Carronade, Falkirk - Sat 25th Sept

[paulr]

Best of luck all, I hope the show goes really well

[steve_holmes_11]

Just a quick reminder to check the Website info up top, the entrance is on the opposite side of the building to normal this year to keep that other area clear as it's always been a bit of a choke point.

Yep - Three key points:
* Entrance through the East Gate (Not the usual West)
* 4 quid entrance fee (or a Fiver for families).
* Masks mandatory.

[Techno II]

Have a good one, Guys !

Cheers - Phil.

[steve_holmes_11]

It's 43 miles to Falkirk, I've got a full tank of gas, a backpack and four pre-orders.

Carronade took place on the fashionably late date of Sept 25th, rescheduled from early summer to avoid any potential lockdowns.

The Drive there (almost all motorway) was smooth and enjoyable, maybe weekend drivers were staying home to conserve fuel.
Parking, at the parklands complex was busier than usual (I think  the Council were working weekends).
A gentle stroll through Callendar Park (Running the gauntlet of Park runners), past the Antinine wall and I was at the show entrance some 15 minutes after opening.

Inside was less crowded than previous visits, but still well attended.

Removing games from the centre corridor was a distinct improvement - the place is usually a massive ruck as people attempt to play, shop and squeeze through a very limited space.
The very large Warlord Games display wasn't present this year, and this probably accounted for  the lack of crowding in hall 3.

I had 4 pre-orders, which I intended to pick up later, and didn't intend to stay from "gun to tape", so set off to look at the games.
There were fewer participation games than usual - understandable with the virus still present.
Several interesting looking games, and I stopped to speak with players who were willing to communicate.

Credit to the Wellington in India (Tyneside I think) and Lutzen (Glasgow Tradeston).
Both had games that progressed throughout the day, and spared club members to describe the battle and its context.
The Wellington guys also had a great display of books and reproduction weapons.

The painting contest was tucked away upstairs, very few entries, mostly fantasy pieces painted to  remarkable standard.

I bumped into old friend and opponent Hugh and his son.
We planned to meet up for a game (real soon now).
I failed to recognise Westmarcher of this parish, who had planned to attend.

Then a swift tour to pick up the orders.
Kallistra - Taerrain, Colonel Bill - Paint, Magnetic Displays - Guess, Pendraken - Flock and buildings. I also dropped off some Tunnocks Caramel Wafers for the return journey.

Avoided any expensive impulse buys.


Observations:
It was great to get back to a show after over 2 years.
Slightly emptier than usual is good for the customer, more civilised shopping and less mosh-pit.
(On departure the door guys reported 500 paying attendees, compared to a usual 700), I think people were also less inclined to hang about for the whole day.

Pendraken's stand appeared to be doing a good trade, twice a rolled up and the place was jammed to I retired to come back later.
Even after lunch there were queues, so no opportunity for lengthy chat about business, the hobby and he show in general.

I certainly felt it was a worthwhile visit.
I hope all the traders and clubs also found it worthwhile, as they make the show what it is.

Finally a word of thanks to the Falkirk club for all their behind the scenes work to make the show possible.

[Steve J]

Thanks for the feedback on the show Steve and it will be interesting to see how Partizan compares in a few weeks time.

[Westmarcher]

Yep (as you now know), I was there, Steve. Slightly later than planned but how I missed you, I don't know. Didn't see Jim either or anyone else for that matter (except Leon and Adele). Not helped by the universal wearing of masks. What were you wearing? I did see a guy whose gait, for a second, seemed like yours but as he was heading to the Gents in a rush, so I didn't wish to call him back (and he was wearing a backpack! And shorts?)!    I, too, spoke to the Tradeston guys (as they were near the Pendraken stand, this was obviously the social end) who were happy to demonstrate the mechanics of their new Thirty Years War rules ... but i didn't bite (I don't need another period at present, thanks. Also with Leon, being the last customer to pick up his pre-show orders. A lot of good demo games there and good to experience that war-games show vibe again after so long but slightly marred by the lingering shadow of Covid as we all trooped around in masks (which annoyingly steamed up my specs now and again ).   

[jimduncanuk]

Great day at Carronade today.

Well done the guys in the Falkirk club. You pulled it off in the most difficult of circumstances.

Look forward to next year.

[jimduncanuk]

Yes Westie, you missed me and I you.

I did only stay for the morning as I was on stiff restrictions from the good lady as I haven't been the best recently.

Got pretty well all I had planned to purchase so am happy.

Roll on next year.

[Ithoriel]

I did only stay for the morning as I was on stiff restrictions from the good lady as I haven't been the best recently.

Sorry to hear that Jim, hope that's a very temporary thing.

Roll on next year.

Hear! Hear!

[steve_holmes_11]

Certainly wasn't wearing shorts.
And I didn't avail myself of the Graeme High School toilets - having used the ones at Callander Park on my way up.
A splendid stroll in the shadow of the Antonine wall.

The punters already have to endure masks, I think my long thin hairy legs are the last "promotion" the organisers need.

[paulr]

Good to hear it all seems to have gone well

[Techno II]

Ditto !! 

Cheers - Phil.

[Westmarcher]

Certainly wasn't wearing shorts.
And I didn't avail myself of the Graeme High School toilets - having used the ones at Callander Park on my way up.
A splendid stroll in the shadow of the Antonine wall.

The punters already have to endure masks, I think my long thin hairy legs are the last "promotion" the organisers need.

Relieved to read that - it certainly was a fashion faux pas!     

Also relieved I didn't shout after "you" - but that was one of the issues with everyone wearing masks; when I strolled up to the Tradeston game, one of the guys also mistook me for someone else.

[fred.]

Sounds like it was a good day out.

I can't say I'm rushing to get back to shows - not that I went to that many anyway.

In some ways the show sounds better with fewer attendees, with more space and less crowding. But the obvious downside is that there are less people to spend money. Although this may be tempered a bit as those who where least likely to spend are probably the most likely to have not attended. And you never know for those that did attend, if you can see more, you might spend more...

[Genom]

It seemed to go really well, certainly from the hall I was looking after (with the canteen) all the clubs and traders reported a having had a good day and we got similar reports back from the other halls as well.

So from a worried group putting the show on and really not knowing what was going to happen, I think it was a success under the circumstances and a big thank you to everyone.

As an aside everyone seems to have quite liked not having any games in the central hall, might try and keep that in the future.