Alumwell wargames show

[martin goddard]

Peter Pig team A is off to WMMMMMMMS show this coming Sunday. 10th March.  We will have the POE sea fight with us. come and say hello , unless you are feeling out of sorts, then don't.
Latest VC will be with us.
Hopefully the new prone, re-education and dead packs will be with us too.

[Leslie BT]

Come and talk to Martin about BB as well.

[Sean Clark]

I'll come and say hello!

[martin goddard]

Please do Sean.

[martin goddard]

Here is a report upon the day.
Alumwell is the show with the best cross section of any gaming show in the UK.
It has re-enactors, modellers, bring and buy, traders, participation games and demonstration games.
The show scores top marks on all counts.
The games were the best quality i have seen at any show, including Historicon and Salute.
The number of interesting participation games puts other shows to shame.
The demonstration games had variety and originality.
The re-enactors were varied and good to talk with.
If i were a war gamer  living north of Salisbury, this would probably be my "premier" show if the year.

Most impressive game was a 40mm AWI. Quite some money there!

On the down side as a trader  it was very tough for us, which i think makes the show less attractive to us (took £50 total on credit cards). Our problem being, that we have overheads such as wages, insurance, VAT to bring us down. Eventually we will have to give up most, if not all shows or find a different show model.

So, a marvellous show attended by many.

[Leslie BT]

How did the PP game go?

[Stewart 46A]

We took the PO8 ship game.
I ran 3 or 4 games and Martin did a couple as well . The games seemed well received and understood by most very quickly.

[Leslie BT]

So that was all worthwhile then.  At least no errors and omissions yet!

[Sean Clark]

My 29th successive year at the show.

Sorry it wasn't financially rewarding and it is a long way to come. I usually spend most of the day talking to club members and other wargamers from around the area. Did manage to  spend some money and very happy to get the new rules.

[shedman]

My random thoughts on the show

I go to a fair few shows and I rate WMMS as one of the best - a good mix of northern and southern traders that you don't find anywhere else except may be Reading in November

The games, participation, demo and trade, are all top notch.

Looking at the games - there were 54mm, 28mm, 20mm, 10mm (mea culpa) and 6mm games but I don't recall seeing any 15mm games

The show feels like a hidden gem - there is plenty of room to move around, barely any crush at the B&B and time to chat with traders

Given the catchment area and easy accessibility from the motorway  it surprises me how empty it feels

It almost feels like a social event rather than a show

With regards to purchases I don't know if if it just me but at one time I would go to a show and, on impulse, buy  the core components of an army

Nowadays I have a project and pre-order figures to pick up at the show and impulse buys are quite rare

Alan

[martin goddard]

Alan , I feel you have identified some really important points. Very astute.
There was some 15mm WW2 Stalingrad and team yankee. Bit no 15mm battles. Several very nice 10mm battles.
Do the other shows at Nottingham etc draw off the potential audience?
The internet accounts for most of our business these days. I expect this is the same for most manufacturers. Shows are better for those selling  items not mass produced or who have a limited internet presence? i have no stats on it though.

Maybe we should book a small stall (cheaper cost and no stock to carry) and turn up with painted examples and ipads. Plus a game. Customers could sit , brows and discuss their needs. They could order on the day for a 10% discount and have it posted on to them in the ensuing week. That would save us 2 days stock completion and the lugging of vast amounts of stuff. Still uses a day of time; but with an easier transport that could work.

[Sean Clark]

Martin

You will know better than me but anecdotal evidence would indicate that the days of the big impulse purchase at shows are fewer.

Personally, the 10% discount is a big attraction and I have on occasion pre ordered figures that are more a 'nice' to have rather than a 'need' to have just to take advantage of the discount.

I do think there is still the desire to try before you buy which Peter Pig provide with your participation games. Footfall did seem reduced this year and maybe you're right that Vapnartak and Hammerhead were 4 weeks and 1 week prior. People only have so much disposable income for each pay period.

We do see fewer manufactuers at shows. The likes of Front Rank and QRF gave up on shows a few years ago. The model seems to be more resellers. Having said that the number of shows that Tumbling Dice attend is amazing. He is a one man band in the main though.

Whilst it be a shame for Peter Pig to stop all together attending shows, the economics can not be ignored. I do think you might be on to something with your proposal. I wonder whether you could book a tablle to demo a game and still offer the 10% for collection.

Are Peter Pig at Salute?

[shedman]

Maybe we should book a small stall (cheaper cost and no stock to carry) and turn up with painted examples and ipads. Plus a game. Customers could sit , brows and discuss their needs. They could order on the day for a 10% discount and have it posted on to them in the ensuing week. That would save us 2 days stock completion and the lugging of vast amounts of stuff. Still uses a day of time; but with an easier transport that could work.

I live in Stroud and know quite a few of the independent shop owners there.  We've often discussed this model as a possible future for High Street shopping.

The internet has made it much easier for the buyer but more difficult for the seller.

I can remember going to shows clutching a well thumbed manufacturer's catalogue with the number of packs scribbled next to the required pack codes.  There was often disappointment as the  packs weren't available at the show. Nowadays it's so easy to pre-order  and pick up at the show.

I think you have the right idea of putting on a game at shows to demo your figures and rules

[SimonC]

Stangely WMMS seems to do very poorly for traders. It has done since the move to Aldersley Village .. but that might just coincide with the Rise of the Robots Internet!  I know several traders who now have stopped coming because of the low spend. Some blame it on North-South divide. But I'm not sure that washes. With a 50 trader queue lined up to get into Partizan and the like there must be money in the 'lead belt'

Maybe its being the first of the year , and its more of a social jolly with a bit of tire kicking....

I'm also unconvinced about traders carrying no stock , and posting out. That is my pet hate ! Getting the goodies in my hand is the only reason to go to shows. I'm not keen on the showboating of large demo games

[Sean Clark]

Agree on the demo games Simon.

Demo games that have hundreds if not thousands of pounds worth of figures on the table are vanity projects at best and not a great advert to attract newcomers into the hobby.