More detailed reflections on the event and various game reports will appear in the Wargames Developments Journal in due course, but here are a few photos to give the flavour of the event. High points for me were helping Tim run his huge WW1 54mm lawn game, and getting to play with Tony Baths original figures, the flats he used for Hyboria games. And very flat indeed they were!
Knuston Hall, bathed in sunshine. Perhaps a bit too much sunshine as my room was my usual stiflingly hot garret up in the eves.
A relaxing start to the weekend in the lobby.
The ever popular Bring and Buy.
The timetable, which astonishingly did not change much over the course of the weekend.
Eager punters sign up for games.
Sue Laflin-Barker accepts awards for her and Phil for their lifetime contribution to wargaming. Phil had retired to bed at this point!
Jim Roche ran Paddy Griffiths 'Halbardiers' game, about careers in the British Army during WW2 and loosely based on Waughs 'Sword of Honour Trilogy'. Piles of bumph were in evidence.
A nice chestful of gongs, particularly proud of the MC. Such a shame I died in a plane crash at the end of the war!
John Curry ran a Bomber Command training game. Even more bumph including reproduction period maps of France and Germany, and lots of baffling navigational equipment.
The assembled crews did eventually make it to Koblenz, here neatly modelled on the floor, and made it home for eggs and bacon. Tally ho!
Graham Evans put on a magnificent game of Blenheim using his newly developed WSS rules and featuring piles of very old Airfix figures.
Closeup of the French. Blenheim village in the foreground.
Graham and Phil Steele also put on Tony Baths Hyboria.
The original flats, they look really good from the side.
Tims magnificant 54mm Somme lawn game. The British lines.
British aircraft recce the Hun defences in the blazing sunshine.
Fearsome concentration from the British commanders as they bombard the German defences with matchsticks.
The planes go up up again to recce the damage.
And then it is time to go over the top. The Knuston pals bravely march forwards.
Despite the gaps in the German defences, enough German machinegunners are left to mow down the attackers, who were eventually left with small groups of survivors clustered in Nomansland. Oh well.
A great weekend, hugely enjoyable as ever, and I'm looking forward to next year. Hopefully I can stay for the whole thing next time.
A pleasure meeting yo in the flesh so to speak as my able navigator in "J for Johnny" .. PS: Anything from Intell about our report of the enemy using a captured Mosquito as a night fighter? KG200 and all that ;)
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