Survived Historicon and the Move

  Hello all! Just a quick note to let you know that I did, in fact, survive Historicon and the move that took place immediately after returning. How immediately? We got home late Monday, and the movers arrived Thursday morning bright and early. So, pretty immediately.

  So how was Historicon? It was a lot of fun, as usual. I think I came home with less stuff than I left home carrying, thanks to a decent showing at the Sunday morning Wally's Basement (aka gamers' flea market). I got to play games with and chat with a lot of people that I usually only get to see at the convention: Buck Surdu, David and Kalissa Skibicki, Jon Lundberg, Lon Weiss, Martin Goddard, James (whose last name I can never remember, but he runs lots of 40K themed games), Frank Chadwick, and others. I missed Howard Whitehouse this year, as he couldn't attend. I also made a couple of new acquaintances, so new folks to look forward to seeing in future years.

 As for the games, well, I played in several. I posted photos to Facebook from my phone, since that was the only camera I took with me. I'll get a few shots up here soon, I promise. The table for the Frostgrave games was truly amazing, and I need to get some photos of it up. Sadly, I couldn't get into any of the games they put on, but they looked just great and the players all seemed to be enjoying it. I ended up buying a set of the rules and a few figures for a pair of starter bands (a Witch and Apprentice and a Sigilist and Apprentice). So the games I did get to play...

• Dystopian Wars 2.0: Just about the same as far as I can tell to older versions, though we didn't get into deeper strategies, so maybe that's where the difference lies. I did hear that a newer edition is on the horizon. I played as part of a Japanese force against a FSA fleet. We lost, but it was a near thing.

• Congo: Probably my favorite game this convention. I tied for the win. The system for initiative and activation is really interesting, as it requires planning ahead but is still pretty flexible. It's also a pretty simple resolution system, which I liked.

• Empire of the Dead: While I did horribly in this game (the victim of two factions ganging up on me and killing off all of my guys, barring my Packlord), I had a lot of fun with it, too. The 28mm scale Martian screw galley (a Whispering Death-class, IIRC) was amazing. So amazing that I bought a kit for it. God only knows when I will get around to building it. Anyway, I had the werewolves, and did my best to make sure it was 'night' throughout the game, but to no avail. If I had a bit more influence, it would have been night and a full moon. I did manage an eclipse, which lasted six turns with the help of the vampires. Anyway, Jon Lundberg put on another great game on the Miniature Building Authority table.

• Bolt Action 2E: The Defense of Grammercy, Sicily. This game was amazing - it won the award for Best Theme Game (100 Years of Tanks) as well it should have. A big table with great scenery and models. The Skibickis (David and Kalissa, two of my favorite gaming folks EVAH!) really went whole hog on it and it showed. I was on the victorious German side, leading some Panzers and a few hapless infantry who never really got a chance to do much until the very end, where they assaulted and killed a Canadian Sherman. So that was fun.

• And One I am Forgetting: I also forgot what time one of my games was and flat missed it.

  As far as toys purchased, I mentioned a couple already - the Frostgrave stuff that I bought from Brigade Games. I also bought a lot of trays and stuff from Dave's Baggage Train to help me organize my existing collection of minis. I bought a few test figures for a 15mm fantasy line by Battle Valor Games, mostly because they looked fun to paint. I got a paint rack and some 15mm huts from Impudent Mortal (nice folks, turns out the wife went to school with my sister a few decades ago) - and check out their upcoming Kickstarter. The giant ship I bought in the flea market, and I bought a few gifts for friends back home, also mostly in the flea market.

  Offspring #2 (Dane) who also went, spent a bit of time in the Hobby University, and has mentioned an interest in painting. I will need to get him a good basic set soon. He did spend a little of my hard earned money buying a few figures to paint, primarily Reaper Bones.

