The Megalomaniac (Mwhaha): 09/30/13

Monday, 30 September 2013

Derby Worlds Day 2

I made it to Derby on Sunday arriving around 11ish and I had quite a jolly day browsing round all the traders and having the odd chat, and looking at the lovely games and mooching round the competitions. All in all a good 4 1/2 hours. Normally I go around twice but I only really managed one proper pass this time around not counting the odd return to a stall to finish off purchasing from the list. Always good to have a list stops the impulse buys which this year I was limited to 11 German and 3 British ready made and painted 20mm WW2 vehicles filling gaps in my collection bargain at £20, some Copplestone penguins, a David Nicolle book on the Ottomans and a book on the Swiss Civil War, plus a Police van deal and a car from Offensive Miniatures. Naturally having a list equally spurs you on to buy from the list. Items ticked off at Derby were the X Wing phase 3 ships, Zvezda 20mm German and Soviet medics, lots of spray paints and varnish followed by Plastic Soldier box of 20mm German half track variants.

A little disappointment at the show was that some of the games began to pack up at 3pm just as I was getting to them. In fairness one table then decided to play another game as I walked back but by then my camera battery was dead (I'd checked it the night before and it was OK, but 2 shots in to the day and it flashed red), and my phone camera was dead (this time my fault by forgetting to charge it on the drive down). My other disappoint was that I'd taken so long looking at the traders and games I missed seeing the Secrets of the Third Reich tournament. I arrived just as West Wind were giving out the awards. I do like looking at other gamers' figures. Talking of which there were some lovely competition armies in use as I wondered round, but no pictures mainly due to lack of batteries and most of the guys were engrossed in their games so I wouldn't disturb them even if I had working equipment.

As always I try and photo all the games, lingering over my favourites and this year I also took some photos of stuff that caught my eye on traders stands. If you've seen my previous mobile phone photos you'll know my paws tend to produce a little wobbly picture so apologies in advance. I did miss one game which was Great Escapes Dead Man Hand game, but I have photographed it before with it's great buildings and their nice figures.

Lovely Perry figures on Dave Thomas's stand, now with added CCTV to stop the thieves! I did take more pictures but having declined the offer to have the revolving stand stopped I suppose I wasn't surprised the rest were blurred.

Not a game but a display of Early War Miniatures 20mm terrain.

Early War Miniatures trench system benefiting from whoosh of flame

Early War Miniatures. The fox hole Brits caught my eye.

Early War Miniatures. I have a fondness for Dutch troops and German Blitzkrieg in the low countries. I don't own any but may be in the future.

Early War Miniatures French

Early War Miniatures Soviet

Instant railway terrain being sold by Magister Militum

Empire of the Dead game by West Wind. I loved the terrain particular the gas cylinder bottom right.

Empire of the Dead game by West Wind

Empire of the Dead game by West Wind. I think raised arches do give an industrial city feel to a game.

Empire of the Dead game by West Wind

Deer Slayer becomes Hawkeye by Derby Wargames Club using Musket and Tomahawk rules.

Battle of Bosworth by the Society of Ancients. Photo captures Richard III meeting his doom again!

Big Zepplin. Nothing else to add!

1812 Quick Step by Baccus

Close up of 6mm Cossacks by Baccus on the 1812 Quick Step board.

1812 Quick Step by Baccus

Crossing the Meuse 1940 by Leeds. The German blitzkrieg hits an obstacle in 10mm using Blitzkrieg Commander rules

Crossing the Meuse 1940 by Leeds

Crossing the Meuse 1940 by Leeds. See how a cleverly cut the bottom off the handout!

Crossing the Meuse 1940 by Leeds. Germans clearly crossing. The Allied plan is obviously not working.

Crossing the Meuse 1940 by Leeds

Water War in Whitefield County - 28mm Wild West by Cobridge Old Contemptibles using Dead Man's Hand rules.

