My next game was 20mm Sudan. The GM made up his own rules. They are really pretty good. They were a mix of black powder and Sands of the Sudan and RF&F. Square battle mat based movement and ranges. Ranges proved difficult as kitty corner shots were never calculated the same. The leadership and how to kill a leader was not so convention friendly.
        Otherwise it was a good set of rules. I had a handle half way thru the 2nd turn. My side of the table was playing faster. I had a good time and appreciate all the effort he took painting those dudes up.
        I have more painted than him today. With the exception of Naval Brigade.  Maybe I should think about a game for Cold Wars!

 Cool little add on.

 The dial counters were a good idea…..until assault occurs. Then they just get in the way and none remember which one goes where.

 The square being assaulted on the corners.

 British squares collapse as the Naval gunners take the worst of it.

 AWI game

My Last game Friday. They had one too many players. The GM let me run the locals. I had groups jumping on the crushed spaceship, stealing stuff. A group delaying contractors for whiskey and smokes. Groups randomly attacking each other and the contractors. In the end the dictator got skinned by the predators, we stole the exploding thing, selling it to a group of contractors who then blow up, we stole a spear predator thingy.

 The giant Zulu game

 The award winning FL ACW game

 more games

 MechaniCon table

 The York guys’ ACW table

        The host is being fixed up rapidly. The parking lots were a mess as with the main entrances. None of which had people parking across the street. I could always find a spot. My early morning arrival time got spots in the shade and close each day.

         The vendor hall is still down the hill. The way there is still under construction.

         The food stations were down from 3 to 1. The bar was not serving food. The lines for lunch were a mile long. The food selection was shit, burgers, beans, chicken fingers. They used to have great catered food. Some one fucked that up.

         I would say attendance is down again. There were fewer hosted games. Many empty gaming tables. If it was not for the MechaniCon group doing SciFy and all the tournaments, HMGS’ summer event would be dead!
         If you failed to preregister, there were very few available games on the board. Available gaming tickets about equaled canceled games. Saturday saw both morning and noon games for me canceled.

         Moving back to the Host fucked them royal! It should have stayed south of DC. Never did I think I would say that. The trip down 95 to Fredricksburg was a shit show! It should never ever returned to the Host. People hate the host. I would guess next year’s event in downtown Lancaster is going to be the death blow.

 Miles had a great table.

 Some of the regular gaming groups were kicking about.

 Miniature building authority’s table.

 I got to play on it on Friday.

One of the great tables

Same room, same group! They must have a terrain guy.

 My first Friday game, was a run from the Zombies. The dude did not know the rules. The rules changed and he would ask another dude what the rules actually were. The zombies could not hurt you and you killed them just by having a turn.

2019:   3/27/2019 through 3/31/2019 

2020:   3/25/2020 through 3/29/2020

Plan ahead. Save your coins. Schedule that time off.

         Not much happening. Saturday is the huge party. The morning is full of the hung over and people scooping up the vender hall. I bought nothing, nothing. On Sunday. The bags were jam packed. I left the fake blood bowl game behind.

 The start of the abuse.

 That is the BTS hiding in the background. Dead in front is Dave abusing the hell out of me. I lost 2-0. If I had the trenches, I would like it would have gone more my way.

 Cowboy action. That is one cool ass game. A demo is like free crack.

A dino and United club. The end of a great weekend.

         Tau again. This time the experimental big boy suit list. I will be running the trial Manta with reduced price of 575. I spent the extra 75 points on  xxxx.

        The plan is to stuff the riptides straight down their throats. While the Manta and AX-01 support. Cudas on CAP and everyone else waits for T3.
        Objectives, The Blitz will get slung out to one side. While I deploy opposite. Looking for BTS and their Blitz. Take & Hold will be all the way back by their Blitz. **Unless the army is super slow, then every objective is spread out.

My list

          First game Tau Vs Codex Marines. I took the cheaper Manta and used the point to increase the size of a recon detachment. Dustin took cheaper Whirlwinds and used the points to add chaplains.

Tau 4 – Orks 0

The second game Tau Vs Orks. Eric is a long time Ork player. The Riptides received the focused hate of the Orks.

         The only picture from our game. The Riptides soaked up activation after activation. They became Eric’s focus. He could not kill them and when they were broken. They rallied. The leader is too much for them. It must be removed.

           The Tau Vior’la list is busted. I played V1.9. With double Riptides, my opponents were abused, abused by them. The problem is Tau is a high risk, high reward army. If you apply the Tau’s overwhelming firepower, you risk getting prison raped in an engagement. The Riptides can apply the firepower without the risk.

Manta

         The Manta. It had total freedom. (riptides got all the attention.) It was unable to break a single unit. As a bus, suits jumping out erased ork gods and burned others so bad the foam they rested in was toasted.

I took 1st. The plan worked out for once. Mark lights and cross fires every where. The AX-01 performed above avg. MVPs riptides.

          I gave up my last game. Dave was TO. He gave 4 demos. 2 of the people had to have eaten paper chips as kids. It sucks when a no show benches you (2 year in a row he failed to show). It sucks to sit around all day long watching everyone play. Fair is Fair.

Eric and Dustin’s 3rd game.

          Well its wheels up tomorrow morning and it is snowing like its free. My flight is still on time, but the plane is in Chicago. If it gets in tonight, I should be good. They say the snow ends here at 3 or 7 or maybe tonight. As long as that plane gets here.

        The plane got in. I got out no problem. I was off the plane and picked up curb side in
20 minutes. Check in was quick and easy. The swag bag had a fake ass blood bowl game, 40K SM, Blood & plunder dude, coupons, BL books, BL calendar, some bases, and chump bullshit bits.