Recon 2025 didn’t happen for me this year due to family commitments. Which is a pity because I really like this show. In fact it has been almost my most commonly attended show.
It has certainly been my most enjoyable: Big shows are great but sometimes you just get overrun with the volume. It is Joseph Stalin’s rule in reverse – quantity does not always give you the quality you want.
So what to do?
Well for starters here are some links to those who did go.
And finally look out for the show next year and go along, maybe game (participation games are on the increase) but above all buy some stuff from real humans. Yes we can use postal/online methods yet the hobby is so much more with these face to face shows.
Fauxterre 1930 remains a work in progress, no gaming for eons and painting units seems endless. This could be because I get distracted!
In this case distraction of the aviation sort occurred at a couple of wargame shows.
The Other Partizan in 2024 fielded a luscious blue biplane. A suitably inter war affair still includes cavalry and tech like biplanes although I think this demo game was Russian Civil War era.
I was gifted an old second hand biplane and eventually it ate my brain and had to be made. And thus triggered me digging out a bricks and mortar store purchase – another biplane.
Of course these models offer little to an empty wargaming battlefield!
This has been my Fauxterre experience – lots of distractions.
Anyway first up lots of make photos
Planes creep into the production lineBiplanes are fiddly but we got thereThe Czech transfers were ancient compared to the Henschel onesAirfix Henschel was easy to build with good connections The Kovozavody model instructions looked almost as old as the aircraft!Instructions were ok fit was reasonable if a bit off in placesThe Two Plane build
And then came the painting which took a lot longer than I expected. Then the Matt varnish would not Matt. At least both transfers went on a treat.
Plane from 83 squadron of 5th Air Regiment in Brno Another letov S-16 this time from no. 63 Squadron 2nd Air Regiment in Olomouc – a crack squadron of very experienced pilots.
Did I tell you I had two S16’s……
Airfix Henschel 123Just the one plane in Spanish civil war markings for the German legion
So my Fauxterre forces have some bombers and fighters to go with a floatplane spotter. Progress of sorts!
Before the high street, one might say the big shopping destination was the market place and in medieval cities there were the quarters – with the street of tailors or say the street of bakers. So maybe you get some quarters surrounding a market.
You would go to a quarter or street for specific things. The Market might have variety.
Small traders characterised such places. Scale is important.
You could say Wargames shows are simply a return to one of those medieval quarters – a place where you knew you could buy a certain thing. I suspect in previous times certainty of a purchase was very important as travel was very expensive, time consuming and energy draining (before the iron horse arrived).
For wargamers its probably a market or fair they want because there is a variety of things to see and buy at a wargames show.
Recon 2022 is that street for wargamers or that Wargames Fair – either way its a market of small traders.
Colonel Bills is a typical trader offering a great variety of stock and lines.You can see the goods, compare and contrast and be confident in your purchase.
This year I think I detected more traders in terms of space occupancy as the games area seemed a bit squeezed in the main hall.
Given the football coverage, energy crisis, cost living hikes and transport chaos I thought the show might be very quiet. It actually seemed as busy as last year with only the bring and buy quieter – that was more about what was for sale. Less gamers selling on I suspect?
New Pudsey Civic Hall is a light and airey space – just right for wargamers.
Then again when I think back – 2021 was between lockdowns and people were only just peering out at a post covid world. And so last year I think there was a greater effort to get out there. So 2022 may have had no more in numbers but I suspect there was greater energy to do stuff.
This year seemed more relaxed, normal if you like, except of course things are anything but normal at the moment.
Stoke Field 1487 was the participation game at the Lance & Longbow Stand – Lion Rampant with House Rules.
This is a great show and maintains the variety and number on offer in northern england. The BHGS show in Manchester went south this year to its new venue in Nottingham. In my case Recon22 more than made up for my missing Fiasco this year.
The Bring and Buy was back in the upper floor area for 2022Plenty of traders and games were availableThis year the main space felt a little more congested but still gave plenty of room to get around
This is my last show of the year so roll on 2023. Why not add Recon to your diary now? Recon 2023.
The Heraldic display in the main entrance to the Hall.
Having done a quick tour of the show in my last post, this post gives a little flavour of the Lance and Longbow Society game.
The imaginary battle of San Giovese 1499 allowed two roughly equal forces of infantry and cavalry to fight for control of land around a priory.
Left Flank of the French line with Imperialists almost mirror image in the distanceThe strong right flank of the French
Using modified Lion Rampant rules to handle base elements rather than single figures the game was run against the clock (60 minutes). In theory both sides had a slightly stronger right flank although in both games I joined the outcome was decided by total losses rather than a flank being swept away.