  So there's my brief, un-illustrated convention report. It's a long three and a half days, and a long five days of driving roundtrip, so I got home really tired only to have to pitch in to the move, but it was a good time and I really enjoyed the time I spent on the road with my son who is about to head off to college (uni for my UK friends) in a few weeks.

On the Road to Historicon 2017

   Hi guys and gals! Long time, no post. I've been crazy busy - we are moving! This means lots of packing over the last month or so and not much gaming. So I have been very much looking forward to this trip with my youngest son (who just graduated high school and earned an Associate's Degree at the same time !). We are driving from League City, Texas, to Fredericksburg, Virginia. That's about 1,550 miles (2,460 km). One way.

   We are taking it in easy stages going out but have to hustle back home after the convention. So tonight, after two days in the car, we are in beautiful Charleston, WV. Actually, I don't know if it's beautiful or not - it was dark when we got to town. But the hotel is nice (Embassy Suites Downtown, got a heck of a deal on Priceline).

  So that's what is going on here in my world. I have been playing a weekly game of Pathfinder with a small group of adults, which is nice. The GM is right at my age and does a good job of storytelling. I've died three times already, but it is more an issue of each of the players dong their own thing rather than supporting one another. Oh well. My newest character is designed to be supportive. Maybe that will work out better.

Greetings from Virginia

   I am currently attending the Historicon convention in Fredericksburg Virginia. My younger son and I are having a great deal of fun so far. in my first game I came in third place in a big race. Dane unfortunately did not fare so well in his first game losing his James Bond type spy to dastardly enemy attacks.

   I would love to attach a few pictures of my first game at this point but, I am posting this from my phone and it will not let me attach photos. So you'll just have to wait for those.

To Historicon or Not to Historicon, that is the Question

   I really enjoy going to Historicon. Over the past eight or so years, I have gone five times: twice in Lancaster, twice in Valley Forge, and once in Fredericksburg. Each time was fantastic fun. Played lots of well-produced games and tried many new rule sets, genres, and scales. Bought lots of toys, both in the dealer's room and in the flea market - oh how I love the flea market!!! Met lots of great people. Drank lots of Yuengling. And rum. That sort of thing.

   This year I am trying to be more frugal, however. It's not that I can't afford to go - I can. And with a friend along (I have a buddy who wants to go), the cost goes down because I can split the room and the rental car. So that makes it even less expensive, or, as I see it, leaves me with more money for purchasing toys.

   I already decided that I would not buy any minis until I had painted some of the ones residing in Lead Mountain. I think a two-to-one ratio of painted to purchased would be good. So, if I paint ten 15mm figures, I can buy five. Perhaps that should be my goal this year.

   Naturally, that means I need to get painting if I want to attend Historicon and buy things. Because I will buy things at Historicon, and I am not going to limit myself to Belle and Blade's videos and t-shirts! Maybe a painting and gaming goal needs to be reached by, say, the opening of registration, before I can go. Yes, that sounds good.

   I know you find this stuff riveting... I promise to have more gaming content next time.

Historicon Purchases

   Two of my favorite things at Historicon are the Vendor's Room and Wally's Basement, the 'flea market.' Why? All the shiny toys! And of course I bought my share of them. Here's what I got.

HISTORICON FREE SWAG IN THE BAG: Usually this has been pretty good, but this year's was a bit disappointing. It consisted of a single metal figure by Warlord, a 28mm ACW cavalryman, dismounted, firing a revolver. Yes, it is a nicely done figure, and limited edition and all, but I don't have much use for it. Trade fodder, I suppose.

