19th May, Newark

PARTIZAN 2019 at Newark Showground

Over 1,000 people visited Partizan this year according to the clicker tallies.   And it certainly felt lively and busy.  This time around, the SoA/NBS area in the History Zone was just me and Treb so we didn't get much time wandering or shopping.

Our feature game was Edgcote 1469 configured for Hail Caesar.

(Edgcote 1469: it's looking rounder and smarter though still requires some polish)

The corner details still need to be done and the wheel of fortune theme is currently understated.

(Edgcote 1469: here's Phil explaining the game - photo rights: GDE)

Edgcote Gallery

(Edgcote 1469: Robin of Redesdale arrayed on the East hill)

(Edgcote 1469: William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke and his Welsh host on the West hill) 

(Edgcote 1469: a party of Herbert's Men-at-Arms mount up and disperse the rebel archers)

(Edgcote 1469: Herbert's foot follow up as the cavalry withdraw)

(Edgcote 1469: Herbert's camp)

(Edgcote 1469: Herbert's camp)

(Edgcote 1469: Herbert's cavalry withdraw)

(Edgcote 1469: Herbert's foot drive Robin of Redesdale back from the river)

(Edgcote 1469: the battle for Danes Moor)

(Edgcote 1469: Warwick on the march)

(Edgcote 1469: the Earl of Devon's contingent leaves the battlefield)

Partizan, the show

As I said, there wasn't much time to look at the rest of the show ... however, also sharing a Lance & Longbow billing, Simon Chick's splendid battle of Bauge used Lion Rampant rules ...

(Bauge at Partizan 2019)

There were a lot of very impressive layouts ...

(different periods and scales at Partizan)

... I was rather taken with the Franco Prussian 'in the snow' thing ...

(Partizan 2019)

... and the Ottomans attacking the wagon laager ...

The participation zone looked interesting too, with Wargame Developments busy as ever ...

(some participation games at Partizan 2019)

It was all very brief but I will get to have a go at that Arnhem game at CoW in July.

It is, of course, the 75th anniversary of the battle this September.

Before then, the 550th anniversary of Edgcote comes up.  We are hosting a Conference at Northampton Museum (Abington Park) - book tickets here (there are still some left and you will be very welcome).  The cost covers refreshments, lunch and parking.  The battle of Edgcote game will be on display.

Links

Society of Ancients Membership

Lance & Longbow Society

Northampton Battlefields Society

Wargame Developments - CoW

Edgcote armies gallery

Building the Edgcote collection

1st December, Pudsey

Our last show of 2018 meant an early morning trip up to Leeds.  It was remarkably clear and simple given the time of year.  Weather and manning have been issues for us before, but this year it all fell into place nicely.  And it was Northampton 1460's first outing in Yorkshire.

(Northampton Battlefields Society's display at Recon)

Time was, of course, when Yorkshire was the bedrock of the Shows North patch ... Triples in Sheffield, Vapnartak ... at least 2 shows in Leeds plus an event at the Armouries (indeed, 2 years, the Society held its much missed AGM at the Armouries) ... Palm Sunday at Towton ... and some Northern Doubles League games at Halifax (have to slip that in as the round Chris and I won was at Halifax!) ...  Much has changed - even, so it seems, the weather.

(Northampton 1460 at Recon 2018)

After a slow start, we actually got in quite a few games of Northampton 1460, opene a few eyes and even sold some copies (all the proceeds go to the interpretation and protection of Northamptonshire's historic fields of conflict so do purchase a copy when you see one - it's a great game and a good cause).

(Battle of Northampton heraldic wall charts)

If you were looking for something notionally new then we have found some plastic tubing for our heraldic wall charts, so these are now ready-rolled and a bit better protected.  There's a Lancastrian one and a Yorkist ... and a pound off if you take both.   They are a great source of heraldic information (we have worked with the same team that do the Bosworth ones that are popular souvenirs in the Visitor Centre) and great wall art for your games room.

Elsewhere at the show, our friends from the Lance and Longbow Society (Gentlemen Pensioners indeed) had a version  of the battle of Lewes that you could join in ...

(The Lance and Longbow Society at Recon 2019)

(Lewes 1264 from the Lance and Longbow Society)

Trade-wise, West Wind/Forged in Battle were there with their now extensive range of highly regarded 15mm ancients ... they had a Christmas show discount on which very nearly seduced me.  It would have been a lovely idea but ultimately sense prevailed when I mapped out mentally when I'd be able to paint it and how long it would take.  I'll still get one - but it doesn't need to be quite now as it'll be a long time before it's slot comes up.

