Hot Lead 2015

Last Saturday, Beth, DJ, and I drove up to Stratford, ON, for Hot Lead, a very nice convention held every year in that fine city. It's a good size, had a number of vendors, quite a bit of gaming, and we get to see old friends we don't get to see in the winter. Andy, Martin, Steven, and Kevin had to be there early (Like 9:00am) because Kevin was assisting in the running of an early game. Our car came up later since we were there primarily for the shopping. I need my dose of lead/pewter/white metal!

"Another successful convention, guys! Just bring the cart up to the hovel there!"

A Napoleonic game in progress using Shako rules.

I watched a bit and kibbitzed with the Mad Padre who was general of the Baden contingent.

Some of the flower of Baden's metal manhood.

A Light dragoon regiment that controlled the entire end of the board...
even with a trash barrel of one rider's head.

Austrian Landwehr, fusiliers and grenadiers take the fight to the French.
Hoch Hapsburg!

Some space gaming with many and varied space ships
"In space, no one can hear you whine."
(Such a great line. I wish I'd said it first.)

A huge ancients game. Here are the Carthaginians - Gauls and the Citizen phalanx

The Roman legions form up.

Carthage's greatest tourist attraction - War elephants!
No Carthaginian army should be without them.

A Battletech game preparing to start.
That town is TOO pristine. Do something about it!

A WWI game preparing to start.
This was an afternoon offering, not the one Wayne and Kevin ran in the morning.

British and Imperial troops form up for an assault.

German troops in their staging area. They'll break into less rigid formation shortly.

Russians in the redoubt? It looks like it.

French preparing to assault? I'd think so.
A nice looking game and I don't know what rules were used.

RAFM miniatures ran a Steampunk RPG game with a huge airship and lots of adventurous folks.

The loot at the end of the day.
Pooka is doing a security check for anything edible.
I picked up some great things. More 15mm Aztecs and 15mm Pike&Shot Poles.
The bring-and-buy is always a great source of bargains

I enjoy this convention. I've been to Historicon, Fall In, and Winter War in the States. Hot Lead is not nearly as big, but it is more personable. The crowding is less, the comraderie is greater, and the stench of the unwashed is FAR less. Keep up the good work, James! I look forward to next year!