Salute 2015 Pictures - Rejects on Tour

I've just got back from Salute 2015 and its been as busy and as huge as always. I wasn't able to make the show last year so I was very eager to get along to it this time and meet up with loads of friends including several member of Posties Rejects. I'll work through my pictures this evening and tomorrow and hopefully will have all my pictures up and ready to view in short order. In the meantime here is a couple of pictures picked from the bunch just to whet your appetite.

SELWG 2012 - Part 4

Right this is the last part of my picture review of the show (honest!). As you have probably gathered from my photo's so far I think the standard of games at this years show was very high. I've seem most of these games earlier in the year, but many appear to have undergone improvements and refinements and its always fun to see what's new since the last show. 

The Redhill Gamers put on a Carlist War game and the standard of painting was very high.

Once again its the little details that made this enjoyable to look at. This little Commanded vignette was particularly good.

As were these lancers...

And these infantry units...

And Artillery!

Another game I have seen before was that by Deal Wargames Club - Danger in Denmark. 

The table had lost of interesting scenery on it and featured some nice 'early war' Germans. 

This game was using the Rapid Fire rules and included ground troops and aircraft so the game had plenty of height as well as depth. 

Peter Pig - Patrols in the Sudan

'Climb Mount Nittaka' by Staines Wargames Club has been at several shows and has always seemed to be well attended by participants.

Its visually interesting, simple to play and of course re-tells an important moment of history (a day that 'lives in infamy' none-the-less)

I was there just in time to see them win Best Participation Game if I recall correctly

You may have guessed from my unbridled enthusiasm (and tons of photo's) that I rather enjoyed this show, and you'd be right. Its my last big show for the year (I won't be going to Warfare) until probably Cavalier in February. This is a long time between shows for me but I think I have had my fix of eye-candy games to see me through the lean winter months. And thanks to at least one game at the show I have now branched out into another scale! 

All the pictures seen here (and a few more besides can be viewed on my Picas Web Album page here:

SELWG 2012

SELWG 2012 - Part 3

I branched out a little this year, in a quite unexpected way. I had a long chat with the guys running the Operation Deadstick (Pagasus Bridge) game and was surprised to hear they were using a version of the Flames of War rules with 1/285th scale micro armour. The seeds of an idea were firmly planted but it took the combined effort of the rest of the Rejects to talk me into giving this a try. I found some GHQ tanks and bought a small selection to 'test' the idea out at home. I suspect this will be the beginning of yet another collection, but that's the benefit of attending wargame shows like this.   

One of the best games on display (and a really friendly group as well) was 'Brave Little Belgium' by Crawley Wargames Club. 

Once again its the small details that made this a fun display game to look at. This First Aid station probably didn't have any in-game significance but it added to the overall 'feel' of the game as the Belgians try in-vain to halt the German advance.

German bombers fly in to Blitzkrieg the Belgian defenders

Lead elements of the German Advance press forward 

Meanwhile Tintin and his dog Snowy join the refugees escaping the battle zone.

Brave Little Belgium won the Crawley Wargames Club 'Best Demo Game'...

...and Best in Show. Very well deserved indeed.

GLC Games put on the Battle of Sagrajas 1086 with some beautifully painted miniatures on the table

This was a very colourful feast for the eyes (and the camera)

Meanwhile up in the Balcony area the Society of Ancients ran this game, the Battle of Trebia 218 BC

Society of Ancients - Trebia 218 BC

Also in the balcony area was another Micro Armour game, this time the Arab Israeli War put on by the Streatham & Tooting Wargamers

This battle included lots of tanks in what can only be described as a 'target rich environment', hence the multiple smoke plumes of brewed up armour.

The South London Warlords were also in attendance with their 'Scarlet Thunder' game. This was well attended throughout the day and seemed to be enjoyed by all those taking part. 

Another view of the South London Warlords 'Scarlet Thunder' participation game

The last part of the picture review of SELWG 2012 will be ready shortly for your viewing pleasure. 

Big Picture : Siege of Tenochtitlan

This weeks Big Picture comes from Salute in 2007. This amazing table depicts The Siege of Tenochtitlan, the fall of Mexico City in 1521. This demonstration game was run by The Escape Committee and featured a wide range of excellently painted 28mm figures.

