A little under a years ago, the English language edition of WARGAMES, SOLDIERS & STRATEGY ceased publication when its publishers, Revistas Profesionales, put the title into suspended animation. At the time I felt that this was a great pity, as the magazine was just beginning to make its presence felt on the UK wargames scene.
Now it is back ... with a new publisher (Karwansaray BV), a new editorial office (located in Zutphen in the Netherlands), and a new editor (Guy Bowers).
The first issue's theme is 'William II and the Glorious Revolution', and in amongst the various articles is a very interesting one about how to run a 'Glorious Revolution' campaign. What makes the article of particular interest is that the author – Mark Backhouse – has design the campaign as a Matrix Game!
As far as I know, this is the first time that a Matrix Game has been featured in the mainstream wargames press since I wrote about them back in the early to mid 1990s. Does this mean that they have finally been accepted by mainstream wargamers?
Time will tell if this is just a 'one-off' or is the precursor of greater things for this method of designing wargames.
Now it is back ... with a new publisher (Karwansaray BV), a new editorial office (located in Zutphen in the Netherlands), and a new editor (Guy Bowers).
As far as I know, this is the first time that a Matrix Game has been featured in the mainstream wargames press since I wrote about them back in the early to mid 1990s. Does this mean that they have finally been accepted by mainstream wargamers?
Time will tell if this is just a 'one-off' or is the precursor of greater things for this method of designing wargames.
Let's hope it works this time, I really liked the themed issue concept WSS used before, but even then I didn't buy every copy.
ReplyDeleteSeem to remember a matrix game i one mainstream journal quite a while back, but perhaps it's my memory getting confused.
Will
Does Slingshot count as mainstream wargames press?
ReplyDeleteFire at Will,
ReplyDeleteI hope that it does as well.
The themed issue idea worked well if one was interested in the theme, not so well if you were not.
As to the mention of the Matrix Game in mainstream magazines ... well I don't think it has featured in 'Wargames Illustrated' or 'Miniature Wargames' since the mid 1990s ... but I may well be wrong.
All the best,
Bob
Trebian,
ReplyDeleteBy mainstream I meant 'Wargames Illustrated' and 'Miniature Wargames'.
All the best,
Bob
I never really liked Matrix Games, though I tried to run a few of them. There was a Waterloo game and a Falklands game that I tried, but neither really clicked with my players.
ReplyDeleteStrangely enough I bought the WSS magazine on Saturday in WHS too and have really enjoyed reading it also.
ReplyDeleteConrad Kinch,
ReplyDeletePlayers either love or hate Matrix Games; there are very few people in wargaming who are 'middle of the road' on the topic!
I think that they have their uses - particularly when doing strategic-level gaming or as an adjunct to a campaign - but I would not like to play them all the time.
Perhaps you can take part in one that I run one day; it might change your mind.
All the best,
Bob
Tradgardmastare,
ReplyDeleteIt was nice to see it back of the shelves of WHSmith again.
I doubt if I will buy every issue (but then I rarely buy 'Wargames Illustrated' or 'Miniature Wargames' either these days) but when WSS cover a theme they usually do it quite well.
All the best,
Bob