Gentlemen and Ladies,

I've been asked a few times to consider founding and publishing a new magazine to replace the faithful old "Boardgamer", whose demise is upon us. As some of you may know, the Boardgamer is ceasing publication with the October issue, Bruce Monnin the editor has become the new editor of Operations the house organ of Multi-Man Publishing. And, I as one of the last major contributors to his magazine have been contacted several times by a few of his readership to found a replacement. In this effort I've discussed on a couple of wargame websites the methodology of publication and costs involved, as well as the goals of such a publication.

The editorial goal of the magazine is to produce articles on unsupported wargames and long out of print wargames. Articles on games such as 1830 or Advanced Civilization will also be welcome, even articles on Sports games such as the old Football Strategy will also be just fine. The publication is not limited to only Avalon Hill games. Articles on games from other companies such as West End Games, Clash of Arms, etc. … are more than welcome, in fact the goal is to produce articles on games that people play and like that are
older. My goal is to produce a publication every 3 months, and if it warrants every other month (one can hope anyway).

I seek to publish articles on strategy, tactics, and variants (which is a biggie for me as a veteran tinkerer). In fact the only type of article that will be de-emphasized is the review article. That shouldn't be a problem as the games covered for the most part will be older games whose review in magazines should have been accomplished long ago. And this single de-emphasis is one of the two distinctions between this proposal and those of extant publications (the other being the emphasis upon older unsupported games).

Articles on newer games are also welcome as long as they tend to be those games that are not having mounds of press thrown their way. I seek to serve that which is not largely in the public eye. In this way the "Old Soldiers" can help smaller wargame companies to prosper.

It has been suggested that the magazine begin as an e-mail publication. That is to say begin with the least costly method first with an eventual goal of reaching enough subscribers that the publication can proceed to print media. This helps international subscribers as they don't have to pay the exorbitant costs of international postage. And, as someone else pointed out, the lack of paper is eco-friendly. It will be set up so that subscribers will be able to print off the entire issue, or specific articles as they desire or need.

I also have a desire to provide a graphics insert or counter sheet at least once a year. Though we will have to see if the cost can be born.

I have not yet set a subscription cost, but I do want to keep it to less than $25 a year, and prefer $20 or less. I also have not figured out the remuneration for submissions. I hope to follow the example of the old Boardgamer in that remuneration is offered in future free issues of the magazine (subscription extensions).

If anyone truly wants to subscribe to a publication such as this, please respond to the following e-mail address, which I've set up in order to manage this effort. Please DO respond to this address as I've set it up to build a subscriber database and e-mail list.

tgunslinger@excite.com

Take Care,
Tom Cundiff

Oh, and by the way, I'd love to see article submissions on this new Advanced Civilization Variant you've all produced. I personally like it and hope one day to find enough people to play it with.

Take Care,
Tom

Howdy Gents,

I just two days we’ve reached a total of 40 committed subscribers. We’re doing very well. The goal is 110 subscribers, counting on at least a 10% drop out rate, which always occurs. If we keep up this rate of subscription we’ll have enough people by the beginning of next week to begin work on the first publication.

If that happens, I’d like to get the first issue out within a month (30 days). Toward that end I’d like to encourage potential writers to begin work on, prepare, and submit your articles. Standard Word.doc format is best for submissions, and pdf is absolutely useless for me. My computer simply doesn’t like Adobe products. Any graphics you wish to submit with your articles should be in jpg, bmp, or png formats.

If you do submit graphics with your article(s) please provide contact information for the game publisher, preferably e-mail, so I can clear the usage of their material.

We’re doing very well in our subscription drive. Keep it up! Do your best imitation of Aunt Bea, go grab Opie (i.e. your best wargamer buddie) by the ear and make him send a letter of subscription to the following e-mail address. This address is set up solely for the usage of “Old Soldiers Magazine” for the purpose of building an subscription list.

That address is tgunslinger@excite.com

Again, I thank you all for your commitment, keep up the good work, and let’s push hard to reach the “Go Threshold” of 110.

