Attendance was WAY down this year versus 1998 (we had no 1999 con). Seems like the card games have dried up completely and the historical boardgamers have almost all stopped coming. The dealers must have taken a hit on this con, as there were 11+ of them, and we only had about 350 at the show total over the three days (approximately 225 paid, plus about 125 workers). Seems like just yesterday that we were hosting Origins and packing over 12,000 at Cobo Hall in Detroit or over 1,300 in Southfield! Hey, I spent my $100 in the dealer hall. Thanks, everyone, for your support.

Our miniatures events were the high point. Most historical games went well. The mix was great with Ancients to 1962-era games being run. All events seemed very civilized, with no public beheadings or on-board flame wars in evidence. The "alt games" went very well also.

The Colby Street Irregulars rode into town and fought the VERY sparse Sunday crowd. Jim's game went OK, but Doug's Toledo war game did not go off due to low turnout and the fact that this moron of a miniatures coordinator scheduled too many all day games on Sunday morning. Sorry guys! I'm sure we would have won Toledo from you southerners!

Pete Marshal ran a beautiful Command Decision 2 game in 20mm -- the German assault on Maleme. Tom Dziegliewski ran his string to four consecutive victories as the German (victor) commander for this game. Euel Kinsey's CD2 game in Europe, 1962, went well. The highlight was a battalion of old T34/85s, commanded by that warhorse Dave Winfree, taking out two Huey transports and then charging a group of M47s on a ridge and knocking out a couple of them! I'd vote for Dave as president any day. He gets a lot of mileage out of almost nothing in most games he plays!

Chris Geisert and crew ran a fine Empire III game on Saturday that had 11 or so players in it. My huge tyrano-crab-mantisosaur nearly destroyed Detroit in "Super-Giant Monster Showdown" (my 11-year-old son Brian talked me into this one!). Brian and I also played a fun 40K game on Sunday.

My Flower of Chivalry game went well. Those rules feel a lot like Russian roulette with a crossbow, since you never know if your troops will follow orders or not. They are very fun convention rules, however.

My Command Decision 3 game on Saturday night was brutal in that we saw an overmatched German kampfgruppe take it on the chin by a mixed Soviet force. The highlight was a charge by a full mounted regiment of Soviet Guard cavalry into the German HQ unit parked in the main objective town. The mounted units took HEAVY casualties, but passed a desperate morale roll and promptly dismount and parked themselves in the German rear. I've NEVER seen Mike Reese roll that bad, gentlemen! Even Hall-of-Famers have off days, I guess. The jury is still out with me on CD3. I may be trying (gasp) Spearhead soon. I feel like I am considering changing from a Christian to a Buddhist with this one, guys! My faith is wavering...........must.......call......Frank......Chadwick........!