Wargames Illustrated Subscription

[Ingmar]

Don't know how to say this really. I bought mine on a whim last year, mainly because the 50 pound subscription fee came with a 25 pound gift certificate for Warlord Games and I couldn't resist an opportunity to satisfy my curiosity.
One year later and I'm at a bit of a loss. On the one hand I REALLY like the idea of a hobby related magazine dropping on my doorstep every month for inspiration.
On the other hand, it's a (mostly historic) miniatures magazine that suffers from the bane of all historics; there's a lot of history (and scale) to go around! Ergo, I've had quite a few magazines this year that I flicked through once and didn't bother to read again, because quite frankly, there wasn't anything interesting in it for me.*
I just received my renewal offer, which is basically an invite to spend 50 pounds with no "extra's" this time and now I don't know.
Do any of you know of subscription deals like the voucher are a regular thing for WI? Any alternative magazines I could try?

PS. I know I might be a cheapskate, but spending 50 pounds on something you aren't fully satisfied with is just bugging me!

*= To clarify:  I don't currently game ancient history, zombie games, modern warfare, napoleonics or anything in scales other then 28mm really. 

[manic _miner]

 It might help if you let us know what you do game or collect miniatures wise.

 I like buying the magazine but i am mostly into Fantasy and Sci-fi miniatures.There used to be a few good magazines Years ago which catered for these genres but they did not last long which is a real shame.

[Cubs]

No, that's why I didn't continue my subscription a while back. It's not that the magazine wasn't good, it's just that the majority of the subject matter was not in my area of interest. That's probably more to do with my own limitations in knowledge and interest. At least when you're flicking through the magazine from the rack or having a peek online about the articles, you have the choice as to whether you want to buy it or not. I still reckon WI is probably the magazine I'd buy most often, but Wargames, Soldiers and Strategy is pretty good as well.

[fred]

I know what you mean - I get Miniature Wargames, which is much the same price - and do wonder each year about renewing the subscription or not. While the monthly cost isn't much - its still £50, and I'm not convinced I get a huge amount of value from the magazines. Its a quick flick through, a read of a couple of articles and thats about it. On the other hand its nice to get a physical magazine through the post each month.

I get WSS electronically - not least because it feels like a bargain.

I think part of the problem with magazines is that there are often great articles about stuff, that get you all interested, then you think about the practicalities and all the other periods / scales you are already invested in, and kind of feel disappointed.

[shandy]

I like magazines and have subscriptions to Miniatures Wargames and Wargames, Soldiers and Strategy. Wargames Illustrated is the one I like the least - there are too many big battles in 28mm in it for me and the photos are too staged (photoshopping the flight stand out of a tutorial on how to build an airship really made me angry - the flight stand is part of the model unless you have an anti-grav device installed in your gaming table, so I'd like to know how it looks). I always have the feeling it's not about gaming but about showing off your collection.

Wargames, Soldiers and Strategy on the other hand has excellent scenarios and gaming ideas. I usually like the magazine even if its central theme is not one of my interests, because they have enough other inspiring stuff in there. And sometimes, even the stuff I thought I wouldn't be interested in turns out to fascinate me.

Incidentally, this is one reason why I like magazines: I want to be inspired and I want to discover stuff I wouldn't normally have looked at. It's a question of how to convey a topic: don't write a lengthy historical treatise (which is usually far behind the current state of research anyway), but tell me why this makes an interesting and unique game and how to game it.

[Harry Faversham]

Best bet's to got to a show, ferret through the old mags at a quid a piece, then buy fifty with summat in that interests yer!

[armchairgeneral]

I used to religiously collect WI and MW from the first issue but they just took up so much space. Now I occasionally buy WI or WSS if there is something in it or interest as they often theme the issues now. I also think it is important to support them as far as possible.

[Yankeepedlar01]

Frankly if spending £50 on a subscription is an issue then don't, use your funds elsewhere in your hobby budget. For myself I have a subscription to WI and I read bits in MW and WSS if Phil buys one! I don't rate either magazine myself, but that's just personal choice. But I agree that a physical magazine in the post is a great thing for our hobby and can lead us in directions we were unaware of.

[Just a few orcs]

I get WSS and as its Bi- monthly its not quite as expensive and gives me my "fix". ]The PDF option is good value if you don't mind reading on a screen.

I gave up on Wargames Illustrated when it became a Catalogue for the figure company that was supporting at the time. Miniature Wargames also went through a bit of a sticky patch as far as I was concerned. It improved under Henry Hyde, but I am not sure the slant it will take with the new editor.

I But WI and MW from the shop if its got stuff in it I am interested in. I occasionally buy one to take on holiday as something different.

I think the idea of going to a show and picking up a good handful of old magazines has some merit.

[Norm]

I like wargame magazines and generally pick up all three. I currently have a WI subscription, this was bought as a gift to me, but had I known, I would have asked for one of the other two instead.

I find WI has too many articles that have a substantial historical lead in, with a small wargame bit attached at the end and of the three, it is the least likely to be read cover to cover. It is themed each month and I am not keen on that, it always generates an opening article on the theme itself, which just feels like filler to me. Overall the production is very professionally put together.

I find that WSS has plenty of real wargame content, especially scenarios that are playable for home settings. I am not keen on their columns. it feels the 'poshest' of the three mags. It is themed and I don't like that, but of the three, it probably gives me the best cover to cover read and feels like it is written by wargamers for wargamers..

I find MW generally an interesting read, it has high wargame content, though some issues can be hit and miss, though of the three, it perhaps gives the smaller scales a bit more coverage ... though not by much. Again, it is a magazine that perhaps connects a bit better with gamers who game at home. It does step outside the box a bit with interesting article on things like hex play, which the other two mags seem to avoid.

All the mags have an over reliance on the 28mm scale, which I believe is something the OP likes, though I don't.

I do like a mag dropping through the door, it is a nicer surprise than the gas bill. When my subscription comes back around, I think I may go with a WSS sub, just for a bit of posh and then cherry pick my other two issues from the news stand, though I rarely miss picking up a copy of MW.

We are so lucky that this small hobby supports three magazines and as the old saying goes, use it or lose it, they do need our support and that includes submitting articles, a magazine can only be as good as its submission base.