A Fun Fiasco, Fine Finds & Fuckwittery
It was almost a no-show, as the memsahib was decidedly ill over the last week. But, being made of stern and stoic stuff, she rallied from her sick bed and managed to deliver members of the Fackham Hall Gamers to Leeds, for the Fiasco show.
Many years ago, before Triples crashed and burned ignominiously for whatever reason ( I care not nor will I make suggestions as to why) I'd mooted the idea of killing door fees at the show but was roundly disabused of this notion.
Well, a few shows do it now and I have to say that it seems to work.
Fiasco was a free entry event this year and you could tell. People also seemed to be spending money pretty freely.
It was for me, an enjoyable show with one exception...
I buy a LOT of stuff, as is blatantly apparent, and I am also very very sensitive to how I am treated when doing so.
Now, you may recall that a couple of years ago, I had gone to a stand of a scenery manufacturer with a BIG wad of money to acquire a lot of terrain, but for some reason, when I was browsing, the staff on that stall were dead eyeing me and acting as if I was going to make off with their whole stock.
Well, of course I was, in exchange for about £600 in crisp twenty pound notes, not as they thought...
It was so blatant that I said there and then, that I would never spend a penny with that company, and by Harry, I have kept to it, spending about £4000 on alternative products with another well known U.S manufacturer.
Anyway, as we passed the stall on Sunday, I saw the owner grab another trader, nod furtively my way, and go into a huddle. I turned to the other trader with whom I am acquainted, and gave a hearty greeting, at which there was a somewhat embarrassed return of the greeting before the huddle moved off.
Now, this pissed me off. I cannot even begin to express in words just how irritated that made me, because in fact, they could have had some trade from me on Sunday as I was in my new lilac sweater and given the vibe of the show, was feeling well disposed to the world, and somewhat forgiving.
More importantly, I was looking for some terrain to produce a 5x3 subterranean gaming table, a 5x2 street and a few buildings for tabletop gaming, and was carrying a four figure sum in my wallet for this purpose.
But it was not to be, because of this. Look, if you have an issue with me, speak to me, but don't treat my like a piece of shit when I walk past your stall. Hell, I walk past a LOT of stores. I stop at some, but many I ignore because after nearly 40 years I know what I want and what I like. If a store does not appeal to me, I don't waste my time and theirs.
But, if when I do browse, you don't at least treat me with a little courtesy of the most basic type, you will never, never see a penny of my income, nor will you get a recommendation to others. This will be doubly so, if you get it into your ignorant head that I have in someway offended you, when I don't even know you from Adam.
So, once again, despite the fact that I could have done with a lot of terrain and a few figures of a specific type, my money has remained in my pocket and has been spent with the following sterling companies:
Thomarilion - A massive dungeon set up in lightweight foam, and an inn with internal details.
Ziterdes: Two complete gaming tables for urban and traditional grass based combat.
T.T Combat: a complete American street.
75% of that spending could have been done with the company in question. Trust me, it would have made the show a bloody good one. It's not unheard of for figure companies to take £1000 from me before I even go for breakfast at a show, and then go back for more. Reflect on that, because the only reason I am not shopping with you, is how you make me feel as a potential customer - period.
In the end, I spent £32 on the day, but that was only because I was focussed on the projects I've outlined.
I purchased an excellent selection of brushed from ABC Brushes, who I was encountering for the first time. Now, I know that I espouse the unbeatable Rosemary & Co brushes, and that has not changed for my professional work, but Pro Arte are cheap and good for the casual hobby painter, so I bought 30 of them as did my companions, because I am determined I will paint a few models myself sometimes, and if I have a few hobby grade brushes and paints, I may be able to convince myself that it's different to what I do all week.
Excellent friendly service and I suggest that you check them out.
Then it was over to Dave Lanchester Books, where I found, by some serendipitous magic the two rule sets I had on my list of wants, namely 'RVDIS' and 'Once Upon A Time In The West Country' with rules which I loved and played a lot in my youth.
Author of 'OUATITWC' the evergreen Peter Berry of Baccus 6mm, was kind enough to sign it for me, because I have a shelf of memories here that has things that were owned, made or written by people who inspired me over the years and it gives me great pleasure to be able to connect with those times.
So, despite one unpeopled kernel of unhappiness, it was a really good day!
