Conventions and Events

By Tom “Cap’n Chairborne” Mullane

As the leaves turn, and the winds grow chilly, Historicon will soon be upon us. This coming November 11 through 14 many of us are coming together for the first time in a long time to get some gaming in. Glenn Van Meter, Tyler Stone, and Tom Mullane (the Tails of the Sail gentlemen) have quite a bit planned in terms of Firelock Games this time around. Tom will also be wearing a Spanish Conquistador outfit, because he lost a bet.

Signups are happening now on the Community Page for under events. So please sign up soon. We have available slots, and loaner armies, but those spots won’t wait forever. Check below for the specifics of each tournament. (Blood and Plunder, Oak and Iron, Blood and Valor). And remember, Firelock is providing a special prize to anyone brave enough to play in all three events.

By David Garvin

In May of every year since 1997, the (CASLA) has hosted an (ASL) tournament. This started as the brain child of the late of the Winnipeg ASL club. Last year’s event, won by Carl Nogueira of Massachusetts, was to be held in Fredericton, New Brunswick; however, Mother Nature had other plans and we are still feeling those effects.

COVID-19 wasn’t enough to completely stop the tournament, and through the use of the freeware program , the show indeed went on. This year, the 25th n (CASLO) was once again hosted by the crew out of Winnipeg. Where last year’s tournament was a last minute effort by the tournament director, this year’s online tournament was a full-on plan by CASLA’s committee as a whole. As such, the event was not held over a single weekend, but rather throughout the month of May.

Many of you enjoyed the online CyberWars event that held in July, that featured gaming, speakers, and a virtual vendor hall. HMGS is back at it and will hold another event on 12-15 November 2020, and the NDNG crew is once again run running the roundtable with some great speakers.

By Chris Wolz

A letter of reflection on how to approach gaming in a COVID19 world. 

An excellent article was outlined by Mr. Reed on how this pandemic has affected the gaming community as a whole. I think it was well written and informative in laying out how this pandemic has affected the gaming industry and the individual gamer. The article got me thinking about how to get back to enjoying this wonderful hobby but still maintaining a good deal of safety and responsibility. 

About myself, I am currently both a licensed paramedic and a third-year medical student currently doing rotations in a large, community hospital system. I do not intend this article to be taken as personal medical advice, as I am not in a position of authority in which to give any personal medical advice. With that said I hope this article does lessen some anxiety and does allow some to make a better-informed decision.

This should be a starting step of gaining the knowledge needed to make the decision on whether to return to the gaming store, convention, or friend`s house. I do not stand in judgment of anyone’s opinion or choice when it comes to their own health. That is for you to decide, I merely want to offer some insights for you that may help you to make a well-informed decision about your own well being.  

By Mitch Reed, Photos by Bill White

It has been a while since I played in any type of live gaming event and even longer since I played one for . Here in Northern Virginia, n Leesburg has sponsored two events since the COVID restrictions loosened up. The first was for Flames of War which I missed because of a mix-up and the second was on 15 August and was a 120-point Team Yankee brawl. Dane and Kaitlin who run the store made sure that the event was conducted with safety foremost in mind and pulled off yet another great event.

By Kreighton Long

This past weekend the hosted CYBËR WÅRS 2020 giving attendees a virtual convention experience that will hopefully help alleviate some of the pent up pressure to geek out after months of closed shops and social distancing.

Throughout the CYBËR WÅRS weekend over a dozen panels took place over Zoom with interviews of movers and shakers in the wargaming community. During one such panel representatives from came together for a 2-hour conversation including some sneak peeks at upcoming releases and works-in-progress over at Warlord HQ.

By David Garvin

is an annual tournament that began only in 2018. It is run by the , an ASL club based in the Washington, DC area. The initial two tournaments saw around 20 or so participants each time come together in Tysons Corner, Virginia to play a four-round tournament. This year was looking to be a bigger tournament in terms of participation when the Pandemic hit.

When the lockdowns and border closings began back in March, everything went into flux. We did not know how long this would last nor what the implications would be. Soon it was evident that it would be impossible to host a tournament in Northern Virginia at the end of June. But the tournament was not dead, thanks to a freeware program called , or VASL as it is more commonly referred to.

What a year! While we are halfway through 2020, I think we can make the call that for our hobby this year is not one we wish to remember. Every week we hear about yet another convention being canceled, “indefinitely” delayed, or moved to a virtual setting. How will this effect our hobby? What will our hobby look like when things get better and how long will this last?

by Dennis Jensen

Williamsburg Muster 2020 was on February 14-16 at the Clarion Hotel in Williamsburg Virginia.  This is the second year I attended this excellent small convention.  Once again, I gave my wife the gift of silence and I went down with my two boys.  This year we also went down with my friend Todd, a fellow WNPG member, and Hobby University teacher.

We made it down to Williamsburg without traffic, checked in our room, bought our badges and then went to dinner.  There were a number of games on Friday night, some planned, and some ad hoc. I continued my tradition of allowing the boys to stay up late and we all played the Arena Games gladiator game.

Reporting and photography by Troy A. Hill

We are live with Troy at Southern California’s Strategicon/Gateway Convention.

Troy talks with the crazy people running and playing in The Longest Day, a 24-hour-long Flames of War tournament. He also talks with Strategicon Events Chairman, the HMGS-PSW Convention chair about an upcoming convention, and with several independent game designers from the Pacific Southwest. Click the MORE tab to see links and photos for each.

Photos below: