Elvington Show, 8-9th May 2010.

Last weekend, we jogged along to the Elvington WW2 two day event, a wonderful display of re-enactors & military vehicles set in the Air Museum, with a wargames show attached, and a very good time was had by all. It really is well worth a visit.
Saturday began fairly early, around 7.30, and a full fat boys breakfast was had at the Naffi, which went down very well. That day ended with a large portion of fish & chips at Thompson's on the way back, naturally followed by lots of beer at the Forge. Well, probably too much beer really, but it was a good brew!
Sunday, needless to say, had a slightly later and more gentle start, which was just as well really, given the quantities happily consumed the night before. Another fat boys was had, to set us up for the day, and to end the weekend on a high note, we revisited the Forge, just to check that the beer was still as good. It was.
But to the point of this post, as regards the Show, we put on two tables and various games, under our name of The Yorkshire Coast Wargamers, with Tims new 1/32 WW2 Toy Soldier game using Airfix figures, 15mm DBNapoleonics, 1/72 DBACW, 1/72 DBColonial, and 10mm DBFantasy using Kallistra figures. TSS boards and a good old green cloth made the tables up. Several games were had over the weekend, and we had a lot of passing participants too, particularly at Tim's game, which pleasantly takes you back to "playing with toy soldiers" before you realised you were really wargaming. Reminds me of the childhood time when you got bored with rolling marbles at them, so used the family farm play set as terrain, borrowed the dice from the Monopoly box, and made up the rules as you went along. Or was that just me? Was it?
There was about a dozen of us there over the two days, which meant that we could "mix & match" with gaming and wandering the show between us. The wargames show took place in a hangar in the shadow of a Halifax bomber. Quality! The Toy Soldier game is here in the foreground whilst the other table has two DBx games ongoing.

Tim's new rule set, very well produced, and probably on sale soon after a tweaking or two.
As said, with a fair few of you, a game can continue along whilst others wander, feed and so on, making for an easier going and happier time I reckon.
Peeler carefully places his Zulus..

..whilst Norman politely asks him to "Bring it on". I may have mentioned more than once that I won this particular game, the only one of a few over the weekend that I did win though, which is why I had to mention it so often, to anyone who was passing nearby. I also phoned home to tell the Wife, who agreed that "Yes, that makes a change doesn't it".

A few close ups of Tim's game, there are more to see on his Blog. Apart from the well painted figures, the vehicles in that scale are something to behold. One of the younger gamers gets involved..

The 15mm DBNapoleonic game, using Alex's figures.

And some of the DBColonial game, using my 1/72's.

Things got a bit up close and tasty at times.

Onto the vehicle displays, and a few photos..

This one was a family affair, though naturally Dad got to drive.

Back to the and other games, and by heck there was some quality there. This was a D-day game, really excellent modelling and terrain.

Out on the stalls, there was plenty to look at and buy. Though I have to say that this helmet display, some only rusted, but others with obvious battle damage to them, made me feel a bit uneasy, at the thought of the wearer having been killed or injured.

A T shirt that is definitely not in good taste, but did make us chuckle. We declined to buy a set at a discount!

German re-enactors, Paratroopers, having a march about.

Whilst the Home Guard just seemed a lot more homely and friendly.

Dave decided to have a Tiananman Square moment, I'm not sure why, but at least the tank wasn't moving.

Now this piece was just huge! My lad stood there is 6/02, so you get the scale of it. Thunderbirds came to mind.

The chap driving this Merlin drove in, jumped out, popped on his RAF cap and declared that he was off to bag a few Huns.

ARP Warden, who gave out advice on fires, bombs etc, he really did know his stuff, as did all the re-enactors that we spoke to.

A few more games, this was on a very large scale, put on by the Gent who organises the Recon Show at Pudsey (another quality event!).

I think there was just the one Fantasy game on, but it did have some great large models on it, and looked like it was well enjoyed.

This was a 15mm ACW game, which was huge, the one photo does not do it justice really. It had two towns, an earthen fort, and a train! (See previous post!).

Just outside the hangar we were in, was this - a right good piece of kit. Sadly, it wouldn't fit my tow bar, I fancied one in my front garden.

The only Frenchman I saw, early WW2, obviously, and looking quite old fashioned already by then. Good kit though.

A British Para, stood next to a Dakota, which you could have a wander into.

Tim's Game won a Trophy for Runner Up Participation Game! Well done Tim, this topped the weekend off nicely, and we were rather well chuffed with it.

The end of the Sunday, as we finished a game prior to packing up and heading off home. Always a sad time I feel, after such a good do. Luckily we still had the pub to go to afterwards.

I think we all bought various bits and pieces, there was a lot of varied gaming gear for sale, in particular for me, two boxes of WarHammer Brettonian & Lizardmen starter packs at a mere £15, though all the writing is in Japanese - thankfully we already have the books in English.

We had a really great weekend, our thanks to the Organisers, we hope to be back next year, and my own thanks to the YCW chums, for making it happen.

Regards,