Could I ask my gentle reader which ‘figure’ he ( or she😌😊) prefers? I ask because you may have gathered, I feel myself drawn to the second figure! One of the traders at Salute was offering ‘realistic’ adventurers and I of course went straight to the trader that had a unrealistically proportioned axe wielding maiden on display! The choice I think shows how diverse the hobby has become. Salute showed that fears of an ageing gaming communities may well be last year’s yawn. Us middle aged, slightly cuddly ones were almost a minority. If people are buying politically correct adventurers and queuing in their droves for Forgeworld, I think I may have to start a fight back- maybe with a Chris Kyle demonstration game?

The other topic of conversation amongst our crew was just how achievable are the games on display. The Guildford Courthouse game was in my opinion just about perfect. Amazing figures and terrain but, with enough effort,  attainable and practical.

The gallant Crown forces pushed throgh the colonists and the game looked to be hanging in the balance as we left. Steve’s painting shed blog is recommended. Great hosts around the table too – not at all put off by John and I drooling.

The ancient periods were also represented. Cremona below must have consumed hundreds of hours of preparation time. The Play your Cards right games mechanism certainly kept the game rolling along at a pace….

Napoleonics had a fantastic assault of the Imperial Guard at Waterloo.

World War Two appears to be changing emphasis, with more skirmish games and larger scales. The Flames of War stand was much reduced.

A cold-war era game also got us talking. 20mm NATO forces, complete with a Hercules and Harrier, hold off the advancing Soviet tank column.

I for one would love to attend one of the USA’s gaming conventions. Could this game of the novel “The Fort” point to the future? My ‘wargame standard’ miniatures just can’t compete.

It had been an amazing show. Apologies to all the games and traders who I missed out. You really do have to visit Salute to get to grips to the scale. I came a way feeling so positive about the future of our great hobby, despite…..

And realistically proportioned adventurers!