Report from the Con
Spring Maneuvers: Fort Leavenworth
By Doug McNair
February 2008

Now that Cone of Fire is out the door and on its way to customers, I can take a minute to report on my latest con adventures. Spring Maneuvers is an annual historical gaming con held on-post at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, in late February. It’s run by Steve Allie, the director of the Frontier Army Museum, and he and his crew did a great job of making the con a success for participants and vendors alike. Two young guys greeted me at the back door and did most of the heavy lifting unloading my car-full of goodies, and once I got the stock set out folks began arriving for what soon became a great weekend of gaming.

Longtime Avalanche fan Tom Meier stopped by my demo table first for a game of Defiant Russia . . .

. . . .ably shredding the Soviet lines in just a few short turns:

Then Bob King joined me for Panzer Grenadier: Eastern Front Scenario #5: The Crossying at Alytus. Bob turned out to be a gentleman of impeccable taste and distinction, taking advantage of the Armored Juggernaut Special I offer at cons to pick up the entire Panzer Grenadier series for a nice low price (thank you, Bob!). Panzer Grenadier fanatics Rob Schexnayder and Tom Volpe joined us the next morning, and the highlight of the day was a four-player game of Defiant Russia:

It ended in a nailbiting victory for the Soviets after the stunning fall of Leningrad to a determined Germano-Finnish assault:

To the victors go the funny hats!

Patrick couldn’t get enough of the game and immediately set it up again, this time as the as the Russians:

And we all ended up gaming late into the night, getting thrown out just as the doors were closing at 10 P.M.

I had a terrific time meeting Avalanche fans and gaming just for fun for a change, and I’m very much looking forward to next year’s Spring Maneuvers.

Next up: Little Wars, April 4 – 6 just north of Chicago. I’ll be in the dealer room offering plenty of con specials and new games like Cone of Fire and Island of Death. See you at the con!