Welcome back! I’m (temporarily) off the golf course and this is a tabletop wargaming post. This blog post is my final one on the “HUZZAH! Con 2024” and is part 3 of my three-part recap. To read about Friday’s games in part 1 you can go here, and Saturday’s part 2 is covered here.
Sunday, May 19th was the last day of the convention, which is run annually by the Maine Historical Wargame Association (MHWA), an excellent organization. It was held at the Doubletree by Hilton in South Portland Maine. The theme for this year was “HUZZAH 2024 GOES HOLLYWOOD”, so games with an association with movies or TV shows were categorized as theme games. I ran 6 Wars of Ozzgames here, and given its association with Baum’s books and the 1939 movie, they all counted as theme games. Sunday was the final piece de resistance for me.
I have a number of photos of the game that I’ll share with as many descriptions as I can remember. The game started at 10 AM and I had a full table of 8 players – which was encouraging as often the last day of a convention is a “get out of town quickly” experience. Not here! This was my 6th 4-hour game of the three-day convention. I do include a lot of photos here – and some descriptions of them best as I can remember given my age – and teh fact that this was my 6th game in three days…plus I DID promise a surprise back in parts 1 & 2…so here goes!
Sunday Morning – The Battle for Toto (Wars of Ozz)
This was a repeat of the Saturday Evening game, and as before I had 8 player slots available for this game – but this time the game was sold out.
The scenario description on the registration website was follows:
The Battle for Toto (Wars of Ozz)
“I’ll get you my pretty – and your little dog too!”
The two rival witch sisters – Evora (a.k.a. The Wicked Witch of the East) and Arella (a.k.a. The Wicked Witch of the North) have both learned that a force of Munchkins has taken refuge in a small town near the border of the Great Land of Harvest. Moreover, their spies have also confirmed that the town also harbors other notable Munchkin-lovers – such as the Kansas Farmgirl and her friends. These include the Tinman, the Lion, and the Scarecrow – and importantly Toto.
Both witches believe that possession of the little dog Toto will bring power and leverage over their enemies. Plus, any opportunity to hit the Munchkins is always enticing.
Unbeknownst to the other, the two witches have each simultaneously gathered their forces and allies to attack the town. The two rival forces are converging from oppsite cornesrs of the tabletop. Arella has a reinforced Gillikin brigade and has allied with two Harvest brigades under King Jack, the King of the Pumpkinheads. Arella has recruited King Jack in her quest.
Evora has a both a reinforced Winkie brigade as well as two large Impkin brigades as allies.
Will the two witches put aside their differences and join forces? Or will sibling and tribal rivalries win the day and the two converging attackers try to take on each other for the right to assault the town? And, will Toto be safe?
I have secretly (at a location unknown even to myself) hidden Toto in one of five buildings in the town in the tabletop’s center. The town is defended by two Munchkin brigades – the one on the left commanded by Leif and one on the right commanded by Andrew). Toto is represented by a secret card placement – and even I as the GM would not know where Toto is placed.
As before the Winkies and Impkins were allies, and the Gillikins and Harvest were allies – so the drama built up – would they attack each other or get the Munchkins first? The Munchkins prayed for the bad guys to hit each other.
Victory is determined by scoring, but how the points awarded is different.
For the Munchkins, one point is earned for each enemy base destroyed or routed off of the board.
For the attackers, one point is earned for each Munchkin base destroyed or routed off of the board. However, 1.5 points are awarded for each base of the opposite attacking force that they take out.
Additionally, possession of Toto by the Munchkins is worth 10 points at the end of the game. For the attackers, possession of Toto and getting him off the tabletop successfully is worth 10 points at the end of the game.
On to the photos!
The players – clockwise from the left Michelle (attacking with an Impkin brigade), Brad (attacking with another Impkin brigade), Leif (defending with a Munchkin brigade), Matt (attacking with a Gillikin brigade and Gillikin divisional commander), Sam (attacking with a Winkie brigade and the Winkie division commander), Andrew (defending with a second Munchkin brigade), Jerry attacking with a Harvest brigade), and Steven (partially hidden attacking with a second Harvest brigade).
