CLAYMORE 2025.

I've fallen behind on my blog, but it's been a very busy week, and I'm only now finding the time to share an update. Today, I would like to provide a brief report from Claymore 2025. I was fortunate enough to attend the show and also serve as a judge. Once again, there were two categories; however, there was one notable exception. The winner of the Best Participation Game category received the Derek Hodge Memory Trophy, which honours the show's longtime organiser who passed away last year. Additionally, it was the 45th anniversary of the show!

This year, the competition in the participation games category was exceptionally intense. It's noteworthy that the number of participation games surpassed that of demo games, which is quite rewarding. This allowed every participant the opportunity to engage in a game. We faced a challenging decision when selecting the best game, which ultimately was awarded to a title from the group S.P.I.T. (Stupid Projects in Twentyeight) for their Vietnam-themed game, complete with their own unique rules. The Highly Commended game in this category was that by the Glasgow and District Wargaming Society, featuring new rules written by Simon Miller for 18th-century conflicts, which are still undergoing testing. The game was called Comming, Suvorov! During one of the games I watched, Suvorov got badly wounded. It's a heartwarming moment. ;)

In the category of demo games, selecting a winner was once again effortless. Interestingly, the winning team was exhibiting their game in the same space of the venue as last year's champions. This year, the winner was Immortals with their game titled The Siege of Inabayama Castle, which featured a massive 3D-printed castle. The Highly Commended game in this category was submitted by League of Augsburg, showcasing their game, Anglo-Dutch Wars.

It’s important to note that we had significantly more visitors this year compared to last year, and our Flea Market generated much higher revenue as well. This was also the first show organised by Neil Danskin, and I must say I was very impressed with how efficiently it was organised. The preparation, execution, and wrap-up were all smooth and seamless. This bodes well for future shows. Below are the other games from our event that I was able to capture:

Although I was busy, I still had the chance to play a few games. I ended up losing one and winning another. I spent only £15.50, which is a personal record for me, but my shame drawer is overflowing, and I need to clear some space in there first. Overall, I was able to catch up with several friends, some of whom I haven't seen in a while. It was truly a Saturday well spent.

As always, the complete gallery from the show can be found on my Flickr profile.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/asienieboje/albums/72177720328272351