It was recently announced that the Theme for Historicon 2022 will be "World in Conflict: Italy". This has been taken to mean wars either taking place in Italy and/or involving Italy/Italians. Many years the Historicon theme has little impact on my game selection; that was certainly the case for 2021 ("Aircraft of War: Balloons, Bombers, Helicopters, and more..."), 2019 ("Extreme Terrain Edition: Jungle Warfare"), 2017 ("100 Years of Tanks"), 2013 ("American Civil War, 1863 - the Year of Decision", 2012 ("Colonial Warfare, Imperialism and Gunboat Diplomacy, 1836-1937"), 2011 ("Brother Against Brother: The American Civil War," 1861–1865), and even 2010 ("Pike and Shotte: Seventeenth Century Warfare," 1600–1699) because my English Civil War figures were languishing in their decades long underuse for lack of a rule set that I liked (To the Strongest and For King and Parliament were yet to arrive on the scene!).
That was decidedly NOT the case in 2009 (“Ride to the Sound of the Guns… -Napoleon’s 1809 Campaign and the Spanish Ulcer”), when Barry, Joe, Rodger, Thomas, Dan, and I ran SIX 1809 Napoleonic games in 3 days (plus the battlem of Agnadello 1509 with the late and much lamented Peter Hess, champion of all things Renaissance). This year's theme certainly has tremendous scope, and has thus altered ALL of the games that I planned to run! Here is the bare bones outline of planned games, followed by the detailed listings as submitted. It looks like all four games will be run under the auspices of HMGS NextGen once again.
Illustration is from Histories: Pyrrhic Wars, Heraclea Battle
https://kmhistories.wordpress.com/2018/08/21/heraclea/
Thursday 9 -1Romans vs Pyrrhus Heraclea 280 BC, with TTS!
Thursday 6 - 10
Great Italian Wars - Pavia 1525, with TTS!
Friday 3 - 7
Marengo 1800, with Morschauser inspired rules
Saturday 6 - 10
Caldiero 1805 with FoB3
Event Title: One more such victory and we are undone! Battle of Heraclea, 220 BC
Theme Game?: Yes
Club Name: HMGS NextGen
Running Time: 4 hours
Max Number of Players: 8
Period: Ancients
Event Scale: 28 mm
Rules Used: To the Strongest! by Simon Miller
Description: Pyrrhus of Epirus has a well trained army composed of veteran Macedonian and Greek troops. He invades Italy to support the Greek colonies there that are under threat by the upstart Roman Republic. His famously costly triumphs resulted in the term, "Pyrrhic Victory".
Comments: Ages 13 and up welcome; rules are easily learned
Special Requirements:
Table Size: 6' x 12.5'
Day: Thursday
Start Time: 9 AM
Event Title: All is lost save Honor! Battle of Pavia, February 24, 1525
Theme Game?: Yes
Club Name: HMGS NextGen
Running Time: 4 hours
Max Number of Players: 8
Period: Renauissance
Event Scale: 28 mm
Rules Used: To the Strongest! by Simon Miller
Description: The decisive battle of the Great Italian Wars, which resulted in the capture of French king Francis I. A glorious cacaphony of armored Gendarmes (knights) and other cavalry, pikemen, arquebusiers, crossbomen, and cannons!
Comments: Ages 13 and up welcome; rules are easily learned
Special Requirements:
Table Size: : 6' x 12.5'
Day: Thursday
Start Time: 6 PM
Event Title: Marengo a la Morschauser
Theme Game?: Yes
Club Name: HMGS NextGen
Running Time: 4 hours
Max Number of Players: 8
Period: Napoleonic
Event Scale: 28 mm
Rules Used: Morschauser-inspired simple rules on a gridded table
Description: First Consul Napoleopn Bonaparte has crossed the Alps and placed himself astride the lines of communication of Austrian General Melas and his army. The French are hard pressed when the Austrians attack first!
Comments: Ages 13 and up welcome; rules are easily learned
Special Requirements: 2 hour minimum set up time
Table Size: : 6' x 12.5'
Day: Friday
Start Time: 3 PM
Event Title: Massena's Victory - Battle of Caldiero, October 30, 1805
Theme Game?: Yes
Club Name: HMGS NextGen
Running Time 4 hours
Max Number Players: 10
Period: Napoleonic
Event Scale: 28 mm
Rules Used: Field of Battle, 3rd edition by Brent Oman
Description: While Napoleon is off encircling Ulm, Massena faces Archduke Charlesin Northern Italy, who commands a larger army. Naturally, the French attack!
Comments:
Special Requirements: 3 hour minimum set up time
Table Size: : 6' x 12.5'
Day: Saturday
Start Time: 6 PM
Meanwhile, my friends Tim Couper and David Knight from the UK will be running FIVE games using their rules for the Wars of the Roses, Test of Resolve:
Thursday 2-5: Mortimers CrossFriday 11-2: Towton
Friday 7-10: Stoke Field
Saturday 11-2: Hexham
Sunday 9-12: Empingham
Those games are what all of the WotR troops I've been painting are for!
Thus it appears the Indians and the Napoleonic Spanish will have to wait for next year to appear... unless HMGS come up with another Theme with broad appeal for 2023!
Consider all 4 of your games falls into my primary interest (with exception of Colonials). Will try to sign up to all 4 if I can!
ReplyDeleteExcellent, Milton. Even if you can't sign up, no shows are common and many games can include a few additional players when needed
DeleteIntriguing lineup for yourself, Peter.
ReplyDeleteA little different from the original plan, but not too far off!
DeleteThey look like terrific games, and all four of those would interest me Peter.
ReplyDeleteTyhey should all be fun to run and play.
DeleteLooks like a great selection of games Peter....you are going to be busy. Typical Brits, yor friends.....the theme of the show is Italian warfare, so they are doing wall to wall WotR....I guess they will include one unit of European mercenaries and claim they are Eyeties!
ReplyDeleteYep, add a few Genoese crossbowmen, maybe?
DeleteThe theme each year really isn't a big deal. This year, it just happened to work well and influence the details of the games I will run.
Thanks for the listing!
ReplyDeleteNeil
Never above a bit of self promotion, Neil! :-)
DeleteBusy bee as usual with four interesting games planned.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Gary. I will already have Tim and David from Scotland rooming with me at the convention hotel; we could probably squeeze in a 4th! :-)
DeleteSo that's the WoR impetus for you! Roger is on a slow build of the same. I still resist pre gunpowder.
ReplyDeleteYes, indeed. As previously noted, they will also work with my Hussites and other late medieval armies. Some us have to have gunpowder, others can't have khaki...
DeleteSounds like a great selection, I'd play in any of them if I were there!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
We've hosted quite a few from the UK (and elsewhere) over the years!
DeleteWow, they are some grand plans, as ever Peter. The marvellous thing about you is that they will all happen; on time (and in glorious technicolor(TM))!
ReplyDeleteRegards, James
Hi James; yes there really is no reason things should not work out as planned, although the perversity of the universe can always intervene! :-)
Delete