Most of the players were experienced so it went smoothly as far as play goes.
Leif prepares for a Gillikin Dire Tiger assault from Matt with his Munchkins.Jerry maneuvers his Harvest troops towards the town using the forest as cover as that Munchkin Medium Artillery battery (in the fence) was deadly.Matt sent a regiment of Gillikin skeletons into Andrew’s Munchkin Guard – with Phantom Allies to boot!Brad’s Impkin cavalry and infantry make a determined attack on the Munchkin light battery and push it back from its walled defensive position.A view from Leif’s Munchkin Sharpshooter’s position as Gillikin Dire Bears and more come their way.
At this point the game had gone on for about about 2 hours. As was the custom with HUZZAH!, the games were paused for the MHWA to announce raffle winners, best in slot winners, painting contest winners, and best in convention winners.
Insert drum roll here...here comes the announcement…
I was thrilled and honored to win the “Best in Convention” award for HUZZAH 2024 for Wars of Ozz!
My beautiful crystal award!
I was so very honored as the other games there were of such high quality and run by incredibly talented GM’s. I especially appreciated the solid and loud round of applause from the convention attendees! WOW!
The gamers join me for a celebratory photo with the award!
Well, we went back to playing the game as the convention hall emptied – all except for US. The players did not want to leave!!! How great is that!
Winkie infantry and Gillikin Dire Bears breach the town defences and start searching buldings for Toto…while eyeing each other warily. In the foreground, the skeleton regiment is licking their wounds from the Munchkin Guard (can skeletons lick?). The Guard at this point had been wiped out.All of the players were actively planning their next moves.
Finally, the bad guys started to fight each other as well! One of the Impkin Infantry regiments was hit in the rear by a regiment of Harvest Savage Apple Trees that had been hidden in a forest copse!
Attack of the Savage Apple Trees!On the other end of the table, Winkie infantry engage both the Dire Bears and the Skeletons of the Gillikins to keep them out of the town search for Toto… Matt and Sam (who are engaged by the way) – were fighting each other here as Gillikins and Winkies respectively. Love is love, but we’re talking about Victory Points here!
Meanwhile, Brad’s Impkin ally, the Tin Mechanical Axemen of Professor Nitpick, found Toto and moved to get their little dog prisoner off of the tabletop.
The Tin Mechanical Axemen have Toto! The Impkin’s cry HUZZAH!The Tin Mechanical Axemen pass Toto off to the Impkin Infantry, who scamper away successfully with Toto!
This game was a reversal of the previous one on Saturday night, with this time the Winkie/Impkin alliance successfully getting Toto off the board for the 10 points. The final scores were:
Winkie/Impkin (Michelle/Brad/Sam): 35.5 points
Gillikin/Harvest (Matt/Jerry/Steven): 27 points
Munchkins (Leif and Andrew): 18 points
Yet another amazingly fun game with a lot of twists and turns! Toto was the key to victory, as it should have been. At this point, we had the hall to ourselves!
I am so very, very, grateful to a number of people…
To all my players –THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!
I MUST thank and acknowledge the great help and assistance of Bradley Gosselin and Leif Magnuson in helping me set up and take down the games. Wingmen supreme throughout the convention!!!
I also want to again sincerely thank the Maine Historical Wargamer’s Association (MWHA) for running HUZZAH! and doing it so very well. Thanks SO VERY MUCH for honoring me with your “Best in Convention” award!!
Also, you may see a lot of Dave (of the Guru PIGS blog and club in Australia) and in particular his “Mouse Metropolis” terrain gift in these photos that have helped to made my games so special. Thank you Dave! Thanks so much to Buck Surdu and Russ Dunaway for their support and inspiration.
