Historicon
Encyclopedia
Historicon is the largest gaming convention
in North America
devoted to historical miniature wargaming
. It is sponsored by the Historical Miniatures Gaming Society
, a nonprofit guiding organization. The New York Times has described Historicon as the "mother of all wargaming conventions."
Typically, Historicon is a four-day convention held in late July each year in historic Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
. Thousands of miniature gamers and military history enthusiasts gather to play in hundreds of tabletop games, tournaments, and demonstrations. The convention is accompanied by a large flea market
of used gaming items and accessories, a large dealer hall offering new merchandise, a series of seminars and training sessions, painting competitions, and similar events. Over 90% of the gaming events are history-related, with the remainder being sports games and fantasy or science fiction miniature games.
Each year, Historicon has a different theme and focal point (such as the American Civil War
or World War II
), and many games and supporting events are geared around the theme. In 2006, the theme is "Africa's Independence – The Wars of Africa," 1905–2006. Awards are presented to the Best Theme Event, as well as best games in specific time slots and other honors for particularly popular or impressive games.
Historicon is normally held in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
, at the Lancaster Host Resort, a hotel located on U.S. Route 30
in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch
and Amish country
.
July 26–29, 2007 — "The Wars of South Asia: Afghanistan, Burma, India and Pakistan, 1800–2007"
July 24–27, 2008 — "The World on Fire – The first world war: The Seven Years and French & Indian Wars, 1754–63"
July 16–19, 2009 — “Ride to the Sound of the Guns… -Napoleon’s 1809 Campaign and the Spanish Ulcer ”
July 8–11, 2010 — "Pike and Shotte: Seventeenth Century Warfare," 1600–1699
July 8–10 2011 — "Brother Against Brother: The American Civil War," 1861–1865
Gaming convention
A gaming convention is a gathering that centered on role-playing games, collectible card games, miniatures wargames, board games, video games, or other types of games. These conventions are typically two or three days long, and often held at either a university or in a convention center hotel...
in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
devoted to historical miniature wargaming
Miniature wargaming
Miniature wargaming is a form of wargaming that incorporates miniature figures, miniature armor and modeled terrain as the main components of play...
. It is sponsored by the Historical Miniatures Gaming Society
Historical Miniatures Gaming Society
The Historical Miniatures Gaming Society promotes the hobby of historical miniature wargaming as a registered non-profit charitable and educational foundation...
, a nonprofit guiding organization. The New York Times has described Historicon as the "mother of all wargaming conventions."
Typically, Historicon is a four-day convention held in late July each year in historic Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster County, known as the Garden Spot of America or Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is a county located in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010 the population was 519,445. Lancaster County forms the Lancaster Metropolitan Statistical Area, the...
. Thousands of miniature gamers and military history enthusiasts gather to play in hundreds of tabletop games, tournaments, and demonstrations. The convention is accompanied by a large flea market
Flea market
A flea market or swap meet is a type of bazaar where inexpensive or secondhand goods are sold or bartered. It may be indoors, such as in a warehouse or school gymnasium; or it may be outdoors, such as in a field or under a tent...
of used gaming items and accessories, a large dealer hall offering new merchandise, a series of seminars and training sessions, painting competitions, and similar events. Over 90% of the gaming events are history-related, with the remainder being sports games and fantasy or science fiction miniature games.
Each year, Historicon has a different theme and focal point (such as the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
or World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
), and many games and supporting events are geared around the theme. In 2006, the theme is "Africa's Independence – The Wars of Africa," 1905–2006. Awards are presented to the Best Theme Event, as well as best games in specific time slots and other honors for particularly popular or impressive games.
Historicon is normally held in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...
, at the Lancaster Host Resort, a hotel located on U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30 is an east–west main route of the system of United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. It is the third longest U.S. route, after U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 6. The western end of the highway is at Astoria, Oregon; the...
in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch refers to immigrants and their descendants from southwestern Germany and Switzerland who settled in Pennsylvania in the 17th and 18th centuries...
and Amish country
Amish
The Amish , sometimes referred to as Amish Mennonites, are a group of Christian church fellowships that form a subgroup of the Mennonite churches...
.
Convention dates and themes
July 20–23, 2006 — "Africa's Independence – The Wars of Africa," 1905–2006.July 26–29, 2007 — "The Wars of South Asia: Afghanistan, Burma, India and Pakistan, 1800–2007"
July 24–27, 2008 — "The World on Fire – The first world war: The Seven Years and French & Indian Wars, 1754–63"
July 16–19, 2009 — “Ride to the Sound of the Guns… -Napoleon’s 1809 Campaign and the Spanish Ulcer ”
July 8–11, 2010 — "Pike and Shotte: Seventeenth Century Warfare," 1600–1699
July 8–10 2011 — "Brother Against Brother: The American Civil War," 1861–1865