SMOGGYCON 2013

Today was SMOGGYCON. I quite like this show and was pleased to see it appear on the calendar a couple of years ago as a sort of replacement for the Stockton shows (which now have a proper replacement with A Call to Muster). I’ve always enjoyed the shows. Good range of traders and always a chatty friendly show. This year the organisation had been taken over by Pendraken and they did an excellent job. Well publicised well in advance and although I’m sure they had their traumas in the background but as a punter it all seemed to go very well!

I arrived at 9.45 and got in promptly having been handed a blue wristband to allow re-entry and a neat ‘guide’ to the show. The wristband is a good idea but I can imagine a few of the more ‘substantial’ punters losing feeling in their hand after a couple of hours! 🙂

There was no bring and buy and again this year they went for the flea market approach. I’d been critical of this the first time I saw it at York when they moved to the format but to be honest it seems to work quite well. And it’s good to see the tables changing and new stuff appearing.

There was a good range of display games on display and I’ve posted a few picture in a gallery here: SMOGGYCON 2013

The highlights for me were Border Reiver’s Battle of Trafalgar 1984 with some excellent models and a popular theme for the North!

I was also taken with the Lancaster Cellarmen Second Day at Gettysburg. A very neat looking 6mm game. Plus point was they had a useful handout explaining where everything they used came from. I particularly like the trees made from dried Alder and Casuarina cones. A good way to get good ground coverage cheap!

And my final pick goes to Brompton Bankers’ The Chronicles of Toytown. An excellent looking little game and very nicely presented.

Although the gallery is up it may take me a while to fill in all the details for the pics. And as with last year, the pics from the main hall suffered from the dreaded ‘yellow light’ but overall they are not too bad.

The Haul!

I didn’t really have a huge shopping list but managed to find a few things! I’d arranged with Martin at Warbases to pick up some sample sabots I want to use for basing my 28mm ImagiNation artillery (idea courtesy of World2Dave). And after numerous exchanges with Essex Boy I picked up some SYW limbers from Irregular (thanks to Ian Kay for sorting the order really quickly). From Tim W on the flea market I’d arranged to pick up a GHQ 8th Army combat command to add to the North Africa project for 2014 2015 2016… And thanks to Leon for sorting a small order at the last minute as well!

Summary

As last year, a really enjoyable show. Spent a lot of time chatting with Goat Major, Peeler, NDL and other WD3’ers and with assorted chaps from the Tyneside Club. Grabbed everything I needed and got home in time to not annoy my wife! As I emptied my bag this evening I noticed a flier I’d missed. Next year the show is moving back to Stockton and becomes Battleground. Details here: Battleground Show. Based on today I’m sure Leon and crew will put together an excellent show and it’s already in my diary.

Only minor downside (apart from the lighting) was the queue for the food. They just weren’t geared up for that many customers. Not a major hassle but if I’d been more pushed for time it may have been. And academic following the move to a new venue!

Thanks again to Leon and Pendraken. An excellent day.

Andy