Moves (magazine)
Encyclopedia
Moves was a wargaming
magazine
originally published by SPI
(Simulations Publications, Inc.), who also published manual wargames. Their flagship magazine Strategy & Tactics
(S&T), was a military history magazine featuring a new wargame in each issue. While S&T was devoted to historical articles, Moves focused on the play of the games. Each issue carried articles dealing with strategies for different wargames, tactical tips, and many variants and scenarios for existing games. As time passed, reviews of new games also became an important feature. While the majority of the articles dealt with SPI games, the magazine was open to and published many articles on games by other companies.
Founded by Jim Dunnigan
, Moves began publication in 1972. SPI carried a huge inventory of their games, and was very successful as a direct mail marketer of their games. But with the rise of role playing games and multi-million dollar sales for that arm of gaming, SPI expanded into hobby shops and increased their market. However, retail meant significantly higher print runs and lower margins, and with the rapid inflation of the 1970s, the rise in paper costs put them in a financial bind. When the recession of 1980-81 hit, the company found themselves short of cash and unable to continue without a loan. TSR appeared to be a savior, making the loan as a promissory note, but then reversed course and demanded payment. Moves was among the assets was acquired by TSR. The final issue (#60) of the original run was published in December 1981.
A second run of issues began publication in 1991 with issue #61, when 3W
ceased publication of The Wargamer
in favor of restarting the well-known Moves title. It was bought, along with Fire & Movement
and Strategy & Tactics, by Decision Games
and continued publishing into the 21st Century.
Wargaming
A wargame is a strategy game that deals with military operations of various types, real or fictional. Wargaming is the hobby dedicated to the play of such games, which can also be called conflict simulations, or consims for short. When used professionally to study warfare, it is generally known as...
magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
originally published by SPI
Simulations Publications
Simulations Publications, Inc. was an influential American publisher of board wargames and related magazines, particularly its flagship Strategy & Tactics, in the 1970s and early 1980s...
(Simulations Publications, Inc.), who also published manual wargames. Their flagship magazine Strategy & Tactics
Strategy & Tactics
Strategy & Tactics is a wargaming magazine now published by Decision Games, notable for publishing a complete new wargame in each issue...
(S&T), was a military history magazine featuring a new wargame in each issue. While S&T was devoted to historical articles, Moves focused on the play of the games. Each issue carried articles dealing with strategies for different wargames, tactical tips, and many variants and scenarios for existing games. As time passed, reviews of new games also became an important feature. While the majority of the articles dealt with SPI games, the magazine was open to and published many articles on games by other companies.
Founded by Jim Dunnigan
Jim Dunnigan
James F. Dunnigan is an author, military-political analyst, Defense and State Department consultant, and wargame designer currently living in New York City, notable for his matter-of-fact approach to military analysis.-Career:...
, Moves began publication in 1972. SPI carried a huge inventory of their games, and was very successful as a direct mail marketer of their games. But with the rise of role playing games and multi-million dollar sales for that arm of gaming, SPI expanded into hobby shops and increased their market. However, retail meant significantly higher print runs and lower margins, and with the rapid inflation of the 1970s, the rise in paper costs put them in a financial bind. When the recession of 1980-81 hit, the company found themselves short of cash and unable to continue without a loan. TSR appeared to be a savior, making the loan as a promissory note, but then reversed course and demanded payment. Moves was among the assets was acquired by TSR. The final issue (#60) of the original run was published in December 1981.
A second run of issues began publication in 1991 with issue #61, when 3W
3W (company)
World Wide Wargames, or 3W, was a wargame company founded in 1977 by Keith Poulter. Originally launched in England, the company moved later to California. In addition to producing boxed wargames, 3W published the magazine The Wargamer before taking charge of the magazine Strategy & Tactics...
ceased publication of The Wargamer
The Wargamer (magazine)
The Wargamer was a magazine devoted to the hobby of board wargaming. It was founded by Keith Poulter and published six times a year by World Wide Wargames , Although initially it was only published four times a year....
in favor of restarting the well-known Moves title. It was bought, along with Fire & Movement
Fire & Movement
Fire & Movement: The Forum of Conflict Simulation was founded by Rodger MacGowan in 1975, and began publication the following year. The magazine is devoted to covering games from a variety of manufacturers, specializing in wargames, both traditional board wargames and also computer wargames Fire &...
and Strategy & Tactics, by Decision Games
Decision Games
Decision Games is a wargaming company, founded by Christopher Cummins, that publishes Strategy & Tactics magazine. The company has bought the rights to many Simulations Publications, Inc...
and continued publishing into the 21st Century.
Editors
- James F. Dunnigan: Number 13 (Feb/Mar 1974) - Number 14 (April/May 1974)
- Howard Barasch: Number 15 (June/July 1974) - 23 (October/November 1975)
- Redmond A. SimonsenRedmond A. SimonsenRedmond Askel Simonsen was an American graphic artist and game designer best known for his work at the board wargame company Simulations Publications, Inc. in the 1970s and early 1980s...
: Number 25 (February/March 1976) - 57 (June/July 1981) - Jeff Albanese: Number 64 (August-September 1991) - 65 (October 1991)
- Christopher R. Cummins: Number 103 (Feb/Mar 2001) - 108 (Spring 2002)