The Wargames, Soldiers & Strategy magazine is a bi-monthly magazine, available on the high street (WH. Smiths in the UK) that covers figure wargaming.
Each month, it has an on-line article that supports the theme of that issue, which this issue (No 128) happens to be the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Anyone can access the on-line article and I have put a link at the foot of this post for your convenience.
The look and style of the article is identical to that found in the magazine, so if you have not come across the magazine before, the on-line article might encourage you to order the latest (or previous) issue for a bit of a look-see at this publication.
Anyway, it is a 4 page download that gives guidance and a map for running a French / Austrian campaign (1796) covering Northern Italy in the Rivoli region.
I don't usually cover these sort of things on the blog, but I wanted to draw your attention to this because it is a perfect example of putting a campaign together and playing it out.
You can swap out the period for one of your choice and it could easily see a fantasy campaign replace the historical one.
For my own gaming, I want this year's games to be a bit more linked up, with campaigning and themes being prominent, so I will be using this model for something, I am just not sure what yet, though it does seem perfect for doing something around South Mountain (ACW 1862) with the choke points such as Fox's Gap nicely doing what Idro - Salo / Marco - Rivoli / Primarily - Bassano passes are doing on the WSS campaign map.
Anyway, I hope this is of some use to you and that you at least enjoy the dowloaded article.
I always buy this on the high street, but I think that this is the issue that will make me jump on a subscription for the magazine.
Resource Section.
The campaign as presented by Wargames Soldiers & Strategy. Link
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0296/7067/0384/files/wss128_online.pdf?v=1702642830
My sister webspace ‘COMMANDERS’ showcases the various figure and boardgame systems that I am enjoying and gives a flavour of where current projects are up to. Link.
I have subscribed for a while now and always take up the usual post Christmas discount offer to re-subscribe, despite the themed aspect it always has something if interest and as you say a lot of the scenarios there in can be utilised for ones area of interest
ReplyDeleteHi Phil, of the three wargame mags, it reminds most closely of the old defunct and much missed Practical Wargamer magazine.
ReplyDeleteIndeed I have my copies up in the loft.
DeleteThanks for bringing up that WSS offers a sample article. The FRW theme in 128 is of special interest to me because the period is one I collect/game and campaigning (including the 176-1797 campaign) has been a topic I have been considering for my own gaming in 2024.
ReplyDeleteAlthough not every "theme" interests me, the digital subscription is quite inexpensive.
Hi Jonathan, I thought this would specifically interest you.
ReplyDeleteI am a subscriber and this issue was of particular interest. One other point about digital subscription is that the digital copy arrives a week or two before the print version.
DeleteThe shops here seem to get it around 5 / 6 days after subscribers get the physical copy.
DeleteHi Peter, certainly a useful model for us to use.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this, Norm. I think all of our games are much richer and more meaningful when part of a linked campaign.
ReplyDeleteHi Steve, I’m hoping to push the campaign / linked games side of this this year.
DeleteHi Norm. Thanks very much for posting this. Very interesting.
ReplyDeleteHi Ben, in some ways the article doesn’t bring any surprises, but its presentation does switch the light on for me.
ReplyDeleteI'll stick with Wargames Illustrated myself, though I do obtain the odd WSS via Phil's good offices, though it's not in his local Smiths as yet.
ReplyDeleteIt’s a good issue, happy reading for you both :-)
DeleteThanks Norm I also spotted the late war campaign which we are planning to run later in the year using my 15mm stuff 👍
ReplyDeleteHi Matt, I don’t always check the on-line support article, thankfully I did this time.
DeleteThanks for the 'heads up' Norm and for the link too. I might check out what else in the in the magazine. I used to subscribe but found less and less was of interest to me, so didn't renew. I know WI has had a big upsurge in digital subscriptions, as not only is it cheaper, but there are no storage issues etc. However I'm rather old school and like my physical copies!
ReplyDeleteHi Steve, yes, I like the paper issue. I feel the WSS is consistently good. Now and the it disappoints me, like the last issue, but overall, I would put it on the top spot.
DeleteBy the way, your comment got caught in the spam thingy.
Deletethanks for the link,. I'll check it out.
ReplyDeleteI read South Mountain and Fox's Gap but after that the rest of the words didn't make sense to me. 😁😁
(because they were Naps battles)
Hi Stew, huzzah to the Blue & Grey!
ReplyDeleteWSS is my preferred magazine and I have a variety of downloaded articles that are really interesting, looking forward to you adapting it to your 1809 campaign!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain caveadsum1471
Hi Iain, I like that the downloads are in the same format and style of the main mag. Yes something 1809 will be brewing.
ReplyDeleteLooks interesting Norm and thanks for posting to highlight this useful resource!
ReplyDeleteHi Ross, my pleasure.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link and the heads up. Sometimes things like this are really useful to upcoming projects.
ReplyDeleteHi, if you get something going with it, please post back. I hope to do something with it later in the year.
ReplyDeleteMy local (read within a 5k area) newsagents here in Brisbane, Australia used to stock WSS and Wargames Illustrated but they seemed to have stopped stocking them which is annoying. I have an alternative for WI but not WSS. I much prefer the tactile feel of the magazine to looking at them online which is somewhat limiting.
ReplyDeleteHi Chris, in the UK we have a large high street chain called W H Smiths, most of which stock at least one of the three wargame mags, but I notice the numbers on sale have reduced over the past two years. Like yourself, I prefer the physical mag. It might be worth seeing if you can order it from your local shop or even one of those rare things ….. a hobby shop.
ReplyDelete