Recon 2025 didn’t happen for me this year due to family commitments. Which is a pity because I really like this show. In fact it has been almost my most commonly attended show.
It has certainly been my most enjoyable: Big shows are great but sometimes you just get overrun with the volume. It is Joseph Stalin’s rule in reverse – quantity does not always give you the quality you want.
So what to do?
Well for starters here are some links to those who did go.
And finally look out for the show next year and go along, maybe game (participation games are on the increase) but above all buy some stuff from real humans. Yes we can use postal/online methods yet the hobby is so much more with these face to face shows.
Crusading with never mind the billhooksCurrently a very popular offering A Seven years stunner in flatsA giant demo tableFlats are great especially en masse – Austrians including grenze border troops Prussians march as wellA great Prussian cavalry flank The massed cavalry look eye catching One of the flat benefits can be seen here – many troops in a small space gives in my view a better view than with fully round figures.Austrian cavalry mass for an attack Each flat is unique in design and sculpture which adds to the effect The inevitable downside view with 2D models in a 3D scape
Next up 2nd Punic war …..
trebbia was the gameThis was a played game – later on the Roman wings were crumbling An ACW demo game of little round topExcellent scenic affair The confederates marchThese rebels were painted with oils Tiger miniatures produce an eclectic range including turn of the century US forces expanding its borders at the expense of SpainNice mapping
Operation Barbarossa 1941……
Extensive steppe in this action between German and Russian forces.
Now over to the squabbling British……
War of the three kingdoms 1639-1651 although you could call it the second one Hundred Years’ War given it got going between 1639 and 1642 while it only ended with Culloden in 1746.Witches brewing! Where is Duncan?Nicely presented tabletop and it was being gamed I thinkAnother proper Ancients bash – the battle of Raphia
Then it was Raphia again this time using hexes
I used to have a complete hex board for 6×4 all nicely flocked but in the end I found the hexes a distraction – compare with previous pics and take your pick Wakefield wargamers did World War Two in an hour – an excellently crafted home built board game but with wargames quality figures, but this time not a hex in sight – the land and sea was laser cut curves – I forgot to get a picture.Their stand showed the club activity and next up is historically their RECON show in Pudsey now run by Pit Gaming and it’s certainly worth a visit
I don’t tend to share loot stories much ……
My loot photos only because I had “no plans” to buy anything except some secondhand warhammer space marines (which I failed to do) for a friendYep – having no plan can sometimes result in the unexpected wallet dent
Luckily I have been asked a few times if I want anything for Christmas – so that’s sorted now.
This year the dates fell such that no sooner was The Other Partizan only just fading in my memory than I was heading to Fiasco and Leeds in the morning sun.
I grabbed a coffee in a nearby cafe as I had turned up early. Obviously as everyone got the lay in bonus with British summertime ending, I thought it would be a big queue on opening at ten.
Centre shows the exhibition area entrance – the queue just after ten was not what I expected.
The reality is that the musuem while being a giant venue itself offered perhaps the floor space only half of that if the normal dock hall venue.
That said the dock hall venue had some of the most generous circulation areas of any major show. And that was a big plus I always thought. And of course it had a very high ceiling which simply added to a cavernous feel.
Today we got a compact, cosy yet brighter venue.
The victims for space were the big demo games – those that characterise the partizan shows. And some bigger retailers were missing.
However the traders present offered a nice selection and choice. In fact having gone intending to only maybe do some gaming I ended up buying quite a few things
Bow and blades stand yielded some Vallejo varnishI can never refuse a bargain and love these pre coloured card models – at colour party paintsBases from pendrakenSome nice ship kits at stonewall figures
I was very happy with my purchases.
Actual size miniatures have a great table of products – I had to resist because I am still painting last year’s acquisitionsSome nice printed ships and planes at three decks dockyard
The games were mainly small table affairs with plenty of participants joining in.
