Salute 2016, Part One.

Well, I'm back from Salute, after a very long weekend, and its fair to say I'm knackered.
 Salute is a beast of a show and I have learned one needs to pace oneself before during and after the show. Needless to say I forgot that advice, and hence my feet and back hurt, and my wallet has been strangled dry.
 So overall impression, I thought it was a huge success, especially given this years theme of Steam Punk? which I confess I know nothing about. Anyway I will start at the beginning.
 London has excellent public transport and I was able to get from North London to the Docklands in record time,ie 08.15, to find there was already a queue, to get into the show!
 I managed to blag a chair off a kind Salute worker, and ensconced myself in the waiting excited masses. [ Can you tell I'm taking Creative Writing lessons]
 I found it interesting to listen to the people, mainly men aged 25- 35 talking in a language I didnt know, about all things sci fi, fantasy, skirmish game, etc etc. I couldn't fault their enthusiasm or excitement, so great really. Once the place opened the masses were handled really professionally and the South London team should be applauded.
 Right, minor quibble, where was the seating area so punters could get a break and talk a bit? There was nowhere to sit in the hall, and when I tried to rest against a wall, I was told that I was blocking a fire exit? I got the impression, more traders were in the hall this year, so can only assume the seating had to go, however I still think there was enough space to create some areas.
 Right onto the show.
As I am a historical wargamer, I will start with these games, and I was pleased to see Dave Brown of General de Brigade fame? staging an ACW with his new rules due in the summer. I have to confess that I have ribbed him a lot since we first met, which he has taken in a great spirit, but I confess I do like his new rule systems and find them fun with a fair degree of accuracy thrown in.

 I can only apologise now, for some of the images, but the figures were great and it was a lovely game to look at and watch.

 It seemed that a lot of the historical games were in one area of the show, deliberate, I dont know, but I was very keen to see Ian Smiths 40mm Napoleonic, I was not disappointed, as it was a beautiful work of art, and I dont think that is an exaggeration. He is a lucky so and so.

I thought the cliffs were brilliantly rendered and must be about the best Ive seen at any show.

 One of my favourite regiments, the Neuchatel batallion, Ian painted the officer.

  The three daft lads who presented the game, Tony and Shaun, showing just how close they have become during the weekend.

Ian Smith showing the audience how to wear a smaller than average tee shirt correctly. Well done Ian.

I will provide hopefully in part two, some better qualitity images of other games that caught my eye.