Historicon 2024! Who is going?

 

Its that time of the year!  Two weeks to the Historicon wargame convention.  Getting ready to go.  Anyone else out there going?

June Game Night

 

Last Friday was club game night.  As usual members put on three different games.  Usually these are in different time periods.   Here was a run down if what was offered.

Scot Landies and Gordon Pitsley - Napoleonics

Rules: Sons of Napoleon, 28mm, 2-6 Players

The club’s newest members host a new set of rules. French troops face off with an Anglo-Portuguese troops in 1812 Spain.  Division commanders on each side participate in a larger corps sized engagement. You’re not quite sure what is happening on your flanks, but the Corps Commander is sure to visit during the battle and give you direction! Just when you think you are making progress, your fellow division commander may falter on your flank, or you may walk into the fire zone of an enemy grand battery! Players face some unique challenges beyond just their opponents across the table. Join the battle as we try this new rule set with a unique card driven combat system.

Bob Oulette - Rome versus Carthage

Rules: Commands & Colors Ancient, 28mm, 4-6 Players

In 205 BC, Hannibal’s younger brother Magon landed a Carthaginian army at Genova to reinforce Hannibal in Italy. But before Magon could link up with Hannibal, the Roman praetor Publio Quinctilio Varo forced him to give battle. This is a fight between two equal size, yet asymmetric forces that could decide the fate of Hannibal’s Italian adventure.

George Zanni - The Battle of Mobile Bay

Rules: Gridded Naval Wargames by Bob Cordery, ACW 1/600 ships on a grid cloth, 2 - 8 Players

This is a fast-play set of rules. In the past, we had two games in 2.5 hours.

Rear Admiral Farragut tries to take the city of Mobile with the West Gulf Blockading Squadron. Wooden sea-going broadside ships and up to four monitors. The Confederates tried to stop Farragut with a few small wooden ships, a ram or two, one Ironclad, a few shore batteries, and the will of God. There are mines in the waters that are capable of sending a ship to the bottom.

Note: This is my fantasy version of ACW Naval. Fast and simple; it’s a game, not a reenactment. 

American Civil War ships

 

On Monday a small group of us got together to play a Civil War ship game.  The period is fascinating because developments in ship building went crazy with a variety of unusual ships appearing.  George agreed to put the game on using a variation of the Gridded Naval Wargames by Bob Cordery.  These are played on a hex type mat and are very simple but not dumb.  instead they simple down the things that can happen.  A lot of chrome is left out but that still gives you a fun game.  

Your basic ship types are monitors with turrets, casement ironclads, steam ships, paddlewhellers and rams.  Each ship has its advantages and disadvantage.  Iron ships can take a incredible amount of damage but are very very slow.  Steam ships are fast and have lots of guns but limited amount of damage.  Paddlers are really manoverable.  And rams can if course ram and are very fast but very fragile.  

The game was four union ships had to get pass the Confederate ships.  There were islands and sand bars in there way. 

 

Warren and I took the Union fleet ;  warren had a monitor and a steamer, I had two steamers. 

 John and Phil took the Confederate fleet of two paddelers, A steamer and a iron clad.

The game moved very fast.  First phase both sides shot and add damages.  Then both sides roll with high side moves first.  islands block movement and you cannot fire over them.  Sandbags will cause your ship to ground and be stuck;  but you can fire over them. 

The Union navy charged forward.  I took two Steamers and made straight for the lower passage while Warren with the monitor made for the northern rout.  Basically we found out very quickly that iron ships are clumsy and slow.  It was the wooden ships that did most of the fighting.  I used my two steam powered frigates to race pass an casement iron clad ship.  Then the extra number of guns to blast the smaller paddelers who came out to fight one at a time.  In the end the Union eliminated three of four Confederate ships and exited off the table.

There was enough time left in the day we reversed roles and played again.  Similar results with the Union again winning.  Two games in one day that's a record.  The rules are simple but with twists and provide a fun game.  Naval purists will moan and complain about how unrealistic the rules are.  Well, they are.  They simplify lots of things so a die roll gives you a result.  A game can be played in a reasonable amount of time and gives a reasonable accurate result.  But best of all you get to play with these unusual and strange ships and have a fun day out.  Ill take that any day of the week.

On the Cover of The Rolling Stones

 

Ok, not the song from Dr Hook & The Medicine Show. But a most happy and pleasant surprise.  My friend Warren recently gifted me a collection of the glossy edition of the Courier wargamer magazine.  While you g through them I noticed the cover of the last issue with some very nice Seven Years War Prussian infantry.  They look familiar I though.  And so they were!  I had painted these in the early 1980's and sold them to another friend Bill Pritchard.  And here they were on the cover of the Courier magazine.  I got a nice credit inside for the paint job.

Game night

 

Late in posting as my time is taken up by major house projects.   But I had a very nice game night at the club.  Here is what was played;

John Magnifico - Summer 1942, Action in the south Pacific

Rules: Nimitz, 1/2400, 2-6 Players

I played in this one and had a grand time.  Sunk two IJN crushers and two DD.

Mark DeCoteau - WWII Air Combat

Rules:Blood Red Skies By Hexes, 1/200, 4-6 Players

Evacuating towards Gibraltar from a thorough trouncing at Malta, the British Mediterranean Fleet is under attack from Italian and German aircraft operating off their new island. Torpedo and dive bombers have found a British carrier task force and are moving in for an attack.  British Martlets rise up to defend their carrier and escorts. Anti-aircraft crews man their weapons ready to put up a protective curtain of defensive fire. Join the game and see if you can sink Allied hopes in the Med or defend the remnants of British hopes for North Africa.

