Thursday 11 June 2020

Not the Phalanx Wargame Show

The yearly Phalanx wargame show (UK) was scheduled for Saturday 20th June, but as with most things that involve gatherings, it has been cancelled due to the 2020 Covid 19 pandemic.
Not obvious at this distance in this picture, taken 2 years
ago at Phalanx, but these bases were gorgeous and
I left the show inspired.

Now, I know we are particularly well blessed for shows in the U.K. but this is one that is always on my ‘must attend’ list and so will be particularly missed and I thought doing something token to still mark the occasion would be worthwhile.

So with that in mind, I have put a couple of orders in to traders to represent a bit of buying, I have some lovely Wars of the Roses figures gifted from fellow blogger Phil Robinson that can represent the recycling of goodness on the ‘Bring and Buy’ visit and I will put something up on E-bay to reflect a bit of selling there. Now I just need to plan a game that will represent the feast of gaming tables that always entertain and inspire.

Hopefully all of these things taken together will help encapsulate a sense of what I can only describe as probably my favourite wargaming calendar event of the year.

A few years ago at Phalanx, Liverpool Wargames Association put on a Hastings display that was essentially a 4’ x 3’ table, with a long ridge across the width and some absolutely lovely 28mm figure bases (100mm wide) to set the scene. If I remember correctly, they were using a DBA type derivative. Anyway, it was splendid and had a big impact on my thinking as to what sort of games I wanted to play and I remember commenting on the blog at the time, that if I could have just brought one army home that day, it would have been from that table.

That experience was one of the several influences that got me enthused to do a Pocket Army project, intending that relatively small figure collections be used in small spaces to give a good game. In that regard the relevance of wargame shows and their ability to motivate and enthuse is something precious that we need to make sure we never let slip away.

And so ...... I will likely do a small game with some 28’s, as I like that sort of thing and one of the gaming experiences I am yet to enjoy is putting on a game at a show, but in the meantime this can be my virtual attempt! The idea will be that the game will show what can be done with just two or three boxes of figures and hopefully get someone enthused to something similar, as I was by the Hastings game.

I typically do a Phalanx ‘show report’ for the blog each year, so this time, I will put on a small game at home and do a short AAR for the blog, show off some of Phil’s models and list my modest loot! To be uploaded on the 20th (Phalanx day), it will be the ‘Not a Wargame Show’ part II.

Anyway that is the plan and it would be great if anyone reading this, for the sake of all the shows cancelled this year, fancied having a little dabble, perhaps supporting a trader if cash and need allows and putting their own game on and then doing a blog update or just throw a comment on the part II post here. A sort of Bloggers show of support for the show circuit in general.

16 comments:

  1. A great idea Norm and look forward to your not show report. I believe Colours has been cancelled too, so might try and do something along similar lines in September.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Steve, I was thinking today that there were a number of things coming together over the next week or so for me, that could reflect and tie in to show stuff, including Father’s Day, when family need some non-sock based suggestions, so there is a little injection of spend from that quarter.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I need no encouragement to spend.......having just ordered some more RCW figures. But that doesn’t count I’ll have to order something else ! Good idea Norm, I have enjoyed Phalanx in the past despite the awful old B&B ar4angements. I am missing a show or two ☹️

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Matt, plus the Phoenix show the week after, where you usually put a game on anyway. Yes, ordering something else is probably right, it’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it :-)

      Delete
  4. Good idea Norm, Dave and myself put on several display games at Phalanx back in the day, perhaps I should blog my upcoming SCW solo game then too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Phil, I know in the early days, your good self and Dave were stalwarts of the show scene - the SCW eye candy would be nice to see,

      Delete
  5. Nice idea! I'm doing the quarantine challenge up to the 20/6 and I'm hoping for one last push,but if I can I'll squeeze something in!
    Best Iain

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Iain, that would be good. The last show I did was Alumwell (Midlands) just before things locked down and I have been fine with the lockdown, but the thought of missing my fave show has made me pause to think just how important these things are to the wargame calendar.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Colours is my favourite show as it's local'ish, easy to get to, great parking and a nice mix of traders. It also sort of marks the end of Summer for me and the start of wargaming coming more to the fore once again. I will miss going this year and hope at least to get to one show this year...

      Delete
  7. The last chance of the year will be Fiasco (December) at Leeds, usually a good place to sort out some last minute Christmas shopping. I’m not sure at this stage where the balance will be to get these sort of things going again, can social distancing and capacity measures make it work alone or like many things, will the viability not exist until those things are reinforced by the cover of vaccine. The next stage is the unknown territory.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I’ll put in an extra order to commemorate your Not A Show, show. I look forward to seeing your game presentation and loot display.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks Jonathan, I now need postie to hurry up!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I too feel the loss of my favorite conventions. Not long ago I was supposed to be spending 4 days gaming at Kublacon but that didn’t happen obviously. I spent the weekend doing extra hobby time to try and make up for it.

    I don’t need any extra incentive to buy stuff. Since starting the AWI I have already been spending like crazy and already have a mountain of projects. 😀

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well I know you will be feeling it because you invested a lot of energy in putting games on. At least when they start up again, you will have a lovely AWI project to share at the con. I have just ordered some AWI rules to have a look at .... Red Feathers and Delaware Blues.

      Delete
  11. A very nice sentiment Norm...I am sure many of the producers are small scale operations and desperately in need of cash flow to keep going. Personally I have not ordered anything from overseas for several months, an friends who have done so have had mixed results...some orders arrive in the usual two week time scale, others have been waiting a month a longer but their orders have ato arrived yet....

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thanks Keith, I have had good results with all but one and that company was held hostage to the fact that they used parts from a caster that had closed for 5 weeks. I had to chase that up after a month and really they should have been on the ball by e-mailing me and keeping me in the loop.

    I really hope that both trader and customer flock back to the shows and that we haven’t all found internet shopping just a little too convenient that it undermines the value of the show.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for taking the time to comment