I received so many articles about Origins '79, many with similar comments, that I felt it would be better to combine all these thoughts into one piece. I am thankful to the following for their inputs to this article: Byron Angel, Bob Beattie, Rod Burr, Steve Carpenter, Jay Hadley, Pete Hollinger, John Mansfield (from his magazine, SIGNAL), Joe Miceli, Chris Parker, Eric Ritchie, Paul Wood (from his magazine DECK OF MANY THINGS) and many others whose names I may have forgotten.
First -- the basic facts: Origins '79 (the fifth in the series), was attached by over 4500 people and there was close to 130 dealer booths. Despite some early problems, everyone had a place to stay; there was plenty of food and it was available whenever the gaming areas were open.
The Ancient Gamers had a particular "plus" in that Phil Barker, co-author of the WRG Ancient Rules, was the convention guest of honor and chief umpire at the third annual ancient competition held at Origins (see separate report elsewhere in this issue). As usual, there were many board game and miniature events, though considerably fewer miniature events than at Origins '78.
The major awards, the Charles Roberts and H. G. Wells had a few surprises, but were all well deserved:
| H.G. WELLS AWARDS | |
|---|---|
| BEST HISTORICALLINE | Ral Partha: Days of the Empire |
| BEST FANTASY/SF LINE | Ral Partha: Fantasy Collector Series |
| BEST VEHICULAR LINE | GHQ: Modern micro armour |
| BEST MINIATURE RULES | GHQ: Fire & Steel |
| CHARLES ROBERTS AWARDS | |
| BEST PRE-TWENTIETH CENTURY GAME | Source of the Nile (DG) |
| BEST TWENTIETH CENTURY GAME | To the Green Fields Beyond (SPI) |
| BEST FANTASY/FUTURE GAME | Mayday (GDW) |
| BEST PHYSICAL SYSTEMS AND GRAPHICS | Cross of Iron (AH) |
| BEST PROFESSIONAL MAGAZINE | Fire & Movement |
| BEST AMATEUR MAGAZINE | Perfidious Albion |
| BEST AMATEUR GAME | Source of the Nile (DG) |
| HALL OF FAME | John Hill of Conflict Games |
Many of the tourneys had 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place winners which I do not have space to list. Also, the list of winners is incomplete -- I listed these below as N.W.L. (no winner listed).
| TOURNAMENT AWARDS | |
|---|---|
| Air Force/Dauntless (Heritage) | M. Horan |
| Air Power (T. Adams) | NWL |
| Avalon Hill Classic 500 (AH) | B. Sinigaglio |
| Backgammon (Metro Detroit Gamers) | K. Brophy |
| Basic & advanced fighter (L. Zocchi) | NWL |
| Blue and Grey Quad (SPI) | NWL |
| Boot Hill (S & FW) | NWL |
| Bushido (Washington gamers) | S. G. Walburne |
| Chivalry & Sorcery (WG) | W. Wilson |
| Cosmic encounters (Eor Prod's) | B. Brylawski |
| Cross of Iron (AH) | W. Shude |
| Dipcon '79 (J . Boyer) | B. Zablocki |
| Dungeon adventure (W. G.) | B. Kitto |
| Dungeon tournament (SGG) | R. Meyers |
| Empire -- beginner (Empire games)Team: | J. Arnold, K. Kelly, S. Sitz, J. Dicamillo |
| Empire -- experienced (Emp. games)Team: | C. Miller, G. Mosier, J. Howell, J. McDonald, M. Elliott |
| Fight in the skies (TSR) | NWL |
| Football strategy (AH) | J. Rubel |
| 4th Dimension tourney (TSR) | J. Brachman |
| Gametime games (Heritage) | C. Olson |
| Gangster (FGU) | D. Bowman |
| Gladitorial Comabt (WC) | R Clifford II |
| Starfire (Task Force Games) | NWL |
| Starships & Spacemen (FGU) | B. Dilchotovitch |
| Star Trek Demolition (AW) | D. Johnson |
| Stellar Conquest (Shoregaming) | G. Pazdalski |
| Stomp (Chaosium) | NWL |
| Imperium (SGG) | R. Clark |
| Kingmaker (AH) | P. Petrone |
| Knights of the Rd. Table (Chaosium) | NWL |
| Lamson (AW) | I. Straus |
| Liepzig (OSG) | D. Earls |
| Machiavelli (SGG) | J. Van Huyck |
| Melee/Wizard Tour. (SGG) | C. Allen |
| Metamorphosis/alpha/gamma wid. (TSR) | G. Patchell |
| Microgame 600 | V. Ezerins |
| Monopoly (MDG) | C. Smith |
| Nuclear War (Flying Buffalo) | L. Hornes |
| Panzer Gruppe Gudierian (SPI) | A. Vitale |
