SELWG 2019

Hello Thee! I have just arrived back from the show and after a much shorter visit that usual, (as I did not have a trade stand this time), I arrived home much sooner that usual too!

The Cheshunt  Wargames club put on what appeared to be a Cruel Seas game but they were using a set of their own rules for a WW II naval game.

A long table culminating in an industrial area at one end was being attacked by a squadron of Mosquito aircraft. I liked the idea of twisting white pipe cleaners around the aircraft wings to show damage, something I have not seen before. The aircraft were also on car aerials to show height.

There were also a number of islands along the board with extra targets for the bombers and AA gun emplacements.

The models being used were particularly eye catching. This one did not fare well during one game.

Here is one of those defensive islands to make life difficult for the attackers.

For a naval game there were many models to catch the eye. This was a participation game and I hope they had a lot of interest.

Next up the Essex Warriors put on a 'What a Tanker' game which also seemed quite busy.

The vehicles seems well presented with some different subjects in the desert, for a nice change.

Here you can also see a small section of the buildings used.

Here is one of the Italian protagonists in this game.

The GLC Games Club put on a 28mm ECW game which looked very good with some presentable terrain which was very neat.

Although on another flat mat, I believe this was also a participation game, (?), this game also appeared busy.

 These well painted figures  were particularly nice, I usually hope to see the backs of my figures because if I see their fronts they are routing! These looked lovely.

I can never resist a good church! The variation of the blockwork and red roof looked good.

This a close up of the figures hiding in the church grounds.

Real Time Wargames put on a game using 1/300th figures. What a surprise! These looked really good both from afar and close up. Nice to see and a refreshing change!

These 28mm figures were on a refight of Hydaspades and was connected to The Society of Ancients table. A big table with plenty of figures on it. Well done!

The Deal Wargames Association presented a game showing the Free French invasion of Elba. A spectacular game with many eye catching points. They supplied a very good hand out, (probably the  best I have come across). I cannot put a text to every picture but I have tried to  show as many points as possible.

It was nice to see some of the buildings from originally Shellhole Scenics, now Lancer Miniatures.

The air support was supplied by the British and Americans.

French Gourmir, a right nasty bunch!

Here was a participation game by the Gravesend Wargames Club. In 28mm based on an attack on St Mere Eglise it was a well presented village table with plenty of model buildings and figures. Again I can only leave you with a number of pictures to look at.

The aisles appeared much easier to get around and there appeared to be more space around the game tables and traders stands.

The show overall seemed very quiet, (the Brexit effect?), the footfall appeared very low, something mentioned to me by a few traders. I hope the traders attending have not suffered.

The show guide would have benefited from adding the title of the game next to the club tables to make it easier to pick out what you were interested in.

Wargames shows always hand out a bag of goodies or a map, which is good and extremely helpful. However I do question handing out plastic bags after the being made aware of the damage they do to the environment.

A particularly poor point was the state of the gents toilets. They were absolutely appalling and need thoroughly cleaning! I realise that this is not the fault of the SELWG staff but they need to be raised as an area of desperate improvement.

I do not want to appear to denigrate the Sterling efforts of the SELWG team. Putting on a war games show must be an unimaginable nightmare but the above points can only help to improve it still more.