As a side note, this marks my second “Best in Convention” award, as I was awarded the “Dave” award at this year’s HAVOC for yes, Wars of Ozz games. I learned of the award after that BGB convention and after my post on it.
And thanks to my wife Lynn for tolerating this all!
If you get the idea that Wars of Ozz is a great game system and that the figures for it are way cool, then I have achieved my goal. Check it out!
Thanks for looking! Hopefully now I’ll be able to share with soon you some of the regiments that have not yet been seen here but have been painted and ready for action. It is summer here, and golf season, but my world has room for both!
And Historicon is coming up!
Miscellaneous details and references for those interested in that sort of thing:
For all of my previous posts on Wars of Ozz games, figures, units, and other related projects – please see this page.
As you may want to check out the excellent Wars of Ozz figures’ range – there are two places to get them and to get your own copy of the rules. The game rules and the figures are available from the following two places:
Welcome! This post is part 2 of my three-part recap – and will cover the Saturday morning, afternoon, and evening games that I ran on May 18, 2024 at the “HUZZAH! Con 2024”. (To read about Friday’s games in part 1 you can go here).
As a reminder, this convention was held between Friday, May 17th and Sunday, May 19th, 2024 at the Doubletree by Hilton in South Portland Maine. It is run by the Maine Historical Wargame Association, a fine group of folks.
The theme for this year was “HUZZAH 2024 GOES HOLLYWOOD”, so games with an association with movies or TV shows were categorized as theme games. I ran 6 Wars of Ozzgames here, and given its association with Baum’s books and the 1939 movie, they all counted as theme games.
Once again, lot’s of photos here – and some descriptions of them best as I can remember.
Saturday Morning – Learn To Play Wars of Ozz
This was yet another permutation on the LTP format that I have run before. I had 6 player slots set up for this game – and had 4 players show up. To keep play more adaptive to the learning process, we played the game with each player just having one brigade – and left the other two brigades on the tabletop for the next game’s set up. The Saturday morning game was listed on the registration website as follows:
Wars of Ozz Battle – Learn to Play Wars of Ozz
Take part in this big battle set in the horse & musket/black powder fantasy world of Ozz. This is definitely not Kansas anymore. Various factions, including Munchkins, Winkies, Gillikins, Impkins, Quadlings and others will fight for victory in this fast-paced and easy-to-learn fun game. Beginners are very welcome. Rules will be taught. Players are invited to bring their own 25-point brigades of official Wars of Ozz figures if they have them or they can use one of the several brigades that we will have available for play. Players under 13 only with a playing adult.
I used 21-22 point brigades – and the gamers were a mix of 2 new players and 2 experienced ones. The forces were, from nearest to farthest in the photo:
Red side (on the left side in photo from nearest to farthest):
One Munchkin Brigade
One Quadling Brigade
Black side (on the right in photo from nearest to farthest):
One Harvest Brigade
One Harvest Brigade
At the start of the game with three of the four players. Leif looks glum, and Brad looks happy.
As on Friday, victory is determined by scoring. One point is earned for each enemy base destroyed or routed off of the board. A half-point is earned if an enemy base is still routing and not successfully rallied when the game ends.