Two tables of battletech on showBig games were in evidence but in smaller scale such as bouvines in 6mmPlenty of naval action over on the right!Bolt action action!Some great Greek style FantasyWith Some nice sceneryVertical gaming – a neat, small but intriguing game by Django Ensoe and Stafford CollieThe display included some useful material Simple figure requirements Purpose written rulesetLeeds the organisers have a big clubThe facility was fully occupied and cosy with a great cafe in the museum just a few feet away if you chose to ignore the dedicated bar. The facility was better than the farm shed at Newark The organisers-2025 flyer shows last years black cavern Maybe next up- I want to go but other priorities may prevent meI nipped into the armouries looking for a present for someone in their bookstore but came away with a surprise for me instead.
So a good day out as it happened.
Postscript
Thought I would share some extra bits
The books I bought at the armouries include some period illustrations. All helping to get into that feel for the times – a few telephones, telegrams for those who could afford it and snail mail ruled the day – or probably word of mouth!
I dug out 2024 because I did a long post on the armouries – no photos this year.
I remember many years ago going to Fiasco Wargames show and it being held in the museum.
I seem to remember it was packed. So while it’s a great venue if the space available is cramped then it kind of backfires.
That said the usual venue in the dock hall is quite dark with black drapes even with a full lighting set up. The high ceiling height means the light quality at table level is poor compared to say Partizans agricultural shed.
Ok so let’s get the loot out of the way – Yep zilch purchases 😱. Well ok not quite…..
Cash buy £2, which is just as well because I forgot to bring a wad of cash…..
Yep no cash on me and of course I saw plenty at the bring and buy………lots of frustration.
It then got to 15:30 (that’s another story for lower down) and I finally spent some money….
More to follow on this…
The show was “packed to the rafters” – I arrived late (for me) at 11:00. Then took an age to find a parking spot, literally there was no room left and certainly no one to tell you if there was some less obvious spaces.
The usual set up and lots of regularsNo figure for me – clearly there were more than 500 at the show more like 5000 – I jest.
I got in and immediately found some obvious bring and buy purchases in the new awning area at the main entrance but then realised I had no cash so moved on. I did a full circuit twice before some refreshment.
I would say noise levels were vibrant to say the least.
Here is my selection of pics, clearly not necessarily the best – whatever that means – but things that caught my eye.
As always click to get the bigger picture
Crazy giant RISK game 😁Intriguing RPGAction ACWI have that book but alas not the figures Small table but intense activity Surprised it had not happened before Prewar France was more bonkers than Britain My memorable demo of the day
So I also got preoccupied with planes again…
Some more table envy
Impressive tanksImpressive tanksAtmosphere but get that tiger outa my way!I like bodkins demo’sRolling fields Fun burrowsAnd badgers 😁Loaded tables are not my bag but I have always liked the figure range Something a bit different Nice figuresSome nice inter war action A winter scene The town makes the difference for me
A few more…..
Some serious facesAnother biplane Looks innocuous on first lookStill innocuous Wait their a bit odd Aaaargh it’s the MartiansScary camera shake 🤣A glut of Martians?A horde of steam tanks Sparking into life maybe 🤔 Ship ahoy A full consignment of stirrers sits idle. Obviously few modellers at the show this year!
Ok that was a bit tongue in cheek, so now for the highlight – a game. In the afternoon I played Chris’s not quite mechanised Crete 1941. My guide was from Boston but I forgot his name: Sorry. Anyway he explained the game basics and led me through a few rounds which saw my Australian forces drive the Germans back.
My mission was to boot the Germans out of Khania and I did!Close up of the actionRules guide on a board – easy to see
The rules are a neat combination of grid but given a wargaming look with 15mm figures densely occupying the hexes. The variable scales used for buildings, tanks, ships and aircraft tell you this is an abstract however the look is really good and the detailed vehicles especially are not regimented in style or painting, so you get a gritty result.
The rules are quick to pick up and give you the headaches of logistics, resources, ammo, positioning, energy for attack and indeed tenacity of defence.
Needless to say I enjoyed playing the game which is why I found myself shopping at 1530. And now I have a copy of Chris’s rules but no forces, I face yet another wargamers dilemma: Do I start another project 😱
Thanks for the chats Chris and a great scenario to play in.
