Border Reiver 2010 – AAR

First weekend of September and the annual Border Reiver Wargames Show takes place at Newcastle’s Arena (well, the entrance area!). I usually make this show every year and it’s a good one to catch up on people from local clubs which, given that I rarely get down anywhere to game, is the only time I see them! As ever, the venue was a little poorly lit but this year everything seemed a little more spaced out so it seemed to minimise this effect. Apart maybe from Mutineer Miniatures who were partly stuck under a staircase so suffered a little from the traditional gloom!

The bar area to the right was this year opened up to traders (Mutineer and Gateshead Gaming) which gave them both more space. I’m a big fan of Mutineer and they have done my rivers for me. I had wanted to buy some more tufts but for the life of me couldn’t remember the exact colour I currently use! Mail order it will have to be. There was discussion of starting the Tufty Club where you got a stamp for each pack of tufts you buy and then a bonus when you get a full card! Sounds like a good idea to me!

In the usual gloom I pretty well gave up on taking pictures but did towards the end I snapped a few with my phone. First up was Lloyds lovely looking participation game with Egyptians and Nubians (I think):

You can find more about Lloyd’s activities and his views on wargaming on his website www.LloydianAspects.co.uk.

Tyneside Wargames Club were doing a Thirty Year War game using a modified set of the Club’s own Great Captain rules. I only caught a picture right at the end but it seemed to go well and I saw at least one punter sat with his coffee looking a newly bought copy of the rules!

Adjacent to them and in a prime light spot was an excellent Napoleonic game by Falkirk District Wargames Club:

 

My crappy photos do not do justice to some lovely figures. I’m not a big fan of hex based terrain but this lot did look nice.

There were other games on show (a rather nice 15mm snow based Sci-Fi game which almost had me cracking and looking at some 15mm figures from Critical Mass Games! There was a small FoW games, a nice ‘Old School’ Zulu game (sorry not sure who by) and the local boardgames club had a large table showing off three games.

The Bring and Buy was at the far left with a good length of table and plenty of space around to facilitate browsing. All important to me as I had a few things on the bring and buy to sell! Came away with £60 which was fine, and as some was the last stuff of the batch I’m selling for someone else it was good to clear them. The rest of my spare lead will have to go the eBay route – when I can get organised to sort it out!

It was good to meet up with Phil, Ian and others of the Tyneside Club as well as the CWC guys from North Shields. And the usual chats with the people and traders I only ever meet at Shows! Dave at Caliver was happy about the success of General de Brigade Deluxe and I’m looking forward to the prospect of a British Grenadier Deluxe as there are some excellent AWI collections around to fill it out with eye candy! And it was good to see Neil, my longstanding ASL opponent who I haven’t played for nigh on two years! Kids… etc.

Purchases: being of financial paucity at the moment I had decided to be very restrained in any purchases and I achieved this admirably – much to my relief and that of my wife! I only bought a Town Pack of 6mm buildings from Mainly Military, a couple of warehouses and some Vallejo washes. All in all, very restrained. All I need now is to paint the buggers!

Anyway, it was an excellent little show and seemed to go without any hitches so roll on next year! In the meantime I have Derby lined up next month and Smoggycon in November. My wife and wallet tremble at the prospect! 🙂