Take Care,
Tom Cundiff
“Old Soldiers Magazine”

Howdy Ladies and Gents,

After a flying start things have slowed down to a crawl. This was not unexpected. There’s always an initial burst of enthusiasm in all projects. Success goes to those who work to obtain the results desired. To that end, you, and I have to work to enlist the aid of our fellow wargamers, that is recommend, beg, and cajole them into subscribing. We’ve reached 45 subscribers. Since Wed. last there has been only 5 more people subscribe. I’ve spoken with Bruce Monnin as to what type of initial interest he had when first he floated the Boardgamer, and it took him 6 months to get 100 subscribers. One thing Bruce did that is probably a good idea is to produce a sample issue as a marketing tool. That would probably serve us well too, and I note several of you have mentioned the same thing. To that end, I hope those of you who have offered to write will forward articles for that first (free) issue. As one subscriber humorously wrote, “you probably have enough old articles and as yet unpublished articles to populate a magazine for a year”. Well, he’s correct of course, but diversity of authorship is of value in a magazine. To that end I truly desire the work of other authors than myself overall, as well as for this “free trial issue”.

Getting to that golden number of 110 subscribers will be hard work and require the devotion of us all. Only the dedication of all of us will see “Old Soldiers” succeed. Don’t let this effort fade away. I’m asking for your help to make this a success.

Article Guidelines:
The only type of article that is probably not useful is the “Review” article for old games, though this is probably just fine for new games from the smaller game companies. Older games have long since seen review articles written on them, so the need for more of the same seems redundant to me.

Strategy, Tactics, & Variant articles are all fair game. Series Replays are well received also. But, there’s a difference between a SR and an AAR (After Action Report). AAR’s don’t interest me in a publication such as this. The difference is the neutral commentary. I was asked if purely historic articles would interest my readership. I am guessing that being wargamers we all would enjoy reading the occasional good military history article. Book reviews of military history books, spy novels, nautical fiction, etc. would probably also interest the readership. I’d be especially interested in an analytic look at the best of Napoleonic Literature, or Age of Sail Literature, US Civil War Literature (even on specific battles since there is such a plethora of books on the US Civil War). Book reviews of this type done in a scholarly manner are a boon to all interested in military history. There’s so much to read and so little written to help us decide exactly what is of value amongst that which is published. Perhaps half a page or so can be devoted to such each issue.

Articles should be submitted in MSWord.doc format. Pdf is a strict no-no. My computer simply doesn’t like Adobe products. If you submit graphics with an article, and they are copies of copyrighted material, please provide a method for me to contact the game company possessing the copyright so I can clear its use in the magazine. I’ve no desire to tread on the all too touchy toes of copyright holders. In this context, the use of small sections of boards or counters should be seen as good press for those who hold the copyrights, but the ways of mankind are all too illogical.

If you do send an article to be used in these first few free issues, or for any other purpose for that matter, please provide me a name and address for the author(s).

Well, I think that covers it for now. If you want to see “Old Soldiers” grow, you and I need to move our friends off the fences to subscribe. And the writers amongst us need to write good articles. Bad articles, though they may occasionally get through, and we’ve all seen them, are really bad for free sample issues attempting to demonstrate the value of a new publication. So, the first articles need to be really good ones to show case the value of the writers and the magazine, for afterall a magazine is nothing but a cover for the pens of its authors. After that, let’s use those first excellent articles as a benchmark by which to judge our work in the future. Hopefully, those few bad articles that always exist, will have a jaundiced eye to brave before they see print. Quality work is very important.

Hopefully enough of you will take up the gauntlet and go tilting at windmills to see this venture succeed.

Sincerely,
Tom Cundiff

Howdy Everyone,

Since last weekend we’ve picked up a few more subscribers and our number totals 51. There have also been a few, though nebulous, offers to write. Article submissions are what will ultimately drive this magazine. They are the reason people subscribe; the reason people want a magazine. So, I’m pleading for authors to step forward, especially for non-Avalon Hill games. Furthermore, without authors willing to initially work for free, even the concept of a “free initial issue” for purposes of exhibiting the talent of the authors and the value of “Old Solders” becoming moot.

