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Tuesday 22 December 2020

Wargaming Magazines - Do you buy them?

Is it just me or do others find the offerings in the periodical modelling and wargaming magazines lacking something?  I have just flicked through the magazine that dropped onto my doormat a few days ago.

Most  of the magazines that I liked to read have either shut down, been absorbed by another magazine, or morphed beyond recognition.  From the 1970s I have purchased a magazine or two each month, but in recent years I have found less and less in them of interest.

In earlier times there were articles that filled in gaps in my knowledge, provided modelling and painting detail and there were regular features describing battles and uniforms from a wargamers perspective.  I was never able to keep all of these magazines, but where an article appeared particularly interesting I would cut them out.  I created a large number of scrapbooks covering my main wargaming interests.  Here some examples of those articles:




Although similar articles can be found in today's magazines, with a few exceptions, they tend to be written to promote a particular set of rules, which I won't have and more than likely will have posed pictures of beautifully painted figures that have nothing to do with the game under discussion. The other issue for me is that a large portion of the articles are non-historical in nature, which reduces their nterest to me even further.

Now, I know that these days, much of the information that was contained in earlier magazines is available on the internet and in other places, and that ceiling tile hills and Airfix buildings are no longer at the cutting edge, but I wonder if I am alone in missing the old style magazine?

I would be very interested to know what magazines are purchased and whether they provide what the reader is actually looking for.  I would welcome any thoughts on this.


32 comments:

  1. I found current wargames magazines became irrelevant to me about 5 years ago. I prefer to look at shiny Hinchliffe or nearly in focus pictures of Airfix conversions.

    Good luck to those who still keep the hobby evolving but my taste is clearly in the vintage/classic wargame now. I have a small collection of "modern" Perry ACW figures but that was chosen for club night battles (whenever they start up again).

    I have collected a fair amount of Wargamers Newsletters, Airfix magazine and Miniature Wargames since 2015 instead.

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    1. I have similar thoughts. I read and re-read my old wargaming books over and over again, probably for the same reasons.

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  2. No, you are not alone. Battlegames and Miniature Wargames with Battlegames were the last magazines I bothered with. I still, however, enjoy old issues of Practical Wargamer, 1p80s-era Military Modelling, the first two dozen or so issues of Miniature Wargames and the first two dozen of so of Wargames Illustrated. Much more interesting content in all cases, to me at least, than what is left of the hobby monthly press.

    Best Regards,

    Stokes

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    1. I forgot about Practical Wargamer - now that was a good magazine. I think I bought most editions when it was in print.

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  3. No - I basically never have - too pricey! I used to get Military Modelling right through my teens - but my parents paid for that as part of the household newspaper delivery we got. Since then, I dont think I have ever bought one. The main use I had for them back in the 70's was manufacturers adverts and addresses - for the last 30+ years, thats all been via the web of course, so I dont see much use for the magazines at all to be honest! And no, I dont hanker after the days of my youth, when all that was available was Hinchcliffe or Minifigs - they are pretty crap figures to be honest and I have zero nostalgia for them, sorry!

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    1. One forgets that a few years ago about the only way to buy miniatures was via mail order, waiting for several days for the cheque to clear. For this purpose the adverts in magazines were vital. Now of course we can see in an instant available products on line, which, as you say, makes that role redundant.

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  4. No don't bother with wargaming magazines nowadays , the only mag I subscribe to is Toy Soldier Collector .

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  5. I haven't bought a Wargames magazine for years. I do still have all my old copies of Battle however.

    The only wargames publication I regularly read is the Wargames Developments Newsletter. I don't even get Slingshot any more.

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    1. I enjoyed Battle. You were wise to keep them all, I wish I had. I still have a pile of Airfix magazines from the 60s though.

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  6. Hello there Bob,

    I occasionally buy a magazine but but usually no more than a couple of times a year if I am honest. Much of what I see gaming wise in the content is not relevant to the style of games I play or aspire to.

