Another triumphant effort by the Wargames Association of Reading as last weekend was another run out for their Warfare Show - one of the highlights of the year for me (and I think DG).. It's not a big show, but I've always associated it with the end of the season, and that the run up to Christmas (my favourite time of the festive season) starts from that point.. 😀
It's primarily a competition weekend so there's no masses of eye candy demonstration games to look at, but they have a well stocked dealer hall, enough eye candy to keep the interest up, a Bring and Buy, and a very definite buzz from all that competition....
Purchases were small - I have more than enough lead to keep me going given the almost glacial speed with which I complete units - but I did want some more paint; refills and replacements mostly, especially basic horse colours (a variety of brick red's for Bays). The Vallejo stands fulfilled that requirement pronto, and then I spotted a bargain on the Bring and Buy
..not only that there was an entire box of them, all mint condition, and mine for £3 - I was so enthused I bought two and gave one to DG...!
So on to the games - once I'd discarded all that were of no specific interest to me (usually ruled out on one or more of period, scale, or featuring hexes) there were just two worthy of inclusion, but one worthy by special mention...
So in second then, this game on the Battle of Fornovo [clicky] by Malvern Old Wargames group who were using Advanced Armati Renaissance rules..
Not an outstanding game compared to some, but I am drawn to games that look like they are being played. It's like the difference between a show-home, and one that's lived in and loved...
So a single terrain cloth with no join down the middle would have been better, but the figures were lovely and there was lots of them!
In first place, a demonstration game for the new English Civil war rules "To Defy a King" [clicky]. Some of my reader (singular) may remember that these rules and the attendant game featured in my 'top whatever' last year..
This time the Scots featured - a very very pleasing set up - not particularly bothered about teddy bear fur but these units looked just right in terms of numbers and scale..
...it's all very tempting...
Notice the ones on the end?
So lastly, and very much worthy of mention was this offering on the Society of Ancients stand, who as part of the their 50th anniversary celebrations (blimus.. 50 years...! I was a member for a while anyone else remember the endless discussion in Slingshot in the mid 70's on what a rhomphaia was and what an Argyraspid did in a Macedonian army ??)
Anyway - this was a bit of a treat... a game using Tony Bath's actual/original flats!
How many battles have these guys fought over the years? If only they could speak... (note authentic corrugated cardboard!)
Recognise these?
Yep same ones as here:
Fantastic..
More here... http://soawargamesteam.blogspot.sk/2015/11/14th-and-15th-november-reading.html
Brilliant show - bring on Salute!
It's primarily a competition weekend so there's no masses of eye candy demonstration games to look at, but they have a well stocked dealer hall, enough eye candy to keep the interest up, a Bring and Buy, and a very definite buzz from all that competition....
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| A particular hybrid of Homo Sapien - Homo Wargamus Competivus |
Purchases were small - I have more than enough lead to keep me going given the almost glacial speed with which I complete units - but I did want some more paint; refills and replacements mostly, especially basic horse colours (a variety of brick red's for Bays). The Vallejo stands fulfilled that requirement pronto, and then I spotted a bargain on the Bring and Buy
..not only that there was an entire box of them, all mint condition, and mine for £3 - I was so enthused I bought two and gave one to DG...!
So on to the games - once I'd discarded all that were of no specific interest to me (usually ruled out on one or more of period, scale, or featuring hexes
) there were just two worthy of inclusion, but one worthy by special mention... So in second then, this game on the Battle of Fornovo [clicky] by Malvern Old Wargames group who were using Advanced Armati Renaissance rules..
Not an outstanding game compared to some, but I am drawn to games that look like they are being played. It's like the difference between a show-home, and one that's lived in and loved...
So a single terrain cloth with no join down the middle would have been better, but the figures were lovely and there was lots of them!
In first place, a demonstration game for the new English Civil war rules "To Defy a King" [clicky]. Some of my reader (singular) may remember that these rules and the attendant game featured in my 'top whatever' last year..