| Pre-20th Century Quad (SPI) | T. Hanlon |
| Rail Baron (AH) | R Ulman |
| Railroad Rivals (Penn wargamers) | D Horton |
| Richthofen's War (AH) | J Graham |
| Risk (MB) | J. Morris |
| Runquesst (SGG) | D Levine |
| Russian Campaign (AH) | P Kemp |
| Russian Civil War (WG) | L Kanterman |
| Seapower (T Adams) | C Mertins |
| Series 120 (GDW) | -- |
| Raphia | K Gaarsoe |
| 1942 | D Culhane |
| Agincourt | S Hendrickson |
| MayDay | M Layne |
| Snit's Revenge (TSR) | M Horan |
| Space Capsule Quad (SPI) | A Gobin |
| SpaceQuest (WG) | B Brylawski |
| Speed Circuit (AH) | S Walburn |
| Superhero (Zocchi) | NWL |
| Money Dungeon (AW) | NWL |
| USAC Autoracing Indy 500 (AH) | P O'Neil |
| Victory at Sea (AW) | D. Burkley |
| War at Sea (AH) | J Pazdalski |
| Warlord | R Queen |
| Win, place & Show (AH) | W Paxton |
| Wizard's Tower (SGG) | J. Boyd |
| Wooden Ships and Iron Men (AH) | NWL |
| Fantasy Adventure (WG) | J. Leflar |
| WRG Ancients Tournament | T Lyons |
| WRG Armor | J Brophy |
In addition to co-sponsoring the Ancient tourney with Heritage, COURIER PUBLICATIONS sponsored a one round WRG armor/infantry event. This consisted of several games run simultaneously on different tables. As it was not intended to be a tournament, no prizes were awarded. Due to a lack of communication between the event organizer and the convention organizers, the event was listed in the program as a tournament. Some of the participants were disappointed to discover that this was not the case. Although 36 people had preregistered for it, only about 26 actually showed up. About 3 more people were recruited on the spot to enable 5 of the 6 games planned to be run.
Each game was set up to have 3 players per side. All were set during World War II. Of the scenarios run, two were set in Russia (1941 and 1944), two in North Africa (both 1942) and one in France (1944). The two most outstanding teams were one from Canada headed by John Mansfield (North Africa), the other was from M.I.T. and included Rohn Kelley and Dave Steinhoffer. Two teams composed of U.S. Army personnel also entered. One was victorious in the Russia 1941 scenario, the other lost in the Russia 1944 scenario. Overall the event seems to have been enjoyed by most of the participants. The event was run by Mark Chilenskas, Mark Swanson, Phil J arvio, Rich Moore, and Rod Burr.
FIGURE PAINTING AWARDS
One of the highlights for miniaturists at any convention is the figure painting competitions -- many missed this because, unannounced, its venue was changed from the cafeteria as described in the program, to the hobby center. None of the winners were announced at the awards ceremony and may not yet know they won!
| PAINTING AWARDS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fantasy | Single | Conrad Hynd | Gremlin |
| Group | Chuck Woitkiewicz | Graveyard skirmish | |
| Army | Mike Barbaro | Barbarian brigade | |
| Ancient | Single | Joe Miceli | Persian immortal |
| Group | George Nafsziger | Phalanx | |
| Army | Gary Mosier | Macedonians | |
| Musket& Pike | Single | No Award | - |
| Group | No award | - | |
| Army | Joe Miceli | ECW royalists | |
| Modern | Single | No award | - |
| Group | Bill Marshall | (Not listed) | |
| Army | Robert Mosca | 15mm Nap Russian Army | |
| Ral Partha Silver Cup | - | Joe Miceli | Cyclops vs Elf |
| Heritage Award | - | Scott Washburn | Dragon Encounter |
| Minifig Award | Single | Bill Marshall | Gustavus Adolphus |
| Army | Gary Mosier | Macedonians | |
| Minifig Master Award | - | Joe Miceli | 7 yrs war Prussians |
Another event that was particularly well received was the Hobby Center, sponsored by The Courier and run by Bob Beattie. Bob spent a considerable amount of time in developing a miniatures "time line" to correspond with the board game time line that was so popular at Origins '78.
