Local conventions

Some of the best gaming conventions are regional events by Historical Miniature Gaming Society chapters.  Little Wars in Chicago, put on by the Great Lakes chapter, is one which I attended last year and am going to this year.  I went to Enfilade by the Northwest chapter about four years ago in Olympia, Washington, and had a wonderful time.  Neither convention rivals Historicon, the HMGS East show, which is really the national convention for North American gamers, or even probably Fall In or Cold Wars, both of which I have not attended.  But that does not mean these smaller chapters do not put on a good show.  Because they are smaller and therefore more local, the gamers know each other and tend to put on games using systems they have already tried.  As long as you are open to new games and rules, you can make the most of the con.

Now, if only HMGS/PSW was so fortunate.  Their mini-cons have suffered in recent years, and for good reasons, which are not worth going into.  Now they have an activist president and vice-president, and they are trying to turn the mini-cons into something worthwhile, while turning the organization around as a whole.  Hopefully this will occur — southern California deserves a vibrant gaming presence.