Category: wargame shows

Partizan 2026 part two

Part two resumes with a dose of medieval warfare….

Lewes 1264 by Mogsy Makes as I know of him opted for some serious sloping ground

I did arrive with a purchasing plan – that failed to survive contact with reality. One intention was to buy Midgard rules but in the end it was a “no” despite my feeling it was a fantastic display and they really did go at the game, unlike some tables where actual progress was harder to determine.

The arrays on show made you want these armies

Not all the units were dressed for a night out at a seventies disco

The Mogsy makes blog explained the walls of Lewes were a mini “bin rescue” project

I did buy some cobbled lanes from “Early War Miniatures” – last year I bought some of their muddy lanes. The latex material means they sit better on some gaming set ups and scenery.

A brace of samurai games provided variety

Unexpectedly I dawdled past the Dutch section on the EWM stand while checking to see if they had any Italeri plastic WW1 1/72 italians (which he did and I now have – using them for my Fauxterre 1930 forces). Suddenly I remembered buying some home defence books at Fiasco 2025 in Leeds (in the royal armouries bookstore), and before you knew it a Dutch roadblock was in the bag along with a small stone bridge (nice shape) which matches the cobbled road pack and a Dutch armoured car……hmmmm

Stunning 18th century and Baroque armies were common as muck

These are correctly proportioned 30mm figures so look overly slender to the average wargamers engorged eyes – still they look fantastic en-masse

Approximately 1500 to 2000 figures graced this table.

I strolled out to the small bring and buy. This visit yielded some now rarer imex 1/72 wagons and horses sets while next door I snapped up 13 (lucky for me) practical wargames magazines. The reason being, the seller must have had a mid nineteenth century bent, because of all the articles on acw but more importantly 1848/1859 and 1866 Italian independence wars featuring heavily.

League of Augsburg put on an impressive display

The buildings on show were fine models and very pleasing on the eye

I was on a roll and back at the Lance and Longbow society stand I took ownership of a book about Stoke Field 1487 (another long in the tooth project of mine). The society zone is a really good aspect of Newark shows and it was sad that it seemingly fell foul of the change of organisation at Hammerhead in March.

I met and had a chat with Chris, he of “not quite mechanised” fame. This time he was having a rest from his hex ww2 participation games which are most enjoyable and ideal show games.

One of the many ACW games being demonstrated

Bodkins ACW table caught my eye as much for the amount of information they provided at the table edge – a lot of homework done here.

Still finding plenty of wandering energy, I passed by Iron Gate Scenery a couple of times looking aslant at their new castle model. I collected nearby some Frankish metallics in 1/72 from Tumbling Dice – hoping they get painted but don’t hold your breath.

Away in a corner Parabellum from Birmingham where there with their plastic figures – I snapped up a Strelets (Ukrainian company) city levy box for my current medieval madness.

Sci fi was more visible in the participation games area – this one was put on by Tangent miniatures

And then mid afternoon I returned yet again to north stars demo table. It was ACW – 25/28mm crusader figures very nicely proportioned rather than heroically fisted 28/33mm figures.

I think these were painted by Nick Eyre who casts these crusader miniatures at North Star

I think we need to start recording 28mm scale in double references as the variation in height and muscularity dwarfs even the 20/25mm dilemmas of the 1970’s.

I found this demo game an enjoyable watch because one of the guys clearly liked explaining what was going on although they offered me to play – it was faster with them even though the rules are new to them as well

Anyway I liked the table, I liked the figures and I enjoyed the guys explanation and interaction – ok so their in business but there is still a good way to sell and show while there are also bad ways.

It’s a 6×4 feet table and with nice scenery and great figures at a “home” scale I found it more engaging than the very impressive “club” or “group” set ups fine though they may be. Both Partizan and Hammerhead have lots of smaller table games.

Later after numerous pop ins to watch them play out the rules with explanations to others I finally returned having bought “musket and tomahawks” core rule book plus the new “kepis and bayonets” period piece they had played, to tell them I was at least one punter sold on the demo.

Back to a restart – the forces were set up to enable a quick engagement

Bearing in mind the core rules – single figures skirmish and originally 18th century oriented have no place in my gaming spectrum you may be thinking there is erratic and then erratic.

Some excellent very specific units which nick eyre talks about on the Lead Adventure Forum website

But the clinchers were the figures played with in the demo were multi based not singular and being ACW not that far from my stamping ground of 1848/1859…..

