Salute 2014 - emergence from winter quarters...

I'm back..... 

In many ways the outing to Salute  felt like the emergence from Winter Quarters.  Its not been a very harsh winter in terms of snow and ice but does seem to have been very long, cold grey and wet. 

Unfortunately no walkthrough from Joe Dever this year. 

http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=342445

But someone steps into the breach...   

Shedwars blog

Overall – my usual feelings that if this is the flagship wargames event then couldn’t it somewhow be better ?  Better lighting, more participation games, less of the whole shopping scrum aspect (so that the games would be better) and generally more “inviting”. 

But, it is what it is, and I’ll carry on with my view that the Partizan’s if not the biggest shows in the UK are to me the nicest….

Returning to Salute 2014.  Once again  made the decision to get the later train (7.50 out, arrive London 10.15 ish, so I get to the show about 11.15 – I might as well get some beauty sleep than expend it just to be able to have the privelige of standing around in a long queue.  Almost came a cropper this year though – took longer to get to the show than expected once in London, and being hungry I made the decision to have a Bagel pre show entry to fortify myself.  So, I wasn’t actually claiming my goodie bag until 11.45 and the first one I had had no free figure !!!  I was told that they were basically on the last of the bags, and were close to running out of the ones with free figures in (5,000 made) and all would get would be the dice and catalogue etc… 

The only likely “limited edition” thing that was on my list were the VBCW dice from EM4 miniatures although stand TE04 had a misprint in the catalogue and I struggled to find it on my first couple of attempts and then scurried off to meet friends from the South East who had of course got into the show much earlier.  Given that one was a Salute Virgin though they were doing the walk around and as I caught up with them at 12.00 had just finished the outer ring.  I secured the dice later on.  

Quite often a number of the games at Salute have the same theme (not necessarily tied in with the actual show theme), and perhaps therefore reflect the current trends in the hobby.  This year then I would say that theme was “Steampunk”.  First up is the Oshiro Martian game which I believe won best demonstration game of the show.  

In her Majesty's Name (the Osprey rules) were being played and I took this photo for the clever use of the warehouses as the backdrop to the gaming board.   On the Oshiro game they would hold a picture of the martian landscale to provide a nice backdrop for photos.    

Finally Empire of the Dead (EOTD) had a game from the manufacturer Westwind Productions.  My photos of this came out relatively poorly.

The theme was operation overlord and there was a visually stunning game of this on a long table.  I couldn't help but feel thought that this was once again diorama vs game.   Given the recent releases though of two books of pictures of big games then perhaps I'm not in touch with the market. 

The expected traders were there and it would be harsh to single them out - Gripping Beast were demonstrating SAGA and Juglia (alhtough I don't remember seeing Muskets and Tomahawks) and Rob Broom was there with War and Conquest. 

Finally the picture of the Salute Loot......

The shop fest

Black Hat Miniarutes – Japanese Temple Guardian and 3 packs of 3 peasant spearmen

Oshiro Model Terran – Japanese Lanterns and large graves.  Some clear plastic bases to go with the railway stuff.      

Dead Man’s Hand – rules

Juglia – rules

Rendedra – tents and some fencing

Litko – explosion markers.  Originally to be used for Bolt Action pin markers, after watching a game then I think I’ll be using dice. 

Kaiser Rushforth box cum dice tray – because I feel I need one. 

Some mdf bases from Products for Wargamers

Various FIW figures from Redoubt - more on these later as they include some excellent civilians from the Body's bits range rather than the FIW proper.  

Samurai - Rotterdam and Lone Wolf and Cub

April and May have been somewhat hectic for some good and some not so good reasons.  One of the good parts was a 5 day trip to Holland in Mid May, specifically Rotterdam, Leiden and Amsterdam.

The main reason for going was a Samurai Exhibition at the Weraldmuseum in Rotterdam which ended on 26th May.  My chum's daughter's boyfriend passed on the details a while ago, and we hadn't had a big (aka aged 50 ish) boys outing for a while, so "why not".  (I also got to see the Dutch Marines museum but news of that in a different post).

The exhibition turned out be very, very, good and well worth the journey.

The following pictures comes from this blog.

Photography in the exhibition was prohibited for obvious reasons.  The low level of lighting would have meant that without a tripod and very long shutter speeds the results would have been very poor.  The billing talked about stuff on loan from America and Japan but didn't say that much of the stuff was from the Museo Stibbert in Florence - which I knew had lots of Samurai stuff from some Black and white photos in Osprey books.  When I came back I checked it out (again) and the Museo Stibbert Samurai stuff is now only by appointment and incurs an extra fee of €150 !

