The UK's biggest wargaming show, this extravaganza takes place on Saturday 25th April at the Excel Centre in London. More info on the event can be found on the Warlord's website: http://www.salute.co.uk/salute/salute-2015/
Please get any pre-orders sent in to us before Sat 18th April! Pretty please!
8)
York last weekend was a good example of what a show ought to be like. The same cannot be said for Salute based on the experience of almost every year since it moved to Excel. Perhaps this is the year t give it a miss and spend the (not inconsiderable) costs of attending on figures?
I would second that statement.
Thirded(?). Went once, never again.
Too far, too expensive, too large and too busy. I'd rather attend more local events and spend my money on other gaming stuff.
Quote from: Steve J on 06 February 2015, 06:11:06 PM
Too far, too expensive, too large and too busy. I'd rather attend more local events and spend my money on other gaming stuff.
Persacally!
Its a good show if you want a shopping trip, with quite a few foriegn traders ( No good for Ianrs). I often see something unusual that I buy. Last year is was special effect washes /paints for Rust. moss, oil etc
It also has some very good games on display - not that I get time to see them all.
The venue is horrible. Its noisy and badly lit. Standing on the floor all day is not very nice and its often freezing. .
I only attend as I help Steve Barber with his stand. It is a fairly good show to trade at simply because of the numbers attending
If this were not the case I would spend the £30 odd quid it would cost to get there and get in on an order.
£30? You must only live round the corner. Over 200 miles away is another kettle of ducks.
If I go, it's to help out Timecast...
Train in from Alyesbury £20 cheap day return and £12 to get in. I would rather buy a Pendraken army pack
No objection to the attendees, - just it's use as a cash cow for the organisers. The only one I attended we had to put batons between the table and wall to keep the stand from crushing us. Not at all fun.
IanS
Ah, the lovely memories of Kensington Town Hall...
We will be there, as usual. As a participant, the thing I like about it is being able to drive my car right up to the table and unload there. No humping barrowloads of kit up hill and down dale like at most venues. And free parking for the car thereafter.
Will be heading down this year for the first time. So it had better be good! ;)
What's the venue parking like?
Never a problem for me. It's always the weekend nearest SWMBO birthday, so I don't go.
Their other master stroke - try to close down another show by moving to the weekend after,and then bullying traders into holding new releases (it didn't work)
IanS >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(
Is he marrried to SUBO?
Quote from: Hertsblue on 08 February 2015, 11:41:31 AM
We will be there, as usual. As a participant, the thing I like about it is being able to drive my car right up to the table and unload there. No humping barrowloads of kit up hill and down dale like at most venues. And free parking for the car thereafter.
Free parking ? Last year was the only year We have had free parking even as a trader. Previous years its been £15 a day, thats on top of several hundred ponds for the stand
Quote from: Last Hussar on 08 February 2015, 04:34:32 PM
Never a problem for me. It's always the weekend nearest SWMBO birthday, so I don't go.
Take her there as a "Birthday outing" ;D.
How on earth do you transport hundreds of ponds to London?
You dehydrate them and add water at the other end :P
Quote from: Just a few Orcs on 08 February 2015, 07:29:35 PM
Take her there as a "Birthday outing" ;D.
Cause of Death: Suicide.
We've always paid for parking as well, last year was the first freebie I think? Dave always parks the van so I never really know what he does with it!
With his Darker Lord powers, he probably just slips it into an alternate dimension.
Had to stop using the moon since the Sunday Sport spotted that bus he left there a few years ago.
Quote from: howayman on 08 February 2015, 03:27:58 PM
Will be heading down this year for the first time. So it had better be good! ;)
What's the venue parking like?
The venue has its own underground parking but be warned, it isn't cheap!
I went last year for the first time and had a great if not long and tiring day.
Managed to get cheap train tickets from Darlington (£14.50 each way) so the cost wasn't too bad it was carrying all the new toys back to Kings Cross that made my arms ache ;D ;D
How did you get a ticket for £15? :o
Just noticed that its on the 100th anniversary of Anzac Day this year
Quote from: Last Hussar on 09 February 2015, 11:08:51 PM
How did you get a ticket for £15? :o
Book well in advance....6 or 7 years ?
IanS ;)
Last Hussat we searched on East Coast Trains about 3 months before the show and managed to get them at their sale prices. Me and my wife done the same in November and got to London for £22 each return. Unfortunately it looks like I will miss Salute this year as the cheapest tickets I could find have been £55 return :( :( :( :(
Quote from: Leon on 09 February 2015, 12:30:20 AM
We've always paid for parking as well, last year was the first freebie I think? Dave always parks the van so I never really know what he does with it!
