"ROBBIECON" 2016

Last weekend, Robert (aka, "Robbie") organized a gaming weekend at a small conference facility associated with his workplace in Vermont. The gathering included miniatures gamers from our club as well as a crew of Robbie's board gaming friends. It ran from Friday night through Sunday morning. Good games, good friends, good food--it was excellent. For another report, see AJ's Wargaming Blog    As usual, clix pix for BIG PIX in this report.

We miniaturists spent most of our time in the "clown room"--something we tried to not think about too much...

The Watcher on the Wall...

Friday night, we broke from tradition and indulged ourselves in board games, which turned out to be just the thing for the day that everyone came together. But not just any old games....

Classic edition with 1965 rules

1963 edition with wooden blocks.

     
We played several rousing iterations of these nostalgic favorites far into the night--more so than any of us would have imagined. By the time we were done (2 a.m.), several bits of club lore had been created. I wouldn't want to embarrass anyone in this blog by mentioning names, but one player (Rob, aka "Oilcan") managed to get wiped out in a game of Nuclear War before we got to turn 1: a legend is born! Modesty also prevents me from mentioning that I was emperor of the world in Risk (hey, it was my game after all...).

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Saturday morning found us in Spain as the British and their Spanish allies faced off against the French in a Napoleon's Rules of War 28mm Napoleonic miniatures game that Charlie hosted (also the rules author). The British aggressively turned the French left, which was stabilized at the last second, and the French right managed to cause just enough damage to swing the game, although the situation was quite fluid and could have gone either way--a hard pounding, and a near run thing. Unfortunately, my camera was too low end to get many good shots under the circumstances, so many of the more detailed shots didn't come through.

Byron, British CiC, is a blur of activity at the start.

Mid game: the Spaniards stretched thin in the center while the French right tangles with the British left just across the road.

British gunners notice Ralph looming ahead.

Dark perspective from the Watcher on the Wall...note that all eyes are averted.

Saturday evening, after a superb dinner, we found ourselves among the ancients, with a Ptolemaic army facing off against the Galatians. The Galatian right (run by Dave Cheng who joined us from Albany) smashed into the Ptolemaic left, run by Rob, and both sides ground against each other. In the center, it was elephants and scythe chariots on both sides, with the Galatians finally breaking through to hit the Ptolemaic pike. On the right, the Egyptian battle line, run by Charlie, managed to hang on against the frenzied assaults of the Galations, run by AJ. In the end, the Ptolemaic wings held on long enough for the pike battle line to march to the aid of the Egyptians and weigh-in  against the Galatian left. Once again, a hard pounding and a rousing affair.

Ralph's amazing collection: the Egyptian battle line.

Wild and wooly Galatians.

Byron consults the "Letter to the Galatians" for insights on warding off elephants while Robbie considers the implications.

The Galatian left, under AJ, surges towards the Egyptians at mid battle.

Byron's scythe chariots break through and head for the Ptolemaic pike while Dave looks on thinking happy thoughts (happy for a Galatian, anyway)

The Ptolemaic pike, having survived the scythe chariots, begins to march. 

All in all, a superb time. Thanks to Robbie for organizing!