Brad (Quadling commander) discusses strategy with Andrew (Munchkin commander).The Munchkins send their ally, the Great Owls, up into the town. The Harvest troops were advancing on the other side of the town.The Quadling 4th Infantry Regiment deploys into line. To its right, the Quadling 1st Light Battery unlimbers as the Harvest forces approach.The Great Pumpkin Heads hunger for battle. Always.The Menacing Hammerheads move forward – knocking out a fence with their, well, hammer heads. They have allied Lesser Apes on their right.Brian moves his Great Pumpkin Heads forward. Closer to the camera, you can see that a Harvest ally (Admiral Jinjur’s female pirates) is moving into the Mushroom forest for cover. Meanwhile, another Harvest ally, Professor Nitpick’s Mechanical Tin Axemen is approaching the Munchkin Sharpshooter Regiment.The Industrial City Witch, TotalCon37, successfully casts a “Fleet Feet” spell on the slow Axemen, and they manage to close with the Munchkin Sharpshooters. These Munchkins are great at using their rifles for long-range fire – but in Melee they are woefully outclassed by their metal-clad enemy here. Still, the Munchkins rolled well and gave as good as they got – until they decided to run away…The Munchkin Sharpshooters rout away from the Tinmen, and the Quadling 1st Infantry Regiment moves up to plug the gap while the Tinmen redress their ranks post-melee.Back on the Quadling’s center, the Great Eagles of the Harvest forces flies over and hits the Quadling 4th Infantry Regiment in the rear. Glenda the Sorceress can only look on in horror. The 4th would not survive the battle.The Great Pumpkin Heads try to hit the Quadling 1st Battery as the Great Eagle attack was successful.Munchkin Landwehr (National Guard) take out a base of the Lesser Apes before the simians exact a heavy toll on them in Melee.The Harvest attack was successful at driving way the bulk of the Munchkin and Quadling forces.
At this point in the game, nearly every Munchkin and Quadling unit was either destroyed or running away. Therefore, scoring was unnecessary as the Harvest forces were totally victorious.
Saturday Afternoon – Heavy Meeting Engagement (Wars of Ozz)
I had 6 player slots available for this game – and ended up having 5 players. The scenario design is similar to the last game, but with 6 brigades in the battle (3 per side). I also swapped the two Harvest Brigades from the previous game, and added a third on the Black side. On the Red side, I added an Impkin Brigade. As for the scenario description, I listed it on the registration website as follows:
Several allied brigades from the sides of good and evil are coming to blows of the open plains of the world of Ozz! Of course, who is good and who is evil is in the eye of the beholder! Both side’s forces are equal in strength, but are their commanders? That’s up to the players! This battle will be a fast-paced one using the easy-to-learn fun game of Wars of Ozz. Various factions, including Munchkins, Winkies, Gillikins, Impkins, Quadlings and others will fight for victory and glory. Beginners are very welcome. Rules will be taught. All miniatures/brigades will be provided for play. Players under 13 only with a playing adult.
All were experienced Ozz players. They were as teamed up as:
Red side (on left side in photo from nearest to farthest):
One Munchkin Brigade (commanded by Brad)
One Quadling Brigade (commanded by Brad)
One Impkin Brigade (commanded by Bob)
Black side (on the right side in photo from nearest to farthest):
One Harvest Brigade (commanded by Leif)
One Harvest Brigade (commanded by James)
One Harvest Brigade (commanded by Steven)
Here again, victory is determined by scoring. One point is earned for each enemy base destroyed or routed off of the board. A half-point is earned if an enemy base is still routing and not successfully rallied when the game ends.
The players ready for action.Bob’s Impkins deploy successfully into line with his “slingshot light battery” similary lined up. He also had his Guardian Swamp Fairies lined up as well. Sorceress Mother Ophelia (and her Cats) watch from behind.Steven’s Harvesters get into Melee with Bob’s Impkin’s and lose three bases to the Impkins two -and subsequently rout (red marker). Steven moves up the savage Carrot Creatures and the Mystic Crone to fight Bob’s Impkins (aka the Creepy Fighting Baby Dolls).Similar to the last game, the Great Owls (Munchkin allies – Brad) move up into the town. This time, the Harvest forces counter with their own aviation – the Great Eagles (Leif). The ensuing flyer on flyer Melee resulted in the total annihilation of the Great Owls by the Great Eagles.This time Brad’s Quadlings successfully move forward and deploy into line along the fence – with their right flank supported by the Munchkin Sharpshooters (also led by Brad). The Menacing Hammerheads (James) take out more fence and go into line formation.Brad also got his Munchkins into line – here you see his Landwehr and Sharpshooter regiments in line to maximize firepower. Leif’s Lesser Pumpkin Heads take cover behind a wall and secure his Great Eagles’ flank by the town. James has his Admiral Jinjur’s Female Pirates and Lesser Ape regiments moving up against the Munchkin sharpshooters.A view of the battle in the field as the James’ Menacing Hammerheads start to take fire from three defending Quadling units of Brad at close range.Back on the far end – Steven’s Carrot Creatures deploy into line and fire their bows at the Impkin infantry (Bob) armed with muskets. A back and forth firefight ensues (well bows and muskets anyways).Leif moves up his Great Pumpkin Heads to attack Brad’s Landwehr.
