Vapnartak 2018

Up early and off to York for what has become my annual show, I have now dismissed Phalanx at St. Helen's because I don't like seeing everything through a yellow haze. Quite cold but an easy run and this year I took care to park on a gravel patch so that I did not need to be pushed out of a mudhole, many others did need help as the deep mud scars in the field confirmed when we left.

I got in for free again this year being over 60, very pleased with that. I had a small list of small items I needed and I was lucky to get most of them, I made my usual cock up at Warbases, I bought plywood bases without thinking of asking for MDF, I will probably find a use for them when I start to rebase the skirmishers in my other armies but they were no good for the Seleucids, I also asked for two 60x80mm bases for my newly bought sycthed chariots, only to receive two packs of them! I thankfully found this out later and returned one although the young guy seemed put out by my explanation but nevertheless handed back the princely sum of around a quid.

My small bundle of swag.

I got the said chariots from 1st Corps as I had previously asked Michael to bring them, we both agreed that they are probably very frightening on the table but fairly useless if you understand them. I wanted them though to complete my choices for the Seleucids, they should be fun to use.

Within about 45 minutes I had everything I wanted, the place was very busy around 10.45 when we got in and it was a real struggle to get to most of the tables in order to hand my cash over, even moving between the traders was a bit of a crush in parts. I had hoped to get some Black Scorpion figures but they were not there, I am not sure they have been regulars at York, the Dice Shop were regulars but they were not there and I fancied yet another set of dice for the Seleucids, I like one set for each army.

What about wargames I hear you ask, there were about four, large, lovely games set up on the ground floor and you could take part in one of them, nothing seemed to happen on the others and there was no one to talk to. I even found it difficult to identify one as all there was was a piece of A4 pinned to the edge of the table. Up on level three were the participation games, a lot more than usual and most visually appealing albeit it on small tables.

These two fleets were very impressive.

Medieval Sharpe Practice(?)

Battle of Megiddo, WWI

Unsure.

Prestonpans, notice empty chairs.

Part of above.

I had time to kill while Simon scoured the trade stands so I met up with Rob and Stuart who were putting on a game set somewhere in the back of beyond around 1930ish where the British had captured a Russian spy and had to get her (yes, another bloody woman) on to a nearby train and off the end of the table while beset by all sorts, Russians, Mongols, Chinese and mercenaries. I joined the second game of the day as the British player, some others whom I knew all took enemy contingents apart from one young lad who joined in. We had about an hour of great fun, the rules were based on Donnybrook but very much simplified I think to keep the game flowing, they were a huge success as was the story telling and interruptions by the umpire Rob. The hero of the day, even the enemy were cheering him on at the end as well as trying to kill him, was Lord George Black, a daredevil of typical Empire stock. Lord Black boarded the train, ordered it in motion and at one point took over from the driver while shots peppered the cab and dastardly types tried to climb aboard, he dealt with them all while receiving a mere three scratches. The evil Russian spy, Lady Kendal, managed to evade the Jocks holding her and jump from the train, Lord Black immediately set the train on course, leapt from the cab somersaulting to within inches of the dame only to be hurled back at the last minute by an unexpected right hook. The End.

?, Rob, Julian, Stuart, well done.

The spy about to board the train while the driver gets steam up.

The fearless Lord Black disposes of another interloper on the train, while still driving!

 A great game with lovely terrain and beautiful troops, it made my day and I look forward to more adventures featuring Lord Black, sorry, Lord Black VC.