Wargamers Reunion Weekend: November 9, 10, 11
The Wargamers Reunion - A Retrospective
The history of the Wargamers Reunion begins back in October of 1991. The original concept was to provide a smaller, more laid-back, convention away from the hustle and bustle of Nashville. As an avid supporter of the local wargaming scene, Bob Duncan decided to take action. He reserved the Conference Lodge at Henry Horton State Park and organized the first ever Wargamers Reunion. Bob, a long time gamer and founder of The Maury Light Artillery gaming group, invited all the area wargaming groups and clubs to attend and the show boasted around 50 attendees. The price was just $5.00 a head for the whole weekend. Even then, the goal was not to make money but to simply cover expenses while providing an opportunity for everyone to gather and have fun.
For the next two years, the reunion was held at Henry Horton State Park under Bob’s direction. When the park went up on the price to rent the Conference Lodge, the Reunion had to find a new home. It was at this point that the show was picked up by a trio of local gamers. Bryant Williams, Buddy McPeak, and Ken Lewis, members of the Vanguard Gaming Group and The Maury Light Artillery group, picked up the torch and went forward with the show. At the time, Ken’s wife Brenda was the executive chef at the Smyrna Town Center. A deal was struck with the management and the group hosted the Reunion at the Smyrna Town Center for the next three years. Participation continued to grow including a burgeoning vendor area.
When the Town Center became unviable as a location, the Wargamers Reunion took to the road. For the next several years it traveled to different cities. It was held one year at Memphis, TN. Kennesaw and Gainesville, GA also hosted the Reunion. The last Reunion held prior to its resurrection in 2016 was in Shelbyville, TN in the early 2000’s and was organized by Mike Randles. But willingness to organize the event began to wane, participation slowly ground to a halt and the Wargamers Reunion slipped into obscurity.
In the years that followed, there was always talk of reviving the show but nothing ever happened. Nothing, that is, until Gavin Gossett decided it was time to bring it back. In 2016 he called Henry Horton State Park, reserved the Conference Lodge for a weekend in November and with the able assistance of his brother Jeremy, the Wargamers Reunion was reborn. Local gamers like Todd Perkins, Bryant Williams and Ken Lewis, all of whom had been encouraging Gavin to start up the Reunion again, gladly agreed to help out.
For the past two years, now, the Reunion has been been blessed with the support of both old and new gamers, and has hosted a great mix of fun and exciting games. There have even been a few vendors show up to take part in the festivities. And so far, it’s been able to make enough money to pay for expenses and have a tiny bit left over…..last year’s surplus was $16.50…..to buy snacks and such with. As the show goes forward, the goal is to garner even more support from the gaming community and return back to its former glory.
Reported By Ken Lewis
The history of the Wargamers Reunion begins back in October of 1991. The original concept was to provide a smaller, more laid-back, convention away from the hustle and bustle of Nashville. As an avid supporter of the local wargaming scene, Bob Duncan decided to take action. He reserved the Conference Lodge at Henry Horton State Park and organized the first ever Wargamers Reunion. Bob, a long time gamer and founder of The Maury Light Artillery gaming group, invited all the area wargaming groups and clubs to attend and the show boasted around 50 attendees. The price was just $5.00 a head for the whole weekend. Even then, the goal was not to make money but to simply cover expenses while providing an opportunity for everyone to gather and have fun.
For the next two years, the reunion was held at Henry Horton State Park under Bob’s direction. When the park went up on the price to rent the Conference Lodge, the Reunion had to find a new home. It was at this point that the show was picked up by a trio of local gamers. Bryant Williams, Buddy McPeak, and Ken Lewis, members of the Vanguard Gaming Group and The Maury Light Artillery group, picked up the torch and went forward with the show. At the time, Ken’s wife Brenda was the executive chef at the Smyrna Town Center. A deal was struck with the management and the group hosted the Reunion at the Smyrna Town Center for the next three years. Participation continued to grow including a burgeoning vendor area.
When the Town Center became unviable as a location, the Wargamers Reunion took to the road. For the next several years it traveled to different cities. It was held one year at Memphis, TN. Kennesaw and Gainesville, GA also hosted the Reunion. The last Reunion held prior to its resurrection in 2016 was in Shelbyville, TN in the early 2000’s and was organized by Mike Randles. But willingness to organize the event began to wane, participation slowly ground to a halt and the Wargamers Reunion slipped into obscurity.
In the years that followed, there was always talk of reviving the show but nothing ever happened. Nothing, that is, until Gavin Gossett decided it was time to bring it back. In 2016 he called Henry Horton State Park, reserved the Conference Lodge for a weekend in November and with the able assistance of his brother Jeremy, the Wargamers Reunion was reborn. Local gamers like Todd Perkins, Bryant Williams and Ken Lewis, all of whom had been encouraging Gavin to start up the Reunion again, gladly agreed to help out.
For the past two years, now, the Reunion has been been blessed with the support of both old and new gamers, and has hosted a great mix of fun and exciting games. There have even been a few vendors show up to take part in the festivities. And so far, it’s been able to make enough money to pay for expenses and have a tiny bit left over…..last year’s surplus was $16.50…..to buy snacks and such with. As the show goes forward, the goal is to garner even more support from the gaming community and return back to its former glory.
Reported By Ken Lewis