Cavalier 2024

Chris of Tonbridge Wargames Club (my local club) put on a participation game of DAK Attack at the Cavalier show with support from other members.

The nicely painted models attracted a steady stream of visitors who came to chat. We are hopeful that a couple of new club recruits will take the King's shilling.

It's hard to judge the overall footfall at the show, but there seemed to be less games and definitely less traders than in previous years.

My only purchases were three little bottles of paint for my 28mm Russian Civil War project and some ball bearings for paint shaking.

My main achievement of the day was shifting over £90 worth of books on the very efficiently run bring-and-buy stand. This has cleared some more shelf space, allowing me to spread out my figures and scenery so I can find them a little more easily.

Old West at Cavalier 2023

Bank robbers make their getaway

Tonbridge Wargames Club staged a highly innovative Old West participation game at the Cavalier show. 

Masterminded by my friend and regular wargame opponent, Ian, the game utilised a simplified version of GW’s Legends of the Old West to present a range of simultaneous and potentially interactive scenarios ranging from bank robberies to Indian attacks. 

It wasn’t just cinematic, but a complete splice-up of Hollywood Western themes, and proved particularly popular with youngsters keen to make their own imaginative contributions. The figures (mainly Dixon) and buildings (mainly Products for Wargamers) were from Ian’s collection except for the train and Chinese labourers which were provided by Bernard.

A small Western town: home to so many dramas

The Tonbridge club (not to be confused with Tunbridge Wells Wargames Society) is a small but friendly club that meets just off Tonbridge High Street and plays a wide variety of games. 

Tonbridge Wargames Club

Cavalier 2018

Tonbridge Wargames Club: Segesvar 1849. The writing is
on the wall for somebody...

Just a very short personal report on Sunday's Cavalier show staged by Tunbridge Wells Wargames Society in nearby Tonbridge. (The two towns are often confused by strangers!)

Tonbridge has its own club (Tonbridge Wargames Club) and they put on a demo game of the battle of Segesvar from the Hungarian Revolution 1848-1849. The game evoked a lot of interest.

On the credit side I got rid of a lot of stuff at knockdown prices on TWWS's excellently-organised Bring-and-Buy stall. It can't be much fun to spend the day running that so a big thank you to those involved for providing this facility.

On the debit side I bought a 28mm adobe house from TableScape, ordered a couple of  rubber-backed mats from Tinywargames and got some heavy-duty magnetic sheets from the charming people at Products for Wargamers.

Segesvar: the background

Spoils of war from Cavalier 2017

I made a quick raid on the Cavalier show in Tonbridge. With shelves full of unpainted figures and very little time, I didn't have a shopping list and was determined not to add to the lead mountain by buying anything that would need painting.

I thought I would come away empty-handed but spotted these nice, well-painted 6mm buildings on the bring-and-buy stall. They will be ideal for my Bloody Big Battles! Franco-Prussian War project.

Crossfire at Cavalier AARs

The calm before the storm

Cavalier is one of Britain's smaller shows, but well worth attending. It is supported by some major traders, and, falling in February, is the first show of the year for many in South-East England. Tonbridge Wargames Club ran my 'Crossfiregrad' scenario as a participation game. They have been keen Crossfire players for many years and helped to tweak the scenario. Although the toys were mine, getting the game developed and presented was very much a collective effort, so thanks to everyone for their efforts both on the day and leading up to it.

Crossfire at Cavalier

Tonbridge Wargames Club is staging my 'Crossfiregrad' game as a participation game at Cavalier this Sunday. If you're a reader of this blog, please come over and say hello, and if you're a Crossfire enthusiast or would like to give it a try, please volunteer for a game!

Here are the posters we will be using on the stand:

The 'Crossfiregrad' scenario

This game was originally inspired by Steven Thomas' 2 Foot City, and my thanks are also due Nikolas Lloyd for his 'nearer than' house rule (see below). My version of this urban Crossfire game has been around for some time. After going through a number of iterations, it has finally solidified into a set scenario for staging at the Cavalier show in Tonbridge, Kent, next month.