FIGURES:

• Battletech Flea 'Mech
• Battletech Hex bases (x4)
• Rebel Minis 15mm Steampunk Adventurers (x5)
• Splintered Light 15mm "Not Firefly" (x10)
• Perry Minis 28mm Plastic ACW Zouaves (x42)
• Frontier Minis 15mm FPW Chasseurs d'Afrique (x8)
• Frontier Minis 15mm FPW French Infantry (x18)
• Frontier Minis 15mm FPW French Garde Grenadiers (x18)
• Frontier Minis 15mm FPW French Command (x12)
• Frontier Minis 15mm FPW Mtd. Generals (x2)
• Frontier Minis 15mm FPW Limbers (x4)
• Dystopian Wars Prussian Armoured Battle Group
• Reaper BONES Ape-X
• Reaper BONES Kobolds (x18)
• Reaper BONES Eye Beast
• Reaper Savage Worlds Darius Hellstromme
• Reaper Shrend Alligator-Man
• Parroom Diabolical Weaponeer (x2)
• Parroom Manikin Automatons (x10)
• Cygnar Trencher Master Gunner
• Ironclad Miniatures Steam Tank 1
• Ironclad Miniatures Steam Tank 13
• GW Ork Killa Kan
• GW Empire Emperor Karl Franz
• GW Empire Reiksguard Champion
• GW Empire Battle Wizards (x2)
• GW Blood Bowl Kroxigor
• GW Ghoul
• GW Skaven (x9)
• GW Horses (x2)
• Battlemasters Halberdiers (x2)
• FOW DAK Panzergrenadier platoon
• FOW DAK Machinegun platoon
• FOW British Lt. Col. Frost
• Kneeling Camels (x2)
• Chariot Minis Turtle w/Howdah
• Small Sailboat

TERRAIN

• MBA 15mm Bridge
• MBA 25mm Jungle Adventure building
• JR Minis 15mm Vietnam Buildings (x2)
• JR Minis 6mm dirt road (2 pcs)
• JR Minis 6mm cobblestone roads (22 pcs)
• JR Minis 15mm river (blue) (16 pcs)
• 4-Ground 28mm Check Point
• Scenic Crafts Flock/Static Grass (Carnage Red)
• Scenic Crafts Flock/Static Grass (Oxidized)
• 6mm Sci Fi Buildings (x3)

MISC.

• Dave's Baggage Train trays (7 pcs)
• Hotwire Foam Factory 3 Tool Kit
• Foam Glue
• Molon Labe patch
• GF9 20mm square bases
• Paint (4 bottles)
• Dystopian Wars patch
• Decals (8 sheets)
• BK Toy: Wild Wild West Tarantula
• Dark Future Boxed Game

 

Summer Gaming Plans, Ver. 1.0

   We all know how 'buggy' a version 1.0 can be, right? So don't hold me too strictly to these plans. But in a few weeks I will go on summer vacation, and have significantly more time for gaming as a result. The thought occurred to me that some sort of plan might help with gaming productivity in my slow time. Thus, the following:

• Send 20 Kroot to painting service for Venusian Parrotmen.
• Send the boys' frogs to painting service.
• Obtain and paint about 15 Victoria Miniatures "Ood-like" figures.
• Paint eight 25 pdrs plus crew and staff for FOW.
• Paint an Indian mortar platoon for FOW.
• Obtain and paint more Cygnar figures ( a unit of trenchers and at least 2 warjacks).
• Finish painting Dragonfly Lancers.
• Finish painting 10 Empress Miniatures British.
• Obtain and paint replacement VSF British from Victoria Miniatures.
• Finish 5 German VSF figures.
• Obtain 10 more Prussian infantry. Paint all 20.
• Paint 10 more Aetherbattalion figures.
• Complete Volume 3, Issue 1 of The Aethergraph.
• Play some Star Frontiers RPG with the boys.
• Attend Historicon.
• Obtain a lot of terrain for 15mm desert and city.
• Obtain a lot of terrain for 25mm desert, jungle and city.

Ummmm... I think that's probably it. Look for updates, though. This is only v. 1.0, after all...

Historicon 2011, random photos

Armoured train in Flames of War game

Warfare at Epcot? Nice terrain piece, though.

Dystopian Wars game. Nice terrain pieces.

Dystopian Wars. Landship carrier? How cool!

Really beautiful 28mm scale Civil War ships.

