Britcon 2024

Last year, I made my first visit to Britcon Gaming Day and enjoyed the weekend, so this August, I returned to Nottingham. Like last year, I attended the Two Fat Lardies workshop, where there were there was a wide variety of participation games, from a pirate raid to 1968 Vietnam.  I choose to play a naval action and a battle from the Trojan War.

Spanish Breakout

My first game was a Napoleonic naval engagement using Charley Walker's new version of Kiss Me Hardy rules. The original game's mechanics have been streamlined by using some ideas from What a Cowboy, but maintain the feeling that you are in command of great sailing ships of the era. My command was the British inshore squadron, which included a 3rd Rate and a frigate, the Gibberish. My partner had the larger ships that had come to reinforce the inshore ships to prevent the Spanish breakout. Whilst the British had the advantage of better crews, the Spanish admirals had size on their side. One ship had 118 guns! As the British would find out, these monsters could absorb a lot of damage.

In the early moves, I thought we had the Spanish, with their advance squadron, trapped between the British larger ships and the shoreline. Whilst my inshore squadron managed to get some close broadside off. Even the Gibberish managed to land a few blows without getting blown out of the water by the larger ships.

However, after the first run, the British ship found it hard to turn in the narrow confines of the bay, especially with the wind against them. Therefore, the Spanish made it to open waters, although they were severely damaged.

Before the Walls of Troy

My afternoon game, run by James Morris, used the Midgard rules, hopefully to be published later this year, in a fight between the Amazons and the Greeks. The game started with a duel between two champions, which the Amazons lost. This immediately led to a full-blown conflict between the Greeks and the Amazon. This time, I was the Amason queen Penthesilla, daughter of Ares, who commanded the right flank.

However, this was a battle when the dice god Hermes was firmly on the side of the Greeks. In the opening move, a rabble of Greek skirmishers managed to kill one of the Amazon champions. The ravens soon picked over her body as she threw successive ones ( a raven on these dice) to save herself from the Greek arrows. When the second Amazon champion fell on the left, things began to look bad. However, the Amazons fought bravely and launched a counterattack that nearly killed Achilles 'of the winged feet', but once again, Hermes came to the Greek's aid, and Achilles managed to escape almost certain death.

On the right, my Amazon was slowly being pushed back by the Greek's superior close combat skills, although Penthesilla managed to kill one of the Greek champions in single combat. Despite the glimpse of success, the day would be with the Greeks.

In both these games, the scenery and the miniatures were beautiful, as you will see from the photos. More importantly, the games were full of banter and laughter. Win or lose, you had a great game and a story to tell.

The Traders and Other Games

Elsewhere in the Hall, numerous trade stands were similar to the ones at last year's show. A floor plan for this area would have helped, although an earlier e-mail gave you the basic outline. Beyond the trade stand were the competition games with ranks of the tables. Those who follow this blog will know that this type of gaming is not my thing. However, numerous games were displayed, and the whole place buzzed.

Wrap Up

The day was rounded off by a few pints and a curry. During this evening session, my discussions involved the push and shove in pre-gun powder warfare, how wargame rules have changed since the 70s and the wonders of French cheeses—an enjoyable evening.

More Projects

I have come back with some great ideas for new projects: dark dwarves and sea witches will invade Romano-Britian. Will Arthur save the day? Playing Charley‘s revised version of Kiss Me Hardy has ‘forced’ me to invest in some 1:700 ships because they look fantastic. James’ bloody Trojan escapade has led me to explore my ‘pile of lead’, and I have found some Greek chariots. It looks like Troy might be coming to East Anglia.

Final Thanks

Overall behind-the-scenes? Thanks to Don Avis, despite commanding a Greek wing, for his spreadsheet wizardry and good humour. Also, the Britcon organisers for their fantastic attention to detail and speedy service.

Hammerhead 2024

I just made my annual pilgrimage to Hammerhead in Newark. From East Anglia, it is a bit of a drive but an ‘easy run’. The show at the end of the journey is always worth the effort. It larger enough to attract many games and traders but smaller enough to enjoy in a day. 

