Dutch Miniatures Meeting Kampen/Ijsselmuiden 2008
Dated June 9, 2008.
By Sander van Straeten (the Netherlands).
1) The highlight every year:
Hans Slaagers Waterloo Diorama. Contrary to Urban Legends this magnificent piece of history is the lifework of just one man: the indestructible Hans Slaager!
Recently the main table (depicting the Allied Carrés receiving one of Ney’s many cavalry charges) is accompanied by the awesome Hougomont model which will eventually be connected with the former to represent the right wing of the Allied position.
I just had to show this picture of the intense fighting in the courtyard!
2) New this year was a wargames demo by De Alde Garde from Venlo, who had a fictional 7YW battle raging:
Above, just right from the bridge in the river you can see the amphibious Prussian Reserve corpse on their high-tech inflatable mattress!
3) Of course there were the shops manned by Tom Pedall-Winterkamp and Martin Ederveen.
4) A separate table was reserved for people to show their painted models and several brothers in arms brought along their excellent work! I won’t name them all now but you know who you are and your stuff is great!
5) Hans Slaager, has also started a side project (taking a brief pause from all those Napoleonic uniforms) in the form of his other favoured period The Great War:
6) Benno had his corner for demonstrating his enviable painting skills:
7) To alternate from all this historical goodies yours truly together with Albert-Martijn and Michiel, hosted a wargames display of Classic Battletech, The Great War and Legends of the High Seas.
The meeting was catered by the Family Ederveen Home Front Division and what an excellent job they did! Meeting up with a lot of people you only know from the www and seeing old friends again (yes Thomas and Tom I mean you!) is great and I wouldn’t have missed it for all the gold in the world even if this event is of modest scale!
Thanks to everyone and hopefully till next year! Sander
Text by Sander van Straeten, photographs by Albert-Martijn Lotgering
Many thanks to Mr. Sander van Straeten.