Wargaming Show - Attack 2024 - Devizes, England

 

Now, if I had given this some thought beforehand, I would have taken lots of photos of the show and the town and published them all on here.

Unfortunately I was so focussed on my shopping list and getting the essentials for projects I'm working on that I didn't think of photos until afterwards. It was only as I was thinking that I ought to make a record of what I bought today and who I bought it from for future record that the thought occurred to me that I could have given you a lot more!

What I will say is that Devizes is one of those shows that is held in about 3 halls at a secondary education school in Devizes Wiltshire.

I have been attending for over well over 30 years and missed only a few.  I understand from the programme that the show is in it's 43rd year.

There were something like over 30 traders, from the large to the small and probably in excess of 10 games in progress.

It is a very friendly show as it is not overcrowded. There is time to chat and indeed, going on the Sunday (it is a two day show), I was able to walk around with ease with a mug of coffee in my hand. Try this at some shows when you are assailed by tartan trolleys, walking sticks, daysacks and beer bellies (thinking of Colours at the  Hexagon in Reading in the early 90's!).

It not being overcrowded is great. I was able to chat with traders and learned a lot about new developments in the hobby (e.g. upgraded Vallejo Model Color paints) and examine lots of things I had seen on blogs and in the wargaming press but had not physically seen before.  I should mention the 'Kingmaker' boardgame re-released last year.  This really is quite sumptuous!  I can see myself purchasing that!

I was also able to take a good look at terrain - something that is often hard to examine at a busy show and even harder to carry out!  As a result I was able to buy a very nice pack of Jungle terrain at discounted price.  This will go a long way towards my Burma WW2 project.  I also spent time looking at grass tufts and finding alternatives to the very expensive German tufts that I have been buying in recent years (and frequently are unobtainable).

I was able to find Average dice, a new larger brush and some of the new Army Painter Fanatic paints for a new project. I also bought a Japanese tank from Early War Miniatures.

I really didn't think I would spend much today at the show, but I came away £150 or so lighter but very pleased with today's purchases.  Ian, who also kindly drove there, was of the same opinion - there was an awful lot of really nice thing to buy and it was great to have the space to examine things properly.

Food and drink (a topic close to most wargamer's hearts and not in a good way), is very well priced. Very little seemed to cost more than a pound.  We opted to walk the short journey into the centre of town for lunch.

The town of Devizes is quirky and with so much character. Many of the buildings are 18th Century and of red brick. The countryside around it is spectacular with the Wessex Downs nearby. Civil War history is in abundance. The town being besieged by Waller and the battlefield of Roundway Down is just above the town on the A361 towards Avebury. The road goes into a valley with Long Barrows on either side - a very mystical landscape. 

Visitors coming from a distance would be well advised to make a whole long weekend of it and explore the history of the area and the scenery and then go to the show on the Sunday to fill your car for the journey back!

All in all, a great wargaming show. I will take photos next time!