CANCON 2013

CanCon Australia's premier wargames convention was held over the Ausralia Day weekend 26-28 January. As usual hundreds of gamers attended and thousands of visitors came along to watch or buy from the multitude of trade stands. I ran my Isandlwana game which attracted some 40 players over three days and won the most popular participation game of the convention, which was a nice surprise. There were 650 Zulu figures and 48 British and NNC figures.

Here is my Zulu game. It represented the battle of Isandlwana. I had designed the game to be a quick moving easy to play participation game. The mountain was there for the spectacle effect and did look good.

 The British player looks pensively on as the Zulu Impi advances towards him.

 Getting close to the camp - for the British players it has turned into a desperate fight for survival.

 Steady lads and pick your mark!

 The camp and mountain. 

The camp was out of bounds as far as the game went, but it looked grand.

 One of those moments when you could use a few more friends.

My Zulu game won the trophy for most popular participation game - a really nice surprise.

Another great participation game was Peking 1900 with hordes of boxers attempting to storm the embassies in Peking. This was a magnificent game played over three days on two table with beautiful scratch built embassies and a magnificent wall. 1000 painted figures were used in the game. The boxers managed to burn down the French and Japanese embassies and stormed the British embassy, but were put to flight by the timely arrival of the relief column on day three.

 Another participation game was this Franco Prussian War game using masses of very nicely painted 28mm figures. Blackpowder rules were used.

 The throng doing their shopping.

 A well run Napoleonic naval game

This was an excellent table made up of hex tiles - very impressive. The game was a Soviet invasion of Western Europe mid 1980s.

 A 6mm game battling though a city using Spearhead rules

 Lots and lots of board games and card games

 A Wars of the Roses game being played using Hail Caesar rules

 A WW1 air warfare game - great models - excellent Zepplin

 These were very impressive! Very large radio controlled tanks that simulated firing guns using strobe lights, recorded hits with computer chips and were wonderful to watch maneuvering about on a big table

 Large numbers playing Magic card games

 A keenly fought AWGR game

Hundreds of gamers playing in tournaments of all types - Bolt Action, FOG, FOGR, DBA, DBR, DBMM, FOW, Warhammer, 40K, War Machine to many to recall all of them.

Redcoats on the March

I seem to be painting a lot of British troops recently.  Luckily, I like painting red! I've has a pile of 40mm American War of Independence figures sitting around for a while.  It took longer than I expected to paint up a unit, lots of fiddly details.  I'm not sure who made this range- another mystery I guess! 

Huzzah! and Tally-Ho Chaps!

Here is the Colonel from Warlord Games' Crimean War - Black Powder range. I'm not into this period (yet), but this guy appealed to me.  He very much has the look of a hard campaigning, pipe smoking veteran of the field.

"Well played old chap!"

28mm HOLY MEN

Here is my latest 28mm vignette. This little group of Holy men will accompany my 28mm medieval peasant army to sweep the land free from corruption and oppression - or more than likely impose their own version of the same. The kneeling monk is Gripping Beast, not sure about the two standing Monks, but I think they are Gripping Beast. The source of the energetic preacher is a mystery, but he painted up nicely. The small cross is from the spares box while the big cross is a Halloween prop from 'Spooky Town'.

Tigerzouave's Contribution

HOME CAST C18TH SOLDIERS

Here is the latest addition to my home cast C18th army - my 'Glorious Obsession'. This is the Regiment Constantinian which was established by the Constantinan military order. The officers are my own work sculpted and home cast by me while the Cardinal, who just had to accompany the Regiment, is a Redoubt mini from their Three Musketeer line. The figures are 35mm tall.

HAIL CAESAR GAME - VIKINGS v. SAXONS

 Here are some photos of a Hail Caesar game we played on Thursday night. The game was between Vikings and Saxons. This is the battlefield - Vikings in foreground, Saxons in distance.

 Ragnar Stormcrow's war band on the left of the Viking line - Ubba Lothbrokson is next to Ragnar in the center of the Viking line.

 Uthred's war band forms on the right flank of the Viking line. 

 Erstwhile veterans (40 year old Lamming minis) form the center for the Saxon line.

 The Saxon right wing advances and drives Ragnar back. In the center Ubba has advanced but is being held in check by the Saxon veterans.

 In the far distance Ragnar has been driven back but is grimly holding on, while in the center Ubba has been fought to a standstill and Ubba has been wounded. In the foreground Uthred has crushed the Saxon left flank and is gathering his men for a push against the Saxon center.

Ragnar has been pushed back and the Saxons have followed him up. Ragnar continues to fight on grimly refusing to break. Some of Ubba's warriors turn to face the rear of the Saxons who are battling Ragnar.

 Having smashed the Saxon left flank Uthred begins to reform 
his men to turn in on the Saxon Center.

Ubba's men get behind the Saxons battling Ragnar. In a lucky break Ragnar forces the Saxons to retreat. Their retreat blocked by Ubba's men the Saxons facing Ragnar are destroyed.

Uthred begins to move in on the battered Saxon center, all that remains of their army after their right and left flanks have collapsed.The Saxons concede and the game ends. It was a good game the outcome of which was in the lap of the Gods until the closing moments.