"What is Wrong With Midlands Gamers?" Topic

I went to the Wargamer show in Birmingham yesterday and it was dead!

The Midlands is a massive area with loads of clubs and gamers but they weren't at the show!

I know the web site is crap and he doesn't promote the show very well and it is expensive to get in and it is near to Xmas but there are only two shows in the Midlands these days and the other one is WMMS in March.

If this show goes under like so many other Midlands shows you will only have yourselves to blame, so get off your fat backsides and support your local shows (this applies to all gamers all over the country)!

"I know the web site is crap and he doesn't promote the show very well and it is expensive to get in …".

I think you may have hit on a few things there.

Seems like at least three good reasons for the poor attendance, with the last part perhaps being the most important issue.

Maybe you hit on two of this major issues.

The web site is crap: If you cant easily find events, people will skip it

It is expensive to get in: Lets face it, us gamers are a cheap lot, and if we dont see getting much from our dollar it will be skipped.

Just a couple of thoughts

I wonder if there are more things at play here. Just because Cameron and Osborne keep telling us that the UK economy is booming and that everyone, because they are now in low paid jobs rather than claiming benefit, have loads of money doesn't necessarily make it true.

I think there are more people struggling in this country than the raw economic figures might indicate. I don't personally know any people that got an inflation plus pay rise this year, though the figures show we all did, hmmm, I wonder who got mine!

I find WMMS is the one that I make an effort to attend. Given that I usually work weekends and have to book precious holiday time for a weekend show.

One a year suits me and my buying habits.

Tony

The web site is crap: If you can't easily find events, people will skip it

A UK show doesn't have "events" as you put it. Needless to say a crap website will put people off if they can't easily find: venue location, admission fee, list of traders present, list of demo/party games. A venue will also put people off if it's hard to access by public transport or parking is difficult.

That is a definite contender for a worst web-site award.

And I couldn't find the price of admittance – how much was it?

If the organiser won't do it himself, I think Godfrey gets the job of promoting the show. What better way of enticing people to a poorly supported event than this message:

so get off your fat backsides and support your local shows

Doug

I go to this show pretty much every year and liked the new venue (but NB it was the first time at a new venue this year which often affects numbers) …

I thought it was a great local show with a superb range of games and attractions and a reasonable selection of traders.

I counted 17 games (5 Napoleonic, 4 WWII (3 land; 1 naval), 3 Ancient, 1 Medieval, 1 renaissance, 1 ECW, 1 ACW and 1 Indian Wars … ) … in a good mix of scales and using everything from glossy published rules to oldies and homebrews.

The traders I spoke to seemed to have done alright.

I was there with Northampton Battlefields Society and though it did seem a bit down on last year (see above) hardly had time for a break.

Although we were never ringed several deep in punters, I also managed to get over 20 people to respond to the short survey I was doing for the Naseby Battlefields Project – so quite a productive day out.

Of course, this is a late weekend in the shows season and the weather is often unreliable: there may be reasons why this remains no more than a friendly local show – despite this year having unseasonable fine weather and a great line up of games) …

Many thanks to all of you who did buck the trend and come along (of course, especially those who chatted about Northampton or took the Naseby survey) …

See all you Midlanders at Alumwell if not before

Phil Steele
Northampton Battlefield Project
(1460 on Facebook)
Naseby Battlefields Project

Perhaps we are a bit spoilt here, we have the 2 Partisans, Derby Worlds, Hammerhead, Alumwell (WMMS), Stoke Challange, Cannon and there will be one in Stafford next year too. Also Colours, Warfare are not that far to travel, we do I know.
Although we were not sure of the effect of moving we made the extra journey based on the usual good mix of traders and nice looking games, one the highlights was some proper white lighting much better than the dreadful yellow glow at the previous venue and it was bright unlike a certain more prestigious venue. Dave took a few pics of the games here is a link

talesfromghq.blogspot.co.uk

20thmaine the admission fee was £4.00 GBP

Other comparable shows are about £2.50 GBP

I've never heard of the show. Difficult to go to a show that doesn't make itself known.

This is the first I had heard of this show. Looks like the problem is with marketing it in the first place.

Never heard of the show !

Travelling west to east across the midlands is a real p[ain so other than Colours, and partizan, many aren't easily accesible so have looking out for a B'ham based show for some time as its only an hour's trek up the M5.

Sounds like they could do with some better marketing.

This show has been going for many years but this year it moved to a new (and better) venue.

Before this year it was at Great Barr Leisure Centre for quite a few years and I believe it was at the Villa Leisure centre before that.

Here is a link to the much maligned website (beware of dodgy pop ups) wargamershow.tripod.com

Gah..had to close four pop ups just to see the page…

And they are using Tripod?!?!…The only other two sites as bad or worse were Angelfire and Geocities….

£4.00 GBP is not expensive, that's the amount our wargames club charges for an evening.

Hi,
I've spoken to the organiser about several of the comments raised , He knows the web site isn't good (crap infact) and is working to sort it out and not stating the price of admission on there is a big oversight, although this entry price for the show has been £4.00 GBP for a number of years now.

He also apologises for the food, but had no control over the food as this was organised by the owners of the site, I do agree that it could be better advertised, he will be taking all the comments on board.

My own view is the change of venue is better, although with most moves numbers always drop initially, thought the overall standard of games was good and all the guys from our club said they enjoyed the event.

It was also nice to see that there was still a bring and buy as these seem to be going out of fashion with alot of shows

Show what show?.

£4.00 GBP isn't expensive IMHO – if I was anywhere near local to that event it wouldn't put me off going.

I can not believe it …..£4 that's just over a pint in Solihull.

Wish I could have gone, even just to say hello to few people I haven't seen in a while, realistic knows who I mean, but due to work & a family do in Salisbury it could not be.

Well done the organiser for doing something other than sitting on his fat arse moaning. Well said Godfrey.

Wasnt warfare £5.00 GBP to get in this year? Seriously, £4.00 GBP is nothing.

Yes I agree that £4.00 GBP isn't a lot but this is the Midlands we are talking about and Wargamer isn't Warfare!

Derby and both Partizans were £4.00 GBP to get IIRC. I think Vapnartak is the same, and Sheffield. If it was only £2.50 GBP I'd seriously be wondering if the games and traders on display weren't going to be from a previous era too.

Pictures and comment from the show now up at Ancients on the Move/Wargamer

Phil

I think the proximity to Chrismas is hurting it. I went, (yes, all the way from Cambridge) because there were a few things to pick up and people to see and I could pop in to my sister's on the way back. Brother-in-law was pondering going with a couple of his brothers and some mates (it's their local show) but in the end they all ended up doing Christmas shopping instead at the behest of non-wargaming other halves.

(My sister opened the door and said "You can't come in! There are unwrapped presents everywhere!" and I had to wait outside until a room had been cleared before I could have coffee…)

The new venue worked pretty well on the inside, but it's like a prison on the outside!!!!

Don't forget us at Penkridge wargames, know it's only a tabletop at present but we do want to move on to bigger venues when time allows.

The atmosphere was good, some different traders aswell.

I reckon if the brum venue could be utilised better it has good potential as there was room upstairs for more games or traders.

Keep supporting it aswell as the WMMS show or chip in with ideas, I am sure the organiser would be more than willing to listen or get assistance from you.