Conference of Wargamers 2012 - Saturday

Saturday's activities began with Ian Drury's simplified version of the Fletcher Pratt naval game.  or added effect this was played in a room with a nice green carpet - just right to represent the turbulent waters of the North Cape.  There will be more on this game in a separate post.
Next up was PVO Strany, presented by Martin Rapier and myself.  Again, I will devote a future post to this game.  I had described this to players as 'A jolly lawn game about defending the Soviet Union from nuclear bombers' which set the less than completely serious tone.  The game ran three times - with the Vulcan being shot down on it's final approach in the first, dodging MIGs on the second and then getting a pretty clear run on the third.  That's why the city of Knustongrad can no longer be found on maps.  The weather held during this session, with the first drops of rain falling as I packed away the last bits of kit. 

The intrepid Vulcan crew

The Soviet radar team deep in their bunker.

In the afternoon I sat in on Jim Wallman's recreation of HG Wells's Little Wars.  Appearing in the programme as 'Garden Wars', this had been moved indoors in view of the inclement weather.  As I have shedloads of photos of this game I will share more of them with you in a later post.

Jim explains things while Nick Huband enjoys a nice lie down.

In the evening it was off to Anatolia to defend Christendom against the heathen in a game using Fred Cartwright's new De Bellis Parvis rules.  These are designed for engagements bigger than a skirmish but smaller then a pitched battle, with units representing perhaps 300 men.  Although having the worst of the fighting and getting our general killed, we Byzantines did manage to grab the wagonloads of loot.

Saracens sir - thousands of 'em!

The day was rounded off in some style by Jim Roche's session charting the WW2 histories of the battalions of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders - complete with singing and much audience participation.

Jim leads the singing