Salute 2024

[ManicMan]

Just wondering.. Do people recommend getting tickets in advanced, or on the day? I'm really trying to be able to go to it this year.. it's a bit big but... I'm really trying

 

[Fimm McCool]

It is big... and busy. Tickets are usually a bit cheaper in advance but there shouldn't be any issue getting them on the day.

 

[ManicMan]

okay thanks ^_^ I'll see about getting in advanced but won't worry too much about it.
I'm hoping to both print the floor plan and make a list of key places I wanna visit, which will help with dealing with how busy and crowded it'll be.

 

[EricF]

I'd love to come this year, but the powers that be have decided my trains all need to be replaced with horse and carts for the day so I might just have to not spend lots of money I don't have!

 

[Fimm McCool]

okay thanks ^_^ I'll see about getting in advanced but won't worry too much about it.
I'm hoping to both print the floor plan and make a list of key places I wanna visit, which will help with dealing with how busy and crowded it'll be.

You're welcome to hide at the back of the stand for an hour or so if it gets too much!

 

[ManicMan]

You're welcome to hide at the back of the stand for an hour or so if it gets too much!

thanks ^_^

 

[ManicMan]

when the hell do the doors open?

On the tickets and when you go to buy the tickets (just brought mine so.. i'm far more committed that i'm doing now ^_^ that the doors open 9:00, with the show openning at 10. So that's fine.. Opens at 9 so you wait in the queue hall before the show opens an hour later.. BUT the website claims the queue hall doors open at 8 with the show openning at 10..

while I doubt it, I would like to get early to get a goodie bag if I can but its not a major major thing.. so.. does it the door open for queuing at 8 or 9?

 

[ManicMan]

Okay ^_^, found out. It is 8 but 9 shouldn't be a problem

 

[Golgfag1]

Still in a quandery as to whether to attend or not, I'll speak to the boss and she can tell me if, I can or not!

Are we arranging a gathering of those attending?

Paul / Golgfag1

 

[Fimm McCool]

You're welcome to gather in my 'zone'. It'll make me look popular. I believe I have a spare wristband for you Paul.

 

[Fimm McCool]

Posted up on the FB page. I'm suggesting 12 noon at stand TM05 (mine).

 

[ManicMan]

fair enough ^_^

 

[OldManPaints]

I really want to go to Salute...But I'm a bit of a Covid phobic...and there's just way too many people around at the moment. 8 Billion of the feckers. Every time I go anywhere too crowded I seem to get the damn thing. lol.
I look forward to hearing how you guys get on though.

 

[Golgfag1]

You're welcome to gather in my 'zone'. It'll make me look popular. I believe I have a spare wristband for you Paul.

That's very kind of you and much appreciated sir.

 

[ManicMan]

not a huge thing but.. What time does it normally end? I think the last panel ends at 2:30.. I take it no later then 5? Not sure if I'll be there by the end but I just like to know things to get prepared for various cases.

 

[ManicMan]

Had fun^_^ probebly some things it would have been nice to see what wasn't there but fair enough and I was kinda finished after a few hours so kinda left early but not a huge issue. Got some nice stuff and had fun.

 

[EricF]

Great to hear you had a good time. One day I'm going to make it myself!

 

[Golgfag1]

Took a easy trip into town, arrived at the venue around 11:30am, no queue at that time so walked in, met up with a more oldhammerers and put faces to a few names, opposite Geoffs' staff and spoke with Tony Hough for a few minutes. Unfortunately my leg started cramping so had to take a walk around the show which wasn't too crowded (chap on the gate told me they had over 7,000 through the doors) even so, there was a lot of open space and a few empty stalls! So, you had the chance to see everything you wanted without have to peer over two deep heads and shoulders, even at the painting displays.
Wandering, I spoke to a few old faces from years gone by who I've not seen since Covid and touched base finding out how they are and what they are currently into. As a meandered I noticed the stalls appeared to be mostly UK scifi and fantasy, with paints and modelling in a close second, inter spaced with accoutrements (dice templates etc), no significant european presence - fallout from brexits I guess, which was a pity, there was also the stawarts - Foundry, Essex and the Perrys displaying their wares and doing a fairly steady trade from the look of things.
I came away after a few hours after saying my goodbyes with my additions to the lead pile - a crew for my deoderant bottle ship, which should be ready for BOYL this year, brought from a oddments box at two pounds a figure and a few figures from the world of Twilight, which cost significantly more!
Here's a few photos of my day, mostly from the display cabinents to inspire my painting.

 

[ManicMan]

Sorry I missed you, but I left just after 12. Did think alot of the wares were a mixture between just shop stuff (wayland being a major sponsor were just selling standard shop stuff, and a number of stalls appeared to be from hobby shops more then manufactures) and not really unexpected of a large amount of historical war (WW1, WW2, some older wars like with the Perry's stuff) and some fair amount of sci-fi stuff, not as much fantasy as I would have thought but not completely missing or anything.

 

[Sleepysod]

Took a easy trip into town, arrived at the venue around 11:30am, no queue at that time so walked in, met up with a more oldhammerers and put faces to a few names, opposite Geoffs' staff and spoke with Tony Hough for a few minutes.

I had the pleasure of saying the briefest of hello’s to you - was with Iain Smedley at the time, but unsure if you caught my name above the noise. Met Geoff (he definitely didn’t get my name) and saw his brilliant new ‘not fimir’ sculpts and fantastic table. Would have like to try out the game, but by that stage I was already flagging. I arrived 9.30 and after having done a tour of the floor was dragged into a ‘quick game’ of What A Tanker! Which actually lasted about 1 hour… after I caught up with Iain did another tour of the floor - picked up some skeletons and zombies from Fenris games and from Wargames bases, and then Made my way to the exit. good time was had, but they definitely need more chairs- and was disappointed by lack of big games.

l’m now seriously thinking about travelling to BOYL this year, even if just for the Saturday, but am also thinking that I should have brought along those Citadel spaceships for you just in case (are you still planning on a doing a Space fleet game this year?). Anyhow, nice to meet you , even if only for the briefest of moments!