Claymore 2019

Just over a week ago now and here is my belated report on Claymore 2019.  It's great having a wargame show in Edinburgh that we don't have to travel too far to get to and most years it is pretty good with some interesting games and ideas on display.

I'm sure everything will be fine.

This year was a bit lack-lustre for some reason, I'm not sure why. There were a few empty tables meaning some expected groups just hadn't turned up, which was odd.  The traders were mostly there however, although I don't know how busy they were.  Anyway, here are some of the notable games that were on.

Up the Nile

The Iron Brigade's "Up the Nile" scenario (using the Partizan Press rules of the same name) concerned "a ripping yarn set in the sweltering head of the Sudan" (it says here), looked really nice and the buildings were great.  I'm not sure how those lads wading past our old friends the Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) got on, however. 

View from the other end of the table

Just to add that I've been to the upper Nile (Lake Albert area) myself half a dozen times and admit I've never seen one.  Mind you, if I'd fallen off the Paraa ferry I expect they'd have turned up sharpish.

Pucharas in the mist (I'm gonna put a hex on you)

Another interesting game was a Falklands War public participation effort with the SAS attacking an Argentine airstrip (Pebble Island).  Pucharas are instantly recognisable, as are the typical tin sheds down there.

Naval gazing

There was also a really nice age of sail game set up by the Border Reivers.  Ships were 1/600 scale paper and wire efforts available as pdf downloads from War Artisan. They looked fantastic and after this I am seriously thinking of getting a few of them.

What shores?

The coastal terrain was also great with some scratch built buildings and various harbour pieces (and jolly boats) by Peter Pig.  Other games that caught my eye included:

• An interesting 15mm forest clash between the Finns and the Russians, with some nice figures and terrain (Gourock Wargames Association);

Can't see the wood for the trees

• A very long (about 5m long in fact) Vietnam convoy type game (SPIT Wargames);

Hue's that coming down the road?

• A rather nice 10mm depiction of the battle of Gitchen from the 1866 Austro-Prussian War (SESWC); and

Sun-dappled fields of death

• An Ottomans vs Imperials display (League of Augsberg) with a very impressive mortar firing off in the centre.

I seem to remember Baron von Munchausen riding one of those

Finally, apart from a few pre-cut bases, I actually bought something: some very useful looking 15mm African/Afghan buildings for my AK47 side-project, from those nice people at Pendraken/Minibits.

I love the smell of laser-cut MDF in the morning

Claymore 2018

Right, I know this is remarkably late and despite it already being mid-September by the time I'm getting round to writing this, it has to be said that the first week in August wouldn't be the first week in August within a visit to Scotland's premier wargame show, Claymore.

East Neuk Irregulars - Anglo-Iraq War 1941

Every year I marvel at long we've been coming to Claymore (since 1979 I think: estimates vary) and also how fashions and interests change.  For example this year there were no Very British Civil War (VBCW) games on at all, but then perhaps as something similarly pointless and costly is playing out inexorably in British politics at the moment, there's a reason for this.

Anyway, to the games and the ones that caught me eye (and/or could photograph before my phone filled up).  First up is Gourock Wargames Association and their D-Day Orne River Bridge game.

Getting the Orne just looking at this frankly.

I'm always impressed when a terrain piece is scratch-built and/or purchased that is so recognisable that it can only be used for one scenario.  That's dedication.  Then there was the Carry On Up the Khyber participation game (Leuchars Veterans) that looked quite good.

Just waiting for the Khazi of Kalabar to arrive.

One of my favourite Carry On films that, particularly the dinner party scene.  Also Terry Scott (Sgt MacNutt) asking Charles Hawtree (Pvt Widdle) what he was doing painting a red line across the compound "That's t thin red line - they'll never get past this!" "Widdle, if you don't get out of here, I'll paint a thin red line across your thick white backside!"  Ah classic stuff.

Another interesting one was the Iron Brigade's Napoleonic game, supposed to be a Seven Years War battle (Zorndorf?  I didn't write it down) so with Russians fighting Prussians.  I was confused by that at first.

