CanCon… the biggest gaming convention in Australia. Held every year around the 26th January in Canberra, the nation’s capitol. CanCon has been a yearly tradition since I re-entered miniature wargaming way back in 2018.
Back in 2018, An old university friend of mine invited me to come play a garage tournament for Kings of War in Parkes, NSW which was about 6 hours drive from Port Macquarie. I had just started mucking around with a cheapo 3D FDM printer, and I started on a ridiculous project to print and paint a Dwarf army. It seemed to be a project that lived on for four years, as I added more and more units, their delightful mono-pose bald heads lined up in ranks and files. As time went on, I upgraded printers, first to an Ender 3 (which refuses to die… or maybe I won’t let die…), then to a Photon Mono, and lately a Mono 4. Printing got easier, faster and cleaner. Painting did too, with rattle-can primers giving a basic zenithal base and Army Painter Speedpaints giving me the quickest paint job that can be appreciated from a meter away.
Late 2024 I shelved the dwarfs, and embarked on a resin printed oldhammer-style Goblin army. Most foolishly, I made a thoroughly underpowered list using some of the most useless units in the Goblin force, Fleabag Riders. This army was so terrible, it couldn’t even get me a wooden spoon: I placed 59 out of 60! I was pretty pleased with the presentation, but game play wise… well it doesn’t matter how fast you can move if your opponent can span the table and if you hit like a wet noodle. Combined with the newest Command Orders, which appeared somewhat unbalanced, I’ve had a bit of trouble getting back into the groove of playing Kings of War this year. I wouldn’t say I was sulking per se, I just found other things to do.
I’m going to fix that. Again, another 3D printed army, this time an oldhammer-style Undead army. Complete with hordes of expendable skeletons, regiments of vampiric Soul Reavers, Wights and Vampire Lords on foot and undead dragon. I haven’t decided if I will pursue full model count yet, but let’s say at a minimum I’ll need to paint 130 miniatures and 1 big titan. I’ve taken to old sawdust style basing of late, combined with some small clump foliage. The basing is basic, but it lets the bright colours of the Speedpaint really shine and is quicker and easier than sculpting, sanding and painting.
So why all this effort? CanCon! I usually make the solo trip down from Port Macquarie, visiting friends along the way, staying in cheap accommodation or camping. I’ve leaned into the camping experience, the last few years I’ve camped in my Suzuki Every Kei-van, which putters along the highways to Sydney and then Canberra. Luckily, I am short fella and easily fit in the back of this silly vehicle. I’ve outfitted it with awnings, my camping gear and a mattress. It’s basic, but comfortable enough. All this to meet up with the players of Kings of War, who are some of the friendliest and positive, competitive people you can find in any gaming scene. Every year we catch up, show off our hobby and for that one weekend of the year drink far too much.