Pike and Militia with Crossbows in front – typical infantry fare in the Italian Wars. The game uses 6 sided dice with distance measurement. Nice and simple.
Essentially 2 or 3 players per side were assisted by an Umpire.
These were good and quick games to play, face to face and in a relaxed way.
So thanks to the Lance Longbow Society for running this game.
victory conditions were simple – an essential element for enjoyable participation.
After a two year break I attended Recon in Pudsey (between Leeds and Bradford), run by the Wakefield Wargamers. In between I have managed to visit just one other wargames show – Fiasco (last month).
The show was using the same main hall plus first floor, although I think the HOTT competition was not in a separate room With free parking and bar with hot food plus good road access and Pudsey rail station nearby – the Pudsey Civic Hall works well for a wargames show
Recon is what I guess people would regard as a regional show. This type of show is essential for the hobby to function. This year despite all the problems with COVID and an Autumn show congested calendar, the show was fine. Numbers were probably down – not a surprise, there were plenty of games available to play and a variety of traders. The bring and buy was a lot quieter and that is the indicator that tells you footfall was lower than in previous years.
Durham war gamers put on a large 28mm Vikings and Saxons game – visually attractive with longships beached up.
KB Club showed off smaller scale 1/144 modern warfare on hex plus a sci fi starships game.
6mm was on show with James Mitchell’s Sudan game.
The Lance & Longbow Society put on a 28mm Italian Wars game.
I had some good buys at the bring and buy as well as Dave Lanchester books. More on that at the end.
The other traders were a good mix selling figures, scenery, paints, brushes and rulesets as you would expect. I picked up Anarchy by Chris Peers published by Pen & Sword from “The Little Corporal”. Given, I was tempted there by Wargaming for Grown Ups Spanish Civil War rules – it was a surprise purchase!
Iron Gate Scenery had a good display as did Baccus 6mm and Eagle Miniatures 28mm.
I bought an FT17 by Hat from a trader who it appears was a late arrival so I cannot name them! They were between tables 20 (MaideinUK 3D printer) and 21 (Blastwall – mainly scenic).
A bit battered by they were on my list – I lean towards pre 1939 tankettes rather than 1944 behemoths.
My other purchases were all books
At the bring and buy – two bargains – The ECW Helion book looked brand new and was half the list price, while you don’t see much on the Spanish Amercian War – a current and unexpected interest in ironclads drove this purchaseI am always after old rule books to see what ideas I can reap (lefthand from the bring and buy at 50p – righthand from Dave Lanchester Books – excellent condition veteran copy). Both these might have irrelevant core rules nowadays yet they do have a lot of ideas on the peripheries like logistics and communications.My current WW2 flavour is french armies and this double pack I picked up from Dave Lanchester Books.Little Corporal provided the “Anarchy” while this “Vichy” number came from Dave Lanchester BooksA definite coffee table book as they say.
This last book was a pure indulgence. Having really enjoyed Ironclads I could not resist this book which deals with south amercian wars in the late 19th century. The paintings are fascinating and all the more interesting for being watercolours. Again Dave Lanchester Books was the supplier.
This South American war is one of those crossover wars where old and new technology combined for a moment and then continued on their respective journey.
A very good day out so put it in your diary for 2022.
“Recon” in New Pudsey is run by the Wakefield & District wargamers and usually happens today – the first Saturday in December.
It is not the largest show on the circuit yet it has become a regular visit for me. There is always a decent selection of traders and a variety of games.
Pudsey Civic Hall is a relaxed venue with sufficient refreshments and plenty of seating plus parking (I travel by car) on site.
I have dropped by the Lance and Longbow Society (LLBS) stand for the last two years. I think they did the battle of Lewes in 2018 and last year they did the battle of Clifton Moor 1475. Its a participation game I always join in. The team are always very welcoming and really are there to throw the dice and get some pieces moving with any interested visitor.
snapshot of LLBS Clifton Moor battle thanks to storm of steel wargaming
I have no other photos except the headline one which shows tumbling dice 1/72 metallic command sets. I like the Saxon and Norman ones in particular.
ok a poor photo but you get the idea – these are nicely crafted 1/72 metals
On youtube “storm of steel wargaming” have posted a short video of the 2019 event. so you could do a quick “recon of recon” using it.
Storm of steel posted a 6 minute mini tour of Recon 2019
The Wargaming Erratic 