See also my photo reports here and here.
Just as last years, I took a 20 minute train ride. CRISIS is now conveniently located next to train station of Sint-Niklaas, so it was no-brainer for me (especially giving the parking situation near the venue). Since I was running a game together with Wim VDB, I arrived early around 8u30. Just in time for a coffee and before everyone else was arriving. So there was parking space after all :-)
Our game this year featured a World War 1 skirmish, with both sides trying to locate a pilot from a crashed plane. Figures were from the (now defunct) Renegade Miniatures, and rules were (as usual) home-written.
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| Wim setting up our game. |
Although our game looked modest by today's standards (see the photo reports), it gathered quite some interest, specifically from WW1 enthusiasts. At least a few wargamers told me they felt WW1 was not getting enough attention compared to WW2 ("Everyone does WW2! Boring!"), so I also took the opportunity to talk a lot about my volunteer work at Fort Liezele - one of the best preserved armoured forts around Antwerp (and which played a role in the 1914 attack on Antwerp).
A wargaming convention is always a great opportunity to catch up with friends and vage acquaintances in the wargaming scene, and for me, that the primary function of a convention. I've come at an age were keeping up social connections is more important than playing one's own game or wanting to by zillions of things (the lead mountian and all that ...).
That doesn't mean I didn't spend any money - of course I did! I even splurged on a new scale and a new period (I even got a 10% discount :-)), bought a couple of 2nd books (Ospreys at 4 euros each are always a good buy!), and since I'm a sucker for wargaming nostalgia, got myself a copy of the "Stuff of Legends" book. I also bought a copy of "Der Söldner", after having a long chat with Jan-Willem Boots about importing matrix-gaming arguments onto the tabletop (which I also have tried in various formats over the years).
Some other impressions:
- There seemed to be fewer visitors compared to last year. That's of course a rather subjective impression. Some blamed that Spellenspektakel was on the same date (although I think it attracts a different slice of the gaming hobby), some blamed the high gas prices. The latter by itself is probably not a good enough reason, but when taken together with the 15 euro entrance fee, such costs do add up. One veteran wargamer told me there simply isn't enough to do and see compared to the pre-covid and pre-BREXIT CRISIS shows, which means only the hard-core wargaming crowd shows up, and occasional visitors don;t make the trek anymore. Perhaps, we'll see next year.
- What struck me is that browsing around the vending stalls is not that much fun as it used to be - at least for me. The absence of British traders might be an explanation, but I suddenly realized I do miss the old-fashioned blisters. Blisters were great to look at figures, and to discover new ranges. But these days, all figures seem to be on plastic sprues (call me old-fashioned, but I don't like these), but more importantly, everything seems to be packaged in shrinkwrapped cardboard boxes. You don't see what you're buying! Sorry to say, but seeing stacks and stacks of such boxes feels very depressing to me. But I guess that's how wargaming figures (or rather, plastic sprues) are produced and sold these days.
- Another obvious development is that 3D printing is here to stay. Many products (especially scenery) are now sold as 3D printed items. This was also clear in many of the demo games. And 3D printed items seem to get bigger and bigger all the time. I saw huge scenery pieces, which would never be used on a gaming table at home (or so I think). But then, this ties in with the evolution to warband-style games, with much less figures compared to big battle games. Fewer figures emans the scenery can be larger. Instead of a scenery item being something you move around or that blocks line of sight, now the scenery item has become the playing surface itself.
Overall, a fun day, and we will certainly be back next year!
