'Ommer'ead '26

Last year Phil and I had decided we would give the Hammerhead show in '26 a miss and spend more time at WMMS. Plans, eh? Don'tyasjustluvem? With WMMS being laid to rest Hammerhead was back on our calendar. Plans were made for the day but then real life issues kicked in and Phil had to cancel. I was resigned to giving it a miss when Paul stepped in and offered a lift with his chum Tony! So promptly at 8.30am we three set of for Newark Showground! 

Under two hours later we joined the queue for admission, all quite speedy, and into the maelström that is any large, well attended wargames show. So three happy wargamers were amongst the crowds and off to shop! And to look over the games of course, remembering that all on show are Participation Games, you can join in! I must say most were crowded with enthusiastic gamers, in fact taking pictures proved problematic due to crowds of players and spectators. Here are a few samples for you to judge for yourselves ~

The Relief of Minas Tirith presented by the Boondock Sayntes. Some lovely modelling and painting on show.

Lust For Glory, latest rules set from To The Strongest

The Marlburian Period of course, with Monmouth in Flanders. I'd really like to go back to this period in GHQ but sadly doubt I will given issues of age, health and suchlike...

Rumble in the Jungle! WWII Skirmish gaming utilizing Peter's Paperboys terrain features and figures! Looked really attractive and of course a cost effective way to wargame. An important consideration in a time of a Cost of Living Crisis!

For Texas and Lego! The Alamo! Presented by Reveille using Lego figurines! My favourite game on show I have to say!

Hammerhead '26 was organised by Dave Ryan and his team at Caliver Books. As a visitor the show seemed well organised with a wide range of games and periods to savour and a host of traders eager to part visitors from their moolah! One perennial point about shows for me: an absence of casual social seating. As we all age this will become a bigger issue I think which organisers must address or loose customers. Beyond their control though is the issue of on site catering. At Newark Showground offerings are hardly appetising in my opinion. I saw one burger that looked like I could sole my shoes with it! Perhaps I'm too picky? My coffee was alright, though nothing to write home about.

Finally the obligatory Loot photo~

3mm MDF bases from Warbases, who else? A fully ladder ox drawn baggage set from Perry Miniatures via Dave Thomas for the Wars of the Roses project. Two Pro Arte Series 40 Sable Round brushes from ABC Brushes. Five blisters of various Natives from Wargames Foundry to expand the Heart of Darkness collection and provide some relief from Arthurians for all of us.

If I have sounded overly negative I'd like to assure you all that I had a grand day out. My thanks are due to Paul for organising the day for me and to Tony for kindly driving me from door to door! I felt so much more chipper than if I've driven myself. The games I thought were a distinct upgrade on last year's offerings. Besides those I managed to get a picture or two of there were many others of equal quality and all being played at one time or another by keen participants! I'm glad I went!