As I write, GenCon is ongoing in Indianapolis. I sort of wish I was there, but truly GenCon isn’t my cup of tea. For those of you who are going to the convention, and who haven’t yet left, it runs from Wed. to Sunday this week at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. I would ask that you take the opportunity to let people you meet there know of the effort we are making to found a new publication. Relate to them the goals of the magazine, that being to publish articles not only on Avalon Hill games, but also all Out of Print games, and games from by gone publishers, as well as to promote new games from lesser companies, especially those without a voice in the larger established hobby press. We desire to provide an electronic copy of the magazine to those of the generation who wish to receive information that way as well to our overseas subscribers to avoid the costs of postage, and to provide hard copies of the magazine to the older wargame generation which still values having a magazine in their hands. It is our intention to provide a yearly die-cut counter sheet for variants (should enough variants appear in the magazine to warrant it) as well as color graphic inserts (new boards, cards, etc.). Merely ask those who are interested to drop a line to me at tgunslinger@excite.com to be added to the subscriber database.

It has been through your efforts that we’ve reached the number of subscribers we have, and I feel good about our chances. Unlike other magazines, this is YOUR magazine. I ascribe to the same principles as the editor/publisher of this magazine as I do when acting as a GM for Gunslinger. My efforts are merely those of a “secretary” for the group. I do not believe in making capricious rulings. The wishes of the subscribers are taken seriously. I desire to provide for the community that which you desire in a magazine, within the goals stated above. After all what is a magazine except that it serves its subscribers? I want you all to feel that you can approach me, write me, and call me, with any suggestions you feel are important to you. I’m not some ivory tower type. I try very hard to implement the values my father, an old sergeant, taught me, that being to “take care of your men”. I value strongly those words and have always done my best to carry them out in every business in which I’ve managed people. And here, this means to me to take care of my subscribers. So, this is your magazine, and your efforts are what will make or break this effort. We’re nearly half way to our threshold number to begin publication (110). We’re short of that mark by only 4 today.

Keep pushing, do your best to spread the word about Old Soldiers (especially take advantage of GenCon you’re going to be there), and keep the faith. And for the writers amongst us, to paraphrase Billy Crystal, “Writers write, always”. We need article submissions.

Take Care,
Tom Cundiff
Old Soldiers Magazine

Howdy Everyone,

I’ve now received printing quotes and am able to set a definite subscription cost. Subscriptions will be $25.00 yearly. The Old Soldiers will be a quarterly magazine printed every Jan., Apr., July, & October. Postage to outside of the United States will add extra, but that shouldn’t really be a problem as most of our overseas subscribers have already indicated a desire to receive the magazine in electronic e-mail form, for that there is no extra charge.

A copy of the magazine’s coversheet is available for everyone to have a look at. Just let me know and I’ll post it to you.

I feel strongly that we will be able to pull off a die-cut counter sheet every year. I have not yet received quotes on the cost for that, but, based upon the cost for the magazine, I don’t think it will cost more than an extra $5.00, but don’t hold me to that because I am guessing afterall.

Twenty percent (11 pages) of the inaugural first issue has been written and laid out. I have included in this first issue an article which is a collaboration of myself and two other authors. I wanted to include something of my own, but not something that was solely my own. I do not want the magazine to become a “showcase” for my own articles. I will write articles for the publication, because that is what I do best, but I don’t want to emphasize my own work. The first two articles so far are:

Advantages of Interior Sea Lanes in Conquistador (Avalon Hill) By: Forest Cole
The Fabric of Belgian Skies: Scenarios for the Airforce/Dauntless System (Battleline/Avalon Hill)
By: Mike Rowles, Tom Cundiff, & Colin Lynch

This is just a beginning. I’ve been promised many more. I hope to have this first issue ready for transmission before the end of September. This first issue will be solely electronic in format. This is because I do not plan on requesting subscriptions until people see the first sample issue and can judge for themselves the quality of the work and the value of the magazine. IF, later on, I receive enough requests to actually have the first issue printed, I will take up separate collection from those so desiring printed copies and have it printed and mailed.

