Convention Reports

On This page I will present articles about gaming and miniature Conventions like Salute, Crisis etc.

Tactica Hamburg 2016

So now I am back from a very exciting convention in Hamburg Germany. The convention was held in a convention center with a lot of smaller rooms and two bigger rooms. Not really convenient, but what the crew, organizing the event, made out of it was marvelous.

Here are the convention news, like every bigger convention Tactica has a small magazine with info about the venue :

Pictures of the Convention site:

The main Hall:

Some traders like Dave Thomas, Foundry, Warlord etc

And some of the customers, gamers:

Something new, at least for me, were the tutorials on painting, airbrushing and weathering. These were very well done like in a lecture room you could see what was done on a screen, so that all attendees could see what was going on:

The tutorials were held by the Pigment Pirates Hamburg.

As promised here are the first games that could be seen. The following pictures are from the game “The Fight for Disuq, 9th May 1801”(Rules: Lion & Eagle)

It’s spring of 1801. Napoleon has left Egypt a long time ago. British troops have landed successfully and are marching on Kairo.

First skirmishes are taking place near Rahmanieh on the left bank of the Nile between the British expeditionary force, supported by Ottoman troops. In a coup-de-main the French occupy the small town of Disuq on the opposite river bank. The British react swiftly and strongly. With a tenfold superiority they attack the French. But what is the real objective of this fight off the main battle site? This skirmish scenario will give an adventurous answer.

This game is designed for 2 – 4 participants and a game master. The rules used are “Lion & Eagle”, the Napoleonic variant of “Lion Rampant”. The rules have kindly been forwarded by the editors of Wargames Illustrated in a preprint version. They will be published in the April issue of Wargames Illustrated.

I think this was a very good game concerning the rules and the terrain and figures are just stunning! Best was the water feature, this really looks like water:

Battle of Yavin (Rules: X-Wing)

Continuous game about the attack run in the trench of the Death Star. The intention is to allow as many players as possible to participate in the game. Every player will get a small force worth a few points. New players can join at the beginning of each round. Each squadron carries one torpedo. The target will be hard to hit. Once a player has lost all his flyers, he leaves the game – or he can start again with a new squadron. The game ends with the desctruction of the Death Star.

The terrain was very interesting as the death star piece was 3d modeled and overlayed with plexiglass so that the gaming pieces could stay upright:

Now for something completely different. A game of Saga in the Lords great hall. Really stunningly painted figures !!!

Next is the battle of Königgrätz 1866 (presented by the Frankfurter Partizans in 28mm)

150 years ago, the battle of Königgrätz decided the Austro-Prussian War, the conflict between Austria and Prussia for the leadership of Germany. Near the Bohemian village of Sadowa some 400.000 soldiers clashed in battle. This makes Könniggrätz one of the biggest battles of the 19th century. Prussia’s victory resulted in Austria separating from Germany and was a crucial step to the creation of the german empire in 1871.

The battle was marked by the differences between the two armies. The Austrians had superior and aggressively led artillery and their tactics emphasized close assaults. The Prussian were equipped with the Dreyse needle gun, the first breechloading rifle in general military use and relied on firefights. The Prussian victory ended the discussion between proponents of close combat and firefight. Other innovations were the use of railroads and telegraphs.

This scenario offers four players the opportunity to reproduce a section of the battle, the decisive fight for the Swiepwald forest.

Next is a game of Freebooter. Very nice terrain again the water is striking:

Next up is Hanau 1813 – (Black-Powder)

In the Battle of Hanau (30th – 31st October 1813) French and Bavarian troops fought each other for the first time – they had been allies until recently.

And now for some science fiction:

Dark Nebula (Rules: Full Thrust)

Welcome, Commander!

Congratulations to your successful graduation from Fleet Academy and to your new command, KRS Karlsruhe. You are herewith instructed and commanded to move expeditiously to the Styx System and take over command of the convoy HR 13.

