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SALUTE 2006
Mike Adams
Summary Well, it’s that time of the year again. I have literally just got back from Salute 2006, tired but not exhausted. I will write this review in “real time” as I examine the contents of my rucksack and carrier bags (I have four) and wonder what happened to the money in my wallet. This is of course my very personal review of Salute, and I make no apologies for that.
Shopping List Now, this year I planned not to spend too much money nor buy too many things. Mainly because I was recently made redundant from my job and I have very little money in the bank, but also because I have in the past acquired far too many wargaming possessions and I am in fact half way through a grand eBay sale of excess wargaming “stuff”. In fact I set myself a rule that I would finance all current wargaming expenditure just from eBay sales. And that must include travelling costs and entry to Salute. Well, I transferred £100 from my PayPal account for Salute, but I blew nearly £60 straight away just getting in the door (petrol there and back £40, parking £9, entry £8). I wasn’t doing too badly at the show itself until I finally caved in at the Rezolution / Aberrant Games stand and bought into yet another game system!
Rezolution I’ve had a soft spot for Aberrant Games from the beginning, firstly because they announced their system at the same time I was developing something myself with a lot of similarities (codename “Bloodbath“). Also because of the very slight ‘rawness’ of their offering, like a couple of hobbyists who one day declared they wanted to go commercial, and partly because, well, I think I actually like what they have done. Actually, since last year when they embarrassingly had no product because of some production issue (it was meant to be their release day), this year not only did they have product but they seemed to have moved on a lot in one year. The newer models look better sculpted, their samples are much better painted (both due to them taking on a staff painter and a staff sculptor), and they didn’t sound too phased by the demise of Harbinger magazine, which I thought was their only marketing tool. I would love to know more about the business side, mainly because I harbour secret desires to make a living from my passion, and I am fascinated by business in any case. Well, having spent a long time talking to these guys asking rude questions, I thought I better buy some models!
Getting Around The Show This year I was much more effective at getting around the show. This was helped by the fact that it was all on one floor in one massive hangar, also by the fact that I finally accepted I can’t look at every game and trade stand in detail. So I reckon I saw “most” of the show (it’s physically impossible to see it all in one day). This was despite having many enjoyable hobby conversations with every wargamer I happened to be standing next to. For me, not being a member of a club (yes, stupid I know, I really must join a local club), talking to other gamers has become one of my favoutite parts of the show. Particular mention must go to “Ben” who I chatted to at the Forge World stand for about thirty minutes. I was deeply impressed with a model he showed me from his Elysian Drop Troops army. Amazingly, he had installed tiny magnets at the model’s waist, so the model could be swivelled or reposed, but also at its neck! Yes, unbelievably, you could turn the head on this 28mm scale model. Madness, of course, and I suggested that Salute would need a new category in their painting competition for “re-poseable miniature“. It was very nicely painted too. The problem is, people like that make me feel inadequate. Hey, this year I actually filled in the questionnaire and submitted it to the information booth in time for the prize draw! Alas, unless you were right next to the booth (and wasted half an hour of valuable time waiting around through all the prize giving), it was impossible to hear the announcements, so I just hope it wasn’t me who won! Imagine how gutting it would be to win £500 to spend, but missing the announcement!
What’s In The Carrier Bags So, do you want to know what’s in my carrier bags? No? Well, I’m going to tell you anyway. Let me see…
Isn’t it exciting to come home with a bag of goodies like that?
More Rezolution Just a couple of things that come to mind as I read that list…I am a bit of a sucker for good cover art, and the CSO Peacemakers art is particularly good. The contents are a bit of an anti-climax. I mean the models are very nice, and they will paint up very nice, but the stats card which goes with them is, well, a bit disappointing. It’s black and white for a start and printed on basic card, not quite what I expected. It’s not even been cut straight - no laser cutting here, just a pair of scissors. Anyway, I forgive them, because part of the appeal to me of Rezolution is the slightly raw, home-made quality it has (no doubt they will hate me for saying that). The Dravani box is better - good minis, several cards, quick start rules and also a natty type of “scatter” die - in fact it’s a die with arrows inside a D6 made of clear plastic. Innovative. Still let down by the quality of the cards. I should say that the Dravani box is marketed as a “starter set”, but I don’t think the Peacemakers are - these are more of an elite expansion to the CSO starter set. Hence the Dravani box includes quick-start rules and the scatter die, but the Peacemakers box does not. I shall hopefully report back on the website on how good the Rezolution game is. Already I am very keen to get the models painted and start playing, whereas my Urban War figures from last year are still in their blisters. The Urban War offering was just too ‘polished’ for my taste - difficult to put into words - but Rezolution captures my imagination.
