Historicon 2015 AAR: The Sound of Music and Regency Zombies

We had another great time at Historicon.  The highlight of course was our Third Annual Musical Wargame - "Fa, A Long Long Way to Run: The Sound of Music The Wargame." Here's some pictures of the board (thanks to one of our regular "cast member," Ray Frandsen for many of the photos):

As in previous years, Nick and I were in full costume.  This year's costumes certainly got the most looks.  I will say I think I looked better than some of the nuns I had as teachers in grade school.

As for the game, the main plot dealt with the von Trapps trying to escape from the Salzburg Music Festival so that Captain von Trapp wouldn't have to join the German Navy and the family could go to America and get a lucrative recording contract.  Here's the annoyingly adorable clan: 

Assisting them were "Uncle Max" the family agent who recruited the Austrian Resistance to help ensure he gets his commission, the Lonely Goatherd, and the nuns of the Noneburg Abbey, including the choir director, Sister Whoopy, a lounge singer hiding out from gangsters because she witnessed one of their murders.

Opposing them were the Baroness, Capt von T's jilted fiancee who formed the female SS chorus line, Rolfe and the Austrian Nazis, the German Army troops under Franz Liebkin, future playwright of the Broadway hit "Springtime for Hitler," and the Austrian Police under Gustav Schwartenegger, father of the future Govenator of Kaleefornya.

Finally, Howard Whitehouse played the Carrie Underwood Maria, trying to replace the good Juile Andrews Maria.  For a middle aged Enlishman, Howard did a surprisingly effective impersonation of  a blonde country western singer.

The game played out with a running battle between the German army & Austrian Nazis vs the nuns all the while, Carrie-Maria trying to convince everyone that Julie-Maria should be arrested.  One highlight was when Sister Whoopy inspired the German troops to join in a rousing Gospel tune.

On the other side of the board, the American gangsters, lead by Harvey Keitel, were pulled over by the Austrian police for speeding.  It did not end well for the police when they approached the Tommygun armed gangsters. 

After wrecking their own car, the gangsters fled in the police car.  They were unable to find Sister Whoopy when their way was blocked by the Vienna Boys Choir.

Meanwhile, the various Nazi groups and the Austrian Resistence effectively wiped each other out.  

Despite several catfights between Julie-Maria and Carrie-Maria, they and the rest of the family had almost made it to the mountains.  However, the Baroness and her chorus line rushed forward.

Rather than attacking however, she convinced the Captain to remain with her in Germany.  The two Marias, realizing the marriage to the Captain would likely be as abusive as Fifty Shades of Grey, left the Captain go.  They escaped to America with the children, had a same-sex marriage, and started a womyn's music festival in New York.  The Captain was subsequently killed in a U-boat in the Battle of the Atlantic.  

As in previous year, the Best Actor was chosen by acclaim to receive the coveted Wazzi award.  This year it was Julie Andrews - Maria.

Here's a photo of the full cast

Finally, the game itself won an award

The other game we ran was a reprise of the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies game I had run at Cold Wars.  This time around, the Bennet Sisters were not quite as successful in obtaining husbands.  They were able to force the cad Mr. Wickham to marry Lydia, mostly through the application of brutal force by Sgt Harper and Mr. Darcy.   However, Lady Catherine was able to prevent Elizabeth Bennet and Darcy getting together by handily beating Elizabeth in a duel.  Here's some photos:

Here's the partial cast 

We also played in several other games.  Here's from a Battle of Antioch game where my Muslim. command was wiped out but won a moral victory in destroying several Crusader forces, including some knights.

We also played in Pete Panzari's Wizard of Oz game, where Nick got to play the Wizard, I was some of the Spooks, and the witch took a bucket of water to the face

The last game we played in was a big zombie game in which President Hillary Clinton was attempting to get to the chopper to escape the zombie hordes.  I played the less than brilliant VP Joe Biden and Nick played the A-team.  Despite us both making to the helicopter first, the plan did not come together and we could not convince the pilot to take off without the President.

Finally, here's some pictures of other games that caught my eye:

These pictures are from an amazing 54mm WW2 game.

Third Annual Historicon Musical Wargame - The Sound of Music

My son Nick and I are going to be running another musical-based wargame at Historicon this year.  Last year we ran Spamalot, the year before it was Les Miserables.  This year it will be The Sound of Music, with some elements from other musical with nun or Nazi themes - it's surprising how frequently one of the two feature in popular musicals.  The game will be based on the last portion of The Sound of Music.  For those unfamiliar with the story, in late 1930s Austria, the failing novice Maria is sent to serve as governess to the annoyingly adorable seven children of the widower Capt von Trapp, a WWI hero of the Austrian Navy.  To make a long story shore, Maria brings happiness and music back into the grief-striken household.  She marries von Trapp just in time for the Nazi Anschluss.  The Nazis want to force von Trapp to take a commission in the Reich's Navy.  The family plans a rather ridiculous escape from the Salzburg Music Festival and, with the help of the nuns of Maria's former abbey, they "climb every mountain" and escape to a lucrative recording contract in America.  The game will cover the family's escape.



Here's what the table will look like.  I'm using a new Cigar Box mat and some Clever Paper buildings.  I'm going to do a separate blog entry on the scenery.



Here's Capt. von Trapp and Maria - I'm still working on painting the children.

 Here's some of the nuns of the Noneburg Abbey, part of the heavily armed choir in fact.  Lead by Sister Whoopy, a streetwise torch singer in hiding after witnessing a murder (see "Sister Act")

The rest of the nuns led by the tough but wise Mother Abbess - they remind of some of my grade school teachers.

Opposing them will be the frauleins of The Springtime for Hitler SS Brigade (See "The Producers")

Some Austrian Brown Shirts

Helping the von Trapps will be the Eidelweiss Battalion of the Austrian Resistance (Yodeling-capable)

A roadblock in the countryside.

Last year, NBC broadcast a live version of The Sound of Music starring Carrie Underwood. As a complication for the von Trapps, I've added a country singer who wants to replace the original far more talented Maria.

The chase is on!

Austrian police - they will be led by Gustav Schwartenegger, father to a future Governator of Kalifornia

Vince La Rocca, the mobster who wants to silence Sister Whoopy.

Here's a view of Salzburg.  I was trying of an "artificially picturesque" sort of atmosphere here.  I think the buildings and the mat give it a sort of movie set quality.