The Strategic Review #7
TSR published The Strategic Review #7 in April 1976. It is 24 pages long and has a cover price of 1 dollar.
"In The Cauldron" by Tim Kask announces that this is the final issue of The Strategic Review. The company has formed TSR Periodicals to publish two new magazines: The Dragon and Little Wars. The former will focus on fantasy, science fiction, and roleplaying, while the latter will cover traditional wargaming. New staff at TSR include David Megarry, designer of Dungeon!, Mike Carr, designer of Fight in the Skies, and artist David Sutherland.
"The Dungeons & Dragons Magic System" by Gary Gygax examines the magic rules in D&D, explaining their origins in miniatures games and how they've evolved. Gygax states he settled on a "Vancian" magic system to allow for powerful magic spells with strictly limited use. This approach ensures the magic-user remains balanced with other character classes, and also means that spell selection becomes a tactical exercise.
A column titled "Editorial" continues the feud between TSR and Avalon Hill's Don Greenwood. In The Strategic Review #5, a column disputed the claim that Origins was the only national wargame convention and asserted that GenCon remained the premier convention. Greenwood took exception, and this column doubled down in response. The bickering served little purpose.
"The Fastest Guns That Never Lived" by Brian Blume, Gary Gygax, and Tim Kask provides more Boot Hill statistics, this time for characters like The Lone Ranger, Paladin, and Hopalong Cassidy. Judging by column inches in The Strategic Review, TSR took Boot Hill very seriously.
"What Price Gold & Glory?" by Jim Hayes is a short story about Hagar the barbarian, who battles various fantastic creatures in his quest for treasure. Hayes wrote an article about morale in The Strategic Review #6 but has no other publications in the hobby.
"Hints for D & D Judges" by Joe Fischer is the first in a multi-part series containing advice for rookie Dungeon Masters. In this part, Fischer explains the importance of giving the players a base of operations, such as a town or city. He provides basic advice, such as mapping out the city and surrounding area, defining what taverns and other businesses are there, and defining local legends. Fischer is best known for creating the ranger class.
"Mighty Magic Miscellany" by Neal Healey describes three new D&D magic items. The Cup and Talisman of Akbar turn water into various healing potions or antidotes. The Staff of the Priest Kings is a clerical staff with multiple spellcasting abilities. And The Brazen Bottle is for compelling and containing djinni, efreet, and other creatures.
"Out On A Limb" became Dragon magazine's correspondence column. This preview included two letters from Gary Gygax, one further criticizing Don Greenwood and Avalon Hill and the other promoting TSR's new magazine ventures.
"Creature Features" describes the Denebian Slime Devil, an oozing shapeshifter, and the Catoblepas, a loathsome creature resembling a water buffalo.
"Ancient and Medieval Standard Military Symbols" by Gygax contains a collection of wargame unit symbols for use in wargaming. Gygax especially recommends them for his Classic Warfare rules. Speaking of that game, "The Missile Weapon in Classic Warfare" contains a brief history of slings and bows. Gygax loved writing such articles.
"To the Everlasting Glory of the Petal Throne" by M.A.R Barker contains various pieces of news from his fictitious world of Tékumel. TSR published Empire of the Petal Throne the following year.
Finally, in "D&D Is Only As Good As The DM," Gygax offers some general referring tips, emphasizing the need to control character progression and maintain a high level of challenge at all times.
And that's a wrap! It's a substantial issue and a fitting climax to The Strategic Review. It is noticeable how much content Gygax contributed. Once he turned his attention elsewhere, Kask sometimes struggled to find quality magazine content.