This time the Scots featured - a very very pleasing set up - not particularly bothered about teddy bear fur but these units looked just right in terms of numbers and scale..
...it's all very tempting...
Notice the ones on the end?
So lastly, and very much worthy of mention was this offering on the Society of Ancients stand, who as part of the their 50th anniversary celebrations (blimus.. 50 years...! I was a member for a while anyone else remember the endless discussion in Slingshot in the mid 70's on what a rhomphaia was and what an Argyraspid did in a Macedonian army ??
)Anyway - this was a bit of a treat... a game using Tony Bath's actual/original flats!
How many battles have these guys fought over the years? If only they could speak... (note authentic corrugated cardboard!)
Recognise these?
Yep same ones as here:
Fantastic..
Have left this at full size so you can click and embigen to the full wack - an interesting read..
More here... http://soawargamesteam.blogspot.sk/2015/11/14th-and-15th-november-reading.html
Brilliant show - bring on Salute!
Thanks for that Steve. Prefer the flats myself. Are they on a painted paste table?
ReplyDeleteLupus, from memory something smaller.. Definitely painted though, and polystyrene hills.. :-)
DeleteAnother vote for the flats - nostalgia if nothing else. The 'Battle' book is an absolute cracker and it gave the ACW bug to at least two gamers I know.
ReplyDeleteHad my 'end of year' show and it was pretty poor by anyone's standard. No names, no pack drill, but I felt 'lost'. :O(
Gary, a chap stood next to me said the very same thing about the book, bought it when he started reenactment.. I have the Africa battle book already so had an idea it was going to be good.. :-) Sorry to hear about your end of the year show..
DeleteGreat stuff - that ECW table look fabulous.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to stay committed to my 6mm ECW project though its very tempting as you say!
Paul.. I've come to the conclusion I've done my last 15mm project.. Bigger figures from here on in.. ;-)
DeleteThose flats are just beautiful. Thank you for the pictures.
ReplyDeleteCK, glad I could share them.. A little bit of history.. Chap running the game told me that he started with a small DBA collection and was at a show when Phil Barker came up and started chatting.. Mentioned that he had these flats that had belonged to Tony ... Next time he saw him Phil and his wife were loaded down with carrier bags filled with shoe boxes full of what you see.. Apparently Phil just told him to make sure they got played with.. It is a wonderful hobby at times! :-)
DeleteWhat a great post Steve - love the flats and the Hyboria campaign fascinated me when it was serialised in Battle Magazine all those years ago. I still have Tony Baths Wargames Campaign book (hardcover no less!) that I refer to.
ReplyDeleteCarlo - me too.. :o)
DeleteSome beautiful looking games Steve, we haven't been to Warfare for a few years now. It was always a great way to send off the show year. Perhaps next year??
ReplyDeleteRay - good working show.. worth a visit if you live within 50 or so miles..
DeleteExcellent post - thanks - really great to see T Bath's elephants.
ReplyDeleteFoy - sent just a little shiver down the spine... slightly pre-dated my entry to the hobby but even so the stories about home casting with plaster moulds and off cuts of lead/solder (tyre balancing lead in my case) resonated...
DeleteThanks for sharing this stuff Steve, I too have a soft spot for demo games that, a) are actually being played, and b) look like something I could produce myself. Those massive, superbly modelled, its-taken-me-and-a-team-of-8-guys-all-year-to-produce-this kind of games are rather intimidating and can even be, in a strange way, a bit of a turn off.
ReplyDeleteAs for the flats - extraordinary to see them still going. Those figures haunt me from Donald Featherstone's first book. Great to see them in colour after all these years.
Wonderful.
Keith - your comment agrees with my view.. sometimes the quality of painting, or modelling, or game representation is just so high it' can almost be disincentivising..
DeleteJust catching up. An excellent report Steve and, like everyone else (and no doubt predictably) I just loved the game with Tony Bath's flats. I know that at least some of Tony's collection was in the possession of Phil Olley for a while – see http://classicwargaming.blogspot.co.uk/p/hyboria-tony-baths-flats.html
ReplyDelete