Late to the party with my report - that's work for you! Anyway, last Sunday saw a trip to the Other Partizan at the Newark Showground.
I wasn't certain if I'd be going until the week before and even on the day was not particularly excited. The weather has been very grey, an old injury was playing up and work has worn me out, This perhaps explains my lack of enthusiasm....
The day dawned foggy - in fact it never lifted all day in Newark! I managed to get there about 12 and left around 3 so it was something of a hit and run visit.
I got a text from David Barnes of the Ragged Soldier blog https://russetcoatcpt.blogspot.com/ just as we arrived that he was heading for the cafe. I made my way over and bumped into Andy Mcmaster https://blog.belisarius.org.uk/author/count-belisarius not long after that David and his friend Dave (St Cyr blog - lapsed gamer) appeared and then Dillon Browne another VWC member. Sadly I only manager a quick chat with David and Andy, but did have a long chat with Dillon who I've never met in person.
Then it was a quick visit to Eureka and EWM for some 20mm desert bits, a quick tour of the tables clicking some pics and then another quick tour of the trade stands and games before leaving. I lost the will fairly early on so didn't take as many pictures as I could - only those that stood out. There were a lot of games seen previously, especially 28mm WW2. The participation zone as usual seemed a mix of activity and nothing happening. By the time I got there I didn't manage to speak to either Martin Rapier or Chris Kent who were deep in conversation / running games.
All in all the event seemed to lack something of the buzz of previous shows, It may have been me or the weather, but I left thinking I could easily not have bothered. There were some nice games but a lot were so crowded, it was difficult to get close to take pics, let alone have a chat with people. It's one of my old bugbears, "demonstration" games which are very pretty, but could equally well be a game played by a group of close friends - not really a spectator sport?
Anyway the photos.
NQM Operation Mercury - invasion of Crete on a rather nice hex cloth
Giant Risk - Europe this time
This year the theme seems to be ships...
Black Ship a European v Samurai game
Desert games - always inspiring
Sudan - Boondock Sayntes I think
NW Frontier Interwar - I'm sure I was outbid on that wadi on eBay!
An intriguing Siege of Vienna 54mm skirmish with some nice Winged Hussars
Then on to the Eighteenth Century where I took most photos
First Louis XIV period?
League of Augsburg or Marlburian?
Then other end of century with AWI Breed's Hill - more ships - couldn't get very long table in
Then my personal favourites
40mm home-cast Prince August SYW Battle of Kolin
A nice snowy Battle of Leuthen
There were lots more games, some of which I managed to miss! But in the limited time available, I just picked a few that stood out.
More Spencer Smith cavalry are primed awaiting a spray undercoat - these are to finish off the main kingdoms - Arcadia had ended up with a slight advantage so each of the remaining kingdoms will receive another unit of Cuirassiers. After that, there's rebel militia, Estavian and Electoral bits to add. I'm also keen to do a bit more modelling...
There looked like there was some cracking games at the show, must admit the 18th century ones are the ones that interest me the most and the ones there all looked top notch. Plenty to keep you going on the Spencer Smith front, look forward to seeing them when you showcase them.
ReplyDeleteThanks Donnie. I have to say Leuthen was my favourite.
DeleteNeil
You may be late with your show report but not as late as me! Sorry we didn't get to chat, I did see you deep in conversation with someone on one of my brief rounds away from the game.
ReplyDeleteThe fog was pretty miserable, back home it was blazing sunshine all day! I picked up some me great stuff from the rolling all day tabletop sale, which is an excellent feature. Like you, I thought I'd seen an awful lot of the games already (including g ours to be fair).
BTW it is Chris Kemp, not Kent. The Crete cloth is from Patriot Games in Sheffield who made it to order. I didn't get a chance to play it at Partisan but did manage the full fat version a few days before.
Thanks Martin. When I saw you, it was mid game or conversation.
ReplyDeleteDidn't see much on the tabletop sales. I think the best bargains are early in the day.
The fog had cleared at home from about 1 apparently - about 20 miles or less distance!
Fat fingered typing! I saw on Chris' blog about the Sheffield premiere. The cloth was more impressive in the flesh so to speak!
Neil
You have a discerning eye, Neil! I like that you picked out a few games to highlight rather than an overwhelming firehouse of games. Bunker Hill looked great. Chris’ Crete game did look splendid as did so many more.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jonathan. Rather than try to snap all the games, I just concentrated on a few that stood out to me - it just so happens they were mostly C18th!
ReplyDeleteIt's often very difficult to get a good photo at busy shows, especially if it's crowded around the table. Like many others have said, there were too many games to do it full justice in a short visit.
Neil
well not every show can be a block buster and nail biter. Sorry this one didn't do it for you. 😁
ReplyDeleteThanks Stew- if you're not really in the mood it tends to colour everything. It wasn't a BAD show, just .....lacking something? But I don't know if that was me rather than the show...
DeleteNeil
It was good to see you, Neil - sorry it was not for long! I got a bit obsessed with trying to see all the games, which was never really going to be possible. I agree with your highlights. all very nice games especially the 7YW ones: I noticed Simon Miller said that the Prinz August home-casts reminded him of Spencer-Smiths (and even shared the same designer?), they certainly gave a lovely 'old-school' look.
ReplyDeleteDavid, it would have been nice to have a proper chat. It's a difficult one to have a proper look at games (possibly chat to organisers), take good photos while having time to visit traders AND see all the games (let alone play in some) in just a few hours.....
ReplyDeleteSpencer Smiths were copies of SAE (Swedish African Engineers) - probably pirated by Ronald Spencer Smith. SAE and the Prinz August do indeed share a designer - Holgar Eriksson - his other figures can be obtained from Tradition - some original SAE moulds were discovered on Madeira:
https://www.traditionoflondonshop.com/en/30mm_War_game_Holger_Eriksson
Neil