Water War in Whitefield County - 28mm Wild West by Cobridge Old Contemptibles using Dead Man's Hand rules. One day I'll own one of these gallows.

Water War in Whitefield County - 28mm Wild West by Cobridge Old Contemptibles using Dead Man's Hand rules.

Necromunda game by Pennine Raiders using the GW rules of the same name. SciFi 28mm

Necromunda game by Pennine Raiders

20mm Battle Group Overlord game by Pennine Raiders

Flodden 1513 by Like a Stone Wall Wargames Group 28mm topical medieval fun

Flodden 1513 by Like a Stone Wall Wargames Group

Battle for Tunisia 1943 28mm WW2 combat by Derby Wargames Club. I'd seen this game at Partizan and it was still looking good at Derby.

Battle for Tunisia 1943 28mm WW2 combat by Derby Wargames Club

Dropzone Commander by Hawk Wargames. 10mm SciFi goodness. The quality of these figures is excellent, and I love the card terrain.

Dropzone Commander by Hawk Wargames

Faniticide (Alien Dungeon) by the Coalville Centurions. The hosts of this game using the rules of the same name explained it is a flexible set of rules with event cards that allow you to generate your own teams from fantasy, historical (pulp) and at a push SciFi. I think I scored points because I'd heard of the rules.

Faniticide (Alien Dungeon) by the Coalville Centurions

D Day Dice by e-Collectica where you get to attack the German machine gun. As their strap line says, it's dicey business.

Battle of Trafalgar 1984 by Border Reivers Wargame Society. 28mm Cold War what if scenario

Battle of Trafalgar 1984 by Border Reivers Wargame Society

Battle of Trafalgar 1984 by Border Reivers Wargame Society. Soviet troops take cover behind their tanks.

Battle of Trafalgar 1984 by Border Reivers Wargame Society. Nelson's column not looking so grand

Battle of Trafalgar 1984 by Border Reivers Wargame Society

Battle of Trafalgar 1984 by Border Reivers Wargame Society. British counter attack

Battle of Trafalgar 1984 by Border Reivers Wargame Society

Battle of Trafalgar 1984 by Border Reivers Wargame Society. The Iron Lady herself.

Battle of Trafalgar 1984 by Border Reivers Wargame Society

Bolt Action game by Sarge. 28mm WW2 skirmish

Talking of Bolt Action here is Warlord Games's Pegasus Bridge. Magnificent.

Warlord Games's Pegasus Bridge

Panzer Welt, Normandy 1944 by Cranwell Old Dirigibles. The aim of the game is to become a panzer ace.

Open Fire a Flames of War WW2 15mm game by COGS

Cole's ridge (Sorauren 28th July 1813) by the L'Orde Mixte Club. French attack the ridge.

Cole's ridge (Sorauren 28th July 1813) by the L'Orde Mixte Club

Battle of Hedgeley Moor 1464 by the Lance and Longbow Society a 28mm Yorkist clash with the Lancastrians.

Battle of Hedgeley Moor 1464 by the Lance and Longbow Society

Battle of Hedgeley Moor 1464 by the Lance and Longbow Society.Nice hand made flags.

I think this game was Once Upon a Time a Story Book game by COGS. The young female crowd around this game were having a ball. I thought the burning Wicker man nicely hid the fact that apparently on Saturday an enthusiastic punter knocked it off the table and broke it's head.

I think this game was Once Upon a Time a Story Book game by COGS

Baghavard 1745 a 6mm game by the Boondock Sayntes using the Maurice rules where the Persians slog it out with the Ottomans. Now these chaps have style, well know for donning military dinner dress and quaffing wine. This year the game game with a display. Splendid.

Baghavard 1745 a 6mm game by the Boondock Sayntes using the Maurice rules

Baghavard 1745 a 6mm game by the Boondock Sayntes using the Maurice rules. The elephant on the left was lit up with blue lights and looked great.