More pictures on this blog.  

One of the more unusual helmets at the show was this one with a massive (I assume paper mache) Octopus.  

Aside from a two items (armour and a sword set) made for the Dutch King as gifts, the rarest items I suspect were a straw jingasa (war hat) and back banner (Sashimono). The Sashimono was from the Momoyama (1573-1615) period which covers the period of unificaton by Hideyoshi (such as the battle of Sekighara).  With no photography then I succumbed and bought the catalogue for €35 - not cheap, but all the photos are colour and some are very close detail.  Unfortunately it doesn't illustrate every item.  

The Samurai on horseback was in the museum entrance hall and the one item that could be freely photographed.  

Final mention is some new Samurai figures only available until 29 May.  These are from Black Bases and represent Lone Wolf and Cub.  Mine arrived today and what it doesn't mention is that the set does include the babycart too, so is somewhat better value.   Remember that figures are unpainted.  

 

Salute Part II - the shopping

My days of doing lots of shopping at Salute are over for various reasons - I already have it, I'm getting more careful with my cash, I can't carry it home on the train etc... 

Nevertheless, there are lots of new and shiny things at Salute... 

GENERAL

Just before going up to Salute I bought a copy of the new merged Miniature Wargames/Battlegames mag.  The old Miniature Wargames was always a curate’s egg for me – i.e. good in parts and I used to browse in Smiths and buy 2-3 issues a year.  The revamp looks good and I suspect that the introduction of the Battlegames contributors will improve what I see as the quality of the articles. 

Wargames Illustrated was there with the latest issue and an offer of a free figure of Joshua Chamberlain for the first 200 purchasers.  Given my love affair wth the magazine is waning then the inducement of a free, limited edition figure was enough to secure a purchase. 

The last magazne was the current issue of Medieval Warfare – Medieval Bishops themed issue.  Lots of interest here.   Right away then I should remind people that I write for the sister publication Wargames Soldiers Strategy.  I’ve let my subscription to the society of ancients lapse this year (too much DBA, biblical, greek and Republican Roman for my interests) and may well start up a sub to Medeval Warfare given the number of issues I’m buying. 

MUSKETS & TOMAHAWKS

Selection of multiple movement trays from Warbases. 

3 of the 5 man clumps

3 of the 5 man lines

Couple of 2 man but square edged trays that will the corners rounding off on. 

Some blank 25mm discs to infill with scenery etc….

SAGA

Big news of course washte box of unarmoured warrors from Gripping Beast.  Looks good and as the box says, enough to make up to 32 with slings or 16 with javelins, or 8 with swords or axes, whilst I suspect everyone could have a spear if you wanted.  .   

I bought a couple of figures for use as SAGA warlords. Nominally 28mm, more like 30mm and not cheap (USA imports). Tthe top viking is supplied with an axe and sword which makes him look more menacing.  

http://www.fenrisgames.com/shop.html#!/~/category/id=4201768&offset=0&sort=nameAsc

I also got a pack of 10 30mm lipped plastic bases to distinguish the warlords  for SAGA from EM4 miniatures. 

Japanese Stuff

The big news here was the Sarissa Laser cut mdf buildings.

http://www.sarissa-precision.co.uk/

I got a number of clan war packs at £3 each – essentially 16 Diadoji Iron Warrors (Samurai Spearmen) with a pack of mizu adepts (martial artists), bowmen and a couple of personalities. 

New to me were fouraminiatures

http://www.fouraminiatures.com/

Initially there was a range of Science Fiction pilots, snow troopers and others that caught my eye, but then from a Japanese viewpoint (I believe there are legends of quatic lizardmen) there was a lovely collection of “sea demons”.  

A few other small bits like some transfers and a couple of bits for friends and I was finished.  

Salute 2013 - Part 1 - the show

SALUTE 2013 – How was it for me…..

Well, by catching a later (and cheaper) train then I ddn't arrive until about 90 mins after opening and missed all the queues which was probably a good thing.   

Well, my initial response is that it was all a bit underwhelming.  With the height of the new(ish) venue and the (greyish) lighting then stands have always got a bit “lost”, and the “white noise” effect form the people, ceiling and echos make it hard work wth my hearing aid.  But the sense that I came away was that I was seeing too much that I’d already seen before over the last 2-3 years, and on many games there was that lack of a ‘wow” factor for me to want and look at them further.  Often, this is having eye candy at eye level to catch my eye, or the non gamng props that cause me to feel that the people have thought about the game they are putting on.   It's not the new and shiny (if obscure) period that I'm looking for - its the shop window effect to get my attention.  

