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

Partizan 2012 (May 27th)

As always Partizan entertained and inspired me.  If I could only ever go one wargames show then I suspect Partizan would be my show of choice.  Quality participation games, quality demo games, and lots of the great and the good in the wargames hobby there. 

Firstly I must make big apologies to the staff at Wargames Soldiers Strategy - I didn’t take any photos of the naval wars of the Roses game. 

There are some pictures on the Too much Lead Blogspot and here at Another Slight Diversion

  

It was only going to be a morning visit as I had both mum to visit on the way back to the in laws and then to get back down to Exeter.  The plan was to start at the furthest place from the entrance/exit and work my way backwards.  That sort of fell apart as at 10.30 I was offered the chance to play Muskets and Tomahawks.  I was intrigued what was within this rule set given that I’m a fan of the fairly innovative SAGA and this is by the same author. 

For the most part the rules are very similar to what we have seen elsewhere – dice rolls to hit, dice rolls to kill (or save), dice for morale etc.   The cards reflect that this is a card driven activation system.   Where M&T has evolved is that rather than one card per unit (as per Battlemasters), and lots of rules from Two Fat Lardies (Which I also like) this give different numbers to different types: at its crudest analysis then irregulars like Rangers get 4 cards with one action (move, shoot, reload) per card, whereas regulars get 2 cards but 2 actions per card.  There is a bit more to the system than that – Indians, Civilians, Grenadiers, Officers and morale all playing a part along with optional event cards.  As I understand it so far (need to read rules) the contrast with the Two Fat Lardies system is that your cards are guaranteed to come up, compared with the “tea break” card that causes a re-shuffle although I’m not sure.   More on M&T and the French Indian Wars in a subsquent blog post.  

The Camera came out somewhat sparingly – as usual these days.  A few more pictures will appear on my next blog entry ‘scatter terrain’.  

An Arthurian game from Westbury Wargames

A VBCW game from the Gentleman's Wargames Parlour 

A Vinland game from Shaun at the Bunker.

In talking with him he did admit that lots of the rock - including that at the left had been reused from a '633 Squadron' game.  

A World War One game from Great War Miniatures.  Lots of really nice details in this and freely admitted to be a spatial compression game (so that a manufacturer can show off what they do) - the front line to the artillery to the supply tractors would in reality have been miles.   A nice change from the brown mud games.   

A Wars of the Roses game from Perry Miniatures.  As one might expect, this was stunning although I might have liked something that told me about the battle or the sides/heraldry (if fictional).  

Muskets and Tomahawks participation from Rich Jones. 

I probably spent more at Partizan on goodies than I did at Salute.  

        

~Muskets and Tomahawks

~Two Rice paddies (A4 size) from The Last Valley

~Song of Arthur and Merlin (Ganesha Games) - Ready printed copy from Dave Thomas

Various bits for M&T - Two Totem poles (Grand Manner) for use with Indians, Redendra Bell Tents for regular soldiers, Trade goods (two different sets) from Ainsty Castings, and some second hand French Indian Wars which I have now identified as Redoubt Enterprises (and good sculpts: I feel some Redoubt stuff is good and some poor). 

Chris

Legionary 2012

Legionary is my local show in Exeter.  It's had somewhat of a chequered history in recent years having been through several different hands and venues.  Alongside this has been the rationalisation of show attendance by traders and the effects of the downturn in the economy.   With Exeter being roughly 100 miles from Bristol then aside from any overnight costs its going to be a good 5-6 (if not more) gallons of fuel for anyone to get there and back from North of Bristol or West of Bournemouth.  In 2010 I'd been somewhat disappointed and whilst 2011 saw it move to the new venue as part of my general lack of enthusiasm I didn't go.
As always the show was very mixed - lots of Warhammer 40l/Fantasy and Flames of War from traders, and generally smaller local traders.  This does not always mean little league as for example Black Scorpion produce some of the finest figures available today in my opinion.   The Square and Dreamholme are some of the big producers of resin terrain.  None of these had much new though to interest me, and the first two (not sure about the third) were certainly at Salute only a few weeks previously.
A major part of the show in recent years has been the tournaments - Warhammer fantasy and 40K (Flames of War and Warmachine have been in/out as well in recent years) - which do not interest me at all.
The quality of the wargames on show seems to reflect the very variable nature of the hobby at the moment.  Some were very good, some were just disinterested in people around them, and a few (Saga / Dystopian Wars / War and Conquest) were linked in with traders at the show.
I'd arrived reasonably late on the afternoon and still had my stick re my bad back (see Salute blog).   I only got the camera out for two games, although a third featuring the Sudan was interesting but not of much interest to me to record.
Firstly a VBCW game from the Abbeywood Irregulars.

Next was a Victorian themed steam tanks plus HG Wells/Jules Verne "liftwood" aerial gunboats.  NOt something I particularly want to game but some excellent modelling being demonstrated. 

