issue sums it up beautifully. 

[Yankeepedlar01]

As I couldn't attend the launch yesterday (too soon post knee op) Dan very kindly posted my copy of the 'Monster 300'! It's really very substantial, with I would hope something for all but the most esoteric of gaming tastes! I was intrigued to see the photos of my game - and they say the camera doesn't lie! But, there was no cake in my packet, Dan!
David

[Driscoles]

I am really looking forward to this 300 Issue !
Thanks for posting this !

[Steve F]

Thanks for the info.

Issue 300 ... last stands ... Thermopylae.  Of course!

The Wargames Illustrated website has a page about issue 300:
http://www.wargamesillustrated.net/Default.aspx?tabid=308&art_id=3399
Published 22 September.  It doesn't mention if the price is any higher than usual.

[Yankeepedlar01]

There's no price on the Limited Edition's cover but I thought I saw somewhere it was £7.00.
David

[Dewbakuk]

Yep, it was a pleasant gathering indeed, with a rather tasty cake 

I have to agree, a great magazine with several articles that I've enjoyed glancing through during my brief breaks today. I'm a fan of the Arab SAGA board in particular and it was great to see the figures at the party, they had lovely paintjobs.

[gringo]

really enjoyed the Bash ........a most  enjoyable evening

meeting all the other manufacturers and held in a really

splendid setting. The invite was appreciated.

the new magazine is a visual treat and well worth getting

regards
Ged

www.gringo40s.com
www.gringo40s.blogspot.com
and 28mm ranges

[Steve F]

Just bought this issue.  It's an impressive looking beast, with lots of gorgeous photos, and heavy enough to concuss a vole.

But was anyone else struck by the slight Anglo-American bias in the selection of "last stands and against the odds" covered?

Battles and conflicts involving British and/or American forces
Mona 60 AD
Y Gododdin (Welsh vs Saxons, c 600 AD)
"He Who Holds the Door" (Anglo-Saxons, inspired by the 8th century "Franks casket")
Naval engagement, Wessex, 896 AD
Agincourt, 1415
The last fight of the Revenge, 1591
British army, 1670-1704
Alexander's Bridge, 1863
Fetterman Fight, 1866
Little Big Horn, 1876
Isandlwana, 1879
Sherlock Homes vs Jack the Ripper (Empire of the Dead)
Anglo-Zanzibar War, 1896
WW2 scenario at Blandings Castle
Imjin River, 1951
Mogadishu, 1993

Rest of world
Thermopylae, 480 BC
Spartacus, 71 BC
Karbala, 680 AD
Camerone, 1863

To be fair, there is also a Flames of War article with some short accounts of nine incidents in WW2, of which only four involve anglophone forces (usually Kiwis), but it still strikes me as even more unbalanced than usual.

[rob_the_robgoblin]

Just bought it, I don't feel like I've wasted a penny, even if I don't play Hystericals wargames!

Would have been nice to see maybe ONE fantasy/SF game. Ahh well!

Very nicely produced, interesting articles (I'm loving the article on Spartans at the moment as it's the only one I have read in detail!). Well done WI.

[Steve F]

Would have been nice to see maybe ONE fantasy/SF game. Ahh well!

You mean that Empire of the Dead is real?

[Phyllion]

Is it in stores yet?

[Steve F]

Is it in stores yet?

Yes, at least in the UK - I got my copy from the local newsagent.

[Blodwin]

Picked up my copy yesterday - some nice eye candy - but did think twice about buying it because of the price, £6. 

[James Morris]

Just bought this issue.  It's an impressive looking beast, with lots of gorgeous photos, and heavy enough to concuss a vole.

But was anyone else struck by the slight Anglo-American bias in the selection of "last stands and against the odds" covered?

 it still strikes me as even more unbalanced than usual.

Is this a surprise, given that most of the contributors are British or American?  What would you expect to see?  Just curious.  I hadn't thought about it from this angle before but I don't see anything wrong with the balance of articles.

[Mason]

Picked up my copy yesterday - some nice eye candy - but did think twice about buying it because of the price, £6. 

Got mine yesterday too, but I have to say that at £6 it seems a very fair price. Cheap, even...

Most impressive.

Now I just have to resist the urge to think about new periods bearing in mind how much varied lovliness it contains.