Notably in this game there were a number of critical spell failures – by the Harvest side – all of which redounded to their favor. One notable one was when a spell of Steven’s witch failed, but the result would cause the nearest inanimate thing to animate and leave the battlefield. This resulted in the Impkin’s slingshot deciding to head for the hills, leaving their crew dumbfounded. Another critical failure by James got him a unit of Dire Tigers added to his forces. These, and a few others were hilarious.
The Impkin Slingshot rans away to the casualty pile…And James got free Dire Tigers – which were too late to arrive to make a difference but were amusing anyways.
In the end, the Quadlings/Munchkins/Impkins were victorious over the forces of the Great Land of Harvest by a score of 24-15. It was a fun game and all enjoyed it. I believe this game also won the runner up award as the best game in the time slot.
Saturday Evening – The Battle for Toto (Wars of Ozz)
For the Saturday Evening game I had 8 player slots available for this game – and ended up having 7 relatively experienced players. The scenario design is my own, the Battle for Toto – and I have ran this a few times in the past. However, in the past I had a bigger table – so I modified it for playability here by deleting a few units and rearranging the deployments.
As for the scenario description, I listed it on the registration website as follows:
The Battle for Toto (Wars of Ozz)
“I’ll get you my pretty – and your little dog too!”
The two rival witch sisters – Evora (a.k.a. The Wicked Witch of the East) and Arella (a.k.a. The Wicked Witch of the North) have both learned that a force of Munchkins has taken refuge in a small town near the border of the Great Land of Harvest. Moreover, their spies have also confirmed that the town also harbors other notable Munchkin-lovers – such as the Kansas Farmgirl and her friends. These include the Tinman, the Lion, and the Scarecrow – and importantly Toto.
Both witches believe that possession of the little dog Toto will bring power and leverage over their enemies. Plus, any opportunity to hit the Munchkins is always enticing.
Unbeknownst to the other, the two witches have each simultaneously gathered their forces and allies to attack the town. The two rival forces are converging from oppsite cornesrs of the tabletop. Arella has a reinforced Gillikin brigade and has allied with two Harvest brigades under King Jack, the King of the Pumpkinheads. Arella has recruited King Jack in her quest.
Evora has a both a reinforced Winkie brigade as well as two large Impkin brigades as allies.
Will the two witches put aside their differences and join forces? Or will sibling and tribal rivalries win the day and the two converging attackers try to take on each other for the right to assault the town? And, will Toto be safe?
Looking at the photo below, Toto is secretly hidden in one of five buildings in the town, which has two Munchkin brigades in defence (one on the left commanded by Michelle and one on the right commanded by Vicki). Toto is represented by a secret card placement – and even I as the GM would not know where Toto is placed.
The Gillikins (Brad in the top left corner) are allied with two Harvest Brigades (Keith in the bottom right corner). For the Winkies – Leif was in the top right corner, and was allied with the two Impkin brigades in the battle bottom left corner (commanded by Sam and Matt). Understand that there is no obligation for these rival bad guys to fight – but they can decide to do so (and the Munchkins would just love that).
The Battle for Toto begins.
Victory is determined by scoring, but the points awarded are different.
For the Munchkins, one point is earned for each enemy base destroyed or routed off of the board.
For the attackers, one point is earned for each Munchkin base destroyed or routed off of the board. However, 1.5 points are awarded for each base of the opposite attacking force that they take out.
Additionally, possession of Toto by the Munchkins is worth 10 points at the end of the game. For the attackers, possession of Toto and getting him off the tabletop successfully is worth 10 points at the end of the game.
