A frequently recurring theme within the Forums is ''What Magazine should I buy?''. In this Feature, i''ve taken four popular magazines and done a fairly opinionated overview of them. The four magazines all tend to have a pretty substantial AFV content although two are 100% armor. Perhaps plenty of room for future debate about the current state of magazine publishing? The Feature piece can be seen:

The Great Magazine Head to Head

If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

Excellent review, I've always wondered what some of those magazines are like. However, I would disagree with on one point. I've been a subscriber to AFV Modeller from the first issue and was just started modeling at the time. I found the publication to be very inspiring (despite it being beyond my skill level) and made me realize I had to improve my skills and demonstrated how to do so. The magazine is expensive, but you can download individual articles from their web site for small fee.

Have you put your neck on the block this time Jim? But as preferences are personal, nobody can really say you are wrong either.
Very interesting topic actually. Lots of good points and issues raised, and one especially .. do people really buy magazines for adverts? I hate them and wish that my money went on more content instead ...but that’s me. (yes I know it keeps the price down). [rant]All this info is free online .. why should I pay for paper that its printed on, plus the extra weight charge for shipping it outside the UK [/rant]
For the first time ever, I have actually subscribed to a magazine ... AFV Modeller. Don’t mind that it costs almost double of the others ..it has the content and depth that I like. Your assessment here is spot on.
My missus was home in Wales recently and brought me back the other 3 mags that you reviewed. And although I agree with your points on all of the mags, I would rate MIS as the least attractive (for me anyway). I have no interest in aircraft, therefore lose half a magazine. On the other hand MM has a history, some of the best article writers out there and shares content with figures (which I’m also interested in). Have been buying this on and off for the last 6 years,and just when you thinkits going down hill, they releasea real stunner.
So my unsolicited assessment of the same four mags
AFV Modeller 9:0
MMI and MM 8:0
MIS 6:0

Curiously enough, I would rate it as the weakest as well... BUT I do do feel it's the best for a less-experienced modeler...

Interesting feature Jim,

I only have one of those on subscription and thats AFV modeller, mainly because its is with out doubt the best out there for my needs, the presentation and quality is way above all the others. It does suffer due to it being a twice monthly production but that is the only bad point.

The others are virtually all similar and ill pick up if they contain some thing I'm currently interested in or have an useful "How to" article in its pages.

I haven't brought military modelling or MIS for quite a few months, I have picked up Model Military International and for that matter its sister Tamiya modelling magazine quite a few times due to its content.

But then as has been suggested i can get answers very quickly by posting here on the web with the ability to continue to ask if need be.

there will always be the need for magazines but the information available at the touch of a button will always come first

cheers

Keith

Interesting article Jim. My 2p

MMI - my favourite magazine. I have to disagree with you when you say that its not for the newcomer to the AFV scene. As someone with only 4 tanks built in the last 10 years, I have to say that MMI has been very inspirational, informative and helpful in helping me improve my AFV building. The key for me is that nearly every article has at least one side piece with a step-by-step photo essay on how one part of the kit/diorama was done. This could be how to weather tires, or how to build a desert diorama base. These have proved invaluable to me.

I also like the fact that they have a wide variety of subjects - WW2 (all 4 major nations), modern, 1/35, 1/72, and the models, whilst excellent are generally not of the stratospheric uber-modeller variety. I feel that with a bit of experienc and effort I could produce a kit approaching that in the article

MM - I tend to buy this more as a reference magazine if there is a subject featured that intrests me. Certainly a better source of reference pics and historical background than MMI. I think you are right about how it has a slightly "staid" feel, I imagine their core readership to all be retired gentlemen (not that there is anything wrong with being a retired gentleman ). Many of the build articles tend to be of the "I stuck A to B and painted it black" variety which aren't very interesting or informative for me.

AFV Modeller - Seems more like the a showcase magazine for uber-uber models by uber-uber modellers than a traditional modelling magazine. Very expensive. 95% of the subjects featured seem to be German........

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Just my HO, lotsa mags out there to choose those that suit us as individuals

I like the idea of this feature. I don't subscribe to these ($$) but I do buy them here and there and it's nice to know what I can expect with each.

I totally agree with what Gary said. Though it's not exclusively AFV I would say FSM is aimed more at the less experienced modelers than any other mag I know of.

I've subscribed to AFV from the start and for my money it doesn't get any better. I'll pick up an issue of MM or MMI if there is an article that interests me.

