Broadside Wargames Show

Now as many of you probably know I am a big believer in doing my upmost to remain active within the hobby and taking part in as many gaming events as possible throughout the year. 

I do this for a number of reasons... primarily it’s because I absolutely love the hobby and really just enjoy any hobby related activities. However the second reason is that I believe if our hobby is to survive into the future then we all need to do our part to support it.

In this age of computer games, online activities and other virtual forms of entertainment our precious hobby is up against all sorts of different competition continuously vying for our valuable time and disposable income. 

Even within the hobby itself much of what we do is now done online... forums, blogs (such as this one) and websites mean that 75% of hobby related activity can be done without leaving the comfort of your home. 

In many ways this is a great boon and exceptionally convenient but in all honesty the hobby itself is designed to be a social one and as such nothing can really beat physical interaction with other gamers.



As such when any form of Wargames show or convention takes place near me then I make sure I attend and show my support for the hobby. 

The two main shows for me are Cavalier in Maidstone which takes place in February and Broadside which was held last weekend in Sittingborne. I am pleased to say that I have managed to attend both this year.

Now as I am a Wargames journalist, active blogger and games designer the organisers of the event graciously offer free entry. However I always choose to pay full admission costs as I think it’s important to support the hobby and also that those who take the time and effort to put these things together should be suitably remunerated. It’s a personal choice but I’m happy to put a few quid back into the hobby!



Broadside was fantastic this year (as ever) and was exceptionally well attended by a vast horde of games suppliers/stockists who were enthusiastically peddling their wonderful wares. 

Local shops such as Rochester, Games and Models set up stalls next to larger national outfits such as Warlord Games and Foundry Miniatures. I spent absolutely ages wandering around these stalls; visiting each at least twice and spending a considerable amount of money on purchases ranging from scenery to a new Imperial Knight for Warhammer 40,000.

Another thing that I love about these shows is seeing the fantastic display and demonstration games that are invariably organised by the local Wargames clubs.

Again this year was no disappointment and there were some beautiful looking games including the Star Wars Legion skirmish pictured above.

Overall this was a great day out and I thoroughly enjoyed myself; wandering around and being in the company of fellow hobby enthusiasts is always a cathartic experience. 

If you are lucky enough to have a Wargames show anywhere near you then I strongly encourage you to take some time out and go have a look... just remember to take your wallet!!