Miniature Wargames no 392

 Well there is a bit of a turn up after 3 months of struggling to get hold of a voucher copy of the mag. I finally get one on time- actually 2 copiesthis time- just like buses!  As an advertiser who spends cash every month  a "voucher copy"  should be normal  but of late I'd been having bother and had  emailed  Media Shed  (the advertising agents) and Henry who had each time sorted it out . But today was the first time since August I had not had to  go into chase mode !  So Nice one Henry and Nice one Media Shed !
 As it happens this issue is pretty tasty too.
And in case you readers of the last two issues were wondering - no I'm not in it !
FranzEharts article "King of the Battlefield" is a little craker- this lad knows his stuff and its great to see chaps studying their chosen periods in depth - I know plenty of chaps do- but you don't see the evidence  that often in the pages of the magazines..

 Marcus Wheeler sking game - though not to my taste- how is strapping 2 planks to you feet and chucking  yourself down a moutain fun - was nevertheless ingeniuos and the sort of thing you might like a go at once or twice- likewise Jim Websters slave revolt mini-campaign- of which I found the historical background just as interesting as the possibility for a few skirmish games. A second Ancient Naval game in what 6 months- thats good going by any standards but I still have to study that- add 2 articles on how to make stuff and we are filling the mag with some unusual articles Topped off by Henry's own on the Fortifications of Cadiz and yes  chilled Fino  with Tapas-  love it !
 I even read some of the columns- Treads did his usual Fantasy Facts- which whilst not being a Fanstasy chaps I always check out for any Sci-Fi I might fancy- after all I did buy 7TV- the last version - for a mere £15.00 now the new one is out for £40.00- but I don't care for me it is entriely superfluous and  when I saw the price of the new figures to go with it- 'Kinelle!!  3 and 4 quid a figure .
 Why is a lot of non- historical stuff SO much more expensive.... Because you buy it that way Dudes!!
 Neil Shucks column had me nodding and swearing at the same time Nodding - as someone whio has been over the pond to a few US shows- always Historicon but severalvisits ove the years I agree with the whys and wherefores of his assesments and have said so  in print a few times over the years but you should see the trader hall at Historicon-
" Zulus Sir Fahsands of 'em!"
 and there's me doing a stint behind the OG US stand having to read the bloody money cos its all the same colour and add- in my head 7.5% state sales tax ! A Good laugh though!....and the leggy Blonde in the Tex-Mex restaurant ....America does have its attractions even if I found it easier to buy a gun than a beer in rural Pennsylvania   and no I never saw a "Demo- Game" on the British model at any of the US shows I've been to but then the set up is very different with "booking" your place at a game and being expected to turn up if you have booked inand many gsames being for a set number of people for a set time- so in the programme it will say 6 players 3 hours often with some notion of the experience level required...
 As for "The Cult of the New"- this had me gnashing my teeth. I'm not saying he's wrong  but he seems to have forgotten- like many current  commentators who are GAMES obcessed that at least part of this hobby is about collecting model soldiers- or toy soldiers if your prefer so "new" is a relative term- I still sell ranges that are  20 years old as well as loads of newer stuff and even stuff that is only a few months off the design bench- much of this is "new" to the individual who buys it if he is beginning a "new" army for a "new" period.
 Yes despite the deluge of "games" chaps still do that.
But overall a good mag with stuff to read in it and for adults too
 Nice One Henry ....