TotalCon 2026: Gaming Events and Highlights You Can’t Miss
TotalCon 40 is an annual gaming convention that is held in Marlborough, MA at the Best Western Conference Center. There are events for miniature games, board games, RPG’s, and much more. Attendance is well over 1,000.
This year it was held between February 19th and 22nd of 2026. I usually run several tabletop miniatures games there. This year was no exception. I ran eight 4-hour games across the 4 days.
Several players who participated in my games are eager to see some game shots. Not to disappoint, his post will be picture heavy and text light!
On Thursday of every TotalCon, there is a large flea market in an adjoining room to the main hall. From Friday to Sunday, I get a very big table in that room. Because of the flea market’s need for space, I settle for a smaller footprint on Thursday. That smaller table was fine for two games (afternoon and evening).
Battle for the Pond
This was a Combat Patrol:WWII retro sci-fi game using the pond that I described in my last post.
My game flyer.The tabletop set up for action. The F.R.O.G. Commandos are on the near side, with the Star Ducks on the far end. The Star Ducks are Archive Miniatures Star Rovers figures from the late ’70’s/early 80’s. The Frogs are Critter Commandos figures from the early 1990’s.The Star Duck players move up.The Star Ducks use one of their two jet pack moves to occupy islands. In the game, control of the smaller islands was worth 5 points. Controlling the largest island earned players 10 points.The Frogs were also jet packing. The Star Ducks used mortars to lay down a protective smoke screen against their automatic weapons fire.In the end, the luck of the cards deserted the Frogs, with almost every island in Star Duck control.
High Noon at the Cyber Ruins
I ran this Combat Patrol retro sci-fi game at Cold Wars, but on a bigger table. I used a different mat and adapted the game to a smaller footprint.
Game flyer.
To win the game, both sides get credit (victory points) for inflicting enemy casualties and finding hidden ancient robots.
The game was definitely full!Retrovians and Space Cowboys move into the ruined city.The Space Cowboys find a robot (an Archive Robot Cook) and get it to join their side.Reinforcements arrive! Here come the Space Roos.Retrovians take cover under fire while trying to clear the walls.Retrovian infantry move into the city.
In the end, the casualties on both sides were high. But, the Space Cowboys possession of robots allowed them a narrow 15-10 victory. That wrapped up Thursday’s games.
I decided not to run a Friday morning game this year. Last year, resetting the flea market room took too much time. It interfered with my morning game setup. Instead, I had plenty of time to move everything into the “big room” and set up on the “big table”. My first game was a Wars of Ozz game. It was titled “The Great Munchkin Heist”. I had also run it at Cold Wars. This time I had an even bigger table than I had there!
The Great Munchkin Heist
The game set up – I loved creating this panoramic expanse!Players arrive – once again demand to play was high!1st Munchkin Brigade set upThat’s a full game!Nitpik’s “Morin’s Monsters” armed with napalm blasters hope to cook up some Great Pumpkinheads.A regiment of Great Owls (Munchkin allies) overflies the Lemon Drop Legionnaires and hits them in the rear!Jinjur regiments (female pirates and Munchkin allies) breach the wall.The Munchkins breach the western gate and their light cavalry pours through to look for technological treasures.In the center, two axe-wielding Nitpik regiments have had enough of the Munchkins. The Jade Automata and the Pink Nightmare regiments charge over their defensive wall. Their counterattack wipes out the Munchkin artillery and drives two Munchkin infantry regiments from the game.Another view of that mechanical counterattack.Meanwhile, the cleaver Jinjur pirates locate some of Nitpik’s technological wonders in a wrecked building.
The game ended – in a dead tie 23-23! A real nail-biter to be sure!
The next game builds on this one. The Munchkins have found technology, but welshed on their agreement to share! Thus, they betrayed their allies. As a result, their former allies have jumped over to the Nitpik side. The Munchkins are fleeing to safety, with Nitpik in hot pursuit.
Revenge of the Tin Men
Another big game! The players plan.The Munchkins have 4 heavy crates of technology carried by 4 regiments. The crates slow down the Munchkins. The little folk need to cross a line with the crates safely to gain victory points. Additionally, each Munchkin base that escapes the Nitpik pursuers gets a point. Nitpik gets points for recovering crates and for eliminating Munchkin bases. The Munchkins have set up a delaying picket line of light cavalry and sharpshooters between the two balloons. This is to give those fleeing a chance to escape the Nitpik and allied horde.On the right, the Munchkin picket line. On the left, the pursuers!There were many Nitpik pursuers. This included those who switched alliances, like Frost Ogres, Great Pumpkinheads, and Jinjur pirates. Traffic control became a challenge as they tried to catch the Munchkins.The pursuers coordinate their movements.The Munchkin Aerostat frustrated several Nitpik regiments. As they tried to advance, the Aerostat laid down effective disruptive musketry on the mechanical men. Nitpik cavalry broke through and tried to run the Munchkins down. Several crates were lost as the Munchkins routed in disarray.The game ended with this scene showing Sam disappointed. The Munchkins nearly won the game. Her unit only needed 1 more inch to cross the line of the crater with the crate. So close! (well played though Sam!!) In the end, Nitpik won a VERY narrow 12-10 victory.
