IAF080 SuperBlue Adder released!

A later addition to the wide and growing Adder series of light combat hulls the Type 07 SuperBlue was commissioned in 4312IC at the New Glastronbury Targa works with the express purpose of being the best of its peer group. This mission was largely successful due to the extra effort put into its construction the care and time over and above the norm.  Four tons heavier than the regulation twenty standard of the Adder series it was given a smaller than usual and expensive construct of the Podkletnov Gravity Protective Scute (PGPS) repulsar drive making the Type 07 Adder very nimble at considerable cost.  Titanium Alloy armour upped from 4mm to 7mm around the rigid fabricated frame increased survival rates against incoming projectile and energy based weaponry by more than forty percent.  The Type 07A is armed with a Valerin MkII 15Mw Laser Cannon with doubled heat dissipation coils allowing a more rapid rate of sustained fire against armoured targets without the weight of ammunition storage.  This makes it a lethal enemy for Battlesuits and other light vehicles.  SuperBlue's are crewed by two with a driver and a gunner being the norm.  There is space in the vehicle for two more regular equipped soldiers or up to four at a push.  There are several more unusual variants of the SuperBlue including the artillery support, the 07B which has twin Anda 60mm Missile Pods and the 07C which mounts twin Moth 88 rotary cannons however the 07P is the most experimental.  It mounts a temperamental Hermit 71mm rapid fire plasma cannon with the passenger compartment given over to equipment to deal with the strain of the weapon.  The majority of the SuperBlue's in active service are deployed with regular Muster Regiments fighting across the Precinct and there are smaller numbers of the Type 07 present in the armouries of the Marcher Barons too.  Diodine Sparrow of the Quarrel Company has four dozen at his personal command he rates them so highly and used them to great effect during the Campaign for the Hadadan Statues.

Academy Auto-Trainer Series 52, New Glastonbury, 4335IC

Thanks everyone for your custom across our range of Adder Combat Cars and Adder Combat Lifters in the last year plus.  The time has now come for the super star of the Adders to be released.  This is our final release of August 2015.  Able to kick the ass of any other Adder and give Mullo's a run for their money too the SuperBlue is a hunter of armour on the battlefield typically travelling in three's they can even take on a Taranis too...maybe!  We had a lot of fun with this design and are really happy to now offer it to all of you.  Read on for all the information.

IAF080 SuperBlue Adder (1 Repulsar Vehicle Kit)

This pack contains one resin vehicle which requires assembly.  This is a unique Adder variant which has repulsar drive (anti-gravity) giving it excellent speed and agility as well as thicker armour and a powerful Valerin Laser Cannon for accuracy and armour killing ability.  Crewed by the best Muster pilots around the SuperBlue is an armour hunter that can operate on its own or in squadrons taking out larger vehicles that any other Adder could manage perhaps even a Taranis tank.  Codename SuperBlue.  Go HERE.

Assembled this model is 65mm long and 40mm wide at its widest point.  The kit comprises a one piece hull as well as a one piece turret with weapon and a unique base to mount the vehicle upon that takes it 5mm off the table.  Only three pieces to assemble with ease!  This code can be bought as a pack or three packs saving 10%.  Price 5.00GBP per pack.  Go HERE.

We have many other Adders as well.  

Go HERE to see the Adder Combat Cars and the Adder Combat Lifters.  There are a dozen different variants.

IAF034 Skylark Cradle

It has been suggested to us that the SuperBlue Adder would sit well with the Skylark Cradle and while this was not our intention the two models do indeed go well together and IAF034 will cradle the armour hunter too. This one piece high grade grey tone resin structure fits right in with IAF015 Hab Dome and the IAF024 Fabricator Spire as a building in its own right.  The Cradle is an industrial building with a high degree of detail. Excellent piece with a wide variety of uses.  Go HERE.

Information Burst!

