Last Sunday was Partizan at the Newark Showground. I managed a flying visit arriving just after 12 and leaving around 3.30. It was very busy and towards the end the main hall got quite warm. This year they had a marquee at the entrance with a few traders and games and a section where people could rent a table to sell their unwanted items.
When I did realise what the marquee was for, I have to say the sellers were few and far between with nothing of interest, it was however nice and cool!
I only picked up stuff from about 3 traders and tried to photograph as many games as I could. By the time I'd got to the end of the "demonstration zone" I was flagging; a combination of struggling to get near tables or through narrow gaps between tables with lots of people about. Although I ended up with over 60 photos, many were only sections of the table. I have thus limited to what I think are the most photogenic = there are plenty of blogs and videos out there.
Operation Battleaxe Gordon's Gophers
League of Augsburg "Dutch Courage" - Dutch raid on French Caribbean island
Chesterfield Old Boys WW2 Eastern Front
Westbury Wargamers Reconquista
Yarkshire Gamer Germantown AWI
6MM Wagram
League Gentlemen Anti-Alchemists Wake Island 192? Pulp US v Japan
Bill Gaskin SYW
Billhooks
Paperboys ACW
Bodkins WotR
Rome v Persia
ACW nice building and backdrop
TtS Simon Millar Marlburian
Shout out to James Morris who not only spoke to me but found me a spot to take pics - Midgard Mount Badon Arthur v Saxons
French v Dutch Louis XIV period (nice notice board)
Boondock Sayntes Aiwal Anglo -Sikh War
Nice Mexican Western terrain
Perry Twins - Spain - Peninsula Nappy game (difficult to get close enough to take pics)
French Revolution - Fleurus? Nice Hexon terrain - lots to make those hills!
Some impressive 3D printed ancients - Blitzkrieg Miniatures - the ones in the foreground were 60mm!
Purchases were limited - assorted Italian / British and French from EWM and some Blue Moon 15mm Mexican Revolution from Old Glory. I also picked up a copy of Strength & Honour.
Socialising was limited to a chat with the talented Andy MacMaster (Another Slight Diversion blog https://blog.belisarius.org.uk/) and an eventual rendezvous with David Barnes (Ragged Soldier blog https://russetcoatcpt.blogspot.com/2025/05/partizan-show-gang-was-all-there.html) accompanied by his friend Dave (St Cyr on Wheels blog https://stcyronwheels.blogspot.com/). Edit - I had forgotten I'd spoken to Martin Rapier (The Games we play blog https://tgamesweplay.blogspot.com/) it probably shows how frazzled I was!
I had almost given up looking for David but managed to spot him just before I gave up and left - being a bit worn and hot by then - I was able to pass on a book he expressed an interest in.
All in all a good day but I wonder if Partizan is outgrowing the current hall - a bigger marquee would not be a bad idea!
Interesting report and some really top notch games on show, the SYW and Franco/Dutch ones especially looked very interesting.
ReplyDeleteThanks Donnie.
DeleteThe Bill Gaskin one attracted a lot of attention both at the show and online. The Franco- Dutch game less so online. It was noticeable castles were back!
Neil
Nice to bump into you Neil.. You took a lot more photos than I did! I agree that the show did seem to be incredibly crowded and perhaps it is beginning to outgrow the site.
ReplyDeleteThe demo vs participation thing seems to have been going on as long as I've been going to shows.. When I was younger I used to go to actually play games (even to Salute in Kensington!). As long as the demo games make an effort to show what they are up to and engage the passers by, they are fine and interesting to look at. I do wonder if some of the crowding was to do with some of groups surrruptitiously extendending their areas, as some of the games were vast. I think the tent was mainly intended for the tabletop sale.
ReplyDeleteMartin,
ReplyDeleteSome of the games WERE huge - surely the organisers must have adjusted for that though?
I'm not convinced of the zone idea - while it has benefits, I think it skews the distribution of punters. The Participation zone was less crowded than the centre. A few people have indicated they never got to that end. Perhaps the giant games should be on the periphery rather than middle, as some of these had multiple players and hangers on.
It would also allow more exposure for the societies etc.
Neil
more pictures of the Partizan are always welcome!
ReplyDeleteThanks Stew. It's always odd looking at other blogs and videos of a show; there's always a game that you go "I never saw that!" as you work out where it probably was......
ReplyDeleteI even got caught on camera talking to David Barnes and his friend Dave. I do however deny that the fat old bearded person being very animated is me! Even if it apparently is......
Here, about 36 minutes in at the far end of the table in the background:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gv5KpWUq8yk
Neil
Blogger is being odd! There were 8 comments but one disappeared. Normally this shows as removed / deleted with a blank comment - it's even more odd that I think it's one of my comments!
ReplyDeleteNeil