Wargames Illustrated Outlines Entry Rules, Timeline for Hammerhead 2026 at Newark Showground

Wargames Illustrated sponsored and ran the Hammerhead Painting Competition at the Hammerhead show held at Newark Showground on Saturday 28 February 2026. The show itself opened 10:00-16:30 and charged cash-only entry at the door - adults £5, minors £3, under 9 free - while Wargames Illustrated made entry to the painting contest free of charge.

Entrants were required to bring their pieces to the Wargames Illustrated stand on the day; the WI timeline asked competitors to submit their painted miniatures until midday and explained that judging would take place from midday to 1pm, with winners announced at 2pm and entries available for collection from the stand between 2pm and 3pm. Wargames Illustrated published clear on-site process instructions: "There’s no entry fee, and up to one entry can be submitted to each category."

The competition rules set limits and allowed entry types. Wargames Illustrated stated that "Entries must be your own work" and that "Entries can be standard figures, 3D prints, conversions, kitbashes, or self-sculpts." Younger painters were explicitly invited to enter any listed category, with the instruction that if you are 16 or under you must note it on your entry form so organisers could "assess those entries against each other, to determine the top three overall Youth entries."

Category rules included a precise Historical Single Miniature specification: a single historical miniature up to and including 54mm scale, on a single base. Scenic bases were permitted but "should not be dramatically larger than the figure’s standard base size in width and length," and any figure on a larger base would still be allowed entry though "the construction and detail of the groundwork and terrain will be dismissed in the judging process." The Wargames Illustrated page cited past winners for context, listing 2025’s Historical Single Miniature winner as Fet Milner’s S.A.R.

The Open category was described as a catch-all for busts, larger-scale models, oddities, artefacts and huge creations; WI warned "This tends to be the most fiercely contested category at the event; only enter if you’re ready for the challenge!" Wargames Illustrated also listed 2025’s Open winner as Kevin Collier’s Old Sailor and named Charlotte Brealey and Billy Brealey as 2025 Youth winners for Von Ryan’s Leaper and Salamander Captain respectively.

Logistics and show details were explicit: competitors were told to "submit your painted miniatures at the Wargames Illustrated stand. Just bring your entries – we’ll do the rest!" WI retained the right to photograph entries for online use and in the print magazine, and it included a liability notice: "While we will do our best to ensure your entries are looked after, we cannot accept ultimate responsibility for any damage or losses that may occur." Hammerhead organisers listed event features including top manufacturers/traders, up to 60 participation games, a bring & buy tabletop sale in the George Stephenson Exhibition Hall, a downloadable floorplan, an FAQ page, and new show management by Dave Ryan of Caliver Books, who took over from long-time organiser Sally in late 2025.