All in all a great day for me at the Other Partizan.
The last wargames show of the year for me is Recon. It takes place at Pudsey Civic Hall. It used to be run by Wakefield Wargamers but since last year The Pit Gaming Shop have taken over. While it is one of the smaller shows its still a great day out and in the case of the venue you get free parking on site, level access to a well lit two storey event space with civilised toilets (yes I have been to Partizan many times….) and a decent licensed cafe bar on site selling a good hot food range.
The show supported “models for hero’s” who were at the entrance – no queuing as the show is FREE entry. You could make a donation as I did and also Pit Gaming ran a raffle.
Pit gaming had a good range cowboy skirmish material – notably dead mans hand
And if thats not enough a great range of traders and lots of participation games were to be had not to mention some life size sci-fi warriors wandering the aisles.
Hopefully The Pit Gaming Shop will host this enjoyable, relaxed and friendly wargames show again in 2025.
No apologies for pens – this was a to be played game not a demo.
This year I managed to take part in two medieval games at the lance and longbow stand. They were very enjoyable with veterans and beginners playing a modified version of Lion Rampant.
The game was designed for a balanced play and it delivered with both battles being close run affairs. It is always a challenge to design a scenario that gives enough opportunity without a walkover by one side. “Show” games are peculiar with the dynamics of unfamiliar players, unfamiliar rules and the distractions of other games, demos and traders. So they need to be interesting.
In this case the heavy mounted knights (attackers) looked like they would steam roller the bow and bill (defenders) albeit behind stakes. However in the first game just as the defenders looked to collapse the knights leader fell to his death and the attackers lost their will to press home the attack.
In the second battle the defenders were again overrun but no lucky leader death seemed forthcoming when the battle ended – so a sort of draw maybe:Exciting to the end though.
At the end of the day I had plenty of enjoyment from these games.
In fact I neglected to take many photos around the show.
Yarkshire gamer brought 1867 Italy – garibaldi trying to knock over the papal state despite French resistance You can never have enough red shirts!
There were plenty of traders but at the moment I am on a clear the iron mountain and plastic pit push. Of course impulse buys override such plans and I indulged at blotz.
28mm (but in 20mm) Bronze Age fortress starter pack made up there and then with a nice discount-thanks blotz
To be fair I had previously gazed at their Bronze Age fortress yet held off. Now though I have some converged plans which mean the fortress bit the dust or rather my wallet did!
Autumn sees me on the move – the other partizan is done and now it was the turn of Fiasco in Leeds.
In contrast to the Newark show I reckon I was about fiftieth in the queue despite arriving about fifteen minutes before the doors opened.
The dock hall is a sombre black lined but very high ceiling cavern! Today there was plenty of space due to less traders and some missing games and others, compared to previous years.
Maybe it was a bit of half term effect as numbers held up during the day?
I was done trader wise in thirty minutes in terms of checking out who was there and what was on offer. So I could then home in on those traders that took my fancy.
Caliver books and Dave lanchester books absence meant that the show was book free except for some stalls typically selling old ospreys.
There were plenty of games being played and in that sense the show was vibrant. Few straight demo/display games or showstopper demo only tables but again every table that set up was playing as far as I could see. Gaming tables for gaming and there was plenty of variety on offer.
Some traders were clearly doing excellent business while others looked a bit too quiet from their owners early doors looks.
Now I went back in the afternoon and I reckon it was still as busy as at ten. You don’t get that at other shows where there is an initial rush and then numbers dwindle.
Fiasco was enjoyable as you could shop without the scrum at many of the big names traders.
I had no particular buying plans for what is really yet another convenient Yorkshire show.
I ended up buying a few things that were wanted plus some surprises.
A few tables caught my eye.
Recycling partizan……
Ok so I forgot to snap this one in the dock hall lucky for you I caught it at partizan
Winter…….
