Welcome to issue #47 which unfortunately will be our last issue for the foreseeable future. I was planning on telling you that while it had been awhile since the last issue, we were continuing on. This is now impossible since I am moving back to Australia to be in the same city as my son Keegan. I know this will be more unwelcome news for a hobby which seems to have bad news every 6 months. We have never made money off this magazine (breaking even was a challenge) but it was a labour of love which we all enjoyed. The good news is that I will be posting new article on our web page - www.telusplanet.net/public/cwgroup/cwghome.html. So check out our page once a month and email us (I will post my new email on the site when it happens) if you have any comments or articles. I feel very proud of our 12 year contribution to the hobby and thank you for your support.
The Canadian Wargamers Group will carry on. We have just published Bruce McFarlane's 7th miniatures guidebook, For God, King and Country (English Civil War). We hope to do more in the future - Volume III of Great Battles of World War II (1940), Hannibal (Punic Wars) and The Crusades are in various stages of completion. Ken Hole is taking over the duties as "keeper of the stock" and will be shipping any order you place.
It is funny but I have always felt that by studying the playing tastes and habits of our small gaming circle, one could gauge the pulse of wargaming. If I reflect on the group for the last year I see three emerging trends.
Miniatures are more popular spurred on by Bruce McFarlane's tireless ability to host one more game. Mature and young gamers alike revel in the look and feel of games played this way. While they may have different rules sets both age groups are enjoying miniatures more. Sets that can bridge the gap like Legendary Battles are very popular with "Fathers and Sons".
Simple multiplayer games from Europe are all the rage. Our group has always been stoutly represented by Steve Zanini and his gaming get togethers have never been more popular. The games are short, easy to set up but are still challenging even if the simulations boarder on cartoons.
Most noticable has been the rise of computer games. The three problems they had in the past are starting to be overcome. Certainly the common machines are big enough and fast enough to handle large complex games (although the algorithms seem to be simpler than the graphics). Also, sales of niche markets like wargaming are big enough to warrant fullblown designs on historical topics (I am sure they will get around to non-American, non-WWII topics soon). But most importantly it is the internet that has solved the problem of finding a decent opponent (the computer is still just a sparing partner). Now you can have a regular game night with a buddy across the world (an event I hope to do often) or go on a bulletin board and met a new opponent. Things will only get better.
So this is it. Subscribers should have a special letter enclosed with info on how to get your money back (I do not know what other magazines have done but for us there was never any doubt). But I wanted end this by saying thanks and enjoy your next game.