Tonbridge, 27th February

CAVALIER

I was pleased to drive over to Tonbridge the other weekend, and join the Society's 'A' team for this year's Cavalier.

Pleased, of course, that is, once I'd done the parking thing. Tonbridge is clearly one of those South East towns where the locals enjoy driving around in circles, chatting to each other (amiably and angrily) in Car Parks already full of people driving round in circles ...

At least, I assume they enjoy it ... as they never fix it. I come from the East Midlands, where, on a Sunday morning, we prefer just to drive up, park and go about our business. Going by car somewhere where you can't park, on a Sunday morning is something I just don't 'get' - but it is very popular in Tonbridge.

I was delivering supplies of the newly printed January issue of Slingshot (the first issue of the new subscription year) which we were proud to show off to the public - slightly different, this year, as we have gone for the 'lie flat' stapled option.
(a rare quieter moment: the Secretary flips through a newly delivered January Slingshot)

January Slingshots are available now, of course, as part of your 2011 subscription (still only £20, at shows, by post or online from the Society website) ...

At Cavalier, we also launched the latest 5 yearly upgrade of the Slingshot Archive DVD - now of course containing every Slingshot from 1965 to 2010 ... an invaluable resource of over 13,000 pages about ancient and medieval history and wargaming. Fully indexed and requires Adobe Acrobat Reader version 7.0 or later.

The DVD is available to Society of Ancients members only, and clicking on the thumbnail should take you to the appropriate page of the website to order your copy (Paypal available) ...

To showcase historical wargaming in the ancient and medieval periods, at Cavalier Phillip Sabin put on the battle of Sentinum using Lost Battles.

At Sentinum, in BC 295, Rome took on and defeated an alliance of Samnites and Gauls on a flat plain in Umbria ... Eric Cruttenden and Alan Waller helped stage this in 28mm.

(Sentinum, 295 BC, directed by the author of Lost Battles)

Lee Hadley has a great selection of photos from this year's Cavalier, including some good shots of the Societry team presenting the Sentinum game (The Society of Ancients presents Sentinum) ...
Thanks, Lee ...

(Sentinum, 295 BC, the Romans exert more pressure on the tiring allies)

Elsewhere, having moaned about the lack of variety, even lack of originality, at Vapnartak, I must say I was impressed by Cavalier, and could have lost myself in this show for hours. There's a lot more on Lee's blog (Big Lee's Miniature Adventures), and some of the WW2 stuff on my themed pages (P.B.Eye-Candy) where I will often post pictures of interesting stuff that is a little off topic for Ancients on the Move ...

The Lance & Longbow game was equally expansive, and photographed well ...
(Lance & Longbow Society)
(Red Army takes Budapest)

... and the Budapest game won best demonstration game. There were quite a few planes, boats, trains and other interesting stuff, and a wide range of scales and styles of game being played.

I quite liked the Stringbags at Taranto WW2 game (which looked great, and seemed in play all day long), but you will have to follow the links provided to see more.

Graham F will be covering WMMS for us with a DBA medieval game while I am away playing Armati in Bournemouth. It is a pity to miss such a good Midlands show, but against all odds, I won something in Bournemouth last year - so feel duty bound to go back and defend my title!

Be nice to Graham.

See you all at the Battle Day if not before ...