Prussians v Russians

Finally in the 'atrium', there was an interesting one put on by Supreme Littleness Designs / University of Edinburgh.  This was a siege of Byblos crusader castle in Lebanon, which was billed as "wargame terrain and scenarios design meets academic research".

Byblos Castle

The idea was that this would be a fusion of game design, which is of course a 'big thing' at the moment, and no doubt subject to academic study itself, and the findings of medieval historians, one of whom (from Edinburgh University) was there to talk to (very interesting guy).  I was particularly interested because I had actually been to Byblos in 2001 so I knew what he was talking about.  Further information on the project can be found here.

Moving on to the main hall, I was impressed with East Neuk Irregulars' (they're from Fife) Anglo-Iraq War 1941.  I like the silver biplanes from that period especially.

Nice.

Staying in the main hall, the prize for the longest game (dimensionally) went to Chris & Pat Brown / Aberdeen Wargames Club with their Road to the Reich game.  I couldn't quite get it all into one shot.

I'm tired just looking at that

Other games included 'T in the Park' (Berlin 1945) by Kirrimuir Wargames Club that was getting an official prize of some sort at one point (best game?).

Russian tourists invade Berlin

That Reichstag got a fair old battering before and after the war didn't it.  Finally, there was the Suez 1956 game put on by the very friendly Gottenburg Gamers.

East of ... where was it again?

It was a participation game but we just chatted to one of the gamers (I forgot his name).  What was sorted out was that they weren't actually from Gottenburg or indeed Swedish, but were actually from East Lothian (near Edinburgh) and based in a pub called The Prestoungrange Gottenburg.  I think some of them were ex-SESWC.

So overall, another good year and I hope that I'll get more posts done in the months before August comes round again next year.

Claymore 2017

Well, it was a few weeks ago but I've finally got around to posting about Claymore 2017.  Sadly I was only able to be there for a couple of hours and didn't really get to speak to anyone but I did take a few pictures, which I thought I'd share.

First up is a very nice Napoleonic game pitting Bavarians (with some French backup) against Austrians.  I think this was put on by Falkirk and District Wargames Club using General d'Armee rules.

The figures were beautifully painted but as you can see it was early in the engagement so there wasn't much blood on the uniforms, yet.

Near it was a 'Halo' participation game that my teenage son spent half an hour on, so I have to show it.  Lots of dice to be thrown so I think he enjoyed it.

As usual the crew from Tyneside where there, using their versatile 'Great Captain' rules.  This year it was a battle outside the gates of Troy.  They always have a lot of figures on the table.

A particularly impressive game was the Crossing the Waal game (Nijmegen) during Operation Market Garden.

I've got a similar bridge myself, though made out of cardboard.  We played similar games ourselves in the past so this was fun to see.

A particularly colourful game was an 1877 Russo-Turkish War game and an attempt by Russians to force their way through a pass defended by Turks

Looked a bit tricky, particularly as the Turks were well placed and had all the high ground.

Another impressive game was the Burma 1944 Bolt Action demonstration put on by Chris & Pat Brown/Aberdeen Wargames Club.  I'd meant to say hello but it was so busy I couldn't get near them.

There were lots of things go on on that table but unfortunately I couldn't stay to see how it turned out.

I liked the Beaufighter on the airstrip.  One of my favourite aircraft, though sadly this one was a bit worse for wear.

Finally, there was this small game set in Indonesia (1962-66), one of those British end of empire 'police actions' that we aren't taught about in school.

There was certainly an impressive amount of foliage on the table and it has reminded me that I have a large box of plastic aquarium plants that need attending to.  Apparently there are some orangutans on the table though it was not clear which side they were on.

Anyway, despite only being able to spend the morning there, I was more organised than usual and actually had a few lists of things to buy should the appropriate traders be there.  I'm therefore glad to announce that I managed to add to my Blue Moon Malburian lead pile and also impulse bought this from Helion Books.

I'd never seen this series of books (Africa@War) before, but they are very interesting to me as I've got a couple of AK47 type armies looking for some inspiration.

