Battlegames and Miniature Wargames to Merge

The following letter has been sent out to Battlegames subscribers via post and email this week:

Dear Battlegames subscriber,

As you know, when Atlantic rescued Battlegames from an early grave, it became stablemates with the ‘grand old man’, Miniature Wargames. It soon became apparent to Atlantic that, despite being labelled by some as an ‘old school’ title, there was certainly nothing old fashioned about Battlegames. On the contrary, our much-loved, red-covered magazine was shown to be perky, cheeky, robust and brimful of ideas, reflecting, I hope, some of my own personality and the sense of fun Battlegames readers and contributors share about the hobby.

Early in the new year, Atlantic Publishers supremo Trevor Ridley asked me to submit design ideas to give Miniature Wargames a face-lift. I designed a look that I felt the flagship of the hobby should have. A flurry of emails, phone calls and a meeting ensued in which it was clear that Trevor and I shared a vision of what Miniature Wargames could be – no, should be: the best, most interesting, most entertaining magazine in the hobby, bar none.

This left Trevor with some difficult decisions to make, but at another meeting a week later, I was told that Miniature Wargames was to have a new editor/designer: i.e. yours truly…

He and I would stress this is not Miniature Wargames steamrolling our baby; on the contrary, the first-rate has been boarded by the frigate, in true Patrick O’Brian style, and I shall be master and commander of a sleek new flagship for the hobby. The ‘new’ Miniature Wargames will proudly display “With Battlegames” on the cover, and the Battlegames brand will live on for special editions etc. including my Combat Stress Appeal.

In our new guise, we shall increase the pages of Miniature Wargames and so there will be more space for the things we love, and it will be EVERY MONTH!

To ease the transition, existing Battlegames subscribers will receive the new magazine monthly for the term of their remaining bi-monthly subscription, so “two for the price of one”! For renewals, Battlegames subscribers will be offered a full year, i.e. twelve issues, of the new format at the existing Battlegames annual subscription.

The last stand-alone issue of Battlegames will be issue 34, published 12 March. The first of the new combined format will be Miniature Wargames issue 361, published 20 April at the mammoth Salute show in London.

In the meantime, the message is that everything proceeds as normal – but at twice the speed!

Any questions will hopefully be answered in my next editorial in Battlegames issue 34 – but in any event I am always contactable on Facebook etc.

And so, Mr. Marshall, hoist the mains’l and the t’gallants. Let’s take this new flagship out and see what she can do. All hands, stand to! Are you with me, ladies and gentlemen? I can’t sail this ship without you.

Henry

A similar message has been posted on the Atlantic website for Miniature Wargames readers.

I am already fielding a huge number of queries via email, telephone and online. I would ask you to bear with me while I do my best to keep up, whilst at the same time working on producing the last issue of Battlegames which goes to press on 26th February, and then immediately turning to my first issue of Miniature Wargames, which goes to press on 5th April.

Many of you have been posting very supportive and encouraging comments, for which please accept my heartfelt thanks. I’m both excitied by and nervous about my new responsibilities, as it’s clear that expectations are high. I shall do my best to live up to them.