This was a great looking game as are all of Mark's.  The group playing g looked like they were having a good time.

Mike Coppinger - Strength and Honour - First Punic War

Rules: Strength and Honour Ancients, 6mm, 4 Players

Mike's game was in 6mm and looked super.  Really outstanding.

Hunting Moby Dick or The Revenge of the Whale

 

“Call me Ishmael.”

― Herman Melville, Moby-Dick or, The Whale

  While looking over the list of games at Huzzah!  I noticed someone was putting on a Hunting Moby Dick game.  I had seen this game at Cold Wars years ago and thought it incredibly imaginative.  Plus I was a long time fan of the book as well as the Gregory Peck movie.  Unfortunately the game was filled and I couldn't get in.  So I did the next best thing and hung around the table asking all sorts of questions.  Here is what I learned about the game.

  The original version of the game was developed by John Rigley who has put it on a numerous Historicons and Cold Wars conventions.  It was done in 25mm and used whale boats and figures from Eureka miniatures and a toy whale.  Each player commands a whale boat and the goal us to kill Moby Dick.  The whale is run by the game master and reacts to events by a die roll.   Moby can turn on his attackers and sink or crush the little boats.  Players enjoy themselves and don't take it too seriously.

  Now here is the Huzzah! Version of the game.  It follows the original rules but the game master, Tom Ballou.  He really got into the spirit of the game by creating thus poster for the game based on the movie.  Pretty funny!

 

The whale was again a dime store toy which was painted according to the book and cut up into smaller sections.  Thus way you got the shake cruising on the surface, diving, breaching is slapping a boat with its tail.  

“...to the last I grapple with thee; from hell's heart I stab at thee; for hate's sake I spit my last breath at thee.”

― Herman Melville, Moby-Dick or, The Whale

There is also a section of the whale with Ahab lashed to it by the harpoon and ropes.  Really very well done.

The miniature whale boats and crew were scratch built by Tom.  You get the riders and the harponer at the bow.

Movement us done by hexes.  Boats and Moby are all mounted on hexes and there are extra ones for movement.  This way you don't mark up a ocean mat.  Very clever!

During the game the boats attempt to sneak up on old Moby Dick and get close enough to harpoon him.  If thus happens the game master rolls to see his reaction.  He might run;  in which case the boat is dragged along.  He might dive deal and  drag the boat down.  Or he can turn and attack smashing a boat with his tail or crushing it in his jaws.  If he dives you don't know where or when he will reappear.  Watch for the seagulls!!  If you fall in the water look out for sharks!

And in a nut shell there is the game.  If your interested in trying it Wargame Vault will be publishing the rules thus fall.  It will have all the charts you need as well as paper cut out figures to start your playing right away.  Keep and eye out for it, I know I will.

 “I’ll chase him round Good Hope, and round the Horn, and round the Norway Maelstrom, and round perdition’s flames before I give him up.”

― Herman Melville, Moby-Dick or, The Whale

Huzzah! Convention report

 

  This past Saturday I attended the Maine Historical Wargamers Association's convention Huzzah!  In Portland Maine.  it was a very last minute thing (late Friday night) as we are doing major house renovations.  But Janine said I needed a break and encouraged me to go off and have a fun time with the boys.  Warren was kind enough to offer to drive (I still cannot process things to drive safely) and so Dave, Warren and I set off for a day of toy soldiers and fellowship with like minded individuals.

  The true high light for me was meeting up with friends.  Mr Ed from the blog Ed M's Wargamers MeanderIngs was there and its always a pleasure and rewarding time talking with him.  Most importantly was meeting up with a long time internet friend Vincent from The Corlears Hook Fencibles!  Looking across the lobby I noticed an individual wearing a Corlears Hook Fencibles t shirt.  Running up I introduced myself and was delighted to meet Vincent in person.  Oh happy days!  We three bloggers then got together for a picture and a promise to get together this fall for a game.  

The convention was a return to the older style conventions I remember from the 1990's.  Not a gigantic historicon type but a smaller and more pleasant gaming atmosphere.  It was spread out through six rooms and had an incredible variety of games.  These included historical, fantasy and a few board games.

Speaking of board games I discovered a game of Diplomacy going on.  Had great, and many not so great memories of this game.  In high school we played a lot of Diplomacy.

AJ from the club put on The Battle of Rhode Island game using his Electric Brigadier rule set.  Beautiful table and excellent looming miniatures made thus a stand out game for me.  Thanks to Mr Ed for assisting AJ!  And very well done AJ!!

Lots of WW2 games especially with the Bolt Action rules.

Most unusual game was The Warriors. " Can you dig it brothers! " Based on the movie which was a retelling of the Iliad but in NYC with street gangs.  Oh come on!  You know you watched it!  "Warriors...come out and playyyyyy!"

My friend Peter put on a War of 1812 game Battle for Michilimackinac.  The ruled used were Carnage And Glory computer.  Beautiful terrain and figures.  I especial liked the Cigar box mat cloth and his you can crap it over hills to make very realistic terrain.  Great and fascinating battle and very well done!  There are not many War of 1812 games at conventions but Peter always puts one on and does a magnificent job.  Well done sir!

One that definitely caught my eye was The Battle of Freeman's Farm (or first Saratoga).  Thus was run by Rich Wallace and was a computer rules.  The terrain was award winning and miniatures excellent.  I was really impressed by this one.  For a better more detailed report see Corlears Hook Fencibles blog.  

I will be doing doing a separate post on the Moby Dick game next.  Lots of pictures and much more details!