Off to Salute!!!

 
  

Right like many of you British / European based gamers I'm  off to London tomorrow to attend Salute. Salute is arguably the largest independent wargames show in Europe, and this year it celebrates its 40th anniversary. So it's been going on longer than I've actually been alive! No doubt it'll still be going on long after I'm dead. Or I hope it is. So what is Salute all about then? Well primarily toy soldiers and the mass pimping of toy soldiers. It's a trade show mainly, this year there are roughly 140 traders, there are of course a plethora of games been run throughout the show nearly a hundred, so there is gaming going on. But, for me and most people I know it is a chance to have a smooch around a product they've yet to see in the flesh and maybe purchase a thing or two... as I say it's one big toy soldier pimping session.


So what am I looking forward to having a look at this year and what stands am I going to be spending my time at? Well here's a list of stands, in no particular order, I'll be trying to get round:

• Ainsty Castings - Pirate ships, do I really need to say anymore? Thought not.
• Antenocitis Workshop - Just want to say hello to Jed and have a look at a few terrain pieces I'm coveting in the flesh.
• Battlefoam UK - Well I already own a silly amount of Battlefoam stuff, but I'm interested in the Spartan Games, Heavy Gear Blitz and new Privateer Press bags.
• Black Library - They're not the best novels in the world, but they're good trashy novels about a universe I like... plus it's always good to see who is hanging around.
• Black Scorpion Miniatures - They produce the game Cutlass, which is a game that intrigues me... I need to do some more research!
• Bushido the Game - Well it's a game that intrigued me enough to buy the mini's but honestly I've not dabbled with it much. Perhaps a visit to their stand could reinvigorate me again!
• Critical Mass Games - I've been looking to do an article on 15mm sci-fi games. Seems like a good place to pick up some info.
• Crooked Dice - A friend of mine Drew over at Pulp City Planet has been going mad about this for months so I'd like to see what the fuss is about myself.
• Field Works - another terrain producer some Flames of War gamers have asked me to look into.
• Figures in Comfort - Well they're not Battlefoam, but they are cheaper and a few of you have asked me to review some cheaper products... so I'll take a look for you.
• Fire Forge Games - I want to have a look at their plastic knights in the flesh because they genuinely look really quite nice. Plus I've always wanted to do a knight army!
• Freebooter Miniatures - Just to say hello to Christian, Hendrik and Werner really and see what's new for Freebooter's Fate as it's been keeping me entertained of late.
• Grand Manner - Some top quality terrain by the looks of it, and I'm keen to see what it's like up close and personal.
• Help for Heroes - Whatever your thoughts on the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan those who have been injured in service to their country deserve our support. That is all.
• Jacques-Alexandre Gillois - he's a bit of a personal hero of mine! I'm really hoping I can convince him to give me an interview for this Blog. Wish me luck.
• Kerr and King - Manufacturers of resin terrain and bases, and I've been told I should have a look at what they produce. So I will.
• KR Multicase -As with Figures in Comfort, I want to take a look at this stand and maybe note some products for future review.
• Maelstrom Games - Mainly to say hello to Rob and whoever else is there, but also to look at the lovely BaneLegions mini's... again!
• Mantic Games - Mainly to annoy Jake Thornton while he tries to run demo games, and also to look at the Corporation and Veer-myn in the flesh.
• Micro Art Studios - Mainly to see what this Polish outfit has on display. I love their Designed for Infinity range and I'd like to see more of it.
• Model Mates - These guys have produced some interesting weathering effects I'd like to see, and also some primers that have been getting rave reviews from painting friends of mine.
• Mongoose Publishing - Simply put I want to have a look at A Call to Arms.
• Ninjabread - Because I think they're funny.
• Oshiro Model Terrain - Yet more lovely looking terrain that I want to see.
• Pulp City - It's a game that intrigues me, and I'd like to get a chance to do some more research on it. I mean it's superheroes in wargames format, should be a home-run for me.
• Renedra - OK so some of you will be thinking why, BUT these guys make a lot of the plastic mini's we use. That makes them interesting to me so I'll be hoping for a chat.
• Sarissa Precision - Yeah so I already know what their stuff is like, still it can't hurt to have another look and get a whiff of burnt wood!
• Smart Max - I love their 54mm miniatures. I only own the one at the moment and I'd like to see what else they have in store for us all.
• Studio McVey - I want to have a look at a few of their new mini's and also see people playing Sedition Wars. Oh yeah and say thanks to Mike for my Salute 2012 badge!
• Victrix - Right I've been pondering doing some articles on Napoleonic wargaming, so I have to see these guys right?
• Warlord Games - And in the same vein as above I want an easy jumping in point if I do start looking at historical wargaming, and quite frankly these guys are probably the place to start!
• West Wind Productions - I've seen Secrets of the Third Reich and it's not for me. Still fancy a look at their new game Empire of the Dead though.

That's not all I'll be doing though. I'll be on the look out for Palm Trees and suitable foiliage for Jungle terrain at both 28mm and 15mm sizes or thereabouts. Mainly because I'm on the look out for stuff for Freebooter's Fate, Heavy Gear Blitz and I want to do a desert type board for Infinity. I'll also be checking out Gruntz, the 15mm sci-fi wargame from Robin Fitton because again, I want to do an article on 15mm sci-fi wargames and Gruntz looks good. I'm also going to be on the look out for Taban Miniatures because they're apparently attending, but I can't find out where their stall is, and I want to take a look at Eden as it is yet another game that intrigues me. I'll still be keeping my eye out for any shiny shinies I've not seen before, but I'm going round Salute this year totally broke, so it's not likely I'll be coming back with much. If I get enough info I might do some articles on the show. Peace out!

EDIT: I've had a fair few people ask me what I look like so they can come up and say hello to me and Dr Brainiac. I'm still concerned about this as I'm not so sure they don't want my image for purposes of arranging a hit, but here I am...

Here I am looking ill while holding Princess Dinah Bear

 and if you don't spot me, here's Dr Brainiac...

Dr Brainiac (love of my life)

There you go, that's your lot. No more pictures of us!