Welcome to the end of August 2015 and our last burst of the month.  You have a few days left to place an order and get your free IMP24 miniature.  The SuperBlue is now here and ain't it just lovely..yum!  I want to thank you all for your kind emails and words about the 15mm  Female Retained Command set from earlier this month those lovely ladies have been shipped out globally to join the ranks of IonFans everywhere.  If you missed our announcement about Project Taranis and working with the legendary Bob Naismith you can see it HERE now that is a ruddy treat for us.  This months free monthly miniature IMP24 Planetary Militia Demolition Expert which as well as being a cool figure has an excellent little story with it (see the blog post 1st August for this) too.  Additionally if you have not already signed up for our Mailchimp mailing list you should (its the top right box on our blog home page and its free) as loyal IonFans who are on the list now have access to a ruddy good monthly deal only seen there that last month wore out some of our molds! Finally remember that by placing an order with us you will sign up for an account with the website and that means you get Reward Points in all purchases and the free monthly miniature too.  These points can be used any time to get free products and discounts on orders too.  With The Ion Age its all good!

Thanks for Reading.

GBS

The Ion Age working with Bob Naismith on Taranis Tanks

Now that we are into the third year of The Ion Age we are ready to unveil a project of epic spectacle and scope  which has been under way here and that is to create the mighty Taranis main battle tank. This is to go alongside our existing range and what we have planned further into the future too.  A core part of our next expansion in the realm of 15mm science fiction wargaming.  Let me tell you more and bring you up to speed on what we have been up to.  Lets go back...way back....

With the froth and foam of the festive season giving way to a cold and dark January I wanted to act on the idea of creating some of the finest ever science fiction tank models for The Ion Age and sat down to discuss ideas with my good friend Jim Brittain.  For those of you who are keen to know 'Taranis' is an ancient celtic/arthurian deity who was the god of thunder and ruination.  An excellent name eh!

I explained my idea to Jim and set out my stall to him.  I wanted to design a tank, in fact more than one. I wanted to create a range of heavy armoured vehicles to go into our range.  A Tank is the core vehicle of any force in wargaming, its the master of the battlefield and the spear tip of all assaults. Its the natural place to be with wargaming vehicles. I wanted to create the finest tank on the market. That was my vision.  A tank that was the envy of my gaming buddies that combined all that was best from sci-fi movies and books, from the real world too.  I wanted a series of parts which could be combined over and over to create many variants and a vehicle that would be equally at home in the Ion Age setting as well as in any other setting and campaign.  Oh, and I wanted a tank that would stand up to continual use on table, durability as well as beauty that is often overlooked in the market these days.

We discussed the Taranis needs and focused on sloped armour and a single turret, both central to most tank designs (at least Human ones!).  A chassis of a shape which would allow the 'bolting on' of different kinds of propulsion's such as tracks, wheels, hover and anti-gravity.  A clever turret ring assembly that would suit all kinds of weapons or exotic mounts atop it.  The sketches you can see at the foot of this post took shape.  Now we had something simple to look at and build on.  Exciting!

But as Jim and I agreed we would need a whole team of talented people if these Taranis sketches were to become more than an idea. If it was to become a reality.  For the best tank ever we would needed a designer...a damn good one.  I had just the legend in mind whom I had worked with before on projects for Alternative Armies and he agreed to design Taranis.  Mr Bob Naismith would create for The Ion Age all of the parts to bring Taranis to life!

Initial Taranis sketches on paper

This was all several months ago and while Jim Brittain has now taken a rear seat and handed over to Sam Croes our lead designer all of the concepting is complete and Bob Naismith has now completed his design work.  We are now onto origination molding!  

In the next blog post we will show you some original 3D printed pieces as well as some renders and talk about the more than twenty variants of Taranis that are coming your way this Autumn and towards year end.

Thanks for Reading.

GBS

IAF076 Retained Lance Command Charlie released!

“Unlike those of the Retained who strike out along the path of the Knight Errant and take up the Quests of the Code Gallant it is the way of the Banneret that appeals to those of a more universal mind.  With the taking of Tor Banner Oath the way of the Code Gallant is abandoned and instead the instead the staff and discus are worn with the understanding of a seeker of truths.  Bannerets can be found at many levels within a Retained Regiment and also in the other arms of the Prydian Army such as the fleet and the myriad aboard the New Glastonbury Tor.  They have the same training and zeal for their soldiering that other knights do but their overarching mission, much like the Knights Errant, lays elsewhere than on the battlefield.  While the Errant seeks the Quest the Banneret seeks the Truth.  Throughout the Precinct is evidence of ancient ways and even older denizens of the galaxy whose way of life is long gone but their imprints remain.  These imprints are upon objects, upon places, upon worlds.  It is the task of a Banneret to use the staff and cowl to follow an imprint where ever it might lead and what ever it might be.  Among their favoured weapons are the Carwennan Mini-Mine Handgun and the Energy Discus as well as a powered mace.  The staff is the mark of the Banneret who has taken the Tor Banner Oath”    

Academy Auto-Trainer Series 26, New Glastonbury, 4326IC

We release five female 15mm scale white metal Retained Knights today giving you female command poses for your Lances! 

