I have not been to one of the SELWG (South East London Wargames Group) shows for a year or two, but this year I decided to make an effort and go.
The show is held in part of the Sports Hall at the National Sports Centre, Crystal Palace, which is itself located within Crystal Palace Park. The entrance to the park takes you past the platform upon which the Crystal Palace was re-erected in 1854 after it was moved from its original location in Hyde Park.
Today the site is dominated by the main television transmitter for the London area.
The entrance to the Sports Hall is on the First Floor of the building, and is reached by a walkway.
The show is spread over the balcony and concourse ...
... (the latter also being the location of the extremely busy 'bring and buy') ...
... and the main hall.
There were a number of wargames 'on show' at SELWG, and a selection of them are shown below. (I hope that I have identified the groups and battles correctly, but there did seem to be a degree of discontinuity between the layout in the show programme and the actual layout in the hall.)
Society of Ancients: Battle of Trebia (218BC)
This wargame was being overseen by Professor Phil Sabin (of the Department of War Studies at King's College, London, and the author of LOST BATTLES: RECONSTRUCTING THE GREAT CLASHES OF THE ANCIENT WORLD [2008, ISBN 978 0826430151] and SIMULATING WAR: STUDYING CONFLICT THROUGH SIMULATION GAMES [2012, ISBN 978 1441185587]) and used the rules published in his LOST BATTLES book.
Streatham and Tooting Wargamers: High Minarets (1973) Arabs vs. Israelis
South London Warlords: Scarlet Thunder
Southend Wargames Club: Battle of Benfleet
CTK Wargaming: World War I Battle
Loughton Strike Force: The Battle of Aspern-Essling
Deal Wargames Club: Danger in Denmark (1940)
South East Essex Military Society:The Restless Dead
Tunbridge Wells Wargame Society: The Battle of the Yellow Sea
Shepway Wargames Group: Romani ite domum (Romans go home)
North London Wargames Group: The Battle of San Giorgio (1859)
Peter Pig: Patrols in the Sudan
GLC Gamers: The Battle of Sagriajas 1086
Crawley Wargames Club: Brave Little Belgium (1940)
Pike and Shot Society
Maidstone Wargames Society: Operation Deadstick (1944)
Essex Warriors: ACW Battle
Redhill Gamers: First Carlist War
Garage Gamers: Battle of Otford (775)
Scarab Miniatures: Qadesh
Staines Wargames Club: 'Climb Mount Nitakak'
What I like about going to shows like SELWG is the fact that it gives me the opportunity to meet and talk to old and new wargaming friends. This show was no exception, and I managed to have chats with Phil Sabin, Ken Smith, David Crook, Phil Steele, Mark Ashby, Pete Grizzell, Nigel Drury, and Nick Huband.
My acquisitions at SELWG were limited to some bases from Warbase (which I have bought as an experiment) ...
... and a special 'Posties Rejects' dice from The Angry Lurker!
This may have been a small gift ... but being given it really made my day! Many thanks to all of 'Posties Rejects' for the kind thought.
The show is held in part of the Sports Hall at the National Sports Centre, Crystal Palace, which is itself located within Crystal Palace Park. The entrance to the park takes you past the platform upon which the Crystal Palace was re-erected in 1854 after it was moved from its original location in Hyde Park.
Today the site is dominated by the main television transmitter for the London area.
The entrance to the Sports Hall is on the First Floor of the building, and is reached by a walkway.
The show is spread over the balcony and concourse ...
... (the latter also being the location of the extremely busy 'bring and buy') ...
... and the main hall.
There were a number of wargames 'on show' at SELWG, and a selection of them are shown below. (I hope that I have identified the groups and battles correctly, but there did seem to be a degree of discontinuity between the layout in the show programme and the actual layout in the hall.)
Society of Ancients: Battle of Trebia (218BC)
This wargame was being overseen by Professor Phil Sabin (of the Department of War Studies at King's College, London, and the author of LOST BATTLES: RECONSTRUCTING THE GREAT CLASHES OF THE ANCIENT WORLD [2008, ISBN 978 0826430151] and SIMULATING WAR: STUDYING CONFLICT THROUGH SIMULATION GAMES [2012, ISBN 978 1441185587]) and used the rules published in his LOST BATTLES book.
Streatham and Tooting Wargamers: High Minarets (1973) Arabs vs. Israelis
South London Warlords: Scarlet Thunder
Southend Wargames Club: Battle of Benfleet
CTK Wargaming: World War I Battle
Loughton Strike Force: The Battle of Aspern-Essling
Deal Wargames Club: Danger in Denmark (1940)
South East Essex Military Society:The Restless Dead
Tunbridge Wells Wargame Society: The Battle of the Yellow Sea
Shepway Wargames Group: Romani ite domum (Romans go home)
North London Wargames Group: The Battle of San Giorgio (1859)
Peter Pig: Patrols in the Sudan
GLC Gamers: The Battle of Sagriajas 1086
Crawley Wargames Club: Brave Little Belgium (1940)
Pike and Shot Society
Maidstone Wargames Society: Operation Deadstick (1944)
Essex Warriors: ACW Battle
Redhill Gamers: First Carlist War
Garage Gamers: Battle of Otford (775)
Scarab Miniatures: Qadesh
Staines Wargames Club: 'Climb Mount Nitakak'
What I like about going to shows like SELWG is the fact that it gives me the opportunity to meet and talk to old and new wargaming friends. This show was no exception, and I managed to have chats with Phil Sabin, Ken Smith, David Crook, Phil Steele, Mark Ashby, Pete Grizzell, Nigel Drury, and Nick Huband.
My acquisitions at SELWG were limited to some bases from Warbase (which I have bought as an experiment) ...
... and a special 'Posties Rejects' dice from The Angry Lurker!
This may have been a small gift ... but being given it really made my day! Many thanks to all of 'Posties Rejects' for the kind thought.
Thanks for the summary
ReplyDeleteA few games caught my eye there (Lost Battles, Naval RJW, Pearl Harbour and 1940 Belgium for a start)
Pity I am so far up North now I cannot get down
I heard the was less than usual but sometimes that means a beter punter experience
Geordie an Exiles FoG,
ReplyDeleteThe show was a little less busy than it had been in the past, but this did make it easier to see everything that was there.
All the games were impressive in their own different ways, and one hopes that some of them will feature on the pages of at least one of the wargames magazines over the coming months.
All the best,
Bob
It was a little quieter this year but the quality of the games was still really high. Great photo's BTW.
ReplyDeleteLee Hadley,
ReplyDeleteCertainly it was a bit quieter, but it did mean that there was more room to get around and see what was there.
The games were well presented, but I do wish that some of them had better signage as to who was putting on what game.
All the best,
Bob
I got one of those dice from Angry as well. Apparently mine has been specially anointed - I've been told not to ask how/with what and warned not to lick it.
ReplyDeleteNice write up of the show and some great pics there.
TamsinP,
ReplyDeleteThe Angry Lurker did not mention that my dice had been anointed in any way ... so I am not sure if that makes me lucky or unlucky.
I am glad that you enjoyed this log entry ... and I hope that you enjoyed SELWG as well.
All the best,
Bob
Nice one Bob, you really don't know what Fran did with the dice, trust me!
ReplyDeleteRay Rousell,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the warning!
I shall put it in a dish of melted beef dripping at once and then dance naked around it on the lawn ... once the rain stops, of course.
All the best,
Bob