Welcome to my blog, the story of my continuing journey into the World of Zombie Wargames.

Monday 12 June 2017

Durham Show

The main hall.
So on Saturday I ventured south to Durham Wargames Group Open Day despite it being the monsoon season here in God's country. My travel arrangements were such that I could only spend at most 2 hours at the show, but little did I know that I would need less than an hour!
I've attended many DWG shows over the years, both as a member of DWG and as a punter, though not in the last couple of years.
The other hall
As you'd expect there were games (four !) and many, many sellers of Wargaming delights (and some rubbish probably).
For once, the show seemed busy, but as I'd left well before lunch time, I can't even guess what it was like after lunch, traditionally the time when the show died a long slow death.
"Don't Panic"
Of the four games that were on display, one was a joy to watch, two were meh, and the Durham group's  own game had little more than I'd expect from a good club game, despite the terrain being built by a former member.
In the main hall, squeezed in between the numerous traders (nine or ten) were two games, "Don't Panic" by Redcar Iron beards may have been a participation game and event though well-presented, it left me cold.
The photograph to the right shows the entirety of the game.
The second game in the main hall was slightly larger and although I did take note of what it was all abut I can't for the sake of me remember any of it!
By the pikemen and flags depicted it was set some 50 years either side of 1600 bce. A good looking game I guess, but one I couldn't really say was particularly absorbing.
Please note that the old 'problem' of debris and detritus on the tables, I've mostly photo-shopped out, but it was present on every game, to one degree or another. 
The Tantobie lads' game  - war of the Roses iirc.
By far the most impressive game was situated in the smaller hall with about six participants, all of whom were more than willing to chat to Joe Public (my alter ego) and was put on by a small group from Tantobie (in Durham).
The game was a feast for the eyes, 40mm War of the Roses figures with some old commercial buildings alongside some scratch-build models too.
Though it seemed it would be a slow boiler, they were rolling dice from the get-go and it had progressed fairly quickly, even during the little time I was at the show. (I spent more time around this game than doing anything else)
The figures - superbly painted 40mms
More of the same (various painters too iirc)
Another view of the village
The Union 'end'
Outside the main venue, one had to brave the monsoon to take a brief walk to the Bowling green hut for both the Bring and Buy (busy) and the Durham group's own game - a 28mm American Civil War action set in the Shenadoah valley.
The ACW is one of my favourite periods and given the chance, I would have gladly participated in this game, had it not been a dsiplay game; it lacked a certain 'something' that I can't quite put my finger on. The rules and players I know well  'Johnny Reb' and old Durham Wargame group members) that I have played many games with using my own 15mm ACW armies.
The Confederate 'end' of the table 

The Bring & Buy
Charlie with Northumbria games closing down sale!
There were many prominent traders present, Dave Thomas, selling mostly Perry, Colonel Bill, Irregular Miniatures, Pendraken to name but a few. I think the trade stands outnumbered the games by at least  four or five to one.
I did take a few pics of the traders too...
...mostly for nostalgia, I guess.
I'm a sucker for Irregular minis and have bought many kilos of them after the liquid lunch at many a Durham Wargames show, but his time around I simply didn't have anything on my shopping list , despite poring over their catalogue the previous evening!
Charlie at Northumbria games is a very old friend and it was a bit sad to see he was giving up trading.
Ian at Irregular Minis
The few purchase I made were from Colonel Bill's ( a pack of 17c villagers and a pack of Explorers) and Andy, from 'Old Glory UK', who was the brains behind the Tantobie Boys' game brought me a selection of Africa/ Lost world Natives and a pack of the "Village Mob" from their Pirates range.
I ended up with two packs of masked natives even though I was sorely tempted by the others packs offered up.
Jungle - wip
So spent up, more or less, soaked through by the walk to and from the pavilion and fairly bored by the whole show I headed homeward. I reckon I had been at the show for little more than an hour!

In other news...
Even though I have not been at 100% capacity for anything over the last week, I've still been making inroads into getting more jungle terrain completed, but more of that next time.
I also managed to paint the bearer that had somehow got separated from the others and with just his base to finish, that's another victim member to add to any expedition into ''JImland"

That's it then for this week, as always your comments are both welcomed and appreciated.


