"PEL for Cold Wars 2020" Topic

I was on the Cold Wars 2020 website and can't find the PEL. Anyone know whether it's been posted yet as of 1/13/2020 at 11:22 p.m. EST?

Always like to double-check my games ASAP in case something needs fixing (in all honesty, when something needs changing, half the time it's been my mistake).

14th now, and still not updated.

There are "deadlines" and then there are HMGS deadlines.

Some of us know the difference, based on years of watching HMGS operate.

I suspect the PEL will be avalable soon.

Stay tuned.

SOoooo

It hasn't been a week overdue yet. It's still _early_.

Any word from on high on the PEL?

Wow it is late,
Any word on why?
Usually somebody knows why and lets us know
Clif

The HMGS website now says January 27 for the PEL

Yep. If I read it correctly. PEL release has been moved back to Jan. 27 and the opening of Advanced Online Registration (Discounted) has been moved back to Feb. 3.

Cool
Some info
C

I hate to be a jerk but why is this not posted on the membership feeds?

dapeters, asking a legitimate question isn't being a jerk.

Following this topic is almost as entertaining as reading the PEL itself.

Instead of waiting for HMGS to post the PEL, why doesn't every Cold Wars GM who clicks on this topic post a brief preview of his (or her) event?

Grumble, since you started the discussion, you can lead off. Your games are always well researched, entertaining and well attended.

Hope to see you there.

Here's mine: An Encounter at Spencer's (not so very) Ordinary. AWI, 28mm, Sharp Practice. 4 players – Things are happening around Spencer's Ordinary, a popular Virginia tavern in 1781. Cornwallis is sending out raiding parties to disrupt Patriot efforts and, in this case, to specifically forage for supplies & destroy boats along the Chickahominy River. Lafayette is countering by selecting special units from various Continental Regiments to thwart the efforts of the British. The British Light forces & Lafayette's Continentals will meet up at Spencer's Ordinary where additional surprises await.

An Encounter at Spencer's (not so very) Ordinary.

A selected definition of "Ordinary":
-(obsolete) A set portion of food, later as available for a fixed price at an inn or other eating establishment.
-(archaic or historical) A place where such meals are served; a public tavern, inn.

Not only do I learn Spencer's Ordinary is a tavern, but the ensuing battle is also named for the establishment. Learn something every day. I can't make Cold Wars but I would have loved to play in this. Have fun!

Ronin, thanks for the vote of confidence. I'm sure we'll run into each other. Here are my games.

Game 1: Friday 2:00 p.m. (or 1:00; adjustments were still being made for table space, so I'm curious to see the PEL and know how they turned out.)
Battle of Fort Capuzzo, Libya
Period: World War 2
Event Scale: 20 mm
Rules Used: Command Decision 4 (TOB)
Description: During the 1941 Allied Battleaxe offensive the British Guards Brigade, supported by 7th Royal Tanks, seized the Italian fort at Capuzzo. Early on June 16 the Germans launched a counterattack with tanks of the 8th Panzer Regiment. It was a rare British victory. Can you change history -- or repeat it?

Game 2: Saturday 2:00 p.m. (or 3:00; adjustments were still being made for table space, so I'm curious to see the PEL and know how they turned out.)
Battle of Peralta, New Mexico
Period: American Civil War
Event Scale: 20 mm
Rules Used: Johnny Reb 2
Description: New Mexico Territory April 15, 1862: Henry Sibley's Confederate Army was retreating south toward El Paso when Edward Canby's Union forces caught up with them. Because of Canby's caution and a sandstorm, there was no battle. What if a Union attack (and better weather) had resulted in an end to the Texan invasion of New Mexico that very day? Come find out whether it's possible.
Comments: This is an older version of Johnny Reb, quite a bit different from JR3

Thanks Bowman. I'll be running a Trenton scenario at Historicon.

My pleasure, Grumble.

Having hosted a Valverde game years ago and having watched "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" many times, I can testify to how enjoyable it is to play in an ACW game set in the Far West. (The film references the Sibley vs. Canby campaign.) Some interesting units and characters fought out West.

Your Fort Capuzzo game also looks like fun.

On my end, I know that GMs in my club will be contributing a Battle of Crecy game on Sat. afternoon and a Modern microarmor game on Sat. night.

Enjoy the games. Hope to see you there.

Sounds like a good game, 95th.

It will make those players looking for Horse and Musket games (with non-computer assisted rules) happy.

Sorry you can't make Cold Wars, Bowman. You will be missed.

Having hosted a Valverde game years ago and having watched "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" many times, I can testify to how enjoyable it is to play in an ACW game set in the Far West. (The film references the Sibley vs. Canby campaign.) Some interesting units and characters fought out West.

I have to say I was amused by the extensive earthworks portrayed in TG,TB & TU. Likely no one had the time or energy to build anything like that in New Mexico -- except, of course, for the earthen embankments around Fort Craig.

