Newbury and Reading Wargame Society Colours 2019

So, another year, another traipse around Newbury Racecourse. Well, I can definitely say I had a jolly good time. The day started out with grey skies, but the weather held out and I got to the Racecourse nice and early, coffee in hand to join the front of the queue. Once again the team of volunteers from NRWS (Do they call themselves by that acronym?) have done themselves proud with all their hard work. A perfectly professionally looking run show. The venue was great, the volunteers were all really helpful and friendly and everyone I chatted to seemed to be having a fun day. I managed to meet up with the Illustrious Opponent and have a good natter with him as well as some of my other wargaming friends. I rolled some dice, chatted to some traders and some other gaming groups and enjoyed my favourite show of the year.

So, what did I see? What caught my eye?
Firstly, I was intrigued by a new game, Contact Front by Gods Eye Games. From the chaps that brough Sons of Mars, this system covers modern warfare from 2000 to 2016. It was described to me as a rules light platoon level system, where after a short while one double sided reference sheet is all you need to play. As a wargamer who struggles with overcomplicated rulebooks this idea did appeal.

I was impressed by the multi-level table for the participation game to introduce the new fantasy skirmish game Thud and Blunder from the Ministry of Gentlemanly Warfare. http://bit.ly/TNBebook . I didn't get a chance to try it out (something I definitely will seek out in the future) but it was fun to see a table that wasn't on one plane.

Talking of tables that aren't flat, this participation game of Romans vs Icenci also impressed me. With a massive campaign map showing Boudica's progress across the south of England.

The Boscombe Down & Amesbury Wargames Club (why are all club names such a mouthful?!) had a mightily impressive tower for their fantasy siege game. My son pointed out it was as large as he was.

On that note I must add that yes, I brought my youngest son to his first wargame show. Earlier in the year on a video call to him on the way back from Salute he told me how much he missed me and wished he could come to the wargame show with me. I had explained that London was a long day for him, but he could possibly come to the more local show later in the year. So, after lunch, Father in Law very kindly brought my son over for the experience. (He had a good browse of the book stalls as well though.) Earlier in the week my son had read a book from the library about chocolate, including the history of his favourite food. He is now obsessed with conquistadors, I'm not sure if the uniforms and weapons, or if he just likes saying the word. So, we go upstairs to see what game to play and Crawley Wargames Club are running "Escape from the Aztecs." My son is sold when I tell him he gets to be a conquistador.
We had so much fun playing this game I only remembered to take one photo.

The idea of the game was to avoid the Aztecs, various wildlife, (giant snakes, crocodiles etc.) and quicksand and get to the fort at the other side of the table. Most of the adult players didn't make it and lost all three of their lives, but the three junior players had decided early on to try and stick together (the photo doesn't show it but they did stick close together most of the game) and they made it all the way across the table. In a wonderful act of kindness, the young lady playing on her last but one turn had the option to move another player an extra move. Instead of moving my sons piece nearer the Aztecs to distract them so she could escape, she moved my sons piece into the fort so he escaped. A wonderful demonstration of kind gaming.

The final game I managed to photograph was from South London Warlords. I had a brief chat with John Treadaway from Miniature Wargames ( a lovely chap and may I add an excellent publication.) who told me about the Dark Side of the Moon. A US Marines versus Chinese Peoples Space Force game based on the old tv series Space 1999. Figures and vehicles for the game are from Ground Zero Games. My photos don't do it justice, a mightily impressive table.

So, what did I buy? After all, that is the main reason we all go to the shows, to add to our lead mountains. Firstly I did as previously mentioned grab some of the new releases from Bad Squiddo.

God Bless Bruce for giving me the last Action Heroines blister. I am so grateful, I shall begin undercoating forthwith!
I picked up the following from crooked dice, now bear with, but I think they are actually perfect for my western town.

I have been promising myself a copy of this book for a while, after being impressed with Frostgrave I have high hopes for this follow up from the same author. Now I have a copy in my hand I can confidently say it really is a doorstop of a rulebook and I actually got it a bit cheaper than the cover price from Paul Meekin books. From a quick flick through I  can tell already I am going to like it, any book that mentions Johnny Mnemomic as inspiration gets my vote.

Finally, regular readers will know there is a tradition for one of my fellow gamers to always buy me random models of livestock. previous purchases have been pigs, buffalo, (useful) chickens and dodos (not so useful.) This year he has not failed. I shall now be imagining four Liverpudlian voices in my head asking each other "Whadya wanna do?" repeatedly as I paint these vultures.