On Saturday 12th April, I had the pleasure of joining Peter Dennis at Salute 2025, Europe's largest independent wargaming convention. Over the past year, I’ve been collaborating with Peter and WoFun Games, particularly on their 10mm Plexiglass miniatures, which offer a fast, visually striking alternative for historical wargamers. Our shared passion for accessible and immersive tabletop experiences brought us to Salute to showcase one of the most dynamic battles of the Napoleonic Wars – Quatre Bras – with WoFun’s beautifully minis.
What is Salute?
SALUTE, operated by the South London Warlords (a tabletop gaming club established in 1971), constitutes the largest independent wargaming event in Europe. This annual convention takes place at the London ExCeL centre and includes exhibits, demonstration games, interactive gaming sessions, and retail opportunities for hobby-related products and new releases. Notably, the event's organization and staffing are managed exclusively by volunteers.
The Meet Up
Our meeting point was the event itself, located within a huge hangar at the ExCeL London complex in East London, north of the Thames. We reached our designated stand, GM07, at about 8:30 in the morning. The sheer size of the venue is impressive and can certainly be overwhelming for first-time visitors.
Set Up
The forces we had at our disposal were carefully organised by Peter in two huge trays. We unrolled the WoFun Banner and proudly ventured into taking out our beloved miniatures.
The French
The French and the allies, on the French Side, wee had the 2nd Corps of the French Army of the North commanded by Marshal Ney divided into the 5th Division, the 9th Division and the 6th Division.
The Allies
The Anglo Allied Army was divided as such:
William Prince of Orange as Commander in Chief. The 2nd Netherlands Division, the 5th Division, the Duke of Brunswick Contingent and finally the 3rd Division.
Quatre Bras
The Prelude
June 16th, 1815 dawned hazy over the fields of Belgium. Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of the French, had launched his audacious gamble: striking north between the Prussian army under Blücher and the Anglo-Allied army under Wellington, hoping to defeat them in detail before they could unite.
The previous day, French columns had surged across the River Sambre, pushing back Prussian outposts. While Blücher prepared to meet Napoleon head-on at Ligny, the French left wing, commanded by the fiery Marshal Ney, had orders to advance towards the vital crossroads of Quatre Bras. This intersection was the strategic linchpin connecting Wellington's scattered forces with his Prussian allies.
Yet, as morning broke, Quatre Bras was held only by a thin screen of Dutch-Belgian infantry and artillery belonging to General Perponcher's division, commanded on the spot by the young, inexperienced Prince of Orange. In Brussels, Wellington, finally alerted to the true direction of Napoleon's thrust after the initial confusion and distractions of the Duchess of Richmond's ball, was frantically issuing orders. Anglo-Allied troops – British Guards, Highlanders, Brunswickers clad in black – were being hurried southwards towards the crossroads.
Ney, however, was cautious, perhaps overestimating the forces already before him. He delayed his main assault. The stage was set for a desperate race: could Wellington reinforce the vital crossroads before Ney launched his powerful columns and seized it, fatally severing the link between the Allied armies? The fate of the campaign hung in the balance.
Gaming
Running the game at the event was challenging due to the constant, positive attention we received.
Once the impressive miniatures, rules, and dice were on display, we attracted a crowd of interested 'Saluteers'.
To jump straight into the action for the demonstration, we began the game with all units already deployed, skipping the initial arrival phases. We set up the Allied battalions well forward, near the center of the table. Throughout the event, amidst questions and interactions, we played roughly four turns. The result saw the French gradually gain the upper hand, forcing the Allied units back towards their side of the battlefield.
But we fielded non-stop questions, fueled by a high level of curiosity.
Many visitors expressed astonishment that such a compelling battle setup could be achieved with miniatures requiring minimal time and effort. The atmosphere was incredibly enthusiastic, with bright eyes and smiles everywhere. Additionally, WoFun provided an area where attendees could assemble their own sample base, featuring figures like French Infantry, Highlanders, Cavalry, and Brunswick Hussars, to keep.
The Load Out
The event concluded at 16:00, at which point we packed our materials and prepared for the drive north. We considered the event a significant success and hope to participate again next year. Ideally, we would secure a larger table to display an even greater number of miniatures.
This is feasible thanks to the WoFun system, which allows for rapid deployment: simply punch out the figurines and attach them to their bases. We look forward to the possibility of returning. Battle on with WoFun!
Happy Gaming,
Mirko Bruner