Is it just me...

[Essex Boy]

Good to see you at the show, Sub and EB (though I wanted to chat more with you and you disappeared into thin air). I've done a report at http://henrys-wargaming.co.uk/cavalier- ... tonbridge/

I enjoyed the show purely for social reasons, really. I ended up spending some money on stuff for Ayton, and a few obscure books, and PSC foisted some samples on me which will no doubt end up in Peeler's hands in due course. Oh, and a lovely-smelling MDF building perfect for our mad WotFS games.

I left at about 2.30, had a lovely drive home along country lanes in the sunshine. Got home and fell asleep. Lovely.

Sorry about that, Henry. I said a quick hello to Mick and then I was off home. At the back of my mind were all the jobs Debbie had lined up for me.

[BaronVonWreckedoften]

Salute has always been a "meet-up" show with a bit of shopping thrown in for me, because it is a rare opportunity to meet other gamers from north of Watford. Getting to northern shows is very difficult for me, and - I suspect - the same is true for northern gamers getting to my "local" shows (Colours, SELWG, Warfare). Partizan is another event where I got a rare chance to put faces to names. Iain is right - Salute is utter rubbish for pubs, both inside and outside of Excel; there are a couple of people I drink with after the show in the pub under the footbridge, but other than that it's not ideal. I think after this year, I will devote my time to attending Partizan (this year I was going to give Salute a miss, but there are some people coming over that I won't get a chance to meet elsewhere).

[World2dave]

For me Salute is 2-3 hours trying to cover a bit of ground at the show, spotting new/foreign traders etc. Then it's a DLR-pub-tube-pub-walk-pub(you get the gist) type of thing before a big beer and curry sesh at the end. Social bit is definitely more important than the retail bit.

[valleyboy]

Shows are rare for me - one every 2 years so there is an element of stock up and impulse buying with the saving on postage to NZ and chance to buy smaller items not worth posting
Last few have been Salute where I can also catch up with reprobates for a drink

[levied troop]

I’m not sure I was ever a bulk buyer at shows, apart from the mad impulse purchase. The trader stands were useful in seeing what the figures/terrain looked like and I’d more likely put in an order via post after the show. Maybe with better/more pictures on t’net or perhaps I’m better acquainted with manufacturer/sculptor standards I need to actually see the stuff less and less.

But I do find it useful to pick up bits and pieces at shows As it happens, I bought nothing at Tunbridge despite having a list, possibly due to the higher level of resellers. But I did find something new at Robin (Rubicon plastic ‘log fencing’ - painted and in use by Tunbridge!) that I wouldn’t have spotted otherwise and new traders pop up all the time - Iron Gate Scenery was new to me at Pudsey and well worth keeping an eye on.

The Fox is probably the best pub for Salute, but those of us putting a game on won’t be there until 18:00 at least and never if I’m driving a game back

[FreddBloggs]

One of the points about ROBIN was that the organisers deliberately keep the stand prices down and try and keep the diversity level uP.

Salute I just find too huge, too crowded and no time to actually browse with being buffeted or bumped.

Hammerhead this coming Saturday is generally a nice relaxed show though.

[Purple]

Shows for me are just a quick pump of enthusiasm juice and a quick restock of paint.
I Purchase figures in a constant stream of small amounts so I get the repeated excitement of a package thrust through the letterbox but never to much to overwhelm and end up in a shameful lead pile.

I do think a Loose Ass Trip to Crisis one year would be amusing.

[goat major]

thats a very good idea

[Purple]

We’d probably have to alert Interpol mind.
And who knows where EB would end up.
Yugoslavia?

[Jeremy]

thats a very good idea

Oh yes! I was actually thinking of making the trip next year