Cold Wars 2019 AAR

After a miserable Winter, the possibility of a Spring thaw can only mean one thing.... Cold Wars!

Between my family's non-stop schedule this year,  and last year's issues with the Continental's closure, the never-ending construction at the Host, and my mother exhibiting stroke-like symptoms over the phone while I was in the midst of a Tactica game (see this for last year's debacle), it was understandable to have some trepidation.

However, with the kids safely loaded on the bus and a folio full of pre-registration papers, my little scan-able code for my badge, and my pre-paid reservations in hand, I departed for Lancaster.

With the sunroof open, I cruised down in the record time to see some work had been done

The Host is dead.  Long Live the Wyndham!

As HMGS was on-site earlier in the week, I saw a notice that things were still not finished and that, somehow, parking was more atrocious than before and overflow parking was made available at Dutch Wonderland.  As it was still Friday morning, I ventured onto the property to do a lap around the hotel, just on the off-chance that I could snag a spot.  I almost wished I hadn't as that parking lot was upgraded for a post-apocalyptic.   Portions of the lot were ripped up and filled with gravel, the large containers that have dotted the property for time immemorial were still there, although some of them were open... and empty, their contents neatly stacked beside it and taking up even more spaces.  

With the last winter storm not that many days ago, I knew there would be no parking on the grass, but the the regular paved overflow lot for more akin to a Monster Jam event than a wargaming one, with even more various construction materials taking up space and new huge piles of dirt taking up a third of the lot (although a few courageous folks with four-wheel drive attempted to get creative).

Dutch Wonderland it would be!  

That hill was not fun, but I not old... yet.

Picking up my pre-reg was almost a snap, although the scanner wouldn't read my QR code on my phone.  Luckily I always print out a copy and that worked, so within seconds I had my badge and complementary bag, water bottle, and d-clip.  

After suffering through half of the Distelfink getting closed off for Fall-In, I ventured down there first.  

Lighting is no longer a problem

                                     

I was amused by the decorative lights throughout the ballroom.  They had a certain Logan's Run feel to me.

All wargamers over 30 report to Carousel.... There goes attendance!

There were still signs of full-blown construction everywhere inside, the biggest victim of it being the H.A.W.K.S. room.  The usual natural light from the full length windows was walled off, and a good five feet of gaming space was lost along that wall.  Normally their room is a breeze to walk through and observe games, but it was painfully tight to maneuver most of the weekend.

One last min-rant.  To the fellow who set up a lone table in Distelfink against a pillar so he could run his naval game (?) through his laptop with a charger plugged in.

What
The
Firk.

He took up 2/3 of the main aisle used by GMs to haul their stuff in from the loading dock behind the ballroom, and then seemed indignant when people keep saying excuse me, or just said screw it and bumped into him when he didn't move.    We certainly don't put the tact in tactics.

With Wally's Basement (aka the Flea Market) penciled in for 9pm-Midnight, I ventured down to the Expo Center/Ye Olde Tennis Barn for the Vendor's Hall.

Although others took the long walk to the front door of our shopping Mecca, I was delighted that a volunteer was position at the upper door for access via the balcony.  A number of the usual vendors were missing, and a few tables seemed a bit odd or stretched out to fill space, but there was still TONS of stuff to go through.  With a bigger shopping list and a larger budget for once I took care of a number of my must-haves.  

Great War - I believe this won a PELA award with the comment "Most Creative Gas Clouds"

Isandlwana  

More Isandlwana

This table set-up had multiple uses, including a Max Maximilian car race!

With my hands full of bags of stuff, I shuffled back to Dutch Wonderland to pick up my car, drive for lunch, and take a chance to look for a spot on site.  To my surprise, I found not one, but TWO spots near the side doors for the tournament area.

My first game was Mike Lung's "The Mine of Lipton-9" sci-fi game.  This was not the first time Mike and our fellow cohort of fun have played a game full of robots, weird aliens, and space mice, but I believe he perfected it:

F: 470: 15 - The Mine on Lipton-9 
Friday, 3:00PM, 3 hrs, Players: 6, BF4 
GM: Mike Lung Sponsor: none - Prize: Figures! Period: Sci Fi - Scale: 28mm - Rules: Life on the Yellow Planet The Robot Legion has descended on the outpost on Lipton-9 which protects a valuable "Dust" mine. The Grymm, Galacteers, and the Space Mice race to protect the mine.No one under 14 without a playing adult.

Killer robots, space mice, zombie worms, a space base designed by Dr Hartz,and a pasta village inhabited by the native Frigonians, all on a planet of cheese.  

