Hammerhead 2022

 I attended Hammerhead yesterday and felt I should start the post with some gratuitous sexual innuendo.This beautiful model is a Mierce Miniatures and was part of their beautiful game.I know little about fantasy and frankly struggle with the whole concept but as models the companies are very very talented and have nothing but admiration for their work, and its not because of the modelers skill in creating beautiful assets.

Yesterday was my birthday and frankly Hammerhead made my day when usually Im thinking about mortality as I open my birthday cards. I arrived early and witnessed that the hobby is still there, active, full of talented wargamers and loads of great toys.

Hammerhead also staged a Tabletop Sale and whilst attempting not to sound to clever I felt that there would be lots of wargamers who would be desperate to sell on loads of stuff cheaply. I wasnt wrong for a change. I wont bore you readers with my bargain purchases, but will say I bought some lovely books very cheaply in fact at frankly embarrassingly cheap prices. I did pick up a load of unpainted Lamming hoplites and a unit of painted Lamming Republican Romans both at silly prices. In fact I just kept going back to the sale because I was worried I would somehow miss out on that special bargain.I probably did. 

So getting away from my embarrassing addiction how was the show one asks? Well I really enjoyed it. The place was humming with wargamers new and old, who looked just happy to be there.

And the games? Hammerhead is different from Partizan which is at the same venue later in the year and stages lots of small and not so small participation games. The standard of the games was high with some really beautiful figures and scenery. Yes a lot are staged by the traders but why not.

 Gripping Beast staged two games and both were reall eye candy. This one from the Hundred Years War was a lovely affair.

Like a Stonewall always put on a quality wargame , this time displaying their great 42mm home-cast Seven Years War armies. God I was itching to push a few of them around the table, well done Steve from the group.

Wargame shows are a brilliant opportunity to meet up with old wargamers that you havent seen for ages and in some cases over two years.Sadly there never seems to be enough time in the day to say everything you want to say.

I can only apologise now for not being able to attribute some of the games.I was very impressed by the cars and terrain in this fantasy race game, they were really well executed.
 

It was great to see some 28m Ancient games and these two wargames stood out for me.

This table had some wonderfully painted Republican Romans and Gallic cavalry. 

The Hornsea Contemptible staged a lovely Italian Wras game and it was great to work my way through all the old figures that he had converted, chopped and head swapped using mainly Hinchliffe, Connoisseur and Mini Figs. 

It was great for me but probably boring for others to reminisce and the older renaissance ranges on show, loved it.

James Morris and friends are a talented bunch and this time they produced some lovely Dark Age units. 

Like a moth to a flame I cant help looking at big model ships, these were lovely ships with some great buildings as well. 

Finally a big thank you to Andy Callan and Peter Harris for promoting Never Mind The Billhooks. Andy very kindly gave me some pages from his Deluxe Billhooks rules regarding the Swiss and Burgundians whilst Peter was religiously promoting Billhooks.

 I wont bore anyone with what I bought but it was more than I wanted and certainly needed but it was my birthday so I will use that as the excuse. I did pick up Army Painters new Speedpaint box and will be posting on them very soon. So as a wargames show it was a great success. As an advertisement for the hobby in general it was definitely a great success, so well done Hammerhead.