Battlegroup North 2012

Unfortunately I misssed the first day due to still being ill, had a bad week. I dragged myself there today and despite feeling rough had a cracking day. So glad I didn't miss it. We play tested Normandy Firefight, it's good, extremely detailed and you don't want more than a figure each at first. I may end up chopping elements of the system out and making a quicker play game to use with more figures.

Purchase wise I bought more than I did at Triples last week. Met a new trader who sells second hand unpainted (and painted) figures. I came away with more Artizan desert war figures: 16 Italian riflemen, 2 officers, plus 4 unknown make Italians (look like Bolt Action but they don't do them?) and 8 British Comandos. Nearly got an Afrika Corps mortar crew but didn't think I'd use it in a game. Also bought a stunning desert Sherman for the Brits for a tenner, it's a corgi classics 1/50 scale. These things go for £30 on ebay! The seller had other tanks in the same make but I'm trying to be sensible with my buying these days. Also bought a die cast corgi type US jeep for £3, usually these are about £12! Again I could have had two of them but decided to be frugal.
The wargames show was great. Lots of Rapid Fire games, Colin was there with his and won runner up display game. The winner was a group from Manchester I think with an early war game, full of French tanks and lots of scratch built terrain, fleeing civilians etc.
The military show aspect seemed a bit quieter than normal, same traders but it all seemed a bit more cramped and not as well laid out. Same people there as every year plus a few more, more obscure, re-enactors such as Vietnam era US Special Forces. Interesting to see well done re-enactors, the one's with plastic weapons and generic 'army' gear always perplex me, still they seem to be having fun.
Here are some pics of an excellent day!

How we begin the day!

Roger helping me play test Normandy Firefight. (Note the Sherman I had just bought!)

A wargames group from Manchester put this participation game on with their own very simple rules, getting kids involved! The game was a Western Desert airbourne (Fallschirmjager) drop.

One of the Rapid Fire games.

This game took the trophy for best game. Lots of scratch built and improvised scenery!

Colin Rumford and crew with the runner up demo game.

Preparations for Battlegroup North

I was hoping to take a desert war version of our toy soldier rules to this years Battlegroup North weekend but I don't have as many Afrika Corps painted as I should have. However, I have recently bought the excellent skirmish rule set Normandy Firefight, designed for small groups of 3-6 figures a side and aimed at 1/32 scale figures. I'm hoping to play test these at Ayton. It might even be that we do a new version of the toy soldier rules with elements of the Normandy Firefight rules mixed in to add interest to game play and slow down the usual carnage. I bought these amazing Artizan 28mm figs at Triples last weekend. Bought 4 8th army, 4 SAS and 8 Africa corps. Plenty enough for a game of Normandy Battles. First 4 are done. Just need to make sure I get the others done by Friday! I will be using my new desert scenery and buildings on a 3x3 board. Have some nice Pegasus palm trees too! More pics to follow.

Ayton 2012

This year our small wargames group hosted it's second game weekend at West Ayton Village Hall. I only managed to pop along for a couple of hours but played a round of A Very British Civil War, with the Brigadier 38 rule set. This was probably the most fun to play game I have tried in quite a while. It felt like a 40k skirmish, 3 players a side with Bob umpiring. Here are some photos from the game and some photos from the large Imaginations game, umpired by Henry Hyde of Battlegames magazine and attended by anyone who is anyone in the world of 18th Century make-belive!