Cold Wars '02
Convention Report

Courier Dispatch: News

by Dick Bryant

I was not able to attend Cold Wars this year so I have put together a short report based on the inputs of several who were there: Bob Beattie, Bill Rutherford, Scott Holder, Pete Panzieri and Pete English. Note: photos in this report are taken from the HMGS Website (www.hmgs.org) and were taken by Col(ret) Bill Smith.

The big splash of the con was Old Glory’s “Trench Warfare.” They had games going on all the time with full participation. All the OG figs and tanks. Many repeat games played - fast and bloody. An interesting contact was with someone marketing a computer program to allow on screen sculpting of three-D objects, even figures. There is a free sculpt option and a cut and paste from clip art. Then they take the output and create a resin model of the computer image. They had an example, Battletech machine, about 6 inches high, in hard resin. It is made by laying down a molecule layer at a time of liquid resin. That machine is very expensive but they want to sell the software for $500. They make the model and return it to you for $10 or so. What a great way to get that one of a kind figure you need, but better, great for a company that wants to create a line of figures in a hurry. Make one and then cut and paste. They have in mind putting these in hobby shops so people do not need to buy the software but just pay a fee to use it and send the file via the store that gets a cut. Perhaps a club could afford to get one. There is software and a 3-D tool you attach to your computer to make the sculpture. They have been doing this for car parts and other commercial areas and want to get into the hobby area.

Cold Wars was busy! There were close to 2000 people in attendance.There were lots of people about even on Thursday with quite a bit of gaming. Crowds everywhere except the Distlefink - that place always looks as if it’s half-empty.. The several vendors I spoke to all said that business was good - lots of people with a reasonable amount of money being spent John Drye, Cold Wars director deserves a large round of applause and a “well Done!”

The GM(Game Master) Support Desk appeared to be a great success. It was staffed pretty much continuously by a wide variety of people wearing the ‘GM Support Network” pennon on their convention badges. In fact, these badges were conspicously present everywhere throughout Cold Wars. A lot of people put a lot of effort into making the support desk work, ranging from Rick Egtvedt on the HMGS BOD, who acquired the carts for hauling in GM goodies, to the GMs who manned it, to (of course) Pete and Jodie Panzeri, who orchestrated it. I didn’t ever see a massive crowd of needy GMs around the table but there was always a trickle of people going by - GMs, gamers, and touristas - who need to find things, borrow carts, etc.

Del Stover ran his Viking pickup game in the foyer where you normally see Uncle Duke’s (Seifried)games. I don’t know that the table was ever full (20’ by 5’, no wonder) but there were always 2 - 4 player skirmishes going on somewhere along the table. I’d like to see this repeated, as it had good potential for fun... Black Hawk Down drew an immense crowd; Pete added several spaces to the game and still had to turn many gamers away. Will Hans Hold was a big 25mm WW I game with a room full of players - all of whom seemed to have a good time. All in all, it was a good con.

GAME MASTER RECOGNITION (GMR)

For the first time Game Master Recognition (GMR) “GM Battle Streamer” and PELA awards were made for GMs and Events that showed special merit. These Awards were adjudicated by the GM Support Network.

Purpose: GameMaster Support Network “GAME MASTER RECOGNITION” (GMR) is intended to identify all appropriate individual and collective Game Master endeavors and service that exemplify the highest qualities of the hobby of Historical Miniatures wargaming, recognize those efforts, express gratitude, show appreciation, and encourage others to follow these examples. Description: GMSN “GM Recognition” is an independently adjudicated “Pilot” Recognition Program proposed to HMGS and other Gaming Organizations for recognition. GMR is not intended to be a “single top Award or Prize.” Rather than attempting to pick one “Best GM” from diverse fields of various methods, historical periods, scales, and sizes of events, GMR will attempt broader recognition for as many GM’s as possible, and specific awards to as many Game Masters as wish to participate. NOTE: These awards were in addition to the Cold Wars(Pour Encourage les Autres”awards.

Recognition: Battle Streamers: Impact Award of a “Flag Streamer” and Certificate presented to the GM during his game. [Presenting the Award during the game had a significant positive impact on all involved.]

Method: All Awards are carefully recorded and reported in Newsletter and online. “Battle Streamers:” GM’s are encouraged to display a club, or personal standard or banner at their event table. Selected Judges continually award streamers to Game Masters for the Duration of the Convention, preferably while the event is in session. Gamers who enjoyed a particular event may also nominate a GM after the event.

