Yes, the first day of Summer is here, Salute, Triples and Partizan are but fading Spring memories, leaving us all waiting until Autumn for our next wargaming show fix.
Well, not quite. As all 6mm aficionados will know all too well, the middle of July actually sees the highlight of the wargaming calendar. Let's kick-off with the curtain raiser:
Yes, it's your opportunity to book a place on the annual Baccus workshop tour extravaganza! You too can join the select band who have peered behind the curtain obscuring the inner workings of the Baccus machine and seen at first hand the unspeakable horrors of the Igor's lair. The Baccus Open Days tours are always popular, and as we have to limit places, you do need to book in advance.
We welcome group or club bookings, and wives, girlfriends and partners are most welcome, as we rely on them to ask the sensible questions. You can reserve your place(s) by calling us on 0114 2724491 or by email.
Those of you who will be making merry in Sheffield for the weekend will be more than welcome to join the ever-lively Baccus Beer and Curry Evening, which is always a great social experience.
Which leads us nicely into the Jewel in the Wargaming Crown that is the one, the only…
This year, we have a brand-new venue with much improved facilities and catering, but we are keeping the format that has proved to be such a hit in our previous shows.
There will be some quite amazing games to view and to play, hands-on painting clinics, and a rolling seminar programmed throughout the day. This year, we have even more traders in attendance:
- Baccus 6mm
- Wargames Emporium
- Commission Figurines
- Cosy Dice
- Heroics and Ros
- Leven
- Rapier Miniatures
- TimeCast
- Total Battle Miniatures
If all that retail therapy isn't tempting you, here's some more information about just a few of the games that will be on display:
The Hungry Legions (Mailed Fist)
On arriving in Britain, the Romans receive word that their supply ships are nowhere to be seen.
The Romans need supplies.
Two divisions are ordered to advance inland and find what supplies they can muster, On arriving in a valley to the north, they come across farmland, perfect for what they need. So they approach the farmland to find there is also a Celtic village nearby, but no sooner seeing the village they are seen by the Britons and at the sound of horns in the distance many Warbands start to form.
The Roman General orders the two divisions to form up and approach without haste.
For Rome!
Iraq 1941 (British Legion)
Iraq 1941, a flying column of Habforce under Brigadier Kingstone (known as Kingcol) are ordered to push on from RAF Habbaniya towards Hammond's bund and Falluja.
The Battle of Gadebusch (Per Broden & Nick Dorrell)
1712: The Swedes and Danes clash in this major Great Northern War battle. The battle was the last major engagement in Northern Germany during the war, and was between a scratch Swedish forces and Danish veterans of the war and Marlborough's war.
The Battle of Plassey (Russ Fewtrell & Ian Taylor)
It is 23rd June 1757, in Bengal, the richest province of the Moghul Empire.
The Nawab, under the influence of the French "Compagnie des Indes" has failed in his attempt to crush the upstart British and has outraged European opinion with the infamous "Black Hole of Calcutta" incident. On the banks of Baggiruttee, at the hunting lodge of Plassey.
The Honorable East India Company's leading general, Robert Clive, intends to exact vengeance upon the Nawab's army.
In this opening instance of globalization, can Clive and the eighteenth century's mightiest multinational corporation establish the British Empire in India and thwart their French competitor?
Waterloo (Lee Sharpe & Ian Willey)
Arguably, the most iconic land battle in Britain's history and with each battalion of infantry, regiment of horse, and battery of guns represented, arguably the only scale that can get away with this is 6mm.
Project Waterloo is a three-year plan seeing just two idiots build up the troops, buildings and terrain that will be only displayed at The Joy of Six. Each of us took a different route in building up of the troops, whilst the purpose-built boards were all one man, whilst the other worked on the buildings. Table size 18 x 6 feet, with Hougoumont taking up almost a A4 footprint by itself!
Spanning three continents and 2,000 years, that's just five of the 20 games we will have on offer. Some will be outstanding demonstrations of the wargames art and craft, while others will be there just for you to sit down and play.
The Joy of Six is not just a show for 6mm wargamers to attend. It's one for the whole wargames community to enjoy. If 6mm doesn't and has never threatened to float your boat, then put your prejudice aside for a day and come along and see what you may have been missing. Believe me – if you think you've seen all that 6mm has to offer, you have never really experienced the Joy of Six!
You can find out all the updated details of the show at the Joy of Six site or follow us on Facebook.