Some fantastic displays on show from a fantastic conquistador games to Star War game. Here are a few of my pictures, which do not do justice to the games or their organisers. 

For a wargamer who plays mainly solo, these events are great to meet with fellow enthusiasts. Many have the same love for collecting rules and have their own pile of metal and plastic figures from uncompleted projects. What a fantastic hobby and community we have. 

Britcon August 2023

Something a bit different is a brief report on my adventures in Nottingham, where I met Robin Hood and his merry men, and some ugly sea monsters. All these weird tales occurred at this year's Lard Day held at Britcon.

Britcon 2023 at Nottingham Trent University. 

This was my first visit to this event and my baptism into a Two Fat Lardies Workshop. More about my adventures in Lardland later. For a large wargames show, the venue was excellent. Light and airy with plenty of space, despite the numbers and its own conference beer. Britcon was different from previous shows I attended because it focused on playing games rather than adding to your collection. Despite that, I have to confess that a few boxes of plastics strangely got added to my return luggage. 

A large area was given over to competition games, with most of the favourites being represented, Bolt, Saga, DBMM, DBA. MeG, and FOG, just to name a few. 

Two Fat Lardies' Workshop

I am not a great fan of completion games, so I signed up for the Two Fat Lardies’ Gaming Day for the first time. This was held downstairs in the chemistry area, where a fantastic concoction of games had been assembled. You could choose from thirteen games covering the Lard library of adventure, including Chain of Command, Dux Britanniarum, Kiss Me Hardy and What a Cowboy, with many being played in unusual settings. The tables on offer were rounded off by games in development. Here the players helped to play test and to fashion the final product. I let these few pictures talk for themselves, but they show the cinematic quality of these terrain boards, which were accompanied by fantastic miniatures and were enjoyable and fun. 

Madness in Lardsmouth

In the morning, I played a gangster version of What a Cowboy, set in the world of H. P. Lovecraft. Both teams were given the same story but with different hidden objectives. The sleepy fishing village of Lardsmouth sits on the US east coast, it's 1925, and prohibition is in force. Government Agents have been sent in to find a reported illegal Liquor operation. Enforcers from the neighbouring town's criminal liquor producers have also been sent to stop it. They all find more than they bargained for. 

Despite the occasional change of shots, both sides soon found out their main objective was to survive as the mist slowly rolled in from the harbour area. Soon visibility was reduced, and only shapes could be seen moving in the fog. My agent had been given the task of getting to the old lighthouse. After fighting some thugs, he managed to scramble to the top. However, by that time, madness had overtaken him. After completing his objective, he threw himself into the sea and the monster's clutches. My other agent survived being blown up (twice), killed a deep one and survived the experience if slightly singed. 

Tax, Mead and a Drunken Priest

Again the background set the scene of this Dux Britanniarum adaptation. Archbishop Roundwood has run out of mead, and Good King John is planning an imminent whirlwind tour of the Northern Baronies. However, all is not lost, as it is well known that the best mead is produced by the friars in Larddingham. Here, the Archbishop despatches the erstwhile Sheriff to secure as many barrels as possible. However, Robin and his band of Merry Men ( I wonder why they were merry?) set out to thwart the Archbishop's plans.

Again fun and surprises. From kids showing their bottoms to my bishop spending most of the game in the pub, where he tasted the delights of Laddington mead. In the meantime, the Sheriff, who may be a dastardly character but was no fool, had used his knights to disrupt Robin's plans. The game was close, and in the final turn, both sides had one point of morale left and an objective point each. However, Archbishop Roundwood was happy as he most to the mead in his stomach. 

Thanks and a Curry - When the Next One?

I must thank the game umpires and story masters, Mike and Jeremy, for making the games so much fun. Also, to all the organises who struggled with the monumental task of putting everyone's choices into a spreadsheet.

The day ended with a curry, a few pints and loads of conversation. My enthusiasm renewed, and I returned home with more project ideas and a mission to improve my scatter terrain. I will be looking out for the next Lard Gaming Day.