Held annually for decades now, AdeptiCon is the granddaddy of all wargaming conventions in the US of A. As the granddaddy, it’s appropriate and fair that it is now developing a massive historical gaming contingent, complete with it’s own hotel and beautiful gaming space. You can check out last year’s event review here and also see the event preview link here.
One of the big additions to the offerings the last few years was a more structured Lard America weekend. We now have games on Friday and Saturday, with some pickup games going in the evening. This year we will have 17 or more games that players can sign up for and play in. These are participation games – the gamemaster brings all the models, terrain, rules etc. and you play in it. A good knowledge of the rules helps but isn’t usually required. These will all be taking place at the Hyatt Regency hotel, the off-site place at AdeptiCon.
If you’re not familiar with Lard America, we’re an informal club that gathers at conventions around the country to showcase TooFatLardies games. TFL is a company that writes historical rulesets that put a great emphasis on leadership, characters, friction (fog of war), and historical accuracy. Many of their games are large skirmish – so maybe 50-60 minis a side. If you search in the event listing for Lard America you’ll see all of our games. Let’s take a look at some of the events you should consider for your schedule this year.
Thursday
Sharp Practice A Glass of Madira, My Dear (Lard America)
6:00 PM-11:00 PM
Sharp Practice
Tickets: 4
Hyatt Regency
Event Type: Event Game | Materials Provided: Yes | Experience Required: Some
Cost: $7 | Presented By: Lard America
The Austrians seek a brief respite from advancing to pursue the retiring French in early May 1809.
Friday
Event Type: Event Game | Materials Provided: Yes | Experience Required: None
Cost: 7 | Presented By: Lard America
Can the plucky redcoats and allies retrieve the kidnapped daughters of General Grey hair? Or will the French and their native allies spirit them away to never be seen again. Play “TooFatLardies” Sharp Practice during the French and Indian wars period. Rules will be taught and miniatures supplied. Great fun with every game different with card activations and playing the period and not the rules.
Event Type: Event Game | Materials Provided: Yes | Experience Required: None
Cost: 7 | Presented By: Lard America & Iron Dice Gaming
On March 19, 1945 pilots of the Imperial Japanese Navy’s elite 343rd Kokutai took to the skies in the best fighters Japan could produce to intercept inbound fighters of the US Navy Task Force 58’s VBF-17.
Players will fight this aerial melee using the TooFatLardies WW2 aerial ruleset Bag the Hun.
Event Type: Event Game | Materials Provided: Yes | Experience Required: Some
Cost: 7 | Presented By: Lard America
The 8th army is discovering just how tough ole gut the Italian gut is. The allies have gotten the jump on the Gerries and are pushing to establish a bridgehead over the river Itzia before daybreak.
Event Type: Event Game | Materials Provided: Yes | Experience Required: None
Cost: 7 | Presented By: Lard America
Often overlooked as just an education for Civil War officers, the Mexican – American War is a very interesting conflict to research and game. The Mexican army had soldiers who were devoted but ill led and poorly equipped. American regulars were well equipped and trained and able to take on forces many times their own size. This game will use Sharp Practice to showcase a small engagement in Mexico between US regulars and Mexican forces. Have a great time playing the period! This game will use Sharp Practice to showcase an engagement in Mexico between US Regulars and Mexican forces. Have a great time playing the period!
Game one of two on the day as part of a Mexican American War pint size campaign – play in one or both and enjoy.
Event Type: Event Game | Materials Provided: Yes | Experience Required: None
Cost: 7 | Presented By: Lard America
Game the attack of McLaw’s and Anderson’s Divisions against Sickle’s III corps located around the Peach Orchard at Gettysburg during Longstreet’s 2nd day attack against the Union army left. Command Infantry brigades and artillery batteries to try to change history. Figures are 28 mm, games rules Pickett’s Charge by Reisswitz Press of TooFatLardies.
Event Type: Event Game | Materials Provided: Yes | Experience Required: None
Cost: 7 | Presented By: Lard America
Often overlooked as just an education for Civil War officers, the Mexican – American War is a very interesting conflict to research and game. The Mexican army had soldiers who were devoted but ill led and poorly equipped. American regulars were well equipped and trained and able to take on forces many times their own size. This game will use Sharp Practice to showcase a small engagement in Mexico between US regulars and Mexican forces. Have a great time playing the period! This game will use Sharp Practice to showcase an engagement in Mexico between US Regulars and Mexican forces. Have a great time playing the period!