TTFN
Many years ago, before Triples crashed and burned ignominiously for whatever reason ( I care not nor will I make suggestions as to why) I'd mooted the idea of killing door fees at the show but was roundly disabused of this notion.
Well, a few shows do it now and I have to say that it seems to work.
Fiasco was a free entry event this year and you could tell. People also seemed to be spending money pretty freely.
It was for me, an enjoyable show with one exception...
I buy a LOT of stuff, as is blatantly apparent, and I am also very very sensitive to how I am treated when doing so.
Now, you may recall that a couple of years ago, I had gone to a stand of a scenery manufacturer with a BIG wad of money to acquire a lot of terrain, but for some reason, when I was browsing, the staff on that stall were dead eyeing me and acting as if I was going to make off with their whole stock.
Well, of course I was, in exchange for about £600 in crisp twenty pound notes, not as they thought...
It was so blatant that I said there and then, that I would never spend a penny with that company, and by Harry, I have kept to it, spending about £4000 on alternative products with another well known U.S manufacturer.
Anyway, as we passed the stall on Sunday, I saw the owner grab another trader, nod furtively my way, and go into a huddle. I turned to the other trader with whom I am acquainted, and gave a hearty greeting, at which there was a somewhat embarrassed return of the greeting before the huddle moved off.
Now, this pissed me off. I cannot even begin to express in words just how irritated that made me, because in fact, they could have had some trade from me on Sunday as I was in my new lilac sweater and given the vibe of the show, was feeling well disposed to the world, and somewhat forgiving.
More importantly, I was looking for some terrain to produce a 5x3 subterranean gaming table, a 5x2 street and a few buildings for tabletop gaming, and was carrying a four figure sum in my wallet for this purpose.
But it was not to be, because of this. Look, if you have an issue with me, speak to me, but don't treat my like a piece of shit when I walk past your stall. Hell, I walk past a LOT of stores. I stop at some, but many I ignore because after nearly 40 years I know what I want and what I like. If a store does not appeal to me, I don't waste my time and theirs.
But, if when I do browse, you don't at least treat me with a little courtesy of the most basic type, you will never, never see a penny of my income, nor will you get a recommendation to others. This will be doubly so, if you get it into your ignorant head that I have in someway offended you, when I don't even know you from Adam.
So, once again, despite the fact that I could have done with a lot of terrain and a few figures of a specific type, my money has remained in my pocket and has been spent with the following sterling companies:
Thomarilion - A massive dungeon set up in lightweight foam, and an inn with internal details.
Ziterdes: Two complete gaming tables for urban and traditional grass based combat.
T.T Combat: a complete American street.
75% of that spending could have been done with the company in question. Trust me, it would have made the show a bloody good one. It's not unheard of for figure companies to take £1000 from me before I even go for breakfast at a show, and then go back for more. Reflect on that, because the only reason I am not shopping with you, is how you make me feel as a potential customer - period.
In the end, I spent £32 on the day, but that was only because I was focussed on the projects I've outlined.
I purchased an excellent selection of brushed from ABC Brushes, who I was encountering for the first time. Now, I know that I espouse the unbeatable Rosemary & Co brushes, and that has not changed for my professional work, but Pro Arte are cheap and good for the casual hobby painter, so I bought 30 of them as did my companions, because I am determined I will paint a few models myself sometimes, and if I have a few hobby grade brushes and paints, I may be able to convince myself that it's different to what I do all week.
Excellent friendly service and I suggest that you check them out.
Then it was over to Dave Lanchester Books, where I found, by some serendipitous magic the two rule sets I had on my list of wants, namely 'RVDIS' and 'Once Upon A Time In The West Country' with rules which I loved and played a lot in my youth.
Author of 'OUATITWC' the evergreen Peter Berry of Baccus 6mm, was kind enough to sign it for me, because I have a shelf of memories here that has things that were owned, made or written by people who inspired me over the years and it gives me great pleasure to be able to connect with those times.
I also collected my 20mm Romanian WW2 army I blogged about a few weeks ago, and it's lovely. It was missing four heads, but in another touch of serendipity, I found a single seller on eBay when I got home and yes, he was selling precisely 4 Ravensthorpe heads and nothing more. What are the chances?
I rounded out the weekend with yet another old school demon for my Realm Of Chaos project for £20:
So, despite one unpeopled kernel of unhappiness, it was a really good day!
TTFN
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