Tag: Partizan Newark

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

wargaming wargame shows

The Other Partizan Newark 2023

Post author By lorenzoseventh
Post date 8th Oct 2023
6 Comments on The Other Partizan Newark 2023

On an unseasonally warm October Sunday I journeyed to Newark for the second Partizan show of the year.

It was busy – I am on the hard road by the other show building on the site – the car park was as full as I have seen it. Being a tin shed, in the distance – hot weather is not ideal – but the organisers had lots of fans and did a good job on ventilation.

Traffic was light so I got there early and decided to get some fresh air for half an hour before opening time: I queued. Upside of queuing was I got to see the demo games pretty much people free

I think this was Shrewsbury wargames club – in this case I was too early 🙂 just sheep grazing…..

I toured the demos before checking out HLBSCo for some plastic figure possibilities – I drew a blank.

Earnest discussions at the 1/72 table – Mr John Kersey I presume – all set for some boxing antics chinese style

Boondock Sayntes provided an impressive display

I am not sure which club this was – they did the biscotti wars – offering samples to enjoy – given its Garibaldi on the table you can guess the variety. These are Piedmontese troops

The scenery was eye catching and this was a well laid out participation game by Chesterfield I think.

Again I failed to note the club but I always like a balloon

I think this is Grimsby Club with an impressive medieval encounter

Gangs of Rome participation game with some nice colour in the buildings

Like a Stonewall WGC offered up a Neil Thomas rules normans encounter – again participation plus you can also sense we were at capacity for layout and access space

A good display siege at the end of the gaming area

Simon of MeG is publishing a renaissance ruleset in 2024 (ReG?) and put on a demo he devoted some time to our conversation which I appreciated – I also liked the 30 year old hinchliffe figures below. It will be interesting to see the time spread and also focus of this rule set.

Chris at Northampton battlefields society – joe ekins takes out 3 tigers participation

Going to Partizan – Operation Totalise

https://notquitemechanised.wordpress.com/2023/10/05/going-to-partizan-operation-totalise/

never take an untried new phone to a show – I had plenty of wrong focus results – the new phone seemed to have a mind of its own………the trees are in focus though! Which is a pity as I liked this ACW encounter

General Sikorski was the freebie this year.

Overall I enjoyed this partizan although somehow I think I prefer the May offering-not sure why?

I also missed the 1848 Hungarian war table, never went back to biscotti for some sharp practice or go for the boxing although I did chat with quite a few people perhaps more than I normally do – that I think is a good thing in these testing times.

Tags garibaldi, garibaldi wargaming, Helion, northampton battlefields society, not quite mechanised, operation totalise, Partizan, Partizan Newark, renato et Gloriam, the other partizan, wargames shows, wargaming, wars of italian unification

wargame shows wargaming

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.

Participation Games

Back to Demo Land

Materiel

I turned up in time to get a free figure: The Empress Matilda.

I did buy a few items – nothing like some retail therapy.

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

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

Happy Gaming!

Tags 19th century wargame rules, balloons, bloody barons wargame rules, Caliver Books, ECW, gamers grass, general de brigade, never mind the billhooks, newark irregulars, northumbrian tin soldier, Partizan Newark, peter pig wargames, scenario, Scenery, the other partizan, wargame shows

wargame shows wargaming

2022 Partizan Perambulation

Post author By lorenzoseventh
Post date 29th May 2022
5 Comments on 2022 Partizan Perambulation

Partizan at Newark Showground made a welcome return for me in 2022. Last visited in 2019 this show or rather the pair – “the other Partizan” that happens in the Autumn, had both become a regular destination for me.

This years show built on my trips to Vapnartak (masks still very evident as well as much caution) and Hammerhead (obvious relief as constraints eased) so I should not have been surprised that Partizan was “many in earnest”. I felt there was a lot of catching up conversation going on, which maybe meant slightly less participation? Yet the enthusiasm was so obvious – people discussing, looking and yes playing games – simple pleasures throwing dice and moving pieces.

And there was the other simple pleasure of admiring other peoples work. Conversations seemed easier and the enjoyment palpable.

For once I had no shopping list – 2 years of on online buying had emptied my pockets? Well no – quite simply I have been sticking to my projects and actually painting my figures and even gaming. That has meant less erratic moments for the Wargaming butterfly.

First up are the games that were on show. I concentrated on just a few for photos. on reflection mats seemed to be a theme for me!

The 40mm Mr Ian Smith and friends was a glorious display of Napoleonic soldiers and fantastic scenery.

The Immortals presented an excellent medieval action

Over to another Eastern European battle – no details gathered

Fast forward to 1833 and Westbury Wargames with their “two brothers war” in Portugal where all manner of nations piled in for another go just a few decades after Wellington and his Portuguese allies had fought their way through to Spanish held France.

And thats it. Well I did get distracted by mats and terrain this year. The terrain mats are a gift for the time hungry and space hungry gamer which is the most common type of wargamer I suggest. I think it is more the case that, at shows where displays are a product of a different amount of effort the textured cloths seem to be the better bet for “a look”? However I have seen some tables where the “hirsute” cloth swamped the poor figures who looked as though they were wading through 2m high grass.

All in all the displays I found were excellent and inspired me to wargame, which is what it is all about.

What did the other big sell do to me – the trader tour!

I impulsively fell for some pendraken and warbases material – invariably so. Usual suspects being bases plus some dice.

The man in the “corner” shop hailed from Birmingham and brought many an interesting box for the 1/72 gamer. They were at T22 in the trader zone – see map at the end.

I fell for this station……..

But was too late for its mate the Italian church – curses.

If you cant wait for me to paint these then try visiting https://comitatusgaulois.wordpress.com/

Chariobaude offers up a great range of painted Late Romans.

My current preoccupation is middle nineteenth century where in plastics you get the “plastic soldier review” much disliked Austrians. Failing this in 20-25 mm its really just Irregular Miniatures at each end so to speak 20mm or 28mm. I have posted a picture of 20mm Neapolitans posing as 1848 French at Rome elsewhere on this blog.