AAAAAAAHHHH! GOJIRA!!!!!!!

Eureka Stukasaurus with tailgunner

Insane Gallipoli terrain

Closeup of trenches.

Beach landing area at Gallipoli

Eureka's Turtle Cavalry on Baby Alligators

Historicon 2011 Day Two Photos

   Only a week later...

Our friend Joe, playing against the boys in "Deutscheland and Dinosaurs"

Joe's Raptor-riding Nazis attack!

Chuck Vranel, in his customary pose for photos on my blogs...

An Eldar Craftworld for Battlefleet Gothic, made from a Seaquest DSV model

BUF Convoy on the way to St. Alban's

 

Lead BUF truck hit by fire from the right; the section bails out.

View from the road to St. Alban's. BUF forces push through cemetery,

while the armoured car holds the crossroads in background.

The BUF assault Anglican troops at the wall, and drive them off the road.

This clears the road for the BUF to advance to victory!

Richard Clarke of Too Fat Lardies and Yours Truly (short fellow on the right).

Eat yer heart out, Gerald!

Historicon 2011 Purchases, Final

   As I may have mentioned before, Historicon is a great place to buy toys. Most of the major vendors are there, or at least their US representatives for the manufacturers across the waters. Except for Eureka. Nic comes over from Australia. I think it is because he likes to wear silly hats halfway around the globe from home. Anyway, between the dealers and the flea market - pardon me, "Wally's Basement", there's always a lot of stuff to spend your money on. And so, the final rundown, adding on to those things I have mentioned already (i.e., not including them).

• 2x Car Wars turning keys
• 3x Monsterpocalypse buildings - for BattleTech
• Empire Helblaster Volleygun - another Dane bargain
• Woodbine British Section (10 regulars in caps)
• Woodbine Vickers HMG (4 figs)
• Musketeer Minis VBCW "Toff and Gentleman's Gentleman" (2 figs)
• Musketeer Minis VBCW Militia Standards (3 figs)
• Musketeer Minis VBCW Militia Boys ATR Team (2 figs)
• Parroom Station (?) Martian "Holy Man"
• 6mm Government Building (ptd.)
• Fight's On! Suez Canal set
• 2x Tactical Conflict Systems 6mm buildings
• JR Miniatures 12"x12" cobbled square
• Small plastic "Welsh" dragon
• 1 toy dinosaur (Dimetrodon, actually)
• 8x BTD Viking Berserkers
• 18x Asst'd crocs and lizards from Iron Wind
• 8x Eureka Frogs with Muskets
• 13x 6mm Les Batiments Railway pieces
• Les Batiments factory
• Les Batiments power house
• 7x Parroom Station Clockwork Soldiers ($8!!!)
• 2x Parroom Station Tatsuhiro Mechanified Infantry Suits
• Prof. Moriarty and Dr. Loveless
• 20x small fern bushes
• 2x 6mm boats
• 3x Foundry Victorian ladies
• 10x Foundry DA Sikhs
• 1x RAFM Sailor dropping timebomb
• 4x converted Martian marines
• 6x RAFM Martian shield gunners
• 1x RAFM High Martian
• 40K Vostroyan Mortar team (2 figs)
• 1x 15mm limber
• 1x Eureka Turtle Cavalryon Alligator
• 2x BTD Crocodiles
• Package of 1"x1 1/2" metal bases
• Pulp Figures Seebattalion Maxim (4 figs)
• Pulp Figures Seebattalion NCOs (5 figs)
• 2x Vallejo paints
• 3x Army Painter basing materials
• 4x random bits
• 16x Small rock formations (orig. islands for POTSM)

   And I think that does it. I still did not find everything I was looking to purchase. But I spent my money anyway. I should have held on to some of it for eBay purchases, but what the heck. The total makes it to just over 300 figures of various scales (mostly 25), plus 65 terrain bits, several books, and a few generic supplies. Wow.