Mike

Jim,

Congrats on an interesting and informative article I have been considering this same subject at least once a year when I have to decide where to spend my magazine budget. I don't get to buy Military Modeling here in Kansas (I have never seen it for sale) but I did buy it when I lived in Canada as the book store chain there stocked it but that was many years ago. My favorite of the ones you reviewed would probably be MMI with AFV Modeler up there also. Interestingly I do read MIS too and since I occasionally (not much lately though) build aircraft I do enjoy some of the plane builds but I don't buy it regularly just when something in it catches my eye.

I agree with Gary on FSM it would be the entry level magazine but I still buy it mainly because I have every issue going back to nearly the beginning. Lately though I keep wondering if that money is better off invested in one of the other more advanced publications.

Thanks Jim I really enjoyed your comparison.

Hi...

I thought this was an interesting exercise.
I particularly like AFV Modeller and would rate it at about a 9 on a scale of 1 to 10. I occassionally buy Military in Scale, but as I don't build planes, I also lose half a magazine.
I noticed that Armor and Military Miniatures in Review weren't included...I usually pick up back issues of each at AMPS, since I don't subscribe. I think both are excellent, both in content and inspirational effect.

I must agree that Fine Scale Modeler is the magazine for beginners. That is not intended as an insult...it has some useful how-to articles that beginners (and others) will find useful.

To me most of the mags are "eye candy", I used to buy a lot for inspiration, but lately my modelling budget has been cut drastically so I don't think I'll buy (or subscribe) anymore.

Looking back at issues I've collected over more than fifteen years, the only "useful" mag to me would be MMiR, really pointing at the faults/pitfalls of the kits, and many more resin kit builds (very informative if you happen to be a resin kit builder). I'm always going back to those old MMiR issues.

AFV Modeller for some reason I could never get into, I think it has to be the layout which although hip and trendy is hard to read and not that pleasant on the eye, plus I hate the matte paper.

Military Modelling has some good useful stuff but is let down by its layout (very dated) and the poor quality of both paper and photo reproduction.

My ratings :

MMiR 9.5/10
Military in Scale 6/10
Tamiya Model Magazine 7/10 (half a bonus point for eye candy and wow factor)
AFV Modeller 6.5/10
Model Military International 6/10
Military Modelling 7/10 (bonus point for usefulness of reference and build articles)
Steelmasters 6.5/10 (half a bonus point for good new releases section)

Cheers,

Christophe

I'm toying with the idea of a sequel using 4 U.S. magazines and, as a future idea, looking at 4 European rather than U.K. magazines (Panzer Aces, Xtreme Modelling etc.).

Military modelling I only buy when Steve Zaloga has a Sherman build in it MIS is always a bit hit and miss and I get it only if something inside catches my eye. Model Military International I pick up when I have an hour to kill in a coffee shop because it beats reading the news and AFV modeller is available here only by subscription.

I try not to buy magazines as for the price of three mags I can buy an Osprey book or for the price of four or five I can get a kit.

Sitting in a comfy chair with a coffee reading one of Steve Zaloga's articles can't be beat though.

I wouldn't disagree with you about MMiR, it's a great mag with good content. Unfortunately when it's only released once a year the rating goes way down for me. I know I'm beating on a dead horse here but I think it's just plain ridiculous that they can't keep a regular schedule. It's a good thing for them that some modelers are so forgiving that they continue to support the mag (also a testament to the quality).

Mike

well you might be glad to hear that I spotted a special Miitary modelling mag/book? (issue?) which features Steve Zaloga builds! Saw it an a local book store and it looks great but I cant seem to find anything about it on the web. It has quite a lot in it, including the DD sherman, 1/72 staghound(?) and a whole bunch of stuff that escapes me at the moment.

Damn! I must be slipping - monday already and not one legal summons from a single Magazine editor...

To be perfectly honest, I enjoyed the comparison but I rarely pick up any of those on a regular basis, one I wouldn't read even if it was given to me.
But then again I'm still boycotting EXXON and Major League Baseball!

I do pick up MMiR whenever I see it, but have reached the point of not really caring if and when it appears any more. Nothing personal against Pat, or any of the guys that write for it as I think their work and articles are top notch, but sorry, I would never subscribe to any magazines of his, I don't believe in being the front money for what appears to be an hit or miss publication, with an attitude of when I get it out is good enough, like it or not. Has anyone ever seen Issue 2 of Extreme yet? Maybe next year, maybe the following? Maybe I'll wake up pregnant tomorrow!

I do pick up MMI on a fair regular basis, OH not the one you are thinking of, That was another bad investment, pay dues to join a site- get a year subscription, and the guy disappears..... and only received 1/2 years' worth of magazines. Nice routine, and another lesson learned, another person to never do business with. Pretty simple isn't it?

