Phalanx 2017

A little trip on Saturday, heading down to the place where Napoleon would have been exiled but for a typo, St Helens; and the Phalanx convention at the Sutton Leisure Centre. A number of the Furness Wargames, both past and present, made their way down as well.

Phalanx 2016

Another year and another Saturday trip to St Helens to visit the Phalanx show, the main one in the North-West. No exhibition game from Furness Wargamers this year, but the usual suspects made their way down individually. Some of the goods purchased are displayed below.

The decision had been previously made by our group at the club to try and organise a Lion Rampant campaign, set around an unspecified area of the Mediterranean in the Crusader era. Given how disorganised we traditionally are this would be quite an achievement if successful. So there the three of us were, trying to sort out what boxes of plastics were needed.

Templar Knight Horses

From Phalanx 2016

Phalanx 2015

Made the annual pilgrimage down to St Helens for the Phalanx wargames show.

Furness Wargamers wasn't putting on a game this year so it was just a case of browsing around.

Met up with Matt, Jim and Graeme down there with a surprise appearance by Alan.

Not gone overboard with the purchases, for my FIW stuff I bought a 28mm blockhouse from 4Ground, and a pack of 6 settler minis from Warlord Games. I didn't see any one stocking Galloping Major stuff else I might have bought a bit more.

I managed to obtain a couple of punch boards for Heroes of Normandie, one of support vehicles for both sides, and the Wittman Tigers board.


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Phalanx 2014

This Saturday I once more undertook the annual pilgrimage to St Helens and the Phalanx Show, the North-West premier (i.e. only) wargames convention. Meeting up down there with the other members of the Furness Wargamers, who had made their own way down.

This year Martin was putting on a demonstration game on the Clubs behalf. This was 'The Battle of Lake Erie', from the War of 1812. All boats are paper models painstakingly constructed by Martin himself.

From Phalanx

Phalanx 2012

Annual pilgrimage down to St Helen's for the Spartans annual Phalanx convention.

Arrived at about 12am, Bumped into a few of the Furness Wargamers who had made their own way down and got my £3 entry fee reimbursed for being a club member.

Seemd to be more demo games going on this year, or possibly just better laid out. The local LARP group had a table to themselves as well. As per usual with LARPers they were heavily into latex.

Did not buy much, some magazines, some cheap Army Painter primer and some packs of 15mm Protolene 'jackal' warriors from the Critical Mass stall. These, at a push, can act as proxy Vargr to face the proxy 'Imperials' I got at Triples. Should have more than enough figures to do some of the basic Tomorrow's War scenarios.

Had some deep fried chips from the cafe for dinner, which was 'as good as ever'; You would expect a sports centre to have something a little better. (But not as extreme as at Triples where they had vending machines for Whey Powder.)

Left at around 3pm, just as the monsoon season was starting.
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Phalanx 2011

(A belated report on Phalanx Show)

Re-run of the Trafalgar game down at the Phalanx Show in St Helens. The journey down was good with the forcasted monsoon for the morning failing to appear.

The request for a big table had been granted and all four Hotz hex mats were in use. Matt had driven down early and had the game nearly set up. The rules had been tweaked to make firing at rigging more effective (but this was basically unused during game) plus a new critical hit rule for when 50% or more of shots hit.

From Phalanx

Late Roman Report

A bit belated but someone other than the Furness Wargamers enjoyed this years game at Phalanx.

While doing a google image search I came across an overhead shot of the game that links back to a show report from Gareth Wood. Did a search in the period after Phalanx but never picked this one up.

Phalanx is on Saturday 18th June 2011 next year. Hopefully it wont be snowing then. Had to cancel my planned trip down to Pudsey on Saturday for the Recon Show due to the bad weather.
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Open Doors

The Club hosted a demo game at Phalanx down in St Helens. A replay of the May Day game, but with all the forces already on the table, which now looked much better with the green flocked GW mats rather than bedsheets.

Was a nice drive down with little traffic or roadworks and managed to get a decent parking space. Think I managed to avoid the speed trap on the road in. Martin was already down St Helens, and Matt and Alan brought their stuff down in the Morning. When I got there it was just about opening time.

From Phalanx

Dutch Phalanx

Phalanx, the North-west premier wargames show was once again held at St Helens. Not too bad a drive, wet in places but still made good time. Did have to drive around St Helens a bit to try and find the route to the Centre. It didn't seem as well signposted as past years.

Seemed a bit quieter than last time, with less traders and more room for the demo games. There also didn't seem to be any boardgame traders other than the second-handers. The bring and Buy was also a bit thin of items, only a couple of things perking my interest.

From Phalanx

Martin was demoing his Anglo-Dutch Naval rules, doing his largest battle to date (Goodwin Sands\Dover) and aided and abetted by Graeme, who had managed to purchase some more Uncharted Seas stuff, despite its scarcity, in his continuing quest to defeat Colin's Dwarf Fleet.



A couple of demos caught my eye, a Sudan fight, and a very impressive Dresden demo.



Didn't purchase much myself, just some 15mm Abyssinian Riflemen from Irregular Miniatures to help bulk up my army and a copy of the latest Battlegames magazine. So not as eventful as past years but still a decent way to waste a few hours on a Saturday.
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Phalanx 07 Game

Our trip down to Phalanx in St Helen's. Martin dipped into club funds to pay the entry fee. Was too late to hire a mini-bus so the group convoyed by car.

Despite invites in the past this was the first time the club set up an exhibition game with Alan and Matt's Romans and Celts.. Some how the table managed to win a couple of prizes!

Shame we never got organised to put something on this year (08). I did go down on my own and met up with others down there.

Once again a report by Alan appears on the Classical Hack site.

And a summary of the show and some ugly mug shots from the organisers themselves.


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