Salute 2019 - The traders Tale

So Salute 2019 is over and done with. That is Salute done for another year.  Not the best I've ever been to but a long way from the worst.
Apparently some dude on TMP opined that it was the "worst Salute ever". Well it depends upon what you want from a show. Salute has always been the annual buying fest and while the internet HAS toned done the feeding frenzy a good bit the show still has its moments- or did at my shop anyhow.  In tems of the games ,well, as normal I didn't see much  far too busy but there didn't seem to be any obvious show stoppers this year. Now I could be wrong  but the same chap an TMP  also opined that there was a shortage of large historical games. Again I don't know. There were some- a couple of Ancients encounters and the Chester and Nantwich club did the battles of Aughrim and Lutzen from different bits of the 17th century .. However as has become fashionable there were a good number of games put on by commercial outfits as product advertising rather than PP games or demos put on by clubs. These were mostly fantasy or sci-fi related. However to counter those historical games there did seem to be a larger number of for foot square skirmish- a - likes of which I by preference would not bother with even if I had time to view them.

Blue Moon 15mm Napoleonics got a proper plundering.

I think that we historical gamers are simply going to have to get used to the fact that- commercially speaking -  non- historical gaming is in the driving seat. Also that however intellectually bereft some of this junk is, the "dice- rollers" think it is "fun" (and that goes for some supposedly "historical" rules out there too) as a good chunk of the hobby  descend further into the lightweight and ephemeral end of the gaming market.

Blue Moon Marlburain and GNW ranges  stock levels are a bit thin until my shipment arrives too. Both of these ranges were very popular this year at Salute. 

However back to Salute.  I have no complaints. Trade was good without being spectacular and the crew and I knew we had put a shift in by closing time. Some of the stock bins looked as if a plague had been through 'em. So there are now some serious gaps in what we have to immediate hand. However STRESS NOT. I am informed that my shipment from the USA will be with me in about a weeks time.

And as for the 15mm Italian Wars range- well  until I get my next shipment

 This should mean that a good bundle of back orders will  be leaving here once we have unpacked the shipment.  These will as usual be sent out in date order- longest waiting first. Oh and yes I am already putting together my next order for the factory .... Old Glory UK-We never sleep- well it feels like that some day and yes after the weekend I could do with a kip !