At my age I should have known better...

Well, today Phil and I went over to Nottingham to attend the R.O.B.I.N. show. I had been to the inaugural event two years previously and swore I wouldn’t waste a day again! I was drawn to go by some of the traders attending, especially Warbases, Irongate Scenics and TAG. From Warbases I needed a large base for my remaining Renaissance marquee, picked up at Penkridge Table Top Sale last month, and some other bases. All waiting for me as I walked through the door, you really can’t get better service. From Irongate Scenics I wanted the Bread Oven for our Renaissance town, to add minor life details, but I also got a small mill and bakery odds and ends to bring it all to life. Again, excellent service allied to a fine product. That leads me on to TAG: sadly not one of the packs of figures I’d hoped to see in the round before buying. In fact a rather desultory stand with one pack of what there was, but no complete range I could see. Result? Well, they lost two sales today. Perhaps I’m being unfair, but I got the impression they hadn’t made much effort with stock. I also bought two brushes from ABC Brushes, we will see how my £1.50 a brush turns out, I’ve had good reports from others on their performance.
I’m hardly the last of the big spenders there, am I? Besides shopping I enjoy meeting friends in the hobby, so today was a plus with a long and good natured natter with Duncan Macfarlne, once WI’s guiding light, and now Trent Miniatures, about the as yet still unmade Scots Greys and Heavy Cavalry Command sets. As ever, I live in hope...but I’m not holding my breath! Also a good chat with Laurence of Partizan fame and the chaps from Derby Wargames who were showing an excellent Great Northern War game.
That leads me on to the main source of dissatisfaction with the event, for theirs was the only wargame in the whole room. All the rest were the endless clones of 2’ x 2’ bijou games in a box! Not only that, but they were overwhelmingly of the fantasy persuasion, which you will all know I abhor! I may be a tad unkind, but do these little games lead anywhere, other than to another clone game? I might be persuaded to extend a pardon to the Blood and Plunder game, as at least it has some base in history, and to the sole WWII game using Chain of Command.  It’s no secret, but I am a sucker for the mega game with a cast of hundreds. Sadly disappointed today on that score...Here though is the Derby chaps’ Great Northern War game ~

But, a day out with my chum is never going to be brought low by a disappointing show. We had a grand natter, put the hobby to rights in no short order, and bought a few toys. Now, I have to get those scenic bits painted and based by 7th March, when Dan is popping into GHQ to take the photos to accompany my Italian Wars project article. I’ll be a bit busy I think for a few days.