Beachhead 2025

[John Watson]

John not attending.
John

[martin goddard]

Whoops, sorry John.

martin

[martin goddard]

Obviously a good and dynamic gaming group.
The show does not want "club level games" which might stop some local groups from taking part?
Commercially, the show  possibly wants to cater more for GW style players. that is their target audience(?)
I will still spend some money there on  a mat, paints and other odds and ends that might catch my eye. On average, I spend £60 a year there, which is not much but might help the traders.
The show is in a great venue.
I have booked parking at £15 for the day 8am to 6pm. An expensive area to park in.

I think it will be a nice day out. I enjoy the chat.

martin

[Sean Clark]

Considering a journey down on the Saturday night for this.

[martin goddard]

The Bournemouth show is putting our games near to each other. That is nice of them.
Do note that Miles' PBI is there both days.  Do see it.


martin

[Colonel Kilgore]

A fun today today. Thanks to Les, Colin and Miles for playing with me; to Richard and Big Mike for chatting to us as they put on a great airshow next door and to those who popped by to chat, including Dave, Ben, Derek and Matt.

I really liked the look of this Pacific War game:




Simon

[Colonel Kilgore]

We had a great and often nail-biting Monte Cassino game.

A few pictures:















Simon

[Sean Clark]

Who won Cassino?

Did you spend any of your pocket money?

[Colonel Kilgore]

What looked at several times to be against the odds (there was a small number of critical assaults or shots during the game), the Germans won, and quite well.

Miles threw really well on the victory dice to salvage some pride, but the scenario turned into something of a meat grinder. It would have helped their cause a bit if the Brits had thought to rush forward and grab the crossroads objective in the town, rather than spending their last turn in (admittedly remarkably successful) shooting.

The Monte Cassino objective square seems to be the key in this scenario. Colin successfully assaulted under smoke. The Germans weren't expecting a short assault from up the cliff (our one moment of slight controversy?) but rolled 5 sixes in a fevered defence. So did the Brits (off rather more dice), so lost that assault. Until we realised that the Germans only had 5 bases in any case, so got wiped out and lost instead.

Luckily, some Allied HE got deviated next turn onto the one remaining British base in that assaulted square and killed it. Whoops.

A potentially game-winning assault into that same square from a fresh British platoon in the last turn of the game failed,  since the Germans had finally remembered to pin it, which their opponents failed to clear, thus preventing the Brits from making the assault.

It was a good game, and the rules flowed easily. Lots of time to chat, see the show and spend pocket money (brushes and sci-fi grass tufts in my case).

Simon

[Smiley Miley 66]

Very good game, the Germans had this time come to the table as Veterans as well, which makes it's harder for the attackers. But it is a game that ebbs and flows which it should do.
Simon forgot about the cliff ( mountain side) is not impassable? As it would have made the table be cut in 2 ? But it's a very Rocky hill so making it when entered you can't go any further that turn ? But because we managed to smoke it saved the poor chaps being shoot at while sat on the mountain side. Then of course having survived? On their next turn doing a short assault !
The only thing Simon forgets if you put anymore restrictions on the Very rocky hill sections, once entered it would be impossible to either go back or forward ? Which would be detrimental to the game system ?
I made it so you couldn't Rush up from the town and quite literally step into the Abbey from that direction? The only way to do that is to follow the road which is the longer route in ? So effectively walking through the front door ? Any other route you are forced to stop until your next turn ? To make going up the mountain side a bit more difficult, relealisticly !
But still a good game and a good German win
Miles

[Sean Clark]

Just breakfasting then I'll be over to the show.

Can you pay on the door do you know?

[martin goddard]

It was a very good show.
Plenty of games to see.
I saw WW2, Franco Prussian and Napoleonic.  No ACW, ECW, Colonial, Western, Renaissance, Ancient,WW1 ,Naval (not skirmish) battles. All not seen.
Not many club games though.

Sean, Les, Richard, Big Mike, Miles, martin, Nigel, Mike, Colin and Colin all there.

martin

[Sean Clark]

Really enjoyed it even though I ate something that strongly disagreed with me yesterday!

I picked up my Peter Pig order which Nigel had kindly sorted for me.

Played a great game of AK47 with Martin. My team of advisors and me won the game. I'm not giving them any of the credit though  It's the first time I've won a game  so I'm going to bask in the glory of victory.


Things looked awful at the start as Marrtin whittle down my Regaulrunit leaving me two militia units and 3 units of Technicals.

Through excellent generalship  gritty determination and sleight of hand I managed a good win after setting some buildings on fire, destroying some militia early on and then throwing the kitchen sink at Martin's professionals.


Really enjoying new AK, as I've said elsewhere. Looking forward to playing a lot more.

[Smiley Miley 66]

I think Simon you were right. Sunday once Martin and the rest joined us, we were a very big crowd. Nice to see our 3 tables all together.
It was nice to see Les and thank you for your help over the weekend.
Also to see Sean a very rare visit?
All in all a good weekend.
A good crowd from the "Friends of Peter Pig" at least 10 + of us over the 2 days, which is a good showing from us all !
It was nice to talk to WSS as they showed a good interest in Monte Cassino and Mike and Richard's Air war game, with both of our games having quite a few pictures on their Facebook site.
Also the lighting was better at Beachhead than at Farnborough's Warfare ?
Miles

[Big Mike]

My 1/600 WW2 Air War game was launched at the Beachhead Show. The 'Target Ahead' rules – fighters v bombers - were well received, and I am very grateful to Richard, Robert and Ian who ran the participation games and chatted to the public so enthusiastically. Richards extensive collection of 1/600 aircraft certainly drew in the crowds, and it was good to see so many of the RFCM group at the show, including Dave and Ben who both led a squadron into combat.  We were next to Miles' excellent Monte Cassino game which graphically demonstrated the after-effects of a visit from the USAAF.   
If there is sufficient interest, I will run an Air War Day (or half-day) at Entoyment. Let me know here if you're interested.
The next two rule- sets covering close support and naval air combat are due out later this year. The 'Target Ahead' rules are available in PDF format on the 'Wargame Vault' with free updates and discussion forum. A second print run of the rules is planned so please message me privately if you want a hard copy. 
Thanks again to all those who have helped in the development of these rules.   
Mike