Castle Donnington Show and Shopping

It's taken a few days to get round to doing my report on Donnington World Wargames Championship. Indeed I am still getting over the day as it was as tough on the body as it was on the wallet!!!

As for many old hands the shows real big moments has to be meeting up with lots of friends who I only get to see at the shows. This one was no different other than a few who I did not get to see. My son was really good as he is getting used to this part of the show and he likes to meet up with people he has met at previous show. Still expecting a seven year old to stand still whilst Dad talks to mates when all you want to do is spend money and play games is a trial. 

Fortunately Derek was running a WWI gallop game that he was able to get not one but two games in whilst I was talking to Peter at Baccus and being relieved of funds. My son has now played three WWI games in his short career that's one more than I have in well over 20 years of play. More on his WWI doings later in this post.

We had planned on his getting revenge on me at Dead Man's Hand but though we visited the table five times during the show no one was at the table nor any information to say why the figures a tape measure and a Quick Reference Sheet were left abandoned. So we left without getting in a game, more shame to running a so called display game.

So I was very pleased The Manchester Mob put on a very fun Squig Race  that after many changes in fortune saw my son win after both his Nephew and Father take the lead but be found wanting at the final hurdle. The smile on his face was well worth the whole trip and he saved his treasure of a chocolate was saved till he got home so he could proudly show his prize to his sister and mum.

From comments I gather it was a lot busier than the year before. I can't honestly remember but it was nice and busy. However Sunday according to one friend was very quite but easy to shop. Dr. Mike was showing his skills and sharing ideas in his 6mm clinic. It's always good to see new converts and 6mm painters honing their skills as this can only strengthen the hobby and he has to be recognised for the tireless efforts he puts in. My son wanted to have a go at painting some WWI 6mm figs as he received some at The Joy of Six. When I finish the base in a day or two I will blog them as I have to say I am very proud of his work and it should be a lesson to any who say they can't paint that scale.

I will also do a separate post on some fabulous gifts from a mate for my son to enjoy. He also was given some more 6mm figures by Peter at Baccus, not sure of the need as the boy is hooked on 6mm but Thanks Peter I am thinking I will be getting into more periods in 6mm than I can hope to get through LOL. That I guess leads me onto what I bought, well here goes.

First up is the KR Multicase figure box. Mostly this is to hold the roleplaying figures that are otherwise going to be subject to more mishaps and a general reduction in looks as they really need to be accessible but out of the way. I have also put our Saga and cowboy figures in it but this is more a temporary home that will chop and change as we need to take one or the other on the road as I can see the odd game being played over at Lee's of both.

I needed static grass and a few paints so was happy to pick up one summer and two autumn grass with Lee buying the same so these have been added to my original fast diminishing stocks that will see me through the next 1-2 years. Also in the carrier bag given on entry was a pack of bases, I ended up with three packs all told. Also in the bags were some Napoleonic French Line Infantry trees that my son will have the chance to paint up once I have assembled them. I picked up five of the six paints I was after, the one I did not get I still have a reasonable amount left so no worries there.

The new French Napoleonic figures just released by Baccus was available so I grabbed them these being Guard Infantry in Greatcoats NFR28 skirmishers for sameNFR29, Guard foot and horse artillery NFR34T and NFR33S none of which I need for Project Waterloo but I will get some of each painted up regardless.

Sticking with Baccus I also picked up a few packs of ancients, enough to put together a decent sized pike phalanx, six elephants and saka horse archers. These I will start work on in the distant future when I want to do something different. I expect to start them sometime next year before any of the major shows I will be able to get to.

Can anyone guess what I have bought these sweeping brush bristles for? It was a great idea Dr. Mike let me in on and if it works for me as well as it has for him I will be a very happy boy.

The Baccus French might not be for Project Waterloo but this is. It's the Timecast La Belle Alliance Inn and it's quite likely to be the only building on the boards that will not be Leven. Mike has no plans as things stand on doing the building so I have got it from Timecast. Not that I want you to think I have anything against Timecast far from it, but we do need this building for the game and to be honest it would have been great to only use Leven as we simply have hundreds of them between us. This is a very nice model and will be fun to paint up once I have space on the table for it.

Four coffins for the cowboys, after all you need things to hide behind and put the losing side in. I thought £4 for four coffins was a real bargain and they look like they will paint up a treat. I really do like how the Warebases range is growing and look forward to getting more things from them in the future.

Last and no means least was five buildings and a gallows from Sarissa Precision. I bought four smaller buildings and one larger store, these are basic kits but perfect for what we want. I noticed Lee was looking at them and licking his lips, no doubt he will be getting some of his own in the future. Actually I doubt I will stick at these but lets see how many I get done and what I make of them first. I have made up the one building just to see and will start to paint it up once I have the table clear of the 6mm hoard I am working on at the moment.