    I much prefer a more ‘practical’ style of magazine.

    All the best,

    DC

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    1. You experience appears to match that of others writing on here.

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  7. I very occasionally buy Wargames Illustrated and regularly buy Wargames Soldiers and Strategy which reminds me a little of Practical Wargamer with more wargame than history. For two or three issues of a magazine I find I can often buy a book which is of more interest. Best wishes.

    Jim

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    1. Hi Jim. I haven't tried War-games, Soldiers and Strategy; I will give it a try.

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  8. Hi Bob- Long ago I use to buy 'Military Modeling', then later about thirty years ago 'Wargames Illustrated' and I certainly enjoyed these...now days I do not buy any magazines- as most of my reading is done on the Net. However, I can see value in the 'Strategy & Tactics' magazine. Merry Christmas. KEV.

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  9. I think the last magazine I subscribed to was the old Battlegames - still got every issue... mate of mine buys Wargames Soldiers and Strategy and lends me his but I have to say I very rarely read it... am I jaded? Don't think so, but been in the hobby almost 50 years now, and the rise of the internet has allowed me to tick all the boxes the magazines used to tick

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    1. I enjoyed Battlegames and I will have to take a look at Wargames, Soldiers and Strategy. I do wonder,after 50 years, that perhaps you know as much as the authors of magazine articles in your particular interest areas?

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    2. Bob - "know as much as the authors of magazine articles"? Not for a single minute! LOL.. Merry Christmas to you and yours..

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  10. I subscribe to Wargames, Soldiers & Strategy. I think it's the best of the current bunch, and is predominantly focused on historical wargaming, unlike the others.

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    1. Another recommendation for W,S&S - definitely will have to take a look at this magazine.

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  11. None. Well, not true - earlier this year I did buy an old Wargames Illustrated because of Mark Allen’s Wig armies articles. I think it’s down to age (more fixed on what I want to do) and era (I get what I want from t’internet). A magazine with articles about stuff the doesn’t float my boat is wasted money. Especially if it has scifant stuff in it. One - can’t remember which - spent about four pages telling us how they created the diorama on the cover! Like Martin, I still have my copies of Battle: for the rest, I just cut out the articles that I wanted to keep and chucked the rest.

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    1. Once again, a reflection of my views on these magazines.

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  12. Hi Bob...

    I don’t subscribe to any magazine now...

    When I first started on this toy soldier journey I (well my father) subscribed to Military Modelling, Airfix Magazine and Miniature Warfare.

    I tend to buy the current magazines from news agents or at wargames shows.

    With the world as it is I have not bought many this year... sad to say ...I have not missed them.
    I have however bought Traditional Toy Soldier magazines on line...and added to my ‘Old School’ Wargames and Modelling Magazines via eBay...that probably says a lot about my current interests...
    Times change and how we engage with our hobby changes as well...but I do find the older magazines to be more informative and less product driven...

    Working in the miniatures industry I shouldn’t complain... but I do miss the time when I used to really learn something new after the magazines dropped on the doorstep...

    All the best. Aly

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    1. Hi Aly,your views seem to match that of others who responded to my question. I agree times have changed and the way we approach the hobby with so much available on line now.

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  13. I have not been buying wargame magazines for some time now, or the same reasons others have said already. I miss the older types especially The Courier (both earlier and later editions). And yes, I enjoy the old black and white pictures and the "old school" style terrain.

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    1. Hi Mark, thanks for your comment, which seems to reflect the feelings of many others.

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  14. The one that always seems to get forgotten is Battlefields magazine

    http://vintagewargaming.blogspot.com/search/label/Battlefields%20Magazine?m=0

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    1. Very interesting, I had not heard of 'Battlefields' magazine. I wonder how I missed that one?

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  15. There seem to be a few around on eBay just now

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    1. I have ordered a couple to see what they are like. Thanks for the tip off.

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    2. My copies arrived and I concur, a very good quality product that is very much like the old Battle Magazine. Once I have read these I will seek out some more.

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