Historicon 2011: First Day, Second Day

It’s another Historicon, possibly our last of our short stint at Valley Forge. I got here around 2PM Wednesday and did the usual donkey work getting the show stuff ready with a team of about forty other willing souls.

Business was brisk.. there was a sense of upbeat excitement, as usual for the first day of a con, but also some poignancy, as some of these folks have worked these cons for almost ten years, and Bob Giglio has made it clear that this is his last HISTORICON.

After my shift, I wandered about but really couldn’t weasel into anything. So off to where most things get decided, the bar.. I bent an elbow with Del Stover and Eric Shanholtz, and discovered what our top contenders were for the next Historicon 12 event.. they are looking at four contenders now: Fredericksburg, York, Hampton and (unbelievably) Valley Forge again, with a smaller footprint.

Went to bed, had to be up for a morning shift. I did some aimless shopping and actually did a run to the store to get food and whatnot during the day– after almost spending THIRTEEN BUCKS on a breakfast buffet in the hotel, I decided to fend for myself in the food department. I came back and hit the flea market and dealer’s room and can only boast of buying a double issue of AGAINST THE ODDS magazine (because it had issue games on Ironclads and the Flying Tigers). Not much else was purchased.. but I didn’t look very hard. I don’t know what it is.. I wasn’t that excited about shopping this year.

I did manage to sign up for an evening game, starting at 8 PM in the far off reaches of the Buchanan Room. The Buchanan Room was a bustling location when I arrived mere moments before the game ROLLING ON THE RIVER, a Beer and Pretzels Ironclads skirmish run by Eric Turner and Alex Hamilton, commenced. This game proved to be the highlight of my evening– it wasn’t as if it were particularly conclusive or anything, with the lackadaisical gunfire on display on both sides. However, the humorous approach to the game by all concerned made it a bucket of win for me. What can you expect from a game that featured the CSS Death Trap, CSS Kissin’ Cousins, and CSS WaterWanker vs. the USS Chamberpot, USS BLA, and USS Bam Bam? I mean, besides reinforcement from the USS Bleccccch and CSS Puddleduck? I’ve decided to commemorate the game with a sensitive little kinescopic epic I call:

EAT MY FLAMING CORDITE, YANKEE DOG

I greatly enjoyed the game and it managed to scratch my naval combat itch for the night. And so, onward into Friday!

Having a great time at Historicon 2011.. evidence seems to indicate that the GUIDEBOOK app was a big hit, so far, as well. I’m happy that the effort wasn’t wasted.