... they also had an ancients demo table close by the stand which was a nice counter-balance to the 28mm WW2 stuff that sloshes around the shows at the moment.

Other than that, there really wasn't much for the 15mm scale enthusiast.   And not much below that either.  I got a couple of items from the bring and buy but most of my Christmas money went home with me and was spent online.   My 2018 was much like that ... in the real world as well as shows.  Retailers complain about poor sales but I can't really help them: they don't sell what I want to buy so although I would prefer to shop the traditional way, I have to go online.

Grumpy old g*t?  No - not a bit of it - just look at these lovely Dark Age helmets the reenactors brought ...

Great stuff.   Quick trip home too in ideal driving conditions - so a painless end to the 2018 season and off to Winter Quarters, refurbishing soldiers, catching up blogging and writing reports.  And tallying up what we did and where we went last year.  Which hopefully will be my next post and follow shortly.   January follows shortly.  And a belated Happy New Year!

(close up of the action at Northampton 1460 - Fauconberg gets stuck in)

16th April, London, ExCel

SALUTE 2016

Salute 2016 was its usual grand day out: though slim pickings for the Ancient and Medieval enthusiast - the theme was Steam Punk although you wouldn't know it from all the Science Fiction which seemed the dominant genre.

Although I know they turned some others away, the only big ancients game I could see was our own 28mm Magnesia played as a Lost Battle.  That's quite an amazing degree of under-representation given how many enthusiasts tick 'ancients' on surveys and how big the ExCell hall is.

(Salute 2016: the Society of Ancients stand and - behind - Magnesia game)

So this won't be the same as the other Salute reports from this year - and half a dozen different views of the Star Trek bridge ... I'll showcase the few historical games from before 1500AD ...

Without the Society of Ancients and Lance & Longbow there would have been fewer.  Always worth remembering if you were under the impression that the Society's mission in championing the historical wargame was done already.

(Championing the historical wargame ... without these volunteers, what next?)

The Society of Ancients presented the great Roman triumph of Magnesia ...

(Salute 2016: the Lost Battle of Magnesia)

Presented by Prof. Phil Sabin and the shows team.

(Salute 2016: Magnesia 190BC by The Society of Ancients - detail)

This was an live game played 3 time with visitors to the show joining in.

The Lance & Longbow Society had Rob Broom presenting an anniversary refight of Hastings using his popular War and Conquest rules ... again played with show goers throughout the day ...

(Salute 2016: details from the battle of Hastings by The Lance & Longbow Society)

Not quite historical ... the Skirmish Wargames folk put on this attractive myth game in 54mm ..

... and reprising last year's theme, there was an impressive battle of Agincourt ...

I also liked this 28mm medieval encounter in Eastern Europe ...

Snow just works so well for games at shows ...

More Dark Age/Medieval from Dalauppror ...

... and some Saga ...

So, actually not too bad if you are at the Dark Age/Medieval part of the spectrum but just the one historical ancient battle.  Hmmm ...

Very little also for the naval enthusiast - and this year was the 100th anniversary of the battle of Jutland.   A surprising absence, perhaps?

Elsewhere ...

... there was lots of everything else ...

Especially, I liked ...

... the train ... and I liked ...

... the ships in the docks ... This was a huge decorative side table to the historical 'what if' ECW Bristol scenario - actually a rather splendid game ...

(Redoubt (sconce) in the ECW game 'What if Essex had gone to Bristol')

And I always like the Continental Wars Society and their mix of wargaming presentations prints and flats ...

(Salute 2016: the Continental Wars Society display)

(more Salute 2016)

... and there was some splendid miniature architecture on show ...

(overlooking the battle of Moncontour, 1569)

(Wilhelmstadt, beside the battle by Bill Gaskin and friends) 

Of course these, like the port at Bristol, are not really part of the battle, just decorative add-ons.  Now, as a modeller, I love to see them and they help make my Salute - but I do understand why some question their relevance (especially when the organisers are turning away core subject historical wargames) ...

So ... I really enjoyed Salute 2016 - I always do: a special blend of wargame magic with shopping, meeting old friends and enjoying the spectacle.  This year, the dearth of historical games was a disappointment, especially to the ancients enthusiast.

It was a grand day out but a missed opportunity.  I hope next year's show has a better balance of wargame types and interests.

Come see us at Campaign, by the way ...