Game two of two on the day as part of a Mexican American War pint size campaign – play in one or both and enjoy.
Event Type: Event Game | Materials Provided: Yes | Experience Required: Some
Cost: 7 | Presented By: Lard America
The 8th army is discovering just how tough ole gut the Italian gut is. The allies have gotten the jump on the Gerries and are pushing to establish a bridgehead over the river Itzia before daybreak.
We have the big two on Friday – Sharp Practice and Chain of Command. While FIW is definitely a more common era for Sharp Practice, I’m running two Mexican / American War games in a very underplayed era. My two games will be part of a pint size campaign that I’m writing up for the war, connected just a little bit – but if you can only make one of course that’s alright.
In addition, we have two new offerings at AdeptiCon – Bag the Hun!, TFL’s WW2 air combat game (which I am hugely interested to play and learn) and Pickett’s Charge, the large battle ruleset from Reisswitz Press, TFL’s imprint for other authors. I played Pickett’s Charge at HistoriCon and loved it. I’m really keen to try Bag the Hun!, as I’ve never really gotten into air combat stuff and have recently painted a bunch.
Saturday
Event Type: Event Game | Materials Provided: Yes | Experience Required: None
Cost: 7 | Presented By: Lard America & Iron Dice Gaming
In September 1942 the Luftwaffe and VVS (Soviet Air Force) tangle in the skies above Stalingrad. Join the air battle for Stalingrad and experience the TooFatLardies aerial Second World War ruleset Bag the Hun. Results from the game will have an impact in a later game of Chain of Command on the same day.
Event Type: Event Game | Materials Provided: Yes | Experience Required: None
Cost: 7 | Presented By: Lard America
Early morning of May 13th, 1969. The 6th NVA Regiment supported by units of the K-12 Sapper Battalion launched one of the Vietnam war’s bloodiest assaults on an American firebase. Paratroopers of Alpha Co, 2/501st alongside the gunners of Battery C, 2/319th Artillery must fight tooth and nail to prevent their positions from being overrun and destroyed.
Event Type: Event Game | Materials Provided: Yes | Experience Required: None
Cost: 7 | Presented By: Lard America
During operation Market Garden the British airborne troops that failed to get to the Arnhem bridge dig in around the town of Oosterbeek and face numerous attacks by various German troops. Fight 1 section of that perimeter held by C Company 1st Borders. WW2 skirmish game using 28mm miniatures and Chain of Command rules by TooFatLardies.
Event Type: Event Game | Materials Provided: Yes | Experience Required: Some
Cost: 7 | Presented By: Lard America
In an attempt to end the war before winter, General Taylor drives on Monterey. He pulls up short when his scouts report a larger than expected Mexican army in entrenched positions around the city.
Event Type: Event Game | Materials Provided: Yes | Experience Required: None
Cost: 7 | Presented By: Lard America
Roman Civil Wars. Pompey is dead and the Optimates have rallied in Africa. Caesar musters 12 legions and 5,000 horse against the armies of Metellus Scipio and King Juba of Numidia with 90,000 men, 14,000 cavalry and 60 elephants. Too Fat Lardies’ Reisswitz Press Ancients rules by Mark Backhouse. 2mm armies, fast challenging play. Strap on your armor and honor the bloodstained gods on the field of battle!
Event Type: Event Game | Materials Provided: Yes | Experience Required: None
Cost: 7 | Presented By: Lard America
Early morning of May 13th, 1969. The 6th NVA Regiment supported by units of the K-12 Sapper Battalion launched one of the Vietnam war’s bloodiest assaults on an American firebase. Paratroopers of Alpha Co, 2/501st alongside the gunners of Battery C, 2/319th Artillery must fight tooth and nail to prevent their positions from being overrun and destroyed.
Event Type: Event Game | Materials Provided: Yes | Experience Required: None
Cost: 7 | Presented By: Lard America
During operation Market Garden the British airborne troops that failed to get to the Arnhem bridge dig in around the town of Oosterbeek and face numerous attacks by various German troops. Fight 1 section of that perimeter held by C Company 1st Borders. WW2 skirmish game using 28mm miniatures and Chain of Command rules by TooFatLardies.