Paper verses Pixels

How do you get your information about your Hobby? If you're reading this blog then I guess there's a good chance you get some from the blogs you read and maybe from various Internet Forums like ENWorld or The Miniatures Page. I regularly use the Internet as a vast resource of news in general. In particular I follow (currently) over 50 Blog's using Google Reader and dip into this excellent pool of information several times a day. But I also enjoy that most endangered of species, the Magazine.

I subscribe to Wargames Illustrated and try to pick up several others (such as Battlegames and Minaiture Wargames) on the news stand on a semi regular basis. My reading selection covers the whole breadth of the hobby, from purely wargaming magazines through to those dedicated to roleplaying like Flagship and Kobold Quarterly. But there is an insidious trend spreading across the world of gaming magazines and I'm not sure I like it.

In recent years several magazines have stooped producing paper versions of their publication and either stopped entirely or made the move to PDF versions. The most famous example has to be Wizard of the Coasts decision a couple of years ago not to renue their licencing agreement with Piazo and to stop making paper versions of Dragon and its sister publication Dungeon. I used to buy both magazines on a regular basis when they were made from paper rather than pixels but I must admit they have lost their appeal for me completely now thay are pdf only. Part of the problem is I am not terribly interested in subscribing to WoTC's D&D Insider suite of tools which now includes the magazine content. However that is not the only down side for me, and others like me.

There seems to have been a concerted effort over the years to make readers feel like they are old fashioned or behind the times if they don't convert seamlessly to electronic format. I'm certainly not a Luddite when it comes to technology. I enjoy new tech and new modes of communication immensely. Aside from this blog I have an active facebook page and I participate in several dozen online forums. But I have to say that the electronic magazine is a step too far for me.

Part of the attraction of a paper magazine is that I can read it anywhere I like. In bed; On the bus: At my desk; Over lunch: In the bath and a dozen other places where a laptop or notebook just wouldn't be appropriate. I certainly haven't got the spare cash to pay out for a Kindle or other reader device. And I spend all day looking at a screen as it is without filling my spare time reading magazines on one as well.

I think that part of the problem is the nature of the format as well as its accessibility while sitting in the bath (sorry for the scary mental image). Digital information, especially when presented on a screen, tends to get skimmed across more quickly -its not called 'surfing the net' for nothing. That's not necessarily a criticism of the Internet per-se but a natural evolution of utility that lends itself to fast information presented in small parcels. I doubt if I'm alone when I say that I am more inclined to read something in-depth in a printed format.

On the plus side some pdf magazines, like Dragon and Dungeon are now in landscape format so they read better on a screen. And there has been a huge increase in the use of pdf sales to distribute smaller independent games. I've purchased lost of material this way, from Dungeon floorplans through to scenarios and sourcebooks.

Having said that I have to admit to being a hypocrite in that I do follow some pdf magazines like Kobold Quarterly and Flagship. But I would much prefer to hold a real life paper copy instead. At least with Flagship it's possible to purchase a paper version of the magazine as well as accessing it online. For my money that's a much better option than stopping the paper copy entirely.

Finding Players

I recently stumbled upon a new website specifically designed to help you find new players. Game, Setup, Match! which aims to establish a nationwide gaming community in the UK. I recently discussed how to introduce new players to an established group but of course that depends on you being able to find a new player in the first place! Often word of mouth is all you need but if that fails there are several 'player finders' on the Internet. Here's a selection of my favorites.

• ENWorld.com also has a Gamers seeking Gamers section.
• If your a member of The Miniatures Page there is also a Player Finder option available.
• If Flames of War is your game then you can use the Battlefront websites Club Finder to locate a nearby game.
• Similarly if your a Roleplayer then go no further than UK Roleplayers and their club finder.
• Pen and Paper Games has an excellent Player Finder as part of its forum. You can search by proximity, genres and whether they are a player or GM. The best bit is the use of a navigable map that makes identifying local players easy.
• For Call of Cthulhu gamers Yog-Sothoth.com's Players Directory is an excellent searchable database of players.

