The following report was built up from several inputs: Steven
McHenry, whose account appears in a slightly different form in The
HMGS East Newsletter and is reprinted with the permission of HMGS,
Jay Hadley and Scott Holder of NASAMW. - ED.
The well lit, and well stocked 18,000 square foot Dealers Area -- at just the right temperature. Almost anything that a wargamer could desire could he found in this room.
What were you doing on the weekend of March 5th through the 7th? If you were like me, you spent the weekend in Lancaster Pennsylvania, making new friendships and renewing old ones at Cold Wars '93. Yes, another Cold Wars has come and gone; and despite the bad weather, HMGS and the Lancaster Host Resort and Conference Center have hosted another resoundingly successful convention.
Cold Wars and (to a lesser extent) Historicon attracts gamers primarily from the northeast United States, the area most affected by the march storms. Attendance appeared to be down from last year, with quite a few games cancelled as the game Masters couldn't get through. (While no official figures were published, in my view no more than 600-700 people were in attendance, down about 1/3. The first time in 10 years that the weather affected this end-of-winter con. - ED).
More than 50 dealers from Texas and Florida to New York, and Ohio displayed their wares in the Exhibit Hall. About 20 flea marketeers were on hand. As a change of pace, they were turned loose in the Marietta Room, off the Ball Room Foyer (well within the confines of the gaming area) to satisfy the feeding frenzy of bargain hunter/gamers on the prowl. For the careful shopper, there were bargains to be had. The lighting was better than the usual flea market location at Historicon, but don't get your hopes up. Its back to the usual place this summer my flea market friends.
Most of the 127 preregistered events took place. The weather related cancellations were covered by many additional games which were constantly being added and advertised on the daily notice board.
I could not detect any particular theme to the gaming this year. The Courier was well represented, giving us their usual eclectic group of small unit games, always with a twist. They do the Irish rebellion better than anyone Devised and Gamemastered by our Business Manager, Leo Cronin - ED). This year they covered Napolconics in Europe and America, England's colonial wars, America's civil war, and the American west of the 1880's, using various sets of rules.
THE FAMOUS DIRIGIBLE AT COLD WARS. POLES HOLD BRITISH AIRCRAFT WHICH ARE ATTACKING IT. PHOTO BY GREENWALD
While Napoleon's Battles has become a convention staple, a number of different combat systems, presenting different interpretations of the Napoleonic period, continue to be pushed and played. This period, more than any other, seams to retain the strongest personal bias. Each author seems sure that he, and he alone, has the correct view of what happened on those many fields of battle almost 200 years ago. These are passionate and personal views based on intense research and large amounts of time and effort. You have to be impressed with the dedication that many of the authors put into their work.
A Saturday seminar was given by Major Bill Gray, a military intelligence officer, who serves as a Russian analyst and historian at the United States Army War College. At Borodino '92 in September, Major Gray gave an excellent discussion of battlefield terrain and how it provided natural barriers, directed certain attacks, and stalled others during the battle, using slides of the actual battlefield and the Borodino diorama.
His presentation to a standing room only crowd of 50+ people at Cold Wars '93 centered on the differences between the French and continental (mostly Prussian) skirmish tactics in the early portion of the napoleonic wars. It was uniformly excellent. Perhaps I was taken with his liberal use of Prussian and French original sources, or the clarity of his presentation, but it is nice to sit through a thoroughly professional lecture by someone confident in his materi an its interpretation.
What made the lecture work in a way superior to many that I have heard, was the way he connected the skirmish policies of the French and the other continental armies into the larger context of the background of those societies that produced them. He also anchored his views with a discussion of the development of the jager and the Freicorps during the Seven Years War ("officially sanctioned bandits") and the impact of the thinking of Frederick the Great on future armies that would fight the Napoleonic wars.
He illuminated with original source material (mostly Prussian battlefield reports), the targeting of Prussian officers by French skirmishers, and the effect that the resulting high officer casualty rates had on the morale and movement of the Prussian troops. Should we increase the percentage of possibility of officer casualties due to fire effects of French skirmishers in our games?
Saturday morning, Major Gray hosted a Napoleonic refight of Austerlitz based on a modification of the US Civil War Fire and Fury rules. Later, when accosted in the dealers area, he was asked which current Napoleonic rules set he preferred to play. He was overheard to say any but Napoleon's Battles. There you have it. A challenge to HMGS's own Robert Coggins.
