Greetings pop pickers - time to resume the countdown of my favourite games from Salute last weekend....
Fifth
I'm not usually a fan of WWI games, but this one caught my eye - I think it may have been the tanks which looked amazing, and everyone knows that I'm a total sucker for WWII aircraft...
This was a demonstration game called "Crush the Kaiser" [website soon] by the guys who are publishing the "Where the Poppies Grow" fast play brigade level rules for the Western Front 1914 to 1918.
Pleasant bunch of guys - I remarked on how good the shell holes looked good and they tell me that they use cold tea for the mud/water effect... put it in with a syringe, and soak it up with a paper towel at the end of the game...! 
Excellent...
Fourth
..another WWI game, this time the much discussed Wargames Illustrated / Flames of War game depicting events in and around Anzac Bay and Lone Pine - Gallipoli. The terrain was built by Grand Manner and the pictures don't really do the game justice - there was just so much going on!
I looked for Mel Gibson but couldn't see him...
Third
...getting difficult now, but the only way you get this far in any of my votes is if the game is good and in a period I have a big interest in, so without further ado here's my third placed game which depicts events in Budapest in 1945 and was put on by the Loughton Strike Force club... [more pictures here]
You may recognise these from one of my earlier posts this year where they were pressed into the service of the Union and the Confederacy
I read elsewhere that the guys got the "Best in Show" award and if so it was much deserved - the level of detail was just brilliant... everything from E-Boats to gliders (and just for once, German gliders!)...
Game was in 20mm and used the "Panzer Grenadier" rules...
Second
A deceptively simple, but lovely looking game - nice bunch of people (the South East Essex Military Society) who stopped for a chat - the game is quite an old one I think, but they decided to brush it off and give it an airing at this years show... all I can say is that I'm glad they did....
The game is titled "Fear Nothing But God" and depicts events from the West Country Rising of 1685 (the "Glorious Revolution"),specifically in this case the skirmish at Norton St. Phillip just prior to the Battle of Sedgemoor..
They use their own DBM/DBA based rules...
As I said, very simple, but I thought it just looked lovely, especially with the red of the uniforms, the green of the terrain, and the old buildings in the background... very pleasing to the eye..
..and they were having a hoot playing to boot..
First
I feel like their should be a roll of drums or something...
No messing about then - here's the Battle of Worcester in 1651 as depicted by Crewe and Nantwich Wargames Club.
Played using Piquet rules (blechhhh....!) with all figures in 28mm from Redoubt, Renegade, Bicorne, TAG and Warlord.
They even had little LED lights inside the houses...
Loved the detail on the breaches in the walls, and the red/white main gates - eye catching....
....and that's it - another Salute comes and goes, it's still a must-see for me, but remains my second or third favourite show. My favourite is the Warfare show in Reading, much smaller of course, but far more friendly and convivial...
Fifth
I'm not usually a fan of WWI games, but this one caught my eye - I think it may have been the tanks which looked amazing, and everyone knows that I'm a total sucker for WWII aircraft...
This was a demonstration game called "Crush the Kaiser" [website soon] by the guys who are publishing the "Where the Poppies Grow" fast play brigade level rules for the Western Front 1914 to 1918. 
Pleasant bunch of guys - I remarked on how good the shell holes looked good and they tell me that they use cold tea for the mud/water effect... put it in with a syringe, and soak it up with a paper towel at the end of the game...! 
Excellent...Fourth
..another WWI game, this time the much discussed Wargames Illustrated / Flames of War game depicting events in and around Anzac Bay and Lone Pine - Gallipoli. The terrain was built by Grand Manner and the pictures don't really do the game justice - there was just so much going on!
I looked for Mel Gibson but couldn't see him... 
Third
...getting difficult now, but the only way you get this far in any of my votes is if the game is good and in a period I have a big interest in, so without further ado here's my third placed game which depicts events in Budapest in 1945 and was put on by the Loughton Strike Force club... [more pictures here]
You may recognise these from one of my earlier posts this year where they were pressed into the service of the Union and the Confederacy
I read elsewhere that the guys got the "Best in Show" award and if so it was much deserved - the level of detail was just brilliant... everything from E-Boats to gliders (and just for once, German gliders!)...
Game was in 20mm and used the "Panzer Grenadier" rules...
Second
A deceptively simple, but lovely looking game - nice bunch of people (the South East Essex Military Society) who stopped for a chat - the game is quite an old one I think, but they decided to brush it off and give it an airing at this years show... all I can say is that I'm glad they did....
The game is titled "Fear Nothing But God" and depicts events from the West Country Rising of 1685 (the "Glorious Revolution"),specifically in this case the skirmish at Norton St. Phillip just prior to the Battle of Sedgemoor..
They use their own DBM/DBA based rules...
As I said, very simple, but I thought it just looked lovely, especially with the red of the uniforms, the green of the terrain, and the old buildings in the background... very pleasing to the eye..
..and they were having a hoot playing to boot.. First
I feel like their should be a roll of drums or something...
No messing about then - here's the Battle of Worcester in 1651 as depicted by Crewe and Nantwich Wargames Club.
Played using Piquet rules (blechhhh....!) with all figures in 28mm from Redoubt, Renegade, Bicorne, TAG and Warlord.
They even had little LED lights inside the houses...
Loved the detail on the breaches in the walls, and the red/white main gates - eye catching........and that's it - another Salute comes and goes, it's still a must-see for me, but remains my second or third favourite show. My favourite is the Warfare show in Reading, much smaller of course, but far more friendly and convivial...
Looking at the very last photograpg in your post and I can see why you chose it. everything 9apart from the very french gateway) is so English and looks just right.
ReplyDeleteGreat shots and great games!
ReplyDeleteI have chosen you to receive the Stylish Blogger Award. The details can be found here:
http://tasmancave.blogspot.com/2011/04/award.html
Great report, Steve. must come back and spend more time to savour the photos. Not a great fan of WW1 - probably through ignorance of workable trench warfare rules and downright terror of the amount of terrain work required- these guys did a great job- loved their work (+ the other displays). Did I see a couple of sugar lumps in these shell holes?
ReplyDeleteDavy
You've been nominated for a style award
ReplyDeletehttp://lairoftheubergeek.blogspot.com/2011/04/award.html
oops - a double mention!
Your blog is the one that convinced me to start my own!
Thanks for posting all those photos, Steve. Most interesting to browse through them. I agree with your choice for first place.
ReplyDeleteBut heavens, the time some gamers must spend on their hobby!
Cheers, Keith.
Miles/Man Cave - Stylish Blog award, you're both mad, but it's good fun, and my thanks... :o))
ReplyDeleteKeith - you are absolutely right - and you think that one took time, the Arnhem game was basically one guy!! The secret is not to get married, and have a very high paying job with short hours...