The Frigonian Village

The Vulture People (not sure if from Dimension-X

Zombie Worms with Guns!

The enslave Mole Men revolt against their evil Human masters!

The Adeptus Rodentius land, slaying non-believers, and showing us a new definition of "Lactose Intolerance"

The Frigonian Living God has arrived.

With the colorful table in the ballroom foyer, Mike got plenty of attention, from general questions, to smiles, to a few signs of disgust or disdain, probably because the epaulets of my space dwarves were painted in Sunburst Yellow inside of Dandelion Yellow.  Their heads may have popped off when the HMGS judges came by with a PELA award for the game!    Don't get me wrong, the Isandlwana game was the best game on Friday and won the timeslot award accordingly for a historical wargaming, but Mike's game was one of the best as well.

My only problem is when I mention him on the blog, I have to use HMGS Award-Winner Mike Lung.

He's going to be insufferable.

I finally ran into my friend Brian, who was there for the day and we took a short jaunt to let me check into my hotel, grab dinner, catch up, and find yet another decent parking spot.

Friday night was the Gnome Joust.

The only picture of the joust I took, perhaps the only one I needed.

Some people love their epic games on Friday nights.  Twenty of us just kicked back and played a stripped down version of To Cry a Joust, using Brigade Games' mounted gnomes as the knights in a double-elimination tournament.

It's always a short, fun event, constantly jumping between personal jousts, helping with the brackets, overseeing other jousts.

It's even more fun when you go undefeated through the bracket and win it all.  Woo!

My prize?  A free gnome from Brigade Games, written on the large (four foot long)  piece of cardboard we wrote the brackets on.

I've won other jousts over the years, but never have I won a "Big Check" event like this.

We descended upon Wally's Basement after the locusts had already descended upon it.  The late hour meant the theater was about 60% full at best, but I did get more out of that session than the two Saturday or Sunday sessions combined.

Saturday morning, I drove down and with no obvious spots, parked at Dutch Wonderland.  To give my quads a break, I crossed US 30 at the light there, walked up the access road for the Tanger Outlets, and accessed the Wyndham property. just below the "front doors" to the Vendor Hall.  This allowed me to do some more shopping and ascend the stairs to the balcony door, rather than wandering the con like a winded wildebeest.

Saturday brought more excitement, specifically the "Battle in a Box" contest sponsored by the H.A.W.K.S.  I believe I missed getting pictures of few events.

Battle in a Box - Jousting

From the event descriptions: The Battle in a Box contest challenges GM's to create an exciting game in which all components will fit into a 17L Really Useful Box.

Battle in a Box - Modern

It's a great concept: to allow a compact game that easily fits in luggage.  I tried my hand with the concept when it was originally scheduled for Fall-In, and even though it was rescheduled for Cold Wars, I went through with it.  It was an awesome project and a great game, and I hope these GMs had the same experience.  

Battle in a Box - Naval

Battle in a Box - Sugar Rush

Battle in a Box  - Western

Battle in a Box - Schlegel's Ferry... in a box.

Battle in a Box - Buck Rogers

I started as an observer and ending up a participant in the inaugural Cold War's Teachers Program.  From the website, "This program is a series of seminar, classes and sessions to give you an general understanding of the components of miniature gaming" specifically in using miniatures in a classroom or club setting to teach history to kids.  

Jim Stanton has taken the reins on this one, running a few seminars from his experiences, a few games (like the joust) which can be used for purely historical purposes, and a few projects, like Saturday morning's "Creating a Jousting Cloth."  

Participants were provided the materials to create a jousting cloth, some free components, and a a basic explanation of the rules, with further discussion recommending purchasing the $4.95 pdf of To Cry a Joust.   Two of the cloths created will be traveling to Hong Kong to teach kids.  No, HMGS is not paying for the transportation... yeesh!

This is truly one of the proper functions of HMGS and I hope this continues to be expanded upon, with HMGS contacting school districts all across the region to help promote the hobby.  

The afternoon alternated between shopping, hanging out with friends, and some more observation/participation in the Teacher Program's "How Do I Run a Game?"  While it was meant for a teacher or program director with experience at this, it's always wise to start from square one, and even impart a basic piece of advice or two, if asked.  Jim even had them set up a play a game to see the concepts in action.

After dinner was the late night Gnome Wars game.  A rather toned-down, kid-less games (like seriously, the number of kids I saw walking the con even on Saturday was down 90% from normal. Apparently I wasn't the only parent who chose Cold Wars as their kid-free affair.) 

Kid-less or not, some lackadaisical defense forced some supernatural happenings, but in the end, the Swiss and their allies took control of the totally destroyed castle.

