Well, what can I say? I was persuaded by Mark from Pocket Scenics, who saw some photos on my phone of my Bolt Action set up at home, to take the game to TOP at Newark. We aren't a club, just a group of friends from the Spilsby area in Lincs 9not Spilsbury as the typo on our table name plate said) who take it in turns to host games in our dedicated garden sheds every Sunday evening, so this was a whole new experience for us.
Everything on the table has been painted or bought by me, and I decided we'd follow a theme based on the film 'Tobruk' which starred Rock Hudson, George Peppard and Nigel Green, as many of you won't need reminding. At one end of the table next to a repro of the original film poster we had some baskets containing 'Rock' Hudson and George 'Peppardmints' for any passing souls in dire need of sustenance/a sugar rush.
This was, without doubt, the most stressful thing I've done in years. The thought of being judged by your peers was quite terrifying and gave me some sleepless nights, more than running my own business does that's for sure. I was quite ready to back out on the Friday before the show.
Anyway, we received a lot of positive feedback from many punters, lots of photos were taken, I had to do a Q & A session with Dan from Wargames Illustrated to go with his video and answer questions from Henry Hyde the former editor of Battlegames and Miniature Wargames magazines, who I didn't realise at the time was one of the three show judges along with Dan and Laurence Baldwin of the Newark Irregulars. Newark Irregulars put the show on for those of you who aren't from the UK.
So, we had a convoy entering the town which contained British commandos disguised as German prisoners, escorted by a motorcycle unit as they passed the checkpoints. We did a D6 roll to see if the Italians challenged the convoy but it passed each time. The convoy then split up and proceeded to the docks, the main German HQ (building with the radio mast) and the bunker on the shoreline which contained an AT piece.At the same time three LCM containing SAS troops appeared through a smoke screen offshore and proceeded towards the harbour jetty. The objectives were the destruction of the harbour's fuel and ammo dump, the tank park alongside, the AT bunker (so the landing craft could get ashore) and the German HQ.
We've played this scenario three times now, and each time the Brits have died before completing their mission. I think they need a couple more squads,the DAK can gang up on them 2:1 at the moment and take each squad out before moving on to the next one.
Anyway, here's some pics of the game.
The LCM approach the harbour.
View from the other end as the convoy enters the town perimeter.
And to top it all off, we actually won Best in Show! It's a good job I was sitting down when the judges arrived, you could have knocked me down with a feather. Apparently, I looked as though I'd just been told my farm had burnt down.
Here's the guilty party. Henry had final decision on who the winner was, and he said it struck a chord with him as he remembered the film. Anyway, to say we are chuffed is an understatement. 2 years work, a solo effort painted whilst working a 6 or 7 day 70 – 80 hour week running a farming business. Now, what to do next?
