Battleground 2024 - Pendrakon, Middlesbrough

Hats off to Pendrakon for organising Battleground 2024 in Middlesbrough on Saturday (see link below): 

https://www.battlegroundshow.co.uk/

I had the pleasure of hosting the Wargames Development (WD) Arnhem participation game: "A Bridge Too Far", that went down really well with the 'participation game punters' (see below, the classic well-trodden WD [courtesy of the designers, John Armatys and Jerry Elsmore] game in the foreground and I helped with a second game inspired by Phil Sabin's "Take That Bridge" in the background - where US Paratroopers try to rush a bridge on the outskirts of Eindoven, against randomly generated enemies [which could be fake or real, you don't know unless they start shooting]):

I think this is the furthest north (convention wise) "A Bridge Too Far" has travelled with WD (certainly this year). Everyone who played it remarked on how good it was and brought the story to life in 'ten minutes'. Copies of the WD circular, "The Nugget" was distributed to participants as a taste of what Wargames Developments do. One game was particularly poignant when a player remarked at a point on the map, "This is where we lost my uncle, his body was never recovered, but his Dakota reportedly made it to the jump-off point but didn't return, so we don't exactly know what happened." That made you stop and think, he would have been just be a young lad (see below, in memory, with respect to all that fought): 

One of the pains or requirements of presenting a game is that you never get the time you want to take in all the other beautiful games. Luckily there was this lovely Renaissance game was next to our table so I could periodically enjoy its gameplay (see below, Durham Wargames Group - Display Game C - The Sesia-Italian Wars, lovely 28mm Figures and Scenery, using Pike and Shot rules I think): 

In the afternoon I did achieve a "bucket list" conference tick, as I managed to get across to see (and play) Renko's Blood Red Skies (BRS) tournament set-up [beautiful planes and playing map], where my late war Spitfire IX Polish Pilots managed to take down a Spanish Blue Squadron ME 109G Hun, but sadly I was bested by a far better player (Leslie) who is a pleasure to play against (we have a history, flying Gloster Gladiators he managed to shoot down my Me 109E Ace of mine - it is the curse of the BRS dice and my poor rookie tactics). All said and done a brilliant game, BRS is something I must play more of (see below, my moment of glory captured for all to see, winning me a tournament prize of a Warlord Games Heinkel 111 squadron pack, perfect for my Battle of Britain Project): 

The bring and buy had many temptations, but sadly a few of the sprues (I always seem to go for the unmade stuff) were a but vague on the sizes [10mm, 12mm, 15mm so I could not in my heart commit], so I probably passed up on a couple of bargains. Though I did spy a curious one, for a £5 I picked up a copy of Avalon Hill's Flight Leader. Now most flight, particularly jet, simulations are a tad complex unless you love flight (which I see myself more of a BRS abstract passenger, rather than 2joystick jock") but I am hoping to at least get to the basic game level with this (see below, if for nothing else it has a beautiful game board that can be reused, so I have a "Plan B"):

Finally my sin, with a 10% show Warlord discount voucher in hand (another joy of the BRS competition) I saw my Achilles Heel and succumbed gladfully [no "convention day after" regrets here]- 2000AD ABC Warriors (see below, one word describes this set to me "Hammerstein", never heard of "Increase the Peace" so there may be a graphic novel too to buy in the future): 

 

I now know I have to get the complete ABC Warrior set (I do have a chunky Foundry [?] Hammerstein) but the Warlord offerings look impressive resin kits. The fact that ABC Rules are compatible with Judge Dredd seals the deal for me. I tool the opportunity to pick up Mongol too, as the figure looked brilliant. Happy days!  Other "normal" purchases were 20mm Vietnam casualties and 10mm MkVI British Light Tanks for my early war Western Desert Project (Command Decision - Benghazi Handicap).