Vapnartak Haul

A couple of photos here (at Don Ms request) of the bits and pieces Alex and I picked up the Vapnartak show last weekend (Link to earlier post).  I'm part way through getting some paint on the snow troopers.  I'll post again when they are finished off.
-

-

-

-

Vapnartak - Show Report

Last Sunday I attended my local Wargames Show 'Vapnartak' with young son Alex and my old friend John Elwen.  This was my first time attending the show at its current venue at the York Racecourse. Must confess I was pleasantly surprised at the range of traders and games on display.  There was something for everyone, and my wallet took a right bashing.  Alex and  I came away with some Critical Mass factory buildings, a Wings of War aircraft, a second-hand 40k Dreadnought, 40 x 20mm Hoth Snow troopers (great casting) and some 15mm sci-fi infantry.  Time permitting I'll upload some photos of the figs etc as I get them based up.
     Whilst there we joined in a excellent Star Wars participation game run by members of the York Club.  Here's a couple of photos as our X-Wings successfully dodged (most of) the bad guys shooting to deliver a torpedo down the exhaust port !  
-

-

-
A good day out, and we'll definitely be back next year.

Cambridgeshire Steam Rally 2012

Went to the Cambridgeshire Steam Rally in Swavesey village last weekend on the Sunday. I have been before but it was many years ago, and it is now a much larger event and at a different venue. As the name suggests there is a strong Steam influence with a large number of traction engines and small stationary rotary steam engines (of astonishing variety). It had been very wet on the run up the event so it was quite interesting getting vehicles on to the site on the Friday.  Fortunately it was dry on the Saturday and Sunday and so the ground dried out enough to allow the event to proceed without it becoming a mud-bath.
Here's my son keeping the revs up on the truck prior to us setting off whilst I did some last minutes checks.
-

-
Driving the over about 10 miles of windy back roads to the event I picked up a tailgater for a while ! LOL
-

-
There was a large number of vintage cars in attendance along with commercial vehicles, tractors and and about half a dozen military vehicles including my own. Quite a relaxed affair with plenty to occupy the family for a few hours.
-

-
Stand out military vehicle for me was this very tasteful Mack recovery truck
-

-
Most interesting classic vehicle was this little BMW Bug which was in fantastic condition.
-

-

'Somewhere In England' - Bassingbourn Show - Review

I took time out from revising for a (Purchasing) exam on Saturday morning, and went down to Bassingbourn Airfield to attend a local 1940s show called 'Somewhere in England'. The aim of the show this year is to raise money to restore the WW2 Control Tower.
-

-
Lots of lots of space at the show, with if I'm honest, not a huge amount there. The entrance price of £10 per adult seemed on the expensive side given what was there, £5 would have been more reasonable.  There were perhaps 20 vehicles, a few displays, 1 hot dog stall, about 16 trade stands, plus a band. The layout seemed poor to me, as the band were out on a limb somewhat, furthermore I'm reliably informed that the Tower and Museum were shut due to lack of staff, which seems nothing short of astonishing as you would have thought that these were the days when you really wanted it open !  Given the rubbish weather here in the UK recently (wettest April since records began in 1910), they were very fortunate as both Sat and Sun were clear and sunny.  I've decided to get myself some period gear to wear from time-to-time when I take my own CCKW truck to shows and I managed pick up a jacket for a quite a reasonable price.
Stand out vehicle for me was CCKW 353 with a .50cal mg and extra ammo boxes round the ring, although a black limo looked amazing, and the photo I took doesn't do it justice.  It will pop up in the slideshow below.
-


2012-05-12 Bassingbourn Show
-

Hammerhead Wargames Show

I attended the Hammerhead - Fantasy, Science-Fiction and Historical Wargames Show today. This was staged by the Chesterfield Open Gaming Society (COGS), and was held in Kelham Hall, near Newark in the UK.

As normal it was an excellent show with a good selection of trade stalls and games. I was putting on a Aliens participation game using a combination of Old Crow 'Tech Tunnel' scenery and Copplestone Castings Future War figures with my old 'home brewed' rules. Managed to get two games run. In the first it all went horribly wrong for the Marines and only 3 out of the party of 8 made it out alive. In the second game there was only 1 fatality however.

Spent a chunk of cash on buying one of each of the new vehicle releases from GZG that Mark announced in his excellent Dropship Horizion blog on 13 Feb. Hadn't planned to, but in the end just could resist them ! I'll post some pictures of them in the future once their assembled. Also picked up rather a nice pice of resin terrain made by a company called TSS. A small lake / pond that will do eqally well for 15mm and 25mm.

Anyway, here's the photos and a couple very short vids I took at the show.



HAMMERHEAD Wargames Show
-