The Other Partizan, Newark

The Other Partizan is the second of two shows a year from Partizan. The first, simply called Partizan, is usually held in May. The Other Partizan follows in October, in the same hall, with the same mix of club games, traders and societies, and the same focus on history.

Who runs it

The first Partizan was held in Newark in 1986, organised by Laurence Baldwin and Duncan Macfarlane. According to the organiser's site, it has since been run by Laurence Baldwin and Richard Tyndall, and more than 60 shows have been held, first at Kelham Hall and now at Newark Showground. The organiser's blog adds that the very first show was in the sports hall of the Grove School in Newark.

Today the shows are run as a Community Interest Company, a type of UK company set up to benefit the community rather than shareholders. In the organiser's words, the shows support the wargaming community and a number of veterans' and mental health charities. Their stated aim is to promote a better understanding of the history of human conflict through tabletop simulation and gaming, which explains why the games list reads a little like a history syllabus.

Spring and autumn

If you enjoy the autumn show, the spring one is the natural next step. Two visits a year to the same hall makes a lovely rhythm for a hobby calendar, and many regulars treat the pair as bookends to the gaming year. The organiser also keeps wargames calendars on its site for the UK and Ireland, Europe, the Americas and Australia and New Zealand, which is handy for finding your next show.

The Other Partizan 2026 is on Sunday 11 October 2026. Doors are open 10am to 4pm, so it's a single, full day rather than a weekend event. That suits a day trip: travel in the morning, spend the day in the hall and be home for tea.

The show is usually held in October, and it's listed on the organiser's own UK wargames calendar alongside the other autumn shows. When a show has passed, dates for the next one appear first on the organiser's site, so check there if you're planning ahead for next year.

The heart of The Other Partizan is its games. The organiser publishes a full games list, and this year's has 73 games. Clubs, societies, groups of friends and a few figure makers bring tables they've built and painted and play them through the day. Most are historical, with some fantasy and sci-fi in the mix.

The games

The 2026 list shows how wide the history runs. There are Romans in Britain in AD 60, the Battle of Hastings, the Wars of the Roses, a medieval siege and an English Civil War action from 1644. The 18th century brings Minden in 1759, and the 19th has the War of 1812, Napoleonic sea battles, Rorke's Drift and two different takes on the Little Bighorn.

The 20th century gets plenty of tables too: Mons in 1914, First World War dogfights, about sixteen Second World War games from Arras in 1940 to Juno Beach and Iwo Jima, then the Six Day War and Vietnam. Look out for the less usual ones as well, such as gladiators, samurai and even a dragon boat race.

Figure sizes run from tiny 6mm armies, where whole battles fit on one table, up to 54mm and 60mm figures you can study up close. On the fantasy and sci-fi side the 2026 list had a Narnia-inspired battle, Viking fantasy skirmishes, a dungeon crawler, a jousting game and a few sci-fi tables.

Tickets for The Other Partizan 2026 are £8 full price and £3 for concessions. The organiser takes advance bookings through its ticketing page, which also handles bookings for tabletop sale tables. Booking ahead means a quicker way in and one less thing to sort out on the day.

A few things the organiser's site doesn't spell out: who counts as a concession, whether there's a separate price for children, and whether you can pay on the door. If any of those matter to you, check the ticketing page or contact the organiser through its website before you travel.

Selling at the sale

If your lead mountain has got out of hand, you can book a table at the tabletop sale and sell to other gamers. Price things clearly, bring a float of change, and pack your stock so it travels safely both ways. Our guide to storing and transporting miniatures helps with the packing.

Ticket links open the organiser's own pages in a new tab. We're not involved in running the show, so for questions about tickets, tables or the day itself, please contact the organiser.

The show is in the George Stephenson Exhibition Hall on the Newark and Nottinghamshire Showground. The address the organiser gives is Lincoln Road, Winthorpe, Newark, NG24 2NY. For a satnav or map app, the postcode NG24 2NY is the one to use.

If you've been to Partizan in May or Hammerhead in late February, it's the same hall, so you'll know the way.

Parking and transport

The organiser's site doesn't publish parking, train or bus details for the show. Showgrounds are usually built with visitors arriving by car in mind, but don't take that as a promise. Check the latest details with the organiser or the showground before you set off, especially if you need accessible parking or step-free access.

If you're coming by train, plan the last leg from Newark to the showground before you travel rather than on the day. A shared car with friends from your club is often the easiest way to get a group, and their purchases, home.

Who it's for

The Other Partizan is mainly a historical show, so if you play or collect historical periods, you'll feel right at home. With some fantasy and sci-fi games on the list too, it's also a friendly way in for gamers who usually play in other worlds, and a relaxed way to see a lot of the hobby in one place.

It's a good show for beginners. You don't need to know any rules to enjoy watching a game, and the clubs are there to show off what they've made. If the games make you want to start playing, our guide to finding or starting a local club is a good next step. Families are welcome at most wargames shows of this kind, but the organiser's site doesn't list a children's price, so check before you book.