Tag: ECW

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Partizan at the Double

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 games
An expansive demonstration of the Anglo Danish shieldwall in its strong position at Hastings
a 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 effect
I like the period and find Phil Olleys armies rather compelling.
Its not just the details that attract. The choice of colours, textures – its complimentary
The castellated gate further adds to the effect.
From within – the town offers some delightful vignettes
Now a corner backdrop would have capped off this excellent display
Everything 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 game
Rather traditional coloured lichen seemed effective to me
Lots 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!

https://wordpress.com/post/thewargamingerratic.home.blog/5079

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 traders
I 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……….

https://wordpress.com/post/thewargamingerratic.home.blog/3388

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

Happy Gaming!