By Fred Manzo
Consimworld Expo is the finest war gaming convention I know of (with the World Boardgaming Championships – WBC – in Lancaster, Pennsylvania being a close second). Consimworld Expo takes the title by a nose due to it being big enough to provide wargamers with as many options as they could possibly want, the hotel is impressive, there are plenty of sightseeing side-trips to occupy anyone’s free time, the area is beautiful and, not only do you meet a bunch of great guys but, publishers, designers and developers abound. This year, for example, in addition to the special guest of honor Mark Herman there will be in attendance Gene Billingsley, Christopher Cummins, Tony Curtis, Ken Dingley, Mark Hinkle, Joseph Miranda, Michael Resch, Mark Simonitch, Jeff Tibbets, Vance von Borries, Ian Weir, Rick Young and Joe Youst.
Now, we always try to get to Consimworld Expo. However, last year due to scheduling conflicts I don’t believe any of us from Long Island were able to take part, but this time at least Hermann Luttmann, Harvey Mossman and I will be there. In fact, I just registered today and it reminded me that I never did get around to post any pictures from our last trip in 2013.
So. without further ado:
First, four or five of us arrived a couple of days early and took a number of side-trips. One was to Tombstone (the town to tough to die, but not tough enough to resist becoming a tourist trap. Although an interesting one at that).
The opening scene in a Tombstone saloon’s re-enactment of “The History of Bar Fights in the Old West.” The take-away: “never bring a knife to a gun fight.”
Gary and Harvey on a side-trip to our side-trip.
An outdoor bar besides one of the town’s silver mines, which were opened to the public too.
We also took time to visit to the Pima Air and Space Museum before the convention got started. It was well worth it.
A Cobra attack helicopter at the museum
An A-10 Thunderbolt II, universally known as the Warthog, was part of their collection.
In addition, a SR-71 (known as the “Black Bird”) was at the museum. The Pima Air & Space Museum is a private non-profit museum. located in Tucson, Arizona. There is also an 80 acre boneyard at the site and daily bus tours of it are available.
Then we spent 5 days at Consimworld 2013 in a very fine hotel,
The main gaming hall at the Tempe Mission Palms (in 2009). I’d expect around 300-350 wargamers there this year, mostly playing monster games, but also open games, newly published games and playtesting versions of about-to-be-published games.
Another view of the main hall at Tempe. It’s the home of truly monster games. I once played “Wellington’s Victory” there for three days. My British/Allied forces weren’t so much defeated as my morale was broken.
The main hall (also known as the Grand Ballroom) at the Tempe Mission Palms ready for a more formal gathering.
Basically, the monster games are found in the main room and the play-test versions are found in the front hall. There are also two or three side rooms that are usually involved. This is a view of the front hall. That might be Harold Buchanan, the designer of Liberty or Death, the American Insurrection (a game in the COIN series) on the far left.
An early version of Kirk Uhlmann’s “The Lamps Are Going Out – World War I” was playtested too.
Note the “battle board” in the lower left hand corner has been removed from newer versions of “Lamps.”
Achilles and Ajax playtesting an earlier version of “Lamps.” (Just kidding. It only feels that way.)
Hermann Luttmann (left) playing an extra large version of the first edition of his “Dawn of the Zeds” and Joshua Gottesman, the Victory Point Games’ Business Manager, on the right looking on.
The extra large version of “Dawn of the Zeds” (First Edition) that was available for play.
A version of the “Sergeants Miniatures Game” (SMG) was set up in order to teach anyone interested.
A copy of “High Frontier,” a SF game about exploring and developing a solar system-wide economy, was always in play in the main hall. “High Frontier” was designed by Phil Eklund and published by Sierra Madre Games in 2010.
The “High Frontier” map from another angle. There is now a second edition, with a third edition in play-testing..
A copy of “Wellington’s War” was also in play in the main hall. WW was designed by Hans von Stockhausen and published by Pacific Rim Publishing.
A card from “Wellington’s War.”
Resources:
ConsimWorld Expo 2015
CSW Expo 2015 featuring MonsterGame.CON XV will be held June 20-27, 2015 at the Tempe Mission Palms in beautiful Tempe, Arizona. What makes CSW Expo so special? Read the Overview to learn more!
