Yesterday I attended the Hammerhead show in Newark which has recently had the organisation taken over by Dave Ryan of Caliver Books. The change in running may have had an effect - I will comment later.
It was very busy although a lot of people had left by around lunchtime. While queuing to get in, people could be seen leaving - whether to simply put stuff in their car or having finished the shopping trip going home barely after opening! From the numbers I assume the former, although some looked like they were finished for the day, weighed down with boxes....
As it bills itself as a Participation show, there were few of the eye-catching displays seen at Partizan and lots of games on small tables. Bigger games had gone for mats and free-standing terrain with a few exceptions, one of the smaller games at least had gone for sculpted terrain as seen in the typical display game. There were quite a few naval games which was a surprise but I guess easy to run as a participation.
I grabbed some photos going around the hall; some games I simply couldn't get close enough due to people playing, others it was a case of leaning in a snapping a quick shot - so some photos are not the best.
There were a couple of early horse and musket games in evidence.
The previously mentioned naval games
This last one using what I suspect is a cheap but effective plastic sea effect tablecloth
Midgard in evidence
The Boondock Sayntes using Indian walls and other historical scenery as Minas Tirith
Lego Alamo
Paper Boys WW2 Jungle
Pony Wars?
Star Wars
North Star Warriors of Athena lovely terrain not many figures!
Italian Wars - Hornsea Contemptable. I think this is the chap that has adapted Fire & Fury ACW... nice figures shame about the rather shabby TSS tiles...
My old Compadres of the Tyneside Wargames Club put on Operation Barbarossa again using 10mm figures and tanks designed and cast by the talented Pete Foggin
https://tynesidewargames.co.uk/
https://www.foggofwarminiatures.com/
I spent a bit of time catching up - not as much as I'd have liked but with a 3 hour window time was finite.
I also had a nice chat with Martin Rapier - disturbed him while eating his lunch! His blog is always worth a visit.
https://tgamesweplay.blogspot.com/
I didn't have time to play in any games (although no-one tried to engage) and aside from the socialising and a bit of shopping, was ready to go when my friend and lift asked.
Looking at the programme today I had thought that I'd missed some traders, despite a tour of the hall, but found out that I had covered almost all of them. Likewise I had wanted to see an Arab-Israeli game, but never noticed it, but to be fair, a lot of small games or those using 6mm or smaller simply don't catch the eye and few seemed worth the effort of fighting past people's backs to get a picture!
I think this highlights some issues for me with the show. The venue. While no doubt convenient, I simply don't like shows in large sheds; they are noise and hard on the feet. Aside from the busy cafe, there was nowhere to sit. The catering and toilets are about adequate, but not brilliant.
The venue also suffers when attendance is high. It is noisy and people were chatting while blocking passages and trade stands, the passageways being very crowded at peak times. I saw one chap on sticks and wondered how he was faring. My view is that is down to the venue as well as how it is utilised.
The tablesales / bring and buy, was in the dead centre and was like a rugby scrum; it also acted as a blockage right opposite the main entrance. I think they will have to consider what Partizan have done and had marquees at the entrance for table sales and a bit more room - although frankly at opening this must cause access problems? These things take up lots of room and attract wargamers like vultures around a corpse!
The layout itself with traders around the edge and games in the middle doesn't work IMHO. Getting to the trade stands means threading a path through games. Why not divide the hall into games and traders? At lease that way you could see where most footfall occurs and plan space accordingly.
I'm aware of how much effort planning these events takes. I got the impression a lot was done at the last minute on this occasion. The website was not updated until two weeks before the event. I understand from a trader that I didn't know was going until I looked at the floorplan, told me he had been on the waiting list for 8 years (!) and only received an invite 2 weeks before the show! Given that some traders who normally attend were absent (listed in the "traders for 2025" up to 2 weeks before the show) I assume the invites or confirmations went out too late to plan properly. Given more and more are retiring and some have stopped attending shows, this could have a big impact....
It suggests to me that to continue, Hammerhead will have to up its game - it's not the venue that attracts people, it's the traders and games. If these are sub-par, attendance will suffer. Poor publicity and a change of date (all last minute) killed Sheffield Triples.
Anyway, aside from a few purchases none of which are particularly photogenic, the show was OK but not outstanding.
In other news, the Romans who had been painted, varnished and based had their bases finished.
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