Event Type: Event Game | Materials Provided: Yes | Experience Required: None
Cost: 7 | Presented By: Lard America & Iron Dice Gaming
On September 19th, 1942, Soviet forces are attempting to relieve the 50 naval infantry who have been holding the city’s massive and strategically important grain elevator. While they are running low on ammunition and food, they have held up the entire German 94th Infantry Division for five days. German High Command is growing impatient at the delay and have ordered the facility be taken at all costs. The Soviets now race to reinforce the defenders while the jaws of the Wehrmacht close on the complex.
Event Type: Event Game | Materials Provided: Yes | Experience Required: None
Cost: 7 | Presented By: Lard America
Roman Civil Wars. Pompey is dead and the Optimates have rallied in Africa. Caesar musters 12 legions and 5,000 horse against the armies of Metellus Scipio and King Juba of Numidia with 90,000 men, 14,000 cavalry and 60 elephants. Too Fat Lardies’ Reisswitz Press Ancients rules by Mark Backhouse. 2mm armies, fast challenging play. Strap on your armor and honor the bloodstained gods on the field of battle!
On day two, Lard America offers an even more diverse selection of games – with the usual Chain of Command and Sharp Practice (albeit with another Mexican / American War game – it should be great!) but also a Chain of Command DMZ game set in Vietnam. I am super super excited to try that out, as I’ve always wanted a really good Vietnam game. The Strength & Honour game was run at HistoriCon and looks amazing and plays great.
Other Stuff
Bolt Action Combat Patrol
Thursday 3:00 PM-10:00 PM
Bolt Action
Tickets: 10
Hyatt Regency
Event Type: Tournament | Experience Required: Expert
Cost: 20 | Presented By: Chicago Dice
Bolt Action Combat Patrol is a 3-game tournament of small battles between recon elements. Each round is only 90 minutes and games are played on a 4×4′ table. Effective Combat Patrol forces will find the right balance of speed and firepower.
The event theme this year is The End of the Beginning 1942-1943. As with Doubles, players are not required to follow the theme, but are highly encouraged.
Event Type: Tournament | Experience Required: Expert
Cost: 50 | Presented By: Chicago Dice
Bolt Action Doubles is a three-game Team event with players waging war in Teams of two. Doubles is the perfect event for highly thematic and unique forces that showcase the best of the Bolt Action hobby.
The event theme this year is The End of the Beginning 1942-1943. As with Combat Patrol, players are not required to follow the theme, but are highly encouraged.
Team Event: This Team Event requires two players to form a single team. Only the Team Captain is required to purchase this event ticket. The team registration fee covers all players on a team. All team members are required to purchase an AdeptiCon Badge.
Event Type: Tournament | Experience Required: Some
Cost: 30 | Presented By: Warlord Games
Late War Europe Themed Tournament, But all armies welcome. Bring out your Big Boys, there will be special rules for super heavy’s. We will have 3, 2.5Hr Rounds at 1250 Points, 1 platoon and a 14-order dice limit. See Write up for full tournament rules break down.
Event Type: Special Event | Experience Required: Some
Cost: 7 | Presented By: GOONHAMMER
Your Silver Bayonet unit has been tasked with exploring the Spanish countryside to find and eliminate the source of multiple murders in your army’s chain of command. Create a unit as normal in the rulebook by choosing a nation, then an officer, then soldiers according to the officer’s recruitment level. Scenarios will offer more opportunities for advancement in a three game campaign day.
Please bring: Red, blue, and black D10s, measuring device, wound marking tokens/dice, unloaded tokens, and fatigue tokens/dice.
Please email the event coordinator for a roster file and soldier cards to fill out to bring with you. We’ll have a great time!
Bolt Action has been huge at AdeptiCon for years, and this year will be no different. The Combat Patrol event is always a ton of fun – this year I’ll be bringing my Slovak patrol with official rules! Doubles is always very theme-y with a lot of fun lists and laughs.
I’m running a The Silver Bayonet event on Sunday that should be a lot of fun. I’ve more recently gotten into the game and wanted to see an event at AdeptiCon. As they say, be the change you wish to see, etc. I’ll be chronicling the efforts to paint up stuff and write scenarios at this here goonhammer.com.
Check back more as the New Year proceeds for a Road to AdeptiCon for me – I’m not sure yet what I’ll be painting but I am definitely going to do some crunch to get projects done! As always, please comment below or email questions to info@goonhammer.com.
