DG has been down for the weekend, and in addition to a (very) enjoyable if slightly shambolical WWII game on Friday evening (on which another post will follow), we also managed to break away for a trip to the ever so enjoyable "Warfare" show at Reading today..
Warfare is the show that kind of brings the 'show year' to an end for DG and I, we won't get another one now for almost 6 months (Salute next year in April) so we have to make the most of it! It's not a huge show,but it buzzes, and if it wasn't as busy today as I seem to remember it in previous years, there were a huge number of competition games under way, and the general chat would seem to indicate that the traders had done OK...
What pleased me enormously was the quality of the "Flames of War" WWII competition games - very noticeable quality, and a real pleasure to watch - not something I can usually say... It's ok though, the DBMM, and WRG 6th edition competitions showed the usual green blanket and two squares of cardboard acting as a built up area & wood approach..! 
Purchases today were entirely random - I had no shopping list at all, but ended up buying a Colonial rule set "A Good Dusting"
A complete and total spur of the moment purchase - not hugely expensive, but they include an automated Dervish reaction mechanism - something right up my street for those of you who have followed my Sudan project blog... The rules themselves are clearly laid out, simple, include saving throws (hurrah - how old school is that!), lots of diagrams, and got me very interested very quickly... really looking forward to trying these, look out for a play test soon. Click the link above for a more detailed description..
Next some wagons for my American Civil war project - I had no idea I needed these () but was walking past the Sergeant's Mess stand and saw a very handsome wagon set on display at a price I couldn't really justify for the numbers I wanted... thinking on it further though I realised that most metal WWII ranges are usually 20mm so I went browsing - after all the German army of WWII was one of the most horse reliant modern armies there was so surely someone would have something.... and so it transpired that on the Britannia Miniatures stand I found the following at half the price, and bought two... this is a Wehrmacht Horse Drawn Ammunition Wagon
..with the judicial use of a little file, the feldmutze can be turned into a kepi and these guys will be heading for the armies of the Union and Confederacy as ammunition re-supply units for my regimental Fire and Fury rules..
...and that was largely it apart from a couple of Kennington American Civil officers that I bought largely to see how they scale against the Newline figures. Brilliant day - I thoroughly recommend going to wargame shows without a shopping list!
The games on the whole were a little disappointing this year, a lot of them I'd seen at Colours just a couple of months ago or at Salute, but the following was my stand out game of the show (no 2nd or 3rd..)
A Very British Civil War game...
...featuring Fascist cavalry, italian biplanes & armoured steam rollers..
..all exquisitely painted. Nice bunch of blokes running it as well - more than happy to stop and have a chat but they hadn't won a single prize. I was saying to DG afterwards, what is it about me and my favourite games that they never seem to win anything (remember the Blenheim game at last years show, and at Salute, not a sausage at either!)... people are going to start hiding soon, I seem to be the kiss of death to any prize hopes!
One last picture - it caught my eye purely because everyone seemed to be having fun. This was an American Civil War participation game, and I cannot tell a lie it also caught my eyes because it featured a 'certain' zouave regiment..
Look at those kids - are they having fun, or what?
Warfare is the show that kind of brings the 'show year' to an end for DG and I, we won't get another one now for almost 6 months (Salute next year in April) so we have to make the most of it! It's not a huge show,but it buzzes, and if it wasn't as busy today as I seem to remember it in previous years, there were a huge number of competition games under way, and the general chat would seem to indicate that the traders had done OK...
What pleased me enormously was the quality of the "Flames of War" WWII competition games - very noticeable quality, and a real pleasure to watch - not something I can usually say... It's ok though, the DBMM, and WRG 6th edition competitions showed the usual green blanket and two squares of cardboard acting as a built up area & wood approach..! Purchases today were entirely random - I had no shopping list at all, but ended up buying a Colonial rule set "A Good Dusting"
A complete and total spur of the moment purchase - not hugely expensive, but they include an automated Dervish reaction mechanism - something right up my street for those of you who have followed my Sudan project blog... The rules themselves are clearly laid out, simple, include saving throws (hurrah - how old school is that!), lots of diagrams, and got me very interested very quickly... really looking forward to trying these, look out for a play test soon. Click the link above for a more detailed description..Next some wagons for my American Civil war project - I had no idea I needed these (
) but was walking past the Sergeant's Mess stand and saw a very handsome wagon set on display at a price I couldn't really justify for the numbers I wanted... thinking on it further though I realised that most metal WWII ranges are usually 20mm so I went browsing - after all the German army of WWII was one of the most horse reliant modern armies there was so surely someone would have something.... and so it transpired that on the Britannia Miniatures stand I found the following at half the price, and bought two... this is a Wehrmacht Horse Drawn Ammunition Wagon
..with the judicial use of a little file, the feldmutze can be turned into a kepi and these guys will be heading for the armies of the Union and Confederacy as ammunition re-supply units for my regimental Fire and Fury rules.....and that was largely it apart from a couple of Kennington American Civil officers that I bought largely to see how they scale against the Newline figures. Brilliant day - I thoroughly recommend going to wargame shows without a shopping list!
The games on the whole were a little disappointing this year, a lot of them I'd seen at Colours just a couple of months ago or at Salute, but the following was my stand out game of the show (no 2nd or 3rd..)
A Very British Civil War game...
...featuring Fascist cavalry, italian biplanes & armoured steam rollers..
..all exquisitely painted. Nice bunch of blokes running it as well - more than happy to stop and have a chat but they hadn't won a single prize. I was saying to DG afterwards, what is it about me and my favourite games that they never seem to win anything (remember the Blenheim game at last years show, and at Salute, not a sausage at either!)... people are going to start hiding soon, I seem to be the kiss of death to any prize hopes! One last picture - it caught my eye purely because everyone seemed to be having fun. This was an American Civil War participation game, and I cannot tell a lie it also caught my eyes because it featured a 'certain' zouave regiment..
Look at those kids - are they having fun, or what?
Did not go to Reading this year chose to go to SELWG instead as my last show this year but have always enjoyed it, sounded like it was good though.
ReplyDeleteAs a member of Wargames Assciation of Reading I can say that on Saturday the numbers through the door were only 8 or 9 people less than last year...! The show was buzzing on Sunday with a close to the end of the competition. Results this year were very close with only a handfull of points between 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in some of the games. I also had no shopping list but came out with some lovely Kerr & King stuff and some Skytrex 15mm AVRE's. Very Nice. Best wishes, Tony Weston
ReplyDeleteI am going to have to time my next visit to the UK (when ever that may be) with one of these gatherings. I have to see at least one in my life sooner or later!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments chaps...
ReplyDeleteTony - you need to take congratulations back to your organiser - it's a brilliant show... I look forward to it every year and always go - even though I have to travel from Chichester (DG travels from Wales to go!)
Moif - you have even further than that to come though... given the proximity to airports and the like, Salute is probably the best choice.. it's certainly the biggest! :o))
I went on Sunday and it certainly seemed busier than ever. I agree about the lack of good demo games though...
ReplyDelete