Forge World / Games Workshop A couple of things I learnt from the Forge World / Games Workshop booths, before I forget … I learnt that I should use grey car metal primer spray paint to undercoat resin models, not GW’s spray paint. I saw an undercoated example (of a new FW variant of the Piranha with twin Rail Rifles instead of drones) and I was impressed with the quality of finish. I got a very technical explanation about the different properties of resin and how GW paints are designed for plastic and metal. FW are also due to release an awesome Xenos Inquisitor 28mm model, plus a couple of henchmen. I absolutely have to have it even though I already have a Xenos Inquisitor in my collection (see photos on the website). At the GW booth, I had long conversations with a couple of guys about some of the new Tau options. They had the new Sky Ray for sale one week early (just about the only “show special”) and I have been agonising about buying it, but I still prefer a Hammerhead with Ion Cannon and 2 Seeker Missiles. The other guys favoured large squadrons of Piranhas. BTW, it is my opinion that the real value of the Sky Ray is not the Seeker Missiles, I would rather it had just a couple of these, it’s the Markerlights. Vehicle mounted Markerlights which can both be fired on the move at BS4 against separate targets…wow!
Freebooters Miniatures There is often a collection of models at the show which is truly mind-blowing. This year for me it was Freebooters Miniatures (designed by Werner Klocke). Not only was the sculpting truly unbelievable, but the painting quality on these minis was also out of this world. I could stare at these for hours and my mind would not be able to comprehend the aesthetic beauty and the level of skill which has gone into them. Just when you think scultping can’t get any better, someone takes it to a new level. The only problem is - well, they should be on display at the Tate or the Louvre, not at a wargaming show. Who buys them? I can only guess that painters buy one or two just for the pleasure of painting. They were exquisite, not just in the technical scultping but in the creativity and imagination of the styling.
Starship Troopers The Starship Troopers looked good and were especially popular with junior wargamers. The range of models and books for this system is now quite large. I came very, very close to buying a piece or two to expand the boxed set I already have. The fundamental problem for me is that I only bought it for a fun, stand-alone game, I’m not ready to start investing in a whole new system. I mean, I can already field Tyranids and Imperial Guard armies from W40K.
Ready Painted Models Ready painted models is a relatively new trend, and there were two good examples I saw. One was HCH figures and the other from Big Battalions. It’s amazing that they can afford to do it, given how long I know it takes me to paint models. I know that Big Battalions very cleverly have a sister business based in Thailand where they take advantage of cheap labour costs. This means you probably can’t get better for your buck. However, of course, you are still talking about £80-£100 for a Napoleonic battalion of infantry, and something like £1000 for an army. If you could wait two years to have your army ready and bought a unit every month or two, this would work. I know it would take me longer than two years to paint a Napoleonic army, so maybe it’s not so daft an idea. It all comes down to money, of course - how much have you got to spend on your hobby? (especially considering that I would find it impossible to limit myself to one or even two wargaming periods)
Resin Movement Trays I bought three resin “movement trays” from Terrain Warehouse for my Warhammer Lizardmen army. I really don’t like movement trays, but in Warhammer it seems to be a fact of life. Games Workshop do sell some of their own in plastic, but a very limited selection of sizes and so of limited use. You can make your own of course, but I really resent that, on top of everything else. Terrain Warehouse have a very large selection, one for every combination of unit size. At first when I got the trays home, I was a little disappointed. The main problem I had was that one of the trays was the wrong size. At first I thought it was some sort of production error, and started cussing at the manufacturer. But then I realised I had simply been given one tray of a different size by mistake (an easy mistake to make in the circumstances). I contacted Terrain Warehouse and they immediately dispatched a new tray of the right size. So I have to say the company provided excellent service.
Battle Games I found out that a new magazine has been launched called Battle Games (see www.battlegames.co.uk). I didn’t manage to get a copy but I would like to. It seems to be old school wargaming for people who remember the days of Asquith, Wise, Featherstone et al. This could be good and bad. I have nostalgia for the old days and think it still has a lot of value, but I am certainly not averse to progress as well. I have just had a look at the website, and it is obviously early days so we will have to see how it develops.
Summary Of The Rest So, what else was interesting at the show, in my very humble opinion? In no particular order…
Total Spend
Overall Conclusion Overall, it’s always very exciting to go to Salute. The biggest value for me overall is that I come away with my head buzzing with ideas. What’s cool, new ideas for armies, terrain, games, etc. - all excellent stuff if you’ve got it in your genes like me. See you next year!
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