Battleground 26 November 2016.

          Colin puts some final touches to our game, prior to the general public coming in.

Well I'm safely back from Smoggyland, in one piece although a tad tired and bereft of cash funds.
Battleground for me personally is a very good show, in its former life it was also a great show, and I always viewed it as a signal that Winter had arrived.
   Leon of Pendraken fame has done a fine job taking on the responsibilities of hosting the show, and wargamers should recognise just how much effort he puts into making it such a success.
 And it is a success, with goodly numbers coming through the doors, even if they only want to spend a couple of hours buying some last minute wargame goodies.
 I don't know if it was as busy as last year, but it certainly seemed to have people walking around all day.

Our 'group' put on two games at the show, a 10mm Sudan game with John and Neil hosting that, and Wilson's Creek hosted by me and Colin. Both used terrain cloths, which I thought were very effective.

 I must confess that I wanted to fight an ACW game, purely so I could 'blood' my newly painted rebel regiments, so Battleground was a perfect excuse to get them on the table. The setup was made easier by basing the battle using the article that Paul Stevenson had written in Miniature Wargames 364 in 2013. That game was the first time that I had used Blackpowder rules, so seemed very apt, especially as Paul knows his stuff and had provided a very accurate account for us to use.

 Obviously since then I have become quite knowledgeable about BP, and with the release of their Glory Hallelujah supplement it was an interesting exercise to re visit the battle. I think as a display it looked about right, as a wargame I struggled against Colin's better Union troops and managed a losing draw. Shotgun armed militia are not too good to use. Also being caught in flank when in march column is never recommended, so I thought I did well to hang on. Newly painted regiments never fight well on their first outing, [second rule of wargaming]

 I can only apologise for not providing a detailed list of the clubs who put on a game, followed by a pile of images, but something had to give, between being at the table and shopping. I must admit I bought a lot of stuff, mainly Perry figures, although I managed to pick up two old Almark that I didn't have in my collection, one on the ACW and the second on the AWI. I also bought the first two Military Modelling annuals from the affable Graham Cummings, so I had a right wallow in nostalgia when I got home last night. Ah the smell of old [ish] books, wonderful. So how was the show, naturally I enjoyed the day, tiring yes, but its good to stop and talk to all and sundry about the game, wargaming and anything really. Make the trip next year, Battleground is readily accessible from the main A19, and is a very good day out.

                                      
           Never ever use march column within sight of the enemy, oops forgot that one.

                                             Because this is what happens if you do.

 Conrad Cairns of the Durham Wargames group always puts on a nice game, this was his 1866 battle, something I would have liked to get my fingers into.

 I would have loved a command in this lovely Malburian battle, I think it was Ramilles.

 The hardest working wargamer traders in the country [ well they said they were] Colonel Bill and trainee. Its funny but when I worked with the pair in a former life, salts couldn't work them.

Another battle I would have liked a crack at, Cannae, naturally.