Fame At Last?

I’ve been blogging now for over six years and have climbed to the dizzy heights of 201 followers (down from a peak at the end of last year of 214 – what did I say to offend you out there?) which gets me out of the range of the Leibster Awards for small plucky blogs nobody reads.

One of my followers is Henry Hyde (Hi Henry!) of Miniwargs & Battlegames who is a recent joiner, relatively speaking. When I saw him pop up I didn’t really pay it much attention. Henry edits a wargames magazine. It’s safe to assume he follows large numbers of blogs, trawling for the latest hip new trend if such things exist for wargamers.

However this month, in edition 395 of MW&BG, apparently this blog has been nominated as one of Henry’s two blogs of the month. So I had to say a warm thankyou to Henry for noticing and publicising my efforts. I realise that he’s probably been doing this for a year or two and at 2 blogs per month this probably means I don’t make his top 50, but even so….

I don’t actually buy any wargaming magazines regularly every month*, although if I did I’d favour MW&BG over Wargill. I wrote a blog a few years ago explaining my reasons in more detail,  although sometimes I’m tempted. My reasoning is, to quote Kate Nash, “I’ll just read a book instead”. Most of what I want about the periods I’m interested in won’t be in a generalist magazine so I’m going to end up buying monographs anyway. Plus I don’t need to be inspired to do a period by the presence of a nice looking range. Usually my thinking is the other way round except for a couple of one off projects, documented here**.

I will admit, however, that this can mean I miss out on what is currently happening and there’s always a danger I’ll re-invent the wheel. On that front Chris A & Phil are sort of my guides as they attend a lot of shows in the year and will let me know if there is already a solution out there to a problem I’m trying to fix.

On this occasion though I thought I’d pop out and pick up a copy to show some support. Plus it’s about time I did a bit of market research. As I had to go out and renew my season ticket on Sunday my first port of call was the WHSmith’s in my local railway station. Alas no MW there, but then it is a small branch. Consequently I popped into the larger independent newsagent in a local shopping arcade. Many, many magazines, one copy of Wargill, as many railway magazines as you could possibly want, but no MW.  Ho hum. Still, going into the smoke on Monday, so sure to get a copy there.

My first stopping point was the WHSmith’s in Euston (both of them), which didn’t even have a copy of Wargill let alone an MW. Round the corner from my office is Fenchurch Street station but no luck there either. Another WHS, of course, but they did have a single copy of “Skirmish” magazine for the discerning re-enactor.

Honestly this is getting a bit irritating. How am I going to bask in the admiration of an adoring public if no one can actually buy the magazine?


*I obviously get The Nugget when it is published as I’m a WD member but I don’t think you’d class it as a magazine. And it doesn’t come out monthly.

** On reflection that might not be true. I got the Sumerians because I liked the war carts, the Assyrains because of the four horse chariots, the RCW stuff because of the Armoured Train, the WotR armies because they just looked nice, the XIVth Army because of the hats... yes, I might be a serial offender in this area.


Comments

  1. Congratulations on the mention in MW: Battlegames. Well done!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you very much. Still don't know what it said. Clearly no newsagent in London has a copy.

      Delete
  2. Replies
    1. Thanks as well for your continued support.

      Delete
  3. Agreed! Have a sip of something medicinal, sit back, and put up your feet for a good read.

    Best REgards,

    Stokes

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No time for sitting back and resting on my laurels I must blog for my new found followers, all one of him.

      Delete
    2. I am Mr 202 :-) and will follow your blog now. Your hunt for the magazine sounds familiar as it happens to me here in the US all of the time.

      Delete
    3. Welcome aboard. I hope to keep you entertained for as long as you stay. Comments always welcome.

      Delete
  4. Congrats on your nomination.Ref your searc for the magazine I can confirm that WH Smith have two distribution systems. The Magazine you are looking for can usually be found in big town stores whereas concessions at stations etc are not covered by this distribution

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's useful to know. There are a number of WHSmiths near where I work and they are all in stations. In fact I can't find one in central London that isn't.

      I'm in Manchester next week. Hopefully more luck there.

      Delete
  5. Yes "Fame" at last .....(do you wanna live forever!!!)
    Personally I see your point regarding magazines- I don't do WI- see my blog for reasoning but MW does help to keep a finger on the pulse of the more independant minded.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, but I might want to learn how to fly.

      I get your point on WI completely. Henry is more open minded and provides a good mix of stuff, so more power to him.

      If I could only find a copy.

      Delete
    2. Congratulations - this is a great blog! As it happens I do read Henry's mag every month and had a quick check - you are in fact the 35th blog he has featured, so well inside the top 50. It puts you in the company of bob cordery, bill protz, conrad kinch, stokes schwartz 'and many, many more', so well done indeed !
      Now perhaps we can get Promethius in Aspic into the hall of fame too, eh Henry?

      Delete
    3. David,

      Thanks for the kind words and the blog count back. I've made the top 50! Wow-eee!!!

      Trebian

      Delete
  6. I'll have a shufti in the WHS in Birmingham tomorrow. If not, there's a chance the Ian Allan shop may have one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm up in Manchester on Monday, so hope to get a copy in either a high street WHS or the Ian Allen shop next to the station.

      Delete
  7. "climbed to the dizzy heights of 201 followers (down from a peak at the end of last year of 214 – what did I say to offend you out there?"

    I suffered a drop in followers at the same time. I wonder if Google (or individuals even) culled dead accounts maybe.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Curse Google! Do they have no concern for the fragile egos of us bloggers.

      Probably part of their evil plan to reduce their tax bill.

      Good to see I'm not alone however.

      Delete
  8. Got to love an armoured train...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There are very few games that would not be improved by an armoured train.

      Except early Renaissance.

      But then again....

      Delete

Post a Comment