I received the first issue of Battlegames this week (wesbite).
I have to say I'm pleasantly surprised. There is a lot of gaming content in the magazine, and it was very enjoyable to read. If you consider subscribing to a magazine, I can recommend Battlegames.
I got myself a sample issue as well (I did not jump on the presubscription bandwagon, as a number of this blog's readers did -- and right they were) and have been perusing it yesterday evening and today.
ReplyDeleteI must say that I am impressed. I was a bit sceptic at first when Henry announced his intention of producing a new wargames magazine -- after all, the Battlegames website before the magazine did not seem to contain much content (or I did not find it), despite the fact that one of the most important factors he used in judging other wargames sites was the amount and quality of content (and he only gave the old S&V site 4 out of 5 stars, darnit :) ), so I thought that did not bode well for the paper magazine idea.
I now take back those thoughts. Battlegames the magazine is a refreshing take on wargames magazines, which is a bit funny because part of the refreshing 'new' is a return to the 'old' (more on that later). This is a magazine with interesting and useful content - both personal musings from eminent wargamers and good scenarios, among others, in good proportion.
If I have one niggle, it's a small and very personal one -- the magazine is quite firmly rooted in the Old School look and feel. And while I love the fact that this produces good meaty articles, I do not care much for the look of Old School wargames. Ranks of equally posed, block painted figures on a flat green board just do not work for me. I'm strictly 'Visual Appeal is Everything'. But that's only a minor niggle as said.
I'll be subscribing to the magazine, which says enough, I think.
Unlike most wargames magazines, this one has plenty to read and few decent pictures - usually it is the opposite. But on the whole this seems to me to be a better balance.
ReplyDeleteOn the positive side, the magazine is not full of 'history' written by wargamers. It is very much focused on gaming and gaming techniques.
It is a little bit nostalgic in tone, and not terribly full of innovation, but that's not really a big problem. It's probably inevitable for a first issue.
I will also definitely subscribe and agree with Bart and Phil that it's definitely worth getting. My pal, Dave, will sell you one at Caliver Books.
Alan