The series has one on wars and insurgencies in Uganda (1971-1994), and as I know the country quite well (and have stumbled across abandoned munitions myself in allegedly undisturbed savanna) that is one of the series I intend to get.

Claymore 2016

Well it's that time of the year again, or rather it was, earlier this month.  Yes!  Edinburgh's premier wargames show Claymore 2016 has been upon us, as always on the first Saturday of August, staged brilliantly as usual by the SESWC.

Edinburgh, yesterday

And as usual it was very well attended with all the demonstrations, participation games and vendors you would expect to see.  Over the years trends are visible and this year for example I don't think I saw an eighteenth century or A Very British Civil War game.

What the hell, just invite everyone

However, there did seem to be a couple of Napoleonic Sharp Practice games on as well as various Dark Ages and WW2 games.

Italians defend the train

One game that caught my eye was the Falkirk and District Wargames Club Boxer Rebellion game.  Apparently every colonial nation available (including the Japanese) was on the table.

Pizza Express tests controversial new doughball delivery system

And it was comforting to see the WW2 games.  I think there were three on, including one using Flames of War, another Bolt Action and the last using Rapid Fire, which was nice to see.

Bolt Action, StuG IIIs

The Bolt Action game was Arnhem/Oosterbeek, put on by... actually I'm not sure who.  I didn't see much movement over the day but something must have been been happening.

Not Much Action, Oosterbeek

The Rapid Fire game was a refight of Tobruk over a very large table put on by one of Glasgow's clubs (Tradeston).  I think Glasgow has four clubs now, at least.

Tobruk - greener than I thought it would be

My particular delight, apart from learning that people still use Rapid Fire, was seeing the old Airfix gun emplacement on the beach.  I used to have one of those, but I think that all we've got left now is the hexagonal bunker that we cut holes in to make it into a free-standing pill box.

Any colour you like as long as it's grey

We've been attending Claymore since at least 1980 and now my son has started to come with us as well.  Being of the X-box generation he tends to like the futuristic sorts of things and so he spent over an hour hovering around the Dropzone Commander demonstration, put on by the Glasgow Games Group.

Dropzone Commander in progress

The game is one of those that has lots of supplements and vehicles that you can buy, with new factions coming out all the time.  I have to say that though, if you like that sort of thing, the hardwear is impressive (all at 10mm scale).

There really is a building a bit like this in Edinburgh.  It has a pub in it.

I also liked the futuristic urban terrain, all made by 4Ground.  Apparently they are laser-cut MDF with layers of printed card pre-applied, which means they don't have to be painted (unlike the models).

Strangely familiar.

Obviously each of the factions (I think there are four now) has different styles of vehicles with differing stats.  My son took part in a participation game and said he'd enjoyed it, so perhaps there is hope for migration away from the computer to the tabletop.

Russo-Japanese War naval - Old Glory ships

Other participation games included a Wings of Glory dogfight (I think it was WW1), Custer's Last Stand and a couple of others (Halo & Bloodbowl?), plus two Dark Ages games put on by Gripping Beast, using the new Sword Point and alternatively the SAGA rules.

Sword Point or SAGA, not sure which

The Pancho Villa participation game by Glasgow and District also looked very nice.

Mexican standoff

And here are a few random pictures of other games of interest.  I really need to get a new and better camera.

Ye "Cannae" break the laws of physics [Tyneside; Great Captain]

Iron Brigade ECW game

Finally, even though my shelves are groaning with books and rules, I went and bought the latest (3rd) edition of Chris Peers' Contemptible Little Armies and the Back of Beyond campaign supplement.

I've been thinking about this for a while, particularly as my work has recently taken me to a number of exotic places in Central Asia such as Tashkent, Ashgabad and the bed of the (former) Aral Sea, not to mention the western terminus of the Trans-Caspian Railway at Turkmenbashi (Türkmenbaşy, formerly known as Krasnovodsk) on the Caspian Sea.

This is what happens when you play billiards with a shotgun (never grows old)

All I need to do now is get those Copplestone Siberians and British sailors I bought five years ago painted up plus maybe a few Sikhs, Bolsheviks and archaeologists...