Salute 2012

Well, just back from really a rather quick visit to Salute.  Guy didn't come with me this year for the first time in ages as he had a shooting competition at Bisley.  I thought it was busier than last year and several stands I just couldn't get near; so no Captain Scarlet-type figures from Crooked Dice as they were three deep around there.  No doubt the Warlords big Captain Scarlet game had something to do with that although, for some reason, it didn't look as good in real life as in the photos on TMP the other day. 

I didn't think there were so many impressive looking games this year although the showstopper was the epic Retreat to Corunna game by Essex Gamesters.  There must have been thousands of figures on the table along with a town, waterside and ships.  Although perhaps it was more in the nature of a large diorama than an actual game.  It simultaneously made me want to do the Peninsula but, at the same time, also put me off as the sheer number of figures was so scary.  Hmm!

Even more impressive in some ways was the Peninsula game using Victrix 54mm figures.  I was sorely tempted by a box of these but realised that this was madness!  I had a look at their three-ups of their plastic Greeks and they look nicer than the Immortal/Warlord Games ones but they just didn't have any ready for Salute.  Only a few weeks, however, and I expect they will have them in Orc's nest.

Wargames Illustrated's big game was a Crimean War one and I had a good look at the Great War Miniatures figures again.  I'm still not entirely convinced by these though even though the range is getting quite comprehensive now.

Greens for more Light Brigade figures on the Warlord Stand

Russian three-ups under way

However, over at Warlord Games they not only had greens of British Hussars ready but before your very eyes the three-ups for a box of plastic Russians was being sculpted.  It sounds like Warlord really are going to put some oomph behind the Crimean range at last, following the recent release of the British lancers.

Other three-ups that caught my eye at the Warlord stand were for a new range of plastic Caesarian Romans.  These will be very difficult to resist, especially as I have quite a lot of Gallic and Germanic figures actually painted.

The Perry twins had announced a new range would be previewed at Salute and it turns out to be plastic WW2 North Africa.  Three-ups of the 8th Army and Afrika Korps figures were on display.  Now I don't do WW2 but if I did then North Africa would be it.  At least they're unlikely to be available for a couple of years.  More encouragingly, the twins said they were working flat out on figures for The Hobbit for Games Workshop at present.

I didn't buy much this year.  Some more Perry ACW (OK, six packs) and the new plastic Perry mounted Men-at-Arms.  I got a pack of the new resin girly pirates from Black Scorpion even though I haven't finished painting last year's special edition yet.  The new ones are, gratifyingly, even more unhistoric and politically incorrect than ever.   I bought two sets of rules, the Mutineer miniatures ones for the Indian Mutiny and Rob Broom's new War and Conquest, son of WAB, rules which might suit me.  I also bought some ACW fences from a firm that was new to me, The Last Valley scenics.  They also had some nice rivers, which I have been looking for for some time but unfortunately I couldn't carry them.  Could be a future internet order, though.

No doubt what the biggest "new" thing is though: Gripping Beast's Saga rules.  Their stand was heaving with people and the things I were after (Viking dice) had sold out.  Also they had released a limited edition (1000) sets of Skraelings which again, is something I have always wanted to game: Vikings in North America.  The Skraelings had all gone too though. Saga had a real buzz about it this year.

Finally, one other thing I bought yesterday before going to Salute was some of Games Workshop's new liquid Green Stuff.  It's absolute genius!  It's perfect for arm joins on plastic figures and it just paints on with a brush.  Its so much better than the tubes of plastic model filler I have been using up until now.  Best new wargames product since Little Big Men shield transfers, I reckon.

As a postscript who should I run into, signing on for the London Marathon next door, but one of my ex-girlfriends as featured in one of my recent posts.  I hadn't seen her since 1982.  She looked really fit in her little shorts.  We'll be meeting up again shortly (groan).   Heh, heh!