Both time lines were displayed at the hobby center and were a detailed history of the events that have gone to making Miniature and boardgaming what they are today (we hope to publish both time lines in The Courier -- ED).
Miniature & boardgaming were demonstrated for the uninitiated visitor using large scale boards and figures (54mm figures; 5 inch hexes and boardgame counters). Several displays were set up showing various miniature games in action -- individual figure games, sailing ship & WWII naval games, Napoleonics, etc. The high point of the center was the demonstrations of early miniature gaming rules by Charles & Dave Sweet. Next year Bob plans to demonstrate, and have people participate in, an actual H. G. Wells and/or R. L. Stevenson game.
The vendor's area was well laid out and spacious, but there was poor noise control so that the PA system went mostly unheard which caused more than one person to miss his tournament or demonstration. There were many new releases several from the large number of new board game companies attending this year. Security was a problem.
Even though paid security people guarded the place at night and there were several plainsclothesmen circulating in the crowds some dealers were ripped off overnight. Also, some attendees that I heard of, being at their first large convention, found out the hard way that one could not leave their new acquisitions on a chair while they stood in the food line and expect to find them there when they got back!
A great many complaints were received from vendors as well as gamers who felt the hobby was being degraded by the representative of one company who was using a "loud hailer" to sound off about his product like a carnival barker. This did not bother me too much until he began the musketry and explosion sound effects! That was too much!
I always believed that anyone who goes "Bang'' or "woosh" in a wargame should be made to eat the firing stick.
Though much ingenuity went into getting the National Guard to run truck transportation back and forth between the vendor area and everything else, the two areas were too far apart and the transportation did not stage often enough (I waited 1/2 hour for a ride on one occasion). This meant that vendors could not conveniently (if at all) do the demonstrations they had promised and still hold down their booths, or that people running tournaments could never get to see the vendor area.
Thus, since most will opt to cover their booth or pick up the items they came to buy, demos and tourneys suffered. Many items of interest were not well advertised -- I never found the computer gaming section or many of the miniature events.
The awards ceremony, which should have been the highlight of the weekend was run almost off- handedly -- if it was planned at all. The guest of honor, Phil Barker, brought all the way over from England at no little expense, was not even asked to participate in the awards ceremony.
This is much like inviting the president of the U.S.A. to your social event, him coming, and then not asking him to make an appearance or to speak! The painting award recipients were not named and to this date, many do not know they won! Finally, the award master of ceremonies left in the middle of the event and handed the ceremony over to an assistant.
In spite of all the negative things mentioned, many reported that this was, for them, the most relaxed and thus, the most enjoyable convention they have been to.
There were several organizational problems that can for the most part, be traced to the wholesale desertior of staff "volunteers". In an undertaking of this kind one must rely on those who have enough interest in the hobby and its advancement to volunteer to fuel, though it may mean that they get little if any time to participate in the convention itself. When one volunteers, one takes on the responsibility of putting his promised duty to the event ahead of his own desires.
In this case, the "pot was sweetened" by free entrance and some early choice of available rooms, etc. In spite of this, the 35+ volunteers dwindled to 5 after the first afternoon. With this kind of attrition, the best and most detailed plans are doomed to deteriorate into what an outside observer might call "unorganized."
This slack in volunteer was taken up by Paul Wood and the Metro Detroit Gamers (who put on Origins '78), by Tom Carroll and the Shore Gamers; and by Tom Filmore and the Washington Gamers. Without their help, it would have been a disaster.
I want to apologize to those who ran many well-attended events that I was either unaware of or had too little information to report on accurately. Two that have been brought to my attention are the STARS & BARS ACW demo put on by Jim Getz and Scot Bowden on fantastic terrain made by Marc Abram's Civil War Club from New York -- it was one of the best attended events of the whole affair as was Scot's symposium on Napoleonic tactics for the wargame table. The latter I understand was replete with slides and charts and many were turned away from the standing room only event.
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