Since I got home from work (which was a bit of an ordeal due to road closures that affect my route home), I have managed to make quite a bit of progress in my preparations for COW2011 next weekend.
I had already got all mu FUNNY LITTLE WARS stuff together and packed, and today I wanted to concentrate on sorting out everything that I need for my PORTABLE WARGAME session. I have made:
I think that all I will have to do on Thursday evening is to pack my clothes and the dice, counters, and figures ... and once that is done it should take just a few minutes to pack everything in the car before I leave for my last day at work and the subsequent drive to COW.
The problem is ... I keep thinking that I have forgotten something.
PS. As I was writing this blog entry I suddenly remembered to add the following items to my list of things to take:
I had already got all mu FUNNY LITTLE WARS stuff together and packed, and today I wanted to concentrate on sorting out everything that I need for my PORTABLE WARGAME session. I have made:
- A few minor adjustments to the Microsoft PowerPoint presentation I am going to use
- Printed off more than enough copies of the Rules Summary sheets
- Packed the terrain into my old metal Pilot Case (which I have found is ideal for carrying Heroscape™ terrain in)
- Sorted out - but not put into sets - enough dice and 'pin' counters for each player
- Sorted out - but not yet put into carrying boxes - four Austro-Hungarian and four Prussian armies, each with ten Units (which should be enough for a reasonably short and interesting game)
- Got out one of the vinyl chessboards so that session attendees can see what they look like
I think that all I will have to do on Thursday evening is to pack my clothes and the dice, counters, and figures ... and once that is done it should take just a few minutes to pack everything in the car before I leave for my last day at work and the subsequent drive to COW.
The problem is ... I keep thinking that I have forgotten something.
PS. As I was writing this blog entry I suddenly remembered to add the following items to my list of things to take:
- My laptop computer
- My iPad (and yes ... I will need both my laptop and my iPad as copies of my rules are stored as a PDFs on my iPad!)
- My digital camera (most important if I want to write a suitable illustrated blog entry when I get home!)
Look forward to your report on COW
ReplyDeleteMosstrooper,
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to being there and writing about it afterwards.
All the best,
Bob
Gosh, Bob, if this is going to be typical of how busy you'll be in retirement, you may have to retire from your retirement some day...
ReplyDeleteHave a great convention! Historicon, the big convention in the U.S., is also going on this weekend. I'm running what you folks would call the "Bring-and-Buy", which among other things requires that I assign tables for up to 80 people per session for 5 sessions. That's a lot of bringers and buyers. What you're doing sounds like more fun!
Best regards,
Chris
Chris,
ReplyDeleteI know that it is a trite thing to say, but I like to keep myself mentally busy ... and I doubt if my wife will let me just sit around doing nothing when I am retired.
COW is a relaxing weekend because I spend it with lots of good friends who get on with each other, and the range of different wargames on offer is incredible.
Good luck with Historicon. I suspect that it will be a very different sort of experience from COW, and one that I would like to try at some time in the future.
All the best,
Bob
Hi Bob,
ReplyDeleteSeeing all your COW related posts and the extensive preparation thereof makes me truly sorry I have yet to take the plunge and go myself!
I have put this firmly on my 'to do' list at some point and in the meantime will look forward to the next best thing - your blog entry describing the events afterwards!
Have a great time and look upon it as a wargaming launch pad for your retirement!
All the best,
DC
Well prepared and filled with enthusiasm- it will be an excellent way to start your retirement and hopefully will be a big boost to your enrgy levels and etc.
ReplyDeletebest wishes
Alan
David Crook,
ReplyDeleteYou must try to come to COW someday ... even if only to see the range of different sorts of wargames that are on offer and to meet 'the gang'.
I intend to mark the beginning of my retirement with a weekend of wargaming, in the hope that it will be the pattern of what is to follow.
Many thanks for your kind words.
All the best,
Bob
Tradgardmastare,
ReplyDeleteHaving COW in my sights this week has helped me cope with the sheer drudgery of the end of term and - more importantly - the feeling of being 'left out' of much of what is going on.
No worries about preparing for next term, no worries about my timetable, and no worries about being 'measured' by my student's results (although I know that they will have done well!).
I hope that COW will be the start of a very fulfilling retirement. If it isn't, then I will have no one to blame except myself.
All the best (and enjoy your holiday),
Bob