Baghavard 1745 a 6mm game by the Boondock Sayntes using the Maurice rules

Crossed Lances and 28mm Medieval joust game by First Corps

20mm Fall of the Reich game using Battle Group rules by Plastic Soldier company. I'm looking forward to this new book coming out and it was great to see the game played by the author and friends. Great terrain.

20mm Fall of the Reich game using Battle Group rules by Plastic Soldier company

20mm Fall of the Reich game using Battle Group rules by Plastic Soldier company. I liked the use of tank riders mounted on a small square base and placed on the tank to show there is a unit mounted on it. I'll steal that idea.

20mm Fall of the Reich game using Battle Group rules by Plastic Soldier company

20mm Fall of the Reich game using Battle Group rules by Plastic Soldier company. The factory gets pasted. Apparently this factory square was donated for free by a friend of author if the Battle Group rules. I'd like more friends like that.

20mm Fall of the Reich game using Battle Group rules by Plastic Soldier company

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20mm Fall of the Reich game using Battle Group rules by Plastic Soldier company

WW2 Soviets vs Germans hosts unknown

Malifaux game by Wyrd Henchmen a 28mm steampunk skirmish

28mm Escape from Peach Trees game by Urban Construct where Judge Dredd tries to get his arrested perp out of the slum tower. The game was well advanced by the time I arrived and the tower had been pulled a part to allow access to the different levels.

28mm Judge Dredd in a Escape from Peach Trees game by Urban Construct

Quest a 28mm fantasy game by Reading Independent Wargamers

Stonne 1940 by Sons of Simon DeMontfort. A 28mm WW2 skirmish with French defending against the Germans using Chain of Command

Stonne 1940 by Sons of Simon DeMontfort. The French

Stonne 1940 by Sons of Simon DeMontfort

Manoeuvre Group 1/72 tank combat by KB Club

Wings of War WW1 by Wings of Glory Aerodrome Forum

RCT with their radio controlled tanks

Not a game but a display of what could be from Battle Systems.They hope this product will go to Kickstarter on the 18th October supply chain issues dependent. Price wise they hope they can get this set or a version of it retailing for around £60 to £70. Lots of hopes in those sentences but it was right to set my expectation as launching a product is a tricky business. You need to make money and it needs to be sustainable and every businesses favourite scalable.

Battle Systems kickstarter terrain. It looks great and if I'm not in a position to support it, I hope to buy the finished product. The design looks great, lots of atmosphere and it is easy to set up and configure with lots of layout options. Compared to MDF terrain I think this could be a winner.

Battle Systems kickstarter terrain

Battle Systems kickstarter terrain. Tucked in to this picture is a medical centre that may not be in the Kickstarter but perhaps something for the future. It looked great. Zombie breakout scenarios started running through my head.

Battle Systems current product range of PDF print and make terrain. I like the glossy look for the smarter Sci Fi locations. I though the terrain compliments the planned box set as you can have the smart offices on one level then take the game down to the grubbier levels.

Mantic's Dead Zone game. Very nice 28mm figures. I loved the plague dogs.

Mantic's Dread Ball

Fantasy game

Booster Ridge, Yom Kippur War by the Leicester Phat Cats. The last line of defence in the Valley of Tears. 20mm Syrians and Israelis duke it out. This was a great looking game, and my pictures don't do it justice.

Booster Ridge, Yom Kippur War by the Leicester Phat Cats

Booster Ridge, Yom Kippur War by the Leicester Phat Cats the rules

Booster Ridge, Yom Kippur War by the Leicester Phat Cats

28mm War Gods of Aegyptus by Stoke on Trent Wargames Group

54mm Sudan by the Skirmish Wargamers

Dystopian Wars naval fleet action by Burton and District Wargaming Club

Battle of Balaclava by Stoke on Trent Wargames Group. The game showed both valleys and had the light brigade and the heavy brigade in action all in 15mm.