22 comments:

  1. Sorry for not letting you know on Friday that I wouldn't be able to go, Joe -- My father's hand had become septic after a fall the weekend before (he refused to visit the doctors) where he'd impaled himself to a certain degree on some rusty nails. So it has been backward and forwards to Durham hospital's plastics department and today he's at their A&E for a final checkup. So lots of fun and games.

    The weather was the other big decider for me to not attempt finding alternative transport - especially since I knew I'd get soaked venturing to and from the various parts of the venue.

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    1. Sounds like you had a rough time of it lately, so I'm not surpried you missed the show. imust admit to having a chuckle at your dad's refusal to go to the Docs, a man after my own heart!
      Tbh you didn't miss that much either

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    2. Haha. Aye well, my father's still receiving an ear-bashing from me mother for not doing as he was told and going to the doctor. He only went after his hand swelled up, was red hot and the skin turned a reddish shade, and pus was leaking out of the puncture wounds where the scabs had come away. His hand really was a mess, and the GP expected him to need minor surgery to remove a foreign object - hence the trip to Durham hospital and not the local ones at either Darlington or Northallerton. He was told to rest his hand over the weekend, so I couldn't use him as my first port of call for a lift. Still him not being at the show saved Stu at Col. Bill's a lengthy natter of police force stories or the Civil Defence.

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    3. Haha, your dad sounds my type of guy.

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  2. While It does look like a small show there are a number of things that would have interested me.

    Firstly Irregular Miniatures. Fantastic to see them again it really has been years since they came to a southern show. I am sure they would have taken some of my money.

    Old Glory, again I only ever see them at Salute so that would also have been worth looking at.

    The 4 games seem interesting but alas not terribly exciting. BUT very well presented.

    Overall it seems a small show but a nice show.

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    1. I've probably spent more cash on Irregular Minis over the years than any other single trade stand but for the first time I can ever remember not this time!
      OLd Glory didn't have a stand, but were there only in the person of mhy friend Andy, who runs it.
      The games were indeed as you say and 'nice' andequately equately descibes it.

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  3. Thanks for the report. I enjoyed it.

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    1. Thanks Irqan, always nice to hear from you.

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  4. I have to say that it looked like a great day out, terrain is coming along nicely too.

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    1. Thanks MIchael, these days I'm always thankful just to get out an a warfames show is a bonus; the terrain at the moment seems a bit daunting, but I'll get there.

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    2. Yea h, it's good to be back. Took a great hit of real life! Zombies took a powder for a while.Trying VBCW, on my other site. Slow start but one lives in hope.

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    3. I've taken a look at your new blog, very intersting, I just wish you'd let more people know!

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  5. Really great looking show! Thank You for a report.

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    1. Thanks Michal, but looks can be deceptive! Caveat Emptor as they say!

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  6. Hi Joe. Yes it was depressing and tired and should be consigned to history. It's just run as an ego trip for the chairman I reckon.

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    1. It's probably something like that, with folk not admitting it's had it's day.

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  7. Good to see you there joe. Glad you liked the game- we always try to put on a decent demo for the Durham group.

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    1. Your guys willingness to chat, the game itself and seeing you and many other friends was the highlight of the day for me.

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  8. Joe, I've managed to delete half of all my email contacts (yours included) during a spring clean, so I'm having to contact you on the blog.

    I don't know if this show is of use to you? It's just outside of Penrith on the 24th. I'm 99% certain to be attending as I'm playing a chaps game. Here's the details of the show and venue, for you and anyone else interested:

    the show's website with last years floor plan map:
    http://phoenix-show.co.uk/
    the venue's website with all of it's details:
    https://www.rheged.com/

    As I said, might be of no use to you, but I thought I'd pass on the details.
    Roy

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  9. Thanks for the info Roy, I am already aware of this show and there is only an outside chance that I'll be able to attend.
    My email btw can be found on my blof profile.

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  10. A very interesting blog posting, Joe, and one I genuinely appreciated; especially as you clearly had little enthusiasm for your excursion :-) I tend to limit my shows to just the big ones these days, which is probably contributing to the death knell of these smaller local ones? Regardless I was impressed by your fine loot and looking forward to seeing them painted up. Good health to you :-)

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    1. Thanks Blax, I suppose Ireallyknew what wasin store as nothing much has changed over the last ten years at this particular show, save for the lack of games.
      sadlythe really big shows are beyond my scope to attend for various reasons. To be c fair, I have seen other far more postive reports about the show from independents as wellas a coupke of others with similar views to myown.

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