Keith moves up his Harvest forces – here you see one regiment of Admiral Jinjur’s Female Pirates approaching a Munchkin Medium battery deployed behind a fence. A follow up Jinjur regiment is behind, as are the Carrot Creatures. In the Winkie corner, Leif makes a mad dash for the town and the Munchkin Guard with his Winkie Infantry. He also deploys his Winkie Light Battery to hammer Vicki’s Colonel Tik-Tok infantry who are behind a stone wall. Great Owls, Winkie Sharphooters, and Zilk-riding Winkie cavalry are in the follow-up positions for Leif.Winkies mass for the attack!Back on the Harvest corner, the Great and Lesser Pumpkin Headsmaneuver around and through the woods to threaten the Munchkin Medium Batteries other flank.While the Winkies make a direct assualt, the Gillikins move up Dire Bears, infantry, and skeletons to hit the Munchkin’s other units. No fratricide…yet…Eric of the HAWKS shows up to briefly offer Vicki advice on her defence.The Lesser Pumpkin Heads take carbine fire from the crew as they approach the Munchkin Medium Battery outside of the gun’s firing arc.
At this point in the games, the convention organizers stop all games to announce the winners of the raffle and the best in session awards. I was honored to win the “Best of Session” award for the Satuday night game slot! Huzzah!
Hey, I won “Best in Session” for my game!Very cool! Btw, the sheets I use to score the game and a card denoting a building searched that Toto was not in are shown here.
Now back to the game!
Fratricide begins! The Guardian Fairies of the Impkins strays into a forest where Savage Apple Trees of the Harvest forces were – and fighting ensues. However, neither was able to inflict much damage on the other in the exchange.A view of the right side of the town – getting swarmed!The Carrot Creatures search successfully and seize Toto!As their Harvest allies have Toto, Gillikin forces move to hit and damage any Winkie units that they can.
The Harvest forces successfully got Toto off the board for the 10 points. The final scores were:
Gillikin/Harvest (Brad and Keith): 31 points
Munchkins (Michelle and Vicki): 25 points
Winkie/Impkin (Leif/Sam/Matt): 11 points
What a fun game with a lot of twists and turns!
That wraps up Saturday – with only Sunday left to report on in part 3. And there are surprises (yes more) for Sunday, so stay tuned!!
To all my players -THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!
Again, I MUST thank and acknowledge the great help and assistance of Bradley Gosselin and Leif Magnuson in helping me set up and take down the games. Wingmen supreme!
I also want to thank the Maine Historical Wargamer’s Association (MWHA) for running HUZZAH! and doing it so very well. Thanks also for honoring me with your “Best in Session” award for Saturday night.
Don’t forget that there are more surprises coming in part 3 (yes I said that again!). As before, please let me know if you like the post (or if you do not) in the comments section. I’ll share Sunday’s game in a few days (hopefully).
Thanks for looking!
Miscellaneous details and references for those interested in that sort of thing:
For all of my previous posts on Wars of Ozz games, figures, units, and other related projects – please see this page.
As you may want to check out the excellent Wars of Ozz figures’ range – there are two places to get them and to get your own copy of the rules. The game rules and the figures are available from the following two places:
The “HUZZAH! Con 2024” was held between Friday, May 17th and Sunday, May 19th, 2024 at the Doubletree by Hilton in South Portland Maine. The theme for this year was “HUZZAH 2024 GOES HOLLYWOOD”, so games with an association with movies or TV shows were categorized as theme games. I have run many games at previous HUZZAH! conventions, it is one of my favorite conventions. With that said, it was a no-brainer for me to submit Wars of Ozz games for the convention with its association with Baum’s books and the 1939 movie that they inspired.
As has been my (admittedly somewhat insane) habit this year, I submitted games to run in every time slot – that being two on Friday, three on Saturday, and one on Sunday, for a total of six 4-hour games.
