HMGS / Pacific Southwest

Archive for February, 2010

Last year on December 19th our ten week run at the Muzeo in Anaheim during their “Treasures of Napoleon” exhibit came to a close. We pulled out all of the stops to host a Christmas Party to commemorate the occasion. Attendance was over forty and a wide range of groups and organizations were there. We had representatives of the HMGS-PSW including Bill Whittans, the President and Harmon Ward, the Vice President. Fritz Bronner and Margie Beeson represented the Warhorse Foundation with other renenactors in Napoleonic Era uniforms. Mark Deliduka from the International Plastic Modelers Society and Tim Knapp from SoCalWargamers were also in attendance. HMGS/PSW member and St. Crispin’s Irregulars stalwart RJ Galati started the 28mm Battle of Waterloo miniatures game and managed to run two games before the evening was over. Most attendees arrived at 3:00pm to tour the Muzeo and visit the priceless Napoleonic artifacts including his last surviving diamond signet ring and hit famous hat. At 5:00pm we walked over to the movie room and started watching “Waterloo” with Rod Steiger and Christopher Plummer on the projection screen. The reenactors in uniform led us in cheers as their depicted regiments appeared on the screen. The wine, cheese and crackers, tapenade dip, basil and sun dried tomato dip and other tasty treats appeared at 6:30pm and dinner was served at 7:00. The dinner menu consisted of chicken marsala, sausage and peppers, roast turkey, pasta, meatballs and dinner rolls. Dessert was chocolate cake, peach cookies, and fudge. Everything was home made and when the cook entered the room, she received a standing ovation. The conversation continued on into the night. With lawyers, professors, actors, architects, carpenters, painters and stockbrokers in the crowd, we had a incredible range of conversations floating about the historic old Carnegie library. Napoleon and Josephine would have fit right in!

As the night wound down large numbers of people helped clean up and put everything away to continue the St. Crispin’s Irregulars tradition. There evening was a perfect blend of wargaming, history, family and friends. The Age of Napoleon lived again for one night to create wonderful memories and bond new friendships.

So St. Crispin’s Irregulars 10 week run at the Muzeo drew to a close and we can look forward to the future with a smile and fond memories.

While setting up we get our first player

In keeping with our pledge to get “new blood”, “Old friends” and give HMGS/PSW a larger presence in the South West we have begun an outreach program of taking HMGS/PSW sponsored games to new and old venues. This weekend Steve Gausche and I took “Wings of War” to the Strategicon convention held Presidents weekend at the Radisson LAX hotel in Los Angeles.

We tried clouds in a few games

Lots of walk by players

We ran the game almost continuously from 10 am to 11 pm that evening! The game was a complete success with at least 15 or more new players cycling through during the day. Some would come, play, and then return to play again. At one time during the evening session we had 7 or eight planes in the sky! With different players and lots of onlookers. One family came over and played Mother, Father, and “Sully” great little 7 year old who picked up the game so quick that he shot me out of the sky by the second game! A future HMGS/PSW member there!

Wings of War is very nice looking game for little investment!

I know I’ll get questions on the “Matt” used so here’s the ansewer “I made it or Air brushed it the night before the convention in about an hour and a half” It’s not done as the airbrush clogged up a 11pm and I was to tired to clean it!

Plenty of flyers for the HMGS/PSW Spring conventionwere handed out and we actually picked up two new members and heard rumors of several “old” members planning to return to the fold at the next convention. I had great conversations with Mark Parker and Allen Hughes two great past Presidents of HMGS/PSW as well as with Rocky of the “Last Grenadier” and Steve of “The War House”. Both Rocky and Steve informed me that the 10% HMGS/PSW discount is still in place to paid, card carrying HMGS/PSW members at their shops. Ray Gonzalez and Mike Reuier of the Art of War Terrainfame were their and have committed to come our convention as dealers! I know many of you buy terrain from them off “ebay” save the shipping and hit them up at the convention!

HMGS/PSW member Robert Boyens runs his very nice American War of Indipendence game that included two past HMGS presidents

It was quite a busy day for me and I wish I could have spent two days there but my “anniversary” is the 14th and you all know how well that would go over! I did manage to squeeze in a conversation with Janice Sellers from Stategicon about helping us to encourage a bigger presence at their convention and I think it will bear fruit…. There were at least 3-4 HMGS member games there this time and at least 5 at the last Airport convention so we are a presence there.

Another HMGS/PSW member runs his beautiful 25mm American Civil War game on Saturday.

One thing I did notice was that just having our convention flyers laying out some where for people to possibly find and pick up is no good, not enough! People are busy at the cons and distracted by many things, seeing a flyer on a table much less reading or picking it up is rarely done. We need to actively give them out to every player or passerby at our games! I did this at my table and was pleasantly surprised at the great reactions from people who otherwise would never have known! I also walked over to several other non HMGS events and handed them out. I think the word is really getting out on this next convention and I hope we have the games to play for these new attendee’s! This is going to be a big step towards a future bigger con or even a third convention but we need to hook these new people with a bunch of great games for them to play in… lets get those event written up and info, table reservations, and time off to Alex Webster ASAP! We need the Preliminary Events List up SOON!

We picked up some new planes for the HMGS/PSW “Wings of War” set and some for the home set. Steve also picked up the new WWII version of the game along with some planes and we will give that one a try soon! It to may be a game to add to the HMGS/PSW stash.

All in all it was a great time and worth the putting up with the small inconveniences of “Airport” cons.

Yours in Gaming

Bill Witthans
President HMGS/PSW

Members of the Anaheim-based Saturday Night Irregulars have begun a new campaign set in the Alsace in October ’44. For details on its progress, see the ODGW Blog.