Wow, just one comment?

I am rather shocked that after posting a lot of pictures over the weekend about the Seven Years War Association, that each posting received a grand total of ONE comment. I know that many of my readers prefer to remain in the background and "lurk", but come on guys, can't we do better than one comment (and a tip of the tricorn goes to the Duke of Tradgardland for his comments)?

I mean, how could anyone look at the pictures of Ed Phillips' scratch built models and not come to the conclusion that these are very impressive examples of modeling and handiwork, or that Jurgen's SYW in India game is not the most colorful game that they have ever seen? I think that you get my point.

(This is where I would insert a You Tube clip of Ben Stein droning on "Buehler? Buehler? Buehler? Anyone seen Buehler?" From the movie Ferris Buehlers Day Off" if I knew how to perform such technical marvels on Blogger :) ).

Coincidentally, while at the convention we were talking about the levels of participation at American Wargaming conventions. This was brought on by several people thanking me for running my game at its conclusion and one fellow saying that "all he does is participate in the game". To this I replied, "without your participation, there would be no game". A lot of different elements go into the execution of a good convention game. Obviously, the game judge has to prepare an interesting scenario and haul all of the troops and terrain to the convention site. This is no small task, especially if you are an old fool like me, who should know better, who designs a scenario involving figures that have yet to be painted. Kids, do not attempt to do this at home -- game with what you already have on hand.

Then, someone, or several someones, need to be the lions of the hobby who organize the convention and do all of the behind the scenes work that ake the convention happen at all. Along these lines, let us thank Randy Frye and Dean West for their great work in organizing the show this past weekend. Everything ran smoothly from a logistical stand point, including the providing of carts so that dealers and game judges could roll their equipment and stock from the garage to the convention hall. Let us also thank the dealers who bring their wares to the show and provide us gamers with the opportunity to look at the latest products and to buy those new figures or books that we have all looked forward to seeing.

And last, but not least, a great big thank you to all the people who attended the show, either as lookers or lurkers, or as participants in the games. There is nothing more demoralizing for a game judge than to go to all the trouble to host a game only to find nobody to play in his game. It has happened to me in the past and I've seen it happen to other game judges. So the fact of the matter is, that those who lurk and come forth to participate in any aspect of this hobby, are valued contributors to any Wargame convention or to any blog. Without your participation, we have nothing.