Salute 2015

It's been a few years since we last went along to Salute. I've plenty of good things to say but first, let's start with the no-so-good points...

• Demo games where the demo-ers are too "busy" playing to interact with polite, interested show attendees. If you can't be bothered to talk to the show-going public then don't bother to put on a game at show. (We have put on a number of demo games over the years and engaging with show-goers was always a priority)
• Thoughtless, smelly, fat blokes who seem to think that they can use their all too considerable mass to barge people out of the way. Just stop it eh? Oh, and take a bath occasionally.
• Demo games that are simply club night games put on at a show. If we want to see ordinary scenery/figures then we'll just play a quick club game. It's lazy and frankly an insult to the paying public; and to those gamers making the tremendous effort to put on superb games.

Rant over. Thank you.


Now the good stuff! :-)

The pictures can do most of the talking.... First it's Rob (Scarab) Broom and a Samurai era War & Conquest game.

Dazzling the public with his slight of hand? ;o)

I liked the bamboo screens.

The Blitzkreig Miniatures demo was great! Snow themed tables and minis are tricky to do well but they pulled it off with aplomb. 

I think that this game was a Napoleonic era battle - wejust liked the nicely done sea 'cloth' and coastal terrain.

The Salute theme this year was 'Agincourt', we liked this 28mm Agincourt game. The figures were very nicely painted. There were several smaller scale Agincourts but as a definite 28mm player they weren't really my thing.

Simon's (aka BigRedBat) Cremona game was a real highlight of the show. Lovely figures and a big, beautifully modelled table. He was show-casing his recently enhanced To The Strongest ruleset. @Simon - wanted to have a chat but you were very busy taking people through the rules. Hope it all went well!

This was a 15mm (?) WW2 game that was really enjoyable to look at. The figures and terrain are excellent.

Another WW2 offering, but 28mm this time. Great Escape Games with their Iron Cross rules.

 This table was a real puzzle?

James' Oshiro Model Terrain is always a joy to look at.

A very nicely done VBCW game.

Now, ACW definitely isn't my thing but this table looked really good. Alas, only this one photo wasn't blurred.

Steve Jones's Guildford Court Horse game was another excellent looking game. Both this and Simon's Cremona game had a real buzz about them.

A very crowded smaller scale Napoleonic game.

Plenty of 4Ground scenery make this fantasy-esque game table look rather impressive.

More lovely buildings from 4Ground - although I do think the models would be better if they were slightly less 'new out of the box'?

However, the best thing about the show for us was seeing a selection of chums Phil, Rob, Steve, Dave and Dan T, Dave G, Tony, Colin, etc. A real pleasure to catch up and have a natter.

Another good point was picking up lots of good stuff from a variety of traders (more in a later post) plus having a bit of a chat with them. Good to put faces to websites.

In summary, it was an enjoyable day and a good show with a number of splendid looking tables, but a handful more "Wow!" games would have made it a great show. I want to come away from Salute brimming with ideas and enthusiasm either for re-invigorating existing projects or starting new ones. Don't misunderstand though! We enjoyed the show and I hope that we are able to attend plenty more in the future.

ANZAC Day 2015

One hundred years since the Gallipoli landings began.

Lest we forget.

Charlie Foxtrot Models - Part 2

Here's another post to showcase Colin's splendid model buildings (available directly from Charlie Foxtrot Models) along with Jenny's scenery painting talents.

This is “La Brasserie”. What else could we call it but “Café René”? :o)  If you're confused then please have a look here.

Jenny decided to decorate the interior with suitable vintage wallpaper, wood and tile flooring, plus a fireplace. Good innit?!

The roads are made from printed cobblestone-effect card mounted on 3mm cork tile.

Since taking these pictures I've mounted the building on an MDF base that includes a paved area to the front. Plus I'm building a walled and cobbled backyard area with a store building and a pissoir.

We've also purchased some tables and chairs from 4Ground to complete the scene. If only someone made a set of German Officer figures seated at a table, leisurely enjoying a glass or two of wine!!

German Flamethrower Team

I have painted something! :o)

Here a new support team for my beleaugered Panzergrenadiers in Chain of Command.

Again, the pics aren't great as they're taken using my phone, but hopefully good enough.

The figures are from Crusader Miniatures (via Northstar); the F/T is from the Engineers pack and the other two are from a regular rifles pack.

In Chain of Command these weapons can be quite fearsome - if used correctly ;o). As it's only a List 3 support option I'm hoping to be able to use it in most games. If you can get a Chain of Command dice then having this team ambush the enemy can be very effective indeed.

Currently on the go I have some MP44 wielding Panzergrenadiers to replace some of the extra MP40 chaps in my current squads, plus a FOO team (officer and chap with radio). Then I may add another Panzershreck team and possibly make a start on a fourth infantry squad.

Generic Casualty Markers

Here’s some counters that I’ve made to go with Jenny’s British Celt army.

The figures are from Black Tree Design – Legionary and Auxiliary casualties. The bases are from Warbases.

They were undercoated white, then black and chainmail/brass for the armour. The rest was block painted in Foundry base/shade colours before applying a thin wash of GW Agrax Earthshade. Then it was simply a matter of applying the shade / mid / light of each triad.

Since she’ll be playing War & Conquest they’ll be used as Push & Shove markers (basically a way of recording one side’s advantage in an ongoing mêlée). I’ve also painted up a very interesting “Boudicca” model, but that can wait for a later post. ;o)