Italian Wars at Salute 53

South London Warlords and Salute a great day was had by all.

I wasn't going to mention it personally, but we won another award down in that there London, Best Large Scale Game, hopefully that's clear enough from the banner 😉 

Thanks to Ian Rudd James Cutts , local lads, Abe, Simon, Peter and of course my long suffering gaming side kick Andrew Dickinson for pushing the lead round the table whilst I did front of house.

It was mad busy virtually all day and we had upwards of 30 people around the table at time, I spoke to as many people as I could and had some great chats with people I knew and people I didn't. As a result I saw nothing of the rest of the show, just the table and the gents 😄

Too many to mention all but It was lovely to see Henry Hyde, Creative Writer, Podcaster, Publisher again, looking years younger and whizzing round on his walking sticks with a new lease of life. I met Dave Manley for the first time in person, and he was looking good after a bout of illness. Two of the other three Brews in the Binyard boys where there as well, always good to see Iain Flags of War and the "Face" of Hendos Storm of Steel Wargaming Alex Sotheran himself.

The game itself went well and as usual with Furioso there were some confused faces at the start but after a couple of turns everyone got the hang of it. We had 2,256 28mm figs on the table, which was about 500 more than last time and was a tight squeeze. But this game was about promoting the spectacle of the big game so that's what I wanted anyway. Figs by Perry Miniatures Steel Fist Miniatures Warlord Games Wargames Foundry North Star Military Figures The Assault Group and probably a few more.

The game was a "what if" scenario based on a fictious Relief of the Siege of Forli in 1499, I urge you to look back on previous posts for more detail. The Swiss Pike proved to be the decisive factor as the pushed on in the middle and the Bradford City Pike Block managed to survive.

This is the style of #Wargaming I love and I try, in my own way to push it back into the limelight in the Wargaming world which seems to become more and more focused on skirmish style games. 

Anyway, I won't mention it again, but we won an award 🤣

Regards Ken 

Yarkshire Gamer 

Yarkshire Gamer Podcast Episode 84 - Salute Revisited with Martin and Phil

 

Hi all,

I've been allocating most of my hobby time to painting over the last couple of months and its the Podcast which has taken a bit of a back seat, but with the upcoming Salute Wargames Show in that there London (which I have been busy painting figures for) only a couple of weeks away, I thought it would be a good idea to have a quick catch up with Martin and Phil from The South London Warlords to have a chin wag about the show.

The episode is available on all major Podcast hosts and the Utubes, link below to the Podbean audio

https://kenrtai.podbean.com/e/episode-84-salute-revisited-martin-and-phil-from-south-london-warlords/

In the hour of the show we catch up on everything that's new, everything that's the same and all the stuff in between. 

I will be at the show waving my banner for Big Old School Historical Wargaming, as you would expect, there will also be lots of other people waving their banners for their areas of the hobby, which is wonderful to see. I can guarantee that none of those banners will be as big as the ones on the front of a certain wargames magazine !

Now the Analogue Hobbies Winter Paint Challenge is over I hope to have a bit more time to put some more episodes together, so if I don't see you at Salute hopefully you can tune into the next episode of the Podcast.

Until next time, Sithee

Regards Ken

The Yarkshire Gamer

Previous episode on the Utubes 

Yarkshire Gamer Podcast 83 - Dads War Room - Mens Mental Health

 

Hi all,

Welcome to the show and today I have a bit of a spontaneous episode (for me) with Joe and Aaron from Dads War Room over in Hull (or is it 'ull) in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

I saw what the lads were doing via the Yarkshire Gamer Facebook page and I knew I had to get them on and help to get their message out to the world.

As usual the show is available on all major Podcast hosts or via the link below 

https://kenrtai.podbean.com/e/episode-83-dads-war-room-mens-mental-health/

Mens Mental Health has come a long way in my lifetime and Mens Sheds and the likes of Andys Man Club has made discussing how we feel more socially acceptable, so Joes idea of a Wargaming Club focusing on being not only a space for painting, building and gaming but also being a place where a shared hobby experience might help bring on the courage to share any personal challenges and receive likeminded support is a fantastic one.

Both Joe and Aaron are relatively new to the hobby so its a shorter more bespoke format to the episode as we get straight into the meat and tattes and talk about the setting up of the club, its first meeting and some great positive plans for the future.

Give these lads a like and a follow and if you can help in any way please do so, sharing this show link would be a great start !