IAF076 Retained Lance Command Charlie

Five more brand new specialised poses in this code and all of them female to boot.  Female Retained Knights to lead your lances.  IAF076 contains 15mm scale white metal miniatures in female pattern Alwite powered armour in the following poses.  A Banneret with Carnwennan Pistol and a Staff of her position, a Comms specialists with communication suite, a banner bearer to inspire, a medic with equipment and lastly a casualty resting in a sitting position which off sets nicely with the same kinds of poses in IAF004 and IAF014.  All are without helmets so you can see their faces.  Excellent on their own or for mixing into other Retained forces.  

As always this code can be bought as a pack or as single miniatures or select the three packs and save 10% option on the page.  Go HERE.  Price 2.50GBP per pack.

We have other female knights both in miniature and in artwork too:

IAF016 Retained Post Delta

Our forth Retained Post consists of ten poses of 15mm white metal space knights but unlike the other three Post Delta is entirely female.  Female Retained Knights for use in your Lances!  IAF016 contains ten Retained in female pattern Alwite powered armour armed with a variety of weapons including Angis 12.5mm Rifles an Anvil 888 Launcher a Moth Type 12 Launcher a Minstrel Taser and a couple of Hermit Plasma Rifles too.  All but two poses are without helmets so you can see their faces.  Excellent on their own or for mixing into other Retained forces.  As always this code can be bought as a pack or as single miniatures or select the three packs and save 10% option on the page.  Go HERE.  Price 5.00GBP per pack.

Like female Characters? Try IAF017 Ellen and Ripley HERE.

PIA01 Ylona of Prydia

A poster print of our artwork!  Back in the days of science fiction yonder poster prints were greatly desired and even now posters from films such as Bladerunner and Star Wars are on peoples walls taken from the cinema lobby's of the world.  We wish to give this same feeling of looking at inspiring sci-fi artwork in a non-digital, tangible way to you with our own new Poster Prints.  Printed on high grade poster paper with rich inks here in Scotland each poster is just over A3 in format with a white border.  Perfect for your wargaming walls or office.  PIA01 Ylona of Prydia was inspired by introducing female miniatures into The Ion Age and was created by Sam Croes.  Each Poster Print is 5.00GBP and as always we offer a 10% discount for three purchased at the same time plus as a special treat you can get them signed by the artist too!.  Go HERE.  

Information Burst!

It is the middle of August 2015 and we have our second of three releases this month.  Following up on the Year Two Collection at month's beginning we now have the long requested female command set for the Prydian Army and all your Marcher Barons and Condots too.  Ain't they just lovely!  Next week we have the anticipated up gunned and up armoured anti-gravity tank hunter variant of the Adder..the SuperBlue so if you are holding your Reward Points and are waiting for a new vehicle to use them on it will be next week.  That will be the end of our releases for August.  But there will be some mighty impressive things to follow don't you worry but more on that end of the month.  I would like to thank everyone for their kind comments and emails about this months free monthly miniature IMP24 Planetary Militia Demolition Expert which as well as being a cool figure had it seems an excellent little story with it (see the blog post 1st August for this) too.  Additionally if you have not already signed up for our Mailchimp mailing list you should (its the top right box on our blog home page and its free) as loyal IonFans who are on the list now have access to a ruddy good monthly deal only seen there that last month wore out some of our molds!  Thanks for your custom and for the kind words about our products we do appreciate it. Finally remember that by placing an order with us you will sign up for an account with the website and that means you get Reward Points in all purchases and the free monthly miniature too.  These points can be used any time to get free products and discounts on orders too.  With The Ion Age its all good!

Thanks for Reading.

GBS

Photos from the Shia Khan Empire PDF full size

Thank to everyone who has downloaded the free seventeen page PDF on using our 15mm Shia Khan miniatures in the Patrol Angis rules system.  Go along to our website to download it and other free files for Patrol Angis. If you want to see the miniatures visit the Shia Khan Empire page. Enjoy!

