Well, I started off on Friday afternoon and stayed overnight with my parents. (Mom is 79 and an excellent cook). Finishing Hornet for my game event left me with 3 hours of sleep, and I hit the road at 6:30 the next morning, pulling into the Rochelle Illinois Holiday Inn at about 8:30.

I parked in front of the motel registration desk which proved to be at the opposite end of the building complex from the meeting halls and rooms. Threading a maze of closed, heavy fire doors, I got to the Little Wars convention table, announced my arrival, and got my game-judge packet. Interestingly, we were supposed to put out our own sign-up sheets.) I then finally located my "Rescue the Hornet!" room, up on the 3rd floor past the dealers' area.

Games in the schedule: There was a wide variety of miniatures games offered, running from 1200 on Friday to 1800 on Sunday: Warhammer, naval miniatures of every era, land miniatures, air (especially World War I) miniatures, and even *NASCAR* miniatures.

There were a number of General Quarters and Seapower II games, utilizing 1:6000 and 1:4800 miniatures: Mers el Kebir, Savo Island, and Battle for Narvik. The Fletcher Pratt gang had 1:1200 events going on Friday and Saturday: "The Convoy Problem" (a raider vs. a convoy) and Cape Spartivento. (It was funny: the Saturday event was officially sche-duled for only 2 hours! :-) ) There were Civil War and beautiful sailing ship naval miniatures, as well as the modern scenarios.

The only boardgame event was an ongoing Axis and Allies tournament. As tired as I was the 2 days I was there, I was actually glad Pat Collins wasn't able to make it, to play our designer vs. reviewer game of Sky, Sea, and Jungle. Unhappily, Frank Chadwick didn't show up this year, but Bob Coggins--past organizer of Historicon and Cold Wars out East--was on hand to observe. I didn't *see* Greg Novak either, but Dave Herman and some other members of the old GDW Command Decision crowd were there. (Incidentally, Bob says Don Featherstone is not dead, so all reports to the contrary ... including mine ... :-I ... are happily false. :-) )

My events

Juggling 3 large boxes--one of them being open--of 1:700 model ships, 1 medium box of game accessories, a valise, the Hornet kit box, and a large blue sheet, I made it up to the room intact. I laid out the ships to be used, as well as my cardstock ship models. The "1:700" in the convention schedule intrigued people, and many dropped in before we started playing.

I was given the "North Board Room" which had poorly insulated picture windows taking the full force of the cold northern Illinois winds. Someone suggested this should be a Murmansk rather than South Pacific game. :-I Anyway, we got organized, briefed, and started by 1000 hrs.

Besides grognards like Jeff Kriner, Mark Johnson, and myself, we had 3 kids: Doug (15), Scott (13), and Matt (9). Scott took Hiei and Tone, Matt took Kirishima and Suzuya, and Mark took Nagara and two IJN destroyers--I should have provided more DDs. I took Northampton (actually a Matchbox Indianapolis) and my cardstock Brooklyn, Jeff took San Diego and 3 Simms class destroyers, and Doug took Juneau and 2 Simms class destroyers. Everybody -- especially the kids -- seemed to like the large scale of the models, and I wish I had done a better painting job.

As with a previous game of this scenario (at Capitol Con in Sep98), the forces converged at top speed, and leading ships were intermingled by the 3rd (5-minute) turn. Unfortunately, detection was simultaneous, this game, and there was no unbelievable slaughter of the Japanese cruisers and battleships. Juneau and Brooklyn quickly sank a destroyer each, while the U.S. destroyers torpedoed Nagara. However, with no prompting the kids wisely stood off with their cruisers and battleships, although Scott's Tone took a torpedo which damaged it.

Japanese "Long Lance" torpedoes took revenge, obliterating a destroyer and heavily damaging both Juneau and San Diego. Meanwhile, Northampton had immediately slipped its tow and was rushing back to help out, leaving Hornet derelict, to stall the Japanese long enough for South Dakota and company to arrive on Turn 6, to equal the odds.

After the carnage in the center, the Japanese battleships and cruisers began target-shooting our ships. Brooklyn was miraculously unhurt and was lashing back at nearby Haruna hoping for at least one penetration from multiple hits. However, on the 5th turn, young Matt decided to take a "Hail Mary" shot at Hornet. His white/accuracy die roll looked dubiously large, so we were going to go on, until we saw his downcast expression. However, going through the numbers, I/we discovered he had *just* enough accuracy to make the hit, and Horbet went Down ... which happened to be the Japanese victory condition (short of capturing it outright). The kid was ecstatic, and after 2 hours everyone felt ready to pick up the game. By acclamation, the Little Wars Medal of Honor was awarded to both Matt and Scott, with the stipulation that they would take *turns* wearing it around the convention. :-) (The kids swore they would be back the next day, for "Hood vs. The Terrible Twins," but I didn't see them back at the convention on Sunday.

Everyone seemed pleased by the rapid progress of the game, especially considering all the close-quarters torpedo and gunnery action, and satisfied with my Naval Action rules' realism ... and the game's outcome.

So, I headed on for Chicago, to spend Saturday evening with my brother and his family ... and to deliver long overdue Christmas/ birthday presents to my expectant nephew, nieces, and sister-in-law. :-) My sister-in-law had a great batch of lasagna and I played my nieces in backgammon. Both are very sharp and show great backgammon/algebra-related aptitude. The little one (6) even beat me ... with a lot of help ... but she was understanding how to combine the numbers to produce the outcome/position she wanted.