In recent weeks, several merchant vessels have been lost in the region. The last vessel lost has reported strange signals from the Nequada Nebula before disappearing.

You are tasked to support the merchant vessels in the region whenever necessary and to investigate the events in the nebula.

Do your best, commander! I am sure you will justify the trust we have in you!

Good Luck, Commander!

Admiral Geary

7th Fleet, New Swabian League

A game of Beyond the Gates of Antares

Beyond the Gates of Antares is the new science-fiction skirmish wargame written by Rick Priestley (the creator of Warhammer 40,000) that pitches technologically advanced human civilizations into a conflict that no one can afford to lose.

Now for something more horror like The Torso – a multiplayer skirmish

A wargaming experiment. Inside the primary mother object, the players assume the role of various drives and needs. They try to progress from the Subconcious to the level of consciusness and form the personality. They compete with each other and have to surmount obstacles. The Torso carries the game over the table, lures you out of your comfort zone and does as much to the gamer as the gamer does to the Torso. A challenge for every wargamer.

Lucky Luke against the Emperor of America (Rules: Legends of the Old West)

Proclamation in Miranda Springs, 1868:

His Imperial Majesty, Dean Smith the First, Emperor of America, King of Canada. Protector of Mexico, Liberator of the South and the North and Defender of the True Faith proclaims:

On the 27th February of year 3 IE (Imperial Era) our well-beloved and ever-righteous ruler will deign to visit his Imperial Capital, Miranda Springs. To the joy of his subjects, he has proclaimed this day as a Jubilee Day: Every citizen should take a rest from work, dress in his finest clothes and joyously pay homage to the Emperor and his troops upon their arrival!

Failing to heed this instructions will be punished with jail and death by hanging!

Schedule of the Imperial visit:

Inspection of the local bank
Withdrawal of the Imperial Treasury from the bank
Arrest of the rebel Luke from Texas (a.k.a “Lucky” Luke)
Hanging of the rebel Luke from Texas (a.k.a “Lucky” Luke)

 Signed: James McIntire, Minister of Truth and Publicity, Chief Editor and Publisher of the Daily Star

Will you be able to liberate Miranda Springs and free Lucky Luke from the clutches of the self-appointed Emperor? Or will “Vive l’Empereur” soon be heard everywhere in America?

And here are some pictures of this years theme of the show “Rome”.

A little village somewhere in Gallia:

The harbor of Karthargo:

De Bellis Rei Publicae (Rules: DBA) The Roman Republic and her Enemies…or….the Rome Problem!

Can the republic of Rome survive against its many enemies Carthaginians, Gauls and Macedonians…?

Or…What do Carthage, Gaul and Greece do about this young upstart city Republic?

Since its first edition in 1990, “De Bellis Antiquitatis” or DBA (English: Of the Wars of Antiquity) has been a popular fast play rule set to game ancient and medieval battles. Learn how the new DBA version 3 rules work and fight the wars of Rome. Take the side of the young Republic and lead the legions of Rome, or keep the Roman expansion under control by defeating them in battle as Carthage, Greece or as barbarous Gaul.

Ferrum et Rubigo (Rules: Triumph & Tragedy)

Presented by Tilman Moritz, Oliver Almodt, Nikolai Kuske, Jan Groß

More than four hundred years have passed since the birth of our Good Lord Jesus Christ. The good Christian people living near the limits of the Empire are suffering more and more under the incursions of more and more enemies.

On a balm day, early in autumn, in a small village in the middle of nowhere a very unexpected encounter took place:

Cornelius Julius, veteran Centurio, Roman to the bones, with his small tropp of Limitanei, is trying to secure his district as best he can.

Raluf, a rebel Frank, needs victuals to get his men through the coming winter – and he does not intend to buy them.

Cloderik, son of a gothic leader, wants to prove his mettle in a fight.

Önder, a wily Hun, with his horsemen is hunting for slaves and anything else of value that a pony could carry.

