Historicon 2023 After Action Ramblings

Summer's here and the time was right for Historicon 2023, and I daresay, we are beyond back to normal.  To avoid burying the lead in my report on my weekend, attendees looked up, parking was just scarce enough, but full tables of players were plentiful and most vendors were already thinking positive before the day-trippers on Saturday.  

When I submitted my events, my eldest daughter, Maja, was scheduled to attend a Select basketball showcase event at Spooky Nook on the far west side of Lancaster, Friday-Monday.  To ensure I caught her team's games, I crammed my three events into Thursday and Friday morning,  This allowed me to bring her and her younger sister, Millie, over to the con during the long lulls. 

Except out AAU organization withdrew from the event, preferring to put them into a showcase event in Atlantic City on the same weekend.  The new logistics of this, coupled by her Varsity away camp at Kutztown University Sunday-Wednesday of the week melted my mind, but Maja set things right.  She simply decided the team camp was more important, and she wanted to spend the entire weekend with me at the cond.

Favorite Child status... *OBTAINED*

With a 9am Thursday game, I had gotten rooms on site for Wednesday through Sunday, so once she returned from camp, napped, and swapped out dirty clothes for clean, I picked her up and away we went. 

First stop, per her request, Golden Corral, across from the Host/Wyndham.  The exterior of the Wyndham looked even better than the last time we were down, so we're excited to revisit it for Fall-In!  

I did get a call around 5:30, telling me the prime parking in the Penn Garage (attached to the hotel/convention center) still had primo parking spots available.  By the time we navigated three busloads of folks and got to the garage, those were long gone, but we did get a solid spot on the exit ramp from level 4 to 3,  off of the roof.  

Better location, and its old spot was filled in with a wonderful 54mm SYW game and the the now-classic Test of Honor table beside it.  

We unloaded necessities, checked into the hotel, and checked in to grab my badge, now moved to the front lobby, with zero issues. 

Adding Maja on as a youth badge on my account after the fact proved trying for the team at the desk, but that's why I wanted to take care of things Wednesday.  Ultimately, everything got resolved with a little patience, laughter, and kicking technology a few times.  

Waiting for a luggage cart, we moved everything into our hotel room or the room we were running games in, reconnected with everyone, and Maja snuggled in with a book while I discovered the hotel bar inside Plough closed around 10:30 - 10:45 each night.  

Thursday morning, I walked down to La Dolce Vita for my long awaited Spinach and Feta egg sandwich, a bagel and smoothie for Maja, and a small crate of macaroons, per Maja's request, before heading back and prepping for 9am.   

My 9am and 7pm Thursday "Defense of Carf" sci-fi game using Fistful of Lead were sold out weeks ago, which made me worry about the recent curse of no-show tables plaguing recent con.  I had two-no-shows out of eight, and two very eager folks quickly filling those spots.

I'll post separate battle reports later, but the crashed Gnomish Space Marine aircraft brought interest from all the gangs, and with a relief column coming, the gangers tried to control the crash site for reward money... or something worse.    

I cleaned up my table, helped get things set up for the afternoon Gnome Wars game, then wandered around.  

Test of Honor

Test of Honor

After a first wave attack on the Vendor Hall, and catching up with a  bunch of folks, I returned to the gnome game, and finding that managed chaos well in hand, I did something I wish I always did at cons: 

I took a 45-minute nap!

That gave me enough time to rest my head and feet and go forth and take more pictures. 

In the tournament area

After helping clean up the gnomes, I reconnected with Maja, and we jaunted down to Plough for a burgers and age-appropriate drinks before returning to run my second defense of Carf. 

Eight slots pre-sold, six showed up, and the chaos intensified.  The Gnomish Space Marine rescue team had been prevented from salvaging the wreckage last game, so their increased military presence resulted in the over-agressive gangers who spent a good portion of the game jumping on tanks for fun and profit. 

Friday Morning, we finally ventured over to the much-ballyhooed Central Market for their egg sandwiches, which were very very good, and provided me a chance to grab some rhubarb jelly.  

My third and final game of Fistful of Lead (6 out of 8) was full of chaos, but not just the heavily armored Chaos Space Gnomes seizing a newly-built compound in the middle of town, but also Jawas flying off of cliffs onto tanks, and the machinations of two young ladies: my daughter and a young lady recruited to the con from the library events of HMGS Next Gen. She placed her mark on every game she played.  Taking over the Chaos Space Gnomes, she rampaged the board, even when she was distracted by the Gnome Wars objectives that we never removed from the buildings from the previous game.   Having secured her objectives, she experimented with the left over tokens, hoping for unscheduled mutant or magical powers, or just a tactical bonus of some sort. 

Jawas on Tanks: the Musical!

Ultimately, the top secret science convoy was thwarted, as well as a bug infestation.  

To quote the young lady (who always had attached parental supervision that approved of the silliness), "I killed a bunch of people and I (my figure) drank two beers.  It was the best game yet!" 

 That quote right there was better than any PELA.

I immediately cleaned up and jumped into Mike Lung's Fistful of Lead Wasteland Warriors game on the same table.  

I ran a group of plant restorationists who wanted to activate a a terra-forming machine, while the other nine players had their own objectives.  

With a little help, I succeeded in my mission, only losing one teammate from sniper fire.  