Dads War Room is on Facebook, Tiktok and the Utubes, links below

https://www.youtube.com/@Dadswarroom

https://www.instagram.com/dads.warroom?igsh=MW1vNDVuYjhhZG1jeA%3D%3D

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1368023948184485/?ref=share

I'll be back next week for a birthday party to celebrate 5 years of the Podcast

Regards Ken

The Yarkshire Gamer

As usual here is the last episode on the Utubes 

Yarkshire Gamer Podcast 82 - Paul Mackay - Hobby Painting Deep Dive

 

Welcome to 2026 and Happy New Year.

No mucking about this year as we are straight into the first episode of the year, only 10 days in.

The episode is avaliable on all major Podcast hosts or via the link below 

https://kenrtai.podbean.com/e/episode-82-paul-mackay-hobby-painting-deep-dive/

My guest today is Paul Mackay, a name I am sure you will recognise if you read any of the Wargames Magazines, Paul is a regular contributor to those tomes with his painting tutorials, which cover a wide range of scales, periods and styles.

Paul is a lapsed Wargamer so there is a slightly different format to the show. We get to know a bit about the man himself in the first part, before we move onto a deep dive into many different aspects of the painting part of the hobby in part 2. We round off the show with some semi serious top tips.

After the 5 hours of the Xmas Special, this 2 hour 45 episode is officially a Yarkshire Gamer short !

I hope you enjoy the episode and please take time to leave a like, a comment and subscribe to the show wherever you listen to it, it helps it to grow, after all it is free !

I'll be back in 3 weeks time with a new episode.

Regards Ken

The Yarkshire Gamer

Here's the last episode on the Utubes 

2025 - A Wargaming Year in Review

 Some pictures summing up 2025 , it had its ups and downs but ended on a positive.

Looking forward to a very different #2026 doing a lot more of what I want.

Have a great New Year everyone

1. 1/700 HMS Warspite, the pride of the Royal Navy in two wars, the final ship of my Narvik Project and an absolute favourite of mine, I've never claimed to be a good modeller but I did alright on this.

2. 28mm Giovanni Bande Nere Pike Block and shot. Read about this unit since I was a teenager and never put  one together. The flags are in mourning of Giovannis death as are the "somber" colours of the troops, I have units from both before and after Giovannis death and call it the Schrodinger Bande when they are both on the table.

3. The Battle of Mentana 1867 table set up at Salute in that there London, along with the banner for Best Historical Game which we won at the show. WI then mis-awarded me and combined the award with the Large Game and said Warwick won it, not that I'm bothered or anything and haven't mentioned it once since 😉😆 really proud to have won such an award at such a big show.

4. A Swiss Pike Block from a game at the York Show Vapnartak, we did a number of shows during the year and will be back out again in 2026 with York and Salute already booked in.

5 Bradford City the football team I watch every week, actually did something and got promoted to League 1, what made it even better was we scored in 90 + 6 minutes and I was there. I made a Pike Block to celebrate 🍾 

6. The Yarkshire Gamer table at Partizan 2025, I put on the Battle of Germantown 1777 (this game will be at York) it included many figures from my friend Dave Parrott who had passed away the previous year and I used the table to advertise his choosen charity Dogs Trust 🐕

7. Cesare Borgias Body Guard, it started as 6 figures but it keeps growing 😆

8. I put a 6mm ACW game at The Joy of Six, I'm a big fan of the work that Pete Berry at Baccus does with 6mm and although it's not my main way of gaming it doesn't mean I can't support it and I'll be there again next year.

9. Did I mention I won an award at Salute 🫡 🤔 😅

11. I finished off my Elite Miniatures Young Guard Brigade. I have loved these figures for ever but fell out of love with them when I did a load for the Wargames Holiday Centre in the 80s and 90s. I took the plunge with some and managed to complete a few units this year, I absolutely love them.

12. The Podcast keeps going from strength to strength and will be 5 years old in 6 weeks time. Over 200,000 downloads and 81 Episodes, I've stayed away from the latest fashion and tried to interview interesting people who maybe haven't done a show before and branch out into History, Paint Brushes and Veteran Support.

2026 will be different and I plan to spend more time with the hobby I love, I might even get a few games in ! I plan to be more regular (with bran flakes) with the Podcast, do more focused Utubes and annoy more people with the Brews in the Binyard 😆

2026 will also so a return of the World Cup if Historical Wargames Rules and we will see if Chain of Command can retain its crown.

Have a great New Year everyone and try and do as much of the hobby as you can, it really is good for you !

Regards Ken
The Yarkshire Gamer

Yarkshire Gamer Podcast - Episode 81 - Ay Ey Christmas - Brews in the Binyard

 

Hello all, and welcome to the Christmas 2025 edition of the Podcast and as always I spend the festive celebrations with the Brews in the Binyard crew, tonight its a full house.

