Partizan Wargames Show 2026

Another year, another Partizan show! So yesterday I set off just before 5.30am for the relatively easy drive to the show, as there's so little traffic about then, it's almost pleasurable. The same cannot be said for the M1, M5 and M4 on the way back though! This year I took a slight detour to pick up David Morfitt, of Not By Appointment Blog fame, which made for very pleasurable company to and from the show. I think we put the World to rights in our own small way!

We arrived at the show in good time, which gave me a chance to unwind and relax. Unfortunately just as the doors were due to open, their contactless payment system went down. Not carrying cash (I don't know when I last paid for anything in cash!) meant I was somewhat stuck! The organisers were sending out conflicting messages in that you could still book online, which proved not to be the case, but luckily they then said there was a cash machine a few minutes drive away. So in the end instead of getting into the show when it was relatively quiet at 10.00am, I didn't get in until about 10.45am and by then it was heaving! I must admit this did not put me in the best of moods, but after a wander around I got into the swing of things and started to enjoy myself

Having done a wander around to see what was on offer, I took a break outside for some lunch and then popped back in when it was a bit quieter and easier to see the tables to take some photos. In the end I ran out of time to get to some of the games and tables on show, but I did get the ones I really liked. So without further ado:

These chaps always put on a superb display, and this year was no exception.

You could spend an hour just looking at all the details on the table, as there was just so much to see.

Exquisite attention to detail every where you looked.

A complete contrast but the sort of game that you can put on at home or the club.

The Battle of Vosages 58BC.

A Back of Beyond game, using the 'Setting The East Ablaze' rules.

A lovely Inter-War aircraft.

Some nice riverine action, with the sort of boats I would like to use for my AVBCW games.

Always nice to see an armoured train...

... or two!

I just love this aeroplane!!!

Now that's how you do a poster for your game!

The Bunker and their 'Wild Geese' game.

Elephant hunting in a tank?!

Another very nice and doable game.

Shrewsbury Wargames Club and their wonderful Samurai game.

This castle was superb.

The Battle of Minden.

So many lovely flags on show.

The Assault on Kawajima Castle.

Another beautiful Japanese castle to behold.

Glasgow Tradestone Wargames Club and the Battle of White Hill, Thirty Years War.

Like A Stonewall club and an 'Action off Finisterre, 22nd July 1805'.

A very impressive game, even though naval wargaming is not my thing at all.

A Barry Hilton game, beautifully presented as always.

An AVBCW game, that sadly I could not get closer too for more photos.

I really liked this game as it gave me plenty of ideas of how to make some future games for BKCII.

A wonderful SYW game.

Is this why they call it Linear Warfare;)!

So many great buildings on this table, as there were on many others too.

An ACW game...

An AWI game...?

Operation Bagration.

This game ticked loads of boxes for me:).

McPherson's Ridge.

The Wargames Illustrated game and table that's recently featured in the magazine.

Simon Millar and his WSS game.

Midgard rules and the Battle of Lewes 1264.

Post Show Thoughts

Where to begin? Well it was great to meet David Morfitt as mentioned above, but I also met Geoff (Ellie's Dad), a regular commentator on this Blog. Towards the end of my visit, Matt Crump ( Wargames in the Dungeon) spotted me, and then Iain (caveadsum1471) joined us for a good chat. Luckily for me Matt also spotted David Bickley (talesfromghq) whom I had hoped to meet at the show last year. It was lovely finally getting to meet him, have a chat, as well as his grandson and Phil Robinson (?) too. I did see some of the Rejects in the distance, and some Vloggers too, but sadly missed Norm Smith (battlefields and warriors) and David in Suffolk (russetcoatcpt).

So as is the norm with me, some reflections on the show in no specific order:

• I certainly noticed the increase in cost in attending the show this year, not only in the admission price on the door, but the cost in fuel too (thanks PotUS!). 
• The show was even busy than last year, or so it felt. Normally being able to go in as the doors open, you tend to avoid the sheer mass of humanity that I encounted when I did finally enter. Whilst there was much less bumping from rucksacks etc, it was hard to see many of the demo games, with the participation games almost impossible to see or even get to.
• Note to self: take cash next time! But honestly, it felt strange as here in Bristol, some shops have a card only policy now, with others having signs that they still accept cash payments.
• I had no puchases in mind, so didn't really look at any of the traders. With Pendraken not there, there was little to tempt me anyway. I did fancy looking at some of the book sellers, but couldn't face navigating the near constant scrum!
• This year there seemed to be far fewer smaller figure games on show, but maybe because of my late entry, I didn't get to see what was on offer. 
• As always the standard of games on show was exceptional. Certainly the availability and affordability of 3D printing has meant that terrain, especially buildings, has come on leaps and bounds. There might have been some MDF buildings on show, but honestly I didn't really notice any. Compare this to say 10 years ago when pre-painted MDf seemed to be everywhere.
• Alongside the superb 'diorama' type games on show, it was good to see ones that you could put on at home or the club, which is really important for those entering the hobby, or even trying carry on in these fiscally challenging times.
• The Russian Civil War 'Back of Beyond' and the WWII Pacific games I really did enjoy, as they gave me loads of ideas and inspiration for my own games. I'm sure the same is true for other gamers and other periods too.
• I had planned on spending about 4 hours at the show, so that I could amble about at leisure, but this was reduced to around 3 due to the problems getting in. There is just so much to see, that you need plenty of time if seeing the games is your thing, rather than shopping.
• Again I think the show is a victim of its own success. It is by far and away the best show in this country, bar none IMHO. But this comes at a cost. Not only was it hard to navigate your way around and see the games or the traders, but it was incredibly noisy, to the point that I had to take a break outside to let my ears recover! It was a bit better after lunch, but then the heat had increased, to the point you could feel it coming out of the hall from 10 yards away as you approached the doors! No easy solutions on this one, other than limiting numbers, which would be hard to do and not desirable from the organisers point of view I'm sure.
• As mentioned last year, I would love to see the traders in one section, the particpation games in another, then the demo games on their own. It's all too jumbled up and a tight squeeze in places at present.
• Seating. Enough said!

Well I think that's enough from me! I hope you enjoyed the photos and possibly my musings too.

TTFN.