What-Khan 2016

Last weekend I went to What-Khan (formerly Rock Con) in Rockford, IL with Bob Rondou.  Held in a giant sports center it was nice to return to the con after missing the last couple of years.  It was combined with NavCon which was a welcome addition for us.  I think attendance and participation would have been down without the addition.  Next year they are moving to a new facility and returning to the name Rock Con.  Right now I certainly plan to be there.

Now to pictures and some game talk.

Islandawhana 1879

Set up Friday, but not played till Saturday afternoon.

Team Yankee before the Friday session starts.

I was happy to get in a Naval Thunder WWII game set in the Mediterranean.  A historic scenario I've played before, this time from the British side.

Battle of Spartivente using 1/2400 miniatures.

The blue pipe cleaners cleverly indicate evasive maneuvers. 

We (I) lost the Renown, but we sank three Italian heavy cruisers.

Lots of very attractive games going on.  Friday night was busy on the game floor, though the vendors said it was pretty quiet for them.

Clear for Action

Star Wars I'd guess by the ships.

Saturday AM Bob and I signed up for the Team Yankee game.  We do a lot of Flames of War and the "once a year" mini-campaign around Fulda Gap.  I ended up on the Soviet side and as a "newbie" they gave me twenty T-72s to run.  Bob had a mech company with some tank support.

Team Yankee game after the Friday session.  Yarn indicates
starting positions.

Some other Saturday morning games.  Tables were full of players and no shortage of choices.

All Quiet on the Martian Front. 

Pegasus Bridge.

Things went pretty much as usual in Team Yankee.  Americans kill anything they hit and survive most attacks.  Facing seven Abrams, four light vehicles, two Cobras and two Warthogs I was lucky to "only" lose eleven of my T-72s.  In return we collectively killed three Abrams, a Cobra, a Warthog and two light vehicles.  At the end the ref realized he had given the wrong value for an Abrams armor.  In his words I would have killed two more Abrams and lost four few T-72s.

Making progress.  The Soviets were awarded a tactical victory.

Saturday afternoon I played in Mike Husky's "To the Strongest" game.  Not sure why I didn't get any pictures.  I was a Roman facing barbarian hordes.  After a poor set up and a hard fight, we collapsed in a heap.  Saturday night wasn't a thrilling set of game choices, so I ended up in a Wings of Glory game.  Traditionally it isn't a good game for me.  I'm an ace pilot in "Red Baron," but something about this game eludes me.  Happily it was a fun-loving group of players and the ref kept things running fast, so when I was inevitably shot down I still had fun.

Wings of Glory.  I was shot down as usual.

Sunday morning Bob and I played in another "To the Strongest" game.  This time in God's True Scale, 28mm.  Just gorgeous figures by Paul Scrivens-Smith.  Lots of flying games and RPGs, but very few others.

To the Strongest!  Spanish (think El Cid) vs. Berbers.

Just amazing figures.

The Magnificent Seven using A Fistful of Miniatures.

Locked in deadly combat.  A simple system, but with a lot of
dramatic tension.

As was the theme for the weekend, my side lost.

Overall, my side didn't fare well over the weekend.  Clear losers in three games, a tie in another and a tactical victory for the Soviets.  But the con team and their minions were great, gamers and refs were positive and many bargains were had.  Out by 1:00 we were home again by five.  I did well with the vendors and silent auction, filling some needs and also scoring this curiosity:

Are these Spencers?

There are around 200 of htem.  About the same height as a Foundry figure, but much slimmer.  Hard plastics and truly painted as Imagi-Nation armies.  Besides the pictured there are pioneers, gunners, sailors and lots of musket armed soldiers.  For the price, well worth it.  Rock on!