RAMPAGE 2010

Myself, Shaun, Rich and Khally (Rich's daughter) braved the evils of Ilford this morning to attend Loughton Strike Force's annual wargames show, Rampage.

It is a "local show for local people" and has a reputation for dying in the early afternoon. A couple of years of minimal promotion hasn't helped but the current committee have been a much better job.
Held in a school the main show is held in the gym and the CCTV sign tickled my fancy though I can only imagine what anyone viewing the footage may think. Maybe time-capsule the tapes and see what they make of them in 2110.

We went toting Rich's Flying Lead - Afghanistan demo game, club flyers, Shaun's Bring and Buy offerings plus the stated intention to be home by half two!

Probably not as helpful an attitude as could be, but lined up against the football, F1 and the cricket you could be forgiven for having such a ruthless MO. We weren't the only ones!

Conidering the above, we were genuinely impressed with a good early morning turnout of punters for traders from as far afield as the midlands setting out stalls.


In honesty the show itself is secondary to the tournament gaming that runs both Sat and Sun with easily 80+ gamers taking part today. I spied Flames of War and a large contingent of Fields of Glory gamers battling it out in blissfull ignorance of events elsewhere.

To thier credit the Rampage boys had set up a projector for the England game. They did run out of bacon at midday though!!



Rich got a good footfall past the table and plenty of genuine intrest, plus a good few club flyers grew legs. The table was definately one of the better efforts put forward and the level of Rich's effort was obvious for all to see.

Returning from a wander I was enthusiatically, rather than effectively, leading the Taliban against a retreating British patrol who had Ross Kemp himself in tow. What a target!!

However, my dice were actually WORSE than previously and the Joy of War cards decided not to save me. As such, I lost.... to a girl, though I was at a wargames show talking...... to a girl.
Despite, as mentioned, the show being towards the smaller end of the spectrum , the cross section of games, traders and TOYS on offer cover a large proportion of "the hobby".

This was my first show for a while and what really struck me was the range of quality hard plastics offered by Perry, Warlord, Victrix and Mantic to name but a few. It would seem to be an area that after years of "light resistance" has come on leaps and bounds at prices that put GW to shame!

Despite finding these, very tempting offerings from Second City, my wallet stayed firmly in my back pocket (BOO!) as the Star Wars RPG has completed its first chapter and been mothballed for a while. I have found and tagged thier webite though (YAY!).

They also do a range of excellent internal sci-fi scenery including console panels, stasis pods and a set of great cantina scenery. Pay-pal stands at the ready :)


6mm Napoleonics with the battle of Quatre Bras. Too small a scale for me to paint or play with but impressive when well done, which it was.


Wings of War vs King Kong was the table next to us and I don't think a single punter played a game all day, or at least before half past one, which was a bit of shame.

We all had a good day/morning out and with a FEW purchases and MANY ideas I look forward to the next one :)

Might even take the missus.... ??