Cold Wars 2019

Oh joy! Oh rapture!   Yes folks, it is that time of the year again. The annual trip to Cold Wars.  This is the third of the trioka of the Historical Miniatures Gaming society's conventions.  Because it is held in the off season it usually has a slightly lower attendance then the other two events.  This translates into a calmer and more relaxed atmosphere which I like. It also does not interfere with family vacations. It is a time to indulge myself and enjoy all that is wonderful about this great hobby.  Fun, games, shopping, socializing and learning.  Each year myself and my friend George take time off to drive down for the long weekend. We have been doing this for I cannot remember when.  This year we are leaving early (Thursday) to get there and get settled. There are a number of interesting games listed and talks I am looking forward to attending.

Cold Wars 2018 part 2

 We arrived on Thursday to register and were pleasantly surprised.  The Lancaster Host has been bought by a new owner who is renovating the old building.  Yes there is construction going on.  New walls, wiring and carpets.  Rooms being given a face lift.  Next year this place will be unrecognized.

  And so too was the convention.  A new board of directors has shaken things up and improved things.  Registration was a surprise.  There was a small army of attentive volunteers who helped direct you where to go.  If you are registered there was a kiosk to print out your badge.  Next to it was a table where friendly people handed out handbags of goodies for attending.  The entire procedure took two minutes instead of the usual fourth five minutes.  Outstanding!

Old registration

New registration

  The dealers area was likewise changed.  I liked the main building for the dealers hall.  The hall was large, well lighted and bright.  Not too noisy;  you could be heard without shouting.  Plenty of room to walk and not get knocked over.  Dealers were friendly and talkative.  Very nice! No pictures, too busy to much to see!

Games were abundent.  And all looked good.  People were having fun.  Could be me but it appeared to be very few fantasy type games and more historical.

WW1 game .Great visual of a artillery bombardment.

Someone is having a bad day!

War of 1812 game.  British raid in the Chessapeak.

I really like these landing barges.

Great looking farm. I would like to add items to my table.

Beautiful 6mm game.  Italy 1859.

Beautiful Rev War game ruined by the beer bottle.

Love little details on the board.

WW2 game.  Nice terrain!

The flea market Friday night was held from 9:00 on to midnight .Again I liked the new room.  Lots of room to walk and still see everything.

  All in all a wonderful  weelend!  My compliments to management. They have improved Cold Wars. We have booked our rooms for  2019 and are looking forward to next year.

Cold Wars 2018

 

   Oh joy! Oh rapture!   Yes folks, it that time of the year again. The annual trip to Cold Wars.  This is the third of the trioka of the Historical Miniatures Gaming society's conventions.  Because it is held in the off season it usually has a slightly lower attendance then the other two events.  This translates into a calmer and more relaxed atmosphere which I like. It also does not interfere with family vacations. It is a time to indulge myself and enjoy all that is wonderful about this great hobby.  Fun, games, shopping, socializing and learning.

     Each year myself and my friend George take time off to drive down for the long weekend. We have been doing this for I cannot remember when.  This year we are leaving early (Wednesday) to get there and get settled. Then we will take in the New Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelpia for a day.  I have heard it is incredible and have been looking forward to visiting.

Mark and George on the way to Cold Wars 2018

Cold Wars: Till next year

  Well another Cold Wars is finished.  As is usual it was wonderful and a great time was had by all.  As mentioned before Cold Wars is my all time favorite convention.  Good friends, many vendors colorful and beautiful games.

  My favorite part of Cold Wars is meeting up with old friends.  I look forward to getting together with George and Ed.  Our conversation on gaming and history is exciting and gets me on track for that years projects and goals.  In addition it is an opportunity to met with old comrades and friends one does not see often.  I was delighted to run into Robert Mulligan (i.e. The Dread Pirate Roberts).  Always a delight to see him and a high point of my day.  Robert is most tired of hearing this but his talk years ago on "High and Low Life in the Eighteenth century" was one of the three best interpretation programs I have heard.  During my time with the National Park Service anytime I prepared a program, walk or presentation his was always in the back of my mind on how to do it right.  I also ran into Tom Vogely who I knew far too many years ago.  Tom was a member of the 43rd regiment back then, but is now with the 1st New Jersey.  Over the years (since high school?) We have run into each other.  Again it's one of my highlights to see Tom again.  And Tom if you read this drop me a line.  I owe you a buddy pass so you can fly up here and we can get together for a chat and a couple games.

 The dealers area was outstanding this year.  I stocked up on bases from the 4G people who sell bases by the bucket.  Prices range from small bucket which us expensive to really big bucket which is dirt cheep.  On Military Matters had the Charles S. Grant

 campaign books on his imagination nation games.  These are filled with great pictures, interesting text and suggestions for interrelated games which form a campaign.  Thanks to Sergeant Major Miniatures for stocking the Knuckleduster miniatures War of 1812 line.  Andy is wonderful.

