...you wait two years with none at all, and then loads come along all at once..
Having bought the current edition of 'Wargames Illustrated', I'm rather taken aback by the re-appearance of - advertisements for Wargames shows! Like this old favourite :
 |
| SELWG or NELWG? |
SELWG 2019 was the last show I attended, and I always liked this event. It seemed like a bit of a 'Goldilocks' show - not too big, not too small - just right! A good range of traders and games, and all very managable in an afternoon. Notice the new venue - gone perhaps will be the slightly surreal juxtapositions of gamers ( not necessarily the most athletic-looking crowd ) edging past the Crystal Palace swimming pool while synchro swimmers do their stuff in the water, and the evocative whiff of chlorine ( did anyone do a WW1 game there, with that in mind? ). Though I notice the new venue is also an Athletics Centre, so maybe plus ca change.. For me, the journey will be easier too, as they have moved to North-East London - should it be renamed NELWG? Barring some catastrophic Covid surge/lockdown/fuel crisis situation, I am planning to go along, shopping list and camera in hand. It will be great to be back!
But that's not all - from the same magazine issue, we have these:
 |
| hang on - that's this weekend! |
and this...
 |
| not at all grim up North |
And not to mention, for us Southerners the daddy of them all - 'Salute' returns on 13th November. On a more modest scale Ray from Don't Throw a One informs us that 'Broadside' is back in December, also with a new venue, at Gillingham. It looks like a determined gamer with the ability to travel around England could do a show nearly every week for the next couple of months! I admit I am not quite that desperate for my fix of games, tradestands and expensive coffees as to try to get to all of these - I'll start with SELWG and see how it goes, have a think about 'Salute', and 'Broadside' would be fun, and an easy journey ( and it's near my childhood home - Rainham Wargames Club, are you there? I was, about 1976 to 1981..) These sports centre/exhibition hall venues are quite large spaces, with hopefully good modern ventilation systems, and the demographic of attendees is pretty surely double-jabbed ( some already in the 'booster' age groups, dare I say? ) - so I hope all will be well.
So, what does the team think? Are you keen to go along to one of these, or still a bit wary of crowds? We all have to do what we are comfortable with, and I wouldn't criticise anyone for being careful. However to me, this seems a welcome development, a sign of societal recovery - my only concern being that perhaps there are too many shows in quick succession, will gamers suffer 'show fatigue' and attendances drop as a result? Let's hope not - at least there is a decent geographical spread. It will feel almost a duty to be generous in our support of the traders too, so - see you ( weighed down by long-delayed metal, resin and and paper purchases ) at SELWG, maybe?
Keep well, everyone!
If I lived in the UK, I would attend at least one.
ReplyDeleteI will try to make it to at least one, possibly two or three!
DeleteSoz, can’t help, they are all just too far away to make the travelling worthwhile. In this age of the internet I can peruse new products and get stuff delivered to my door with out having to shell out loads of dosh on petrol (should I be able to find any out here). Last show I attended was in the 80’s I think. The only positive I guess is if they are being advertised and organised again it’s at least an indication we are returning to some sort of normality.
ReplyDeleteI quite understand,it's clearly not your thing. Indeed, my feeling is that it's a sign of a return to 'normal', which is good. Let's hope it lasts!
DeleteI might make it along to one of those. SELWG perhaps.
ReplyDeleteSELWG is the one I will certainly go for, maybe Salute and/or Broadside. 'Show fatigue' may kick in, of course..
DeleteI'm still cautious; I'm under enough pressure to return to the office which I confess I'm not in any hurry to do.
ReplyDeleteShows were becoming something I attended less and less before the lockdown. Many had become disappointing, even as shopping trips "sorry we don't bring those to shows / we've got 3 of them left / we can send them on post free" was becoming the norm. A lot of traders were resellers carrying the same stock.
Bring and buys are generally overpriced rugby scrums and watching wargames is less appealing than watching paint dry!
I've never understood what "demonstration" games are demonstrating other than the artistic skill of the person concerned - which means you are expected to say complementary things?
Too reserved for "participation" games .
It means a wander around the traders, look at some games briefly (often they all look the same it's sad to say) and go home.
I used to enjoy Derby (when at the university), Sheffield until it went downhill then imploded. Partizan - always found it a bit "elitist" (and crowded at Kelham). Hammerhead is ok. Been to SELWG once, Salute not since Olympia, Reading or Newbury when living in the south. Nottingham has a rather disappointing show.
I get the impression a lot of traders are holding off attending or have changed business models or are retiring so not sure how "normal" it will be.
i think I've managed to depress myself......:-)
Neil
Oh dear, sorry you have not exactly talked yourself into attending any shows! I suspect there is truth in many of the things you say. I think maybe I don't have too high expectations - e.g. with traders etc, I am usually not organised enough to have a comprehensive shoppping list, so purchases are usually happy accidents! Participation games I admit I've never done, I always think 'maybe I'll come back when I've seen all the other games...' - and then never get back! I do like to look at the games and layouts, and some of the hosts can be very good value - Simon 'To the Strongest' Miller, for example. I think there can be a bit of an inspirational/ideas effect. With any luck, I might get brave and introduce myself to some other bloggers this time, too - it would be nice to put faces to blogger handles!
DeleteI'm just hoping that the US will open their border to the savages north of them in time for me to make to Huzzah in Maine to meet up with friends and run a couple of games and play in a couple. They have till the end of January to give me time to plan but I'm not holding my breath.
ReplyDeleteI must say I hadn't realised that international border controls could be a factor! Fingers crossed for you and Huzzah!
DeleteI missed the Scottish Show Carronade due to my 54mm gaming day in Woking. Friends went for a time and enjoyed it. Go to at least one of the shows, say hello,meet folk, get enthused for the coming winter and maybe buy some things. I was a tad nervous travelling to Cornwall etc but all was well and worth it.
ReplyDeleteThanks Alan, that is good advice which I will follow! Glad your trip went well.
Delete