Despatches from Historicon: Day 1 Photos

   As promised, some Historicon photos. These are from Day One (Thursday). Captions below each for explanations. Click the picture for larger views. Enjoy!

Monkey Island game. A scratch built carrier for the American Rocketeer Corps.

The fans are powered. How cool is that?

Road Rash. Goliath Corporation's four black SUVs are couriers.

In this shot, two have been stopped in a massive pileup while two escape through a gap.

Unfortunatley, the Package is in one of the wrecked SUVs.

Another shot of the pileup. The silver Audi and Goliath Yellow (one of the SUVs)

have made a motorcycle panini. Yum!

A totally insane Gallipoli board, done by Grand Manner. 28mm scale.

Really, absolutely beautiful.

Just to give you a sense of it, a shot of the beach area from the above board.

Da Boyz! While they aren't green, their troops are.

This is Buck Surdu's "Viva la Rana!" GASLIGHT game.

The North lost.

From the same game, some of Dane's Heavy Frog Cavalry run into Southern Spearfrogs.

The Cavalry takes the worst of it.

From the last game I played on Thursday, Battlefleet Gothic.

I am man enough to use a pink ship. It was battered heavily, but survived.

Mini-Report, Historicon 2011 Days 1 and 2

   Why a mini-report? Because I am freaking exhausted.

Games I have played:

• Third Battle of St. Alban's. A VBCW game, using Too Fat Lardies Through the Mood and the Blood. Excellent!!
• Sky Galleons of Mars, in 28mm. GM was a no-show for the game. Major bummer.
• Paris and Nicole's Tropical Vacation. Howard Whitehouse ran it. Awesome as always.
• Battlefleet Gothic Cruiser Clash. Cruiser type spacecraft in 40K. Fun game, but really annoying kid.
• Road Rash. Post-apocalyptic car game. Fun, but didn't love the rules. Car Wars is better, I think.

Games Greyson has played so far:

• Fallout: Kill all Muties. Post-apoc skirmish, based on world of video game Fallout. He won.
• Monkey Island. Pulp game. He won.
• Sky Galleons of Mars - see above comment.
• Viva la Rana! GASLIGHT 28mm using Eureka's frogs and turtles. Great fun, but lost.
• Deutscheland und Dinosaurs. GASLIGHT 28mm Weird War II, using Eureka's Jurassic Reich figures. Again had fun, but lost.

Games Dane has played:

• Fallout: Kill all Muties. See above. He also won.
• Monkey Island. See above, but did not win.
• Viva la Rana! See above; also lost.
• Secret Science Test Arena. 28mm playtest of rules being developed by Parroom Station. Had fun, but his mad scientist's creations failed against other mad scientist's creations.
• Deutscheland und Dinosaurs. See above. Also lost.

   Yes, this has been a very bare bones rendering. More detail (and photos) will come later. I promise. I have seen several old acquaintances from Historicon this year (Dave, Howard, Nic, Rob, Buck and a few more), met a few new guys who are pretty great (James and Richard Clarke), and have run into one guy from the regular gaming club back home (Joe).

Historicon 2011: Day 1, Part 1 - The Haul

   Well, the dealer's room has closed for the evening, and I have a couple of hours until my next game. Thought I would take a moment to share the wonders of Historicon buying goodness. The games are great, but the real draw for me is the flea market (aka Wally's Basement) and the dealer area. The dealers should be happy with my family and friends. Today's purchases include:

