"Miniature wargames issue 373" Topic

Hits the shelves at Smith's (UK) today. Nice issue for me, two really nice pieces made me pick it up, Klissow 1702 in 6mm and Yakhroma 1941 for Spearhead rules scale. I was one to moan about the Salute issue, so am pleased to open a thread saying what a nice issue this is.

I'll have to DL it tonight and see what all your fuss is about!

I am intrigued about Klissow 1702 in 6mm.

I agree Norm. Mine arrived in the post today – an excellent return to form after the very disappointing Salute issue.

It's another good issue – have been reading it this morning. The only thing that struck me as a bit odd was JT turning show critic, considering his spirited defences of Salute on TMP it's a bit ironic to hear that other shows are poorly lit, too small in their accommodations, or have the wrong ratio of participation to demo games….and even that Excel is a soulless shed….

…oh, and I thought I was an OGRE fanatic – no more, I doff my cap to Ashley Pollard who makes my obsession look like the slightest of infatuations…

The lighting at Salute has always been an issue.

The problem is simply that as Salute has grown, it has needed a larger venue. Given all the other parameters such as ease of access, and sufficient parking, nearby hotels, as well as the preferred location being in the London area, the choice of venue was limited.

ExCel was designed for the type of exhibitions where traders bring their own fully fitted stands complete with integral lighting, thus making the on-site lighting largely superfluous.

Unfortunately very few, if any, wargame traders or gamers can even dream of working out of, or affording, such stands so we are all apparently stuck with the ExCel lighting.

I was also told this year that the actual lights/bulbs or whatever have been changed which has resulted in a seemingly lower light output than previous years.

From a lighting aspect, Salute is to some extent a victim of its own success.

20thmaine – I agree with you about the facilties at Salute-ExCel: if I may quote myself in the article

"Colours is very nice, Salute ExCel is a huge shed, Salute Olympia was good but too dark…"

Salute at ExCel needs to up the lighting, no question: this year's Salute (which happened, you will appreciate after I wrote and submitted the review) was particularly bad as a lot of people have commented and I agree with them: the ExCel people have done something (I don't know what) with the lighting that have made something that was – frankly – just about tolerable into something rather below that.

You'll get no argument from me on that one.

Although it does a lot of things well, Salute has its faults, like every show.

John T

Well, I WAS going to do a review of this issue tomorrow!

Please do.