I have had a fair number of emails and pings from IonFans over the last month thanking me for taking the time to not only make up this big PDF but to give it away free.  I am happy to have done so. There was also a desire to see the images from the PDF in full.  These images were taken during our own internal playtesting of the rules and stats in the PDF.  I am happy to oblige and present to you all of the photos with a short caption under each telling what is happening.  Please not this is not an After Action Report (AAR) and that the images were all taken at one time and not during play. We just had a fantastic afternoon with our beloved figures.

Prydian Knight Errants and Pistoleers face up to Shia Khan Pioneers 

Close up of the same scene

Pioneers armed with Flora Grenade Guns atop a rocky outcrop

Heavily armour Nox troopers with Jupiter 46mm Plasma Rifles

Nox with Jupiter and also Janus Blast Guns...big and mean!

Two Demi's of Retained Knights take a stand against superior Nox attack

A dead Malig at the feet of IAF063 Arachne and Giliam

Malig space Goblins armed with Juno Rifles

Malig support Tesseran armed with Apollo 40kw Atomic Destabilisers

Malig assault grenadier Tesseran advances!

The biggest humanoid infantry known...Warlords on the assault!

Prydian heavy Desteria Knights prepare to face mighty Warlords

Canthus Monocycles break for the open to escape Knight Errants

Shia Khan Legionary support Tesseran

Legionaries advance upon the Prydian gun line

From atop the tower...we spit at thee!

Casualties on both sides as Legionaries armed with Juno Laser Rifles look on

The same scene from the opposite side view.  A shattered Hab Dome provides cover

Protecting the outpost a gun line of Retained Knights and their 12.5mm Angis Rifles

Legionaries for the close in work armed with Maia Mpi's

Close in look at the grenadier Maligs...crazy cannon fodder!

Thanks for Reading,

GBS

A Primer about Patrol Angis

The whole idea of 15mm scale science fiction wargaming has gained much ground in the last decade and now it is rightly considered a genre and pursuit taken up by many thousands of wargamers all over the world.  The Ion Age is a part of this and every month it contributes to the growth with its own unique space opera setting and range of miniatures.  With the release of Patrol Angis the miniature range has its own first rule system and this led to an email from Aris Kolehmainen who had questions to ask of us and of me for his convention Planetfall....

“Hello Ion Age and Gavin Syme.  My name is  Aris Kolehmainen.  I'm asking questions about Patrol Angis on behalf of the Planetfall 15mm Sci Fi event. We try to stay on the front line of new 15mm Sci Fi games and promote the heck out of them to build interest in our hobby, and provide a friendly competitive atmosphere in the form of tournament play. We are wanting to demo your game this year and consider it for official tournament play next year at Planetfall 2016. So I'm making things ready for Planetfall this year and play Patrol Angis. As the author I'd like to ask you some questions both for my information, and as a primer before a demo game begins.  I'd like a kind of Primer on the game and how to get into it and where it sits if your plans for The Ion Age. So here are the questions!”

Its been a while since I have been asked to contribute to an interview or primer and I have a lot of respect for guys who run the smaller conventions and shows that form the backbone of many wargaming clubs.  Plus I know for a fact that a good dozen or more IonFans (our name for our customers) are attending Planetfall.  Ask your questions and the knowledge shall be imparted upon you!

(The following Q&A session is presented with the Questions being asked by Aris and the Answers being given by myself Gavin Syme)

Q:  Patrol Angis looks like a fascinating rules system.  Can you tell me what makes your game system different from other 15mm titles on the market? 

A:  One of the things I love most about wargaming is its diversity and choice in rule systems and settings.  Every wargamer I know, myself included, owns many different books and treasures them all.  So I was well aware that Patrol Angis would go out into a world with a lot of competing titles including some others I had already written myself!  What makes it different is in two main areas.  The rule mechanics and the setting.  I will talk about the mechanics first.  

Patrol Angis is the first of a series of titles in The Ion Age and its the core book.  This means its a starting point and its skirmish wargaming in the far future.  Skirmish wargaming with one platoon a side (but you can have more) with full rules for infantry, bikes and battlesuits.  Its tactical and small level.  The rules are easy to learn and are centred around the D8 (eight sided dice) with a couple of features special to this system the 'Activation Token' and the 'Troop Element'.  

