Show reports present an interesting opportunity for magazine content, especially when the magazine is called Wargames Illustrated. We are lucky* to have the twice-annual Partizan shows on our doorstep, which always present at least half a dozen great-looking demo tables. Naturally, we always attend the show and round up the games on display in a subsequent magazine Show Report. In our reports we make a conscious effort to get into the nitty-gritty of the display games as swiftly as possible - you won’t find much pre-amble about how busy the show was, what the coffee was like, how it was great to see Bob Smith etc. Our coverage of each game includes as much detail as possible about the models and terrain on display, and the presentation of the ‘project’. If it’s a historical battle being presented, the demo team are usually very keen to tell us all about the background history of the encounter; the weeks of manoeuvring that came beforehand, which general led which regiments on which flank, and how victory was won. We listen very politely, waiting for them to finish. Before we fire the questions, we know readers will be the most interested: “How did you make that building? Where did those figures come from? What is your mat made of? The terrain is cool - is it commercially available?” By the time we have recorded, written up, and taken loads of photos, we like to think that we are presenting the reader with the best possible experience of the games at the show, the bar being there. By way of example, I have included a few pages/games from our report on the recent The Other Partizan Show, which took place in October. I would be very interested to hear from you if we’ve got it right. Do you like our approach to showing reports? Or, in fact, would you rather learn more about the ‘vibe’ of the show and the historical background behind the games? Please let me have your feedback via help@wargamesillustrated.net. *Actually it’s not entirely lucky - one of the reasons Partizan constantly showcases such great-looking games is that our founding father Duncan Macfarlane would always photograph Partizan games and feature them in Wi, therefore exhibitors always made a special visual effort, and Duncan created a self-fulfilling prophecy.