After three (?) Historicons at the convention center, Maja and I finally discovered Southern Market, on the corner of Queen and Vine.  Unlike Central Market's grocery/deli/bakery feel, Southern Market is a ring of food vendors, surrounding a bar in the center.  Tons of option, from Moroccan, to Pho, to Vegan, and most things reasonably priced.  My fried chicken sandwich and yams from the Soul Food stand was one of the best things I've ever eaten, and even the 21st Century Mikey which is Maja, thoroughly enjoyed her Latin food. 

Friday night was the Gnome Joust with over 16 participants. My "Crazylegs" personna was activated for a few rounds, but I fell in a round where I willingly used the "Curs-ed Kangaroo." 

Saturday, I encountered an odd situation: no games to run!  

I went back to La Dolce Vita for breakfast, let Maja sleep in, and simply sipped coffee and contemplated life and the universe.   The day allowed me to check in on Mike's second Wasteland Warriors game at my own pace, wander the convention, and do some actual shopping in Wally's (aka the flea market).  

The HAWKS version of Fistful of Lead - Galactic Heroes.

Once Maja woke up, we revisited the Southern Market for lunch a the pizza place.  Not only did Maja approve of the pie, but some guy from the Del Val Wargamers came in to compliment them on their cheesesteaks and order another one.  

From there, Maja went into the Board Game Library, I checked on Mike, took a half-hour nap, and just chatted up every person I could.  

Fistful of Lead - Wasteland Warriors - The Terraforming Has Begun!

Fistful of Lead - Wasteland Warriors 

Fistful of Lead - Wasteland Warriors 

Amusing highlight of Saturday evening - I went down to the Boardgame Library to check on Maja, who was having the time of her life, all while chatting up the early guys for the 7pm-10pm flea market.  As 7pm arrived and we were let in, the massive line waiting to get in rejoiced, only to discover and a half-dozen, perhaps ten vendors decided to set up Saturday night.   Perhaps not the best choice in the future, but it was amusing to see three, perhaps four flea marketeers sell out of their stuff and leave in the first 15 minutes.  

The tournament area

Before the 8pm game, I grabbed the Pulled Pork dinner from the stand near the escalator and simply hung out with friends while the Gnome Wars game devolved to its appropriate level of chaos.  

It was an early departure for everyone else Sunday morning, and with the streets of Lancaster literally rolled up till Monday morning, I was relegated to the Marriot Starbucks for some form of caffeine.  Hot water over charcoal ash would be preferred to even their light roast, but caffeine is caffeine.  We check out the Sunday flea market, the slow pack of the Vendor Hall, and ultimately we checked out of our room for a reasonable lunch and relaxing drive home (the people doing 65 1/2 mph in the passing lane ensured it).

So, compared to previous years:

Lancaster Convention Center:  Still the best place we've held a convention, with no surprise.  Everything under one roof, elevators worked and there was only a small bit of confusion.   Food Service seemed to be lacking, even drinks for sale, much less refilled water coolers.  Part might be staffing, part might be the convention center's business plan, part might be Lancaster in general.  Even the Host had limited hours some years, but I would expect last call to be 1;30-1:45 for a clientele that's non-mobile and willingly has the cash.  

Hotel:  The Marriot did a very good job.  I welcome daily maid service (I've done hotels all spring for basketball. Two nights might net you fresh towels.).  Maja's only gripe was the pool being closed for renovations... so she did her usual basketball weight training in the gym.  No major mechanical issues with elevators or escalators.  

Parking:   Outside of a ticket refusing to generate for me, coming early relieved half the stress, and luggage carts eliminated the other half.  Even late into the evening, I did not see any easier parking spots to move to like I succeeded with last year.

Kill Team - Double Blind

Battlestar Galactica

Vendors:  The selection of vendors was perfect for us, with a few new guys, with a few returning back into the fold.  No one was talking, but I glanced at coffers that were uncomfortably filled every time I purchased something. 

Legos!

The Board Game Library

Wally's Basement:  No matter what, you're never going to get rid of all the folks getting rid of items charging 100 pennies per dollar of value   I had two good walk-throughs, and the other two felt rushed.   The 7-10 Saturday make no logical sense, when many folks are either (a) day-trippers or (b) trying to eat food still at 7pm. 

The Alien Queen Arises.. and kicks butt.

Blood and Swash

The Swag:

Not all items pictured

• 8 packs of Battle Valor sci-fi
• Brigade Game minis
• Bad Squidoo minis
• Stargrave: Mercenaries II (all female)
• MBA Wooden Docks 
• A collection of droids from the flea market.
• A GI JOE Cobra plane to use as a space ship for Planet 28 (flea market)
• Spray Paint, Zap-a-Gap, and one bottle of a special color for a special project.
• The AD&D Reverse Dungeon mod from the 90s.
• A couple of Osprey rule books.  
• A Fistful More - Western scenarios for Fistful of Lead I could easily adapt for other genres
• An old copy Blood and Swash.

Next years Historicon is back at Lancaster, July 17-21, 2024.  

Fall-In! is November 3-5, 2023 at the Wyndham Resort and Convention Center (Formerly the HOST). 

And a collection of Gnome Wars/Fistful of Lead pics, with limited context.

British Gnomes guarding a baby elephant????

Sikhs with a perfect view of the chaos.

Germans advance.

Gnomish Space Marine recovery team maneuvers into the outlaw city.

The tank is stopped mere inches from the Martian's head.

A gnome and a Martian, both sneaking around, run into each other....

Another half-track destroyed.