inconsequential ruminations

It’s been frenetic recently. Last weekend we went to Scotland for a wedding, and this week I was in Madrid on business.

The wedding was in Edinburgh, but we spent a day shopping in Glasgow. Naturally, I consulted the uk.games.board faq and checked out the local game shops, which are five minutes apart. There are two and both are pretty good, but aimed at different markets.

Static Games is in a crummy indoor market, but the selection is good, with lots of Euros, wargames, miniatures and RPGs.

Likewise, The Dragon & George has the shabbiest exterior imaginable. It was so scruffy, I was sure they had closed down as I approached. This is much more of a wargames specialist and there are only a few €uros and miniatures. The wargames selection is very good, although prices can be breathtaking. A few of the GMT wargames cost £50+.

I was not planning to buy anything, but in the end I went for Monty’s Gamble: Market Garden. I am going on a holiday to Carcassonne next month and ironically I do not want to just play light euros. We are going with my DBA -crazy friend and fortunately, miniatures are too heavy to carry. I think he will enjoy a wargame, although WWII is not his favourite theme.

I have considered trying a WWII wargame for some time. I have almost finished Martin Gilbert’s World War Two, which has enthused me. Operation Market Garden seems like a proper place to start – a classic British military disaster – brilliant! Monty also went to my old school, so I feel slightly obliged to learn a little about him. Chris Farrell also says a lot of good things about it and he was spot on about Wizard Kings.

Another positive factor is that the box is small enough to stuff in a backpack. On the other hand, it was far from cheap – £32. Multiman proclaims on the box that the game was “Proudly made in the USA” (or something like that), complete with the Stars and Stripes. It is a pity it means such exorbitant prices.