When We Were Young...

 I was 'volunteered' for a general sort out and tidying up of the drawers in our old master bedroom, the one we used before moving into the extension which had formerly housed GHQ. In one drawer I found some photographs of figures and games Phil and I had staged at wargames shows back in the 1990's. The photographs predate my digital age, so were a mixed bunch if I was being kind when describing them! Here are three I've salvaged of ACW Display Games, probably at either Partizan or at the long defunct Midland Militaire.

This general view is of a game representing the Federal attack on Fort Fisher, oft known as the 'Gibraltar of the South'. I'd visited the remains of Fort Fisher, near Wilmington NC, probably in 1995 and had been so impressed with it that I persuaded Phil it would make a grand Display Game. 

Phil probably built the representation of one face of the fort and I think the palisades were his too from his Darkest Africa collection. The forts guns were by Ral Partha, bought at one of the Historicons I'd attended around then.

The third photograph is of another ACW Display Game, the Siege of Petersburg, and was probably taken at Midland Militaire. Both games won awards at the show, once for best Display Game and once for Best Game in Show. Just shows how far standards have risen in the last 25 years! The sharp eyed will have noticed 'Rawnsley Farm', the blue house on the left in the last photo and front and centre in the first, which is still doing good service here in GHQ! 

Well, they do say that nostalgia ain't what it used to be, but I found it strangely satisfying in these strange times we are passing through to spend a few minutes with these fond memories of happier, simpler times. Let's hope we can return to something like these when we emerge on the far side of all this pandemic malarchy... Stay safe and well, all of you.