Colonial Barracks - New Orleans Nov 4 - 6

Colonial Barracks - New Orleans Nov 4 - 6

I had the great opportunity to travel to New Orleans to attend Larry and Lori Brom's 1st Colonial Barracks convention.  It was and will be held next year at the Sheraton - Metarie, Louisiana.  It's a great location, only about 20 to 25 minutes drive to the French Quarter.  Besides the great Colonial gaming there is so much to do if you take your family with you.  I took my girlfriend Julie and her Son Aaron with me and we all had a great time.

Anyway, I want to start by saying it was so nice to see Larry and Lori.  I haven't seen them since Historicon 2004.  Larry is still looking good and I had a couple of chances to sit next to him and have a little chat.  I really owe a lot to Larry, his

Colonial Barracks Convention - New Orleans Nov 4 - 6

When I heard that Larry and Lori Brom putting the first The Sword and Flame at Colonial Barracks I decided right away I was going.  If it wasn't for Larry Brom's Rules and the movie "Khartoum" I never would have been a war gamer.  So it was a pleasure seeing Lori and Larry after seeing them at Historicon in 2004.  This is the 32nd year that TSATF has been around and has stood the test of time.  

"The Train" Battle

The convention was at the Sheraton Metarie which is only about 25 minutes or so from the French Quarter.   I took Julie and her son Aaron and we had a blast.  For this first visit I took most of my time with sightseeing and playing in the evening.  I am ready to go again next year.  This is a perfect trip to bring your family and everyone will be happy.  I took the opportunity to vista the French Quarter, eat some great food, visit the WWII National Museum, road the Street Car, etc.  Great fun.  Of course I kept sending pictures and text message to Tony Fryer, just to rub it in.  

WWII National Museum

French Quarter

The convention was also a fundraiser for the Creutzfieldt-Jakob Diseasse which took Sara, Wife and Mother in 1999.  It is a worthy cause.  

I met new friends there and ran into a fellow Californio, Ethan Reiff.  Well he lives in California but is from the east coast.  I will be definitely visiting him in California to play in some games or conventions on the West Coast.   Now Ethan drove all the way from California and put on the nice looking terrain of the battle of Maiwand.  I added Ethan's Blog in my Favorite Blog sections, check it out.  Here are some pics from his Maiwand Battle.

Maiwand Troops

More Maiwand Troops

Battery on the move.

Maiwand

Maiwand

Ethan's beautiful Maiwand Table!

Besides seeing Lori and Larry I got to see Jeff Baumal whom I have not seen for many years at a past Historicon.  He put on some great battles and I was fortunate to play in his "The Wind and the Lion" battle.

But if anyone has played the Sword and the Flame before you know the mechanics.  It is a blast, especially in the Wind and the Lion battle where the Raisuli got away but Pedecarus was wounded and taken down.  It almost went according to our Berber plan.  The terrain as I have mentioned is fantastic and I hope to play in another of Jeff's battles at Recon in Coco Beach in the Spring.

Here are some pictures of The Wind and the Lion Battle.  "Mrs. Pedecarus alive or Railsuli dead!" (The Wind and the Lion 1975.)

Jeff's Beautiful Wind Lion Market!

Wind Lion Defenders

 Jeff Far Right next to Ethan

Market Place

Berber Cavalry

Pedecarus goes down!

Raisuli Breakout

Marines!

Germans.

Berbers ready to start the Charge!

Berbers on the move!

Germans, French and Moroccans defenders

Building where the Raisuli is being held!

Germans just made it to the walls!

The Honorable Larry Brom. 

The Wind and the Lion Battlefield

French Cavalry ready to charge the gates

Larry overlooking the battle

Berber Cavalry swarming everywhere through the defences.

Berber Surprise attack on the left flank gate.

French Cavalry defend the gate by charging into my Berber mob.

Berbers taking rifle fire from the walls before contact is made

Oh is that Frenchie on the ground...haha!

If you saw the movie, the Marines start the Fire Works!

Larry Brom 1958