The episode is available, as always on all major Podcast Hosts as well as vis the link below.

https://kenrtai.podbean.com/e/episode-81-xmas-brews-in-the-binyard-2025/

I'm joined by Alex Sotheran from Storm of Steel and Iain McDonald of Flags of War as usual but there is also a return for the "voice of reason" Sean Clark.

If you haven't listened to a Brews before it contains a lot of opinions and a bit of swearing and its best not played in front of your kids ! We tackle some weighty topics in our usual irreverent way so if you are a delicate flower I'd stay in your compost.

Tune in to hear Alex attempt to break the world record for the loudest ever typing at a keyboard during a podcast, a new and definitely true conspiracy theory about Santas reindeer. There's a couple of quality rants by yours truly after an interesting year of magazine mags and a swarm of Mediaeval Skirmish Games. We also introduce a new Space Marine Chapter.

Its a long one but its got to last you all Xmas so take it slow.

As always please, like, subscribe and comment to help the show grow, lots more coming in 2026

Until then, Sithee
Regards Ken
The Yarkshire Gamer

Here's the last episode on the Utubes 

Yarkshire Gamer Podcast - Episode 80 - John Savage - Participation Games

 

The latest #Podcast is out to the world this morning and my guest is the wonderful John Savage.

As always the Podcast is avaliable on all major Podcast hosts or via the link below 

https://kenrtai.podbean.com/e/episode-80-john-savage-participation-games/

A fellow Yarkshire resident, John is well known on the show and Lardy Day circuit for the quality of his Participation Games. He's a great painter as well as being a great #wargaming host.

Fancy a "Full Leipzig" well we discuss its meaning and catch John doing a bit of Big Gaming on the side !

Regards Ken

The Yarkshire Gamer 

Here's the previous episode on YouTube 

#wargames #hobby #tabletopgames #history

Yarkshire Gamer Podcast 79 - Live at T'Other Partizan

 

A change in Programming Schedule as the difficult birthing of the Wargames Time Machine episode continues.

As always it's avaliable on all major Podcast hosts or via the link below 

https://kenrtai.podbean.com/e/episode-79-live-from-tother-partizan/

I took the opportunity to take a ginormous microphone down to that there Newark and the T'Other Partizan show where I spoke to the organisers and a variety of people including former guests and potential new ones, here is the full running order

Running Order Live at T'Other Partizan 

Side 1
1. On Ilkley Moor bar t'at (Band of the Coldstream Guards)
2. Intro with Yarkshire Gamer
3. Trix and Laurence (Partizan Organisers)
4. Andy Johnson (Episode 64)
5. Roger Castle
6. Chris Flowers (Episode 32)
7. Martin Gane (Episode 53)

Side 2
1. James Morris
2. Big Lee and Ray (Episode 72)
3. Simon Miller (Episode 22)
4. Joe Bilton (Episode 58)
5. Barry Hilton

Side 3
1. Kevin Dallimore
2. Tim Whitworth
3. Mark Backhouse
4. Rich Clarke (Episode 50) and the Brews Boys
5. Steve Shann (Episode 40)
6. Pete Berry (Episode 44)
7. Glen from Warbases

Side 4
1. Paul Eaglestone - Empress Miniatures
2. Dave Thomas
3. Paul EWM (Episode 43)
4. Leon from Pendraken
5. Outro Yarkshire Gamer
6. Last of the Summer Wine (edit)

Something a bit different, hope you enjoy it, please like subscribe and leave a comment where you can thank you.

Hopefully back soon with the Time Machine finally working !

Regards Ken 

And as always here is the previous episode on the Utubes 

The Yarkshire Gamer 

1/700 Convoy - New Liberty Ships

 

Things have been a bit slow on the hobby front this month but I've managed to add another 2 1/700 scale Liberty Ships to the Convoy (now 10 in total)

Watchers of the Monthly Update will recall a few months ago I picked up a large collection of model ships from a chap (Vincent Kennedy) who had sadly passed away and these are the first two that have been Yarkshire Gamerfied.

I wanted to keep the orginal model as much as I could, but weather and base them so that they fit in with the rest of the collection, there are another 4 merchants to work on so I hope to have those done soon as well. The number of ships in the collection I picked up, is a bit overwhelming but I've made a start and guaranteed that these models will live on a bit longer.

I'm guessing that they are the Trumpeter Models but some of the AA mounts are different which I'm guessing is a conversion.

I'm a bit behind on the Podcast as well but I'll get back in the swing soon.

Regards Ken 

Yarkshire Gamer 

#naval #wargames #wargaming #TabletopGaming #wargames #1/700 #modelling