An astounded Mr Miller spies a measuring stick on the table! (Only joking)

Yet that was not my last splash even though it was a big spend of 50 quid at Caliver. I am hoping these rules get more use than another French authored set “art de l’guerre” – loved the production values of what in effect is an improved DBA but hardly given a run out since ancients slipped off the gaming agenda.

Which reminds me I was buttonholed by the guys promoting DBF – fanaticus, which seems a new version of DBA set to be published. Whilst long in the tooth DBA has always been playable as a house game – getting rid of the wordy complexity of course.

My loot turned out to be a lot more than I planned…..

Anyway my final tour brought me again to Iron Gate Scenery where I succumbed to a Scottish castle…..maybe in a few weeks time, given they sold all their stock at the get go and now have a string of orders to fulfill.

This castle was unavoidable – at the main hall entrance but crucially modelling natural river stone or cobbles instead of the usual dressed stone in the walls. This random rubble look was just too compelling.

All in all a great day out – games, people, figures, rulesets, shopping or just looking and absorbing with loads of people enjoying their hobby their way.

Thanks to the organisers, traders and those volunteers-clubs and their unsung supporters!

And then they were gone – not stayed this late in a long while.

2027 show hopefully not to be missed.

Tags Partizan Newark, wargame shows, wargames, wargaming

wargame shows wargaming

Partizan 2026

Another bright May Day and I was off to Partizan in Newark – it invariably scores on weather over say a chilly February VAP in York.

My place in the queue started nearly at the gates – not bad for a 0945 arrival

Fortunately the bring and buy in the pop up gazebos at the main hall entrance had their sessions done before a mega deluge mid afternoon flooded the place.

Some gloriously painted armies took to numerous battlefields

In the dry main hall there was a frenzy of gaming, talking, shopping, inspecting the forces on show and well just looking.

I got to Newark before ten and the queue had doubled by the time we got moving at our point at 1010, I felt sorry for the pre bookers who, only later on, were plucked from the main queue to get priority entry.

ACW was very popular in the demo zone and I became preoccupied with a game on one of the smallest tables!

The Partizan show was organisationally good with more food stalls and seating outside plus the extra toilets which thankfully now seem a permanent feature.

These guys come every year – there are quite a few stand regulars. But there the similarity ends here as these chaps offer a raised playing surface which is simply great on the eye and of course the players back!

The Partizan space management was good with an open entrance area and generous aisles. This managed space approach contrasts so much with the disjointed effort I saw at VAP 2026 in York which had very congested areas alongside literally empty space.

“A Raised battleground” is standard with these guys

Warlord sell these pre-painted buildings – very nice indeed

Talking to someone with experience of both shows – gamer stand set up and access seems very good at Partizan, whereas at VAP only traders were given easy access and stand gamers had to park with punters and haul all their gear in and only use lifts and stairs (ground and first floor level both have vehicular access at York racecourse).

There was a lot of smoke on one table – winning the most “realistic award” for a black powder demo of the show I think

VAP should be a gem of northern shows but somehow it isn’t – well not for me anyway.

Ok so the naval game was at it creating smoke as well.

Back to the Partizan show – I enjoyed the visual displays but strangely baroque/seven years war and acw were very popular demos while ancients and ww2 seemed less apparent and napoleonics almost non existent (Sharp Practice in the Lardy zone excepted). I am also excluding here the “regular” tables who often put up the same or similar presentations year on year – attractive though they may be.

Fantastic detail on this Vietnam game in the lard zone

A venerable? Airfix girder bridge or the equally venerable Rovex/Triang model or printed facsimile?

Attention to detail made this the best diorama game on show for me

Unpopular periods include the Crimean wars – rectified here by a 1/72 demo comprised of fabulous vintage 20mm Hinton Hunt and Douglas figures and the guys were happy to talk about them.

The smoke has still to clear on some fantastic figures

Fabulous 20mm figures classically painted

Westbury war games meanwhile did another Baroque period bash but I only got there at the end of the day – I stayed till nearly four pm which has not been the case in recent years.

Simply realigning the forces battle lines can make your rectangular table bigger but also more interesting

Thats the end of part one.

Tags Partizan Newark, wargames, wargaming

wargame shows wargaming

A Brace of shows

My wargaming year invariably starts with Vapnartak in York followed by Hammerhead at Newark on Trent.

The queue at Hammerhead was shorter than I expected though

I was going to do one post about these shows but have decided it’s a bit confusing.

So there will be two separate posts. The most notable thing was numbers, queues to get in were shorter or more efficiently cleared!