• 20x WFB Empire State Troops
• 10x WFB Empire Handgunners
• 10x WFB Empire Pistoliers
• 16x Eureka Terrapins with Spears
• 8x Eureka Turtles with Bows
• 8x Eureka Samurai Rabbits (helmeted, katana, sashimoto)
• 1x Eureka Turtle Tank (+9 crew)
• 5x Parroom Station Masked Minion Diabolical Weaponeers
• 3x Parroom Station Prussian Junior Officers
• 6x Blue Moon Twanax Horde
• 16x Peter Pig Sheep
• 8x Peter Pig, um... Pigs, actually
• 8x Peter Pig British Heliographs (two teams)
• 1x Brigade Games 1924 Model Rolls Royce Armored Car
• 8x Woodbine Designs Armed Schoolboys
• 4x Woodbine Designs School Master (set)
• 4x Woodbine Designs Chaps on a Hunt
• 4x Woodbine Designs Damned Poachers!
• 5x 40K Vostroyan Command figures
• 2x Stan Johansen weapons packs for Matchbox cars
• 24x Empress Miniatures Spanish Foreign Legion
• 4x Empresss Miniatures Condor Legion Advisors
• 16x Empress Miniatures Moroccan Regulares
• 3x Empress Miniatures Mortar and Team (mortar +3 crew)
• 1x Empress Miniatures Pzkw I Ausf. A
• 1 pkg "Box Bands"
• 1x G.A.S.L.I.G.H.T. Compendium
• 1x A Very British Civil War 1938 Sourcebook
• 1x Go Forward Together (Disposable Heroes British Commonwealth)
• 1x Primera Batalla (Disposable Heroes Spanish Civil War)

   I think that's it. Total number of figures purchased, both 28mm and 15mm, about 200, plus three vehicles and some bits. And four rulebooks. Not bad for a day's work. About $6-700, I'd say. I gotta reconsider my hobbies. Booze and women of low moral fiber have got to be cheaper...

Off to Historicon!

   As of the time this posts, my sons and I should be boarding an aircraft, headed for Pennsylvania via Atlanta. I know, a bit out of the way, but the prices were much cheaper. Let's just hope all the luggage gets delivered properly, shall we?

   I will be taking along my netbook, so I hope to be posting from the convention. There will be some sort of Post-Historicon wrapup, as well, after we return. It might take a day or two, however, as the return flight doesn't get us home until late Sunday night (almost midnight, in fact).

   Wish us luck, and we'll see you on the other side...

Summer Convention Schedule 2011

BAYOU WARS

June 10-12, Kenner LA

   Held in (well, technically, just outside of) New Orleans, this one is close enough to be very feasible for my good buddy Jim. We're even considering taking the train from Houston rather than driving or flying. It's a decent price, none of the airport hassles... and I have never done it before now. Ridden a train, that is. For real travel. As opposed to across town, or the Tube, or whatever. Sounds fun!

   First time to this convention, but some of the prior ones have looked promising. Not a for sure yet, but a strong contender.

HISTORICON

July 7-10, Valley Forge, PA

   Well, I got a room. At the Scanticon. I have until June 5 to decide for sure now.  But I so want to go. I love Historicon. The vendor hall is so great! Plus, I have made a few pals there, whom I never see otherwise (a certain Masshole named Dave springs to mind, along with an OFM, and a mad Irishman named - surprise! - Patrick...).

   I'll be bringing my young 'uns with me, but the memsahib will most likely have to remain in Houston, earning a living and paying for all of our fun and toys. I keep trying to tell her how much more expensive it would be if I went to topless joints and had a deer lease, or a fishing boat, but she's still not entirely convinced. Jim's attendance would be nice, but unlikely.

   I am also thinking a trip to our nation's capital afterwards as part of the road trip home would be good. Not long enough to do it real justice (I could spend a week, easy, in the Smithsonian and the Archives), but hit the high points in a day or two and head back. My wife might be able to fly out for that, especially mid-week on Southwest.

   May have other travel plans for the summer (well, I do have some, but not gaming related - Palo Duro Canyon, here we come), but nothing is really set in stone yet. Thinking Seattle. Or Vancouver. Or maybe Europe for a week, if the money is available. I have time and a passport. Just need funds!

