G's Spot: Not quite what I had hoped for

Saturday, 24 March 2018

Not quite what I had hoped for

Hello again.

Well, the much anticipated West Midlands Military Show has come and gone and, as the title of this piece states, it was not quite what I was hoping for.

The weather. The good, old, unpredictable weather. You see, we had a cold snap and that put paid to the efforts of a lot of traders, gamers and punters to make the effort and get across to Wolverhampton for a day. It was a little confusing, as the likes of Pendraken and Eagle Figures made it down all the way from Teesside, yet others could not make a far shorter journey it seems. Hm.

Walking into the venue, the effect of the weather was clear from the start. A lack of people in enough numbers to make me feel like I knew where I was, the rows of empty tables and the general lack of hubbub all gave full voice to the fact that this year's show was not going to be the usual cornucopia of sights and sounds (and, unfortunately, smells...Why do so many wargamers venture out into polite society with not a crumb of soap having garnished their particulars for some time beforehand???)

I did take my camera, however, and it was charged. I even took a few photos. But, to be honest, so few games meant there was a lower chance of something really catching the eye and I spent far more time chatting to people and basically forgot to take many photos at all! There were a few things to tempt me to open the wallet - the new version of "By Fire & Sword" (in a handy A5 paperback format) and the Imperialist miniatures to go with the same very nearly saw me hand over some cash to Roland Hynd, formerly of Stafford Games fame and now back as an online trader. I was also sorely tempted by Bicorne Miniatures and the chance to boost my dormant Thirty Years' War figure collection. And the chance to obtain some French and/ or British cavalry for the Seven Years' War was forsaken, so Ian at Eagle Figures got nothing from me this time either.

I needed paint, steel paper and some more 10mm Crimean War figures and had intended getting nothing more. What I actually bought was:

the required paint
a copy of "Gaslands" by Osprey, the new car wars rules
some mdf figure bases for when I finally get my 10mm ACW collection up and running
yet another Crimean War army pack from Pendraken, bringing my quantity of Russian infantry available to 600 figures, artillery pieces up to around 15 with crews and neatly rounding off my Dragoons brigade to the sort of size at which I want to field it
a Crimean War Highland Brigade pack from Magister Militum
a brigade pack of Rebs for the ACW from the same source

and..............................

....a fair selection of 10mm Sassanid Persians, also from Magister Militum, as it is high time I actually owned the army I like better than any other!!! I knew I would never get together a Sassanid army in 28mm, especially as I like to field both sides in any project, but I think it highly plausible I will get one together in 10mm, together with suitable Roman opponents.

So, to finish, just a few photos that I did take of a couple of games I did like. Apologies to the team putting on the Sino-Japanese War 1937 affair, which looked rather good, and to some of my old Stafford Games chums with their Battle of Oudenarde display, but I did not get the relevant photos. Sorry.

G

I do not often see a Brummbar on the tabletop, so had to take this one. I simply do not know who put the game on, but 28mm WW2 done pretty well I thought.