Vapnartak 2020

I managed to get there and back without any trouble - phew!!!  Heavy mist / low cloud on the way out but no snow (that's a rarity).  80 mile round trip.

Didn't seem to be as many demo games as usual.  Notably absent were Peter Pig and Society of Ancients.  Not much in the way of paper goods either (books, rules, etc).  Bring & Buy much better organised - actually managed to see what was on offer and buy something.

So here's my very modest loot list:

1 x box Revell Aztecs (Mr McNulty got there before me and snaffled all the Persians).
3 x Khmer cavalry plus artillery piece with crew (Irregular) - all destined for Ian's army.
1 x carton of Etruscan hoplites with pilum (Forged in Battle) - ordered, yet to receive.

Met plenty of people - even one from King's Lynn!

Found a company importing and selling Eureka miniatures to the UK.  Didn't have a DBA list handy unfortunately.  Need to check what I might require in the future. 

Was going to buy some Donningtons but the stall seemed somewhat disorganised - if you were not taking the blister packs they were not interested in talking to you.  Curious!

A huge show with plenty on display but I can't help feeling that something was missing!  Still, by far, the best wargames show in the north.

Back from Chilcon (Sheffield)

Went off this morning to find the 'Chilcon' site.

Pros:  (a)  food and drink more innovative than most shows.
                 Was surprised about the drinks stall!
          (b)  a proper 'bring and buy'

Cons:  (1)  tricky to find (I came along the A6135 into what I thought was the
                  'town centre'. The school is up the hill, beyond Chapeltown,
                  going towards Ecclesfield.)
           (2)  limited parking (I was in the last group to find any spaces at approx 10.30 hrs)
           (3)  food was outside (good job it was dry) and no seating available.

Would I go again?  No - too expensive (£5 entry) and not enough interesting traders.
Anyway here's my, limited, loot:

I already have the Taiping book (my main interest) so this is a really just a supplement.

War & Empire is a manufacturer that is new to me.       https://www.forgedinbattle.com/
The last time I fielded a Thracian army I was short of 4x Irr Ax(S) and 2 x Irr Ax(O) Elements.  I also lacked a proper foot general for my hill tribe allies.  Looking at the figures in the pack I decided to go for WE-TH06 Thracian Light Infantry rather than WE-TH05 Thracian Peltast.  Having got home I checked the website so now I plan to purchase the other option.

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Finished another book:

 Dr Who and the Web of Fear by Terrance Dicks

Another Target Book - c.1976 - with Patrick Troughton in the lead.  Ably assisted by Jamie (Frazer Hines) and Victoria (Deborah Watling - who died in 2017).

There are a number of set-piece skirmishes between UNIT and the Yeti which could easily translate to the table top. Some additional fire power may be required for UNIT to provide balance though.

The semi-derelict London Underground system makes for an interesting backdrop to the action.

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Recent Web Discoveries:

(a)  Rebels & Patriots - YouTube battle report

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kG6y1HnE0Zs&fbclid=IwAR1cUmS6NBd3OKlA9kFWsT4FidB6G8wsav_9VdjllvtZZncvborCFOz46ok

(b)  R&P Multi-Player - YouTube report

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOACTULNJNc&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR3otQnxyz3p7DV091iN7QrvSg2kaEWhhRQ6VJgZkYyjRKglpQZPl8Hoe1A


(c)  TA & Co - DBA 3 - New Battle Reports

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbRAe5rGG3lYIHXFgkrC3wQ

(d)  Kit Kat Katapult

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZxnJ9VXlhg

Phalanx 2016 - Let the Train Take the Strain

Yes an extra posting - what next?


Saturday 18th June 2016 - Phalanx @ St.Helens

So off I went on my 2.5 hour jaunt over the Pennines.  It didn't start well - at 09.09 the train turned up at Fitzwilliam to get me to Leeds.  1 minute late - not bad - only it was supposed to be the 08.46.  This didn't bode well but apart from having to stand to Wakefield  I managed to make the first connection.  Surprisingly Manchester Piccadilly & Newton-le-Willows changes also worked out.

The show was easy to find - walking distance from the station.  The bugbear - nowhere to get any cash.  Why don't these Leisure Centres have cash points?  After a 15 minute walk each way to a shopping centre I had my cash and could go to the 'Bring & Buy' (which was excellent).  I didn't buy a lot in the main hall - very little in 15mm.  Some of the games were interesting but not as good as Partizan.  The hall was also rather hot and stuffy.

Here's my loot:

1 box of Airfix 'Robin Hood' (B & B) - £2 - destined for the 'general box' 

1 box of Imex Sioux Indians  (B & B) - £3 - for conversion into various 'natives'

1 cardboard box labelled "24 packs - Conquistador Army"  Inside were 25 packs (I complained bitterly - NOT) of Naismith Design figures for £10. The next time I hand over my 'spare change' to the Cat Protection League I will add £2.

Also - 4 packs of 60 x 60 MDF bases (for my East African project).

The journey home involved 3 changes - Manchester Victoria, Stalybridge & Leeds.  The Pennine Express was 5 minutes late into Leeds but as I had 12 minutes for the changeover it was no problem.  The only gripe I had was when a bunch of charming lads boarded the Manchester bound train - they were very loud-mouthed and foul-mouthed - F-ing and B-ing relentlessly.  From Stalybridge a quartet of older gentlemen also had a somewhat limited vocabulary.

So would I go to Phalanx again?  I think not.  Train advertising doesn't mention the crass passengers you meet or the bawling babies.  2.5 hours is too long to endure for a moderate show.

Here's some links for pictures:
http://wargameamateur.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/phalanx-2016.html
http://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/phalanx-2016-wargame-show.html
http://willwarweb.blogspot.co.uk/

Back From Triples

Back from Triples

I wonder how many other bloggers have used this title today?

It was a brilliantly sunny day so I headed for the inside of a hanger deck!  Or at least that's what the venue feels like - well not as echoing perhaps.  Still there were plenty of traders but I didn't spend too much:

24 - BAB15 Hillmen (Magister Militum) - destined for my Lydian army
2 - PIG 1 Flaming Pigs & Handlers (Bauda - carried by MM) - wanted these ever since I saw them on the
     Bauda website)
2 - packs round MDF bases (Bring & Buy) - for Renaissance & Colonial generals
1 - 360 "The Thracians" 700 bc - ad 46 (Osprey) - for research purposes

Not exactly a big haul.

Talked to a few traders including a chap who used to run Asgard Miniatures in Nottingham.  He started the shop, near the canal, in the late 70s.  I must have visited it (from nearby Derby) in 82 or 83.  He was a young man then - and so was I.

Looked in on the competitions - mainly FOG but two tables were using Impetus.  They were quite keen on talking to observers and trying to recruit them.  As I really don't like FOG or DBMM (and have recently gone off Armati) I am looking for another system.

Trouble is Impetus is yet another set of rules that 'hooks' its customers with a reasonably priced base set then piles on the agony.  So far 5  "Impetus Extra" magazines have been issued - at around £17 each.  Yes they are full of useful stuff like army lists, errata and even some scenarios but also padded out with peripheral colour photographs.  I might play a few (free) 'Basic Impetus' games just to see if I like the flavour .... and wait for Impetus v2 to come out.