Historicon, Day Three (Final battle report)

SKYRUNNERS: Historicon Race Day

Saturday, July 10, 8PM

   The only game I played in on the third (and last full day) of the convention was in the evening. Most of the day was spent in shopping, shopping, shopping! And being peeved with the hotel for putting two holds on my bank account for the room, thus reducing the amount of $$ I had available to spend in the Dealers' Room and Wally's Basement.

  Anyway, all bitterness aside (ooo was I pissed off!), the last game of the con was a great one. The first round consisted of seven racers in two seperate heats, with the top two contenders in each heat going on to compete in  the final. Naturally, I forgot my camera in the room (I was really pissed off), but another participant took several photos and emailed them to me last week.

A Skyrunners "Scudder" Flyer, with complete Racing Crew

  The rules were Skyrunners, written by Bob Charette of Parroom Station Enterprises. Bob also ran the game, and sculpted the boats and figures. All around master of the ceremonies. The rules, ships and minis are all available through Brigade Games. The booth was already sold out of ships when I got there on Thursday, so I ordered a ship and all the crew. It should arrive in August (waiting for new ships to be cast by Acheson Creations, who do very nice work, btw...)

Yours Truly, indicating where my scudder (Blue and White) will be going.

   As far as the first heat of the game went, I came in second, and so moved on. One player was knocked totally off our course and into the other racing course, causing no small amount of confusion and lots of fun mayhem!

Another picture of Round 1

   In the Final Race, I earned the nickname "Vomit Comet" for my scudder and 'Swooperman' for its pilot, as I was forced to swoop over and under and over and under again to avoid collisions. My gunner also earned a nickname: 'Deadeye,' because after coming through a screeching 180 degree turn, he still managed to bullseye the target atop the scoring pylon. Another scudder got known as "Pinball Wizard" for the number of collisions it spawned! The final result was slightly disappointing: second again! Still, the game itself was  a blast and we all had a lot of fun.

   This one is going on the Christmas List for the boys, because I think they will enjoy it a lot as well. I figure four to six scudders is enough. Plus, they can do double duty as 25mm light Martian flying craft. I love when I can 'economize' that way. I'm not cheap, I just have a lot of projects!

Toys from Historicon, Part 1

Hoo boy, this is a long list. I thought I would present it so that folks who have never been to a Historicon could see what all is available for sale there. Naturally, there is more stuff, too, like hot wire foam cutters, tons of terrain options, books, videos, t-shirts... you name it. But this is what I bought for myself:

Tokens/Markers (all from Litko):

• Charge token (red) x10
• Routed token (red) x10
• Mini wound marker x10
• Micro fire marker x10
• Chicken tokens x5 (freebie)
• WTF token (freebie)
• Epic Fail token (freebie)

Bases (trying some things out, plus stocking up a bit):

• 1 pint box of misc. 3mm thick MDF bases from GF9 ($10 for about 120)
• 1 pkg 20mm square metal bases from Wargames Accessories
• 25 Small FOW plywood bases (3mm) by Litko
• 1 pkg FOW compatible bases with beveled lip for labeling (BA109) Battlefield Accessories

6mm Sci-fi (for Battletech and just, well, because...)

• 5x Utility APCs (Scotia)
• 5x Large Grav APCs (Scotia)
• 48x Battle armor troopers (Scotia)
• 5x Tracked Ammunition Carriers (Future Wars by CMD)
• 5x Police Van (CMD)
• 2x AV72 Attack VTOL (CMD)
• 3x GEV, Pan-Euro Lights, I think (Ogre)

6mm Colonial/VSF (for bigger scale battles, all by Heroics and Ros)

• FPW Prussian Artillery, 1 battery's worth
• FPW Prussian Gun Teams (limbers), 2 battery worth
• FPW Jaegers advancing, 2 battalions worth
• FPW Prussian Uhlans, 1-2 regiments
• FPW Prussian Line Marching, 2 battalions
• Colonial Mahdist Spearmen (to be Martians), 2 Battalions
• Colonial Mahdist Ansar Infantry (Martians), 2 Battalions
• Colonial Mahdist Artillery (Martians), at least 1 battery, maybe 2
• 4x WWI Fokker E.III "Eindecker" airplane
• 2 each: MkIV tank, Renault FT-17, St. Charmond WWI tanks

