Our Natural Habitat

This was our favorite part of our gaming hobby – playing together.

We were only able to attend a small handful of conventions each year between budget restrictions and my lack of vacations days from work. We tried to make the most of each one we could attend – spending time with friends over the long games, sharing lunches and dinners with friends, playing shorter games in the evening for diversion from the larger, all-day scenarios… always together.

This picture was taken at ConSimWorld Expo, the largest convention on our schedule. We always played against each other and included one or two friends (depending on the game) to play against us as well. The year this was taken, I had requested to play the Western Allies, our friend Paul (who took this picture, I believe) picked the Soviets, and Chad was stuck, once again, with the Axis. This was the first wargame that Chad taught me to play and it holds a special place in my heart for that.

When we played it at home, it was usually just the two of us – one side was Western Allies & Soviets, the other was Axis – and we would trade off sides as each faction plays a little differently and it is interesting to play each one.

Despite the sparse background you see in this evening shot, the convention usually entertains about 200-250 gamers each year. This picture must have been taken around dinnertime or there would have been easily another dozen people or so behind us. The venue is in Arizona in June, so it is very hot but the ballroom we play in always has the AC set just a tad too cold for me. Chad, on the other hand, loved it that way!