This issue comes with a free Warlord Games Modern Military Special Ops Sprue.
I’m writing this editorial from a position of ignorance. Currently (early March 2024) I have got everything crossed that a container ship transporting, amongst other things, several thousand plastic frames of Special Ops figures, will be docking at Portsmouth, England, with enough time for said frames to be unloaded and transported up the country, to then be bagged with this issue of Wargames Illustrated. By the time you read this, you will know if that has happened. If there is not a free model frame with your magazine you will know that, despite our best efforts, events beyond our control have conspired against us.
Those events have been on the fringes of world news for a couple of months now, as the Houthi rebels in Yemen continue to target shipping in the Red Sea; striking at a number of western container vessels, causing massive delays for goods, including our model frames as they travel via that route.
Regardless of whether this magazine is bagged with an accompanying Special Ops frame, it does contain an article influenced by those figures (page 60), and you will have to do a bit of interactive editing by replacing the introduction text: “… this month’s free Warlord Games Special Operations team frame…” with “… a future issue’s free…”, if forces have conspired against us. If the Special Ops frames haven’t made it here in time, they will be bagged with a forthcoming issue of the magazine. Thank you for your understanding.
That protracted explanation has left me with very little space to point out all the fantastic content we have for you in this issue and to highlight our theme of From the Screen. We present six articles inspired by wargaming’s relationship with TV, movies, and video games, and there’s a whole lot more too. Phew! I just about managed to mention everything!
Dan Faulconbridge
Editor
OBSERVATION POST
This month’s reviews include Wargames Atlantic plastics, Dead Man’s Hand cowboy scatter, Oathmark characters, and interwar MDF kits.
RELEASE RADAR
Dom Sore’s here to tell us about a stack of new and upcoming releases.
QUICK FIRE
Short, quick-read posts from Wi readers about their hobby projects, notes, news, and observations
THEME:
BIG SCREEN TO SMALL BOARD
Want to translate your favourite movie or TV show to the tabletop? Pete Brown’s here to help you out.
SALUTE 51: PIRATE PAINTING
Wi Painter extraordinaire Matt Parkes applies brushwork to preview versions of this year’s Salute show minis.
THEME:
RIDLEY SCOTT AT AUSTERLITZ
Colonel (Retired) Bill Gray compares two very different versions of Austerlitz. One is seen through a historical lens, the other, through the lens of director Ridley Scott’s Arri digital movie camera.
DESIGNER’S NOTES:
THE WARPAINTS FANATIC STORY
We’re very impressed with The Army Painter’s new Fanatic paints and asked Adam Abramowicz to shine a light on the development of such an expansive range.
THEME:
DJINS FROM THE DUNES (SAS ROGUE HEROES)
Glenn Clarke takes TV inspiration from SAS Rogue Heroes and drives out into the Egyptian sands during WWII.
DESIGNER’S NOTES:
CELTIC FRINGE AND MONTROSE
Paul Reynolds provides a guide to two new For King and Parliament supplements, which he has co-written with two other enthusiasts of these popular 17th Century rules.
THEME:
FROM SPEC OPS TO COD
Matt Parkes builds iconic Call of Duty characters from Warlord Games’ Special Operations team frame, and we probe how other video game offerings can inspire our tabletop warfare.
DESIGNER’S NOTES:
ACHTUNG PANZER!
Mike Bradford, author of Warlord Games’ new rules Achtung Panzer!, tells us about the development and mechanics of this new ‘skirmish’-level tank battle game.
THEME:
HOME GUARD HEROES
Paul Mackay examines the Home Guard in history and in the classic BBC comedy series Dad’s Army, then shows how he painted his troops in miniature.
PAINTING POLISH PLASTICS
James continues his experiments with Army Painter’s new Fanatic range and paints a couple of the new Perry Miniatures Duchy of Warsaw infantry.
THEME:
GENRE HOPPING WITH 7TV THE 80S
7TV: The 80s lead writer, Helena Nash, provides insight into the design process of the popular skirmish game’s latest Genre Guide.
DESIGNER’S NOTES:
ALALA!
Simon MacDowall talks about the development and playtesting of his new ruleset for Greek hoplite battles.
JACK ALEXANDER OBITUARY
Bob Black bids a fond farewell to his friend Jack Alexander who, through his Jacklex range, was one of the early icons of miniature-making.
