A very big thank you to all the game presenters, traders and visitors that attended Hammerhead 2023 and created such a great atmosphere. As in previous years, large numbers of people come to Hammerhead with a clear intention to ‘have a go’ at a good number of different games as well as buy wargame goodies from the traders and the very popular ‘bring and sell.’
We had one trader who had to cancel the evening before which meant that there were 46 traders and 56 public participation games and activities. Many thanks to the 2 games which came along at very short notice when a couple of the original games had to cancel a few days before the show. The total wrist band count which includes all traders, game presenters and visitors was 1677. This was slightly lower than last year but bearing in mind the economic circumstances we are all experiencing, we were very pleased with this attendance figure and the show certainly felt busy all day.
The participation games were again the beating heart of the show. A wide range of different scales, genres, and historical periods were present and there was a clear emphasis on playability. It was clearly evident that a tremendous amount of thought, and preparation had gone into these excellent games. Members of the Forest Outlaws had the unenviable task of choosing just 3 games for awards and their choices were:
Best Constructed Game: ‘What a Cowboy’ by Harrogate Wargames Club
Best Visually Appealing Game:’ Zombie Glory’ by the Glory Boys
Best Overall Game: ‘In Whose Name We Dare Not Speak’ by Chesterfield Open Gaming Society
The Wargames Illustrated Painted Competition again proved very popular with a very wide range of exquisite masterpieces on display. There were 91 entries this year and choosing a winner in any of the categories must be a very challenging task indeed. Hammerhead also accommodated the DBA Northern Cup competition again this year.
The Game Presenters Draw and the Prize draw distributed £225 worth of Letters of Marque which the traders then exchanged for cash at the entrance desk. These are challenging times for traders and every little helps!
On a personal note, I would like to thank Tony Ellis, members of the Forest Outlaws and Falkirk Wargames Club for presenting the Borodino game in memory of Dave Mac. He was a great friend, wargame buddy and longstanding club member. All the Napoleonic miniatures and terrain on the Borodino table were painted and modelled by Dave and are a fitting tribute to his passion for our fantastic hobby.
As a closing note I would just like to thank the Forest Outlaws wargames club, staff at the Newark Showground and everyone who contributed to the success of Hammerhead 2023. As always, Sally has made notes about areas we can improve upon in preparation for Hammerhead 2024 which is scheduled for 2nd March.
Written by Paul K
