SELWG 10 Report

I was looking forward to another day at the SELWG at Crystal Palace last Sunday the 17th October. Last year they returned the sports complex after a three year absence which seemed to be back in near full swing.
The sun was shinning and although I did not have much of a shopping list, I was hoping to pick up a bargin here and there and to see what, if any, new developments that might have been made since last year as I did not go to SALUTE this year.
Although the entry fee never seems to go up, you immediately saw that the numbers were well down. The trade stands were also not in great numbers as they had been last year and the gaming area seemed to be very airy. They did say in their programme that the extra halls that they had last year were unavailable for this year.
I must admit that it was nice to go round the stalls and tables without any pushing and shoving and their seemed to be plenty to see on the stalls but not anything that I wanted. Not many traders had Hat figures and the ones that did were in 28 mm form.
The only thing that I walked away from was two magazines of BATTLEGAMES.After a cup of coffee at the café I had a quick flick through the contents of these magazines and they seem to be a good buy.
There seemed to be a lot of books stalls this year and my partner picked up a book that is on my short list but I will have to wait till my Birthday to read it.
I could have brought plenty of terrain pieces but I would like to have a go at making these as the cost seems to me a bit steep on buying them.
On the gaming front there were just a couple of games that had fantastic layouts, which was a shame as I did not charge up my camera before leaving home so I could not take any pictures of them.
From Southend “keep your head down fritzie boy” was a WW1 game with plenty of figures and tanks. Too Fat Lardies “Terrible sharp sword ACW” was a small skirmish game.
The day seemed to go quickly as they always do at these show’s, but the recession has hit the hobby hard and I hope that next years show will be as it was last year.