Criteria: The following Criteria was used to determine if a GM’s event qualifies for the Streamer Recognition, but as many events as could qualify were to receive the recognition. [Rule of thumb was TOP TEN during each time slot, but that was entirely up to the Judging team and Team leader.] Criteria was based on three equal categories: Presentation:

    a. Overall impression exemplifies Historical Miniatures Wargaming at its best.
    b. Technical Merit: High quality of figures, terrain, accessories, GM Tools.
    c. Originality: Exemplary uniqueness with GM method, Scenario, or resourceful approach with materials, player enthusiasm.

Judges: Veteran Game Masters who have won previous recognition or Awards and have exempted themselves from competition during that “time-slot” are invited as a first priority. Each will lead a team of 2-5 veteran GM’s, during a given time-slot to select and present as many awards as possible. GM Recognition Moderator will coordinate the judging teams, and handle any dead-locks or Judging ties, or simply award each nominee in question a streamer.

PELA, “HMGS Best Event” Award
S-148 Campaigning with Frederick (15mm SYW) Neal Smith

PELA, Best Dark Ages Theme Event Award
**F-000 Battle of Hastings (25mm Dark Ages) Brad Winslow

Friday AM Morning: GM Judge Team headed by GM Fred Hubig.
**F-134 Burnside’s Bridge (25mm ACW) Kim & Jerry Fraggie
F-131 Barbarians vs. Rome (25mm Ancient) Mark Zaslavsky
F-02 Barthelmy, August 1944 (15mm WWII) Peter Landry
F-11 Grey on Grey (ACW Naval) Geoff Graff

Friday - PM - Afternoon: GM Judging Team headed by GM David Bonk
**F-000 Battle of Hastings (25mm Dark Ages - THEME EVENT) Brad Winslow
F-120 Berezina Bridgehead (15mm WWII) Tom Ballou
F-96 Villers-Bretonneux 1870 (15mm FPW) Bruce Weigle
F-98 Busting the Bocage (54mm WWII) Mike Fatovich
F-43 The Mother of all Arab-Israeli Wars (1/285 AIW) Bryan Leshinskie & Barry Templin
F-93 Ethel the Red, Are you Ready? (25mm Dark Ages THEME EVENT) John Lundberg
F-50 Landscape Turned Red (15mm ACW) Mike Pierce
F-38 Booty, Beauties, and Bovine 875 AD (25mm Dark Ages - THEME EVENT) Bob Giglio et al

Friday PM - Evening : GM Judging Team headed by GM Jim Getz

**F-114 Campaigning with Frederick (15mm SYW) Neal Smith
F-72 Hannibal Beneath the Walls of Saguntun (25mm Anc.)Phil Viverito
F-118 Who Cut the Cheese? (20mm WWII)Sam Scott
F-70 Red River Raid (25mm ACW) Dave Markley
F-76 Poles Attack Utitsa (25mm Napoleonic) Fred Hubig
F-51 Aerodrome (WW I Aircraft) Hal Dyson

Saturday AM : GM Judging Team headed by GM Dave Waxtell
**S-135 Mayhem in Ancient Rome! (25mm Gladiators) Mike Vasile
S-3 African Hell, and then the Supplies Ran Out! (25mm Colonial) Edward Watts
S-31 EASY Company (15mm WWII) Ed Bates & Jim Shaw
S-137 El Capitan Grande: 500th Anniversary of the Dawn of Modern Warfare (25mm P&S) Peter Hess & Cy Taylor

Saturday PM - Afternoon : GM Judging Team headed by GM Mike Pierce
**S-69 Will Hans Hold? (25mm WWII) John Speiss
S-148 Campaigning with Frederick (15mm SYW) Neal Smith
S-191 Pyramid Scheme (Colonial 25mm) Kevin Kennelly
S-75 Tarawa (15mm WWII) John Rigley

Saturday PM - Evening : GM Judging Team headed by GM John Stafford.
**S-75 Tarawa (WWII 15mm) John Rigley
S-113 Pointe du Hoc (WWII 25mm) Martin Baber
S-157 Charleston Clamp Down (ACW Naval)Scott Landis
S-158 Wild and Free (25mm Wild West)Leo Walsh
S-91 In Search of the Lost City (25mm Colonial)Bob Beattie

