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. 

Phalanx Show, St Helens, 2025

 Another excellent show hosted by the Spartans club, who really know how to organise a wargames show.  Plenty of volunteers to help traders and game organisers with their stock, equipment and figures, the tables not too close together and a good variety of traders and games on offer.

This year the balance seemed more towards historical games with a variety of scales on offer from 54 mmm down to 2mm covering periods from antiquity to mid 20th C.  My apologies to those whose games aren't featured below, this is just a flavour of the treats on view.

Next to the Lance & Longbow game were the Liverpool club with a Napoleonic game depicting D'Erlon's attack at Waterloo.  I am not sure which rule set was being used.

The Liverpool club also had a Pavia game

The All Independent 54mm Wargames Club put on a Bannockburn Game

Tiger Miniatures showcased their figures in a Tudor period battle set in Ireland

The Beacon Club had a WWII "Saving Private Ryan" game

Cheshire and Staffordshire Wargamers ran a Dead Man's Hand participation game

The Lance & Longbow game was Arsuf, using the usual amended version of Lion Rampant.  Si from the Beacon club organised the game and painted all the figures.  The game attracted plenty of interest and some brave souls even joined in.

We played the game twice and the Crusaders won both, but both  games were enjoyed by all the participants.  Thanks to Si for organising the game, Chris, Will, Andy, John, Alasdair, Steve and Peter for helping with the game and playing in the right spirit.  Thanks also to Dave and Neil. 

Phalanx Show 2024

 Once again the St Helens Spartans club has organised an excellent show, with a good balance between games and trade, with the added attraction of what looked to be a thriving Bring and Buy.  In the lunch time break between participating in the Montgisard game with the Gentlemen Pensioners I managed to take a few photographs of other games of interest.

Firstly, this Boxer Rebellion game, with groups of troops from several nations attempting to rescue a group of their nationals from the besieged town.

Another 'colonial' game was offered by Tiger Miniatures, set on the North West Frontier

Next to the Lance & Longbow game were James Mitchell and Bren Dolan with a Talavera Game in 6mm

In contrast the All Independent 54mm Wargames Club also presented at Napoleonic game, in , as their name suggests 54mm scale.

The Cheshire and Staffordshire Wargamers had another game which looked Napoleonic, but on closer inspection was set in the Crimean War.  It was covering the British sector of the Alma Battlefield.

Two clubs had games set in North Africa in WWII : Beacon Gaming Club

and the Mailed Fist group

We ran our game twice and  several visitors to the show were interested enough to give our much modified 'Lion Rampant' rules a try.

In these units the spearmen can kneel, allowing the crossbowmen to fire

Sadly, Dave Lanchester wasn't able to join the Gentlemen Pensioners this time, but Andy, Chris, John, Neil, Peter and Steve were all in attendance.