"Challenge Game at early conventions — lots of questions...." Topic

Looking at old copies (around 1966-ish to at least 1970) there are photos of pairs of people sitting at small tables with a grid and miniatures. Captions tend to only mention this as a "Challenge Game." I get that this was a tournament, but not much more.

What was the Challenge Game?

What were the rules for a Challenge Game? If so, can anyone share the rules?

Was there one set of rules and different scenarios or objectives per convention? If so, can anyone share some of the scenarios or objectives from past conventions?

Do they still happen?

Was this a US thing, or both US and UK? Other places?

Anything else I didn't ask?

Old copies of what?

Dagwood,

Doh! That's what I get for posting in a rush.

The Armchair General, 1969 and 1970.

Wargamer's Newsletter, for example #98, May 1970, in a spread about the "6th Annual Wargame Conventio" in Philly in 1969. There's a photo of Bob Wall, Mike Ferguson and Charles Sweet in different matches side by side.

The Courier vol 2, no 8 from 1970 has "Challenge game players at the
Philadelphia wargame convention." Vol. 1 no 5 from May 1969 also mentions, "NE.WA challenge tournament." and "'!he .Association
is sponsoring a round robin tournament using the rules developed for the Miniature Figure Collectors of Americas annual Wargame Convention."

And.. looks like I might have answered some of my one questions:
It's a tournament game, using rules from NEWA, for the Miniature Figure Collectors of Americas annual Wargame Convention in Philly. With a $.50 USD entry cost open to the first 32 applicants.

Though it looks like this was an annual event going back before '69.

Still curious about what the rules were. Would be interesting to try them out.

This from memory of events in 1969.

Not NEWA* rules but written by Bob Wall of the MFCA for their wargame convention. Played on gridded sheet, about 36" by 33", one inch squares. Figures, mostly Airfix US Civil War, were mounted on inch square bases. 2 mounted, 3-4 foot, 1 gun. Players had equal troops. The sheet was not colored but some people did color in the pre-printed terrain features. I think there was no dice but combat like chess.

I spent an hour searching my computer files for the rules and a picture of the grid. No luck. Will check printed files.

Only done at MFCA Philadelphia convention, although the NEWA did have a local tournament. It was fun, very mechanical with grid moves.

*New England Wargamers Association, founded by me and Dick Bryant, based in Boston. Founders of The Courier.