Tactica 2024 – Historical

This February I attended the Tactica wargames convention in Hamburg for the first time, after having been tempted with pictures of beautifully presented gaming tables for many years.

Situated in a community centre that suitably looked like a fort with moat from the outside, the atmosphere was quite different from typical shows held in sports or convention halls. Spread over two days, I opted for the Sunday which should have been the less busy. The location shots below are from early in the day – it did reach what I would call a capacity crowd later, spread out between the main trade and gaming halls plus a multitude of smaller gaming rooms containing about half a dozen tables each.

Since there was no program to easily reference the gaming tables as to who built them and what they depicted, I’ll leave my snapshots of some of them here without further comment.

More information and pictures can be found on the Tactica website, and the Tabletop Deutschland blog is promising a closer look at the displays in the near future, as they provide every year.

Salute 2023 – Modern Warfare

The Maidstone Wargames Society presented Fallujah 2004 at this year’s Salute. Using the Force on Force ruleset in 20mm scale, this participation game saw US Marines in (fully scratch built) house to house fighting against insurgents.

Fallujah 2004 by Maidstone Wargames Society

Fallujah 2004 by Maidstone Wargames Society

Going back further in time, The Friends of General Haig staged Operation Desert Shield 1991, depicting an attack of Iraqi forces on US Airborne and Marines in 15mm scale.

Operation Desert Shield 1991 by The Friends of General Haig

Operation Desert Shield 1991 by The Friends of General Haig

The Korean War was the setting for two of the games I captured. The first made use of the ruleset All Hell Let Loose to bring a defence by the Gloucestershire Regiment against the Chinese army across the Imjin River to the table.

The Inchon Landing 1950 depicted the daring amphibious invasion by UN forces that was a major turning point in the war. Unfortunately I couldn’t find information on who presented this game in the list of exhibitors.

Imjin River with All Hell Let Loose

Inchon Landing 1950

The Vietnam War was the topic of Gringo40s, who staged the Assault on the American Embassy 1968 with a fully realised model of the embassy building and surrounds. There was a break in the action when I passed by, but a full overview of the table can be found here, courtesy of Wargames Illustrated’s YouTube channel.

Rubicon Models meanwhile had built a range of platoon level skirmish boards in the more typically associated rural jungle setting of this conflict.

Assault on the American Embassy 1968 by Gringo40s

The Vietnam War by Rubicon Models

Salute 2023 – World at War

Kicking off the World War I and II coverage is a pseudo-historical game in Mark Copplestone’s ‘Little Soldiers’ inter-war setting, staged by the Cornwall Wargames Association. If I understood/remembered correctly, the rules used were an adaptation of the Memoir ’44 boardgame.

Moving on to the ‘real’ war, 1/72 Wargames recreated a section of the Kaiserschlacht 1918 with the 36th Ulster division under German attack.

The Zagory Rebellion by Cornwall Wargames Association

The Zagory Rebellion by Cornwall Wargames Association

Kaiserschlacht 1918 by 1/72 Wargames

Hugo’s Heroes created scenarios during World War II inspired by classic Airfix model sets from the 1960s, and brought some of the original plastics along as well.

Getting my Airfix by Hugo’s Heroes

Getting my Airfix by Hugo’s Heroes

Getting my Airfix by Hugo’s Heroes

The Retired Wargamers Reloaded had constructed a massive and beautiful board for a 15mm scale battle around Carentan 1944 using Rapid Fire rules.

Eagles and Lions at Carentan by Retired Wargamers Reloaded

Eagles and Lions at Carentan by Retired Wargamers Reloaded

The Lard Zone had its debut at Salute this year, and WWII was well represented by games of Chain of Command.

Saint Côme du Mont 1944 by Joe Bilton

Saint Côme du Mont 1944 by Joe Bilton

Holding Oosterbeek 1944 by Nick Skinner and Rich Clark

Salute 2023 – Horse & Musket

After Ancients, the second period of wargaming that usually makes tabletops buckle under the sheer weight of lead is Horse & Musket.

A number of prime examples of this were on show again at Salute 2023, starting with the Battle of Domstadtl 1758 by Ardhammer Group. The unusual aspect of this game were the flat figures, giving the game a suitably old school feel.

Battle of Domstadtl 1758 by Ardhammer Group

Battle of Domstadtl 1758 by Ardhammer Group

Crawley Wargames Club put on Ferocious Fighting at Ferozaphur 1845, fielding the East India Company against the Sikh Khalsa Army in 15mm scale.

Ferocious Fighting at Ferozaphur 1845 by Crawley Wargames Club

Ferocious Fighting at Ferozaphur 1845 by Crawley Wargames Club

The Battle of Austerlitz 1805 was the theme for a 28mm game of Command and Colours by The Old Guard.

The Battle of Austerlitz 1805 by The Old Guard

The Battle of Austerlitz 1805 by The Old Guard

Warlord Games presented their Pike and Shotte Epic Battles figures and terrain for the Thirty Years’ War and English Civil War of the 17th century.

Pike and Shotte Epic Battles by Warlord Games

Pike and Shotte Epic Battles by Warlord Games

The Wyre Forest Gamers and Roll a One blog brought the fruits of a lockdown project for charity, during which 50 wargamers each painted a base of 6mm figures to make up two imaginary 17th century armies.

17th century fictional battle by Wyre Forest Gamers

17th century fictional battle by Wyre Forest Gamers

Hugo’s Heroes staged the Battle of Oravais 1808 in 6mm for a strategic view and in 28mm for the decisive clash of arms.

Battle of Oravais 1808 by Hugo’s Heroes

Battle of Oravais 1808 by Hugo’s Heroes

The Battle of Dirschau 1627 by The Friends of General Haig was fought over a battlefield with beautifully executed terrain features.

Battle of Dirschau 1627 by The Friends of General Haig

Battle of Dirschau 1627 by The Friends of General Haig

Stunning terrain recreating the frozen Thames and old London Bridge in the 1650s provided the backdrop for the London Wargaming Guild’s Cold Doings in London.

Cold Doings in London by London Wargaming Guild

Cold Doings in London by London Wargaming Guild

The Death Ride of Gustavus Adolphus 1632 by The Officer’s Mess honed in on a specific course of events during the Battle of Lützen.

The Death Ride of Gustavus Adolphus 1632 by The Officer’s Mess

Last but not least and somewhat pushing my definition of the era, Too Fat Lardies launched their latest offering What a Cowboy!, a game of gunfights in the Old West.

What a Cowboy! by Too Fat Lardies

Salute 2023 – Ancients & Renaissance

Salute 2023 marked the 50th time that the South London Warlords put on their wargames show this April. Public attendance was strong though it is clear that the event is now unfortunately only a UK show, with companies and clubs from continental Europe sadly missing.

Colourful spectacles from ancient times were put on by To The Strongest!, the Society of Ancients (sorry I couldn’t find info about the actual battle being staged) and Miniatures Wargames Magazine. Strength & Honour is a new system for 2mm scale battles, presented at the show by its author with the Battle of Cannae.

Ipsus 301 BC by To the Strongest!

Ipsus 301 BC by To the Strongest!

Carthage vs Rome by Society of Ancients

Carthage vs Rome by Society of Ancients

Battle of Leuctra 371 BC by Jon & Diane Sutherland with Miniatures Wargames Magazine

Battle of Leuctra 371 BC by Jon & Diane Sutherland with Miniatures Wargames Magazine

Strength & Honour with the Battle of Cannae 216 BC by Mark Backhouse

Skipping over the Dark and Middle Ages this year, Masterstroke Games showcased their new ruleset Force of Virtue while Wargames Illustrated put on a game of Never Mind the Billhooks during the Italian Wars.

Italy 1495 by Masterstroke Games

Italy 1495 by Masterstroke Games

Never Mind the Billhooks by Wargames Illustrated

Never Mind the Billhooks by Wargames Illustrated

Never Mind the Billhooks by Wargames Illustrated

Never Mind the Billhooks by Wargames Illustrated