As usual, the convention offered many unusual and interesting
opportunities to prove your mettle against a variety of adversaries. For
those with a hazy view of history, Starsoldiers, Princess Ryan's Space
Marines and Warhammer 40K were available, as was a very unusual
game that pitted Godzilla, Rodan (my personal favorite), Mothra, Gamara,
and Megalon against a large skyscrapered city. I hope that this is not
indicative of a trend.
You could command armies at almost any level, and in almost any period. The Franco - Prussian War of 1870 is showing a strong resurgence in recent years. One of the more impressive displays at the convention, a giant (4+ feet long) zeppelin, was the target of anyone that fancied himself as a WW I air ace.
Of all the games that were presented that weekend none appeared to be more entertaining (down right fun) than the naval battles put on by Stephen Thomas on Friday and Saturday. His colorful and accurate mini-fleets of French and English medieval warships fought for control of the English Channel all through the weekend. It was a game I kept coming back too, primarily because of the participants. Somewhat reminiscent of the Alamo games at former conventions, the players really got into the spirit of the affair. They would cheer their ships companies on, as their 15mm figures shot, hacked) and thrust at each other for control of the vessels. I hope that a return engagement is in Historicon's future.
There is an alarming recent trend which first appeared at Historicon '92 and has continued at this Cold Wars. Another person lost painted figures to theft. When the hobby was small, most of us knew each other and gaming was primarily regional. To take someone's figures was unthinkable. Now that seems to have changed. As the hobby expands, and conventions grow larger, new people are entering the gaining community without the personal ties that were the foundation of the older members.
I can't emphasize enough the hard work that people put into their painted armies. They invest a large part of themselves in their wargame figures. I actually saw a 5mm French old guard unit on which the owner painted moustache's! While we can't stop those who are determined to steal the fruits of others labors, we can look out for our fellow gamers as we would our friends.
Each of us should take a personal interest in ensuring that the gamemaster's figures get back to him after the game, in the same condition that they were intrusted. Take the theft of anyone's figures personally, as if they were yours, police ourselves, and return trust to our hobby.
PAINTING CONTEST WINNERS
25mm Army
First: Doug Mudd Late Carthage
Second: Jeff Schnakenberg Jacobite Rebellion
25mm Unit
First: Stan Berry Early Greek phalanx
Second: Jeff Schnakenberg WWI German Infantry
10-15mm Army
First: Stan Berry Early Greek Hoplite
Second: Wayne Melnick 100 Years War English
10-15mm, Unit
First: David Paddock Trajanic Romans
Second: Jeff Schnakenberg Spanish Succession Brit. Inf.
Under 10mm Unit
First: John Spiess SYW Prussians
Second: Peter Ebare Sebastianis Cavalry Corps
Under 10mm Unit
No Awards
Best of Show
Stan Berry 25mm Hoplites
Naval
No Award
ANCIENT EVENTS AT COLD WARS
There were 74 players in the team games, Byzantine Therne, and Mini-open and 32 players in the DBA 15mm tourney. The 25mm DBA tourney only drew 6 players. The actions was sponsored by SiMTAC for the DBA games and Wargames for the Team Championship. Other sponsors included Pendragon Miniatures, Ral Partha, Falcon, Soldier & Sword, Mr. Miniature, Emperor'sHeadquarters, thistle & Rose, and Armadillo/Gallia.
There were many other ancient events, including Tactica games and a Duplicate Bridge type DBA game put on by Bob Beattie of The Courier Staff.
TOURNAMENT RESULTS
Sportsman: Jim Bicigani;
Team Champions: Dave Steir and Chris Cameron Knights of
St, John;
Team Runner-up: Jevon Garret & Sean Scott Rajput;
25mm Byzantine; Larry Essick - borrowed Normans;
25mm Runner Up: Frank Scarci Nikephorian Byzantine;
15mm Byzantine: Brian Lewis Georgian;
15mm Runner-up: Edge Gibbons Ottoman Turk;
15mm Mini Open: Craig Tyrell Scots Common;
15mm Runner-up: Andrew Reibman Gauls;
DBA Shootout: Stan Berry 100 Yrs War English;
25mm DBA: Stan Berry Hoplite Greek;
15mm DBA: Jim Dundorf,
Best Painted 25mm Danny Weitz Arab Empire;
Best Painted 15mm: Stan Berry Late Romans.
Courier Dispatch News About the Hobby.
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