Old Soldiers Magazine Update 8/25

[Cundiff]

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

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

 

[Cundiff]

Old Soldiers Magazine Weekly Update 1 Sept. 2004

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.)

 

[Siberian HEAT]

Tom, I sent you an email...just so you know to be on the lookout.

:thumb:

 

[Cundiff]

Acknowledged

Message received and thank you.

Tom