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| LoA 1720 White Death game at Claymore - Donnybrook with boats |
Having bared the soul in the Fighting Talk therapy column of Wargames Illustrated's last issue concerning my attitudes to shows, I was determined that Claymore 2015 would be a reboot of what got me into show demos in the first place. Claymore was the very first wargaming convention I displayed a game at.
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| deep view of the 9 x 4 table |
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| Famous Trickett &Whitehouse snow boards re united with the lost Cossacks |
It was Adam House in 1986 or 87 (not sure). I was at the time hanging round with some guys at the East Kilbride Club (whatever iteration that was at the time). We gamed mostly in 15mm, focusing on Ancients and WRG 6th Edition. Those were the days..
'Testers or Friends advancing +1 or was it +2?'.....
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| Hilton has trench fever and frequently cuts figures in half to satiate his habit |
I organized a Nagashino game using hundreds of Dixons Samurai figures (I think these became Two Dragons in the end.. do they still exist?). I believe we won a 2nd prize or maybe a Highly Commended.
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| Contrary to popular opinion these are not WARGS! |
I sold those Samurai to Adrian Howe and that was how our friendship began. To complete the circle of life story, the intermediary who sold the Samurai to Adrian (at the York Show in about '94 or '95) was Stuart Hamilton who, having left the scene for years to become a Night Club owner or something, accompanied David Imrie and Iain Macdonald with their ECW game at Claymore this year. Stuart has his own Miniatures company now whose name escapes me for the moment.Anyway, enough of the history of Scottish Wargamers Part XXXI..
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| This went down a bomb! |
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| GNW D-Day.. sort of |
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| Swedish fisherman defend against the invader |
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Re rigged and serving the Czar
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...my point is this, I lamented in the WI piece my drift away from the creativity of bygone LoA games. In a moment of clarity whilst on holiday this summer I resolved to at least get back in the ring and make the Claymore effort look more like previous LoA games with modelling, quirkiness and fun.
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| Russian troopship |
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| frozen pond |
Dave O'Brien was there, iPad in hand and clicking away like a Paparrazzo at a B List wedding reception. Stalwart chums Bob and Gerry managed the table and me (thanks as always for making sure my laces were tied properly and that I zipped up after wee-wee visits chaps!).
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| Killer Colin kills Colonel Karlsson |
The Nemesis of Model Figurines - 'Killer' Colin Napier was part of the team and managed to add the scalp of Swedish Colonel Gustavsson to his already enormous scroll of dead Napoleonic French, Huguenot and other officers who have been the hapless victims of his extraordinary die throwing. Paul Mc also joined the throng for the day and had hordes of his Cossacks mowed down by the repeating rifles of the Swedish Panzer Grenadiers... oops, too much coffee and mixing my periods there.
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| All the Swedish Navy could muster! |
Great to see many friends of the blog and weekender stalwarts. Mark Shearwood even made a surprise visit all the way from Derby!! I was genuinely and pleasantly surprised to see you Mark!
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| Tatars terrorize Swedish gunners.. then kill them! |
Trade was, as I have previously mentioned slow-ish but not disastrous however I had already disconnected the cables between trade and game before entering the hall. My focus was on putting on an attractive table.
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| Hordes of Cossacks |
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| These guys shot more Cossacks than Stalin |
That seemed to work because we won a prize.
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| The harbour |
All is right with the world. And by the way, I bought lots of ships... watch out for my growing fleet.
Photos by DOB and Barry courtesy of Apple devices.