We ended up closing the bar (a vast improvement since the renovations began many moons, although not perfect), but my 9am Sunday, I was checked out of my hotel and reviewing the wares of the Sunday flea market and Dealer hall one last time before heading out.

THE SITE:  The Hotel-Formerly-Known-As-The-Host is now a Wyndham, and in some spots, the $27 million shows up.

The new "open concept" front desk.

The lobby, bar, and Distelfink are great, even if the walls still need a coat of paint here and there.  I didn't use the restaurant, but that looks fantastic as well.   Staff seemed at least competent on some level, when they weren't patrolling the grounds for "business" or "service" coolers.  

The line for food

For all the years of the Host's Hall Pig, even if the food wasn't great, the presentation/display made you think the food should be at least palatable (and it usually was better that).  The Wyndham's current arrangement displayed all the ugly sores of their current kitchen issues. Nothing looked edible to me, and I stuck with off-site meals and $2 Reese's and Cokes. 

The kitchen logistics seemed to be on par with the construction ones.  At five o'clock, I walked up to grab two sodas, only for the attendant to discover they were completely out of six of their eight drink offerings (only Sprite and water).  I probably should have said Sprite was fine, but standing my ground for Coca-Cola required a 15 minute wait while three employees brought a cart full of sodas, teas, juices, and other drinks.   Not a great time to restock a cooler.

The new dining area

The bar is a wonder to behold, with trendy, if slightly awkward seating when things get busy.  Most chairs were pretty comfy, although a quick Chinese fire drill within my group ended up with me in narrow seat and a constant refrain of "Fat Guy in a Little Chair," for the rest of the evening.

The bar reborn.

LODGING:  No obvious complaints from people I talked to that stayed at the Wyndham.  The Continental's transformation into a Cartoon Network resort is still slated for this Fall, although their contractors might be experiencing the same issues as the Host.

My two-night stay at the Budget Host up the road was $109 total from Hotels.com.  It met my bare requirements for a hotel and the Wawa across the street was a godsend. The Friendly's on the other side of the building?  It's a Friendly's.... 

EVENTS:  I'll repeat my statement from last year's Cold Wars.
Events: I'm a gnome guy, so that's my focus, but there weren't too many events that piqued my interest. And unlike some people who demand beautiful figures and terrain to draw in new people (who are already on site). I saw plenty of people surrounding a table with felt on felt.

Frostgrave: Ghost Archipelago Updated!

The Battle in a Box entries piqued my interest.  From simple, smaller scale set-ups that could fill two four-player tables, to the use of stackable tiles for a multi-story game, each one gave me ideas for future games.

Hobby University:  Hobby U was constantly abuzz.  It was also where the Teacher's Program was (Jim also ran painting classes).  Without children, I only managed a few minutes to dab some paint on my free figure, but it was great to have that available.

DEALERS/FLEA MARKET:  Both were underwhelming.  That doesn't mean I didn't spend the most money between them have I did in years, it's just a lot of them items were already on the want list I brought with me.  Perhaps the first 15-30 minutes of chaos was phenomenal in Wally's Basement, but I only grabbed one big bargain.  

MY PLUNDER: 

• Flea Market - Formula D
• Flea Market - Painted Ruga Rugas and European Colonials
• Flea Market - Legions of Steel Fantasian Quad Runners 
• Flea Market - Oz Fluxx
• Flea Market - The Game of Life to cannibalize for components.
• Dealer Hall -  Warlord Zulus 
• Dealer Hall -  GF9 Toxic Pools (to convert for my Yellowstone game)
• Dealer Hall -  Big Blood Balkan Battles (it's a Bloody Bargain!)
• Dealer Hall -  North Star Ruga Ruga and African Animals
• Dealer Hall - Reaper Bones to scratch of the want list.
• Dealer Hall - Frostgrave Warriors II (all women)
• Dealer Hall - More of Brigade's Post Apocalyptic politicals.
• Dealer Hall - A unit of Gnome Confederates (Southerners) for conversion into Militant Mormans 
• Dealer Hall - And, as always, primer and a box of bases (before the 25mm rounds ran out.)

One little aside/shout-out.  Gale Force Nine recently released some sci-fi buildings that may or may not resemble items from popular sci-fi media.  Having had the chance to hold the items, I can safely recommend them. They're a bit hefty (in a good way) and the price is comparable or even better than similar items.  I have no use for them right now, but they caught my eye and handling them confirmed my hopes.

Historicon is July 10-14 at the Lancaster County Convention Center in Downtown Lancaster.
I'll be there, running games, helping with the Teacher's Program, and being a great ambassador for HMGS and the hobby.