After nearly three years of not going to Wargame shows, it came as a surprise from a friend's FB post on the Friday, before the Saturday that a show was on. After a quick exchange of messages eventually three of us arranged to travel to the show the next day.
An early start saw us arrive in time to join the small queue before the venue opened.
My immediate reaction upon entering was that there were far fewer games and stalls than in previous years and even by the time our little party left, the 'crowd' was much smaller than in times past. I still managed to see a lot of friends and familiar faces around the stalls and games.
Here's the photogarphs:
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Shiny Games UK - new to me, selling fantasy
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A space fantasy game.
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Heavy Gear -Blitz- (I have no idea either)
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Dougie's Wargaming Blog Show - WW2Platoon Action
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Another game I have no idea about.
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Westerhope's superb Italian v Brits in the desert game.
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What the Italians (above) faced.
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My local group's game (I'm not a member).
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The only stall I bought anything from !
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A rather good looking WW1 balloon busting game
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War of the Roses participation game superb figures.
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Another participation game, Wild West (obviously)
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Intersting merchandise - haven't a clue who it is though
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Some of the fantastic selection of 'Helion' books
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An Ancients' Chariot type game - Hittites ?
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Pirates of the Aegean game - Tyneside Wargames Club
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BIG spaceships
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Small scale WW2 game.
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Viking invasion type game.
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Another WW" desert game, DAK i the picture - great scenery.
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Yet another sci-Fi fantasy game by South Tyneside Tabletop games...
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...and another rather static (Marvel Protocol Crisis?)
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A Halloween stall - who'd have guessed ?
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A very good Jacobite rebellion game.
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Great paint-jobs.
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A Gothic participation game set in a cemetery, by the enimatble Mr Wiley.
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The not so crowded hall,
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No queueing at any stall, unsurprisingly.
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I have no loot to show from this show, as my only purchases were cake slices for my wife and the evidence disappeared quickly on my return to home.
The show wasn't such a disappointment as might be though, I saw some old friends for the first time in several years, saw some very good games as well as some that were not as good. The predominance of Fantasy wasn't surprising, but their presentation wasn't that good either.
I noticed the usual detritus littering tables, dice, rules, drinks etc. and the lack of prominant notices indicating the game and the participants.
We were there for about an hour and a half and the hall hadn't got any busier to any noticable degree, but we had a good time and it was our first show in well over two years ! Roll on Battleground (if I can get a lift).
Good to hear you had a good time Joe, and got to meet up with some old friends was a bonus.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dave, it was a fun outing, thugh a few notable firends that I expected to see were absent.
DeleteGood to hear you're out and about, Joe, and attending a show again. I think it might take a couple of years for shows to regain their footing in the community, as many still appear nervous to attend due to Covid. Fingers crossed it recovers, and at least you got to meet some old buddies - which is half the reason I go to shows these days.
ReplyDeleteThanks Blaxx, I think you may be right as I expected to see a lot more people, but the trade stands absences were totally understandable. I didn;t have anything on a list to buy, but would have bought a book had they had the one I wanted and maybe a set of rules too (that weren't present).
DeleteGreat looking show Joe. Thanks for the photos.
ReplyDeleteBest regards
Thanks Michal, a mixed bag of a show, with good and idiffeent aspects of our hobby .
DeleteHello Joe.
ReplyDeleteI did spot you in a photograph, on another blogger's report of this show. That must, certainly, mean you're a recognisable face in the North East wargaming community!
Hopefully, you'll get to Stockton and I'll spot you in some more photos :)
Thanks Roy, always good to hear from you. I spotted myself too in a blog - Herkybird's iirc.
DeleteYes. That's the one.
DeleteGreat to hear you made it to a show Joe, even if all you bought was cake.
ReplyDeleteHaha, thanks Ray, the cake made it all worth while.
DeleteThank you for a fantastic photo report Joe, always appreciated sharing of events I am unable to attend.
ReplyDeleteWillz.
Thanks TG, I feel exactly the same when most shows I read about are well out of my travel range.
DeleteWhen the British Army was still in Rheindahlen (Germany) they had every year such the wargame show ACTION.
ReplyDeleteI really liked it. But since the BAOR left Rheindahlen I visited the Games Fair in Essen a few years but that is for everything while ACTION was only wargamers.
Sigh. I miss the ACTION.
Alex Lund
Hi Alex and thanksfo rthe comment, but you'll proably have to look hard for wargame shows in Germany, but I'm sure there will be some. Try asking on wargame discussion boards (Lead Adventure Forum or THe Miniature Page for example.
DeleteNice to see you out and about, Joe, it's just a shame the show wasn't that well attended. I do wonder if it's down to concerns over Covid and the economy in general. We've noticed that farmer's markets and craft shows over here are well down on attendance too. I'm glad the cake made your day out worth it :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Matt, I think it'llget back to whatever is normal these days, fairly soon.
Delete