⚐ TO THE REDOUBT 98 18th & 19th July 98 - Salute

O TO THE REDOUBT 98
18th & 19th July 98
The Redoubt wargames show run by Pete Helm and his chums from
the Eastbourne Men At Arms club was once again a sign that summer was
well and truly with us. With one of the warmest weekends this year, it really
gave our Foreign Legion escapade a feeling of Sun, Sweat and Sand dunes.
Clinging to Casablanca was on its second outing of the year, the first
being the Victorian Military Society’s annual bash at the Connaught rooms,
London. Loosely based around an actual engagement at Menabha 1908 at
the height of the Beau Geste period when two companies (150 men) were
attacked one morning whilst bivouacked at an oasis by a large band of
marauding Moroccans. A bloody fight ensued with the Legion losing about
120 men before they managed to get the upper hand and charged the
tribesmen in a last ditch bayonet charge which forced the Moroccans to flee
back into the desert.
Through both days we had some very nice comments about the game
from the general public, other warmers and even some of the traders that
were there. Our game also won ‘best of show game’ which made the
weekend.
The other games that were there were as follows:-
Eastbourne MAA put two very large and impressive games in 25mm as
they usually do, one of which was a Hittite and Egyptian encounter and the
other was the Wellington in India game which won best painted army at this
years Salute.
Brighton Independent Games put on a dark age skirmish party game
which had kids and adults playing continually on both days. All the scenery
was scratch built with a large Norman keep and a huge church, both with lift
off roofs.
Hastings and Rother valley games club put on the Battle of Hastings in
15mm with once again scratch built terrain that was easily recognisable
although they forgot about the outside world and I could not get to see what
the figures looked like due to them hogging round the table.
Brighten Wargames club were a very friendly bunch with their
Romans invasion of Brighten in 15mm with scratch built terrain the South
coast (less pier) with inlet to boot and loads of figures.
- 20 -

O TO THE REDOUBT 98
18th & 19th July 98
Deal warmers put on a very nice Burma game with 20mm plastics and
some lovely planes which looked the part.
Fire and Steel wargames put on an impressive game but did not do
anything for me as all they obviously came to the show for was to play their
game as they did not even notice us.
There was also an ACW game and a fantasy Man O War game.
There seemed to be less traders at the show than last year (about 11 or
12), but the stalwarts were still there in the form of Redoubt Enterprises
(obviously), Village green, Britannia Miniatures (who cleared up some Rapid
Fire rule Queries for us), Tin Soldier (with their excellent recently
introduced and rapidly expanding WWII range in 15mm), Keith Warren and
his realistic trees and things, Frontline Wargaming (with very reasonably
priced WWII vehicles and some great “Sea lion” tugs and barges), First
Corps to name but a few.
This show is the one opportunity where you can “chat” to the owners
of these companies in a very relaxed manner without getting pushed
crushed or stabbed. If ever you want to buy figures this is the show for you.
The re-enactors this year were from ECWS Devereux Reg. of foot (or
NCP reg. of foot due to their orange doublets), who put on drill displays
throughout the weekend and probably woke up most of the OAPS (or gave
them heart attacks) when they fired off their muskets.
It was nice to see our new displays officer Peter Merritt who didn’t
even know we were putting a game on at the show (the club year is still
young I suppose).
All in all another excellent warming weekend. My thanks to David
Diston for his idea of putting a Legion game and helping over the weekend,
also Declan for his help on the Sunday and my son Ian and his friend John
who sat by the game so Dave and I could look round the show on Saturday.
Thanks to Pete Helm and all the Eastbourne MAA for inviting the SLW to
their show (about these photo’s Pete.........)
PHIL PORTWAY
- 21 -