KOZCON 2022

 Ken and I attended the annual "Kozcon" in Mullica Hill, New Jersey yesterday.  Kozcon is a mini convention held in honor of late-gamer Dave Kozlow, who passed away from cancer.  The con is put on by friends of Dave and was very well attended.  There was a $25 entry donation with all proceeds benefitting the American Cancer Society, which was really cool to participate in.  The crew also put on an outstanding "dice off" where participants would buy D6 at .25 cents per die and roll off for lavish (and I mean lavish!) prizes.

I will also mention that the whole affair was catered by a local Italian restaurant and there was no shortage of food.  (I think I consumed my body weight in garlic knots)  There were ADLG tournaments, a massive Flames of War historical game on a small 4x4 table (Ken and I played in this game), a massive Blood & Plunder game, an old west gunfight game, a massive Brother vrs Brother ACW skirmish game, and a neat Mass Battle game from TFL called "Strength and Honour".  

My biggest nemesis/opponent of the day?  The garlic knots...

The whole convention was a single day and much fun.  The atmosphere was very jovial and friendly and the food was terrific - this was NOT something to be missed!  I tried to get pictures of all of the games but most of my pictures were of the awesome FoW game I played in.

Fistful of Lead rules

Hot Lead in Dry Gulch

Blood and Plunder

Orsha, 1944 - Keep the train station open!

The Dice off begins! - I snuck away to snap pics of the other games

This looks like a diorama - not a wargame!  Blood and Plunder action

Avast ye scurvy knaves!  Service that piece quicker!

THe dice off for lavish prizes - each D6 is .25.  Winner takes all.  They would roll the lot, remove 1s and 2s, roll again removing 1s,2s, and 3s, etc.  Wait until you see the prizes!

The prize tables

The scratch-built Orsha Train Station, Belarus, 1944!  Operation Bagration is in full swing.  It was different playing late war Soviets!

We had 2 full strength Soviet rifle companies and a storm group on the table to take the Orsha Train Station.

My Soviets surge through the rubble and down onto the tracks.  They'd be under constant German artillery and rocket fire the whole way across the tracks!

THe left Soviet company jumping off as well - IS-2s in support.

Progress as we reach the first set of tracks - there is a German covering platoon in front of the train station and a nasty surprise - 2 x Tiger tanks on the German left flank...

Water tower and coal station!

There was so much artillery on a 4 x 4 space the whole ground is littered with "ranged in" and "pin" markers

Soviet HMGs - I didn't move them until the last possible moment to provide some semblance of cover fire

Guess which one is the flame thrower stand??

Inching closer to the train station!

first assault against the covering platoon.

Goes the Soviets' way and the covering "blue" platoon is pushed back.

Second company has reached the "third rail"

Remainders of Blue Platoon consolidate

the only assault against the train station all day!  it's beaten back by fire.  there are more platoons in the train station that weren't pinned.  D'oh!

We called the game at the end of Soviet turn 5.

All in all, we had a blast and I am looking forward to next year's!