Salute 2018 - there and back again......

Well, the annual exodus is over once more. Had a great time meeting up with friends both old and new. Lots of temptation that I resisted and lots that I didn't. Good food and beer played an important part of course....hence the ever spreading stomach to accompany the thinning hair......

My usual pic as I come out of Tower Hill Station.....lots of work going on still so you can't go onto the viewing platform. The majesty of the Tower of London still impresses me every year.

The IBIS hotel's new rooms were....a little disappointing. Certainly a lot smaller than the ones I've had over the previous few years.....little space for lead....

Only one window and it was a pretty grey day......

Friday afternoon......planning the spending spree.....

The morning arrived....Excel in all its beauty...

The crowds were growing....

Pics are in no particular order as I decided to do a 'once around' and then dive in later after lunch...

Joek Minis are having a Kickstarter later in the year to launch this wonderful multi piece mini....sculpted by Stavros Zouliatis, a joint venture between Joek and The World of Twilight

Victrix had their plastic war elephants on show. If not for the size of the box I would have grabbed a set.

Swiss Family Robinson game.....

Perry Miniatures 3-up greens for upcoming plastics....

Alan looking slightly shocked....

Northumbrian Tin Soldier.....wonderful. Some of the nicest minis out there sculpted by the wonderful Martin Buck.

Fireforge Games have some lovely looking generic infantry coming later in the year....

What show wouldn't be complete without a Dalek?

South London Warlords putting on a great game...

I don't think this beastie needs an introduction.....

Mantic Games have the licence for Hellboy....looking forward to this.

More plastic coming soon from Oathmark / Northstar. I have a pre-order of lizardmen coming soon I think..

Escorting the rebel scum away whilst we had lunch.....

TGM Creation are a (new to me) French company. The sculpts are simply lovely although too large to fit in with my existing piratical bunch of desperados....

A couple of Mark's pics of the ship...

My good pal Jon (Levied Troop) ran his game The Biscotti War. He said it went down well with lots of people enquiring about mechanics and such like. 

Couple of pics from Mark Stevenson;

Meant to take more of this great harbour game...

I had a chat with Trevor at Dixon Miniatures. I'd picked up some old US Heritage Dixon Miniatures blisters a couple of years back and meant to pass them on. He said there had been an agreement but he never saw any proceeds from it and wasn't aware they'd ever gone ahead with production....

The speed painting contest was busy all day. 

Back to the World of Twilight. So many miniatures, so little time.....

Warlord Games stand gets bigger every year....lots of 3-ups for forthcoming plastics....

Paul Sulley (co-founder of Asgard Miniatures from back in the day) now runs Tumbling Dice. Top fellow who's wife ensures he keeps on track. Lovely chat with the both of them. If you like old school like Asgard come over to Mark Stevenson's Facebook group here. Paul turned down the chance to run Games Workshop's miniatures' department way back in the early days as he didn't like the area it needed to be set up in (development area/grants etc).....they then asked Bryan Ansell who had split off from his time at Asgard......

The Warlords run a stand where all the pennies go to charity. I always make sure I stock up on bits and pieces as it's a worthy cause.

From last year; 'The South London Warlords are pleased to announce that we raised over £3,500 at Salute for the London Air Ambulance. We will be rounding this figure up and donating £4,000 to the charity in memory of all of the victims of the terrorist incident in London on 22/03'

Superb game set up......

The Warmonger stand was a must visit (along with Wargames Foundry). Great time talking with Steve Casey, Kev Adams, Maria and Marcus Ansell. Meant to take pics of course. At least I bought the new Kev Adams' dragon. Apparently missing a head which will get sent on! The John Pickford demon is about to be released which is great news especially for my friend Clam!

I did have a nice chat with Alex over at Warploque but didn't take any pics so I've borrowed some off his Facebook page along with one of Mark's.....pop over and say hi.

I also meant to pop over to see Chris Nicholls at Macrocosm Miniatures but he was swamped every time I went passed.....amongst others, hos Russian Dwarves are wonderful!

The evening after the beers after the event......

A fond farewell till next year......

As usual the show was extremely well organised and South London Warlords are a credit to the hobby. Until next year it is!

My loot? Quite refrained this year I think......



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