Wednesday 29 April 2015

Salute 2015........finally updated.....


That time of year again....

My usual annual selfie with the Tower of London background...less hair this year...me that is, not the Tower....


IBIS Excel hotel room view....very nice but the window stayed closed this year due to the cold...



Bags dropped at the hotel and a little tourism...too tired after night shifts for the planned Victoria & Albert visit...maybe next year. 




Fish & chips by Tower Bridge...£6.50...not too bad all things considered fro London...


The infamous Fox pub....a den of iniquity for both pre and post Salute refreshments....


The morning itself....drizzly and cold.... 


9.15....queues weren't so bad. I had pre booked as usual and printed off the 'E' tickets...3 times...technology will honestly be the death of me at some point.....



The goodie bag including the plastic Perry English bowman sculpt to help commemorate the Agincourt theme of the show.



A Fire Arc in the goodie bag....




My first port of call was Paul Gargon of Mad Clown Miniatures. One of a growing number of British indie cottage companies......he has just released some nice cards and promised me a set...





He also showed me his latest WIP .... get sculpting!




If I remember rightly this was his piece for Kingdom of Death...a few tweaks needed here and there he said!


The Imperium keeping the peace.....



Heresy had their usual large presence....I got to pick up my small Kickstarter package...not helped by a. them having forgotten it and b. me not remembering what I'd ordered...all worked out well in the end though although a little embarrassment on my part....





One of the WIPs for the KS.....


Studio Miniatures 'Not Monty Pythons' Medieval Mayhem Kickstarter Trojan Rabbit....


Popped over to see Ben Brownlie of 'Frothers Unite' forum and his marvellous 'Return to Castle Frotherheim'. I had at least painted a bunch of koblds and Trolls for it plus my Skaven from the Frotherheim game a few years back.....





The show organisers, South London Warlords presented a heart-warming and memory jogging Stingray game....even as I'm typing the music is running though my head.






The other Warlord - Warlord Games have picked up the distribution rights for Riverhorse' 'Terminator Genisys' game....I managed to snaffle a sprue of the Terminators and a test run for the infantry.....thanks to Matt Walford who is also now the proud owner of a set of my blog minis......












Games maestro extraordinaire Alessio Cavatore showing the mechanics of the game... 



Only one pic survived the iPod for the Miniature Factory....well worth checking out...


Crooked Dice were there as usual with their most impressively painted display cabinets....










I managed to resist most impulses and only walked away with a set of the 'Paranormal Investigators'..


A quick diversion to the SLW stand to pick up some of last year's dice for a friend....


One of my main highlights was meeting up again with 'Goblinmaster' Kev Adams. The Warmonger range of goblinoid folk is growing and soon to be released......Bryan and Steve burnt the midnight oil to prep molds for a limited amount in time for Salute......


Again the iPod let me down on pics of the greens but if you check the labels on the right of the blog there are many more to see on earlier posts....there is a Goblin musician trio that is to die for. The little buggers wouldn't focus for me at all.....you can almost make them out.....


Next year back to the faithful old Sony Sureshot.

If you'do' Facebook please head over and like their page;








From left to right; Kev Adams, Marcus Ansell and Steve Casey. Top blokes one and all.


Interestingly enough if you Google Warmonger Miniatures one of my earlier blog posts is 3rd on the listings....

20 new castings in total;




One Orc I was missing...


and a small handful of Snorklings.....


Clockwork Goblin Miniatures always impress me....when I move into that AT43 period I will be all over them....



I've borrowed a pic off their site and my 'soft focus' shot blows backwards.....


and any company that gives away beermats is a company to look after.....



David and Jayne of The Northumbrian Tin Soldier Shop were purveying their wares most pleasantly....the Nightfolk are a favorite of mine and David has got a set of all the new releases for me. 



I have to defy anyone not to find a 'need' the the 'Bear Necessities' pack...


As with Warmonger please go and 'like' their Facebook page....they are great people and give great service.


Another stop was a quick one to Black Scorpion.....a LAF member wanted one of the Salute special minis so of course I had to buy more.....










One wonderful old school find.....2 of the Grenadier Miniatures Lord of the Rings boxed sets.....contents are up on the Lost mini WIKI



Quick stop and chat with Ian 'Geronimo' Brumby at Fenris Games to pick up one of their H P Lovecraft pieces. 


Back to British Indie and Alex Huntley of Warploque Miniatures had some new pieces to go with my recent Kickstarter pickup.





Coming to a Kickstarter soon, Paranoid Miniatures 'inspired by the works of H P Lovecraft' Mythos.....I took a pic of their very nice one sculpt but it has not come out....grrrrrr....pop over to their Facebook page to see more.




Good pal Levied Troop off Frothers was running a beautifully laid own VBCW game but of course the pics have also died.......




Apologies for the lack of details...laptop died trying to transfer the pics I had taken off the iPod......each time I try to access them now the PC locks the restarts......grrrrrr........ I think it's time I got a new one.......... moved into the new house so should hopefully be posting more regularly soon once things are settled down.