Earlier this year I attended Partizan at Newark Showground. For the first time in many years I have made a second visit in one year – this time its the “other” Partizan.
Same location, same show – sort of.
The Autumn sun blazed through the south facing windows. I think that bright light helps – its uplifting. Except when your looking into the sun at the grasses selection on the Northumbrian Tin Soldier stand. You simply cannot please some people……
I enjoyed the Other Partizan. I almost feel Partizan in Spring was still all about what might be and was upbeat while the Other Partizan is no less upbeat but just maybe many gamers have now got stuff done and there is also an air of reflection maybe even planning thoughts for 2023…….
Here are some pics of things that caught my eye.
Westbury offered a more unusual amphibious demonstration……Dark Ages featured on a few demonstration gamesAn expansive demonstration of the Anglo Danish shieldwall in its strong position at Hastingsa very effective winter demonstration of the Battle of the Bulge winter 1944.A less popular era and also uncommon scale for shows. A neat game with a thoughtful display – quite a few displays chose to use background screens to good effectI like the period and find Phil Olleys armies rather compelling.Its not just the details that attract. The choice of colours, textures – its complimentaryThe castellated gate further adds to the effect.From within – the town offers some delightful vignettesNow a corner backdrop would have capped off this excellent displayEverything here is available to other gamers and yet in combination the game “viewing” was a step above the rest of the demonstrations for me.
Participation Games
Never mind the billhooks was present in the particpation area – 2 games I think. This one (with Andy Callan? – the Billhook brothers) had some nice renaissance figures in play I still cannot make up my mind about printed mats, do they compliment or distract from the figures? I think it depends.I spotted only one balloon – on the “The Bunker PG18” table where Martians? were about to rout human mankind This was a participation, with it seemed, plenty of participation
Back to Demo Land
I liked this table in the demonstration zone but the photo picks up the sky “lines” which is unfortunate.Probably the most striking demonstration scenery was Boondock Sayntes with their Turkish assault on this city comprising a variety of architectural styles but no less impressive for that. Maybe it is a modern eye to look for similarity. consistency and repetition.Peter Pigs Bloody Barons was the chosen ruleset for this demonstration gameRather traditional coloured lichen seemed effective to meLots of Perry miniatures on the table – rule of three figures per base shows you can extend your figures per base without any real loss of unit density.These units felt good – a nice size and the three figures to a base means you can still enjoy all your artwork.also the rule of three somehow makes the soldiers look less ordered – something to be welcomed in medieval armies.The forces close to decide the latest historical findings about this most defining battle in english history.The League of Extraordinary KreigSpeilers put on an excellent display of accurately proportioned 18th century era figures. They were very impressive yet somehow I think my vote remains with Phil Olley’s well fed troops and scenery on this occasion.
Materiel
I turned up in time to get a free figure: The Empress Matilda.
I might paint one one day!
I did buy a few items – nothing like some retail therapy.
I seem to be quite taken with autumnal or dry summer shades at the moment – Nothumbrian Tin Soldier no less.These chaps are not what they seem (from HSLBCo) – you see british while I see Pickelhaubed Prussian types!
2022 The Other Partizan: Another excellent show advertising next years dates as well……………Under one roof – 114 tables/stands offering a massive range of choice in games, demos, societies and tradersI was quite taken with the role playing ranges shown by Nothumbrian Tinsoldier but I must draw the line somewhere………anyway I do have some really ancient RPG kit that I can always drag into the light……….
In that last link nestling at the end of a post about RPG was a 1970’s era Minifig ECW regiment. A very failed project I think. Yet ECW remains an aspiration – I have the armies, copious rulesets and now even more scenarios, but for now the C19th remains a very interesting and compelling period – so unsurprising that I came away with something of that ilk. Vintage already? 2007 era and I have numerous rulesets in use – yet I will enjoy this authors take on a transitional period that effectively sees Napoleonics rubbing shoulders with machine guns
Last week I was looking for a post published on Pauls Bods about figure conversions and I stumbled across his homemade balloon for ACW battles. Then I caught a Sky History Channel programme about early winged aviation and yes their nemesis balloons appeared. Finally this week I picked up Wargames Illustrated – it had free rules in it as well – I can’t resist rulesets, especially free ones. And this one offered up some rules on balloons.
A coincidence maybe.
Lighter than air flight – Balloons were all the rage throughout the 1800’s
Pauls Bods is a treasure trove of ideas for tweaking your bought figures. In this case its about a completely home made model.
Sky History Channel 2
episode 6 of this series is about the plane
No sooner than I encountered a model balloon on Paul’s Bods than I started watching a programme about early aviation. This single episode was well set out with good balance and content given what it had to cover. And without the annoying repetition you get with some other channel documentaries I was not tempted to fast forward.
Obviously the programme was preoccupied with what they called “heavier than air” flight. There was a slot for “lighter than air” flying machines – balloons. The slot highlighted how the french balloon industry and thinking eclipsed the crucial ideas of a french aviator Alphonse Penaud – eventually leading to his suicide. It sounded like a missed opportunity on the road to Kitty Hawk and the Wright Brothers. Perhaps powered flight might have been achieved earlier?
Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Either way this programme was most enjoyable not least in recounting those flying pioneers of the 1800’s.
Wargames Illustrated (issue 418)
copyright Wargames Illustrated 2022
And then I saw that this months WI theme was Napoleonic Wargames and it offered some “simple rules” in a free offer. Nestled amongst the articles gaming a Napoleonic action were Jervis Johnsons’ free ruleset options.
Use of observation balloons were included. And a balloon appears in the game pictures.
I thought 3 balloon items in the space of a week a coincidence. Hang on though, “up north” there was the last ever great balloon festival on York Racecourse at the end of September. So thats 4 coincidences!
All this hot air has me thinking a Balloon might make a fine addition to my mid 19th century wargaming.
The Wargaming Erratic 
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