West Midlands Military Show, 8th March, 2015

Just a few pics from yesterday's show, the second one to which we have taken our "Mayhem in the Med., c1565" game. I did not get out much, so most of the pics are of our offering, but there was some good stuff there to be seen and I am only sorry I could not capture much of it.

I think the overall standards were higher than previous years so a lot to aim for!

Marines and galley awaiting the lowering of the harbour boom at the start of the game.

North Africans ready to assault the tower, with its forlorn hope of locals ready to sell their lives dearly. They actually went down in the first couple of turns due to some well placed firepots and demon archery!

The sailors of the good ship "Maria" lasted rather longer.

An overall view of the game at the start.

Spanish arquebusiers, who went on to account for a unit of Janissaries and other Turkish troops as they fought a valiant retreat down the main street. 

These guys were rather less successful in holding up the North African contingent.

A VBCW game that looked rather characterful. I do not know who was showing it however, nor why there were German cavalry present.

Same game, same lack of knowledge about who these redshirts are. Too late for Garibaldi is all I know.

An overall view of the VBCW game. I like it.

The Telford STAGS put on a WW2 game in 28mm, but I think it was more static display than game. Looked decent though. Geoff's belly top centre!

Back to Malta and the Turkish advance down the main street to the town walls.

Another interlude and one of the Birmingham group's (October? Circle? SODS?) Sikh Wars game. Massed Sikh cavalry charge the British lines.

The British left

Nephew Paul's cavalry were supposed to sweep away the Corsairs and save the Christian left flank. However, someone forgot to give them the script, the Corsairs fought like tigers and the cavalry routed!

The Blue Janissaries were more cautious than their red counterparts and advanced on a narrow front along the harbour. They did take a few casualties from the sailors aboard "Maria", however, but got revenge by wiping them out in melee.

The Spanish survived the onslaught of the Turkish fanatics, but had to retreat shaken nevertheless.

"Son of Frances" slowly rolls down the main street towards the all important town walls.

"Ramming speed!"

We won "Best Wargame Terrain". I was trying to avoid reflections and managed to get a part of all three of us!

And little Seb, who came to help late on, got a piece of the action too!

A Normandy game that won 3rd. Again, I am unsure who these guys were, but very nice game.

Leamington won "Best in Show" with a ECW game that, in my opinion, looked very pretty but was also just a straight fight, so a bit disappointed they did not do more with it. Shrewsbury had a few boats on their 18th Century skirmish which, I think, was French Revolution era due to the guillotine on the table. There was a massive GNW (I think) at the far end of the hall with plenty of Warfare Miniatures flags in evidence that looked very colourful. Border Warlords had a Greek and Persian game going on which, again, warrants some respect for its quality. There was a Battle of Ashdown affair too - another good looker. There were others too many too mention that looked good, but I have no idea who they were!

I spent way too much but got what I wanted in the main. I have a passion for all things Austrian in a military sense (no, I do not know why...) so bought a load of Austrians and Sardinians for Solferino etc, along with the relevant Osprey campaign book, the Wargaming in History book on the 7 Weeks' War and a copy of Regimental Fire & Fury which is the ruleset of choice for the WiH book writers. I have had 1866 Austrians and Prussians for ages (unpainted) and recently read "Viva Radetzky" by Nigel J Smith about the 1849 Novara campaign for further inspiration. I have read Geoffrey Wawro's excellent history of the 1866 campaign too on several occasions so it is about time I got on with that...And I love beating the French, so cue some zouaves etc in the not too distant future. All that lot, when painted, will allow me to game 1849, part of the Crimea, 1859, part of 1864 vs Denmark, 1866 and 1870!

I also bought a load of Dark Ages stuff to go with my fledgling SAGA set up.

And a guy offered to buy all my Christian figures on the Malta game there and then! All great fun.

Lots to do then!!!

G