Rascal goes to SALUTE
Our intrepid reporter heads to Europe’s biggest wargaming convention to see what the fuss is all about.
As a first time SALUTE attendee, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. In my experience, British wargaming conventions follow a pretty standard pattern. They’re one-day affairs, organized by a local club, and feature a selection of retailers, game publishers, mini makers, terrain crafters, and demo game organisers crammed into a big hall. There may be a bring-and-buy sale, or a panel or two. You’ll probably spot a few cosplayers or reenactors, but it’s never a big thing. You will pay too much for your lunch. They’re also invariably dominated by cishet white men, middle-aged and older – which can be uncomfortable for the lone attendee who isn't a part of that demographic. While this can be true at any gaming convention, wargaming tends to lag behind the tabletop space as a whole on the diversity front. I’ve picked up rumblings over the past couple of years that there seemed to be a concerted effort to make SALUTE more welcoming and to encourage diversity.
True to form, SALUTE is a one day convention organised by the South London Warlords wargaming club, but the big hall in question is ExCeL London, a massive venue typically associated with trade shows and MCM Comic Con. This also means that you will have a good selection of eateries to choose from while paying too much for lunch.
