Continuing my review of past Salute Wargaming shows today we come to the 2007 event. This was the year of the infamous 'Salute Nazis' that caused such a stir in the days and weeks after the event. For those not in the know... Salute has often played host to a small number of re-enactors from different periods and this year they decided to invite some WWII groups. Now I'm used to seeing grown men and women dressing up as Wehrmacht and SS officers at the reenactment events I often attend but clearly some visitors were not happy about this.
Some of the furor after the show about the re-enactors was undoubtedly associated with peoples reactions to seeing children dressed up in Hitler Youth gear and some was based on the 'memorabilia' being sold at the event. Whatever the truth of the claims and counter claims being made at the time the whole episode left a sour taste in may peoples mouths and marred what was otherwise a very successful event.
Some of the furor after the show about the re-enactors was undoubtedly associated with peoples reactions to seeing children dressed up in Hitler Youth gear and some was based on the 'memorabilia' being sold at the event. Whatever the truth of the claims and counter claims being made at the time the whole episode left a sour taste in may peoples mouths and marred what was otherwise a very successful event.
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| Nobody seemed to mind these Stormtroopers wandering around the entrance to the show |
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| Inside the normal range of periods and scales were a testament to a hobby that was clearly continuing to grow in size diversity and confidence. |
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| This WWI trench system was very impressive and must have taken hundreds of hours of work to create. |
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| This Japanese 'Waring States' game was a visual feast |
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| One of my favorite games was The Siege of Tenochtitlan, the fall of Mexico City in 1521. This demonstration game was run by The Escape Committee and featured a wide range of excellently painted 28mm figures. |
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| The detailing of the models made this a really enjoyable game to observe |
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| Another Zulu Wars game following on from the previous years Rorks Drift game |
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| The painting competition was very good with some inventive and amusing entries |
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| Some of the infamous German re-enactors at the show. |
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| Another WWI game this time featuring some excellent scale model aircraft |
Despite the controversy I thought this was a really enjoyable show and its a pity the success was overshadowed by such a small part of the event.
I'm afraid I am the person responsible for kicking off the debate on The Miniatures Page (although my comment was very much en passant). As someone whose family fought on both sides in WW2 my real objection was the way that the re-enactors dressed in Nazi uniforms reflected the hobby to the public outside the venue -they were the first thing you saw at the door.
ReplyDeleteCan't believe that it was eight years ago! Really enjoying your reviews of Salute past and seeing some favourite games again!
It's a fair point though and I'm not surprised some visitors were offended. Personally I am used to seeing re-enactors in German uniforms because I go to a lot of Living History events. In that setting it is normal for both sides to be represented (the Allies need someone to beat during the battle recreations!) and it is usual for camp followers and children to join in because it is an integral part of the historical background of the period. But at an event like Salute it was clearly an inappropriate setting for that level of detail and the re-enactment group should have adjusted their normal 'display' to suit the environment they were in.
DeleteHaving said that I have heard some wild claims made about the re-enactors that I found hard to reconcile with the people I know from these groups. As I said in my post, its a pity this overshadowed the show because on the whole I thought it was excellent.
Some great displays there. Some of the work people put in is incredible.
ReplyDeleteAs for the re-enactors, I've no problem with it. The whole point is to have two sides, isn't it? Imagine a Sealed Knot re-enactment if everyone came dressed as a Roundhead!
Oh - and your tanks are on the way.
One of the main things I love about Salute are the demo games.
DeleteThanks for the computer game btw. I'll be passing it on to my daughters boyfriend (avid computer gamer) as part of my cunning plan to convert him to 'proper' wargaming with miniatures... he gets the PC game as a bribe to ditch the computer for an afternoon of pushing lead around the table.
Looking forward to the tanks, rest assured I won't be giving them away!
Another very good set of photos, Lee. They brought back a lot of memories!
ReplyDeleteThe Orcs vs. Space Marine game, with miniatures using miniatures, is absolutely wonderful. Thanks for that! May I "borrow" it?
ReplyDeleteBy all means use the photo if you want...I hasten to add the model isn't my work, but when I saw it in the competition I thought it was very amusing and had to take a picture.
DeleteA great idea. Thanks for sharing the image you captured. Funny.
Deletecheers
Thanks for the pictorial reviews the past few posts! I am still using all of my vacation time to cover my family during required military training, so it will be another decade before I can actually go to a con. I will probably hit cold wars, or adept icon if the venues are still running, but Salute is one that I'd like to tie in to an overseas vacation!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the picture of the flats too, some of my favorite minis when I was a "younger" boy!
As far as reenactors, there are far too many people who focus on what they could say and do and far too few who understand and use SHOULD! ;)
I used to do French and Indian war reenacting. My role was a halfbreed frontier scout and military. One of my history teachers also played. He had a baseball mitt in his gun bag. If someone asked what tribe he belonged to he would pull out the mitt and say"I'm a Cleveland Indian!"
He quit shortly after I did because folk( not native) were offended.
Being an actual Algonquin, I am amused by white, blonde haired, blue eyed "Cherokee" who chose to be offended for me and mine! ;)
I saw a full size version of that Bird Like plane in the last image in NZ while on holiday there. I think it was part of Peter Jacksons collection on display at Omaka near Blenhiem. It's an odd looking plane that looks more like an art project than a weapon of war.
ReplyDeletecheers