Barrage 2019

I'm a firm believer in the old saw, if you don't use it you may loose it, when you apply it to small local shows. In that spirit I usually attend the twice yearly Penkridge TT Sale, Wargamer in its different guises, and Barrage in Stafford. They are all reasonably near to home, not overly expensive to get in, and I've usually managed to come away with useful additions to the Lead Pimple. So today I set off for Barrage held in Blessed Bill's in Stafford, in hope rather than expectation I will say.
It's a well established local show, well known for its bias towards Fantasy and Sci-Fi traders and gamers, though always with a decent showing from the historical branch of our hobby. I decided I'd get there for 10.00am, just as well for the car park was very nearly full by then and the queue to enter was around the building and back into the car park!

There are three halls making up the show, plus a foyer area, each with traders and games, many in organised competitions with a scattering of displays. Now, my antipathy towards gnomes and space pixies is well know to you all, so I'll pass that all by if you'll humour me. I have taken a few pictures of a few of the more historical offerings ~

 A 15mm Cold War Gone Hot game utilizing Team Yankee components gave me some ideas for 2020's project here in GHQ.

 Right next to it was a Saga game awaiting it's it's  participants. Not my sort of game, but I acknowledge it's it's popularity.

 A Desert War game caught my eye in passing, but I neglected to go back and note the details. Doh!

A couple of rows of Bolt Action tournament games were on offer. The usual sort of thing but clearly enjoyed by the participants.

My personal favourite though was the AWI game, not in my preferred 28mm scale sadly, but still a splendid sight!
In the end I stayed about two hours and met up with Jon and Phil, who both outspent me on the day! What did I buy? Another 9 brushes from ABC Brushes! Last of the big spenders me! But 9 Pro-Arte sable brushes for £10 I call a bargain! I kept my wallet tightly closed in the end, saving my cash for The Other Partizan next month. Amongst the traders I might have spent with were Sarissa Precision, Eagle Miniatures, Warlord Games, Foreground, and Sergeants Mess. I shall do my best to support them again next year, though hoping to see more of the historical arm of the hobby on show.