Los Angeles, SoCal

[Eumerin]

I've recently become aware of HC. I've been playing a certain 15mm WW2 game, as well as the most recent edition of AH's 15mm Napoleonics game, but have been developing an interest in the ancients period (Scythian Cataphracts are impressive; and I have this vague recollection of a bunch of roving warbands originating in Italy as well). So in the not too distant future, I might decide to make the leap over to an ancients ruleset.

The problem, as is often the case when considering dropping a considerable sum of money on game rules and figures, is getting acquainted with the possibilities. Most of us don't like to sink a lot of money into something that we end up hating. A local ancients player (aka The Store Owner) is partial to WAB. But he admits that the owners of WAB pretty much act as if they don't want to actually sell product (I might be overstating things just a tad... /innocent whistle ). He's also warned me off of a few other systems (DBA, DBM, FOG). That leaves Hail Caeser (which had a very nice write-up of a battle between the Romans and Brits almost a year ago in WI) as the current most interesting remaining ruleset. While I don't expect to dive into anything right away, I'm currently interested in getting a feel for the rules.

Are there any groups in the Greater Los Angeles area that regularly play HC, and that are open to drop-in visitors who just want to take a peek at what's going on?

[Big Al]

Hi Eumerin and welcome to the forum.
I Can't help you about clubs in your area, but I can tell you that the rules are excellent and that they are well supported, both on here and on the Yahoo Group. If you join that as well, you may find some people in your area. You'll be fine with the rules, though.

[carvel2]

Hello Eumerin : )
Los Angeles ! Like Big Al cant help ....but welcome aboard anyway

[Cubster]

If you can sort out flights and accomodation for myself, the wife and baby, I'm willing to come to Los Angeles to help you set up a club.

2 weeks around July & August would be good for me. No need for thanks, I'm a naturally giving person.

[Eumerin]

Nah. You don't want to come down here in July or August. Too hot! And September's sometimes even worse! You want to come down at the end of December, beginning of January, enjoy the cool (usually... it was 80 degrees some days last month... ), and watch the Rose Parade and the game of (real) football later in the day.

Wonder if we could get Warlord Games to sponser a Rose Parade float one of these years?

[grant]

Nah. You don't want to come down here in July or August. Too hot! And September's sometimes even worse! You want to come down at the end of December, beginning of January, enjoy the cool (usually... it was 80 degrees some days last month... ), and watch the Rose Parade and the game of (real) football later in the day.

Wonder if we could get Warlord Games to sponser a Rose Parade float one of these years?

I'm actually flying to LA at the end of the month - to get away from Canadian winter! Where exactly in LA area are you? Brookhurst Hobbies is pretty good with Historical stuff.

[Eumerin]

Nah. You don't want to come down here in July or August. Too hot! And September's sometimes even worse! You want to come down at the end of December, beginning of January, enjoy the cool (usually... it was 80 degrees some days last month... ), and watch the Rose Parade and the game of (real) football later in the day.

Wonder if we could get Warlord Games to sponser a Rose Parade float one of these years?

I'm actually flying to LA at the end of the month - to get away from Canadian winter! Where exactly in LA area are you? Brookhurst Hobbies is pretty good with Historical stuff.

This is definitely a good winter to get away from the cold. From the sound of things, there are parts of Europe that probably wouldn't mind swapping a few degrees of temperature with us...

I'm in Pasadena, which means that I'm lucky enough to have a game store quite close to me - Game Empire Pasadena. The only widely played historical game here is that certain 15mm WW2 game mentioned above, although the store owner is working to get the 15mm Napoleonics game I mentioned restarted. No one's playing anything Ancient at this point in time.

[Painter Jim]

Brookhurst hobbies in gardengrove off of chapman is a great place to meet people.
HMGS, Historical miniatures gaming society.
There was also a gaming shop in Burbank off of the 5 that was really great when I lived down there, I believe it was called The Last Grenadier.
Strategicon was one of the favorites, http://www.strategicon.net/ This show will be on the 17-20 of Feb, you will love this show if you have not already attended.

I do miss the gaming of southern Cal.

[grant]

Your shop looks cool. They do show some Naps on their website, and Warhammer - so it can't be that hard to move people over to historicals.

[Eumerin]

There was also a gaming shop in Burbank off of the 5 that was really great when I lived down there, I believe it was called The Last Grenadier.

Last Grenadier is still around, iirc, though I believe it's relocated nearly half a dozen times. I don't know when you were living here, but you might be familiar with Game Zone, which opened in the early '90s. The current owner of Game Empire bought Game Zone and renamed it to Game Empire (his brother owns a store with the same name in San Diego). AFAIK, there were no historical gamers at Game Zone, though.

Your shop looks cool. They do show some Naps on their website, and Warhammer - so it can't be that hard to move people over to historicals.

I suspect that you're correct. But at the moment I'm mostly concerned about finding a ruleset that I'll like. Once I do that, then I can start to worry about getting others involved.