This year I was able to attend the Compass Games Expo in Meriden Connecticut which ran from 5-9 November. Based in the Comfort Inn and Suites, the playing facilities were good with plentiful tables and space, and lots of different games to sample. In addition, Compass ran a pop-up store offering its games at a substantial discount. In such a situation, it’s a bummer having restricted luggage capacity, but I did buy some of the games I wanted.
I invested my playing time mostly in MMP’s Great Campaigns of the American Civil War (GCACW) because it’s one of my favorite systems and I’ve only ever played it solitaire. The con was an opportunity to play, watch, and learn.
First up, along with Bruno, Jeff, and Marshall, I played scenario 7, the Virginia Campaign (the 1861 Bull Run campaign game) from All Green Alike, part of the Stonewall Jackson’s Way II game. At a fairly leisurely pace, we finished the 14-turn game inside two days, resulting in a CSA victory. (You should be able to guess which side I was on…) I don’t have any way of properly assessing how balanced the scenario is, but it truly didn’t matter to me as the focus was on playing the game and learning. Certainly the others seemed to know what they were doing! And it was good fun.
Before my next GCACW game, I played several turns of American Tank Ace – a solitaire game – because the game I had arranged never happened due to my opponent ghosting me, and I didn’t fancy any of the other open slots. American Tank Ace, a solitaire game about being a USA tank commander in Western Europe in 1944-45, was one of my Compass purchases and although the rules have several loose and stray ends, I persevered and the end result was worth the effort. I plan on spending some more time with this game.
Second of my GCACW games, I played scenario 3, McLellan’s Opportunity (the time between South Mountain and Antietam) from Roads to Gettysburg II with Rob. This is a short 3-turn action-packied scenario. My CSA forces failed to hold back the swarms of Union soldiers. Rob’s analysis, which I think is correct, is that the CSA player has the harder task in the scenario as his forces are limited and any one mistake or bad luck in the initiative rolls can make a significant difference. The Union player, however, has plentiful forces and if one division is fought to a standstill, there are plenty more to get the job done. The CSA side can win, but it’s a tougher challenge. Regardless, I enjoyed playing the game and learned a lot.
It was a long way to travel to play games, but that comes with living in Israel. It was definitely worthwhile, despite the jet-lag. The gamers I played with were all courteous, patient, and willing to share their knowledge and I had a ball. It was wonderful being able to see all the other games being played in the flesh – from fifty-year-old classics to brand new unpublished designs – and chat to people about the games and the hobby. The experience has cemented my love affair with GCACW and I’m now going to make a concerted effort to play more of the series.
I stayed in the convention hotel. Let’s just say it’s basic, and if I ever get the chance to go to this convention again, I’ll probably stay elsewhere. It was clean and the staff tried hard, but the shower was less than brilliant and the breakfast uninspiring, and that’s being kind. The food options in the immediate area are typical USA main street fare and not fantastic. Thankfully GrubHub solved that challenge.
The main street in Meriden, where the action took place, isn’t especially picturesque, but beyond the town, Connecticut was beautiful. The autumn foliage colors were glorious. I didn’t do any touring there, but that’s definitely on the agenda if I return.
The Compass Expo is a good convention. I do hope I get the chance to go again. Thanks to Bruno, Jeff, Marshall, and Rob for helping make it such a good time.
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