This is by no means an exhaustive list but they represent sites that I have either used myself or had recommended to me at one time or another.

Smoggycon 2009

A quick reminder that tomorrow (Saturday 28th November) is Smoggycon in Middlesbrough. Organised by the Middlesbrough Gamers Club this event opens at 10 am at the Southlands Leisure Centre. Admission is only 50p and the event will feature a Bring & Buy, Trade stalls, participation & demo games, a competition & Tournaments. There will be free car parking at the front of the Leisure centre.

For more info go to the clubs website where you can download a programme and map of the show.

SELWG 09 Show Report

It’s been a while since the last SELWG at Crystal Palace. When Asbestos was found in the roof of the building the 2007 show had to be cancelled only weeks before it was due to take place. Ongoing work meant the 2008 show was a non starter so for many wargamers the 2009 show has been much anticipated. I arrived just before 10am and waited in the cold morning sunshine for the doors to open. Once they did the queue was processed quickly and the cavernous space of the National Sports Centre waited inside. My first impression once through the doors was “renovation, what renovation?” as nothing much seems to have been changed by nearly two years worth of building work.

The show was split as usual between the Balcony/Concourse and the Main Hall, with two additional halls downstairs for extra displays and the Bring & Buy. Nearly 70 traders were in attendance making this one of the biggest events in the London area (after SALUTE). Some people I spoke to seemed to think attendance was down on previous years but I wasn't able to say myself, having only been once before in 2006. Irrespective of numbers through the door most of the people I spoke to seemed to be parting with large sums of cash and trading appeared brisk all day.

Down in the main hall there was an impressive array of display games covering pretty much every period its possible to game in. Some tables stood out for me, especially the Hockwald Gap game run by Shepway Wargames Club. This was ‘eye candy’ at its best with lots of little details and vignettes that had me returning for more several times during the day. This is the sort of gaming table we all aspire to but realistically can only be achieved as club effort. Another game that caught my eye was the Aspern-Essling Napoleonic encounter run by Too Fat Lardies. This used ‘blank markers’ to identify units that were as yet unidentified by opposing players (the models would come on later in the game as LOS was established). I had a long and interesting chat with one of the guys at the table…but forgot to get his name! (Note to self: Bring notebook in future!!). Deal Wargames Club put on an excellent display with their game Crossing the Irrawaddy. This featured an opposed waterborne landing, a very muddy looking river and some excellent terrain.

In a totally different period and scale another impressive looking table was the Thunder on the Danube Napoleonic game run by Maidstone Wargames Society. This 6mm game was at Salute earlier in the year and is just as impressive second time around. There seemed to be more participation games at this show (maybe I just notice them this time round). The South London Warlords were running their Usthutu game, complete with native headgear. Crawley Wargames Club had an interesting game called Operation peace for Galilee which looked like an interesting urban warfare scenario.

The Diamond Geezers had lots of players around their game The Raid simulating a commando attack on a port. And the South East Essex Military Society were running their Wot no Parachute? WW1 Aerial combat game (those models look great). All in all a very good show with an enjoyable mix of trade stands and display tables. All my pictures (including those I didn't have space for here) are available to view in my SELWG 09 Picasa Web Album. I've also put together a video slide show of my pictures here.

Essex Warriors Open Day

Tomorrow is the Open Day of the Essex Warriors. The Warriors are based in Writtle near Chelmsford, Essex and meet twice a month at the Village Hall. Meetings are usually on Sundays and last from 9:30 am to 5pm so there is plenty of time for large games. “The historical periods being played at the club include using all scales and many different rules. We also have a large number of Sci-fi and fantasy players Playing games like Warhammer, Warhammer 40K, AT43, Secrets of the Third Reich, Uncharted Seas, Starship Troopers. We also play RPG's Such as D&D, CoC, Castle Falkenstien, Mutants and Masterminds and Red Dwarf. The club Provides a number of services to members such as Scenery, Cloths and an ever growing number of club armies and games.”
(Source: Warriors Website)

As well as their website the Warriors also have a Yahoo Page and a Facebook Group.