I took a lot of photos worth sharing here – but to do so all at once in just one post seems a waste and probably overwhelming for you the reader (let alone for me trying to write such a behemoth-like tome).
Therefore, I will share my HUZZAH! Con 2024 experiences in three parts – one for each day. This post – part 1 – will cover Friday’s games – during which I ran one game in the afternoon and one game in the evening.
Friday Afternoon – Learn To Play Wars of Ozz
I had 6 player slots available for this game – and it quickly sold out. It was listed on the registration website as follows:
Wars of Ozz Battle – Learn to Play Wars of Ozz
Take part in this big battle set in the horse & musket/black powder fantasy world of Ozz. This is definitely not Kansas anymore. Various factions, including Munchkins, Winkies, Gillikins, Impkins, Quadlings and others will fight for victory in this fast-paced and easy-to-learn fun game. Beginners are very welcome. Rules will be taught. Players are invited to bring their own 25-point brigades of official Wars of Ozz figures if they have them or they can use one of the several brigades that we will have available for play. Players under 13 only with a playing adult.
I ended up using 21-22 point brigades – and the gamers were a mix of new players and experienced ones. There were 6 brigades facing off on the tabletop as you’ll see below. The forces were, from nearest to farthest in the photo:
Black side (on left side in photo from nearest to farthest):
One Gillikin Brigade
One Winkie Brigade
One Harvest Brigade
Red side (on right in photo from nearest to farthest):
One Quadling Brigade
One Impkin Brigade
One Munchkin Brigade
Victory is determined by scoring. One point is earned for each enemy base destroyed or routed off of the board. A half point is earned if an enemy base is routing and not rallied when the game ends.
The players are ready to go – black side on the left, red side on the right.Glenda the Sorceress and the Quadlings face off against the Gillikins.Gillikin infantry and Dire Bears next to their Lesser Witch.The Gillikins maneuver their Dire Lions (with the Lion as an attached hero figure) and their Dire Wolves forward against the Quadlings.A view past the Gillikin forces shows the center of the black side – with the Winkie Brigade moving up through a field toward the Impkins.Both sides close.The Harvest Brigade was reinforced by an allied Winkie Light artillery battery – shown here with noted artillerist hero Boom-Boom Palmer attached. They faced the Harvest Brigade. They would not survive the day.Both the Dire Lions and the Dire Wolves took damage from the Quadling muskets and artillery, and found it difficult to get the gumption up to subsequently charge them. In the rear of the photo, you can see the Impkins successfully getting into line formation to maximize firepower and to hold off the attacking Winkies.The Dire Bears decided that it would be more fun to attack the Impkins instead of the Quadllings. This led to a series of morale results that led them to charge multiple units of both Impkins and Quadlings on a mad rampage across the tabletop. These bears almost single-handedly turned the tide of battle, until they were wiped out.
In the end, the Quadling/Munchkin/Impkin alliance inflicted slightly more casualties on the Winkie/Gillikin/Harvest forces. The final score was 33.5 to 27.5. The black side’s loss of both their Dire Bears and the Winkie artillery (with Boom-Boom as well) were instrumental – and not evened up by the destruction of the Munchkin Aerostat by the Harvest forces.
Friday Evening – Attack on the Munchkin Border Post
I had 6 player slots available for this game – and it also sold out. It is a scenario design that is in the rulebook. I redesigned and reworked it for 6 players, and listed it on the registration website as follows:
The Munchkin Border has been quiet, but terrifying storm clouds are brewing. The Munchkins are determined to defend their frontier by fortifying a series of small villages & positions along their border. Shockingly, their unknown enemies are launching a surprise attack! The local Munchkin commander has sent runners up to division to request reinforcements. Will the Munchkins stop their foes? Will help save the day? Will the border be protected? Beginners are welcome. Rules will be taught. All miniatures/brigades will be provided for play. Players under 13 only with a playing adult.