That wrapped up Friday night. The next game would happen Saturday morning set in North Africa.
Il Duce’s Desert Gamble
This what-if modified What a Tanker scenario also filled up quickly as well.
Vichy French armor facing the Italians.Royal Italian Army armor facing the French.The players plot their moves.An Italian Macchi C.202 Folgore (Italian “thunderbolt”) dogfights a Vichy Dewoitine D.520.Leif smiles as he records temporary damage on his tank. The damage was caused by Leif’s very bad dice rolling for a very old and worn out French FT-17!A Vichy SOMUA S35 knocks out an Italian Semovente 90/53.French forces advance.
The game ended with the Italians winning 540-440.
For Saturday afternoon, I ran Operation Torch: Vichy Mounts an Armored Counterattack. This was also a modified What a Tanker game.
Operation Torch: Vichy Mounts an Armored Counterattack
The Vichy players plan their assault.The American players are ready!The Americans watch as the Vichy French get closer. They have plans of getting air cover and naval gunfire on the French!Knowing this, the French spread out to avoid massing a big target.Mal considers his next move.Aircraft are deployed, but the US Navy rules the skies. This allows for the Avenger to call in naval gunfire from the USS Savannah. This destroys multiple Vichy vehicles.
The US air superiority and naval gunfire carried the day – with the US winning a significant victory.
RETROVIANS MUST BE CLEANSED
Saturday night’s game was upon me, and I had decided to run another Combat Patrol retro sci-fi game. This time, the Retrovians would face the Archive Star Rovers Warbots. They would also confront my own creation – the Mark 1 Sphere tank.
Happy Gamers at the start! Retrovians are on the left, Warbots on the right.A Retrovian Bra’sheer tripod moves out front of its infantry. The Mark 1 takes up a supporting position as the Warbots march forward to glory.The Mark 1 safely delivers machine gun fire from its sponsons. Meanwhile, the Warbots also take fire and are stunned.
I did not take many pictures of this game. I do believe that the Warbots wore down the Retrovians. Yes, they were “cleansed”. It was nice to see these figures back on the tabletop.
This was the penultimate game for me of TotalCon 2026. I headed off to my room. I was ready for the 2026 TotalCon “Tournament of Ozz” on Sunday morning.
I had 7 out of a possible 8 players. At random, one player got a “bye” in round one. The match-ups were done at random and 7 different 21-point brigades were assigned at random. Inflicting the most damage on the enemy was the victory condition to move forward in the tournament. Tie breakers were also in play if that was needed.
Glory on the Line!
In Round 1 – the match ups were:
Impkins (Ken) versus Munchkins (Eric)
Munchkins (Bob) versus Gillikins (Dave)
Winkies (Brad) versus Gillikins (Jacob)
Winkies (Leif) got the round 1 bye
Round 1 begins!Brad’s Winkies devastate Jacob’s GillikinsBob’s Munchkins get into a shooting match with Dave’s Gillikins.Round 1 winds down.
The Round 1 results were:
Impkins (Ken) defeated Munchkins (Eric)
Munchkins (Bob) defeated Gillikins (Dave)
Winkies (Brad) defeated Gillikins (Jacob)
Winkies (Leif) got the round 1 bye
Yielding the semifinals as:
Impkins (Ken) versus Winkies (Brad)
Munchkins (Bob) versus Winkies (Leif)
The semi-finalists!Leif casts a poppies spell to thwart Bob’s cavalry,Bob’s Munchkins prepare to unleash musketry on Leif’s Winkie Guard. They would rout!Meanwhile, Ken’s Impkins got hit hard by Brad’s Winkies.
The Round 2 (semifinals) results were:
Winkies (Brad) defeats Impkins (Ken)
Munchkins (Bob) defeats Winkies (Leif)
Yielding the FINALS as:
Munchkins (Bob) versus Winkies (Brad)
Brad and Bob get ready to rumble!
In the end, Brad outlasted Bob – though it was close! Congratulations to Brad as the 2026 TotalCon Wars of Ozz Champion! Congrats to Brad!
The 2026 runner up Bob, the 2026 champion Brad, and your happy GM.
Thank you to all who helped me at the convention. Special thanks to Leif and Brad.
I also want to extend a very special thanks to Bryan Clauss, Steve Parenteau, Kevin Baumann, and the entire TotalCon staff. They do a magnificent job running a great convention! BIG THANKS!!
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Mark A. Morin 