Reveille 2012

One of my favourite wargames show is Reveille II, held at the Lincombe Barn centre in Downend, Bristol. Its not a big show but its my local show where I enjoy the "social" side of gaming rather than the shopping experience which was last week). I've just returned early from this year's show to help out the "gels" as they get their ponies ready for an event at Tumpy Green. This year's show was, as always, a lovely little affair. I took a few pictures, but a flat battery meant I only got shots of two games.

 

First off was the Escape Committee from Burnham on Sea who inveigled me into playing their USMC beach assault game. There being a ship involved I was duly given command and, having endured some accurate fire from a Japanese coastal battery my first return shot detonated his magazine and blew the battery to pieces. Not bad for a first fire, but as the Amtracs closed on the beach and disgorged their troops into the maw of the enemy I found targets drying up (there being no enthusiasm for a "danger close" fire mission!). I did however survive at attack froma  lone "Kate" torpedo bomber which narrowly missed my ship (as I narowly missed him wth my AAA). Still, a lovely game with some beautifully painted models.

The second game I snapped was the battle of Camden from the American War of Independence. This game was staged by my old friends in the Abbey Wood Irregulars (a group of whom I am technically a member but rather more irregular than most as they now play in Frome and I've moved another 30 minutes further away. But as always a lovely game and, as I left the British under Stephen "Cornwallis" Welford were giving the damned traitors a thorough going over :)

Apart from these two, Adrian Hussey's battle of Craonne was great to look at, the Lincombe Barn team were putting on their usual "Alien Squad Leader" game which went down very well, and also going down very well were some Danish floating batteries in a Napoleonic naval game run by D.O.G.S. of War - the game used the "Trafalgar" rules, heavily modified (as indeed they need to be :D )

Apart from that a good chance to chat with old friends, I missed a chance to chat with John Curry (sorry John), engaged in a debate as to whether X Wing was a rip off of Wings of War (verdict - "no") and I had a very nice and reasonably priced cup of tea. So, an excellent morning out, and I managed to get away with out spending too much - just some grass huts for my Sudan collection; six for two quid from The Square, which you can't complain about.