Saturday 13 July 2019

Conference of Wargamers 2019

Another second weekend in July, another Conference of Wargamers. That is the twentieth in a row I've been to now, and it never fails to deliver with pleasant company, delightful surroundings and an eclectic mix of gaming experiences.

Rather than do a lengthy report here,all my session reports will be in the Wargames Developments Journal 'The Nugget', available by subscription to WD (or via PDF on the website once the current subscription year has ended).

http://www.wargamedevelopments.org/nugget.htm

Anyway, here are a few teasers:


Knuston Hall bathed in sunshine as usual.


The comprehensive timetable. A number of extra sessions were added during the weekend as well! 


The Egyptian team planning their offensive over the Suez Canal during the massive 40 player committee game of the Yom Kippur War (and trying to avoid WW3 breaking out). President Sadat and General Mubarak look suitably determined.


Tims Scary Space Spiders in 54mm.


The very scary Space Spider with glowing eyes. This ate several jeeps and even a tank during the course of the game.


John runs 'A Bridge Too Far', our show participation game for this year. It covers the XXX Corps drive on Arnhem. It was so popular that eager players ran it themselves multiple times over the course of the weekend.


Va t'en Ecosse, Graham Evans take on Culloden in 20mm.


A tiny Coehorn mortar with a huge ammunition cassion. Flanked by Airfix AiW infantry painted as Hanoverians.


Over the Hills and Far Away. Wayne Thomas's gridded, divisional level Napoleonic game, set at the far end of the Bussaco ridge.


Massed French infantry wait to advance, led by their gallant General.


Alan Paulls 'Mission Command Normandy'. A British regimental battlegroup tries to push the Germans back. The British command team pores over maps and strength returns.


While the tactical players fight over a key objective. 


Spain on the Plain. Tims 54mm Spanish Civil War game which was sadly rained off the lawn and played indoors instead. This is Tims small collection of 54mm SCW tankettes, armoured cars and light tanks.


Gandesa on the Ebro, defended by a 54mm battalion of Spanish Foreign Legion.


A Republican Brigade lines up to attack them behind a massive air and artillery bombardment.


The air battle rages over Gandesa.


Phil and Graham's  'Battle of Edgecote'.





The Rooks. John Bassets career game covering Soviet SU-25 pilots over Afghanistan.



Tim reads up on the flight characteristics of the Frogfoot. It didn't really help as player losses mounted in the face of ever increasing opposition.



Toms '2018 Section Commander', a military training game covering modern counterinsurgency operations. Here is the AO for our section and individual character sheets.


A close up of the area of operations. This is in Helmand province.


The compound we were supposed to clear after dodging various IEDs on the way. Walking in the front door proved to be a bad idea.


'Zirkus'. German players peer at a map of Normandy during Johnathan Crowe's game covering the D-Day landings.


The Allies pour ashore after a massive air and naval bombardment. The game covered the entire 6th June at regimental level.


21st Panzer holds Caen at nightfall with elements on the coast at Lion Sur Mer. 12th SS has just arrived and will go into action tomorrow.


RPG7. Our highly sophisticated infantry anti-tank simulator. This is the firing range.


Highly advanced equipment to issue to the players.


Elite conscripts from the Knustongrad Military District grapple with the advanced weaponry.


AK minus 47. Phils wintery wonderland of Cold War arctic warfare.


Opposing forces battle over Ice Station Zebra. Where is Patrick McGoohan when you need him?


The Cyber Game. Toms cyber warfare game. Here, cyber attack option cards are laid out over the target installation after the players have conducted electronic and social engineering recce to find the weak spots.

So, as ever a great weekend and some memorable sessions. The only disappointment was the rain on Saturday afternoon which meant the planned SCW lawn game had to move indoors. It was sunny the next day so we managed to run RPG7 outside, which was great.


   

1 comment:

  1. Just one point, - Edgcote is Phil Steele's model and game. I just helped painting the figures.

    ReplyDelete