Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Triples 2014

So this weekend saw me attending what I think was my thirty first Triples!  Pretty sure the first one I went to was in 1983 at the Royal Victoria Hotel, just over the road from where I now work.  Back then I was a keen role-player and I remember taking part in the Runequest "tournament" playing a stupid and foul-mouthed Broo.  

Nowadays, Triples has moved to the English Institute for Sport in the lower Don Valley.  This venue has plenty of space and parking.  I'm sure it's great for traders and game organisers loading their stuff in and out but it's a bit soulless compared the the Royal Victoria or even the Octagon Centre.

An early stop for me most years at Triples is the Wargames Developments game.  These are always fun.  And short.  This year it was five minutes (literally) spent shooting down V-1s over southern England.  I think I got four or five!  Mind you I lost a couple Spitfire XIVs in the process!

Tim Gow and Martin Rapier running the game.
As I mentioned in the previous posting I was certain to muck up the record of net reduction of the lead pile but on the whole I was very restrained.  These two 28mm figures came from Ainsty (under the Great Escape Games imprint).


To anyone except the BBC's lawyers they are Matt Smith as the Doctor (yes, I admit it; it's not cool but Matt Smith's my favourite Doctor!) and Karen Gillan as Amy Pond.  Unfortunately Amy's in her episode one police woman's uniform which somewhat limit's the usefulness of the figure.  If I'd realised I might have gone for a different blister pack.  The TARDIS Constabulary Communications Cabin is also from Ainsty.

Next up was a real bargain from the bring-and-buy; three M4A3s for a tenner!


And finally, from the ever helpful Steve Oates of the Baggage Train, some painted BT-7s.  They'll look great alongside the as yet unused T-28s I bought from him previously.

As to the games, I was a little disappointed.  There weren't any that really got my creative juices flowing.  I'd have liked to see some games with nicely presented, large units of 6mm scale figures.

Here are some pics:

Bruce Weigle's excellent St Quentin, 1871 - lovely terrain but to be true to the ground scale the 6mm scale
battalions had to be just a few figures each.
More of the lovely St Quentin board.  It reminded me of the splendid diorama at the Citadel de Bitche. 
  






5 comments:

Tales from Shed HQ said...

I agree Richard, the games were slightly disappointing no really spectacular display games. The last time I managed to get to Triples was in its Octagon days and I remember huge display games with thousands of 15mm and 25mm figures, nothing like that anymore. Liking the CCC model from Ainsty.
Cheers
Richard P

BigRedBat said...

I absolutely love the look of the Weigle terrain. Would love to do something like that myself, sometime...

Counterpane said...

Years ago I built 2' squares of rolling Normandy-like terrain in 6mm scale. It looked good but I rapidly got bored with it.

Wg Cdr Luddite said...

Bruce Weigle's game was the highlight of the show.

Top bloke for coming all the way across The Pond and bringing it as hand luggage !

Dartfrog said...

Excellent work. I nominated you for a Liebster
http://dartfrog06mm.blogspot.com/2014/05/thanks.html