If it's wet when it comes back he probably drives it into the Thames.... ;)
Those who (unlike me) are able and willing to fight across London to experience the joys of Salute may be interested to learn that the Dunstable Generals will be using Pendraken figures for their Problus 1866 demo/participation game:
http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,11778.0.html (http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,11778.0.html)
Chris
That will be worth the money alone ... keen to have a good look at BBB
We, the denizens of east Herts, will be running the first try-out of BBB at our club-meeting on Sunday. We have a slight problem in that our figures are based for a different system altogether, but it's nothing that a little wargamers' ingenuity can't work around. :-bd
Want to borrow my FPW kit?
What does it do/consist of?
It's two Corps of French (2nd and 6th) the Imperial Guard, two divisions of 1st Corps, plus four cavalry divisions.
Prussian 3, 10, 8th Corps, Hessians Division, Wurttenberger Division, 1st Bavarian Corps. There are also three cavalry divisions too.
On my 3" bases...
You know the ones...
Thanks, Will, but the whole purpose of the BBB exercise was to get my thirty years old plus 5mm figures out on to the table. We have a cunning plan....
Cool. Look forwards to seeing those.
They're there if you need them.
I hope the denizens of east Herts had a good time yesterday?
Chris
And the native inhabitants too.
Quote from: Chris Pringle on 30 March 2015, 11:45:40 AM
I hope the denizens of east Herts had a good time yesterday?
Quote from: FierceKitty on 30 March 2015, 12:25:06 PM
And the native inhabitants too.
"Native inhabitants" are a part of "denizens" ... am I missing something subtle here?
Quote from: Chris Pringle on 30 March 2015, 11:45:40 AM
I hope the denizens of east Herts had a good time yesterday?
Chris
We did. When we'd realised that a "unit" was a brigade (that would be a "formation" in our world) everything went swimmingly - particularly von Kirchbach's attempt to ram a brigade column across a railway bridge into the teeth of a mitrailleuse battery and two battalions of Chassepots. It was a smallish (one corps per side) training exercise, and in his defence the perpetrator made the excuse that he was exploring the parameters of the rules. You may draw your own conclusions....
Ouch!
Someone's going to get promoted and sent to Polsen! :o
Wyre Forest club are running a GNW game at the show - the battle of Fraustadt, 1706. I hope some of you will stop by and say hi.
Will try and remember to pop by and say hello.
Quote from: Hertsblue on 31 March 2015, 09:05:44 AM
and in his defence the perpetrator made the excuse that he was exploring the parameters of the rules. You may draw your own conclusions....
That's my type of standard response when my army gets butchered, though remembering the rules is one of the problems I have
Quote from: Hertsblue on 31 March 2015, 09:05:44 AM
We did. When we'd realised that a "unit" was a brigade (that would be a "formation" in our world) everything went swimmingly - particularly von Kirchbach's attempt to ram a brigade column across a railway bridge into the teeth of a mitrailleuse battery and two battalions of Chassepots. It was a smallish (one corps per side) training exercise, and in his defence the perpetrator made the excuse that he was exploring the parameters of the rules. You may draw your own conclusions....
Any chance of a review/battle report? :-[
Mollinary
We've been busy moulding all sorts over the past few weeks, so we've got some new goodies ready for Salute:
Napoleonic British Army Packs
Containing:
90 x Centre Company
16 x Flank Company
30 x Foot Command
15 x Dragoons
15 x Rifles
£25
(There's no artillery in these as we didn't get the guns moulded in time.)
Warband Barbarian Army Packs
Containing:
3 units of Warriors (75 figures)
1 unit of Archers (25)
1 unit of Bison-Riders (12)
1 unit of Command (5)
1 unit of Shamans (5)
1 unit of Catapults (2)
£27
SCW Italian Army Packs
Containing:
Whatever Dave put in them!
£20
These are all available on a first-come, first-served basis, so make sure to get over to the Pendraken stand to grab yours! We'll also have all of the other recent releases here as well, including the Pict army packs, Comets, trucks, Cent's and more!
We've also got a package deal on Warband armies, so you can grab any two army packs + the Warband rules, for the bargain price of £65!
We hope to see you there!
8)
Woot! 8)
Quote from: mollinary on 31 March 2015, 10:23:19 AM
Any chance of a review/battle report? :-[
Mollinary
Regret I omitted to take my camera. However, I'm going to post the last day of Gettysburg - our second BBB game.
Thanks to everyone who came along this weekend, we had an excellent time and our busiest Salute to date. There seemed to be even more people there this year, and I heard there were 5800 advance tickets alone, so there must have been 6500+ with the walkup sales as well. The lighting also seemed better this year, which was good. The only downside was the temperature during the first couple of hours was very hot, I was glad I'd opted for my shorts! Once the majority of people were in, they opened the previous concourse entrance which seemed to allow a bit more airflow through.
All in all, a great day for us and we always enjoy meeting people and having a chat. I didn't get chance to leave the stand all day, so I've got no idea how everyone else found it!
Glad to hear it was a good day, Leon. :-bd
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Leon on 26 April 2015, 10:04:13 PM
The lighting also seemed better this year, which was good.