Activation Tokens are taken from the Initiative roll that is made once per turn by each platoon in play with the highest roll winning and determine the number of tokens for the turn for each platoon meaning every turn can vary in length and choices must be made.  Players love this feature as a Troop Element needs a token to act in the turn.  Troop Element are what your platoon is made up of and you can choose the size of these!  Squads of ten, Fire-Teams of four, Sticks of two making up your platoon.  This is very flexible and you choose how your Troop Elements are composed!  As well as these two aspects there are the 'Courses of Action' which are the choices a Troop Element has when its activated and it covers things such as Movement, Firing, Close Combat, Re-Motivate (part of the morale rules) as well as Dash and other more specialised choices.  This gives a lot of variety in play.   There are 'Advanced Rules' which add customisation to your miniatures in play with special abilities, skills and equipment opening up options for your Retained Knights and Muster.  Lastly the 'Platoon Creation Rules' give a massive level of choice in assembling your miniatures into a force in play.  There are full rules and statistics tables in the book.

As the first title in our series Patrol Angis is the 'light bulb' in an otherwise dark room.  Its a window into The Ion Age and its universe.  The setting is during the Prydian Civil War so its a war that pits brother against brother and former allies as enemies.  An embattled Prydian Army tries to hold 'The Precinct' together as rogue Marcher Barons and their armies as well as the Leagues of Canlaster and Yordan try to grab worlds for themselves.  All of this over the vacant Throne of the Addans on New Glastonbury.  Space Opera that is imaginative but solid.  Retained Knights wearing powered armour align themselves to a lord and carry his or her banner.  Its a universe much of my own design and it borrows from the real world in some ways.  I have always adored the War of the Roses and a I am sucker for the Arthurian Myths too.  I have a tale to tell and as time passes it will become deeper and more glorious.  People have come to The Ion Age for the miniatures, they enjoy the rules, but some tell me they stay for the story.

When you take these features of the rules and of the setting together you get something rather different to anything else out there on the market.  Read an independent review of the rules on Conflict Cornucopia blog HERE.  If you want to download a free folder of files for the game you can do that HERE.

Q: What is the level of unit customisation in your game?  Are units presented as written (such as in Warhammer 40K) or completely customisable (like Gruntz).  Where does Patrol Angis sit here?

A: I would say on that scale that its as open as a set universe will allow.  What I mean is that all the platoons, lances, formations in Patrol Angis must be set in The Ion Age but within that its very open.  You can choose the structure of your platoon, you can choose its members weapons and skills.  I did this on purpose as it reflects the fact that every Marcher Baron organises his Muster and Retained Knights differently.  So its not generic but its very open.

Q: How steep is the learning curve for Patrol Angis?

A: Patrol Angis is not a complex wargame to learn.  It was extensively play tested by a public group (you can see the results of this on The Ion Age blog searching tag Patrol Angis in 2013) whose experience level ranged from not very much to veteran.  The rules can be absorbed really in the first game and the advanced rules in maybe three games.  So three hours of play all in.  I would call this a shallow curve.  I don't create or want to play complex games that give me a headache.  Wargaming is a hobby that should be fun for those playing and heck if its space opera sci-fi it should be awesome fun!

Q: What is the average footprint of the game meaning how much space do you need to play? 

A: As this is a 15mm scale wargame you do not need a lot of space in which to play.  I put a lot of thought into the lay out of tables and of the 'footprint' and to that end the Patrol Angis rules have a whole page on this subject with an explanatory image as well.  The game uses 30cm squares to assemble a playing area and a small game can be played in 60cm by 60cm and a normal sized game in 120cm by 120cm so your normal sized wargaming surface will do just fine.

Q: In relation to the last question how long do you think that average game of Patrol Angis would last? 

A: One Hour.  Patrol Angis is a title in the 'One Hour' series in which we have aimed to have a typical game last sixty minutes.  Now that is tuned to novice players so if you are more familiar and experienced with the rules it would be less.  Its a fun and fast tactical game.  Personally I now play one platoon a side in about thirty minutes and an hour for two platoons a side and three or four players.  The solo play rules do not slow play all that much at all and some people have told me that against their normal human opponent they are actually faster!

Q: What would you recommend as a well balanced force for a new player of Patrol Angis?