Sunday AM-Morning : GM Judging Team headed by GM Bob Giglio.
Z-24 Glider Assault Maleme Crete (20mm WWII) Tom Garnett
Z-6 Kifaru River Valley (25mm Colonial) Tom Anderson
Z-1 Flechettes at Borodino (25mm Napoleonic) Nigel Marsh
Z-21 Raid on Sulaco (25mm Colonial) Richard Norton
Z-3 Adriatic Jutland (1/6000 Naval) Gary Coyle
Z-2 Battle of Capte Henry, 1781 Stanley Sunderwirth
Z-5 Eagles over Leipzig (WWII Aircraft) Jeff Kimmel
Z-22 St. Giles (WWII 1/285th) GM by EFN Gamers
Z-00 Pursuit of the Goeben David Emdee

GAMER NOMINATED STREAMERS
F-1 “Dark Ages Game” (25mm Dark Ages - THEME EVENT) Del Stover
F-26 “Battle of Hills’ Grove” (15mm 7YW) Mike Hillsgrove
F-33 “Rhodes Attacks (15mm ACW) Kurt Schlegel
S-49 “Smolensk” (25mm Napoleonic) Bob Kerstetter
S-46 “Niemcza” (25mm Dark Ages THEME EVENT) David Bonk
S-68 “Rebs Come to Schlegel’s Ferry” (25mm ACW) Eric Schlegel

GM SERVICE STREAMERS
Jodie Panzeri, Pete Panzeri, Otto Schmidt, Bill Rutherford, Rick Egtvedt, Bill Moreno, Pete English, Martin Baber, James Mattes, John Stafford, Jim Mcgaughey, Gordon Bliss, Leo Cronin, Fred Hubig, Mike Lorenzo, Leo Murphy, Mitch Osborne, David Bonk, Gordon Bliss, Paul Georgian, Jim Getz, Mark Dayton, Dave Waxtell, Pete English, Mike Pierce, Bob Giglio, Neil Brennan, others unsigned.

Note: ** Marks events judged to receive a PELA Blue Ribbon in addition to a GM Streamer/Certificate for that time slot. Over 20 experienced GM judges assisted in the awards process, and are awarded a “GM SERVICE STREAMER” for their sincere efforts. All were very fair, objective and gracious. Thanks to each! - Over 30 GM’s also assisted the process by manning the GM Help Desk, and are also awarded a “GM SERVICE STREAMER” for their contributions.

ANCIENT COMPETITION AWARDS
There were over 180 players in 23 separate events. Umpires for the weekend were Scott Holder, John Shirey, Bob Beattie, Jeff Zorn, Terry Gore, Don Effinger, Rob McCloskey, Joe Richer, Rich Novak, Doug Mudd.

Sportsman
DBM: Wayne Carter
WARRIOR: Alex Kroupa
WARHAMMER ANCIENTS: Jeff Stuckey
MEDIEVAL WARFARE: Karen Jarosz

DBM Events
Theme Steve Payne, Vietnamese
25mm Doubles Carl Steffaneli & Derek Hannon, Beja
15mm Doubles Ethan Zorick & Dan Hazelwood, Pre-Islamic Arab
25mm Open Carl Steffaneli, Anglo-Norman
15mm Open Erik Shinn, Fanatic Berber

Warrior Events
Fast Warrior Theme Dave Dietrich, Magyar
25mm Doubles Dave Stier & Frank Gilson, Sultanate of Delhi
15mm Doubles Jon Cleaves & Mike Turner, Late Imperial Roman
25mm Mini Rob Turnball, Late Carthaginian
15mm Mini Dave Dietrich, Late Syracusan

DBA Events
Overall Winner David Schlanger
Midnite Madness Mark Pozniak, Gauls
25mm Mike Stelzer
Doubles David Kujit & David Schlanger, Tamil Indian/Hindu Allies
Biblical David Kujit, Sea Peoples
Classical Mike Demana, Seleucid
Dark Ages Joe Coniglio Jr, Norman
Medieval Bill Fisher, Komnenan Byzantine
Asia/Steppes David Schlanger, Tamil

Warhammer Ancient Events
Singles Michael G, Hittites
Doubles Bruce Balling & James Langley, Persian

Medieval Warfare Events
Dark Ages Silvio Marra, Nikephorian Byzantine
Late Middle Ages Rob Robertson, Swiss

Courier Dispatch News About the Hobby.

Back to Table of Contents -- Courier #85
To Courier List of Issues
To MagWeb Master Magazine List
© Copyright 2002 by The Courier Publishing Company.
This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web.
Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com