Vapnartak - my thoughts!

 In December Robbie Roddis on his The Indepenent Wargames Group blog gave his thoughts and views on the future of Wargames Shows and what makes a good one. So whilst driving back from Vapnartak at York and mulling over what I thought of the day his post came back to mind.

The York show is, I guess the opening of the Wargames season for us Northerners and as such has always been a well attended show. I’ve always attended to meet up with people have a look around and pick up a few bits and pieces. This year, to me at least, it all felt a bit flat. I really enjoyed catching up with people and I did pick up a few bits I’d preordered but my over riding feeling was it didn’t give me any buzz. Before posting a few photos let me explain why.

I do not intend to upset any one and I have been involved in organising shows and events before so I understand the effort and work that goes into it but my first thoughts were that the organisers have got complacent! Both the website and Facebook page had little in way of updates until around two weeks before the show when the list of traders went up followed a few days later by a list of games.

The trader list was just that a list of names, no description of what they sold, no hyperlinks just the bare minimum.I’ve been around a while and know a lot of traders but new names do appear it would be useful to have an idea of what they sold!.

We arrived at ten past ten and doors opened at 10 the queue was large but it took us just over 40 minutes to get in. Previous years the organisers had staff outside prior to opening selling tickets to the queue in order to facilitate entry. Not this year. Some of the traders I spoke to couldn’t understand why it took so long to get people in. 

Each year there feels to be fewer and fewer games and this year seemed to be no exception, there wee some nice looking games but not enough and not of the quality I guess you’d expect at a show of this size and status. 

There were no re enactment groups this year now it’s not my scene but love them or hate them they create a diversion and kids like to look and hold helmets etc.

As always up until 12.30ish the place was busy and quite crowded in parts really quite uncomfortable, a positive side was that the table top sale was back and they had moved it to an area on its own. Far better.

So by 1 I’d had enough and headed home. It really has become, to me at least just a trade event and the organisers I feel have just relied on its history and have put little effort into getting games etc there. I won’t be going next year which is a pity as I do like the catch up with people.

I’ve put photos of some of the games below, sorry if they’re not labelled it wasn’t always easy to find space to get the pics.

As to my purchases no pictures but I bought some Mediterranean walls from Last Valley, bases from Warbases, Rapid fire rules from Colin Rumford and some magnetic bases from Trevor and Paula.

( As a foot note to the above in response to a comment I made on a YouTube review and from another source I have been told there has been a major fall out within the York club with the result that many of the Historical Wargamers leaving! Also it was suggested that the only reason the show took place is because the Club has a contract with the racecourse for the show to take place for a number of years, that would seem to explain and account for my thoughts I guess. )

Battle of Magnesia and bench update

 I’ve really enjoyed returning to playing board games over the last year or so, it gives me the ability to play battles or campaigns that it’s unlikely I could ever do with figures. One such battle is the Battle of Magnesia, ( Seleucid v Roman) and is a battle I had started collecting 28mm figures for after having painted half the Seleucid army I realised the futility of it all as I would need a 16’ table to come close to playing it in 28mm so the figures went.

Having bought into GMT’s Great Battles Series their SPQR set does indeed have the Battle of Magnesia so over the last couple of Wednesdays Steve and I have been playing through the game.

I don’t intend to go through this one on a turn by turn basis it’s a big battle and although in real life the Romans won it’s a tough fight. The Seleucids have double depth phalanxes ( good going forward but penalised if attacked ), Cataphracts and quite a few elephants.

The Romans have a more flexible command structure, better quality infantry and a higher break point and that’s about it.

The picture below shows the initial deployment.

The Romans are at the bottom of the picture and as you can see their right flank hangs in air with the Seleucids extending way beyond .

Holding the flank are Pergamum Greeks and Legionary cavalry so my plan was to push hard in the centre and left and fight a delaying action on the right.

The plan didn’t last long Steve as expected advanced along the line bringing elephants to the fore and pushing hard with his left flank Cavalry an early attack with his heavy cavalry on my right didn’t go as well as he expected and enthused by the potential of a counter strike I engaged - big mistake, I had forgotten Roman Cavalry are penalised against other Heavy cavalry and my cavalry disappeared in a cloud of hooves and lances.

From that point on I had an uphill struggle I managed to refuse my right deploying Triarii and Greek infantry to prevent the Seleucid cavalry enveloping my line and I pushed hard to break through the centre of the Seleucid line, I managed to use the small number of elephants I had to put Antiochus and his Royal Guard under pressure and also destroy a number of Agryspiad units. I was also on the verge of destroying a couple of phalanxes when after 6 bounds I had reached my break point. The Seleucids were only half way to theirs. ( It didn’t help losing two Generals who contributed 20% of my points)

This shows end game

It clearly shows how the Seleucids have wrapped around my right flank and how the Roman infantry had almost split the Seleucid line. Lessons have been learnt and a refight will be had.

