Wargame Conventions in America

Sha'a'alaar · Post by **Sha'a'alaar** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 11:59 am

Hi guys

Hope someone can help me with this question.

What is the best wargame convention in America? This includes historical gaming and I would really appreciate more than "XXX rocks!". Maybe a bit of explanation as to why you think one show is great would really help.

Why do I want to know? Well, a friend publishes a wargames magazine and we are probably going to get to one of the US shows next year - but need to target our meagre resources carefully.

Thanks for your help.
Sha'a'alaar

Bonemagus · Post by **Bonemagus** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 12:08 am

The two I hear mentioned the most are Adepticon in Chicago (Best non GW but Warhammer related) convention in the United States. Then the Chicago Grand Tournament second hand I have heard gets a wider range of the best painters and players not only from the U.S. but visiting from Europe as well.

I am from the Midwest so its possible that colors my knowledge a tad and I certainly don't want to short sell other great regional type events I have never heard of. But those two are huge and draw upon a large number of players from all over the United States.

Sha'a'alaar · Post by **Sha'a'alaar** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 7:37 pm

Cheers

I've heard some things about winter war too.

Post by **Vorchild** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 10:30 pm

Many times you ask this question the answer of the penultimate gaming convention (possibly in the world) is GenCon. I've never been but apparently its full of all kinds of games and its just huge. Not specifically a wargames convention, mind you, but still.

Post by **Dyvim tvar** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 10:49 pm

GenCon is definitely the big one.

Bonemagus · Post by **Bonemagus** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 5:43 pm

Yes if I was going to answer which gaming convention is the largest and maybe therefor the best the only answer is Gen Con Indy. However the person asked about war gaming conventions and the truth of the matter is that wargamers have been bringing their stuff less and less to Gen Con. From what I hear the last 2 years it was very difficult to find any Warhammer there at all and what little was actually there was almost entirely 40k.

It seems the wargamers are waundering off to their own conventions more and more rather than going to Gen Con. At least from what I hear second hand from friends who have gone to Gen Con the past few years and have been going for years.

Sha'a'alaar · Post by **Sha'a'alaar** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 7:47 pm

Bonemagus, I am more interested in conventions which have all types of wargame, probably with more historical gaming than fantasy or sci-fi.

Maybe I need to look at GenCon.

cheers guys
Sha'a'alaar

Bonemagus · Post by **Bonemagus** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 12:17 pm

Well Warhammer is just the game I happen to play but when I say more generally games. Gen Con is much more of a Role Playing, General Fantasy, General Sci Fi and Computer Game Convention. I have never heard of any historical gaming being played there (doesn't mean it doesn't happen.)

Also I am not sure exactly where the Location is but I have heard an event called Little Wars is a pretty cool historical gaming convention. Been a long time since i have talked to the historical gamer who mentioned that event to me though... I am not even sure what city it is in...

Lord elvis · Post by **Lord elvis** » Tue May 01, 2007 3:42 pm

I'd recommend an HMGS-East convention. Mostly because it's what I know.

Historicon is the biggest of the three. It's held in July. It's mostly historical miniatures gaming but there are a few fantasy and sci-fi games run there as well.

Other HMGS-East Events:
Cold Wars
This convention is held in March/April.
To get an idea of the vendors that attend, check out the Cold Wars vendor list from earlier this year: http://www.coldwars.org/dealer.htm

Check out the program book online: http://www.coldwars.org/documents/Conve ... ok2007.pdf

Fall-In!
Even Fall-In! which is the smallest is still the third largest HMGS convention in the country. I guess. November is when Fall-In! is held.

I would venture to guess that a big problem with those conventions is they are not near a major airport.

I've never been to Origins, is there anyone here who can provide information on that convention as it relates to miniature gaming there?

Sha'a'alaar · Post by **Sha'a'alaar** » Wed May 16, 2007 10:05 am

It looks like we'll probably be heading to Cold Wars.
Thanks for the help.

cheers
Sha'a'alaar