Problems with Clubs

Due to life reasons, such as moving house and continuing heavy work commitments, I have been even less reliable than usual as far as club evenings are concerned.  However, in the late autumn the situation changed radically and drastically, as our premises were suddenly closed down.  For many years we had been attending a Polish ex-servicemen's club in Glasgow on Tuesday evenings; we were also aware that its financial situation wasn't great.  However, the end came swiftly, leaving the Phoenix Club without a home.

This is where it gets complicated.  In order to move to another location as quickly as possible, the club committee decided on Partick Burgh Halls.  This is a great location for those who don't have easy access to cars, but it isn't so good for people like me who use larger armies - it's also very expensive indeed.  The combination of these two factors mitigates against it for me, especially since for a long time now I have been lucky to get a game once a fortnight.  Having my own games room has really helped.

Some of the other Phoenix members located another possibility, coincidentally another ex-servicemen's club. This one is located on the south side of Glasgow.  It's huge; has storage; the lighting is great; it has a bar; and it's cheap.  However, it isn't easy to get to unless you have a car.  So it looks as though the Phoenix is naturally going to split along the lines of what folks prefer to play: boardgamers, 15mm and smaller armies, and those without cars in Partick; and the dinosaurs like me who play large 25mm games at the other place.  It's a shame, really, and if we had been given a bit more warning we could have come to a more workable compromise, but that didn't happen.  Doubtless after a while things will improve and settle down a bit.  It's nobody's fault - just circumstances.

So on Tuesday we played the first games at the new place - well, new to us.  It's not far from Ibrox stadium, so it should be easy enough to get there apart from footie nights.  Our presence also suits the club's management, since Tuesday evening is a bit of a dead one for them, and they are very welcoming of more custom on that day.  We also have the right to book either of the halls at any other time, as well as having access from quite early on the Tuesday evening.  It's a good venue for our interests, and we set up two games for the first time there.  Willie played Billy at Shako 2, I think, and from the wails of anguish emanating from Billy it looks as though his dice are back to normal, i.e. rubbish.  Bill Robertson and I faced off against Simon and Gordon in an epic chariot clash.  As the Egyptians, we gave the Hittites a really bad time, and on this occasion it's not just propaganda.  We made it count as a battle towards the Empire Campaign.  I don't have any photos because I was a bit rushed, but Willie took some and if he is able to send me them I'll post them here.

I'll have to miss a week, but then we are going to run the final battle of the campaign in its current manifestation: Romans against Celtiberians, a real grudge match.  We will probably settle into a bit of a routine: Gordon, Billy and I travelling from north of Glasgow and arriving a bit later than the others, but then they will be able to set up the tables in advance.  All in all, the timings should work roughly equivalent to the way they were in the Polish club.  I'm still hopeful that, one way or another, the Phoenix Club will be able to reassemble.