Twenty-twenty-four ended with an explosion of activity here at Wargames Illustrated HQ. After many months of work behind the scenes, we relaunched our website and our subscription packages. The big headline from the changes is that new and renewing Wi Subscribers now automatically become WiPrime Members, joining our online social club, with a booty of benefits.

We hope that all the benefits of WiPrime (including at least £30 worth of discounts each month) more than makeup for our subscription price rise. Any increase in cost is unwelcome, I know, but since the last time our subscription increased in price (2019), the cost of postage has increased by a whopping 43%, so it was pretty unavoidable.

Twenty-twenty-five is set to be another exciting year, not least because all the big UK supermarkets – Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and now ASDA – are selling more copies of Wargames Illustrated than ever before, and stocking it in more of their stores.

“Well, that’s all fine and dandy, but what’s in this issue?” I hear you say: everything from The Carlist War to The Mad Trapper of Rat River, and the walls of New Kingdom Egypt to artillery of ancient China, with loads of painting and modelling – our theme this month – in between.

Happy New Year, let’s hope it’s another good one for wargaming and hobby activities of every kind.