Despatches grew in the early 1980's from a need to fill a void in written wargaming material, particularly locally.  Despatches was published under the editorship of various individuals, initially  to a monthly schedule, but later on an increasingly erratic basis.  For example, 50 issues were produced between October 1980 and April 1985; another 43 issues by Spring 1991, and thereafter, only 10 issues, culminating in issue 108, in the Summer of 1997.

It is indeed remarkable that a small club such as ours generated such a volume of prose over a period of 17 years.  Issues averaged some 20 pages, the Special 50th and 100th editions, considerably more.  Samples of the last 3 issues are reproduced below, almost in their entirety .

Issue 106 - Winter 1996/97

Issue 107 - Spring 1997

Issue 108 - Summer 1997

Much of what was written in the past is still of relevance and interest to the current readership and will, time permitting, reappear under the relevant subject headings elsewhere within this site.  That which cannot be readily allocated to a particular period will appear below, together with new contributions that likewise cannot easily be categorised.  Watch this space . . .

HKSW's first ever war and strategy game show

Staged at Cyberport on the weekend of 21/22 April 2007. 

My Thoughts on DBM by Jeff Herbert

A critique of the version 3.0 rules

one man's view of what's wrong with DBM

The Philosophy of Wargaming by Peter Hunt

Or why we play wargames

(issue # 88 of Despatches)

Club Objectives by Jeff Herbert

Getting it off my chest

one man's view of what's wrong with the club

Wargaming Food by Jeff Herbert

Food for thought

enlivening the wargamer's dinner table

FILM REVIEWS

Valiant by Peter Hunt

A review of Walt Disney's latest animated film

Kingdom of Heaven by Jeff Herbert

A review of the movie that purports to be about the Crusades

Alexander by Peter Hunt

A review of Oliver Stone's movie

Some of you have asked why there are different fonts used throughout the site - for your information, the default font is Arial, anything from past issues of Despatches is in Times New Roman; this way you can readily tell the new from the old.  Fiendishly clever, eh!