Introduction

Welcome back readers to another convention experience. This one will highlight TactiCon, the other convention hosted by Gamer Girl Games alongside its sibling GhengisCon. If you’ve read my post about that convention or others, you’ll likely see some familiar names in this one. I hope that you enjoy the perspective and insight I give for this event. Now onward to Aurora!

Day 1: Friday

The first day of TactiCon started bright and chipper. I’d actually arrived at my hotel Thursday and took the afternoon to get a preview of some of the convention’s vendors. To my happy surprise, I discovered King’s Cards and Creations had set up shop for TactiCon. Each morning before my earliest event, I stopped by and challenged myself to a puzzle. On Friday, I bought one of his Core Creator Boxes for just under $20.

Quickly jumping back to Thursday, while milling around the sign-in booth, I eavesdropped on a conversation between a couple of volunteers and a lady who was hosting a game of D&D 5E. I queried about the session and gleaned the details. At 9:00 a.m. the next day, I found myself as part of a four man exploration team to a strange desert on behalf of Moon Gate Exploration Co. Plundering an ancient temple is always a good way to start to a convention.

The exploration party ended around noon and my second event arrived an hour later–an appointment with Mr. Cori Barker aka the Massage Wizard and proprietor of Reworks Massage and Tech. I happily spent $40 for a 30-minute slot which honestly felt more like 10 to 15. After an awesome time, he kindly offered six minutes of his time for my first interview.

My last event of Friday was a late starting session of Prowlers & Paragons. The session, subtitled “The Blood Queen,” required me and my fellow players to sleuth around Nocturn City looking for a lost college professor studying an ancient evil goddess. I think it’s safe to call P&P my new favorite TTRPG, which I think is because the premise of playing superheroes is able to effectively grab and hold onto me.

Day 2: Saturday

The second day dawned with little problem. My first event for the day, a rules demo and subsequent play session, wasn’t expected to start until around 11:00. Thus, I decided to revisit the vendor hall. The space was a who’s who of friendly faces: the long-known Strange Fate Crafts, the designers Archon Games and Sixpence Games from GhengisCon, Amatus Kadan and Wooded Meadow Gaming from CGC back in April, and last but no means least, the well-met ELC Custom Creations and Iomnisus Limited.

The new faces among the entrepreneurs were Tourney Treasures and Debbie Ngo Art. I purchased a small dice tray and a pair of dice sets from the former and a wonderful print of a dragon hoarding a dice set from the latter. I also met the entrepreneurs of Brink of Annihilation, Robin’s Nerd Supplies, and Tipsy Druid Studio.

Vendor highlight: Blue Falcon Studios

Yet among the sea of familiar faces, a stranger held the best conversations with me at the convention. His name is Mr. Andrew Beaulieu, and he is the owner of Blue Falcon Studios. Like all vendors, I met Andrew during my Friday walkabout seeing who was attending. Two traits set Andrew apart during TactiCon: his amicable, outgoing personality and his sincere feedback.

Andrew quickly presented a rules demonstration of his ORC-licensed Core Arcanum system, then let me play part of an adventure in his upcoming dark fantasy setting called Legend Arcanum. He’s already created a high fantasy/sci-fi setting called Solar Arcanum 2199. His passion was contagious and it has inspired me to prototype a TTRPG review series.

Day 3: Sunday

The third and final day of TactiCon started like the first day with a bright and early 9:00 a.m. play session. Like with GhengisCon, I managed to purchase a ticket to a session hosted by Hazard Quest. The system was called Everyday Heroes and transported me and the other players into the shoes and coats of a secret government agents designated to deal with the paranormal and supernatural akin to Scully and Mulder from the X-Files.

Closing

I would’ve liked to stay a little bit longer, but Hazard Quest ran a little bit long and I needed to get home. After a three-ish hour slog through Aurora traffic, I’d returned home to Wyoming. Honestly though, I wonder if I’d call TactiCon a good success. Don’t get me wrong, seeing the friendly faces, meeting new ones, and making memories are fantastic. But if the businesses who show up to TactiCon also show up to GhengisCon, then I can just stick to the latter and use this time of year to visit a different convention like Fort Collins ComicCon.

Oh well, you live and you learn. I’ll just have to put in a little bit of overtime at work to restock the fiscal reserves. My last convention of the year will likely be VinCon in October. I went last year as a volunteer with the Wyoming Gaming Library, but this year will be as a visitor. I also need to see about getting “Project M.O.S.S.” up and running. Take care everyone!