Yes, they've gone over to LEDs, I notice. That must have cost them a pretty penny.
Yes lighting was much better
Did not notice the temperature at the beginning.
It must be down to your age Leon - your getting hot flushes,
OR you were getting nervous about having to look after the kids on your own for a couple of days ;D
Quote from: Leon on 26 April 2015, 10:04:13 PM
All in all, a great day for us and we always enjoy meeting people and having a chat. I didn't get chance to leave the stand all day, so I've got no idea how everyone else found it!
I went, with No1 Son. You were surrounded by customers so I didn't bother to interrupt business but I'm glad it was a success.
Notwithstanding the cavernous venue it was indeed oppressively and unpleasantly hot which really spoiled it. It was also, I would say, approaching two thirds Sci-fi/Fantasy this year, so a disappointment if that genre is not your thing. As many of the trade stands and games were, consequently, of no interest we were happy to leave earlier than usual on grounds of environment as well as content. It must be they first show I've been to in decades that I've come away from without a single purchase.
Why they have to hold Colours on the same weekend as the London Marathon is also a mystery as it makes the commute into London almost as mental as a weekday. It really has to be in a class of its own to compensate and, for me, it was very ordinary this year.
I will probably give it a miss next time, and Colours is (are?) back, but I'm still in recovery mode at present so who knows how I'll feel in twelve months.
Quote from: Just a few Orcs on 27 April 2015, 09:32:27 AM
Did not notice the temperature at the beginning.
It must be down to your age Leon - your getting hot flushes,
OR you were getting nervous about having to look after the kids on your own for a couple of days ;D
That could be it!
Quote from: John Cook on 27 April 2015, 11:04:12 AM
I went, with No1 Son. You were surrounded by customers so I didn't bother to interrupt business but I'm glad it was a success.
Why they have to hold Salute on the same weekend as the London Marathon is also a mystery as it makes the commute into London almost as mental as a weekday. It really has to be in a class of its own to compensate and, for me, it was very ordinary this year.
I will probably give it a miss next time, and Colours is (are?) back, but I'm still in recovery mode at present so who knows how I'll feel in twelve months.
Shame we missed you, it was quite manic at times during the day!
On the Salute dates, I have heard that they get a better rate for the hall if they're happy to have the same weekend as the Marathon, so I wouldn't see that changing in the future. With the costs of hiring the Excel, any savings that can be made are probably worth doing!
I enjoyed the show and made some purchases (NIL 10mm on this event ... why? I don't know); took a friend's son up with me whom I'm slowly converting from GW to "anything else". T'was a long day to/from Devon in one hop (Legionary this weekend as well); crowds were busy but it was the London Marathon ... perhaps next year I might do Salute and then a Marathon (seriously considering it for Combat Stress and Henry Hyde's efforts in MW). I only lost my friend's son once on the Docklands Light Railway; he got pushed on the train as the rest of us waved him goodbye "See you at the next stop" we shouted as his wide eyes departed the station! @-) ... mobile phones are useful for childcare after all: "Are you coming for me?" :( ... "Maybe" :-\
Best bits: Being talked into a 20 minute speed Zombie painting competition; meeting Walter (2nd oldest wargame buddy) from Commission Figures www.commission-figurines.co.uk; looking at figures; buying stuff; joining Continental Wars Society and meeting some of the people on the inter-web forums.
Worst bits: None really ... even the crowds were not a real problem as the hall was plenty big enough; it was a bit warm - but then I've been to Baghdad :P
Hullo,
This was the first Salute I saw, really enjoyed it, especially having the chance to say Hi to Leon. Did do some shopping, not too much in my opinion... But the security chap at Heathrow did ask me "Sir, do you have an obsession?" as I was laying out the lead from my hand luggage for him to inspect.
Looking forward to painting the 30YW figs I got. Finally something other than blue and gray!
Cheers,
Aksu of Finland
Quote from: Aksu on 30 April 2015, 09:26:00 AM
This was the first Salute I saw, really enjoyed it, especially having the chance to say Hi to Leon.
Aksu of Finland
It was really good to meet you and thanks for the kind words at the show, I'm glad you've been happy with the service! Good to hear you enjoyed the day as well, we had a good time ourselves.
8)
Aksu, no more of an obsession than men who travel all over Europe wearing football shirts.
I posted a video of some of the stuff I saw at Salute on our club site:
http://www.the-ancients.com/gemigabok/salute-2015/
Cheers,
Aksu
Excellent production, Aksu. I like a man who can shoot a video without waving the camera about.
Ummm... thank you I suppose, I was driven to tears with the shaky footage and trying to salvage something worth editing... I really wish I had brought a monopod or something along.
Cheers,
Aksu
I thought it was great, Aksu. Thoroughly enjoyed it. =D>
Same here !
Cheers - Phil
I liked it - your shots added to what I had already seen in still photos.
Terrific Aksu, and saved me a small fortune in getting there. Loved the shot of the burning church with the smoke pouring out.