Phalanx 2017

Set off earlyish this morning with a small shopping list to Phalanx, the St. Helens Spartans wargame club show, I picked up Simon to introduce him to his second wargame exhibition. The journey was uneventful apart from losing about fifteen minutes with a wrong turn. The journey to Phalanx is like taking on the Bermuda Triangle for me, and there is nothing easier if you look at a map, but tell that to my brain and Mrs Satnav.

Anyway, as usual there were no parking spaces by 10.30 and I had to settle for the main road near the entrance, on the way in I noticed people already leaving, or maybe they were depositing stuff in the car, I would like to think it was the latter. Again the dim light hit you as you entered the hall, I had got the Warlord newsletter the previous day and it waxed lyrical about the show including the excellent lighting, another black spot for Warlord from me. You will be able to tell by the photographs how dim it actually was.

The hall was packed and seemed busy to me, but Michael at 1st Corps informed me trade had not been brisk and it was quieter than the previous year. There were a couple of games which stood out and it seemed to me that participation games had increased and taken over, along with the usual one or two tables which were playing a normal club game and ignoring anyone showing interest. I asked one guy if he minded if I took a picture and was simply given a look as he turned back to the game, on another table they guys moved around me while they got on with playing, I was simply a nuisance.

These Japanese figures were impressive.

Everybody's favourite season at the moment, Winter, WWII Bolt Action.

 

Cambria, 1917.

Another Japanese inspired game, there were several of these.

I managed in the main to complete my shopping list, some trees and hedges from The Last Valley, the plastic generic archers I wanted and a refill from Cote d'Arms for my long finished GW Snakebite Leather and GW Flesh Wash. I also got some dice which my son asked me to pick up, a blue and white Rangers set to go with his green and white Celtic favourites, or maybe they are Scottish. The crazy thing being I eventually took the hint and ditched my blue and white dice a month or so ago, yes, I know it's daft but there you go, oh, and they joined the yellow and black traitors, it was a 'night of the long knives' for that lot.

Simon has jumped into 12mm Samurai and bought a horde of figures which he intends to base up and use as 'big' Saga much like the Cross and Crescent games at the club, he managed to get money off his order but didn't have the same luck buying the Saga rulebook. I think he was more than pleased with his raid. I look forward to playing with them.

There is a small local show next Saturday but I cannot really justify going as I do not need anything. I still want a couple of more buildings for WWII but it will be back to the little projects now until I once again build up my funds.