Battleground 2021 Report!

Started by Leon, 23 November 2021, 11:48:25 PM

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Leon

Due to Covid, preparation for this year's Battleground event had a different feel to our previous shows but the short-notice planning and the late advertising didn't seem to detract too much from the day and the feedback so far has been very positive.  As we've seen at some of the other shows recently, I think folks were just happy to get out and see some friends and play some games.  For many this was their first event since the start of the pandemic so we really appreciate you coming out and supporting the show.

The general show prep went well, the programmes arrived at the last minute on the Friday morning but the venue and tables were all fine this year.  There were some Covid guidelines in place on the campus so we'd asked folks to wear masks and we'd also spread out the traders/games to create more space in the hall. 

As with the 2019 event we saw a lot of people coming in the first hour with just over 300 through the door in the 10am-11am slot, which was a huge relief to be honest.  We had no idea what to expect from a Covid show and the shows that we've attended ourselves have been up and down in terms of visitor numbers, so no real trend that we could try to aim for at ours.  I'd hoped to get 300-400 overall during the day so to get off to such a good start definitely calmed the nerves a little.

We'd gone from 37 traders previously down to only 21 this year, but we'd given them all extra space to spread out and the hall didn't feel that different really.  Similarly with the games we'd put a few extra ft between each of them and the result was that the hall felt full but comfortable to move around.

The Tabletop Sale had returned after initially being removed for social distancing, and proved to be the popular feature that it usually is.  We had a few less advance bookings but still had all morning slots sold prior to opening and most of the afternoon slots filled up over the course of the day.  The folks on there reported some good sales so I hope they managed to shift some unwanted goodies (and then invested in some new goodies from the traders!)

Feedback from our traders has been good overall, most seemed happy with their takings with a couple reporting a downturn but at least one having their best Battleground, so it's a real mixed bag.  We're seeing this at all of the shows at the moment though so I think it's just another facet of Covid that we need to be aware of. 

Numbers-wise, we had fewer visitors this year as we'd expected, but it was only about a 20% drop in the end, so not as bad as it could have been.  Hopefully 2022 will finally see the end of the pandemic and we can all start going to our favourite events again.

.20132014201520162017201820192021
Traders5659686262646437
Gamers5248536785878846
Visitors498517469427607567596472
Re-Enactors000114101112
TOTAL606624590567758728759567


I'd personally like to thank everyone who came along this year, whether a visitor, gamer, trader or re-enactor.  Covid has and still is impacting all of us in all manner of ways and I know how nervous and worried many of you are about being around other people right now.  For so many of you to come along and support the show means a lot to me and the rest of the team, so thank you.

We'll have all of the photos uploaded to Facebook soon and we'll link any show reports below as well.  Battleground 2022 will be held on Saturday 26th November and we hope to see you there!


Herkybird's blog: http://herkybird-richardbradley.blogspot.com/2021/11/battleground-2021.html
Westerhope blog: http://westerhopewargames.blogspot.com/2021/11/battleground-report-2021.html
Independent Wargames blog: https://independentwargamesgroup.blogspot.com/2021/11/battleground-2021.html
Carryings On Up The Dale blog: https://www.carryingsonupthedale.com/2021/11/battleground-stockton-20-november-2021.html
Retro Attic Mancave YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEf3XkKugI8
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Techno II

Glad it went well, Leon. :-bd

Thanks for posting those links !

Cheers - Phil. :)


paulr

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Steve J

Really glad to hear it went well and given everything that's going on, the number don't seem too bad at all. Thanks for the links too.

jimduncanuk

If I were to slip into 'paranoic' mode I would be concerned that the latest group of Omicron covid cases in Scotland were from a 'single private event' dated 20th November but then again what would you consider to be a 'private event'. Surely not a wargames show.

My Ego forbids a signature.

Ithoriel

Well wargames shows are not funded from the public purse, Jim. :)

Perhaps the predictive text that changed "the omicron variant" to "the oh my god variant" knows something we don't.

I, for one, welcome our AI overlords :D
There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

steve_holmes_11


QuoteIf I were to slip into 'paranoic' mode I would be concerned that the latest group of Omicron covid cases in Scotland were from a 'single private event' dated 20th November but then again what would you consider to be a 'private event'. Surely not a wargames show.


Doffs Derstalker.

Well spotted Watson , but I'd expect an infection from a show from Stockton on Tees to create a broader cluster of cases.

Some, at least in Northern England.

Unless the 8 Scottish cases shared transport...

jimduncanuk

Quote from: steve_holmes_11 on 30 November 2021, 09:06:08 PMDoffs Derstalker.

Well spotted Watson , but I'd expect an infection from a show from Stockton on Tees to create a broader cluster of cases.

Some, at least in Northern England.

Unless the 8 Scottish cases shared transport...

9 in Scotland apparantly linked and 22 in total across UK. No other relevant information available.
My Ego forbids a signature.

steve_holmes_11


Quote9 in Scotland apparantly linked and 22 in total across UK. No other relevant information available.



We only have approximate locations.
And it's quite right that we have so little data.

Patients are entitled to confidentiality.
Precise details would allow identification, or allow dumb people to think they could guess who had it.
And let's face it, the last think the pandemic needs is more dumb people's opinions.

Confidentiality is key to preserving confidence in the system.
Fewer would report for tests if they thought their mugshots would appear on television as "Latest cases".
Folk would also be pretty disappointed if a subtext of "Toy soldier fans" or for that matter "Contemporary choir fans" spreading the illness was allowed to develop.
Imagine the effect on dumb people.