Miniature Wargames Issue 365 Coming Soon

Later this week, issue 365 will be hitting your doormats (or inboxes if you’re a digital subscriber), so it’s time to tell you what you can expect. The most noticeable thing about this issue will be that it contains the 20 page Show Guide for Colours 2013, to be held at Newbury Racecourse on 14th and 15th September. I’ll be there, helping to man the Atlantic Publishing stand and, of course, wandering around with my camera, pressing the flesh and chatting with lots of people. The magazine has increased to 84 pages overall for this issue.

The contents include the following:

Forward Observer. Reporting from a tent in a field somewhere, Neil Shuck covers the newsworthy ground, looking at WWII gaming in the Pacific, Osprey’s forthcoming skirmish games Of Gods and Mortals and A Fistful of Kung Fu, news about Judge Dredd, more Osprey goodness with their Myths and Legends: King Arthur release, Dreadball, 28mm minis for Skirmish Sangin, the Sulphur Kickstarter from Terragnosis and rounding up with some of the shortest musketeers you’ve ever seen.

Something’s burning! Our wargames widow Diane Sutherland goes into competition with husband John to create the best looking, quick and easy flames for wargames. So keep your pyromania in check with Diane’s handy tips!

Fantasy facts. John Treadaway is in retro heaven with the release of the Haynes Manual for Dan Dare. He takes a look at Gary Mitchell’s Space Vixens from Mars, examines new sci-fi and modern Russian miniatures from Eureka, ponders the question of when a 15mm giant becomes just a large chap in 28mm, revels in the latest 7TV miniatures from Crooked Dice and finally gets amazed by Ainsty’s enormous Wicker Man.

The blue Danube. Belgian duo Phil Dutré and Bart Vetters have made it possible to play the Battle of Aspern-Essling in 28mm in under 30 minutes. Well, sort of. Actually, they’ve created a brilliant game for participants to attempt to destroy the pontoon bridges thrown over the Danube by the French. Just occasionally, I utter the expression “genius!” and this thoroughly deserves the epithet.

Command challenge. Steve Jones has gone to the interesting corners of WWII and devised this marvellous early-war scenario with the brave Poles defending a village against the Blitzkrieging Germans. Easily adapted to suit any theatre and, indeed, many rulesets and periods.

A trump card(igan). Arthur Harman has been rattling his galaxy-sized brain again and offers a brilliant idea: Napoleonic Top Trumps! A clever way to get kids involved with gaming or, indeed, a refreshing method for old hands to approach the subject. There will be some cards available for download from the blog at the end of the week. (The title of Arthur’s article comes from the caption of a Punch cartoon, published shortly after the Battle of Balaklava in the Crimean War, portraying the commander of the famous Light Brigade heroically leading his men amongst the Russian guns.)

The Colours 2013 Official Show Guide – 20 pages of details about the show, floor plans showing the location of games, traders and much more, and messages from your favourite wargame companies. The guide is also being printed separately for distribution at the show, so no need to rip up your magazine!

Amphibious operations Athenian style. Graham Burke sets the scene for a battle in the surf as the Athenians take on the Corinthians on the beaches. Another great scenario that can, of course, be translated to any period.

Send three and fourpence. This month, Conrad ponders the big battles first imprinted on his young mind, and why his wife is always happy on their anniversary.

Salamanca’s siren call part 2. Tying up some loose ends on my consideration of the terrain of the great battle, this leads me straight into thoughts about the troops involved and how to represent them in my wargame, including complete Orders Of Battle for the French and British and their allies.

Thoughts from an armchair. This month, Mike continues his occasional series with the smell of enamel paint and turps in his nostrils, whilst considering the effect our hobby can have on ‘normal’ people.

Recce is looking very bookish this month, since the production demands of the Colours show guide means that I have held over a number of miniatures reviews until next time, but there’s a healthy leavening of opinions, including a review of my own The Wargaming Compendium. Eek!

The Combat Stress Appeal continues, with news of fresh donations, and we round up with photo galleries from the Attack show in Devizes and The Joy of Six in Sheffield.

Until next time, that should keep you busy!