25mm VSF:

• Eureka Minis' Stukasaurus x3
• Eureka Minis' Feldgendarme w/ raptors
• Empress Minis Zulu War British, infantry x8
• Empress Minis Zulu Brits, ensigns x4
• Empress minis Zulu British 7 pdr gun (aiming crew) x1
• Parroom Station: Skyrunners Scudder with racing team (on order) x1
• Parroom Station: Masked Minions with Diabolical Weapon x5
• Parroom Station: City Dweller Martian Artillery Crew
• Games Workshop: 8 Saurus with spears (old, metal, one is Temple Guard)
• Reaper Dark Heaven line Mushroom Men (2 in the pack, need 4 more packs)

15mm VSF:

• Blue Moon Manufacturing's Twanax Horde x6 (1 pkg, need at least one more - painting them as plant men/swamp monsters for Venus's mad genius Doctor Vardu)
• Blue Moon's Fereen on Goranax x2 (1 pkg)
• Chariot Miniatures lizardman on pterosaur (LIZ4) x1 - may want more of these...
• 3x Battletech 'clickies' for war walkers: Uller, Firestarter and Mining Mech Mk II MOD

2mm VSF (Sky Galleons of Mars/Aeronef):

• 1x Zeppelin (LZ41)
• 2x "Skylord" kites
• 2x "Whisperdeath" kites
• 2x "Hullcutter" screw galley
• 2x "Skyrunner" screw galley
• 3x "Endtime" screw galley
• 2x an unknown model screw galley, very small.
• 1x "Smallbird"
• 1x IJN Mikasa armed transport
• 1x Large Merchant kite
• 1x USS Ranger
• 10x Litko 1" hex flying bases with pegs of varying heights. (need more, and bigger ones)

Terrain:

• 16 pieces resin stockade by Acheson Creations
• 3x GW forcewall pylons (from Assault on Black Rock - I want more if you have any...)
• 2x Cthulhu statuettes (maybe 25mm?)
• 1 steam engine (25mm, or HUGE 15mm)
• 6mm Hedges
• 6mm walls (TimeCast)
• 6mm railroad track (Les batiments, bought at I-94 Enterprises)
• 15mm ACW tents (x6) by JR Miniatures

Misc:

• 3x 1/144(?) WW2 puzzle planes (2 Pfeils and a Japanese pusher prop)
• 25mm "Not" TARDIS by MBA
• A few random bits for the bit box.
• The free swag I mentioned before

I also have a list of stuff I bought for other people who couldn't go. I'll mention that in another post. Some of this stuff is going to be 'surplus to the needs of the service' as they say, and will be Game it Forward-ed in the near-ish future.

I hope my wife doesn't read this...

Historicon Swag Report

   I am dividing the posts on Historicon between this blog and Victoria's Boys in Red so that I don't bog down either one too badly and so that I get a a little more cross-pollination. Bear with me.

   This post is about the free "swag bag" goodies given out this year. I bought a ton of stuff (well, about 20 lbs, actually), so the purchases will be dealt with in seperate, more organized posts.

  The contents of the bag:

• A CD-Rom game disk for a MMO game: "World of Tanks"
• A bonus card to get an extra tank (M3 Sherman) in the MMO
• A plastic tank (1/144, I think), a Tiger I think, but the package was labeled in Japanese so I don't know for sure.
• A sprue of Perry's plastic 1812-1815 dismounted dragoons (2 figures)
• A sprue of 13 Warlord Games "Pike and Shotte" infantry.
• A copy of the Civil War Times magazine, (Oct '09)

  Not a bad haul, really. though I don't need the figures. They will be offered up soon on Gmae it Forward. You know the drill: First come, First Served. Just be sure to use them!

   More to come!