Pete at Entoyment mentioned to me on Saturday that they are now taking bookings from gamers and traders for next year's show. Their website has more info.
He stressed that this is still subject to change by any Covid restrictions.
Simon, will this be the venue for the big Crete game?
Mike
Good to hear it is going ahead (probably).
It is quite a big investment for Entoyment.
I will keep my ear to the ground(figuratively speaking. Otherwise I could get run down >:()
martin :)
It's best not to get too run down, even just slightly tyred can be bad.
Mike
Mike,
Interesting question re. Crete. I'd planned this initially as a "gamers' day" as opposed to a showpiece. It was initially planned at Entoyment for that reason, but if it works well we could of course try one or more of the scenarios at a show.
We'll start to see on Saturday whether or not it's close to running, or needing further tinkering!
Simon
Mike...pun genius that you are
martin :)
Quote from: martin goddard on July 12, 2021, 12:30:28 PM
Mike...pun genius that you are
martin :)
It just leaves me feeling deflated...
Still unsure of any future commitments at present.
https://beachheadshow.co.uk/ (https://beachheadshow.co.uk/)
Added to the calendar.
So what PP games are on on which day?
Hello Les
Mexican revolution will be there both days of beach head.2 games per day = 4 games in total.
No trade stand, just the games.
I think i will find it relaxing.
The game is not participation either so we can invite players to join in as we wish.
As a side note I expect there to be no masks at the show either.
martin :)
Hopefully there will be masks in evidence but on a voluntary basis. I will still be wearing mine for a while especially in a massed setting.
I hope to attend one day but not sure which. Will look out for you all. Good luck at the show for those doing it.
Derek
Big Mike has booked a table for himself, Miles and me - I think we might be styled as "Friends of Peter Pig". We'll be doing the Crete Maleme scenario on the Saturday. A different Cretan scenario is likely to be played on Sunday - but that's a little further off than the Saturday, so less planning has been done on that ;)
Simon
Set up our table yesterday afternoon as we usually have early access to the venue on a Friday.
Now ready for a weekend of Gaming at a show. Can't believe it's been 2 years !
Miles
I will see you tomorrow, don't buy everything today
Stewart
Hope you all have a great time, guys!
Neil
Any one take any pictures?
Stewart
Yes, I have quite a few of our game (your aircraft looked great, thanks Stewart!).
I forgot to take any of others' games though...
I'll try to post mine tomorrow.
Simon
We had a good first game, with all the scenery in place etc.
I the Commonwealth's soldiers Won. Just goes to show, If the incompetent commanders had done their job they could have saved the Airport !
Good looking show, didnt look around too Saturday as it was about playing the Airfield game.
Tournament side of things looked very Busy indeed, this is the part that pays for the rest of the show.
Hopefully now things are getting back to a "normality" this show can take its rightful place up there as one of the Better shows in the UK ?
Back to the game here is a couple of pictures I took at the start of play, I know Simon took a big bunch of them.
Also included is some pre show pictures, some courtesy of Entoyment to show you the size of the show.
Miles
(https://i.postimg.cc/XXXSP2KG/00-E0-A9-B5-A80-F-4860-80-B0-C324805633-D5.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/XXXSP2KG)
(https://i.postimg.cc/N9MVWMXq/476057-EC-023-D-4975-A080-5-B5485303-F13.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/N9MVWMXq)
(https://i.postimg.cc/N9zVYc8y/4-DD88-BEF-8448-4-FFF-BBC8-064-AA2-C3084-E.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/N9zVYc8y)
(https://i.postimg.cc/hJgR3cMc/5086-A30-E-2-E81-494-D-BBBD-3-AB8392-EB7-FD.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/hJgR3cMc)
(https://i.postimg.cc/zLq4FpXf/ADF4-CDF4-FADB-46-CB-947-F-41025-D1-D9091.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/zLq4FpXf)
(https://i.postimg.cc/LJjMTntx/BF068-CD9-4-ACC-4216-88-F8-012-B18-F905-F3.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/LJjMTntx)
(https://i.postimg.cc/p5mwnTVY/C302-FB6-A-C51-E-4663-A817-6-CF021894604.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/p5mwnTVY)
(https://i.postimg.cc/GHWCGkyB/D8-D93-D3-F-5926-47-D0-BBAD-91-A71-ABF9668.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/GHWCGkyB)
(https://i.postimg.cc/zH3rS77h/E18-ECB04-7456-40-AF-8737-E29-ABDE75-EA9.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/zH3rS77h)
(https://i.postimg.cc/qzhrNmzV/FDBF740-F-0-B09-4-E22-AF52-1-BBEFCFCBEDA.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/qzhrNmzV)
I hope thats my ANZAC units made a good show at the show.
To add to Miles's postings, here are a few more photos.