Ice flow was a favourite board game of mine but no one else liked it so it got the heave ho – wargaming on ice anybody? This looked an engaging fantasy game with bespoke rules
The Yarkshire Wargamer presented his Italian wars game nineteenth century style. Think ACW with vineyards and garibaldis – no not the biscuits!
The French Papal zoaves Garibaldis hordesArtillery and a machine gun?Garibaldis menLive recording as Yarkshire man throws a double six seemingly to order….Earnest efforts all round1867 and all that
I chatted to the what a cowboy gamers who were typically happy to converse over their lunch break hence no fighting on the board…..
Warlord game – boardgame/wargame crossover? Maybe a take on what Zvezda art of tactic sought to achieve?
Buying wise I am still looking at nearly mechanised….
Airfix trusty old kit
A Japan surprise from EWM
These vehicles I bought from the friendly helpful guys at battle zone games
Grubby tanks yielded this ancient Tower in more ways than one from one of their bits and pieces boxes.
I had a chat with Mr Grubby himself as ever willing to talk to his potential customers and just not sell even though he was very busy. He has now selectively cast SHQ/Kennington and has sold them on request. So I need to get an order in for some 1848 Saxons!
Artillery feature at actual size miniatures. I found a miscasts box – bag ‘em yourself for 1 pound – a bargain I reckon. The owner even helped me match the barrels to the carriages! Chapeaux as cyclists say.
Well that’s it or would have been except Fiasco has a fantastic addition. The royal armouries is a minute across the square.
A decent range of traders and games means this show is worth a visit in 2025Unlike partizan (an agricultural show facilities wise) Fiasco has tons of food options – even gluten free – proper tea for one yes two Yorkshire tea bags in that pot: And table service. The wrap? I was technically late for the breakfast menu at the museum cafe but they knocked me up a gluten free bacon sandwich with some imagination-the wrap was “loaded” with bacon.
Part two properly covers my museum trip. But you’ve read that already – probably…..
Footfall measure? – last valley still had stock on the shelves a couple of hours in. But at least you could shop like human!
Next up……
New venue……Nice to see 1848 Danes on show in the promo flyer
Next door is the national armouries https://royalarmouries.org/leeds and if you have never been it’s fantastic and even if you have been it’s worth a revisit every now and then.
I did a selective tour to fill out my visit to Fiasco wargames show next door in the dock hall.
Lots of medieval kit on display Arrow storm Central armour display Dioramas featureThere are slots round the edge so you can view the diorama at ground levelA lot of figures1840’s revolver 1911 self loading rifle Swiss built Mexican 1891 design – below is up a Lewis air service machine gunLots of mechanisation Triang, minic cars, frog aircraft and sten guns…….All the weapons a platoon (German and here British) had plus the occasional rationed item like the piatA bit of renaissance Pom Pom A Gardiner is in the background Diorama from floor above I noted the two in the middle to back centre……OutsideLooking to dock hall centre leftLocation-rejuvenated canal areaThe arms tower – take a closer look
So take a trip to Fiasco 2025 and get a free entry military museum into the bargain.
Having missed the spring partizan show I did not want to miss the autumn offering.
The crowd descended on Newark in a leisurely fashion arriving half an hour after the gates opened. We expected a shorter queue but no it was still the length of the building and some.
Once inside (fairly quickly as it happens) the place was heaving.
So my first comment is it was too crowded to take in all the excellent displays. I am not sure what you do – if the show is less congested people will feel it’s not thriving etc. I don’t think we will see a return to the two venue set up that saw competition games plus more traders in another hall?
In short maybe it’s me but it felt busier than ever?
So overall a busy, popular and I expect successful show.
The congestion also deterred me from taking as many pictures.
Turning to the retail side – all the usual suspects were there but just maybe a few less new offerings and less 3d print offerings visible?
There were no showstoppers in retail as far as I noticed.
I did throw some dice at Chris Kemp’s NQM game – I failed to drive away the Germans from longstop hill…..Chris uses on board indicators to avoid lots of rule checking and I think the scenes are intended to look congested so it’s abstraction might not suit everyone. The important elements are the variety of components that work together to enable the fighting elements to launch and sustain an attack or defence…….a neat grid game which is now a published ruleset.