In a town there is one brigade of Munchkins reinforced by Admiral Jinjur’s Female Pirates and Admiral Jinjur’s Personal band. A relief column in the form of a sister brigade of Munchkins is on the way. Attacking are four brigades – two each from the Winkies and the Gilikins. The Munchkins and Jinjurs are all in strong defensive positions. An additional rule for this scenario is that if the attackers are routed and cross the river, an additional base is lost.
Victory is determined by scoring here again. One point is earned for each enemy base destroyed or routed off of the board. If the attackers can drive all Munchkins from the town at the game’s end AND have at least one base in the town – they would earn an additional 6 points.
The players – on the left are the two Munchkin Brigade commanders. On the right, from nearest to farthest are the two Winkie Brigade and two Gillikin Brigade commanders.Gillikins begin their movement.A Gillikin Skeleton Regiment moves up to the Jinjur’s wall and attempts to flank, while the band plays a rousing tune. The band can be shot at but not engaged in melee.The Munchkin relief column is approaching on the left, led by light cavalry.The Winkie Zilk-rider cavalry and infantry move up to intercept the Munchkin pony riders.A view from the back of the Munchkin relief column.Gillikins and Winkies swarm across the battlefield towards the town, while the defenders fire away at the attackers.The Munchkin and Winkie cavalry meet in battle. The Winkies took slightly more casualties than the Munchkins despite the advantage of the Winkies.Winkie infantry brave the dedicated rifle fire of the Munchkin Sharpshooters and assault the town.The Winkie’s advantage in Melee proves too much for the defenders, and the Sharpshooters are pushed back with heavy losses. The Winkies enter the town.Meanwhile, while trying to retreat to a safer location (away from the flanking skeleton attack), the Pirates become the target of the Winkie’s Great Flying Apes. The GFA fly over and launch a vertical envelopment to try to hit the Jinjur’s in the rear. The female pirates manage to make an about face just in time. Now they are wedged between the skeletons and the GFA. And the band plays on…The Winkie cavalry, though damaged, interrupt the relief column effectively.The best Winkie infantry – Evora’s Body Guard – hits Colonel Tik-Tok’s infantry hard. This Munchkin unit would not survive the day.Admiral Jinjur’s Female Pirates lose all taste for the fight as the Gillikin forces stream over the south side of the town. And the band played on…Gillikin troops breach the town’s defenses.Some Munchkin relief column troops (Zoraster’s Guard Infantry) reach the extreme edge of the town as the Munchkin cavalry attempt to screen their approach. The Sharpshooters have been able to stop the Winkie infantry’s progress and hold on desperately.Gillikin Dire Lions and skeletons devastate the Munchkin Medium Battery.Gillikin infantry move through the town to eject the Munchkin Sharpshooters and finish what the Winkie infantry started.The Munchkin players worriedly survey the merciless attackers savagely over-running them.A view at the end of the game – the Munchkin relief column was arriving but the defenders were badly outnumbered, though they held a sliver of the town.
In the end the Munchkin players denied the attackers the bonus 6 points for the town. They also exacted a total of 21 enemy bases, but lost 30 in the process. So it was a victory for the Winkie/Gillikin team 30-21 in the end.
After the game, I reset and prepared for Saturday’s three games, which I will share in my next post. I do believe this last game was a runner up as best in time slot at the convention.
I do want to acknowledge the great help and assistance of Bradley Gosselin and Leif Magnuson in helping me set up and take down the games.
I also want to thank the Maine Historical Wargamer’s Association (MWHA) for running HUZZAH! and doing it so very well.
There are more surprises coming – and I will pace these posts out. Please let me know if you like the post (or if you do not) in the comments section.
Thanks for looking!
Miscellaneous details and references for those interested in that sort of thing:
For all of my previous posts on Wars of Ozz games, figures, units, and other related projects – please see this page.
As you may want to check out the excellent Wars of Ozz figures’ range – there are two places to get them and to get your own copy of the rules. The game rules and the figures are available from the following two places:
Mark A. Morin 