The start of the game with the Allies in place and before the Germans have landed. The parachutes were used to add (literal and figurative) colour, and indicated partial cover:
(https://i.postimg.cc/w72KT0F7/20220212-103234.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/w72KT0F7)
A view from the dry river bed highlights Stewart's very nice gliders as well as showing the first landed Germans. The individual men indicated that a square had not yet found its weapons canisters and so the troops therein were effectively unarmed. A turn or two in I remembered that the first wave was actually glider-borne, with the troops emerging fully kitted up and so those markers got removed, but they were used for the subsequent two parahute drops:
(https://i.postimg.cc/FdN84Scj/20220212-103247.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/FdN84Scj)
A view from the airfield. Miles had unsportingly decided to dig in there, which made things a little tricker for the Germans. The plane is from Stewart, and the fire engine scratch-built by Miles.
(https://i.postimg.cc/d7KS2C5z/20220212-103307.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/d7KS2C5z)
Miles detailed and painted up a nice Skytrex bridge to span his custom river bed:
(https://i.postimg.cc/FdSR22yf/20220212-103322.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/FdSR22yf)
Raising the playing surface by a couple of inches allowed a natural fall to the river bed, as well as keeping all our playing paraphernalia out of the way of the action.
Hill 107 was the key to the Allied postion. While it was held, the Germans on the runway were whittled down by HE, spotted by the Allies on the hill's forward slopes. Stewart's Bofors gun was there purely for decoration, but looked very nice:
(https://i.postimg.cc/6yWZvpVY/20220212-143345.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/6yWZvpVY)
The last shot is from the end of the battle. The Germans largely got mown down and, despite some initial successes, failed to take hold any of the objectives.
(https://i.postimg.cc/Yv4h6Gvf/20220212-163843.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Yv4h6Gvf)
A big win to Miles - congratulations!
This scenario was very much a team effort featuring:
- figures by Martin
- paras painted by yours truly
- Aussies painted by Les
- Stewart's plane, gliders and Bofors
- Mike's vineyards
- various terrain bits and pieces by Miles and myself, including 3D-printed buildings all the way from Bob in Canada
Miles skilfully played the Allies, with Mike and I being somewhat less successful as the aggressors. It was great to see Colin, who played a very effective and welcome role as teaboy, keeping the troops suitably refreshed.
Simon
Quote from: Leslie BT on February 13, 2022, 08:18:31 PM
I hope thats my ANZAC units made a good show at the show.
They did indeed, Les. It was very kind of you to lend them to us despite your not being able to come over to join in.
Next time, maybe a bit less caffeine for breakfast for them, as they proved a little too effective?
Simon
It was a very good weekend. Well done everybody. Special thanks to Miles who did all the driving for Colin and I. I heard that Peter had said that this was the best attended Beachhead so far, so more power to his elbow. Here's to next year's show.
John
Quote from: John Watson on February 13, 2022, 11:06:09 PM
Here's to next year's show.
And to more catering facilities - Saturday was abysmal, with long queues all day for the one outlet that the centre had opened.
Luckily there is a range of options not far outside the front door!
Simon
I think next year Peter and Entoyment will probably have better arrangements in place ? As it did feel that this was a get back into it again ? rather than go from where we left off ? So hopefully better facilities will be in place for the next one ?
Miles
Sadly I doubt it, Miles. Simon didn't mention that the food/drink area did not open until about 10 on Saturday, whilst a large number of traders, demonstrators and competitors had been in the hall for a couple of hours by then. Also they ran out of a lot of things. I think they either seriously underestimated the number that attended or they didn't care.
John
John,
I suspect the latter.
One of his staff told me about lunchtime (as I saw the queue for the dozen remaining sandwiches and gave up) that Peter was in terse negotiations with BIC management.
I'm guessing that BIC didn't feel it worthwhile putting the staff on.
A big loss for them, seeing the hordes who walked out the front door to shop elsewhere.
I for one will either bring my own food or venture across the road next year for something far more appetising than BIC could offer.
Simon
Peter knows that people weren't happy about the catering, there was some better arrangements Sunday. I think he will be in talks with them, especially as he has another Tournament day at the BiC in July.
Miles
From experience and a reminder from Martin I took by own sarnies and coffee and coke and macaroon's,
Enjoyed my picnic, even managed to play two games.
Stewart
Despite the catering issues, Beachhead was a success and confirmed that wargamers want to get back shows!
Special thanks to Simon, Miles, and Colin for the two PBI Crete games - you win some, you lose some...
Mike
Quote from: Big Mike on February 14, 2022, 05:58:27 PM
- you win some, you lose some...
So Sunday went rather better than Saturday, Mike?
Do you or Miles have any photos?
Simon
The Maleme game at Beachhead - Day One.
German Airborne well and truly defeated.
(https://i.postimg.cc/9DWcQJPK/IMG-0146-1.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
(https://i.postimg.cc/3kbzQBtg/IMG-0147-1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/3kbzQBtg)
Day Two at Beachhead.
The German advance inland.
(https://i.postimg.cc/8FR3fS1b/IMG-0152-1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/8FR3fS1b)
(https://i.postimg.cc/K1nQJDdG/IMG-0153-1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/K1nQJDdG)
Mike
Thanks for posting, Mike.
Good to see your chaps taking Miles's custom bridge piece!
Simon
Splendid looking tables.