Yet Canby called the Peralta position the strongest he had seen in New Mexico. Maybe he meant the strongest enemy position he had seen.

And of course there are the Texan lancers and their charge at Valverde. Talk about interesting units! I can't remember what happened to them during the game that you ran.

No 'official' PEL yet?

Not to worry. It's an HMGS event at the "no longer" Host.

Even if you do not build it, they will still come.

Granted, we will have 2250ish nerdy yahoos scampering about in search of diversion.

Sounds like fun.

"Seek and ye shall find."

Put another way, you asked for it, you got it.

Many thanks to those who submitted games and to those who posted them for all to see.

Enjoy the games. Hope to see you there.

P.S. to Grumble: I remember that Confederate lancer unit at Valverde, but I forget how they made out in my game.

FYI, the movie was on (cable TV) again last night. It never gets old.

The North vs. South "Battle for the Bridge" in the film might make for a good game. Each side would start from WWI-style trenches. I may have to put it on my GM Bucket List.

Games/Events is still showing as an inert link.

Maybe they'll keep it as a surprise right up until the start of the convention?

So just the PEL is up. You have to go through the dropdown menu at the top of the page: Cold Wars>Events.

https://www.hmgs.org/page/CWEvents

Apart from "Games" everything else still has the "See You Next Year" placeholder.

"Ask and ye shall receive."

Infinite array has it correct. Fifty six pages of games in the PEL. The GMs, including several Clubs such as the HAWKS, ODGW and Carnage and Glory, have been most generous.

Enjoy the games. Hope to see you there.

Now that the PEL is published, I can confirm that my Friday WW2 Command Decision game of Fort Capuzzo, Libya is indeed at 1:00 p.m., not 2:00. And my ACW Johnny Reb II game of Peralta, New Mexico is indeed at 3:00, not 2:00. Sic transit hora mundi.

Hi All –

Apologies – we had to push the PEL and registration back by a week each. Everything is on track now – I have a new events manager who is doing a bang up job but there is a learning curve. Thank you for your patience. Hope everyone is ready for a great show.

Thanks, Heather. Appreciate the work you and your team -- veterans and rookies alike -- are doing!

Any word as to when the Tournaments page will be populated?

It's not just the Tournaments page, Cleo.

The Teachers' Program, Game Design School and War College sections of the Cold Wars web page are still blank. ("See You Next Year.") As mentioned elsewhere, you can find the events for Hobby U at the Registration page.

"So what?" some may ask? Well, if you are a GM (like me) and somebody signs up to play in your game, but then sees something better listed in one of the above missing sections, there are going to be some empty chairs in a lot of games.

Actually, there might be plenty of empty chairs anyway. By my count, there are 314 games in the PEL. Given recent attendance at Cold Wars, that's a lot of games to fill. Plus, the SciFi/Fantasy bug seems to have bitten the GM crowd again, with 80+ games in that category.

To each their own.

Hope to see you there.

47Ronin,

I am not going to CW this year -- it seems to be a busy time for me at work and the weather can make the trip difficult -- but I noticed the trend towards non-historical games. This is merely and observation and not a criticism, but as I scrolled through the PEL, I was struck by the large number of 40k and related games as well as zombie games (which, even if they take place in a historical setting, are not historical games… at least for me). I am guessing that 80+ would probably be close to 20-25% of the total which seems like a lot to me.

Guys, the Tournament List for Cold Wars went up a couple hours ago. https://www.hmgs.org/page/CWEvents.

Sorry. There's a period at the end of that last link that's keeping it from working and it's too late for me to edit. This one will get you there. https://www.hmgs.org/page/CWEvents

Still nothing about the Teachers' Program, Game Design School and War College at Cold Wars 2020.

All three programs are good ideas, but if they are not properly marketed and supported, it's difficult for them to succeed.

Custosarmorum,

Every now and then, the GMs get bitten by the SciFi/Fantasy bug. This seems to be one those years.

When you include the Tournament games (almost all of which are historical), the percentages come down for non-historical games. At least that is what some in HMGS tell themselves when the issue comes up.

Having said that, some of the best looking (and better playing) games at the conventions are non-historical. Plus, HMGS isn't in a position to turn away gamers.

Enjoy the games.

FYI, the schedules for the Teachers' Program, Game Design School and War College for Cold Wars 2020 have been added to the Cold Wars web site.

Highlights include:

Russ Lockwood on writing After Action Reports (AARs);

Fall In 2020 Convention Director Dan Murawski on Game Theory and Design; and

Chris Carlson of the Admiralty Trilogy on Hypersonic Weapons.

Other topics include Elephants in Warfare; World War One; and the HMGS Grant Program for Teachers interested in starting an After School Gaming Club.

Many thanks to all those who submitted topics.

Enjoy the lectures. Hope to see you there.