6th to 8th July, Knuston Hall, Northamptonshire

The 2018 Conference of Wargamers

Midst the 2018 heatwave it was off to Knuston for WD's annual residential event.

Ancient and Medieval content was a little sparse this year but we started off with an '8 years on' visit to nearby Northampton battlefield.   WDers had walked the battlefield on the 550th anniversary back in 2010 - which is pretty much what kicked off the Northampton Battlefield Society (of which I have subsequently become vice-Chair) ...

It was a pleasure to show people round and instructive to reflect how much our knowledge and understanding has come on over 8 years.  In itself it shows that local heritage activism works.

Not ancient and medieval but very much a project I have helped with, Saturday morning saw a very impressive run out for Trebian's War of the Spanish Succession game 'Va t'en Guerre' ...

Later, I gave another run to the Tony Bath wargame complete with some new accessions ...

(the Tony Bath wargame reconstructed with the original 1960s flats)

We are making some progress toward a playable authentic version of this classic game.

Some aspects are timeless innovations that have become mainstream - other bits have fallen out of use as better systems have been devised ... nevertheless, this is where today's ancient wargame began.

(The Tony Bath wargame: a loan surviving elephant rampages forward) ...

In this play through, archery made a bigger than usual impact, none of the light troops running way, and a group of 3 elephants being shattered by bowshooting (2 elephants killed, the last being panicked and out of control - though, it must be said, it went on to do considerable damage albeit not under the direction of its notional commander!) ..

We also added some chariots into the mix (at the far end of the table) with mixed results.

Also over the weekend I played some WWII games, tried to capture Gordon at Khartoum

(54mm scale lawn game: a big push on the Western Front)

(CoW 2018: Indian Mutiny M&T; Save Gordon; Suffragetto; Airfix Battles)

A great stress buster of a weekend in what has become a hell of a year.

Always a great event ... but book early if you fancy it.  Everyone's welcome but it sells out very quickly these days ...

WD website

(CoW 2018 Friday excursion ... looking over Northampton battlefield from the Eleanor Cross position)

12th - 13th May, Milton Keynes

MEETING THE PUBLIC OUT SHOPPING 

Yes ... as 2018 rushes by, last weekend was spent in the middle of a shopping centre meeting the public as exhibitors at MKWS's unique free wargames show.

 

At this time of year we combine up as The Naseby Project, The Battlefields Trust, Northampton Battlefields Society and The Society of Ancients ... basically historical wargaming and battlefields history.   And we hope to get people interested.

Although politicians, news organisations, pundits and statisticians institutionally ignore it, this is the kind of thing that interests people.   People love their heritage and, in all the shows and events we do, I've yet to meet a member of the public that didn't care - and, where heritage is under threat, who didn't think 'something should be done'.

 

(Naseby Battlefield displayed at Campaign 2018)

So it's important we get out there and let them know what is going on.  People care.  Mostly, though, they just don't know.

 

(The Society of Ancients display at Campaign 2018)

For the SoA we took along the Tony Bath 'flats' game (which hasn't been out for a while and which hasn't been to Milton Keynes before) ... the repsonse suggested it was a good choice. 

 

 

(the figures in this game are mostly by Phil Barker with some by Tony Bath and some by Deryck Guyler)

 

(Celtic cavalry in horned helmets and surprising colours from the brush of Tony Bath)

 

(Elephants and ... err ...)

 

(... more elephants)

 

The best known version of the Bath wargame is, of course, in Donald Featherstone's classic guide - if you don't have a copy it is generally available second-hand (usually the prices are a snip) or John Curry has done a reprint.

For Northampton Battlefields Society we took along the 1460 Participation Game.

 

(Northampton 1460 at Campaign: Graham gets the shoppers wargaming)

 

Of course a lot of what we do is getting people interested by encouraging them to handle reproduction weapons and equipment, pose for selfies (and, apparently, talk to Imperial Stormtroopers!)

 

And talk to people ...

  

 

Mike, Peter (in the archer's garb) and Corin came along on the Sunday and increased our level of expertise

 

 

It's a nice event, and at times we were quite busy.  Which is encouraging.

 

(the battlefields societies and Society of Ancients at Campaign 2018)

Out and about during my breal I caught up with some familiar faces ...

 

(Lynne on the DL Books stand - a cornerstone of the Campaign show)

There's always a competition here ...

 

(Campaign 2018: wargaming the BHGS way)

 

... and some other games to distract you ...

Well done to all of them.

Campaign is probably the most important show on the wargames calendar.  It is the only one I know which really tries, heat on sleeve, to get people interested.  Support them.  Come next year.  Run a game.  Meet and talk to people.

Here are some links:

MKWS

The Society of Ancients

The Battlefields Trust

Northampton Battlefields Society

The Naseby Project

The British Historical Games Society

15th October, Warwick

As a result of the clash with the Bakewell DBA event, I could only do the Sunday of this year's Society Conference.

So I won't attempt to offer a review/report ... just a note on what was on offer on theSunday ... which started with a lengthy talk on Procopian Warfare by Roy Boss, after which the Conference split into 3 options ... wargaming those Byzantine battles with Roy and friends (Armati) ... and Ancient Wargames workshop with Richard .. and the Tony Bath wargame with me.

 

(Phil Steele's Tony Bath wargame)

 (wargaming the Procopian wars had three refight tables available)

There was also a mini campaign running during the session intervals.

After an indulgent lunch (all part of the package), Mark Fry gave us a talk on the Khmer army (and a critical look at the evidence) ... insightful stuff that will be boiled into a Slingshot feature - so look out for that.

Then there was an open final session in which people were invited to revisit games they'd liked or missed earlier in the weekend.  I got some more takers so ran the Bath game again (though we only had time to sample it before the wash up and departures) ...

Here are some pictures ...

 

 

 

(the figures were originally from the collections of Phil Barker, Deryck Guyler and Tony Bath)

Of course originally they would have looked more like this ...

 

 

How can you not be charmed by these wonderful figures? 

We made some good progress with this project so my thanks to the players, particularly Andrew and Duncan in the first game: we started with me a little rusty but I think got the game up and running and the players mostly running it themselves.

This is a topic to revisit and a game we can evaluate.

Look out for more.

The Conference was a little down on numbers this year but seemed to be doing well - again with new faces and familiar personalities.  It sounds like there will be one next - you should go (you really should!).

2016 wrap Part One - Wargamer in Halesowen

Assembling my review of the year in advance of 2017s first shows at Hammerhead and Alumwell, I stumbled on a 'lost wargames show' - a fully edited album of pictures from Wargamer in Halesowen that never made it to the blog.

Apologies to the organisers - it was a great day out and continues to be an excellent local show:

Plenty to do as you can see ...

I gave the Tony Bath Hyboria game a final outing ... it stimulated quite a lot of interest so thanks to everyone who came over and shared in the nostalgia ...

TONY BATH'S ANCIENT WARGAME AT HALESOWEN

(Society of Ancients nostalgia: 1960s flats originally by Phil Barker and Tony Bath)

(Hyboria at Wargamer 2016)

(Phil Steele's Tony Bath game for the Society of Ancients)

(the Tony Bath Hyboria wargame)

There was also a very nice ancients game put on in the modern idiom by slingshot Stalwart Ade G - in glorious 6mm (well worth some pictures):

Excellent ... beautiful massed effects ...

Elsewhere at Wargamer 2016 (yes there was more):

... and the December weather was good too - cold but not wintry ... such a gem of a show I assume it is weather worries that explain its relatively low turn out.

See you there next year, though ... hey, showgoers?