But then both felt less “crushed”. In the case of VAP yet again there was this odd mix of available space and some crowded areas. It’s almost as if traders get their usual spot and if there are any “no shows” then there is no rejigging.

Having some participation games right next to the crowded bring and buy felt ridiculous given the bags of space elsewhere – all paid for by someone of course.

In contrast Hammerhead filled its spaces although some “late no shows” occurred because the new show runner – Caliver books offered them out again at the last minute. There were no obvious gaps so I assume there was some juggling to avoid gaps.

Anyway two enjoyable shows to get the wargaming year off to a start. Except my wargaming year has certainly shifted to starting in the autumn and finishing in spring once my two winter painting challenges are done. But that’s another story.

Tags actual size miniatures, hammerhead show, tumbling dice miniatures, Vapnartak, wargame shows, wargames, wargaming

wargame shows

Recon 2025 Pudsey: The end of the year show

Post author By lorenzoseventh
Post date 10th Dec 2025
1 Comment on Recon 2025 Pudsey: The end of the year show

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.

https://wargameamateur.blogspot.com/2025/12/recon-pudsey-december-2025.html?sc=1765231696499&m=1#c7385298737468850535

https://www.instagram.com/p/DR9tnHbDKvw/

Then again here are some retrospective views of a great show.

https://thewargamingerratic.home.blog/2024/12/10/recon-2024/

https://thewargamingerratic.home.blog/2023/12/11/recon-2023-at-pudsey/

https://thewargamingerratic.home.blog/2021/12/08/recon-at-the-double/

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.

Tags Recon, recon 2025, wargame shows, wargames, wargames shows, wargaming

wargame shows

Battleground 2025

Back to the teeside show this time in Middlesbrough.

My Previous visit was to the Stockton venue

https://thewargamingerratic.home.blog/2023/11/26/battleground-on-tees/

Last year I missed out on this great show.

So on with this year’s attractions……

Flats are great especially en masse – Austrians including grenze border troops

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.

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 …..

This was a played game – later on the Roman wings were crumbling

Tiger miniatures produce an eclectic range including turn of the century US forces expanding its borders at the expense of Spain

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.

Nicely presented tabletop and it was being gamed I think

Another 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 friend

Yep – 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.

Tags ACW, battleground, flat figures, pendraken miniatures, tiger miniatures, wargames, wargames shows, wargaming

wargame shows

Fiasco 2025

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 varnish

I can never refuse a bargain and love these pre coloured card models – at colour party paints

Some 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 acquisitions

Some nice printed ships and planes at three decks dockyard

The games were mainly small table affairs with plenty of participants joining in.

Big games were in evidence but in smaller scale such as bouvines in 6mm

Plenty of naval action over on the right!

Vertical gaming – a neat, small but intriguing game by Django Ensoe and Stafford Collie

The display included some useful material

The 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 me

I 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.

https://thewargamingerratic.home.blog/2024/10/27/a-genteel-fiasco-part-two/

And here is last years show post.

https://thewargamingerratic.home.blog/2024/10/29/a-genteel-fiasco-part-1/

Tags actual size miniatures, Fiasco Leeds, royal armouries, wargame shows, wargames, wargames shows, wargaming

wargame shows wargaming

Fiasco 2025 returns to the Museum

Post author By lorenzoseventh
Post date 22nd Oct 2025
No Comments on Fiasco 2025 returns to the Museum

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.

The museum I recall was very well lit.

I might just go…..

Tags Fiasco Leeds, Leeds Wargames Club, wargame shows, wargames, wargames shows, wargaming

wargame shows wargaming

The “Other Partizan”

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….

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.

No 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

So I also got preoccupied with planes again…

Some more table envy

A few more…..

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!

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.

And to think I nearly gave it a miss this year.

Tags gridded wargames, miniature wargames, not quite mechanised, the other partizan, wargames, wargames shows, WW2

wargame shows wargaming

Recon 2024

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

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!

Recon 2025 is in my diary already.

Tags ancient and medieval wargaming, garibaldi, garibaldi wargaming, garibaldini, lance and longbow society, medieval warfare, mid 19th century wargames, miniature figures, risorgimento, Table Top Battles, table-top wargaming, Vienna Treaty Wars, wargames, wargaming, Wargaming Nineteenth Century Europe, wars of italian unification, wars of the italian unification

wargame shows wargaming

A Genteel Fiasco part 1

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!

Live recording as Yarkshire man throws a double six seemingly to order….

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!

https://norber1424.blogspot.com/?m=1

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.