Brits under the kosh Bring up the artillery – that was only partially successful Excellent table set up for participation with simple visuals.
So what about the table glamour…….
Omaha was excellent giving some true perspective Not your regular ww2 tank fastOk there were some behind that building I can never resist the kriegspiel style Quirky but popular participation gameOmaha again An engaging gameUnusual subject The game presenters included bramley barn wargamersSome interesting background Some excellent aircraft Early tech on show as well Despite two giant tanks of coffee the allies seemed to make little headwayPaper soldiers-fantastic Best show backdropHobbit warsAnd behind the backdrop useful vertical display space. Popular with Railway Modellers yet not popular with wargamers but here it works a treatYarkshire wargamer with serious amounts of plate on showThose planes again! Kept coming back to this gameMore paper armies ACW this time A traditional? 28mm game seven years war? With some great sceneryThe castle was a gemYep 1-72 Greeks 1941The Greeks holding off the Italian assault Italians make a bad job of itItalian armour about to get pummelled Wonderful aircraft again Plenty of source material on show for a rarely gamed front in ww2?Another excellent aircraft to give period flavour Soon the big guns will open up
That’s it except to say a well organised and enjoyable show means I plan to return.
Well suddenly VAP was here and then gone for another year.
I turned up early and got in quick and did a rapid recce including the bring and buy.
I managed one participation game in the end, collected some preordered figures, bought some stuff I had not planned to, but did want, and chatted quite a bit.
The show seemed as busy as last year but maybe emptied out a bit quicker? These thoughts are subjective as it depends what your doing and when – you don’t notice stuff going on if your immersed in a game or a conversation.
Overall I had a good VAP24 and the queue seemed to move promptly at ten with plenty of attendants present: Last year there was a slow ticket purchase process which delayed entry obviously causing a deal of grief for the punters.
The reenactment vikings entertained the front of the queue – not sure it was appreciated as people often use the queue time to chat. It was a neat idea though.
Onto my purchases
Ubiquitous pendraken bases and some neat spears I kept meaning to buy some extra road and of the flexible kind – these are from early war miniatures Plus a curveAt Irregular miniatures I picked up my preorder of two packs of colonial British in bell shakos which will give two battalions each of Danish infantry 1848 and a Tuscan regiment along with some 1848 danish artillery in bell shakos
I participated in the Lance and Longbow Society game – this time it was 1177 and the crusades. Modified Lion Rampant and 1/72 plastics in abundance. It was fun.
Lance and longbow society game – Saladin attempts to halt Baldwin, but it was not his day. Loads of 1/72 plastic miniatures on display and no heavy lifting!
I went with three gamers. We puzzled about whether the show was busy or different compared to other years. It felt like another transitional VAP reflecting hobby developments.
This Venice game shows how scenery quality has really been transformed by the industry offerings in the hands of talented wargamers
2022 felt the benefit of post covid and lockdown ending while 2023 felt that some changes were afoot. In 2023 we said goodbye to the likes of SHQ Miniatures and Magister Militum (in the past MM had been a significant stand at VAP).
Harrogate Wargames’s club offered the battle of ferrybridge – a wars of the roses action in 28mm
It felt though that there were less games this time. The normally crowded ground floor had some big spaces, mainly around the York Club game tables.
Then again it felt like more use had been made of the upper floors to give people more space for circulation. Frankly in previous virtual scrums were a big deterrent in reaching some traders.
Overall this extra room was a really good thing. And accessibility was improved as a result.
1866 kepis in Europe – once again Garibaldi is up against papal forces and losing?
I reckon there were 65 tables all up this year (all types of activity) compared to 57 in 2022 but it seemed many were smaller offerings: For example Helion Books were absent. But their space was used by a smaller vendor.
And the bring and buy seemed to have less turnover – I went at the beginning and some sellers were still there much later on.
Which ever way you cut it VAP is still a great show to meet the hobby, throw dice and make some sound buys.
The Wargaming Erratic 