I'm Back From Historicon 2024

 

Der Alte Fritz Himself (left center) gets schooled by young Master Charlie (right, on the table)
on the finer points of American Civil War tactics.

Well, it's Tuesday July 23rd and Historicon 2024 is in the rearview mirror and so I guess that it is time to step back from wargame matters and just rest, relax and recharge my batteries.

Naaaaaaaaahhhhh!

There is so much to talk about, so much to think about, that it is hard to figure out where to start. I had a fantastic time running my Pickett's Charge ACW game at Historicon (four times) and we accommodated 50 players over the four day period. Getting one's game slots filled with players and watching them have a good time is the most important part of running war games at conventions. Having a countless number of people walk up to your table and tell you how much they like the look of your game is gratifying beyond measure. I even had one player in my game tell me that this was the best Civil War game that he had ever played in. Ever! I am truly humbled when I get a compliment like that.

A war game at a convention is kind of like going to a rock concert in that the performance is so much better when the audience and the band are fully engaged with each other. In a sense, the audience becomes a part of the performance and they become one of the band.

Oh, and I won a PELA award ("Pour Encourager Les Autres") for my game:

The PELA trophy

The PELA Committee (in blue hats) award DAF with the award.

A judging committee makes the convention rounds and select a game that they deem has the characteristics of (1) the visual look of the game and (2) the enthusiasm of the people playing in the game. They hand out the award, I think, for four different times each day (e.g. morning, mid day, afternoon and evening sessions). Thus there are multiple winners each day over the course of the convention.

THE RULES

I think that the rules worked very well and a number of people wanted to take home a copy after the end of their game. The players understood the elements of the rules quickly and so they sort of took over the game themselves. I only had to stand around and announce the different phases of the game turn and make a few rules adjudications every now and then. The players were great! Friendly to the core and nary a cross word nor rules lawyer over the four games that I ran. 

The tabletop results seemed to be consistent with history, although I daresay that the Confederates "won" three out of the four games. The advancing Rebels sustained mounting casualties from artillery as they crossed the field of Pickett's Charge, but it was only when they crossed the Emmitsburg Road and came within rifle range that they began to fall in droves. A few units would almost make it up to the wall defended by the Union soldiers, but they had to fall back. However, it was the second wave of the attack that crossed over the walls and recorded victories for the Confederates.

I think that firing and morale mechanics of the rules worked well, but I think that the "victory points" system seemed to favor the Confederates. In the first three games, they merely had to have one of their regiments cross the walls in 3 of the 4 sectors of the field to win (one point either side for crossing the wall or preventing a crossing of the wall). In the final (fourth) game I dispensed of victory points altogether and just had the sides slug it out and let God decide.

THE GAMES

I am just going to post some of the pictures of the games, in no particular order, to give you a feel for the look of the game and the players. This first picture shows the layout of the game table, spread across three large 6ft wide by 20ft long tables. The aisles between the tables do not count for inches of movement or firing. When you move to the edge of the table, you simply hop over to the next table and continue your movement.

The table set up with the Union army on the lefthand table representing Cemetery Ridge,
the middle table representing the Emmitsburg Road, and the righthand table representing
the Confederate start line of Seminary Ridge

Union troops from Carroll's Brigade defend the wall atop Cemetery Ridge.

Union battery of 3-inch ordnance rifles helps to defend the Copse of Trees.

Fighting in the Emmitsburg Road on the center table. A veritable Daniel Sickles
player on the Union side decided to advance off of Cemetery Ridge and defend
the crossing of the road. Actually, it's not as weird as it sounds.

Kemper's Confederate brigade in Pickett's division press their attack in fine order.

Kemper's lads find it slow going through the orchard near the Codori Farm.

A big shout out and thanks go to Lind P. (red shirt) who helped me run the fourth game.
Lind had played in one of the earlier games and volunteered to help run the last game 
on Saturday afternoon. Lind, your help was most appreciated.

A Union battery deployed in front of the Emmitsburg Road to fend off the Confederate attack.

Confederate players move their troops from the back table to the center table
wherein lies the Emmitsburg Road.

Action on Cemetery Ridge

Union troops from Webb's Brigade defend the Copse of Trees in the center of their line.

North Carolina regiments made the final push over the walls.

A picture from the first game on Thursday night showing the Union defense of Cemetery Ridge.

The Rebs quickly figured out the sense of sending in one regiment to soak up the fire
and then having a second regiment follow up behind them to take the position.

The Confederates from Pickett's and Pettigrew's divisions approach the Emmitsburg Road.
The Rebs had to use one turn to climb into the road and then another turn to climb out of the road.

It was great to have some of the younger set participating in my games. They 
more than held their own with the adults.

Daisy the Cow. Some of you will know what this refers to. Wink wink.

Union supply wagons on the Taneytown Road just behind Cemetery Ridge

Confederate POWs

A few slackers in the rear behind Cemetery Ridge. Vignette City.

Union field hospital has no shortage of customers.

Confederate starting point on the back table.

The Codori Farm in a quieter moment.

The game tables (three of them) are set up and ready for the action to begin.

I even had a visit from Goober the Traveling Bear. Goober and Little Piglet
are catching up on things since their last meeting at Historicon 2023.

I will put up my photos of other games at Historicon in another post later this week.

THE REAL GETTYSBURG

I also stopped in at Gettysburg for several days with Ken Bunger and we took two three hour tours with a licensed battlefield guide on Monday and Tuesday before Historicon began. I highly recommend hiring a licensed battlefield guide when you visit Gettysburg. Our guide on both days, Jim Muskett, was terrific and guided us over East Cavalry Field (which I had never seen), Longstreet's Countermarch on Day 2, Barlow's Knoll and many other off the beaten path locales on the Gettysburg National Military Park.

Union battery deployed at The Angle on Cemetery Ridge

Artillery caissons behind Alonzo Cushing's US battery on Cemetery Ridge

The Codori Farm as viewed from Cemetery Ridge

I believe that this might be the Sherfy Farm on the Emmitsburg Road, as viewed from the Peach Orchard

What color is the terrain in July?

I think that I got the color right.

The newly restored Little Round Top which opened to the public just the week before we arrived.

The Rose Farm. You can see Little Round Top in the rear.

Coming Next: other games at Historicon and the Dealer Area pictures.