Moves (magazine)

Moves (magazine)

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.