Wars of Ozz at Hurricon 2021

Last weekend the folks in Florida hosted Hurricon, their first convention since the COVID panic overtook the nation.  It is held in Orlando (actually Kissimmee), Florida.  The venue was well lit, spacious, and clean.  There were plentiful food options on premises and nearby.  My friend, JJ, flew down from Charlotte to join me for the weekend.  I took of Friday for some gaming.  We played a Command and Colors Maori Wars game, a demo of Oak and Iron, a sailing ship game, a pirate free-for-all, and a fun little skirmish using a “stripped down” version of the d20 Star Wars roleplaying game.

On Saturday, I ran two Wars of Ozz games.  The rules were released after I moved to Florida.  Conventions all over the country were cancelled.  This was my first time running the rules in public since Fall In 2019, when they were in pre-release form.  Bottom line:  both games went well, the players like the rules, and everyone liked the figure, despite my paint job.

I ran the same scenario twice.  A force of Gillikins, Nomes, and Winkies attacked a force of Harvesters, Quadlings, and Munchkins to seize a Munchkin village.  Each attacking brigade was composed of 25 points.  Each defending brigade was composed of 20 points.

Initial setup on the “good guys'” right flank with the Munchkin village in the foreground.
A close-up of the initial Munchkin deployment.
The Nomes, supported by lions, directly faces the Munchkins.
The “bad guys'” center and right. The Gillikins were in the center, and the Winkies were on the right.
The Land of Harvest deployed on the “good guys'” left flank.
A close up of the Winkie deployment.

In the first instance of the game, the “defending” Munchkins were very aggressive, advancing from the town, only to be mauled by the Nomes.  The game was an easy-to-call attacker victory.

One player had to leave early.  Other young guy came over to see the game.  He was very interested in the rules and the figures.  While he was standing there, a now-commanderless brigade needed to make some Reaction Tests.  I got him to make those rolls, then a few more rolls, then move some troops.  He ended up staying for the rest of the game, and he had a great time.  He and the Winkie commander had a swirling melee involving infantry and cavalry.  He even came by during the second game to see how his troops were doing.

Advancing Munchkin infantry.
Deployed Nomes.
Winkies on Zilks
Havester cavalry mounted on guralopes.
The action in progress. Nomes and Gillikins advancing.
Quadlings advance to meet the Winkies.
Winkies pushing back the Harvesters.
Deployment for the second instance. Debbie (Munchkins), Gael (Quadlings), and Josh (Harvesters) make their plan. It was good to see women and younger people at Hurricon.
Jim, Carlos, and Jim make their plan for the “bad guys.”

The second game was a much more near-run affair.  The Munchkins did a better job of trying to hold the village.  The Nomes got into the village briefly, but the Munchkins counter attacked.  In the “good guys'” center, the Quadlings advanced toward the Gillikins instead of making the Gillikins come to them, but they didn’t really commit to an attack, so the Quadlings took a beating.  On the “good guys'” left, the forces from the Land of Harvest really got spanked by the Winkies.  The Harvesters didn’t really make any mistakes, but they just didn’t seem to be able to get anything going.  By the end, they were nearly wiped out, but they held on long enough so that the Winkies really never put any pressure on the village.

The Winkies advance in the second instance. The Harvesters’ pumpkin catapult knocked out two Winkie artillerists, and the battery routed, but it eventually returned to the fight.
An “artsy” closeup of the Winkie cavlalry.
The Greater Pumpkinheads beyond.
The Munchkins established a formidable battle line early in the game.
Another view of advancing Nomes.

I think everyone who played in the games liked the rules.  There were several people who had heard about the rules and figures.  There were at least two people there who had bought into the first Kickstarter, and one guy was actively painting his figures.  There was also a request for me to come to the local hobby store to run a demonstration game.