Partizan 2003

Now Newark may well have been a major staging post on the road from London to the North during the C17th, and therefore a strategic prize, but in the age of the motorway, when travelling from the Northwest, it is a pain in the a***e t get to. 

There is no fast route, the most direct is through the High Peak, down through Chesterfield, and Mansfield, and that means going past Chatsworth, on a Sunday. So joy of joys you are stuck behind a convoy of weekend drivers and caravans, dawdling along at 35 in a 50 mph zone, not daring to overtake because of the blind bends and hill summits, getting more and more frustrated

Westbury's Pavia game

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To make it worse I was travelling down with Simon Norburn of ECW, who insisted on playing and replaying a Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band CD, I was in Hell! Until we pulled into the welcoming grounds of Kelham Hall, to find the cricket field totally ringed with parked cars. The show itself was jam packed, and despite the fact that I arrived only 20 minutes after the show opened the free castings has already run out….damn!

I made a beeline to the bring and buy, but simply gave up at the door as the room was heaving, with a mixed queue of buyers and sellers waiting by the door. Philosophically I shrugged my shoulders, dumped my coat and bag with Lancashire Games, and camera in hand set out to mingle with the hordes.

Biocca

One of the first things to hit me is that the Renaissance Italian wars must be flavour of the month, as no less than two impressive games each featuring masses of landsknecht pike were to be spotted in the main display hall, with another in one of the lesser halls. I was particularly impressed by the Battle of Biocca presented by the Like a Stonewall Group. That is not to say that the battle of Pavia presented by the Westbury Group from Hull was not equally fine, it was. The terrain detail and quality of the models was excellent. However the Stonewall game featured its own lighting as well as a huge playing area, and the visual impact was stunning (although the lights did cause problems when taking pics).

League of Augsburg, more Italian Wars

Also in the hall Redcar Rebels were hosting a very impressive medieval siege that drew a number of complimentary comments, and the players seemed very willing to explain the details of the game and the models to interested spectators. Which is one of the great pluses of this show generally.

I spent some time checking out the general carnage in Coltishall Cowards Highway Patrol game, with cops, robbers, street gangs, truckers and zombies all hacking away at each other in the streets. The action was as hot as the main hall, which was becoming very sticky and uncomfortable as the sun carried on shining on to the packed building. And it was no use trying to get to the bar where there was a shortage of cool non-alcoholic drinks. Anyway the bar area was so full of barking Mongrels that it resembled an RSPCA pen!

A very popular game in the main hall was the Skirmish Wargames Society and their 54mm World War II town clearance game. This always had plenty of volunteer players and a collection of interested observers. Backing on to this game I met up with my pals from the Mossborough and District club with their big and impressive ACW action at Gaines Mill. I was also drawn to the war of 1812 display from Two Sad B*ggers, and the Sherwood Wargamers and their very smart Napoleonic action.

Skirmish Wargames Society

However my personal favourite was the Back of Beyond game presented by South East Scotland Wargames Club. Set in the 1920's, and part of an ongoing club campaign the scene is somewhere in Central Asia, where a film crew are present to record the ongoing skirmishing between Chinese warlords, Soviet cadres determined to spread the benefits of Bolshevism, various adventurers and bandits. The detail of the campaign was recorded and displayed around the game and was at least as interesting as the battlefield, with each side producing newssheets with as much literary and journalistic merit as the National Enquirer or Sunday Sport. I am happy to say that the club accepted my invitation to present an article on the campaign, which will be the Random Shots article in the August update.

Back of Beyond

The warped sense of humor of some show organisers continues as yet again TM Terrain and Touching History were placed side by side. Both produce outstanding and realistic wargaming terrain, it is only lucky that their rivalry is a friendly one. Touching History had a new display, based on the French Indian Wars, with a colonial fort and settlement constructed by a lakeside. Dave Marshall tells me that TM terrain are working on something new themselves, when they get time from filling the regular flow of orders.

Touching History

Still unable to get to the bring and buy stalls, ably staffed by The Shedheads, I spent a few pounds with the ever interesting Chelifer Books, and stocking up my 6mm backlog with some of Baccus' ACW, where I was simply gob smacked by a 6mm vignette, of a wargame, complete with players table miniature terrain and figures, amazing!

Gaines Mill, a big, big game from the Mosborough guys

North Hull presented a truly wonderful looking Napoleonic naval game, a "what if" scenario wondering what would have happened if Nelson had caught up with the French Egyptian expedition at Malta. This game was graced with a realistic sea effect, and well-detailed port and terrain as well as exceptionally presented opposing fleets. The problem I find with naval games though is that it is often difficult for none players to see how a game is developing, so displays tend to take on a diorama aspect.

The Blue Bears were at it again, with a World War II aviation game, that was presented in their inimitable, and fun way. Traders were kept amused all day by the loud and happy shouts that came from their table. Mind you I am not sure what effect this may have had on the other gamers in the room where Peter Pig presented a Waffen SS v US Airborne skirmish, and Bedford Pioneers gave us a very colourful 15mm Franco Prussian War battle.

Bedford Pioneers

I have to mention the Stargate SG1 game provided by Dropwing Games. I have wondered for some time why I had not seen more games based on this TV series and movie. The idea of small highly professional teams of warriors zooming instantly between planets each with a random civilization level from the Stone Age to scientifically superior races presents with an immense range of wargaming opportunities. This display was very nicely done with an imposing alien terrain crawling with Goa'uld armed with powerful staff weapons. The Iris itself was, I understand, care of Kellogg!

No Aliens here then! Dropwing's Stargate

The Perry Twins were illustrating their Samurai range with a truly amazing game. The figures were superb, and the painting of the highest quality, and both drew many admiring glances and comment. And wargame perfection seems to come in twos as on a neighbouring table Bruno Allanson and Legio XX gave the punters one of their famed Napoleonic games with masses of troops all individual gems.

I wanted to spend longer at the show, but Steve Farren, my lift back, was almost literally dragging me out of the hall by my ears as he had to home for a family do! So it was back along the speed trap trail to Stockport.

The show caused a flurry of debate in the Yahoo Groups forum. A number of people commented on the restricted space available in the bring and buy, and questioned whether the show has outgrown the venue. This may possibly be so, but Kelham hall does have a lot going for it. There has been mention of the possibility of raising a marquee, and I remember this being done at Colours a couple of years back, and it worked very well, but it may be dependent on the weather. Whatever happens I will be one of the hundreds who makes the twice (or maybe thrice annual pilgrimage to Kelham)

Peter Pig's Normandy action

JOS

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