I think we are in a Golden Age of Wargaming as regards the choice and quality of what we have avaliable these days. I remember 30 years ago how me and my gaming friends were all excited about the Games Workshop campaign packs and there cardboard buildings. Now we have such a range with MDFs and plastics scenary and token addon wether its historical or fantasy/scifi.

Also it can be easier to find coverage for some more niche areas in 28mm then 1/72. Right now for mainstream model 1/72 Italeri seem to be quite covering that with there consistent release of battlesets at least few a year.

http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Periods.aspx

But try checking out Jacobite Rebellion, ECW or Texan Revolution and they seem to be getting better covergae from Warlord and Boothill Miniatures for instance. Even the FIW doesn’t seem well covered for artillery and calvary as it could be. WWI seems poorly serviced in 1/72 or 15mm compared to 28mm options.

I think the larger issue is the meta of gamers with players like Justin as an example flitting from system to system and 28mm has (generally) a quick hit low model count easy to learn rules to match for the quick turn around required to make a splash in between the next cult game.

Also by saying golden age of Wargaming is that to overlook the gaming dominance of Magic or some of the long standing boardgames – I’ve seen wargaming table sized permanent setups for Axis and Allies, quite a number easy to find examples on youtube.

I think the current trend to 28mm does arise from GW and the number of successful companies producing in that scale in the wake of GW and the now very established Nottingham gaming production belt. The simple fact is GW made itself accessable in a way the other types of rules didn’t. Same with Bolt Action and WW2, I think Battlegroup and Chain of Command are better examples of rules to game this period (apologies to any rules not mentioned in comparison) but they haven’t been as accesable because there wasn’t the same infrastructure. Those 2 have been pretty much cottage industiries as someone referenced about games in the 80s.

It’s interesting that much of the debate seems to be flitting around scale which imo is a rather different question.

If better awareness of other systems would there be more interest I think so which makes things like the Osprey Blue Book wargames a welcome addition although they are often 28mm.

Sorry a lot to say on such a wide range of issues as to what does or doesn’t make a golden age.