Monday 19 August 2019

The Other Partizan: A fine day out.

John the Red and I went down to Newark on Sunday. My wife Katherine came with us to make sure I didn't spend too much LOL! Actually, she does web design for businesses as part of a charitable enterprise she runs and wanted a bit of a scouting mission. PM me if that sparks any interest from anybody.

We had a quick run down (1hr 45 mins) and arrived around 9.35. I blagged us all in early  and jumped the queue as I needed the loo desperately, standing in queues is is painful and would spoil my day, Katherine is my carer and it wouldn't be fair to leave John outside.

I didn't have a shopping list, but I did have a pre-order-to-collect-list! 30 minutes later I was done, having been to Old Glory, Foundry and Barry Hilton for a few bits and pieces. I'd also paid my mate Barry from the Like a Stonewall Wargames Group for some figures he'd painted for me and dropped off a few more for him to do. I also gave him two tubs of Peas Pudding, which for the uninitiated is an incredible NE England delicacy.


So, here are photos of just some of the games. I took photos of them all but only include a selection, based more on the quality of my photos rather than of the games. For the life of me I can't remember all of the clubs involved, but I have done my best.

Like a Stone Wall's Award Winning attack on Pelelie during the Pacific Campaign, using  a fair bit of jungle and 'I Ain't Been Shot Mum' rules. This game won the best participation game award. The guys put a tremendous amount of effort colouring barrow loads of sawdust, all to good effect.  Sadly I didn't have time to play.




1798 action in Ireland. Very pretty and lovely figures. Right up my street too.



 54mm ECW, courtesy of Simon Miller and friends. They also put on a Roman v Ancient Briton game but my photos were even worse than usual, and some guy kept putting his arm in the way!


WW2 in the desert.
My old friends of the Durham Wargames Group put on a massive 28mm Battle of Asculum between Republican Romans and Seleucids. We tried this game out at my place a few months ago using Hail Cesar, but this time they used Warhammer Ancient Battles. Not my cuppa tea but it looked good as a game.

AWI Battle of Chatterton's Mill by Steve Jones. Lovely.


WW2 Naval action big style. One table held the Japanese fleet, the other the US fleet. Airestrikes galore!

I quite liked this game.
3rd Afghan War iirc. Big.





I think this was the Battle of Ocana, French v Spanish in the Peninsular.




The obligatory Sudan game. Very pretty and some gorgeous figures and nice terrain pieces.




Battle of Madona Dell Olmo set during the War of the Austrian Succession in Italy. Lovely figures.




Ireland 1689, by Mark Shearwood




Barry Hilton running solo with a Great Northern War demonstration.


David Imrie & Jack Glanville and the Battle of Harelaw.

There are just a snapshot of the games on offer. The trade was pretty much the same as last time, and the time before that, and the time before that and so on, but good nonetheless. The games were generally put on by the same faces yet again, and while I have no intention or desire to want to offer a game for a future event, some of the games were getting a bit 'samey'. However, overall, I'd say the quality of the demo games and a good few of the participation games was better than last time, there were more games in periods I actively game in which was nice, and it was interesting to see the preponderance of mats and teddy bear fur-covered tabled rather than sculpted or otherwise terrain squares. Both have their place at a wargame event and their adherents and its very much a marmite thing. We (well not me personally but the guys with the talent) used to hand build terrain for winning demo games back in the 1980s but that was before mats (and Teddy Bears) came along. I think if one has the money and/or time and skills to build terrain then go for it, otherwise do the best you can without whatever constraints you find yourself in. I would perhaps draw the line at paying professionally for terrain boards etc without recusing oneself from any competition.

Highlight of the day was speaking to a whole bunch of my friends and acquaintances, e.g. David, Phil, Barry H, Barry F, Tim ( and the other Like a Stone Wall lads), everyone from Durham, Henry, Mark, Tony, Roger, Charles, Ian, Steve, Duncan, Rob, Graham, John and (briefly) Robbie to name but a few. Yet again I forgot my Harry Sidebottom books for the man himself to autograph. Next time.

The next show for me will be Border Reiver in Gateshead in early September.




13 comments:

  1. Great set of photos Colin and another excellent report on a show that I really want to get to one day.

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    1. Time it well with a visit to the Burrow too.

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  2. A great array of photos Colin, has I mentioned over on Aly's blog I am grateful to the folk who take time to take pics. There is so much to see and folks to chat to that it is all a tad to much to take in at the time.

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    1. I agree. Lots of effort and too much to see unless you're there all day.

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  3. Very interesting to see that Madonna dell'Olmo was played although with wrong figures (cuirassiers du Roi were not there and had no bearskin caps in this period). I had not the Impression, that the battle could offer a fair game, when I wrote a Scenario. But I'm happy that somebody tried.

    Many thanks for these photos!

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    1. I guess it's a representative version of the battle using what they had between them. It's a bit of a different subject so welcome in that respect, and very pretty.

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  4. If the games are samey they look pretty good to me.

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    1. They were very good Jim, but the same people (largely) putting them on.

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  5. So many great photos of so many great looking games. Thanks!

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  6. Super pictures Colin. Good to have a good natter too and open thoughts on next year's Eureka order for Salute.

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