...who worked while the men in their lives played! I hope it was a very successful day for all involved - the least the ladies deserved.
It was my first ever Salute and the first wargames 'get-together' I have attended since Golden Demon in 1991 from which I returned with a lovely little souvenir. Although I returned with a bag full of goodies (two, lovely 'Zebu' cruisers, PEA snipers, another APC from Antenociti; a couple of the new Sedition Wars, Vanguard trooper and a wonderful re-imagining of the LT. Kara Black mini from Studio McVey - one of only five available! - and loads of other bits and pieces) the highlight for me was meeting some of the people I've 'met' on various forums. Mike McVey was charming and found time for a little chat and for a little praise for the two finished troopers I took to show him. He doesn't look any older than the first time I saw him at that Golden Demon comp.
I also took the vehicles I'd painted for Antenociti's Workshop G.O.T. range - the 'Bear', 'Warthog', Skorpion (and newly finished jet-bike) and, of course the recently completed, APC. These were met with great enthusiasm from Jed and Tim creators, modellers and painters of their splendid range of figures and vehicles and also of an elaborate and magnificent urban games table. Unbelievingly the interiors of the individual floors had been detailed right down to the inclusion of a toilet in a holding cell! Wonderfully mad! The guys were absolutely brilliant and made me feel very welcome and very much a member of their little team.
I was a little disappointed to find that my painting efforts were not really visible - obviously a very different lighting set-up to what I have at home when painting and photographing the vehicles - but they seemed to attract a little attention from the gamers and spectators. In contrast both the gaming tables and display cabinets figures and vehicles, painted by Jed and Tim looked fantastic. I know Tim's figures had received some harsh criticism on one forum in particular regarding the high contrast between the white armour and black lining of plates but I was mightily impressed with the quality and consistency of finish. Tim modestly explains that they were painted to a gaming quality but for me they far surpassed this standard. The high contrast worked to perfection in the subdued lighting of the hall and I kept returning to the display cabinet for another look. Lots of good things to come....
I've already built the two Zebu's and used one of the open 'turrets' on the hardtop of a 'Bear' (pics tomorrow).
Despite the early rising (5am), long hours travelling (almost six hours there and back) and the huge queue awaiting entry even with advance tickets (very frustrating to see the much smaller 'pay-on-the-day' queue diminishing rapidly as I meandered along with several hundred other gaming enthusiasts up to the end of the hallway, along to the left down another hallway and then turning back to repeat the journey in the other direction before gaining entry) I thoroughly enjoyed my first Salute.
A quick hello to the Frothers I met and to Kev, Sally and Steve on the Hasslefree stand. Funny, you have a picture in mind of the people you 'speak' to but never meet and they always look entirely different. Sally was the exception (well Kev too but I'd seen his photo) - she was just as I pictured her except for not being blonde!
Thankyou all for a great day. David
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