We’ve reached 60 committed subscribers. That’s not bad for having been at this for approximately 16 days. Keep up the good work. Post whatever notices about the magazine you desire at websites you know to be frequesnted by wargamers, afterall I don’t know them all that’s for certain, and the efforts of all of us are what will make this venture a success. Keep up the pressure on your friends, twist their arms, challenge them to a game and if you win they have to subscribe J

Also, I think it would be a good idea to set up a website for the magazine. However, I don’t know how to do that. Don’t have the faintest idea. So, I’m asking one of you to help me out there by building such a site for the magazine. I know there’s plenty of free places for this purpose. I do like the design described by the Boardgame Players Assoc. The design and construction of that site is exactly what I desire. It’s very functional. So, if one of you would do this for me, or help me to do it, it would be much appreciated.

I promise to keep you all informed of any progress we make.

Take Care,
Tom Cundiff
Old Soldiers Magazine

Howdy Ladies and Gents,

This week has seen some interesting developments. After initially being willing to discuss allowing Old Soldiers to use copyrighted material for illustrative purposes, Hasbro/Wizards of the Coast/Avalon Hill tersely denied that permission. Fortunately they do not own all of the artwork associated with the old Avalon Hill games. I’ve been reliably informed that Roger McGowan still owns all copyrights to artwork he did for Avalon Hill, several of the old AH games have been returned to their designers, and a few have even had their copyrights expire. So, to get around these problems, it would be nice, if those of you who know about a specific game(s) could post me a note so we can build a list of what games have copyrights owned by whom. As far as Old Soldiers is concerned, Old Soldiers will simply not publish illustrations on games the rights of which are owned by Hasborg.. We will continue to publish articles on those games, but any artwork to be published, the rights of which are owned by Hasborg, must be 100% new artwork. There’s more than one way to skin a ‘Borg’.

The same methodology can be applied to other games from other companies which present the same problems.

The Free Sample Issue is continuing apace. There are now 5 articles written and laid out. Sixteen pages of the 50 allotted are completed. The articles so far are:

Advantages of Interior Sea Lanes in Conquistador (AH) By: Forest Cole
The Fabric of Belgian Skies: Scenarios for the Airforce/Dauntless System (Battleline/AH) By: Tom Cundiff, Mike Rowles, & Colin Lynch
Variant Rules For Panzer ’44 (SPI’s) By: Steven Bucey
A Change of Scenery in B-17 Queen of the Skies (AH) By Steve Dixon
The Sequence of “The Draw”: Ordering The Card Draw in Gunslinger (AH) By Tom Cundiff and Ruben Rigillo

This week has been slow for subscribers. We’ve not reached 65 from last week’s 60. So, keep up the pressure on your friends. Get the word out at your favorite forums. The Boardgamer had 200-250 subscribers and I am certain, restrictive as its scope was, there are people out there who would like to see articles on old games other than AH titles. There’s more people out there, we’ve just not reached them yet.

Also, I was reminded that game store owners sold the Boardgamer and at least one of those is waiting to review the first couple of issues before he commits. These types of venues for the magazine result from individual gamers talking to their local game store owners. I did the same for the Boardgamer. Though, these types of contacts will not help us reach that initial publication goal. It will help us to maintain the magazine’s production. So, feel free to talk to your local game store about the magazine.

We’ve had a wide variety of offers for articles. I’m just waiting for them to arrive. There’s plenty of space left for them, at least 34 pages. The Sept. 30 deadline to get out this first is reachable, it can be done.

Keep up the good work everyone and I’ll keep you informed.

Take Care,
Tom Cundiff
Old Soldiers Magazine

US Print Subscriptions $25.00 annually
Canadian Print Subscriptions $25.00 + postage difference
Overseas Subscriptions e-mail only $25.00
Overseas Print Subscriptions (available upon request, price dependent upon postage)

(Feel free to post this notice to any forum you believe fits the purpose.)