I do wonder if the sheer costs of putting a game on at salute are putting people off.  Parking isn’t cheap, neither is fuel these days, and in reality how many people are actually interested in what you are doing at Salute rather than being there as a shopping fest?   There appeared to be two notable non attendees this year who have always put on games previously that I had a lot of time for – one was the Whistable and Herne Bay Wargamers  who have put on what I regard as a variety of good participation games in prevous years, and possibly the skirmish wargames association (the catalogue lists a game but it failed to register on me) who have normally done a very good 54mm game. 

Equally I wonder if the smaller traders are now being priced out of Salute.  

Overall I think I'm now in the position of seeing Partizan as my best show to visit. 

I took relatively few pictures this year - which is a reflection of my overall impressons.  Of course next year, if I downgrade what camera equipment I carry to save weight from the digital SLR with flashgun to the compact, then there will be lots of good games.....  

For those seeking a blog with lots of pictures then I would recommend

Big Lees Miniatures Adventures as a blog that I follow that has taken lots of photos. 

In no particular order  we have...

Cloudships of Mars from Oshiro Model Terrain.  OK, so he is selling some of the products, but the colour combination coupled with the cloudships caught my attention.   And its pseudo Steampunk.  

James Morris (of WAB El Cid and Shieldwall fame) normally has a game on at Salute, and this year it was Dux Bellorum (Dark Age), using as he freely admitted figures that I had probably seen before.  

Oshiro Model Terrain are best remembered by me for their Japanese stuff, and again they had a Japanese game on dispaly.   This did feature lots of things I've seen in the last 2-3 years but nevertheless I did take a picture of it.  

VBCW was there with another game.  Well displayed (e.g. the boards, sample weapons) as always and a game with lots of features.  Sometimes I wonder if less would be more in terms of VBCW games, or if more reflects the almost anarchic state of warfare with the various rival (even if allied) factions.  Loved the BUF HQ building in the back - almost masonic temple.... 

And last is the WSS Samurai game.   I didn't play in this (remember my hearing comments made earlier about noise at Salute) but when a game was in progress it seemed like people were having fun.

The Sloth returns in 2013

OK I'm back with plans to update more regularly.

The tail end of 2012 disappeared in the usual end of the year gaming frenzy - World Championships at Derby, the Spiel at Essen (Germany) and Crisis (in the new venue) at Antwerp.  And I went to all three of them, and each was worth going to for different reasons.

What remains now is to post the pictures and detail the goody bags.

Aside from the bad weather, 2013 has seen a bit of a flurry of activity as well with the purchase of some more rulebooks - Deus Vult (from Fireforge), Pike & Shotte (Warlord) and the medieval and later army lists for Hail Ceaser (Warlord).

Watch this space...

Chris

Awayday - Battle of Britain Bunker

Last weekend (8/9th September) was the annual heritage open days weekend and I went up to London in part to see the Battle of Britain Bunker.  Opening for individuals as opposed to groups has always been a bit limited, but it was a bit of a shock to discover the 2 hour queue waiting time to get in.  Health and safety meant that only a limited number could be down it at any one time because of evacuation difficulties.

I see that website now has virtual tour.   Only one of its kind left - there were I think we were told five to cover the whole of the UK, and this was the one that directed the Battle of Britain.

Worth the wait ?  Yes, since  may never get the chance to get inside it again.

Same weekend saw me also get to a big medieval tithe barn - Harmandsworth.  Saturday saw me in Central London:

Wallace Collection for an exhibition on The Noble Art of the Sword: Fashion and Fencing in Renaissance Europe which finishes on the 16the unfortunatley and no photography.  Only a few rooms, with perhaps 20-30 swords, fencing books, clothes and some other accessories.  Rapier hilt fashioned to look like chains or ropes etc.  As a three musketeers fan though this was my sort of exhibition. 

Another one that finishes soon 930th September) is The Horse from Arabia to Royal Ascot at the British Museum which in the first part has some nicely displayed stuff from Ur and other biblical kingdoms on the development of the chariot.  This then moves through the muslim world to the thoroughbreds that are the backbone of English racing stock.  

The morning had seen a visit to some fairly average exhibitions at the National Army museum with lunch an (expensive - this is Sloane land - but nice) salt beef bagel from the farmers market, and the evening was rounded off with lashings of German beer and sausage.