On the painting bench as always it’s been a mixed batch, I’ve almost finished the 28mm early French battalion, I cranked out some 15mm Thracians, and I’ve inked the 15mm Trireme I printed

In sorting out I found my 6mm Punic war armies and thought I’d have a little dabble with the Carthaginians

I’m pretty pleased with these and fancy trying them with Littlewars TV Age of Hannibal rules and or Strength and Honour which I really like the look of. Even possibly the second edition of Hail Ceaser ( who knows)

Also in the tidy up I was quite surprised to see how the ECW armies have grown 

Now filling 11 A4 boxes, the vast majority have been painted by Lee and I think it’s time I set up the Edgehill game ( still a few dragoons short 🤣)

York show this weekend which I’m looking forward to although looking at the web site there appears less games than previous years so I can’t see me staying long.

Take care.

Loft Sorted, bits off the bench and triremes anyone?

 So the New Year has seen me rejig my loft into a far more gamer friendly area, having seen JBM on his blog use some IKEA units for the base of his gaming table a quick trip to my loft with tape measure in hand. After disposing of two book cases, a tv unit and some 40 books and rules I purchased the IKEA Eket base units and hey presto sorted.

I have books along the bottom of the units and board games along the top. Room on top for a 6x4 with the option of going to 7’ or at a

The old card table on the right of the photo was my grandfathers and folds up I only use it when I’m doing basing etc. so I’m pretty happy with this. The 4x4 MDF on top of the units will get cut in half and I can store the 4x2’s at the end of the table when not in use 😁. Certainly game on shortly.

Next up as part of clearing the decks for the New Year was getting all the bits that were nearly finished but have been sitting on the paint table for too long.

So the ECW coach just needs a few final pieces painting and it’s ready to join the Parliamentarian army.

There are a few miscellaneous epic Napoleonic bits including some resin printed British Rifles and light infantry (spot Sharpe)

Finally my ancient baggage/camp for my chariot armies. Well pleased these are done.

As a daft little project Wargames Illustrated are giving stl files away for the 3D printing of Ancient Greek triremes and Pentekonters to accompany the free Thalassa rules for ancient naval warfare. The ships are scaled to 6mm and they do provide files to print crew but for me that means finding someone with a resin printer or using Baccus figures ( a pack of light infantry and Hoplites have been ordered ) the rules look like fun and it’s a neat little diversion. I’ve printed 3 ships so far, you do get files for masts and sails but I’m not certain if I will use them.

Of course the madman in me questioned how they would look at 15mm so 6 hours later a Pentekonter 

I think it’s scaled quite nicely and looks ok with the figure. A few may make an appearance for my beach landings 😁.

Club night tomorrow for my first game of the year and next Wednesday, Steve and I have scheduled to play Magnesia using the SPQR - Great Battles of History Board game.

Hope you’re all ok.

Take care.

Happy New Year and a few more books to go ……..

 First can I wish everyone a Happy New Year and May it bring you all what you hope for.

After last years health scare my outlook has changed somewhat and this year I just intend to game when I can, paint what I like and don’t buy too much. In the background there’s a sort of plan to focus on ECW and Napoleonic but there are no targets just some ‘ it would be nice to…… ‘ sort of targets.

I have kicked my butt into action and am in the middle of reorganising my loft room, the Jolly Broom

Man inspired me to get some IKEA units for the base of a table   ( photos to follow) so a 6 x4 is accommodated with the option of going to 8x4. 

A refurb of the garage will take place in the summer and if needs be I can put a 10  x 6 in their.

Part of this overhaul is a rationalisation of books and rules. I haven’t been half as ruthless as I should be, and there’s a number of books I’m hanging onto for no other reason than sentiment, they’re part of my Wargaming history and I can’t let them go. I may chat about them in the future.

I’ve listed a few books on here and more elsewhere however todays raid of the shelves has produced to following publications to go…..

I have the cards to go with this £10

£6

£3

£6.50

£4.00

£10.00

£15.00

£4.00

£4.00

£6.00

Postage will be at cost.

I hope to see some of you this year at the shows. Stop me and I will buy you a coffee 🤪

I anticipate a battle report coming soon.

Oops nearly forgot this excellent set of books

This four volume set covers the AWI in the Carolina’s and had details on every single action, skirmish, battle both on land and sea and excellent set £25.

A Christmas post.

First and foremost can I wish all of you a Merry Christmas and peaceful New Year in these troubled times.

