Phoenix 2017

Steve and I made our first visit to the Phoenix show last Saturday.  It is organised by the West Coast Gamers and is held at the Rheged  Centre near Penrith.  There were some interesting historical games on show, though there seemed to be quite a strong SF and Fantasy interest.

Matt Crump had a very nicely modelled WWII scenario about an attack on Hawkinge airfield during the Battle of Britain.  Next to him were the Dumfries group with an AWI battle using the Rebellion supplement to the Black Powder rules.

The stand out game for me was the local group's Battle of Dyrrhachium between the Byzantines and Normans.  Not only the painting of the figures, but also the flags made for a splendid spectacle.

The traders attending were mostly local, but some 'national' names were also in attendance.  On an upper floor there was a gaming tournament (Magic: the Gathering)  which seems to have a strong local following.  Finally, there is a Bring and Buy which seemed very reasonably priced.

There is a lot to recommend this show.  The venue is light, with plenty of space, and free parking.  More importantly perhaps it lends itself to a family outing.   Shops are on site, as is a cafe and an outdoor play area.  The size of the show means that the gamer can probably  shop, chat and browse within a couple of hours at most, so with an early start the afternoon can be spent in the beautiful Lake District.  On the A66 and minutes from the M6 junction for Penrith travel by car is easy.  For those using the train, Penrith station is not too far away.

Well done to the West Coast Gamers for organising the show and may it continue for years to come.