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Message: <blockquote data-quote="(un)reason" data-source="post: 5299138" data-attributes="member: 27780">Dragon Magazine Issue 198: October 1993part 6/6Through the looking glass: Things go from bad to worse in the minis section. The lead bill has ground through committee at last in new york, and lots of states are considering following suit. The combination of increased prices and general uncertainty amongst both retailers and public has really done a number on sales, which means the companies have shortages of money and are likely to cancel entire lines to try and survive. This really is the straw that breaks wargaming's back, isn't it. It fought on gamely through the 80's, still getting plenty of promotion at the conventions despite dropping sales, but now it's withering away, a whole bunch of factors simultaneously conspiring against it and draining the enthusiasm of everyone remaining still trying to treat this as an industry rather than a hobby. This also probably helps explain why games workshop ended up on top. As a brit based company, this chaos would have had less impact upon them, putting them in a good position to scavenge off the remains and consolidate their own position. Well, it sounds like a good bit of theorising. Anyone want to talk a bit more about the realities of the next few years in wargaming, since detailed info probably won't be forthcoming in the magazine? But anyway, lets see what minis he's dug up this month. A mysterious cloaked, winged figure to haunt your dreams. A dragon with another mysterious cowled figure riding it, which wouldn't be at all out of place in Tolkien's setup. A diorama of adventurers discovering a treasure chest. This is not without it's dangers. A huge, oddly mawed worm bursting from the ground. A trio of hunched over ghouls, one with a natty hat. Two sets of three skeletal undead, with rather impressive weapons.  Death on a Motorcycle, as we've seen on heavy metal album covers and will see parodied soon in the Discworld. Some nicely dressed muthafunkin tremere, ready to cast spells, drink blood, and look really sharp while doing so. And a set of 4 minis representing a wolfwere in it's myriad forms, from TSR's official line. Keep the ones you're not using hidden, so you don't spoil the surprise. TSR Previews: The forgotten realms comes out looking good again. FRS1: The dalelands gives you some more info to help you adventure close to where Elminster can hear your cries of agony. A whole bunch of little independent states is perfect grounds for you to take one over if you're feeling evil as well. There's also Pool of Twilight by Jim Ward and Anne Brown. Once again, they try and recapture the magic of their famous mixed gender writing teams. See yet another generation of heroes come into play, possibly prematurely in this case. Oh well, child heroes are a well established fantasy trope. No reason D&D can't do them. Al-Qadim expands upon genies in ALQ4: Secrets of the lamp. Now that's one that makes perfect sense, and will probably get pretty good sales. You can even get to adventure in the city of brass, although not in as much detail as 3e. Sweet.Dragonlance is still busy, but less constructively. Leaves from the inn of last home gets reprinted, which I really don't think is worth the promotional space unless they've made some revisions and additions as well. And The Dwarven Kingdoms get a boxed set, tying in with their latest trilogy. Go them. In Dark Sun, on the other hand, it's the elves that are getting another splatbook in DSS3. They're quite different from generic elves, and their kits and equipment reflects that. Watch them like a hawk, or they'll have your equipment too. Lankhmar returns after a years gap. City of Lankhmar appears to be a reboot of sorts, giving us a new core. Seems like this is their only setting not being driven onwards by metaplot and timeline advances.  Our Generic product this month is another historical one HR5: The glory of rome. Combine with the Celts one for extra conquering and oppressing fun. Gamma World has another adventure. GWQ3: Home before the sky falls. Ancient robot war machines have been reactivated. Sounds like this could require some gamma knights. That or discretion and finding a weak point. The usual adventurer dilemma then. As is often the case with the october issues, the familiar and popular theme means they get lots of high quality articles in to choose from, giving us a fairly strong issue overall. Combine that with Sandy Petersen contributing two full-on classic articles on top of everything else, and this is a real home run even though the overall quality of the magazine is sliding. It makes their accomplishments feel all the more heroic, in a way, because things are becoming a genuine challenge again. A bit of fear and tension is just what the doctor ordered.</blockquote>

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