It was one of those weekends that just didn’t seem to end. We started the preparations at the end of the Summer and the last minute changes were still being dealt with on the Saturday morning. But when the competitors started to filter into Firestorm Games, we knew that yet again, we were amongst the West’s most august body of gamers…..

After being repeatedly asked to leave the premises by centre staff, apologies were offered to top West Country player Keefer McGlynn. Our apologies.

The armies chosen included the much favoured Pike armies of the Helenistics but it would be the hairy barbarians that were the choice of our newer competitors. The painting standard has gone up considerably over the last five years. With such a preponderance of excellent 28mm figures available, the modern collector really is spoilt.

Steve Price’s phalanx got a lot of attention as it sat motionless in a nine inch by six trapezium.

The Companions were the chosen strike arm of McHugh and Unwin as well. Classical Greece made an appearance with wall to wall heavy spearmen.

If Indian elephants can’t break through the Pikes, why not rely upon brute barbarian swordplay. The Germans were the army of choice with even gaming guru Mark Fry choosing the Allemanic Caput Porci!

Of course a more subtle approach is to send a scythed chariot hurtling toward the neat lines of more conventional forces. Ian Speed and the mischievous Mark Fry both went for wheeled mayhem.

Not all players chose to stay in Europe and Asia Minor. Newbee Glew did nothing but complain when his Germans faced two Chinese armies. The arch Bristolian Brexiteer threatened to leave early if a more Western opponent was not found on the Sunday. We sent him against “the warring state” himself, Chris Jackson and his orientals.

The mixed arm choices were definately the losers as the competition progressed. Only the steely eyed Gordon Jaimieson with his diminutive plastic Chinese held their own.

It was the scene above that showed how the barbarians fight. Fashion setter Fry has gone for hexagon command bases so we shall all be forced to concur over the next few months. He had called it right, with the dominance of the barbarian in a competition where Romanesque heavy swordsmen were outlawed. But it was not the master who benefitted. Fry was Ancient Greek to a brasher Roman interloper. Despite being banned, Colin had screamed like a baby when his Sertonian Spanish were disallowed on the grounds that they were banned and disallowed. He came back fighting though and carved his way through all opposition.

This year was our first Virtus without Nigel Poole. He of the ever present “charge” option was greatly missed. As the old legionnaires in the room called out “presente!” to honour our lost soldier, we can rest assured that Andy will continue to slaughter toy armies in his place. It’s what Nigel would have wanted.

The award for best painted army was hotly contested but went to Mr Speed for an amazing collection. His Persian horse also evaded him into third place.

Glasses and a close shave were also chosen by serial prize stealer, Gordon Jaimieson.

Amidst calls of “fix” and “resign” , the draw organiser Colin Cavanagh won the esteemed first place. His acceptance speech was drowned out by slamming car doors and the crackle of collapsing Kiora cartons. Even Theresa  May is more popular than the Yeovil “Double- dipper!’

My thanks to all who made this weekend so memorable. We are back next December with pre500B.C. Era armies so if you would like to join us then book early, we have to impose a fifty competitor limit to be within acceptable noise levels if Colin wins again!