Usually at this time of Year I give thoughts and an outline to what I plan for the coming year, this time I haven’t any. I have a few butterfly projects on the go and I’m sure I will progress some of them next year just see how the flow goes. 

The cancer issue this year has certainly changed a lot of how I look at things and has had some impact on my lifestyle but in many ways for the better.

I found this on Facebook which I thought was very apt.

Most of us are now in the last quarter of our life and should read this interesting piece of advice

This is one of the nicest and most gentle articles I’ve read in a while: no politics, no religion and no racial issues - just food for thought.

You know …… time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of the passing years.

It seems just yesterday that I was young and embarking on my new life. Yet in a way, it seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the years went.

I know that I lived them all.

I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams.

However, here it is …… the last quarter of my life and it catches me by surprise.

How did I get here so fast?

Where did the years go and where did my youth go?

I remember well seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people were years away from me and that I was only on the first quarter and that the fourth quarter was so far off that I could not visualise it or imagine fully what it would be like.

Yet, here it is …… my friends are retired and getting grey - they move slower and I see an older person now. Some are in better and some worse shape than me but I see the great change. They’re not like the ones that I remember who were young and vibrant …… but like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we'd become.

Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the day and taking a nap is not a treat anymore. It's mandatory because if I don't of my own free will, I fall asleep where I sit.

And so, now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do things that I wish I had done but never did. But at least I know that, though I’m on the last quarter and I'm not sure how long it will last, that when it's over on this earth, it's over. A new adventure will begin!

Yes, I have regrets. There are things I wish I hadn't done; things I should have done but truely there are many things I'm happy to have been done.

It's all in a lifetime.

So, if you're not on the last quarter yet, let me remind you that it will be here faster than you think. So, whatever you would like to accomplish in your life do it quickly.

Don't put things off too long. Life goes by so quickly.

So, do what you can today, as you can never be sure whether you're on the last quarter or not.

You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of life. So, live for today and say all the things that you want your loved ones to remember - and hope that they appreciate and love you for all the things that you have done for them in all the past years.

‘Life’ is a gift to you.

Be Happy!

Have a great day!

Remember, it is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.

You may think:

Going out is good - but coming home is better!

You forget names - but it's okay because some people forgot they even knew you!

You realize you're never going to be really good at anything like golf - but you like the outdoors!

The things you used to care to do, you aren't as interested in anymore - but you really don't care that you aren't as interested.

You sleep better on a lounge chair with the TV on than in bed – you call it ‘pre-sleep’!

You miss the days when everything worked with just an ‘On’ and ‘Off’ switch!

You tend to use more 4 letter words – ‘what’ and ‘when’

You have lots of clothes in your wardrobe, more than half of which you will never wear – but just in case!

Old is good -

• Old is comfortable

• Old is safe

• Old songs

• Old movies

• …… and best of all,

• Friends of old!

So, stay well, ‘Old friend!’

Have a fantastic day!

Have an awesome quarter – whichever one you’re in!

Take care

Send this on to other "Old Friends" and let them be smiling in agreement.

It's not what you gather but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived.

Another bit of a book and rule clearance.

 I aim to put a bit of a Christmas post up next week. But in the meantime in preparation for my 2023 projects and much overdue tidy up in the hobby loft I have done another sort out of books and rules. For me there are only so many books you can hold on the same topic and once the projects are done surplus books can go.

Hopefully everything is priced just to sell and postage will be at cost. Anything you want just get in touch, either through Facebook or message me on here with your email and I will not publish on blog. 

Prices are as follows: 

Triumph and Tragedy £2 SOLD

All the Osprey rule books £5 each

Hodges Scout £3 SOLD

Up the Nile £3 SOLD

Russias Way to the West £6.50 SOLD

The Wild Goose and the Eagle £5 SOLD

In Deo Veritas £5

Frederick The Great - A Military Life £6

The Art of the Flat Tin Figure £5

Fontenoy £5

Zweybruken in Command £4.50

The Army do Maria Theresa £6 SOLD

Die Armee des Augusts Starken £5

The Red Lancers £5

Foys history of the Peninsular War £12

Ferdinand of Brunswick £4.50 SOLD

Pioneers and Heroes of the Wild West £2.50

Forlorn Hope £6.00

Operations of the Allied Army under the Duke of Brunswick £4.50 SOLD

Controlling the Chaos £5.00  SOLD

Lawsons 5 volume set of History of the uniforms of the British Army 1660 -1805. ( vol 5 mainly focuses on militia as per photo) the bible as far as British uniforms go £30.SOLD

Finally in the New Year I may be selling my Wofun 18mm Peninsular War collection as I acquired a large 15mm painted collection this year. If anyone is interested let me know.