A real old-school classic of a game, featuring many hundreds of 40mm Semi-flat home cast models and using Charles Grants 'The War Game' as its' rules:
Now this may only appeal to gamers of a certain age, but this for me is the pure tonic to all those games with scenery that looks like a work of art and figures painted to insane levels of highlights and detail. And yes I'm clearly guilty of both, and photos from the rest of the show will show most other people are too.
Nevertheless the appearance of a game like this takes me back to my inner child; I mean, look how gorgeous that artillery appears:
And there is a certain undeniable charm to the serried ranks of perfectly uniform infantry.
Figures like these (or rather their half sized Spencer Smith counterparts) and the background of Charles Grant's own campaigns launched a thousand Imagination's, and it's not hard to see why. There is such purity to games like this, that are really about the battle itself rather than the figures, rules, terrain or other intrusions.
This game in short was everything wargaming should be at it's heart, and I applaud that. Not that there's anything wrong with any other kind of gaming, but we all need to be reminded what it is we are really doing, and this game certainly did!
It looks wonderful . . . and, of course, it is so very nostalgic too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing it with those of us who couldn't be there.
-- Jeff
I know what you mean entirely, BUT - it's not my nostalgia! My inspiration was the early Gilder stuff, I have really examined this stuff, rules, toys and all and concluded that this is not for me. It looks fabulous and I love the devotion to imaginations, if I did this as nostalgia I would feel like fraud.
ReplyDeleteGlad that's off my chest - and rest!
Cheers
JJ
The game looked great but I wish the Ilkley lads had bothered to talk to the public. I was there on Saturday and waited at the table whilst they moved some figures only to have them launchi into a group discussion and ignore the public (there were three of us watching). By contrast the Stonewallers next door were happy to talk for as long as YOU wanted.
ReplyDeleteProfound observations and also very true! Lovely game.
ReplyDeleteAWESOME!!! This takes me back to some very happy days from long ago. I love it.
ReplyDeleteGrimsby Gamer
ReplyDeleteI am surprised that no one spoke to you.
I spent 95% of the time talking to the public and I know the others did as well. I actively went to people and spoke to them about the game, rules and figures we used.
Given the amount of effort into talking to the public I am slightly peeved about your comments. Particularly as talking to the public is the key reason we put games on.
I am not sure what else we could of done as well as playing the game.
I know I just wont bother putting any more games on.
Mark
It looked fantastic and every figure hand casted by the guys from Prince August Moulds!
ReplyDeleteWell for the record, one of the chaps talked quite readily to me when I stopped to take photo's, and generally I don't look to chat, I'm just taking pictures...
ReplyDeleteMark,
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't worry aboiut it. This was a lovely event form the pics, and over the course of several hours conditions tableside may vary. I'd view the comment as constructive criticism (if even that level), and move on... and please keep ruinning games!
Peter
to be fair to Grimsby Mariner he puts his money where his mouth is he ran the game at Triples last year that won best demo game for Grimsby Club and the point of the weekend was to interact with the public having a dedicated chatter upper throughout the weekend and giving away over 100 sets of the club rules. Maybe he did catch you at a non representative time but I know it would be meant as fair criticism and his honest opinion.I know how much work goes into any display and your game seems to have won plenty of admirers.Presumably you and your club enjoy putting games on and the comment about giving up putting on display games because of some criticism recieved seems a bit over the top.You cant please all the people all the time!
ReplyDeleteDave Tuck