Despite having quite a busy day planned out, I was able to spend a couple of hours at the Skirmish Wargame and Toy Soldier Show. It takes place twice a year in March and September at Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School, Sidcup, Kent.
I arrived a little after 10.15am, and had no trouble finding somewhere to park. I made my way to the main entrance ...
... where I paid the £4.00 entrance and was given a raffle ticket.
There seemed to be fewer traders in the entrance hall and main hall ...
... but the room where the wargames were taking place seemed as busy as ever.
... but I did a swop with David Crook, with the result that I am now the proud owner of a copy of Sam Mustafa's ROMMEL.
I hope to be able to go to the next Skirmish Wargame and Toy Soldier Show in March 2019. It is very local to where I live (it is about fifteen minutes by car) and retains the friendly atmosphere one used to experience during the earlier days of wargaming.
ROMMEL was written by Sam Mustafa and published in 2017 by Sam Mustafa Publishing LLC.
I arrived a little after 10.15am, and had no trouble finding somewhere to park. I made my way to the main entrance ...
... where I paid the £4.00 entrance and was given a raffle ticket.
There seemed to be fewer traders in the entrance hall and main hall ...
... but the room where the wargames were taking place seemed as busy as ever.
The Old Guard: Dragon Rampant
Rainham Wargames Club: Napoleonic
Medway Wargames: A Song of Fire and Ice
Milton Hundred Wargames Club: Blood on the Elbe (Cold War)
The Privateers of London: Attack on Sedd-el-Bahr, 26th February 1914
Skirmish Wargames: The Battle of Sidi Kup (The Zaian War 1914-1921)
What I like about Skirmish is the fact that I always manage to meet up and chat with loads of wargaming acquaintances. On this occasion I was able to spend time with Ken Smith, Peter Grizzell, David Crook, Postie, Ray Rousell, and Big Lee (Lee Hadley).Maidstone Wargames: World War 1
I didn't actually buy anything, and I didn't win one of the raffle prizes ...Some of my fellow bloggers. From left to right: Postie, David Crook, Ray Rousell, and Big Lee (Lee Hadley).
... but I did a swop with David Crook, with the result that I am now the proud owner of a copy of Sam Mustafa's ROMMEL.
I hope to be able to go to the next Skirmish Wargame and Toy Soldier Show in March 2019. It is very local to where I live (it is about fifteen minutes by car) and retains the friendly atmosphere one used to experience during the earlier days of wargaming.
ROMMEL was written by Sam Mustafa and published in 2017 by Sam Mustafa Publishing LLC.
Hi Bob,
ReplyDeleteAlways a pleasure and I hope that Rommel is as useful to you as the material going in the other direction will be for me!
All the best,
DC
David Crook,
DeleteIt was great to meet you and the rest of 'the gang' on Sunday.
Thanks very much for the book. I've had a read through ROMMEL, and it is interesting to compare it with my PW and HEXBLITZ rules. I like the use of squares rather than hexes, and he makes a good case for using them.
It has certainly given me something to think about.
All the best,
Bob
Bob,
ReplyDeleteNice to get out for awhile and meet up with old chums- looks to be a splendid venue, very accesable and well attended. We've nothing of the sort here- we have two events per year for the entire state of New South Wales-(one at Canberra CANCON and the other in Sydney MOAB)...and that is about it. Good to see you enjoying the local Sidcup event. Regards. KEV.
Kev Robertson,
DeleteI've know David Crook on and off for over thirty years, and the others from 'talking' over the Internet and at these sorts of informal gatherings.
Skirmish is a bit of a oddity in that it is organised by a commercial entity and not a club. It was started by a company that organised Toy and Collectables Shows. It was then taken over by a retailer, and they have recently passed it on to another organiser.
I suspect that the sheer distances involved in travelling from one part of Australia to another - even within the same state - must make it very difficult to organise large wargaming events. I think that UK wargamers don't often realise how lucky they are to have access to so many events.
All the best,
Bob
Bob,
DeleteYes- distance here is a problem. You seem to have things on tap there around London with 15 minutes or so to Sidcup...just ideal. I think that here Locally we suffer from not having the venues available - such as Community Halls and such- our town which is about 80,000 people has one type of hall available (at huge cost) - this is a great failing of our Local Councils and Government in not providing Public Venues- alas. Cheers. KEV.
Kev Robertson,
DeleteIf if I drive for three hours, I can reach almost every wargame show in the southern half of England. The largest show in the UK - Salute - takes me less than an hour to reach by public transport. We are spoilt for choice.
Skirmish is held in a local school, and I would have thought that most sizeable towns in Australia would have had similar, suitable locations. I'm surprised to read that they don't. As you write, that's a failing on the part of your local government.
All the best,
Bob
Bob,
DeleteSome years ago there was a huge Federal Government spend up on funding to build/re-build Public SchoolHalls...however these Halls seem not to be utilized fully for other non-school functions. Even our Local Civic Centre seems grossley un-used- there use to be a model railway exhibition there each year and that seems to have gone by the board....sounds awfully apathetic. Is it the nature of our society these days NOT to be interested in Local Public Venues? Do not know what the solution is...we use to have a Local Scout Hall and a Local Youth Group Hall- both buildings have been demolished...just mind boggling. Anyway I certainly glad your well catered for there in England. Cheers. KEV.
Kev Robertson,
DeleteIn our part of the UK every potential venue seems to be competing for business. Many schools open their sports facilities at weekends for use by sport and fitness clubs and their assembly halls for evangelical churches or various types of fair. Our local Masonic Centre hosts a church on Sunday and Weightwatchers on weekdays.
Much of this is due to the need for organisations to fund the cost of the upkeep of their buildings. If it sits empty, it isn't earning money, and if it isn't earning money, it's costing its owners lost income.
It sounds to me as if your Federal government hasn't grasped the concept of self-financing public bodies. For good or ill, we have quite a few such bodies in the UK ... including the venue we use for the annual Conference of Wargamers.
All the best,
Bob
A pleasure as always Bob!
ReplyDeleteRay Rousell,
DeleteAs it was for me!
All the best,
Bob