Feeling left out

[Norm]

I love a wargame show and will do 2 and hope for 4 per year. I always spend, but try and reserve the bulk of spending for the most local show as these things have to be a raw commercial success if they are to survive.

For the same reason I put money into my local and slightly dearer camera shop instead of internet buying because the spin off is that I always have a place to go to be like a pig in poo and I have best advice on hand and service is exceptional well, they are just nice people. It is a quality of life thing.

use it or lose it ...... or so I am told

[fsn]

I support the local model shop - even if they do mostly cater for Radio Controlled and model railway.

I bought an amount of railway track and they asked what kind of set up I had. When I said I was a wargamer they sort of looked at me like I'm not quite all there (yes, I do get that a lot) but they're very kind.

Now when I go in, they sort of keep an eye on me, and shepherd me away from the expensive RC stuff by distracting me with pretty flock or shiny paints.

The problem I have with shows is that they're just a distraction from the true path. I usually just end buying paint or get a great enthusiam for something. An enthusiasm that evaporates by the time I get home.

[Steve J]

I was at Salute today and to be honest I don't think you missed much. I collected my pre-orders and that was it. nothing jumped out and said buy me and none of the games inspired me to take a photo. Travel and entry was more than p&p would have been, I know that doesn't help with the feeling of missing out but I was disappointed this year.

In general agreement with you on this Ian. First time I've been and good to see the show, but much prefer Colours and WMMS as they are smaller, easier to get to and have all the traders I want to see. I did get to see the Lion Rampant game and play in it, which to be honest was one of the main reasons for going. Picked up a nice Pendraken pre-order and some more Empress Miniature moderns, both of which 'covered' the entrance and parking costs as it were. Sadly none of the games really jumped out at me and I wasn't driven to take any pics at all .

Overall view was that it is a big shopping trip for many, many gamers with a some games put on as a distraction. Once again most tables had little, if any information about what was going on, with only a couple actually having anyone to talk to the casual viewer. It was as if we were getting in the way at times...

Don't think I'll go again

[Steeleye]

I used to go to every wargames show I could get to. But, over the years the price of admission slowly went up until it was in the £10 region and of course there are travel costs to consider. Also as I'm having to watch the pennies these days I fell that money spent on fares and admission would be better spent on figures and paint. These days I only go to Salute every couple of years or so.

[jambo1]

I live way up in the North of Scotland and never have the time or inclination to haul my butt down the country to any shows, don't actually think I am missing out too much to be honest.

[Bodvoc]

I think all the adverts in the glossy magazines and on the internet tend to spoil anything that may be 'new' at a show as we have all seen everything before we go. I also find the price of travel restricts how far I am willing to go. Having said that I am hoping to go to Triples this year for the first time in several years as I hopefully have a couple of friends car-sharing with me thus reducing the cost.

[Last Hussar]

I know Campaign, I just didn't know it was called that- did a game with the Tring club there a few years back.  Because it's close and free its more dangerous

[skywalker]

But no one has mentioned the best show on the Wargaming calendar ............BATTLEGROUND 

[Hertsblue]

I was at Salute yesterday as a demonstrator and I must admit that without the free entry and free parking I would have thought twice about going. That said, I thought the crowds were bigger than last year and the queue at the Forge World stand was 20-30 yards long pretty well all day. There were a lot of high quality games there - quite a few in 10mm - and a really impressive six foot long, LED lit, space battleship which must have cost a fortune to put together.

From the point of view of the groups putting on games, I would point out that that the majority of the general public seem not to like being engaged in conversation by the players, and tend to shy away when engaged. Perhaps they think we're going to try to sell them something, or maybe they're just not interested in the game.  We managed to persuade some interested parties to join in our Old West shoot-em-up participation games, although we offered the chance to many more during the day. Those that played seemed to enjoy themselves.

The venue is big, and the concrete floor is unforgiving, it must be said (reminds me of my days as a security guard in the Pan Am warehouse at Heathrow back in the seventies), but there is plenty of room to spread out and there is none of the sidling sideways crush that there used to be at the old Kensington Town Hall or Olympia venues. I admit that if I had to get there from Scotland or the West Country I probably wouldn't bother, but then, I don't go to Edinburgh or Exeter either.     

[Steve J]

I must admit that without the free entry and free parking I would have thought twice about going.

If I had driven down on my own, paid for an advanced ticket and then parked at the venue, I would have shelled out £75 .

[Maenoferren]

Yep, the last time I got to a show was Glasgow around 2010. The only reason I got there then was that I was down with work and the flights worked.

[Sandinista]

Travel & entry was £22 for me yesterday

Cheers
Ian

[John Cook]

Anyone else feeling left out

Haven't attended a show in years - mainly due to cost. 

Travelling to and from anywhere in East Anglia is simply extortionate and more to the point downright painful. They always seem to be too far away from Payday (although Salute this year fell on payday but I'm having to watch the pennies as paying for accomodation and meals on my course which has wreaked havoc with my bank account!

Feeling distinctly isolated

Wait until you get to a certain age.  Huntingdon to Kings X on my 'Old Wrinklies' travel card, £11.50 return.  You see, you have something to look forward to 

[kustenjaeger]

What tipped me over into going was the realisation that as I now work in Canary Wharf (when I am not travelling) I was paying for a weekly season ticket that covered the transport. So the total cost was just £10 to get in (and the purchases and the £15.75 buying a 3 drink round for friends ...).

I didn't go last year. It certainly seemed busy this year.

I thought some of the games were interesting.  A nice little RF&F game with rolling terrain and few units demonstrated I didn't have to paint zillions of 10mm ACW to get s game.  There was a nice display of 10mm gunboats and 10mm coastal defences, set in Spain. 

Regards

Edward.

[Subedai]

I make it to Wargamer in B'ham (now Halesowen!) and WMMS in Wolves, and that's it - and that's only cos they're both local!

What happened to the show that used to be at Great Barr Leisure Centre later in the year, is that one still alive?