Border Reiver 2019 and My 1st To the Strongest

Border Reiver show yesterday and I pottered down to meet friends and buy toys. It was smaller than usual with far fewer traders, Colours was on at Newbury. I had a good morning there but had to leave after a couple of hours to go axe throwing. Which as a great laugh and I won (twice). My best throw was a perfect bull using a trick shot. Could do it again if you gave me a million goes.
On to the shiny stuff

The main purchase was to collect a pre-order from Pendraken. Boat load of 7YW Austrians. I now have enough for the entire Austrian Army at the Battle of Lobositz. Will keep me busy over the winter

Bargain of the century. 2 Forged in Battle 88's with transports - £4 from one of the traders

18th Century carriage - I like carriages. Same trader £4. I also bought a Stug for £2 but it was 20mm. Will use to make a scratch build of something

Finally 2 couple of French packs to add to my new project of Early War French. 

Bought a load of bases - boring photo - and that is it. Didn't buy anything from the bring and buy and I don't like how recently they have become the place where small ebay dealers set up stall.

The other event was that I went down to Pete's to play my 1st game of To the Strongest. I had been wary of this game as it seems a little like a cross between chess and snap. I was wrong, it's actually quite good with lots of opportunity for sweeping moves.

The battle was Pete's Persians, beautifully painted, and my Classical Indians, painted. Pete walked me through the rules for the 1st game and I won easily - elephants, heavy chariots and longbowmen are OK. 

2nd game Pete slaughtered me - 1 elephant unit routed by some light infantry lead to a bigger rout and then he ran me over.

Really enjoyed both games and the rules are pretty good and the games are quick. Downside is lots of counters for ammo etc

Border Reiver 2016

Today was the Border Reiver show in Gateshead. I had a fun morning, bought some stuff, met up with Matt Crump and Steve and planned the Battle of Alston Moor. My last show was Partizan so comparisons are a little unfair but it did seem much quieter than previous years and the games were all demonstration.
So back to the interesting stuff, this is what I bought - I didn't go mad

A book - only £3

Couple of simple desert hills from S&A Scenics

Coach House - only £10 - why are resin buildings cheaper than MDF ones?

Motor bike and HMG sidecar for 1st Corps

Couple of mountain guns for colonials - have crews for Boers and Brits

FIW  Highlanders - Col Bills

Old Glory Maoris - I have an urge to fight tribal battles over pigs and to paint tattoos. 

Random selection from Col Bills rummage box - all 50p each - some FIW, ACW, Colonials and Dark Ages

Finally a 50p warrior from Col Bills - some meso American type I think. Little large - 32mm-ish but nice figure. I wants some more Meso American types as I have a Mayan Temple set of terrain pieces like the Eqyptian ones, but I cold only find a 40 pack at Col Bills.

Things I didn't get were some Vampire  type figs  and a rules set for FIW. I'm torn between Muskets and Tomahawks (Matt likes these) and Sharp Practice 2, if any one has any advice then let me know.

Next show is Battleground at Stockton later in year, Matt is running a participation game as is Dave Docherty so that should be a goon day to play and buy myself a Christmas present or 100.

Border Reiver 2015

Today was the Border Reiver Show at Gateshead International Stadium (images of fat bald middle aged men doing the high jump are not appropriate here so stop thinking about them - although the pole vault would test Newtonian physics to breaking point).
It is a pretty small show but there is plenty of space and some really cool games (obviously I didn't take any photos). Think it's about time I joined a local club.
I was supposed to meet with Darrell for the 1st time but failed to do so - hard to find another short fat bald guy in a room of short fat bald guys and I also didn't see Roy of Roy's Hobby Blog either and I appear to have been blocked from his site, must have been something I said.
I had some things I wanted to buy, some Frostgrave wizards and some Pictish biuldings from Scheltrum Miniatures. Otherwise the plan was to buy what takes my fancy - I go with a cash only budget and leave when it's spent.
There was plenty on show and I bought some cool things plus some bases, casualty counters and dice but you don't want to see pictures of them do you.

2 Pict huts from Scheltrum Miniatures and a couple of temple dogs from Ainsty

2 apocalypse survivors from Studio Miniatures. I buy these a lot via Hasslefree and it was good to meet the man himself. These 2 are a modern day robin hood and a hippy tank commander called Donald. No idea where he gets his ideas from.

31 Old Glory Pathans for £20, 2nd hand I think from one of the gaming shop's stalls - bargain

Wizards and thieves from Midlam

Mummy and a witch in a basque from Col. Bills (Rapier and Wargames Foundry)

Deep sea divers from Col Bill's (Wargames Foundry). don't know why I wanted these but I have done for ages.

Volksmarine from Scheltrum - good for VBCW

These victorian monsters - werewolf, phantom of the opera, mummy and crazy old lady - are from SHQ miniatures and will work well with a Victorian Frostgrave.

And finally another SHQ set, these were supposed to be Holmes and Watson and a couple of Rozzers but they gave me the wrong pack and I got a Flashman set. These figures are large 32mm and don't fit with my other sets so  will email them and see if I can swap them

I nearly bought this monster - a Scheltrum 28mm Imperial Land Leviathan but it was £70 and I didn't have the dosh. No idea what to use it for but it's now on the list.

Generally it was a good day and I'm off to prep new toys