artaxerxes | 28 Oct 2014 11:52 p.m. PST |
I'm going to be in Canadia (as my prime minister dubbed it on a recent official visit) for work next week. Are there any good historical gaming stores in Ottawa or Kingston? I won't have a lot of spare time, but will have a car in both. |
Vosper | 29 Oct 2014 5:20 a.m. PST |
link Hope that helps. I haven't been out to Kingston in years, so I can't speak to their recommendations personally. |
Dave Crowell | 29 Oct 2014 7:22 a.m. PST |
I would try the Ottawa Miniatures Gamers, they are the Ottawa historical miniatures club. The most miniatures oriented store that I know of in Ottawa is Fandom II on Laurier Avenue. Mostly fantasy, some Flames of War, Ospreys, Wargames Illustrad, some board games. |
IronDuke596 | 29 Oct 2014 9:24 a.m. PST |
Ref Kingston stores; Vosper's link says it all i.e. not too much in historical gaming. In the west end, where I live there, is a large general hobby store "The Leading Edge" that has everything from radio controlled aircraft to military plastic kits, railway equipment etc.but not very many military miniatures. I use it as a supply store as it has a very good selection of paint, varnishes, brushes, plastic, balsa wood, metal rods, terrain items eg woodland scenics etc etc. As far as military miniatures (if that is what your looking for) there is very little in Kingston. I tend to order all my needs on line. If you have time you should visit Fort Henry. |
epturner | 29 Oct 2014 3:02 p.m. PST |
And Fort Frontenac… I had the joy of attending the Canadian Army Command and Staff College this past summer for a course and I had a blast for three weeks. I didn't have much time off (I was there to work, after all), but there are a couple of good used bookstores in town and the beer was fantastic. There was one store I failed to get to, let me see if I can find my notes and what street it was on. Enjoy Kingston. Eric |
altfritz | 29 Oct 2014 5:00 p.m. PST |
Downtown there is "Kingston Gaming Nexus" – on Bagot street between Brock and Princess. It has some Bolt Action and Flames of War. There are some nice 28mm terrain – ruined buildings, WW2 bunkers, and the like by a local guy. Otherwise it has Eurogames, other boardgames, many RPGs, the usual GW stuff, some Reaper, Dust, Warmachine/Hordes and those Star Wars/Star Trek fighter miniature games. Plus a load of other odds and sods. Around the corner on Princess street is "Minotaur" which is, I believe, strictly boardgames. The bookstore on the corner – the "Novel Idea" – has Ospreys and a good but small Miloitary History section. Not sure if Fort Henry is actually open. Fort Frontenac (and RMC and the Base) are currently on Lock Down so you won't be getting in there. So no Fort Frederick either (which is inside RMC). There are a couple of Murney towers to see along the waterfront but they are not open to the public this time of year. re. Used bookstores – "Berry & Peterson", on King St. and "Wayfarer Books", on Princess. Both in the Downtown. And the downtown is small – everything within a couple of blocks of each other. Note that Kingston has excellent Cambodian restaurants – the Cambodian Village opposite Berry & Peterson and the Angkor Wat further up Princess (above Division).:-) Howard |
artaxerxes | 29 Oct 2014 11:53 p.m. PST |
Thank you for all that, including the book stores and the Khmer restaurants – I'll be sure to give at least one of them a workout. I'm actually going to be working at RMC, but I've been to Kingston before (though not for a good while) and have seen the forts etc. Thanks again. |
boy wundyr x | 30 Oct 2014 7:36 a.m. PST |
@altfritz – Is Wayfarer on Princess the one that's kind of half underground in a plaza? There was a used bookstore like that on Princess in the 1990s what was great for picking up those 1950s/60s/70s war memoir paperbacks. IIRC I used to get my Command magazines there too. That was during the time when Kingston also had "Battlefields and Books" and the Peter MacDonald model shop – good times! @artaxerxes – Fandom in Ottawa is pretty decent for what it is, it's board games are usually pretty current for new releases from places like GMT. You can also find some neat relics of the 1990s in the mini rules section, and when I was there a few weeks ago it looked like they had some restock of Ospreys. The last few times I was there it didn't look like they were getting new Ospreys in, but there were at least some in early Oct. |
Rod I Robertson | 30 Oct 2014 1:22 p.m. PST |
If in Ottawa go to the Canadian War Museum. Why fondle miniatures when you can touch the real things; or at least almost touch them. Go to the basement. The basement is good! Rod Robertson. |
altfritz | 30 Oct 2014 2:21 p.m. PST |
@boy Wundyr x – Wayfarer is on the other side a little further down next to the Sleepless Goat cafe. The place you are thinking about is gone – flooded out one Spring a few years back. The owner of that actually was the former owner of Wayfarer back in the 80's. Back then it was called Paulsons. Berry & Peterson is really good for wargaming and military history. They have had gamer's entire collections in there in the past. The main history/warfare section is on the left wall as you walk in but there is often overflow on the right hand side of the store as well. The place is packed with books! :-) |
boy wundyr x | 03 Nov 2014 8:53 a.m. PST |
Thanks Altfritz, I get to Kingston once or twice a year and usually can get some time to wander on Princess. |