For the first time in my 40+ years of game design I was invited to a convention as an Industry Guest – all expenses paid (they even gave me food and beer). I had never been to TotalCon, even though I live in New England and it is 90 minutes from home. Thanks to podcaster Jonathan Reinhart, who interviewed me last year, however, the invite came and I accepted – and I am so glad I did!

I ran two six-player sessions of Ancient Civilizations of the Inner Sea, one on Friday evening and again on Saturday. (Scroll down for the report on those.) First of all, in a hobby where almost everyone is always nice – these people are the nicest. Ben Gerber and his wife Jenn Whinnem Gerber, Steven and Angelia Parteneau, Chris Morse, and so many other wonderful people who run this convention are just downright lovely. Angelia even personalized my swag bag – with a DVD of the 1962 movie Merrill’s Marauders — because she discovered my postings about my dad, who was scout-sniper for the lead I&R platoon when the Marauders went into Burma in 1944. I was so touched I got a little tear in my eye. 

On Friday and Saturday mornings, from 10-Noon I set up a “show and tell” of my most recent projects:  Ancient Civilizations of the Inner Sea, Ancient Civilizations of the Middle East, Hitler’s Reich, War and Peace, and my novel, Throne of Darius.  

A Professor of Ancient History Rules the Seas of Ancient Civilizations of the Inner Sea

One of the many people who stopped to chat with me about the games and book was a professor of ancient history at U-Mass Dartmouth. She loved that the Phoenicians and Minoans are in the game – in part because she is giving a lecture on them at a museum this July (to which I am invited). While she was playing a game on ancient Egypt on a table across from me, she kept returning to ask about the games. On Saturday night she brought two of her friends with her to play. She chose to be the Minoans – and totally ruled the waves. She routinely gained more points for controlling the seas than for cities, and woe to any who dipped an oar in her waters! While she did not win, she was tied for second – and a very close second at that!

Minoans in Spain

While the Friday night game used the basic six-player setup, for Saturday (in large part in honor of the professor)  we did Minos, Phoenicia, and Egypt in the east, and Rome, Carthage and Celts in the west. Her friend who ran the Celts won, mainly because she was extremely adept at fending off invaders and buying off disasters by discarding cards and spending talents. She took over Spain – and held on to it, even when the professor sailed the entire length of the board to attack her! (Minoans in Spain!!!)

The Carthaginians and Romans concentrated on bashing each other in that game. The Roman offered friendship, but the Carthaginian found that as Roman friendship meant all islands in the Med are Roman, it was better to battle than be buddies. Egypt and Phoenicia battled each other (the professor set them at each other’s throats by making deals with both so she could sail west). 

…The night before, however….

The Friday night game was the basic six-player. The Carthaginian player announced at start that literally all he wanted to do was to sack Rome. The Mauretanian declared he wanted Spain. Well, that set the tone for the Roman and Gallic players: the entire game there were two private one vs one wars being fought, side-by-side, and damn the rest of the board!

The Roman, to his credit, did at first strike hard and fast to the east, even to attacking the walls of Troy! But he had to fall back when the Carthaginians invaded Italy. Hannibal took Rome, and Rome took it back, but Rome was in last place the entire game – and he LOVED that! That meant he got to play ALL of the INVASIONS – and we played TWO Epochs, and with a Breath of God card in the middle of the first, so ALL of the Invasions hit at least three times! Egypt and Troy spent the entire game fighting off those barbarians – so much so that they were too busy to fight each other let alone anyone else…but as nobody followed up, they came in first (Egypt) and second.   High score was 32, low was 19. By acclamation the Roman got the prize ticket just for being such a good and cheerful sport!

Good News before, during and after the con

As I was leaving for the con on Friday morning, I learned that Ancient Civilizations of the Middle East had hit the 500 mark on the P500 (the guy who made the order received a special “you are #500” thank you from GMT!). Also that the second edition of the rules for Hitler’s Reich was sent out to a few key fans of the game, who sent feedback to the editor (it is nearly done), and that the ship carrying the crates of One Small Step game company’s new, updated, expanded, beautiful version of War and Peace is scheduled to dock on February 28^th – and the games will ship in March. As for my novel, Throne of Darius, I was notified I would be receiving another royalty check sometime this week.

I also participated as a panelist in two game-design/game-prototype test seminars, and got to play a few turns/rounds of more than half a dozen little card and light board games. I was invited to the staff party Saturday night, and on Sunday was invited to breakfast with two of the convention directors.

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