Broadside Show, 2026 - not really a report!

As usual, the Rejects put on a demonstration game at this, our local, show.  This year it was the turn of Lee and Ray to display their retreat from Moscow collection with a game centred on the crossing of the Berezina.

As my gallic wife pointed out to me, "c'est la Berezina" is a old saying in French to signify that things have "gone pear shape."  Other more earthy and impolite variations are also available.  Either way, we all trusted that the game would go smoothly.

As it turned out... it all went very well.

Here are some pics of it.

I didn't really follow the game closely.  I just moved my bits, rolled some dice and filled the spaces chatting to passerbys and wandering around the show.

Others will do a more comprehensive report of the show, but here are my pics and impressions.

The first observations I'll make are that it seemed to have more traders and games.  It also appeared to be really busy.  When I stopped to chat with the guys at the entrance, they said that there were just over 700 people who visited.  Apparently, there were around 500 last year.  The hall was certainly buzzing.

What was really exciting and encouraging was the number of families and young adults in attendance. There also seemed to be a better gender balance.  For sure, the numbers still biased towards white males, but better a balance nonetheless.  What should also be noted is that everyone seemed to really enjoy the show and looked happy.

I didn't take loads of photos, but here's a few games that I liked the look of.

First up is Polish Blitzkrieg from Deal Wargamers.

A nice participation game about Buffalo hunting which appeared to attract some younger players.

Not my thing, really.  However, I kind of liked this game of towns on wheels fighting it out.  Reminded me of a sci-fi book I'd read on the same subject called Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve.

Next up is my personal favourite from Hailsham Wargames Club, the Battle of Malplaquet 1709.  I saw this at Cavalier in February and still like it.  I guess that it reflects my preference for the horse and musket period and games that look like big battles.

The lads at the table were easy to talk to and friendly.

The host club, Milton Hundreds Wargame Club, showed off their Sword Beach Club.  A beautiful, well crafted table.  Rather honourably, they excluded it from the vote for "best in show".

The gorgeous figures and units on the table for the Battle of Gaugamela.

And lastly, I just like the idea of lego-esque gaming as a nice way for youngsters to be introduced to the hobby.  What's not to love.  You build little brick features AND wargame.

There were other games that fellow bloggers will comment on more fully.  These were just some that I enjoyed.

I must put a shout out to David (The Ragged Soldier) and Chris (Nundanket of Horse and Musket gaming) with whom I bumped into and had an enjoyable chat.  It was great to see you both.

I huge thank you to Milton Hundreds Club.  The show was fantastic.  The organisation was smooth and friendly.  The members on duty were great ambassadors for their club.

Lastly, a big well done to Lee and Ray for making and putting on their excellent game. It was extremely well received and admired.  No surprise that it won "best in show."  Congratulations.

Cavalier 2026 - My Favourite Game

Today I, along with other Rejects, attended the show held every February by the Tonbridge Wells Wargame Society (TWWS).  A small but nicely formed event.

Despite there being a mix of games, and even playing in a Vietnam participation game, I only ended up taking photos of my favourite.

It was the Battle of Malplaquet, 1709, presented by the Hailsham Wargames Club. A friendly bunch.

It had around 3,500 15mm figures on the table.  All from the collection of one of the club's members.

And apparently he left another 2,000 plus figures at home!

I enjoyed the show. Well done to all the members of TWWS for putting it on.  I know that other Rejects (Ray and Lee) will have a more thorough report up in due course.  This game just happened to call me back to it time and time again.

Partizan

Five Rejects went for an away day to Newark. Before this starts to sound like an Enid Blyton Famous Five tale, I should say five pretty mature blokes went to a wargame show!

To see Ray's and Lee's far better and fuller posts go to:

Don't Throw a 1: The Other Partizan 2025 - The photos Part 1

Don't Throw a 1: The Other Partizan - The Photos Part 2

BigLee's 'Miniature Adventures': The Other Partizan Wargames Show 2025 – Full Video Report

The first and most important stop was breakfast. A full English with black pudding, yum yum!

With body sufficiently fuelled for the day, it was now time to feed the soul... i.e. enjoy the show.

What follows are some of my highlights, in no particular order, from an excellent exposition.

This French Revolutionary Wars participation game was hosted by Garry David Wills, author of Throwing Thunderbolts.

