World Wargames Championships 2001- Derby

I remember reading somewhere that Bonny prince Charlie wept when his army turned back toward Scotland at Derby. I almost cried to as torrential rain swept across the town square just as we broke for lunch. In fact I would not have been surprised to see Noah sail past at that moment. Meanwhile in the Assembly Rooms the World Championships were well underway with competition gamers cursing the roll of the dice in a fantasia of languages (however the meaning was always clear). 

I had travelled down with Graham Campbell of Gentleman Volunteers who was presenting one of his large-scale computer moderated games. In common, sadly, with a number of other shows the efforts of Graham and other clubs in presenting well planned displays was somewhat thwarted by the limitations of the venue. The lighting in parts of the Assembly Rooms is atrocious, and at a time of year when in gets dark at mid afternoon some games could hardly be seen at all.   

French Infantry move to the attack

However the range of games had something for everyone. As Gentlemen Volunteers commanded serried ranks of French Cavalry of 1707 in an frenzied assault against a force of Dutch and Germans, excited shouts echoed across the room as a US Air Mobile Battalion struggled to clear a steep valley of NVA and Viet Cong. Milton Keynes Wargames Society presented an excellent 25mm Napoleonic action, Ostrowno 1812. The terrain used in this game was particularly impressive. 

Also impressive was the large American Civil War action presented by Derby Wargames Society. Well painted 25mm figures, many converted in order to supply the support units so often ignored by gamers, such as medics and engineers, filled the table. The terrain was based on the excellent TSS blocks, but very heavily converted and expanded, and on to which sculpted terrain features had been added, such as tree lined roads marked by split rail fences. If I have a criticism of this game, it is that the table was too crowded giving a feeling of confusion. 

If I have to make a more general comment it concerns the failure of a number of display games to make any effort to communicate with the public. I noted that a few of the displays included great efforts to involve visitors, especially youngsters, in explanations of all aspects of the game. Others sadly made no effort, players ignoring people who obviously had questions to ask, and crowding round the table making it impossible for the games to be seen properly.   

Gentleman Volunteers' impressive 1707 display

No such criticisms can be made about what was, for me at least, the best display of the show by far. The Dark Ages game included first class sculpted terrain with villages, and fortifications. I was particularly impressed by the detailed field systems and the finely painted figures used in this display. The members of the Like a Stonewall group who presented this game are based I understand in the Mansfield and Derby area, and the effort they made in explaining the game, and the historical background to visitors was exemplary.

Mount Badon presented by Like a Stonewall

Derby is of course first and foremost a competition show, and for this reason large numbers of gamers tend to give it a miss, preferring to avoid the extortionate parking charges of the city centre. This years attendance was also hit by an unfortunate clash of dates with an apparently important football international. Hopefully the change of venue for next years show will improve matters.  

The show is moving to the University campus, where I am told that The Atrium, is larger, and brighter than the Assembly Rooms. Parking will be free, and all the usual student necessities (bars, cash machines, and cheap food) are on site. I hope, that the organisers will take the opportunity to plan how to maximize the impact of display games and attempt to diversify the focus of the show. Hopefully gamers who currently stay at home will then be attracted to the show which clearly has the potential to become a much better and larger show.  

Having said that, I was concerned by a comment from one of the organisers that suggested that the number of displays may be reduced in favour of more room for competition games. This would, I feel, be a huge mistake. Competition games are of very little interest to anyone not directly involved in playing them. And lets face it esoterically, they are not very attractive.  

(I had hoped to publish details of the competition winners on this page, but I am still awaiting receipt from the organisers. I will update this article when they arrive.)

JOS

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