Historicon 2006 After Action Report, Part 3 and 4
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Historicon 2006 After Action Report, Part 3 and 4 - Saturday and Sunday
Saturday's BoB2 triple header was scheduled for 1 PM. As I had to use some troops and sequence decks that had already been used on Thursday, I knew this one would take much longer to set up, so after the cold breakfast at the hotel, Joe helped me set up starting at about 9AM, and it pretty much took me until game time to finish everything. There were three different scenarios again:
#1 "For Want of a Pike", based upon Arbedo, 1422.
Carmagnola's Milanese Condotierre army (Vic Cina) attacks the Swiss (Vic's friend, James), who are heavy on halberds and light on Pikes. The Swiss are deployed along a low ridge, with reinforcements from Zug canton due to arrive soon. As Vic was very familiar with BoB2, he needed but a little assistance to run his game. The Swiss had drawn a stratagem during the army characterization process, and when I rolled it up, it was to add a "Battle Lust" card to the deck, one I've never used before! Fate would have it that the Milanese close to within a move of the Swiss, who then won some 15 impetus. Within a few cards, up popped the Battle Lust card and the entire Swiss line, 2 pike blocks and 4 battle masses of Halberds surged forward. Before long, the Milanese army was skewered and chopped into pieces, and went streaming back from the field, which was now well watered with their blood. Vic was a perfect Gentleman about it, and both Joe and I commented that he was the kind of player we could enjoy playing with for many games and many years. Vic tells me he's working on a Master's degree in late 19th century Italian history, at the same time as he's working and married with two young children. A tip of the hat to you, Vic, and hope you can make it to Historicon again!
#2 "Turkish Baths" A meeting engagement between the very Late Byzantines (Gavin Shanks and Michael) and the early Ottoman Turks (Ahmet and Pete). Joe refereed this one, which featured tons of light and heavy cavalry with bows and/or lances, some infantry, and no gunpowder weapons. The Byzantines gradually came out on top; in part due to a sequence deck problem... for some reason I didn't have the requisite two Light Cavalry Move cards, so I inserted 2 blanks in their place. Unfortunately, everyone assumed they were Milling Around cards, so the Turks lost some of their famous mobility. Sorry guys!
#3 "El Gran Capitan", based upon Cerignola 1503. This is the Introductory Scenario included in BoB2, and based upon the first BoB1 game I played as a solo playtest. My new wargames friend, Barry Frandsen (lives just a mile away!) had the Spanish, who defend a strong position of works on a ridge with a stream to their front. Geoff Rothwell had the attacking and very high class but very impetuous French. Again the army characterization process had an influence, the Spanish drew the prized "Extra Engines of War Reload Card".
The French set up sensibly to take maximum advantage of the Undisciplined Advance and Uncontrolled Charge cards in their deck. They won the bulk of the impetus the first turn, and advanced impetuously forward, leaving their skirmish screens far behind them. Unfortunately, just as they were starting to ford the stream, the impetus switched to the Spanish, and their Elite arquebusiers poured a literal firestorm of Lead into the stalled pikes, ably assisted by the lone battery of Medium guns. Shaking off the losses, the Swiss surged forwards and leapt the works, shattering the defending arquebusiers, only to be hammered again by more fire from the reserve. That plus a timely "Doubly Heroic Cavalry Move" charge by the Spanish Knights into the French Lancers left the attackers without Morale chips and lacking a weapon of decision, and they withdrew to lick their wounds in peace, the Spanish being too exhausted to pursue.
The players were once again great about helping us pack it all away, and then Joe and I and Gavin headed to Ruby Tuesdays for a round of drinks and some dinner and amiable conversation. Meeting Gavin was one of the highlights of the convention for me - we had worked closely together on BoB2 and then Piquet Fantasy, and developed a very nice friendship outside of that as well. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to meet his wife, Jen. The invitation to visit us here in Bridgewater before you head back to Oz is still open, Mate!
After we returned to the Host, we looked for Eric's Boxer game or Ken's Norworld BoB2 game. Unfortunately, for reasons they've each explained, neither took place. So, we shot the breeze for an hour or so with Freddie Avner and Jeff Grossman alongside Eric and Hal who were playing some Zombie abomination! :-) Adolfo dropped by and we chatted with him as well - always great to see you, Adolfo!
We inquired after Ken and eventually found him wrecking some hapless dreadnought in a Naval game, and Joe and I bent his ear with a lengthy discussion of where to take the siege rule concept, that continued for another hour with a round of drinks at the Host's bar - I owe you one next year, Ken!
Joe and I adjourned again to the hotel, with the convention almost over for us.
Part 4 - Sunday
After our third breakfast at the hotel, we checked out and headed back to the Host where we scouted through the Flea Market and then took our last tour of the dealer's area. Said goodbye to Gavin, Jim, Jeff, Eric, Iaan, and others and headed back to Connecticut. Our sense of direction being off a bit, we took the scenic route through rural Amish country, getting behind a number of horse drawn buggies returning from Sunday AM church services as we passed through such famous towns as Bird-in-Hand, Bareville, and the infamous Intercourse, PA!
The rest of the trip was uneventful, except for amiable conversation in which I hatched the crazy plan of running SIX BoB2 games simultaneously next year in two sets (using all or most of the same scenarios as this year), one in the afternoon and one in the evening the same day (carting it in and out only once!), and perhaps Eylau 1807 with FoB, maybe twice on the same table also. Am I nuts or what? :-)
Great convention, great games shared, and great company. My deep apologies to anyone I've overlooked; the oversight was purely unintentional. Hope to see some more new faces at Historicon 2007!
Good gaming to you all,
Peter