Never Mind the Matchlocks is a complete set of pike and shot rules for gaming small battles in the English Civil War (and thereabouts!)
Although based on the popular Never Mind the Billhooks medieval rules, Matchlocks is a stand-alone game, published in a self-contained 32-page magazine style, full colour, booklet.
All the cards you need to play a game of Never Mind the Matchlocks.
This issue comes with a free Never Mind the Billhooks standalone ruleset: Never Mind the Matchlocks.
I’ll begin this month’s editorial with a brief FAQ: no, you don’t need Never Mind the Billhooks to play Never Mind the Matchlocks, it’s a completely self-contained ruleset. Matchlocks is ideal for bringing small armies of around 150 figures per side to bear in tabletop battles set during the English Civil War (and thereabouts).
In utilising the mechanics of Billhooks, author Andy Callan and I hope that Matchlocks will prove to be as popular as it’s medieval forefather, enticing many of you to either brush off those roundheads and cavaliers you have somewhere at the back of your cupboard, or providing an excuse to purchase a few new boxes/packs.
The launch of Never Mind the Matchlocks has somewhat stolen the limelight from this month’s Gladiator theme. In truth, it was only ever going to be a mini theme. Inspired by the new Ridley Scott blockbuster, we have contrived to feature two gladiator themed articles in this month’s magazine, daring to go even further than Mr Scott would, by pitting Queen Victoria, Napoleon, Genghis Khan, and many more, against each other in one of our gladiator inspired articles – turn to page 36 to be enlightened.
Twenty-twenty-four ended with an explosion of activity here at Wargames Illustrated HQ. After many months of work behind the scenes, we relaunched our website and our subscription packages. The big headline from the changes is that new and renewing Wi Subscribers now automatically become WiPrime Members, joining our online social club, with a booty of benefits.
We hope that all the benefits of WiPrime (including at least £30 worth of discounts each month) more than makeup for our subscription price rise. Any increase in cost is unwelcome, I know, but since the last time our subscription increased in price (2019), the cost of postage has increased by a whopping 43%, so it was pretty unavoidable.
Twenty-twenty-five is set to be another exciting year, not least because all the big UK supermarkets – Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and now ASDA – are selling more copies of Wargames Illustrated than ever before, and stocking it in more of their stores.
“Well, that’s all fine and dandy, but what’s in this issue?” I hear you say: everything from The Carlist War to The Mad Trapper of Rat River, and the walls of New Kingdom Egypt to artillery of ancient China, with loads of painting and modelling – our theme this month – in between.
Happy New Year, let’s hope it’s another good one for wargaming and hobby activities of every kind.
