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
Well I missed the Wargames Illustrated Magazine free rules giveaway this Autumn. The rules were “never mind the billhooks”. Written for Wars of the Roses. They are just one of many or should I say one of the “plethora of rules” that wargamers can access these days.
So what fuss would there be, given their free, should be more bargain basement than of any original value surely?
Well Andy Callan is the author and for me he has history and if he has authored the rules they will be worth a look. I first encountered Andy Callan as a writer in the 1980’s when I recall his ideas about rules were running against the grain: Something to stir up trouble in wargaming circles most of the time. After all we can be a fussy lot.
Over the years I have kept articles from magazines. Yes I know I have probably destroyed some valuable copies in the process. Still I have what I need. And more to the point I have articles that are still useful reading even decades on.
So back in Spring 1987 when I think Stuart Asquith was at the helm, Practical Wargamer published an article by Andy Callan entitled Leaders and Generals.
He covered three periods in the short article that was really about rules design. The medieval and dark ages era leaders should worry about unit formation – a measure of order, unit aggression – a measure of fighting spirit and unit strength. The latter being an amalgam of numerical strength, armanent and relative fatigue.
The Leaders would be allocated command points.
His main objective for this period was that the “big man” (he coined that term) should be focused on being a “leader” and not be a “general” standing at the back directing operations with so many staff officers.
Move forward a couple of years and we are back with Stuart Asquith who via Publisher Argus Books offered the “wargaming in history” series of A5 booklets.
Simon MacDowell authored Goths, Huns and Romans.
My Dark Ages – “as the lights go out” late roman end of the period has never got beyond a 15mm DBA army acquired at Triples about 20 years ago. Well I do also have a 15mm late byzantine DBA army. Neither have had much of a runout despite my love of DBA. A case of right period wrong ruleset maybe?
He offered a set of rules within a booklet that also gave some background history; explained the forces and troops involved; set out a variety of game options from skirmishes, through encounter battles to campaigns.
Simon required his leaders to personally intervene to motivate troops to act. Control Points were allocated to each Leader along with inspiration points.
Both these writers were contemporary with the first trials of what became DBA. DBA was conceived in 1988 and was first published in 1990.
And so I thought that all this was disconnected from today. Yet I happened then to rediscover an article by Daniel Mersey in Battlegames shortly after publication of his successful Osprey publication Dux Bellorum around 2012.
And nestled there is Daniels’ homage to that 1980’s wargames era and specifically Andy Callan.
I remember Andy Callan promoting what I consider to be important considerations when trying to replicate the feel of a period through command and control. And I think the other key theme is that you make your rules period specific.
I hope his latest rules “never mind the billhooks” carry on that theme of challenging the status quo and promoting enjoyable and satisfying wargames.
And one final point, Angus McBride bestrides the world of illustrated warriors. His work has become synominous with Osprey. Yet Rick Scollins had a way to engage you in the 1980’s and as you can see he even influenced the young Daniel Mersey (see above). And perhaps appropriately it is his West Saxon Thegn who illustrates that 1988 article in Practical Wargamer.
The Wargaming Erratic 