HMGS War College talks and speakers for 2026 at Historicon !

  Its that time of year to get ready for Historicon.   My ride down is arranged, hotel room booked and entry fee paid. Theme is the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.  So plenty of special games for the period. But  I am especially excited by the group of top notch speakers about the American Revolution that they have this year. Todd Braisted, John U. Rees, Gregory Urwin, Don Hagist, Douglas Cubbison, Thomas Maguire and David C. Bonk are experts in the field.  I have books by all of them and to actually hear them speak, and actually meet them is to me beyond words exciting.  Guess I have a simple life 😋

Here us a list if talks I am.interested in attending.

Thursday:

Loyalist military Service. Thursday 2:00. Todd Braisted 

British Grenadier and Light Infantry battalions.  Thursday 6:00

Don Hagist

Friday:

Battles never fought:  new scenarios for the AWI.  Friday 9:00

David C. Bonk

Battle of Brandywine.  Friday 11:00

Thomas Maguire

The Queens Rangers 1st American Regiment. Friday 12;00

Todd Braisted

Brigade of Guards.  Friday 3:00

Don Hagist 

Saturday:

The Artillery never gained more honour. Saturday 9:00

Douglas Cubbison

From parade ground to battlefield: the British army 1776-1783. 

Saturday 11:00 Professor Gregory J. W: Urwin

Lt. Gen. Burgoyne and the 1777 Saratoga campaign.  Saturday 12;00

Douglas Cubbison

An overview of African Americans in the Continental Army. Saturday 2:00.

John U. Rees

Cowpens and Guilford Courthouse same tactics, different ends.  Saturday 3:00

Martin Fenelon

White Plains

 

Early Don Troiani from the American Heritage series in the mid 1970's.  

19 April 1775

Very early illustration from Don Troiani from the 1970's published in American Heritage Magazine.  I always looked forward to these as they were a cut above anything in print at that time.   Also some friends from the 43rd/2nd Pennsylvania Regiment knew him and also modeled for him.  It still is fun to find them in his early work.

 

one of the few that got the landscape correctly.

Good example of lights skirmishing.

111 years ago today

111 years ago today RMS Lusitania departed New York’s Pier 54 for the last time.  It was her 201st crossing of the Atlantic. 

From newsreel of the Lusitania leaving NYC

 

passengers and crew from the newsreel

Many United States newspapers ran notices from the German Embassy in Washington, warning travelers not to sail on ships flying the flag of nations at war with Germany;  that such vessels were at risk of destruction in British waters. These notices appeared alongside advertisements for Lusitania’s voyage, heightening the ominous tone of the day.

outside of the harbour as the Lusitania passed a British ship heading to New York a passenger snaped this photograph.  It is the last photograph of the Lusitania taken.

Cavalry Skirmish 1781

 

  

A smallish skirmish I played out recently.  The British Legion (and 17th LD) vs Lauzun's Legion in a all cavalry clash.  Fun back and forth but in the end the French sent them packing.   Tarleton and Lauzun did cross swords with the Duke getting a slight wound and Tarleton unhorsed and rescued at the last minute by the 17th LD.  Fun game and most colorfu