Re: GZG Events at Plattecon 99!

>Hello all:
>
>	I'm thinking of thinking of running some GZGs events at
Plattecon, a
>Wisconsin game fair going on in March
>(http://vms.www.uwplatt.edu/~gaming/plattecon/).  Since this will be my
>first attempt at running a game at a convention I was wondering what
>advice you guys could give me for running some games.
>
>-- 
>Happy Holidays,
>Mark A. Siefert
>

1.  Get help - do it with somebody else, even one other person.

2.  Get a commitment on table space from the organizers, so you don't
turn
up with terrain for a 4' x 8' table to discover they've put miniature
gaming off in a corner on tables meant for card games...

3.  Have several scenarios prepared before you go, including one with
only
a few miniatures on each side to use as intro games for people who've
never
played before.	The Stargrunt intro scenarios I run at events are
usually
of the two-squads-each variety, with maybe one or two small vehicles,
etc.
These games will last a maximum of 45 mins to 1 hour - which is good
enough
for new people to get a taste without tieing them up for hours...  I've
done two that were popular:

"Kill the News Crew" - We have news crew models (A female reporter with
microphone, and a male cameraman with funky camera helmet).  The idea is
that the news crew have captured footage of the bad guys committing
attrocities, but have become lost behind enemy lines.  They've called
for
help, and the good guys are sending in a couple of squads of troops,
maybe
with a jeep, to get them and the film out.  The bad guys are chasing
them
with maybe three squads of troops.  The news crew start off stuck in the
middle of the table.  The bad guys come on at one end, and try to catch
up
to them.  The good guys either come on at the end, or if we are feeling
adventurous, they may parachute in.  This is really just a meeting
engagement between a couple of squads on each side, but with the news
crew
thrown in to make it more interesting.	It is very revealing to watch
how
often the player controlling the "bad guys" gets really in to the idea
of
wiping out the news crew.  They usually end up quite bloodthirsty about
it.
 :)

"Capture the Guns" - I have three artillery pieces for my New Anglians. 
I
set them up in the middle of the table as an artillery park.  There is a
crew of three for each gun, and a single squad of troops as the guard
detail.  They also have a command squad of four.  The opposition is
detailed to capture the guns by wiping out / driving off the crews and
security team, or failing that to destroy the guns.  They will have two
full squads and a command squad of four coming on one side of the table,
and another single squad (who've snuck around) coming on from the
opposite
side.  The defending player can not react until the attackers have shown
themselves or fired a shot - when that happens, they all get up, turn on
their tactical helmets, get a clear picture of what's going on, and can
react normally from that point on.  This is a small scenario, but gives
both players the experience of having a platoon command, transferring
actions, etc. without having so many models that it is unmanageable.

I'd suggest you have another, bigger scenario planned that you can trot
out
if you get a bunch of people (from the intro games or from more
experienced
players) who are interested in doing something more complex.  At the
cons
we go  to, we try to have a full company size battle at the end of the
day
for the keener players.

4.  If you are teaching the game to people who've never played before,
use
only the most basic rules.  They'll enjoy the game without getting
bogged
down in complex detail, and will want more.  If they stick around, you
can
add a bit more complex stuff later.

5.  Take a big bottle of water with you, 'cause you'll be talking all
day.

6.  Take a camera, so you can record the games you do.	

7.  And related to the last one, if you get into doing demos and enjoy
it,
maybe consider calling or emailing KR at Geo Hex, or maybe the gents at
GZG, and seeing if they'll sponsor you with some prizes to give away. 
KR
has been generous in giving us brochures, catalogues from Geo Hex,
coupons
for people who mail order stuff, and blister packs of miniatures to give
away.  KR and GZG like the word-of-mouth advertising, and if you follow
up
a good demo by giving the participants something, they're a lot more
likely
to get hooked and get into the games, which is good for all of us.

...ran out of steam...

Hope this helps!

Good Luck!

Adrian