Four haughty leaders and their retinue meet. Every one of them too proud to retreat…

Trust me Legat, the path is clear“ (Rules: Steinhagel)

A Roman column is marching through the forests of Germania to their fortified camp. They transport valuable cargo, the Legion’s war chest.

The forest is dark and dense, but free of enemies. The legionaries march in loose order with a relaxed mood.

What was that? Didn’t something move among the trees?

Steinhagel is a new german rules for ancient and medieval wargaming.

And the last game of the Tactica theme Rome , I think it is called Trebia (if someone can say more about this game it would be helpful)

Now for something completely different. WW2: The battle of Aachen (Rules: Bolt Action) Western Front, October 1944

In the sixth year of the WWII the fortunes of war have turned decisively against the Third Reich. In East and West the enemy is closing inexorably on the Reich’s frontiers.

Aachen is the first immediately threatened large German city. On the 12th October 1944, the 26th Infantry Regiment of the First US infantry Division attacked directly into the center of Aachen. Opposing them, dug in among the rubble, are the remnants of shattered divisions, poorly trained Ersatz units and poorly equipped Volkssturm units. What will be the course of the battle…?

Here is a game with a steampunk background played with the Wolsung rules:

The battle of Lesnaya, September 29th. 1708 (Rules: Dominium maris Baltici) A Battle of the Great Northern War.

The Battle of Lesnaya took place during Karl XII of Sweden’s Russian Campaign. In the year 1708 Karl XII marched into Russia to take the city of Moscow and to defeat Czar Peter the Great on his own ground.

For this campaign, Karl XII needed supplies from the Swedish territories on the Baltic coast to be able to bring the campaign to a successful end. Czar Peter the Great had given order to devastate the country to deny the Swedish Army its supplies.

Karl XII ordered General Lewenhaupt to bring a convoi of supplies from Riga to the Swedish army. Lewenhaupt needed more time than planned to gather the supplies and was late leaving Riga.

The Russian army pursued the supply convoi. During this pursuit Czar Peter joined the army. Near the city of Lesnaya the Russian army caught up with the convoy and the fateful battle was the result.

Ridge Brake

Whoever wants to cross over between the Metropolis’ periphery and the wasteland will have to pass through the Gorge and the Old Tunnels. A stout and well-armed group of innkeepers discovered this ideal place for an inn and cobbled together “Ridge Brake – a pub and a room for rent”. It is the last watering hole before 800 miles of desolate wilderness. It offers such creature comforts as Happy Hour from 20:00 to 21:00 with electric lights, cold Ale and one(!) room with bed and shower.

Ridge Brake is right outside the frontier fence to the Metropolis region. On the other side is a giant agrarian landscape, on the farthest outskirts of the Metropolis, originally dotted with automated hydroponic tub, robot-watered, to feed the Metropolis. Now derelict, the pods offer meagre sustenance and uncomfortable shelter for those who cannot – for whatever reason – find a place to live in the Metropolis.

But the patrons of Ridge Brake are facing a new challenge: Deep in the Wastelands, envious ears have heard about the treasures avaialble at Ridge Brake. Now they are coming to get whatever could be of use to help them survive in the deadly wilderness. And to get that they have brought the only items of which they have a surplus – bullets, plenty of them.

In my opinion this was the best terrain that was presented on this years Tactica.

The battle of Shiloh (Rules: Altar of Freedom)

Near the small town of Corinth, Mississippi, the 6th and 7th April 1862 saw one of the most important battles of the American Civil War. For two days Confederate and Union soldiers fought fiercely for every yard of ground in a patch of forest by the Tennessee river.

After these two days and close to 25.000 casualties on both sides the meaning of this war had changed completely. It became clear that the Union could only win by completely conquering the South.

Take the role of Grant, Sherman, Johnston or Beauregard, lead your troops to victory and experience the drama of these two decisive days.

A game under “Altar of Freedom” rules for 2 to 6 players

And another wild west game in 20 mm very nice represented and looking really wild west like as the actual sun shining through a window of the convention center illuminated the terrain like being in the west of the US.