I had a quick explanation of the use of Strategy dice within War and Conquest from Rob Broom and Scarab Miniatures,  My copy from the Northstar sale had arrived that lunchtime and I'd not even had time to open it.  Had I been more organised then I should have allowed time for a walkthrough of the full game/rules.   

I bought very little at the show - a reflection probably of it coming only a couple of weeks after Salute and the traders that were there.  I got a few figures out of a bargain bin to convert into SAGA personalities - if its cheap when it goes under the hacksaw and I botch it then I'm not too upset.  One discovery made as I was literally heading towards the door, and people were starting to pack up /go home was some laser cut MDF terrain from Warmill - had I looked more closely then getting one of their cargo pods for me would have been on my list.  As it was I got a stargate (small centre one) for my chum in London.  Warmill are exactly the sort of small supplier with a niche product that I would like to see at Salute if the economics could be made right. 

Chris

   

Games Expo 2012

Saturday 26th May saw me get up at an unearthly hour - 5.45 I think to be on the road for 6.45 to try and get car parking at the venue in Birmingham.  In the end we didn't but were one of the first cars turfed out onto the side street and got parking within a hundred yards or so of the venue.  I got here for Saturday morning and had 9.30 til 2 pm at the show.   It encompasses everything - LARP - RPG - Miniatures - Boardgames.  To be fair the historical miniatures side of the show is varied and generally small - I think they had the UK Flames of War tournament one year.  This year it was a busy and well attended Warmachine tournament.  Mostly the miniatures side is the Horror/SF/Fantasy skirmish/collectable/display end of the market - the 28-32mm stuff.

I got to play a boardgame - Snowdonia - in what appeared to be a finished pre-production version.  Interesting resource management game but nothing military about it.  No pictures I'm afraid.  

There was a very nice Pirate game from Redditch Wargames Society which suffered somewhat from its location of being next door to the bring and buy and therefore lots of people nearby and somewhat crowded.

Lots of Buildings by Grand Manner (Spanish Convent and other peninsular stuff painted slightly different colours to be more grungy and piratey and less whitewashed Spain) and Cutlass rules from Black Scorpion.  There were some other miniatures games but generally of the Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror genre which don't do much for me.  

Total purchases at the show were two dice - with a logo on one side - as presents for others, and a couple of very reduced price but still in shrinkwrap boardgames, again to give away as presents.  

I didn't go last year (and not sure about the year before) but am looking forward to the change of venue.  The timing though now appears to be fixed which means that there is always going to be the clash with Partizan.  

Website is here - Games Expo

Salute 2012

Another month, another post...

Mid April saw me head up to London and Salute, probably the biggest wargames show in Europe.   As a one day show it's more of a shopping and networking thing than the chance to play, and with my hearing aid I find the general level of background 'white noise" such that it would be fairly uncomfortable to play games.    This year things were made even harder by my bad back from the week previously.  Fortunately my nice chum Andy took one look at me on the Friday and decided that he would drive to Salute on Saturday rather than use public transport, which meant no German beer for him in the evening...

I had an OK show - saw and chatted with a couple of friends.  The demo/participation games failed to make much of an impression on me for the most part, possibly because the best ones seemed to be repeats.  Notable exception must go the VBCW boys from the Gentleman wargames parlour.

For photo blog reports then Joe Dever does it much better than me.  

http://ilovewargameing.21.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=4000

And what did I come home with from Salute:

From the nice man at the relaunched Ainsty Castings the temple dogs and some cemetary gates (essentially pillars with brass gates).  Scots dice for SAGA from Gripping Beast along with Harold Godwinson, and some Jomsvikings.   Measuring sticks (for SAGA essentially) from Products for wargamers although having used them on the Sunday I'm now thinking if i should have bought the slightly more expensive "patterned" finish ones, rather than the smooth ones as they might provide a better grip.  

Next up is a MDF Viking wooden tent from Warbases and a MDF Roman Ox Cart from 4Ground.  Lots of MDF scenery on show from various people, and I've seen some other stuff later in Exeter.   Samurai Bunnies from Eureka miniatures and some plastic Ashigaru spearmen from Wargames Factory although I think mine were bought off the Gripping Beast stand. 

Last item was a copy of Flashing Steel from Ganesha Games although mine came from the Ainsty Stand.  I'm a long time 3 Musketeers fan so this was not a hard sell, and I'd been meaning to investigate Ganesha games because of their Arthurian Song of blades and heroes.   I've read through it a couple of times now and it seems a reasonably solid Skirmish with RPG elements (e.g. skills) type game, even if I was disappointed that the stats within the book are for Pirates rather than the Musketeers.  A post on the forum is to the effect that this is to avoid stifling creativity but I still feel that some benchmarks and ideas would be nice, especially given the title.   

On the Sunday I got out to Berkhamsted castle - again without camera but with stick.  Textbook motte and bailey castle that history seems to pass by after the the 14th century, although it lingers on into the 15th as a bit of sideshow.  English heritage also have a site.  

Chris