The first Eboracon, a micro-con devoted to historical and conflict simulation boardgames, took place at the Heslington Meeting Room, York, England on Saturday 8 February 2025.
We had eleven attendees, enough for four simultaneous games: two two-player; two multi-player. There were broadly two sessions – morning and afternoon. The two two-player games – traditional hex-and-counter games – lasted all day. We had four multi-player games played.
The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.
– Dr Martin Luther King Jr
Games played
878 Vikings: Invasions of England
A four-player game of this title – not sure if it was the Academy Games version. Nice artwork on the cards.
France ’40
A day long ZOC-bond game with the Germans stalling across northern France. This was the first edition.
The first of many apologies for terrible photo but you know the game, surely?
Gettysburg: Lee’s Greatest Gamble
A good old fashioned Gettysburg hex-and-counter game; a magazine game too! Fantastic.
Two scenarios of this played. Check out the dice tower, a thing of beauty.
Versailles 1919
One of two of the Great Statesmen series to be played on the day. I will leave it to the participants to say who was a not-so great statesman on the day. Er, it was me.
Enjoyed by three participants as we had to hastily re-arrange games on the day.
Churchill
And, the other Great Statesmen game… Cries of “perfidious Albion” etc. Uncle Joe says “Nyet”.
This is a fabulous game, a mainstay of conventions though I slightly prefer Versailles 1919. We played the tournament scenario and collectively let the Axis survive.
Angola
Another convention stalwart, four factions, proxies, intrigue and damn Commies. I’m not sure how this turned out but I know it went down well with all.
Apols for the drunk photo.
18NewEngland
Honourable mention.
Sickness prevented this being played which is a shame. But, it’s not a wargame, you say? It’s war with money and influence and Eboracon strives to be a wide-ish church.
Hopefully, we’ll get to this at a future event.