Its official, I am plain unlucky.

 Well its now official I am the Unluckiest General, and that has finally been recognised by my peers following the Amateur Military Gentleman weekend. I look on it as a positive achievement especially as I was awarded a wonderful trophy very kindly donated by Aly Morrison, who again shows why he is a top wargamer.

   The Unluckiest General Trophy, won by well, the acknowledged unluckiest general..... Me.

   To be honest I feel I didnt deserve the award simply because my dice throwing was pretty average, for me anyway. Commanding the Austrians twice in Colin's refight of the Battle of Leuthen we won one and lost one. I found it interesting how different wargamers fight and the AMG weekend was a great opportunity to watch this in action. Not just how they view and tackle a battle, but also how they react to interaction between individuals.
   The weekend is now in its second year, and hopefully will continue given its undoubted success. Initially it was a means to get members of the AMG forum to come together face too face for a wargaming extravaganza, but given the various upheavals in the said forum it has morphed into something which I view as what is best about wargamers.
 Over the wargaming years you normally get to know various individuals after meeting at the shows, through other wargamers introducing someone and of course through the internet.
 But normally you are like ships passing in the night.
So a wargames weekend where one can play in a number of large games with a number of generals per side is wonderful. Stopping in a decent hotel, eating and drinking, and discussing wargames issues, and generally talking history is something a little bit special. I hasten to add its not about showing off one's knowledge about some obscure period, its more about enjoying the company of people who love the hobby, beer and food. Now that the AMG connection is firmly left behind, the weekend has the potential of growing into an even better wargames weekend.
 Fellow attenders have posted far better images than me of the weekend, but there were four large 28mm wargames to fight over.
  A wonderful Malburian affair which rightly won the best hosted game, created by Paul Robinson of Grimsby [ the club not the film  ] fame. There were some wonderful painted units and the rules written by Paul made the game run very smoothly.

 The prize, for the best wargame host held over the weekend. Again donated by the most excellent Mr Morrison. I really would like to have won that.

                   Sorry about the image of Paul's Malburian set up, it really doesn't do it justice.

Graham Cummings, of Crann Tara, hosted a Jacobite War battle, using his lovely figures and the Honours of War Rules. Sorry about the images, it was very hot in the room. Again a top quality game.

 Two dodgy cockney types hosted a wonderful Sudan game, with some brilliantly painted 28mm figures. Des Darkin and Martin Gane, of South London Warlords fame were convivial hosts and also great to take the michael out of. A pair of good sports.  Its fair to say that wargamers came from the four corners of the kingdom and one from our former colony of the Americas. God knows what Jim Purkey made of us [ well me actually] but for such a diverse group, the mix worked.

                          I loved the look of these buildings and really wanted to snaffle them.

 Colin staged Leuthen twice over the weekend, with me as the Austrian adviser. Both battles were tense affairs, with interesting ideas by the Prussians on how to tackle to problems of the terrain. Both days I took 'control' of the Reicharmee contingent, and to be honest for really poor troops they did alright. We won one, and got absolutely hammered in the second game, by the use of some heartless and cowardly Teutonic tactics.

 I could wax lyrical about the whole weekend, but all I will say is that if one likes to take part in some great games, of a very high standard, and like shooting the breeze with other wargamers while drinking and eating then this is the weekend for you. One comes away with new ideas, a bit tired but most certainly enthused. One tip though, never ever drink with Angus Konstam the guy is a legend.