Tag: heller models

Categories
new additions wargaming

High Street Hiatus?

I am kicking off a series of posts about some successful high street purchases.

Not always easily obtained – I think this Hat 1/72 box gets snapped up whenever supplies land in the UK. This model store had quite a few boxes in their vast stock of model kits and figures
Porthmadog Models are located in yes you’ve guessed it Porthmadog
Not quite on the High Street but right in the centre of town this shop is lovingly run by its owners.
I picked up this kit – just when I am reading about all things steam and naval ships…
tucked in one corner were a vast collection of vac formed scenery by Amera – Bellona for those of a certain age. 1/72 although I think some were 15mm?
Steam Age warfare includes Steam railways – pretty obvious – these dapol kits caught my eye. The old airfix moulds given new life.
Another Amera moulding I could not resist.
Every so often the owner provides a centre piece of diorama modelling. On my chance visit it was Rorkes Drift
Its not often you see dioramas these days and rarely on this scale
figures are painted by the model shop’s owner
not sure the figure range but they are 28mm scale
I wonder what diorama is there now? Why not pay a visit………….

As a wargamer, my gaming inclination is always drawn to playing cards. These were a nice set I snapped up in Bangor. But thats another High Street story.

Categories
Mythical Realms new additions wargame shows wargaming

You win some you lose some

I made it to the Other Partizan, so thats three trips to Newark in 2022 (hammerhead, partizan and the other partizan). I missed Fiasco in Leeds last week owing to calendar congestion – real life intervened. Fiasco has been one of my most regular show trips.

Hopefully I will make it to Recon at Pudsey in December.

I find all these shows different and maybe most people give Recon only a nod. It is a really great show – ok so the foot fall will be a lot less – but remember quantity does not always equate to quality.

Recon not only has good carparking on site, its also just 5 minutes from the national rail network – strikes permitting. It has all the facilities you need under one roof with more eateries nearby in town. The show itself is well laid out and has a variety of traders and gamers and a well run bring and buy.

I found another gamer had reported their visit to Fiasco, The Balkan Wargamer. I follow them as they often write interesting book reviews with a good mix of posts about figures and gaming. Well balanced and thought out.

Mixed views and yes the current location is not naturally lit. Mind you I was sunshine dazzled at Partizan.

You win some you lose some!

I plan to return next year.

As a kind of subsitute for missing Fiasco I indulged the High Street buying two wargame magazines in one go! Talk about pushing the boat out – you don’t get change from a tenner anymore.

I reckon magazine prices track a different cost inflation curve to wargames figures anyway and probably always have.

Three national magazines were sold at the WHSmith store – where I bought mine. I took Wargames, Soldiers and Strategy (WSS) plus Wargames Illustrated (WI). Miniature Wargames (MW) was the third option.

I tend to buy WSS and occasionally buy certain themed WI. I rarely buy MW now, I enjoyed Battlegames so did follow it into MW. Even when most of that DNA was gone I found their Table Top Gaming angles of interest. Ultimately MW does not offer me more than either WSS or WI. So thats that I guess.

You win some you lose some!

Like the Times Illustrated* WI is the king of the image. And I do think if you value the printed word alongside relevant images then WSS is the best of the bunch. Of course they are all up against the behemoth of “online” so have to push large amounts of advertising. Anyone who can reflect on Wargames history knows that magazines were always loaded with adverts – it was and is a frail business model and buyers want that info anyway – even today when all that info is available free, in tons of gigabits. That data mountain is a problem and just maybe one reason why magazines still offer value as a “data consolidator”.

What did I get for my money?

WSS offered up a Dark Age Britain and Arthur theme and profiled the second edition of Dan Mersey’s Lion Rampant. Plus you get a lot of regular features including quite a few opinion pieces.

I thought it might restart some interest in previous adventures (Dux Brittaniarum, Shieldwalls) – I am not sure though.

WI majored on Twisted History which is apparently the new name for fictious historical wargaming or imaginations wargaming even. To cover every genre and time period, perhaps Twisted History might catch on as it has no baggage or rather has not already been claimed.

I quite like the idea of a generic term for taking history and twisting it. – except that is what historians do any way, don’t they? ok many are trying to untwist twisted history. Crikey I am confused now.

One reference point is Richard III (recently even the subject of a film without a single battle scene). Despite the discovery of his body and the dismissal of many myths created by the Tudors (history goes to the victors of course) you can still consume lots of now baseless Tudor tradition.

Ever Twisting Twisted History………maybe it will catch on.

And into the bargain of not attending a show I did some kit bashing and figure mods. These tell you that 19th century gaming is still on my mind.

A lucky buy on the high street………..
Irregular Miniatures WW1 Austrians went under the knife…………

*The Post title image is from a Times Illustrated large format publication about the British Royal Family. WI is simply continuing a great tradition of image!

Britain and Russia at war – in the Crimea………….

Here is another .

The transition from Sail to Steam in three images…………