THINGS TO COME: CLUB GAME DAY, MONGOL INVASION OF HUNGARY

 

Greetings, dear reader(s). I guess this would fall into a "Work in Progress" post. For the last few months, a 5 person consortium in our gaming club has been working towards our Spring Game Day game. For those new to this blog, our club usually holds one Saturday "Game Day" per year. These provide us the opportunity to put on big games (these are club-member & club guest-only events, not to be confused with our Open Game Days, which we also hold once per year). 

 

                                           King Bella                The Great Khan

This year, we are putting on a game set in the 13th Century Mongol Invasion of Hungary, pitting Western forces led by King Bella of Hungary against the Great Khan and the Mongols and their subjects.  The game is coming up this weekend, and we're putting the final touches on arrangements. The game will be played using a stripped down version of Lion Rampant II and the combined collections of five club members. Here is a selection of shots featuring some of the terrain and figures from playtests we've been doing in advance of the event (as usual, you may clix pix for BIG PIX)...

The game will be set on three three tables, each being a different "front" in the approaches to a frontier capital.  The tables will be connected, but not directly (any units exiting will have to transit a notional route, taking up some time, before arriving at the next table). 

We will be putting something on the order of 800, 28mm figures on the table, with each player running a warband of 4 or 5 units (with some spare units in reserve should turnout be higher than expected or we need to infuse them to keep the game running if someone gets wiped out early).

We will have 1 center table, with 8 players and 2 Game Masters, and 2 wing tables, with 1 Game Master and 4-6 players each. If needs be, we'll be able expand by a few players beyond these planned numbers. I'll be coordinating the overall event and supporting as needed.  The Khan and King Bella players will be on the Center Table, and each of the Wing tables will be led by a Duke (Western) or Noyan (Mongol) player. All told, there will be 5 game masters and something on the order of 20-24 players. 

If I don't get too wrapped up in execution, I hope to have some shots and a report in the wake of the event. 

Excelsior!

MAYHEM 2026 CONVENTION REPORT

 

 View of the main room on Saturday afternoon.

A combination of the usual suspects has caused recent blogging activity to lag for the last few months (understatement).  As a good prompt to get back into the swing of things, I thought I'd post on my recent trip to the Mayhem Gaming Convention held here in New Hampshire. I was there for the entire time, ran two games, and sold a few bits and bobs at the Sunday flea market. More importantly, I engaged with lots of other gamers, in particular connecting with a cabal of Pikeman's Lament/ Lion Rampant gamers of whom I was not previously aware.  I hope to hear from one of more of them in the follow up.  This post will mainly be pictures, with a bit of context down at the bottom to highlight fellow club members in attendance and my two games--in other words, a light post to get me started again.  Being a US convention, all events were participation games.  Speaking with Josh (the event coordinator), this year's attendance was a bit above 800: good crowd once again. As usual, you may clix pix for BIG PIX. Here we go...

 A SAMPLING OF GAMES

CONSPIRATORS

Fellow members of my gaming club in action...

Running Games

Phil (red shirt) running his Dewey at Manila Bay game

Earl (blue and white club shirt) running his French and Inidan War Rebels and Patriots game.

AJ (blue and white club shirt) running his One Hour Skirmish WWII game (above left) and his Electronic Brigadier game.

Michael Bailey briefing players for his Cruel Seas game (he also ran a 28mm pirate game later that day--I didn't get a shot of that one). 

Your humble correspondent (in crown) running his Saturday Night Joust game...

...two shots of my Friday: Pikeman's Lament game set in the Eastern Renaissance (Poles vs Cossacks). General Dice was with the Poles, skewing the results, which can happen in this family of rules, but the players understood that this how it can  sometimes go in this system and so maintained an excellent attitude and a good time was had by all.

Robert (seated at far end of table) running his 15mm Napoleonic game. 

Playing Games

From left to right, Robert, Byron, and Michael, playing in the Griff Memorial Cup game.

Charlie (blue and white club shirt) in action in AJ's Electronic Brigadier game. 

Dr Dick (standing at left) playing in a Napoleonic game on Saturday morning. 

Phil, bearded at left (not in a club shirt: out of uniform!) playing in an air game. 

CONCLUSION

I'm awful with names, so I'll just mention an appreciation for the players in my games. First, the Friday night Pikeman's Lament crew (above), the good-sport Cossacks (left) and the victorious Poles (right)...

...and the six jolly jousters in my Saturday Night joust, who rousted, boasted, and wagered to the end. Thanks to all for making it another quality experience for me as a game host.

I'm looking forward to hosting again at Mayhem '27!

Excelsior!