Salute 2016, Part Three.

For so reason my PC is running very slow, so I am having trouble downloading the images I want to use. Anyway onto other games and the trade. I always enjoy looking at and talking to the members of the Continental Wars Society, the members are good crack. I couldnt manage to take many decent snaps of their Garabaldi game, as the camera was playing up, but I particularly liked this cavalry unit. Oh and the Garabaldi biscuits were a nice touch too.

Essex Warriors displayed the Battle of Kunnersdorf in 28mm, and I had a good time sledging their American contingent regarding the virtue of Frederick the Unpleasant. It was a very tidy game, with some decent units to admire.

I was impressed by the use of Kallistra terrain for this game regarding the First World War,It was very effective and eye catching.

I dont know what the game was, I dont know what rules were being used, but I thought it was a damned fine looking game that was very popular.

Agincourt, displayed by the New Buckinghamshire Wargames Group in 28mm.

This looked a tidy game that I would have liked to take a command in

One of two games depicting the Battle of Hastings in 28mm, I unfortunately didnt get details of the group, again a battle I would like to have fought in.

Below is a game that intrigued me, as it displayed MDF model ships, that were very good, using a new set of naval rules by Capitan. I normally dont like MDF, apart from for bases, but the ships really looked the part. Again I didnt get the name of the group, but it was a nice display.

I was really taken by this fantasy game by I believe the Chesterfield Gaming Society, entitled Kings of War. It had every type of unit imaginable and all were beautifully painted.
                                     
                                                    I loved this giant, made of resin.

 My favorites however were the mammoths which were very effectively painted and displayed.

The game, used various different areas of weather and terrain, including an Ice Dragon and army.

Salute Part Two.

Now that I have had some sleep, I can now hopefully write a fuller account of Salute 2016.
Usually at a wargames show, there will be one standout game if you are lucky, I think Salute managed to produce three absolutely top notch games, and several very good quality eye catching games. For me the best games were, Ian Smith's 40mm Napoleonic game,Bill Gaskin's absolutely wonderful Seven Year's War table and the Crewe and Nantwich, 28mm Siege of Bristol, all were of the finest quality as regards overall presentation, and figure painting, and of course in Bill Gaskin's case in figure design.

                          The Siege of Bristol, a 28mm English Civil War masterpiece.

  Looking at all three games, it brought home just why I love wargaming, for the spectacle, colour and skill involved in producing these games makes me want to grab a paint brush and attempt to emulate what I had seen. [ sorry]
Anyway in part three I will give a review of the show overall, and the things I found of interest.

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.