Phalanx 2026

 This year's traditional Gentlemen Pensioners outing to the Phalanx Show at St Helens took place last weekend.  We were blessed with the usual good weather and once again members of the club were on hand to help with transporting troops and scenery to the table.

There were a good selection of games on offer and photographs of a selection of them follows.

Liverpool Wargames Association had a very well represented Ramillies game

Old Guard Wargamers put on a Zorndorf SYW game using Rank and File rules

Close by were All Independent 54mm Wargames Club with an eye-catching Culloden game

Also eye-catching was the Furness Warlords game naval game with some very impressive fortifications

East Lancashire Wargames Association provided a Samurai game

Hobbyshed had an Operation Sealion game with a touch of "Dad's Army" using Bolt Action rules

Beacon Gaming Club presented the Battle of Nantwich from the English Civil War using their own version of the "Pikeman's Lament" rules.

Our game was a "what if" scenario from the 2nd Barons War, set just before Evesham.  The result often depending on the survival of the rival commanders.

My thanks, as ever, to my fellow 'pensioners' and members of the public who helped/joined in the game.  Andy, Chris, David, Jim, John, John, Neil, Peter and Steve.  Also Dave who provided the vital tea/coffee to keep us hydrated.

We had a good day and the bring and buy seemed as busy as usual, but generally attendance seemed down on previous years.  Certainly, after lunch the hall was noticeably quieter.  The Spartans put a lot of hard work to run the show and hopefully it will continue for a long time. 

Partizan 2026

 Once again Steve and I made our way south and east to Newark for the Partizan show.  We set off an hour later than in the past and timed our arrival to perfection; there was no queue waiting to gain admission.  A glance at the car park when we arrived showed that the show was as popular as ever and when we got inside we could see that this popularity was fully justified with a brilliant collection of demo and participation games and a broad range of traders.  Not only that but it also provides for that other vital part of the hobby, the social side.  It gives many the one chance in the year to meet up with friends in person and catch up on what they have been working on.

What follows is a selection of the photographs I took, it reflect my interest in historical gaming and there is a bias towards the larger sort of game, the ones I aspire to.  These are in no particular order.

First, the Ruckusteers Border Reivers

Westbury Gamers, Minden

The Iron Brigade, Assault on Kawajima Castle

Shrewsbury Wargames Club also had a Japanese game, actually two taking place on the same large U shaped table.

Chesterfield Old Boys had an AWI scenario Battle of Bemis Heights (2nd Saratoga)

The Boondock Sayntes, The 2nd Relief of Lucknow

The League of Extraordinary Kreigspielers, The God of War Baron von Ungernsternberg

Another League, The League of Augsburg had a late 17thC game

Bramley Barn; 2nd Kernstown

 Like a Stonewall, Action off Cape Finisterre

The Bodkins also presented an ACW game, Mcpherson's Ridge

Steve's Paintingshed, The Battle of Chatterton's Hill 1776

I managed to get a couple of photos of Simon Miller's "Lust for Glory" War of Spanish Succession Game

Morris and Chums, The Battle of Lewes

Friends of a Military Gentleman, Seven Years War

My sincere apologies to the many clubs and individuals whose games I haven't featured.  All the games were of a high quality and everyone is to be congratulated on the standards achieved.  Thanks should also go to the organisers, who once again have produced a memorable show, a brilliant day out for the wargamer.