Fall In 2010: The Games

Hey all!

Well, here is part 2 of my Fall In coverage... namely, the games themselves!

Unfortunately I only have photos from Saturday, but still, a lot of fun I hope!

First up... we found this game in the main hall.  At first blush, it is an ancients game... but when we looked closer, we realized that it didn't actually use traditional miniatures!

Nope, instead both armies were handmade out of simple wooden shapes and pieces!

Both armies featured pikes, skirmishers, cavalry, and even war elephants.  However, they were made of tons of bits, including the tops of pins and spools for thread!

Honestly, I think this collection was one of the coolest wargames bits I've ever seen!

Each army came with its own movement trays that were carefully painted, rather than being flocked.  Normally I am all for flocking, but I thought these looked spectacular.

Here is a shot where you can see both the elephants as well as the infantry...

 

And finally, a shot of the elephant.  Feels vaguely Far Side, right?  Overall, a FANTASTIC bit of toy soldiering...

If you would like to learn more, the chap who made them is named Matt, and you can find his info at...

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/wargaming_on_a_budget/

Oh, and he is apparently doing a Napoleonic army next.  Be still, my beating heart!

Okay... on to the other games!  Here is one, a Napoleonic game, that included some paper terrain pieces from Scott Washburn.

A Roman game... the pad is actually spraypainted and flocked automobile carpet.  It sits very nicely, and really takes the shape of the styrofoam underneath.

A closeup of the Roman enemies... Celts?  Or Gauls?  I don't know the difference, sorry!:)

The enemy closes on the Romans... will my Italian ancestors hold them off?!

A 25mm ACW game, featuring a LOT of Sash and Saber minis.  We were commenting that we particularly liked the rather extreme changes in elevation... honestly, you rarely see this on a wargames table, but it is fairly common in real life!

The Rebs prepare to attack!

Ahhh... one of the best looking games in the place; Dave Bonk's 40mm AWI game!  This one was Stockton Hollow (from 1777) and featured the theme of the convention, some US Marines!  Rules were Carnage and Glory II, a computer moderated game.

The colonials prepare to attack...

The Redcoats are ready too!

American officers urge their men forward...

British light infantry advances towards the bridge, ready to pepper the advancing colonials with musket fire.

American artillery is pushed up the road.

More Americans advance to engage the British.

The forces close and prepare to fire...

Reinforcements prepare to march out of their box and onto the battlefield!

Another nearby game was played over some nicely modeled fields of faux fir.  It was an ECW game titled "Staffordshire 1643."  Apparently the Royalists won both games (it was played twice!)  Rules were Carnage and Glory II, a computer moderated game.

The forces prepare to engage... the figures are mostly Warlord Games, with a few Old Glory guys scattered among them.

I particularly loved the pine woods in the corners...

The mega-game of Tarawa... an absolute monster!

A table set and ready for a 20mm Vietnam game by the mysterious "Tom"... no figures had hit the table yet, unfortunately for me!

A 10mm ACW game... notice that the woods are designated by wood borders.

One of the 10mm ACW divisions prepare for battle... quite pretty!

A skirmish set in the Pacific... looked good when the troops hit the field, like a real mess!

A 10mm ACW game from Rick Dunn, using his own rules, titled "Sheridan's Stand."  No news yet about whether or not he actually did, or ran like a coward.

A naval game of unknown scale... couldn't help but leave the Admiral in the photo!

Another Roman vs Unwashed Masses game!  Lots of trees makes for a pretty visual.

The enemy gets closer... good luck, my Italian brothers!

Troops storm in a Pacific beach in a 25mm WW2 game.

Some BEAUTIFUL ships... looked even better when the smoke of the broadsides was on the board!  The game was run by Jim Reynolds; the ships are resin 1/300 scale from Old Glory, and have metal accessories... very, very pretty, they almost looked like a painting!

Here we go... a BIG, beautiful 25mm SYW game.  Ed Harding ran this beauty, which was Zieten's attack at Torgau 1760.  The Austrians apparently managed to hold off the attackers.  Rules were Carnage and Glory II, a computer moderated game.

A massive column of infantry advances across the table.

The Austrians prepare to be attacked.

Austrian officers call out orders to their men.

LOVE the fall foliage!

The column approaches the bridge...

... and the lines advance across the field....

... while the artillery begins to soften up the defenders!

It takes some guts to walk in big long lines right into musket fire... these men apparently have them in spades!

The attack presses closer...

Cavalry protects the flanks.

Both flanks, that is!

A truly beautiful game!

A 15mm naval game... all scratch-built ships, with huge crews already attached to the boards.  Made it look very realistic!

Zombies!  I wanted to play this one, but it sold out EARLY.  Too bad, it looked neat, with fully modeled building interiors.

A ridiculously huge Alamo game.  Not my thing, but still, folks looked like they were having a lot of fun... and the GM was popping up through the center, which is always a fun visual.

A modern day Iraq game.

Middle Eastern troops of an unknown origin advance to combat...

And the last shot... some more Napoleonics!

Anyway... hope everyone enjoyed some toy soldier shots... my last installment, the "What I Bought" piece will come up soon!  Thanks for coming by!