Wargaming Show - Devizes - 20 July 2014

My haul of new things - all the figures are plastic - something which wasn't intentional

 but surely shows the future main emphasis of the hobby

Today I went to the much looked forward to 'Attack' show at Devizes in Wiltshire.  Part of the joy of this show is the scenario on the journey down.  Ian drove so it left me able to enjoy the scenery on the road between Avebury and Devizes itself.  Certainly England at it's most splendid.  As much as I like to see acres of woodland, the ancient longbarrows lining the barren ancient hilltops along the sides of the road, does give an intense feeling for the history of the place.

The knowledge that Roundway Down is nearby also sets the imagination racing.  The site of this Civil War battlefield close to hand makes you wonder just how similar the landscape was in the 17th Century. Roundway Down is well worth a visit.  We toyed with the idea of going today, but decided that rushing after the show wasn't going to leave sufficient time.  Rather like Cropredy Bridge, a battlefield in such a magnificent landscape like that is worth spending the day exploring.  So no pics of Roundway Down today.

The 'Attack' show is in its 35th year, and I have attended most of these since around 1987.   It is one of my favourite shows.  It attracts interesting traders, not too much sci-fi but just enough to bring in a varied visitor group and has a very friendly atmosphere.  There is always time to chat to people and traders and there is no sense of rush or of having to race people to certain traders to get your goodies.  The show used to be held in the Corn Exchange in Devizes centre, which was a great location but was on the cramped side and it got uncomfortably hot upstairs on the upper level.  It has been held at a school in the town for a good few years now and this has plenty of parking, lots of space and lots of benches outside.  This is great as it means you can take a break and reflect on your madness before committing lots of cash to a new period of history to delve into.  Sitting in the sunshine with a reasonably priced cup of tea contrasted with my shopping strategy which ended up not being so economical!

A photo of my haul of new things is shown above.  As you can see, some kind of insanity gripped me.  That's five different period's of history there (plus Napoleonics which I shall get to shortly).

Since Renegade ceased trading this has left me with a nice but barely started Punic Wars Roman Army.  The Agema plastics look great and I couldn't resist getting a couple of boxes just to see how they look painted up.

The Gripping Beast Dark Age Warriors should enable me to finally make my Anglo-Saxon army playable! Hurrah - I only started it in about 1994, so finally I can get a game in with them!  Twenty years...hmmm maybe I should do 6mm for everything in future!

The Theban's I purchased because they look great and I have some of the Spartans and Athenians which Warlord Games now produce.  Hopefully I can crack on with these soon as I really want to see how they look.  Ian also bought some Athenians so Hoplites could soon be ready for action - watch this space (for about 20 years if the Anglo-Saxon Army of mine is anything to go by!).

I made another purchase too...Napoleonics.  I had bought some Victrix and Perry boxed sets but hadn't got far with painting them.  I had made a decision to do Napoleonics in 6mm just to get playing.  But today all this changed.  Ian was selling up some of his Napoleonics.  I saw them and had to have them....I shall cease typing now and leave you to view the pics of my purchase of Ian's excellent work.