Of course there were some celebrities of the wargaming world at Tactica ,too.

like the Perry twins or

Aly Morrison

So this is it for the Tactica 2016 . After all a very nice show. Not as big as Crisis or Salute but non the less very worth going to. The team of Tactica did a marvelous job and I think everybody, gamers and traders, were happy with the event. Go on like this and I will certainly be back!!!!

Crisis Antwerp 2015

Last weekend on the 7th of November 2015 Crisis took place for the 20th time!! I went there with my son and met a lot of old and new friends. It was a very good convention and I have to thank the Tin Soldiers of Antwerp for there great effort in hosting this convention for the 20th time now. It is getting bigger and better each year and I thin you could call it the biggest miniature wargaming convention in continental Europe.

Go on like this Tin Soldiers of Antwerp!!!

This is what it looks like at Hangar 29 were the convention took place:

Here are a few impressions of the size of the Convention:

As you can see there was a lot of room and a very high roof so it wasn’t to warm and you could walk around freely without bumping to much into people or backpacks.

There were a lot of women too not only following along there boyfriends or husbands but purchasing hobby stuff for themselves and gaming the participation games too. This is a good development and I haven’t seen it in this amount at other conventions. It seems wargaming is something for girls now too!

Now to the games which could be seen and played.

Altogether the games were of a very high standard concerning the used terrain and the painted figures. Presentation of the games was good there could have been more info material concerning the rules systems used or to the background of the played scenario.

Lets start with a game of bolt action presented by the

It is a game set during the battle of the Bulge . Wonderful winter terrain and very very good painted figures:

Next is a 15mm normandy landing game by “De Witte Ridder” gaming group. Very well represented game.

Another 15mm WWII game Operation Barbarossa

Another WWII game this time 28mm absolutely stunning bocage terrain and very well painted figures!

And jet another Bolt Action Game in 28mm . Bolt action featured quite often at this years Crisis.

The little dice are pin markers.

Now for something completely different. A game using the Crush the Kaiser rules for the Mexican revolution 1910/1920:

Now a game of Dust ( rules by fantasy flight):

Two games by Golden Goblin . A Scifi dungeon crawler and a fantasy one:

A 28mm game of the Battle of Lützen:

A very big 28mm game of the battle of Waterloo by THS:

A WWII naval battle:

There were not only games but also very prominent personalities of the war-games world .

The Perrys were sculpting figures and doing interviews

Of course I asked them if they would do a battle in the box set for the WotR or the 100 years war. They said it depends on how good the american civil war one sells! So please everybody buy a box 😉

Sometimes you had to be very careful as you see here my son had to defend himself against some Warhammer 40K characters 🙂

At Crisis there were lots and lots of traders. There were so many that I can’t possibly show them all here . Just a few as appetizer for next year:

Dave Thomas:

Glenbrook:

Wartechminiatures: There showcase miniatures were very well painted !

Scorpion

At the Stronghold stand was a very nice Dust game:

All in all it was a very good convention and we had a lot of fun there ! Recommended to everybody !!!! If you are near Antwerp in November next year go there !!!

I will definitely return.

Spiel Essen

My son visited the “Spiel” in Essen. The biggest gaming convention in Germany.

More than 900 exhibitors from over 40 countries are at the game Convention in Essen on an area of around 44,000 sqm . You can see, board games of all kinds, children, social, family and adult games – as well as strategy, roleplaying, adventure, fantasy, science fiction, miniature and computer games. Various competitions, courses and tournaments round off the program of the “Spiel” in Essen. “Spiel” in Essen means: Four days of fun, meeting friends, playing and testing thousands of games and novelties together with gamers from all over the world. Make up your own mind about the quality of the international gaming market and feel free to buy your favourite ones! The next “Spiel” will be from October 13th to October 16th 2016.

Here are a few pictures he took:

Let in the gamers!