OBSERVATION POST
We review a fantasy/historical expansion and an intriguing sci-fi skirmish game in this month’s Observation Post.

RELEASE RADAR
Want to know what’s hot and new in the mini world? Dom Sore knows the score – check out his Release Radar.

QUICK FIRE
Hobby projects from Wargames Illustrated readers.

THEME:
WHERE THE WILD THINGS WERE
As part of this month’s Cowboy theme, Neil Smith takes a fresh look at Wild West towns and how we should represent them in our games.

SPEEDPAINTS 2.0
James puts Army Painter’s new 2.0 formula Speedpaints to the test and ropes in the rest of Wi’s paint-shy team to see how newcomers deal with the range.

THEME:
DESIGNER’S NOTES:
WHAT A COWBOY!
John Savage tells us all about his new Wild West skirmish game, which was initially inspired by the What a Tanker! Command Dice system.

DESIGNER’S NOTES:
THE DOOMED
Chris McDowall’s new rules, published by Osprey Games, provide a gaming toolbox designed to inspire your narrative tabletop battles and get your miniature-converting ideas flowing.

THEME:
DEAD MAN’S HAND: BOYS AND BUCKS
Great Escape Games’ Mark Wheatley heads to Wi HQ with an armful of Dead Man’s Hand goodies for us to look at.

HAMMERHEAD PAINTING COMPETITION
For the fifth year in succession, Wargames Illustrated ran the Hammerhead Painting Competition at the show in Newark, England, supported by Kalistra, and we’ve got photos of the winners for your delectation and dissection.

THE RACE TO MUNASSIB PASS
Robert Giglio presents a full multiplayer ruleset for a ‘race’ game set in WWI. Players come together in command of British light patrol cars and attempt to cut off a retreating Senussi force controlled by the referee.

FIGURE SPOTLIGHT:
PLASTIC FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR FRENCH INFANTRY
We talk to Michael Perry about his eagerly awaited French Infantry plastic sets and get a bonus painting guide from brushmaster Matt Parkes.

RULES SHOWCASE:
MAD FOR WAR: ALL AT SEA
Games Designer Barry Hilton pressgangs a couple of wet-behind-the-ears landlubbers and guides them through their first game of his Age of Sail rules: Mad For War, and in the process unexpectedly uncovers ‘the best naval gamer’ he has ever seen!

RAISING THE STANDARD
Billhooks fanatic Mike Peters explains how he paints the beautiful standards that decorate his Wars of the Roses armies. Mike’s advice is applicable to banners for pretty much any period.