Nice to see this scenario from the book on the tabletop.  It was on small table (6' x 4' I think) with 15mm figures.  A good looking game that, importantly, I feel that I could replicate at home or in the shed.

One could not help but be attracted to this giant game of Risk.

A reimagined version of Europe.  A riot of colour and shapes.

Personally, I found the spectacle hard to decipher and a little too fussy to look at.  Nonetheless, it couldn't be ignored and I'm sure those who played it enjoyed it.  Certainly 10 out of 10 for the imagination and effort that went into it.

There were, what seemed like, quite a number of World War Two games.

This was a great looking table.

A lot of time, effort and craftsmanship had gone into producing this recreation of Operation Charnwood.

There were (or at least it seemed to me) quite a few World War Two games on display at Partizan.  No bad thing, but I did come to a realisation that (for me) certain types of WW2 games don't make for great wargaming spectacle.  More thoughts on this later.

In quite close vicinity, were two medieval games.  There was the Battle of Agincourt and this one, the Battle of Montargis.  Both looked great but the latter would be my pick as a medieval highlight. 

With 28mm figures in big units, this was a feast for the eyes.

I liked the great array of troops, the relatively straightforward terrain and the camp.

The castle at one end provided a superb backdrop, as well as a good photo position.

This Pike and Shot game from North Star had some eye droppingly lovely figures.

The table top looked great without being a distraction from the figures and the game.  A wargaming spectacle being demonstrated.

It is hard to go wrong with the lovely colourful uniforms of this period.

This game of the Battle of Salamanca, 1812, presented by the Forest Outlaws just looked like a battle.  Using Kallistra hexagon terrain, it had the appearance of big formations engaging.  Again, the terrain did not overshadow but complimented the idea of a wargame being displayed.

I must be drawn to Horse and Musket games.  This rerun of the Battle of Leuthen looked the part with its lines of infantry and cavalry deployed across a battlefield rendered in the simplest of fashions.

The Wargames Collective put a lovely skirmish game set during the Siege of Vienna, 1683.  The figures looked like 54mm in size.  I don't know where they got them from but they looked great.

Barry Hilton of the League of Augsburg always put on a good looking game and this one was no different.

Gorgeous troops moving across his teddy bear fur.  

One of the many WW2 games.  This one from 1st Corps. The Battle of Kamenewo, 1941.

I think it was this view of German guns in the long grass that really caught my attention.  I just thought that this looked the part.  I could imagine the gunners crouched down in the long grass as the breeze made it sway.

I think that one of the best games was the Battle of Kolin, hosted by Simon Miller who was testing his rules for the 17th and 18th century.

The ranks of figures in lines advancing across the table looked fabulous.

The figures were all 40mm semi-flats.  All were home cast and from the collection of Steve Metheringham.

After thoughts
I thoroughly enjoyed the show.  Well done to the organisers and all those who presented their games - demonstration or participation.  There were many more games that I could have featured.  However, I picked these ones as my highlights - not as the best games, just my picks.

It was interesting seeing quite a few different games using Midgard as their rules of choice.  I'm tempted to get a copy just to see what's the fuss.  Though at the price, I might wait to find a second hand copy.

On a personal note, I realise that I have a distinct leaning towards preferring a type of game as show or demonstration games.  Especially if the aim is to show off wargaming as the spectacle.  Unfortunately, World War Two games come relatively low.  I think that is because of two reasons that immediately spring to mind.  First, where the action is based in an urban setting I wonder if the demonstration is about construction and modelling rather than the wargame being the spectacle.  Second, WW2 is in camouflage.  So, unlike 19th century and earlier periods, the troops and vehicles are duller and rightly disappear into the scenery - that's the point of camouflage.  I'm not saying that modelling, making buildings etc. is not part of our hobby, it is.  It's just a personal view.

I really loved seeing the horse and musket games.  The flats from the Battle of Kolin were something special.  Seeing the games set during the days of Louis XIV was great.  It made me hope that Ray dusts off his Nine Years War armies and puts a game on in the shed.  It's been a very, very long time Ray, and they look fantastic!

The show was great.  Space was very tight.  I'm guessing the organisers wanted to squeeze as many games in as possible.  Nonetheless, it was a treat.  The day started brilliantly with a full English satisfying my physical need and ended with the wargamer's soul uplifted by the sights of the show.