I usually do not play in games conventions.  Since I do not know many commercial rules I worry I will slowdown a game.  I instead browse to get ideas for future games.  Peter Levitt put on a breathtaking Napoleonic game which looked outstanding.  Sad to say my camera was not working so no pictures.  There were also

two winter battles which looked great;  one Napoleonic the other Franco Prussian.  And although not a miniatures game I did play in Ed's card based game Nuclear War which in spite of its terrible implications was surprisingly light hearted and entertaining.  I cannot believe I am saying this but you have to try it.

There are a lot of comments on line about the location of Cold Wars.  While I do not wish to debate HMGS policy or convention location I will say this.  I like the Host, and have always had a great time there.  While the lighting could be better I think there is ample room for games.  Food service there is good.  I am not looking for five star

dinning.  But what they offer is good.  Prices are what you pay if you go to a football or baseball game or concert event.  The staff was hard working and pleasant. If you want there are hundreds of other places within walking distance.  I know we walked to them.  I did not stay in the Host but down the road so cannot comment on the rooms.  As to parking again we walked up the hill to the Host each day.  And to the two gentlemen who were in line behind me and complained the entire time about how things are not as good as they were in the past all I can say is lighten up!

So another Cold Wars is gone.  But here is looking forward to next year.

Cold Wars part 2

   A wonderful time is being had at Cold war.

We check into our hotel....

and ur rooms.

The Host, the location of Cold Wars

Individuals games that look interesting*

The dealers area

Entering the dealer's area with our hard earned cash.  Planning our purchases

More to come.....

*pictures from internet as my camera not working.

Cold Wars 2017

  Not the weather, but the convention!  It is almost time.  To me this is my most favorite wargame convention of all time.  Just when the winter is at its most dreary and spring is not yet here  Cold Wars arrives to cheer me up.

    This is the third of the big three conventions put on by HMGS  (Historical Miniature Gaming Society).  To me it is ideal convention and my favorite.  Attendance is slightly lower them the other two, but just as many games and vendors are there. So it has more of a smaller convention feel then the others but with everything the big conventions offer.  People seem more

relaxed and more friendly then the other high pressure conventions.  Perhaps it is that after a long winter we look forward to renewing friendships and looking up comrades.

in addition to the usual array of outstanding games Cold Wars offers two unique events.  There are lectures by military historians.  This year author Peter Panzeri will speak about the little big horn battle;  and offer a presentation where the audience is the jury in Custer's courtmarshall (if he had survived).  There is also a Hobby University which offers classes in painting and modeling.  They are outstanding and extremely knowledgeable.

So Thursday morning my old comrade George picks me up and we  drive to Lancaster Pennsylvania.

 There we will meet up with Ed (of Mr Ed's War game Meanderings) and spend the next two days at the convention.  Sadly it will end too soon and back we drive Sunday with memories for the rest of the year.

Fort Devens gaming event

   I attended the gaming event at The Fort Devens Museum on Saturday October 15.  This was a small event put on by local gamers  to introduce the public to historical miniatures.  There were a wide variety of games and the event was very well attended.  I enjoyed myself very much, met local gamers I never knew were out there and had  a wonderful time.

  This is the second year for the Fort Devens event.  It is put on by Peter Leavitt who did a wonderful job.  Peter was extremely friendly and took the time to show me around and I introduce me to several locals.  One individual I met was Adam Carriere of the website Fencing Frog.  Adam was putting on an American Civil War game.  There were also a neat China 1936 game and an outstanding Raid on Dearfield game.

 Because I had to leave early to attend Jim's memorial service I opted to play in a Wings of War game.

  The host, Peter Landry did a fantastic job of teaching the rules to both novices and veteran gamers.  An interesting twist was if you got shot down you could

return with a better plane!  You start with very early war planes and move up.  The game was great fun.  Peter also made neat little awards for each player.  A thoughtful neat touch!

  As you can tell I had a great time.  It was an intimate atmosphere resembling a club game night.  Having exhibits around you on the history of fort devens added to the event.  I look forward to attending again next year.  Highly recommended!

War games at Fort Devens

Saturday October 15
10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.

Miniature Wargaming at Fort Devens museum
94 Jackson road
Devens, Ma 01434

Just discovered this from a local paper.  I lived on Fort Devens for about six years and now live around the corner.  Kinda of exciting to discover gamers are in the area and never knew about them.  I plan on dropping by to check it.  Perhaps volunteer to put on a game next year to support them.