I do pick up Military Modelcraft International, again not on a regular basis, more on what articles are in it, nice part I can thumb through it without problems at the local B&N before I buy it. To be really cheap, I could sit there and read it and not buy it, but since I'm normally on the way to work, I part with the cash.

I pick up Military Machines International, another MMI (all these MMI's sure can be confusing!), and enjoy this one, and I pick up Military Vehicles Magazine MVM, each month, as I enjoy the David Doyle and Steve Turchet columns. Not model- glue part A to part B magazines but dealing with real vehicles and restoring them. The Olive Drab War (ODW) has already been fought and decided there. On things a little larger and more expensive than a Tamyia or Dragon kit. But what would they know!

I enjoyed your overview of the these magazines, and look forward to your similar treatment of the U.S.-based magazines should you decide to do one. I have a part-time job working in a hobby store, so I don't feel the need to subscribe to the magazine unless it is consistantly interesting and has information I want to keep in my personal library.

Jim,
What an interesting piece. It's a nice change of pace from the product & book reveiws and build articles we normally see.

I've only recently begun modeling again after a 20 year hiatus. And I have to admit that it was my 10 year old son who helped lure me back into it. I live in the Midwest of the United State and happen to get all the mags you covered except MM. I also get Fine Scale Modeling as well.

I have to agree with most of the comments given about the quality and "niche" (novice, intermediate, etc) the given magazines serve, but I do deviate from them on a couple of points.

I like having a magazine to read. Don't get me wrong, I like using the web (this note is a case in point). In fact, the net is a great resource for background and reference material. But it doesn't replace the "intimacy" that a magazine has. For one, I can read a magazine where I want: on a plane, late at night in bed, or on the loo, where I do my best thinking. If I want to be on line, i've got to go to my computer and sit in front of the flat screen. As nice as that is, it's not as comfy as the bed, or an armchair.

I also like the magazine becasue of the ads. If a website tries to use a pop-up ad it drives me nuts. And to be honest, I rarely look at the ads on the tops, sides or bottoms of a website. I may see them, but I am not "looking." I couldn't tell you the content or text two minutes from now. When I have a magazine, I enjoy reading the ads. It's my opportunity to look at the "eye candy" at my own pace and in my own way. I suspect that it is these ads that are keeping the magazine industry alive.

Having said all that I do think the writing in them could be vastly improved (please keep in mind I have never seen MM, but am familiar with a number of the authors you mentioned). While the overall magazine content seems to well thought out, the writing in the articles themselves seems to be lacking. To be fair, it doesn't always happen. But in the magazine industry I would think that any kind of inconsistency would be an anathama. It seems like any given article suffers from either not enough build detail, or not enough focus on build techniques, or a lack of history behind either the prototype or the model itself (the company, the molds, the production techniques), or sometimes it's just poorly written - AFV, which I truly love, has done more to mame the english language than my two 10 year olds combined. On many an occassion, it's obvious that the text accomanying a build has been edited down to fit, but If I can tell I'm sure anyone can tell.

Don't get me wrong, I will still buy the magazines, but I do think there is room for improvement in the writing.

Lastly, just one question. I thought AFV was the english language version of Panzer Aces which I thought was written in Spain. Am I wrong here??

Thanks again for the though provoking piece.

Scott, thanks for your comments. I also have a 'difficulty' with the style of some of the magazines. One good example of this is another of the British (print) magazines (which I didn't overview) is written in a style which I personally detest. Every article is puctuated by comments from the Editor (usually with exclamation marks) and usually along the lines of 'Great Tip!'.

In fact, being honest, there is a lack of style across much of the 'Net as well. Exclamation marks can sometimes be used to good effect, when they're used in reports, reviews or features - when they appear every second sentence...

I also like advertising in magazines - as the Managing Editor (News) for this Network, I find that a lot of smaller companies' Websites carry a lot of useful information and do lead to a lot of News Reports that get printed here...

The reality of course is commercial. unless you have a large number of subscribers your magazine won't survive. The same is equally true on the 'Web - Kitmaker, PMMS or Missing Lynx probably wouldn't exist if it were not for the loyalty of the advertisers. They aren't simply just a 'necessary evil' either - a lot of modelers do gain a great deal from the adverts whether it be product information or simply looking for a kit, they are VERY useful...

I only know AFV Modeller and Military Modelling to any extent. I like AFV Modeller a lot, MM I like as well. However some of the articles in MM are pretty uimpressive. Fe the build up article of the new Italeri LVT-2 doesn't even mention the size problems as mentioned on Terry Ashley's PMMS, it's just about building the kit...
The fact that it also covers medieval figures from time to time, is a plus for me, btw.

Scott, AFV is not the english version of Panzer Aces, as far as I know they are not related in any way.

Mike