UK Games Expo 2022

Many of you will have seen on You tube the fantastic gaming boards created by Luke Fellows of Geek Gaming Scenics geekgamingscenics.com The boards were commissioned by Duncan Wasdell as part of a vision he has had to encourage people into the hobby, share a passion for history and raise some money for his charity of choice, the National Kidney Federation

Duncan had been on a waiting list for some 4 years or more for a new kidney having suffered kidney failure in his late 40's. Off work during this time but supported by his employer he took his vision forward and had Luke create 4 4x4 boards based upon the Normandy Episodes of Band of brothers. As a result the Brecourt manor gun position, a section of Bocage on a hill and a Carentanesque town board were built and saw their first public outing at the NEC for the 2022 UK Games Expo, a fourth board will follow featuring a manor house.

Duncan reached out to me through the Bolt Action Facebook group having seen some of my recent work on my British army and asked if I would take part in displaying the boards and introducing people to table top wargaming with of course the opportunity of getting my stuff on these superb boards. Well.....Hell Yes!

As it transpired leading up to the event Duncan received some great and at the same time, for someone else, terrible news. And so a few weeks ahead of the event he received a new kidney. Forced into post operation isolation, it fell upon Logan Lewis, Alex Southeran (of the Storm of Steel You tube Channel) and myself to ensure that the space reserved for the boards at the Expo saw some action. Several invited guests attended over the Jubilee weekend Robin Neill (from Geeks Wargaming) and family, Michael Margerison and Johnny B (from Modelling for Advantage), Oliver Wingfield Dowling fighting with his wife....on the table ....with miniatures! and The Eccentric Man Ken Baldock and friends who enjoyed it so much that what was supposed to be a half day battle turned into a full day.

It is fair to say that the community responded well, a sizeable amount of money was raised for the National kidney Federation, several of the exhibitors also contributed with raffle prizes and other gifts which will be going to young kidney patients who have to sit for many hours on dialysis and will now get the opportunity to build, paint and hopefully game, relieving the discomfort and frankly boredom of the dialysis process. Thank you's go to Warlord games, Rubicon models, Wayland games among others and a big thank you to the On Table Top crew for the exposure. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5fKGaeKa84&list=PLEm7ExJIK1cruiJV6TLqHL5F17VEXAjnT&index=1&t=217s and for the sandwiches ( cheers Gerry).

Great (though tiring) weekend, met some fantastic people both in the community and just general punters visiting the Expo who stopped to have a look and have a go.

I've had my 15 minutes of fame, AKA 'Andy you've a face for Radio mate!' courtesy of the above you tube clip and a swift interview by Storm of Steel ( cheers Alex) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uflDhHC7yTc&list=PLlJb1GvWNHj0cZLSW7QsHzotMZPYGzCYz&index=27 the camera adds 10 pounds (more like 20!) they say....that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

So in closing, Thank you Duncan for the opportunity, I hope I can be of help again. And just because I can, here's a number of pictures of 3/4 of my armies on and around the boar 7 Battalion the Hampshire Regiment with Bn and 43rd Wessex Division Attachments, a troop from C Squadron Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry, Recce Battalion from 12th SS Hitlerjugend Division and 192 Regt 21 Panzer Division.

That's all for now. See you again soon with some images from the 43rd Wessex and Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry.

Cheers

Andy

6,5 out.