A: There is a full points system in the book and this allows for the creation and tailor fitting of forces (platoons and lances) of Muster, Retained and Desteria as well as mixing in Portable Weapons, Bikes and Battlesuits.  Players can balance up a force in this manner and a lot depends on the advanced rules, skills and so on the player chooses.  We have core forces called 'Platoon Packs' which give a wargamer a whole force to begin with and each of these contains a whole force including a bonus unique free extra miniature only in that code.  Excellent!  We will have more but currently we have IAFP02 Retained Lance and IAFP04 Muster Platoon as well has IAFP07 Planetary Militia Platoon and others.  You can really take any normal code and use it as we provide miniatures in tens, fives, twos depending on type in play.  Lastly we do have a game pack for Patrol Angis which contains the book along with two entire diverse platoons and a unique miniature for free as well.  Wargamers have told me directly that the game pack is great for getting into the game and its pretty balanced too containing infantry as well as portable weapon and battlesuits.  There are also three scenarios in the book using these forces.  Really one of the greatest things about Patrol Angis is that you get yourself twenty two miniatures and then assemble a force with them.

Q: Could you give a very brief description of game play of Patrol Angis for me?

A:  I can do better than that!  Conflict Cornucopia blog published an independent AAR (After Action Report) which goes through a scenario in the book turn by turn along with pictures.  This explains the game and how it works.  You can visit the original post HERE or go HERE on our blog to download it as a PDF as it is quite a read.

Q: Is there a standard points cost for competitive play in Patrol Angis? Or is the game purely scenario driven? 

A: To answer that I have to turn to other titles I have written over the last decade plus.  Tournament and competitive play is excellent and I encourage it as ultimately our hobby is a social one when people get together and compete.  However I have found that this takes a different form depending upon where in the world and when wargamers are playing.  To that end I typically do not put additional mechanics in a book concerning this.  Flintloque is played all over the globe and has been for near twenty years through different editions but it has no mechanics for this and instead alongside a points system it plays in scenario form as that suits its humour and style.  USEME is purely points driven and has no narrative and its excellent for tournament play.  Patrol Angis contains a full points system and while its ultimately a narrative or scenario driven game system (we love tales of high adventure!) there is a listing for points values for a quick game and this serves also for building forces for competitive play.  1800 Points for a Force.

Q: Are there any special concessions that will need to be made for tournament and or competitive play?

A: Not at all.  I assume that all the players have a copy of Patrol Angis and along with that a working knowledge of the rules mechanics as that will hopefully ensure a level playing field when the fun begins.  Follow the force creation rules and platoon / lance content along with armour, weapons and skills then it becomes tactical as you can choose the 'Troop Elements' in which your force is assembled on the table.  Beyond this tournament games are just like they are at home or at the local club.

Q:  I am stoked up now for this game!  What does The Ion Age have coming that wargamers can look forward to?

A:  Heck you know I can't give away all the secrets!  I can tell you what is coming later on this season and that is more troops for Patrol Angis including a Desteria Knight Command pack and a Desteria Knight Lance with unique miniature.  Later on we will be adding new lines to the website and expanding our vehicle pool with a number of new resin kits including the SuperBlue Adder which was previewed earlier in the summer.  There is also the follow up to Patrol Angis which is titled 'Callsign Taranis' which is an expansion to add vehicles of all sizes and also structures to go with with our excellent terrain range to the game.  This expansion is optional so you can move up from skirmishing if you wish or not.  We will also be adding our first non-humans and also a new faction of humanity as well.  We have done well and with the aid of no  crowd funding or commitments we have walked our own path and it means we have potential now to become one of the largest ranges of 15mm science fiction that there is.

Lastly unlike ANY other miniature company out there you get two big bonuses being an 'IonFan'. Firstly when you sign up while ordering your account earns 'Reward Points' which you can save up and exchange for discounts and other items for free!  Secondly we have a monthly free miniature which is put in every order for nothing.  Now...that is space opera, that is wargaming and that is old school fun and value!

Q:  Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions from a humble organiser of a local gaming convention.  Come to Planetfall 2015 if you are in Indiana! Aris.

A:  My pleasure and thank you for all the kind words you have spoken over Patrol Angis, The Ion Age and about me as well.  I wish you the best of fortune for the convention and who know perhaps in 2016 we will sponsor prizes on the day.  Gavin Syme GBS.