Obviously, there were lots and lots of wargames covering every conceivable period in the immensity of the gaming hall. I took time out from the dealer hall to wander over from time to time and check on the proceedings. Occasionally, I even remembered my camera...and even remembered to use it. That's the problem with one of these small digital cameras--I forget I even have it in my pocket. When I went around with the standard 35mm camera, it was on a strap on my shoulder--couldn't forget it was there.

The hall, or about a quarter of it captured in this photo, stretches to the back. The flea market was enclosed behind the curtains in the upper left, the "bar" in the upper middle, and the Games Workshop area was to the right and behid the bar. The Market Garden table is not seen on the photo, but would be off to the right. The game in the foreground? I have no idea...but the terrain was quite good.

All told, there were somewhere in the neighborhood of 225 wargames presented over the course of three days--more when you consider that numerous impromptu games sprung up, and perhaps less for cancellations and such.

Here's one of the many games, and while I cannot tell exactly what battle it represents, I can say that the participation level is typical of the wargaming at the show.

Admiral Lockwood at the Battle of Satia Bay

Steve Verdoliva came out from California and put on a Galleys and Gunpowder game between the Turks and the Christians. Come Saturday night, I was wandering the hall looking at the involved crowds when I saw that only one person was there, Robert Mulligan, who was about to battle against Steve. Steve immediately asked if I wanted to sit in, which I immediately did.

At that point, another friend, Scott Ippolito, came along and asked if he could sit in (of course), and then another friend, Phil Fry (designer of a Napoleonic naval game, Fire as She Bears) also wanted in. So, in the space of about five minutes, we had a nice little 2-on-2 game on the Battle of Satia Bay, circa 1560.

No, this is not the galley game, but this is a photo of Phil Fry running his Fire as She Bears game. Phil is in the middle in the tan shirt. Wouldn't you know it, I finally play in a game and I leave the stupid camera back in the hotel room.

None of knew the rules, but they were quickly explained by Steve, and away we went. The idea was that the Christian fleet was sailing to the relief of Cyprus, and a Turking fleet intercepted them off Crete.

The ships were 1:2400 scale galleys, mounted 5 to a base, about 5" x 2" or so.

The rules use a split maneuver table ala Fire and Fury, with simple squadron movement. There's not a lot of fancy maneuvering, although some deviations from straight ahead did occur.

Firing is simple straight ahead. Melee is if ships make contact. There's a little bit of chrome for each side regarding better shots and better close combatants, and so on.

As for the battle, brilliant maneuvering (er, that would be brilliant maneuverings of the die) by Admirals Lockwood and Ippolito secured a big victory for the Christians. Ippolito held off Mulligan long enough -- despite 1:2 odds -- for Lockwood to finish off Fry. Ippolito, down to the last remnants of the command, then awaited Lockwood's redeployment.

Chadwick and the Romans

Frank Chadwick (see photo at right) ran the Romans against the Gauls with a few thousand figures.

Although these were 25mm figures rather than Frank's usual 54mm predelection, the sight of all these fine miniature fellows was pretty amazing.

At left, a multitude of Gauls hit the thin Roman line. I believe the pipe cleaners indicate damage status, all Chadwick's other design, Command Decision.

Colonial Attacks

I am not sure exactly what wargame this is, but there was a skirmishing line of fellows attacking across a relatively open ground against the defenders nestled in the hills. If I had to guess, I would choose some sort of Boer War action, but that is strictly a guess.

I'm not so sure I would feel comfortable as an infantryman advancing with my supporting artillery firing at the enemy from direckly behind me! However, I'm sure there's a particular scale that allowed it, both in the distance between skirmishers, and in the elevation of the enemy-held kop.

More Fall In 2003

Introduction
Wargames Area: Operation Market Garden
Wargames Area: Other Games
Re-enactor Area

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