Cold Wars 2020 Convention Report - COVID-19 Edition

[admin]

From 12th thru 15th March 2020, I had the unique experience of attending what many are calling “the last wargames convention on earth”, for this year anyway.

http://www.wargamer.com/articles/cold-wars-2020/

[DeRuyter66]

I had an interesting experience on Friday. The local news channel sent a reporter, likely because we had a large event that had not been cancelled. I saw him interview Heather and he came over to where our Too Fat Lardies games were running. You likely saw the Arnhem bridge Chain of Command game. The reporter felt it made a good backdrop and filmed his intro by picking up and rolling a handful dice saying: "Wargamers, they like to roll the dice". (groans)

I had a good show, sold stuff in the flea market, ran a game and participated in Tom Uhl's "Men who would be Kings" Zulu game. Also picked up Blood and Valor based on your review.

[carnifex]

So they sent a reporter because they thought it was newsworthy to report on a gathering of 800 people in the middle of a pandemic where the virus is spread asymptomatically through otherwise "healthy" people. Pictures from the convention show the crowd to be full of people over 60 yrs.

This was nothing short of reckless and I have no idea what the organizers were thinking. There were definitely coronavirus transmissions at that gathering. Asymptomatic people gave it to others who then took it home who then gave it to others. Completely unrelated strangers are going to get sick because "healthy" people thought it was ok to congregate in a giant group in an enclosed space. SMH.

[hmgs1@hotmail.com]

Oh, I don't necessarily think so, due to good planning and some damn good luck. The timing put HMGS right smack in the middle of a "Hell if you do, Hell if you don't" situation. The convention literally ran right between the time authorities said "just be careful" and "quarantine everything." So for every gamer who said close it down, there was another that howled about paranoia. The Chapter also stood to lose a huge bunch of $$$ if they pulled out so late, and lots of folks were already on the road to boot. But people used good sense and it looks like only the healthy showed up. HMGS supported the effort with such things as lots of (HMGS branded yet) hand sanitizer in each and every swag bag given to all attendees.

The good luck came in as with only half showing up, and the convention so dispersed over such a large areas into multiple room over multiple stories (not to mention a Dealer's Hall separate from the convention/hotel by at least a football field), you were rarely within virus range of more than half a dozen people at any time. The hotel staff were also really good about keeping the facilities clean 24/7.

Its been close to two weeks now, and no attendee has yet to emerge infected (yet), so it looks like this call worked out OK.

Ciao, Colonel Bill

[EICJoe]

So they sent a reporter because they thought it was newsworthy to report on a gathering of 800 people in the middle of a pandemic where the virus is spread asymptomatically through otherwise "healthy" people. Pictures from the convention show the crowd to be full of people over 60 yrs.

This was nothing short of reckless and I have no idea what the organizers were thinking. There were definitely coronavirus transmissions at that gathering. Asymptomatic people gave it to others who then took it home who then gave it to others. Completely unrelated strangers are going to get sick because "healthy" people thought it was ok to congregate in a giant group in an enclosed space. SMH.

For the record, I didn't 'send' anyone. Bill goes every year and I couldn't stop him even if I tried.

But while he's there, I might as well get him to do a write up.

[hmgs1@hotmail.com]

FWIW, I think this may be a reference to the local TV news reporter that evidently showed up, not me. I gotta see if I can find that online, if only to correctly target Langley (they owe me favors) towards who they need to drop by for coffee and attitude readjustment.

But you really could stop me. For a lot of internationally negotiable shekels. A WHOLE lot. HM the Queen doesn't have that much lot .

Ciao, Colonel Bill

[DeRuyter66]

Bill the reporters name was John Boruk if that helps. He told one of the GMs that the story could be found on the WGAL website. However their search function didn't turn anything up for me.

Also as you mention that was a time when many people including some in attendance felt that the whole thing was the product of media panic or plot, take your pick.