Tuesday 13 July 2010

Northampton (9) - Pictures
















































Some pics of the static display from the Battlefield Trust 550th anniversary conference of 10 July at Northampton Museum. The layout aims to show the dispositions of the Lancastrian and Yorkist armies at about 2pm, when following lengthy negotiations, the earl of Warwick decided to attack the royal encampment.
I hope the display added something to the day; judging by the comments and conversations that were going on from the delegates, it would appear so. Unfortuneatly the tables provided weren't entriely level, so the pictures have emphasised the joints in the terrain tiles. The conference speakers outlined the potential sites for the engagement; from the established one of the camp being positioned on a bend of the Nene to the more recent revisionist view on a west-east axis along a stream - which my tabletop display tried to show, with the abbey on the Lancastrian right.
The conference certainly raised levels of knowledge for the attendees. Speakers gave some high-quality, well researched presentations, covering the political context, military conventions and some re-enactors equipment to handle during the lunch break. We finished with a tempting insight from Glenn Foarde (who led the recent Bosworth site discoveries)into how a site investigation for Northampton could be conducted - the main stumbling block being funding ineviatably - hopefully an opportunity that the Trust will be able to pursue.
My thanks go to Michael Perry for very generously lending me the bulk of his WotR plastics collection for use on the day and so assisting the Trust. It was also good to briefly catch up with some gamers, who follow these ramblings on my collections and some local gamers who I'd not met before.

10 comments:

  1. It looks fantastic, even the terrain!

    Best wishes

    Giles

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  2. Very impressive looking display. If the Perry's ever want to lend me any figures I'd very grateful (I may even give them back - eventually)

    Regards,
    Matt

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  3. Simon,

    The game looks fantastic and the more 'toned down' look of the defences works very well indeed. Your game was much more 'realistic' in it's scope IMHO.

    Do I spy some handgunners floating around in the last pic?

    Darrell.

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  4. Firstly, a great looking display and secondly - it sounds like you all enjoyed yourself.

    Very well done.

    Tony
    http://dampfpanzerwagon.blogspot.com/

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  5. A great looking set up.

    All the best

    Airhead

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  6. Wow! Fantastic display and many hours of work. Thank you for the photos.

    Helen

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  7. Simon

    I've had connection problems lately so forgive me if this is a bit late.

    It was good to meet you at Northampton, I had a good day, your display was great and my preferred interpretation of the theories that were discussed, it certainly generated a lot of debate and was a good focal point for the day.

    I was impressed with the guests and the effort of the trust although it was a shame that one of the speakers was somewhat rude in his heckling to get his views across and disregarding the opinions of the others, surely the study of history (and the point of the conference) is how one handles and debates the evidence available?

    It was good to see the armour on display in the lunch break and i think more could have perhaps been made of that.

    This aside, it was still well worth the trip and i would fully reccomend others to do the same and support the trust.

    I'm afraid I left a little early as the racing at Silverstone had quite an impact on my drive from Wales, I got home for 9 and was shattered!

    Excellent photographs, your effort in the run up to this really paid off, you should be proud.

    Cheers

    Stuart

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  8. My thanks for all the comments, it all worked out well - yes a good day I think; informative and thought-provoking as it should be and an excellent 'shop window' for the Trust.
    Stuart; thanks for all the feedback and sorry we didn't speak for longer.
    Darrell, yes they are some Michael did for Salute game, using some handgun & arms castings he's done for himself - us mortals will have to await the next plastics box.
    Cheers
    Simon.

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  9. simon,

    simply supurb, lovely terrain and buildings, where did you get the small chapel from in the sixth picture it is outstanding!

    cheers
    Matt

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