Farewell Das Kreig Haus -1, Hello DKH-2!!!!

         (Bill Moreno & Bill Pritchard, two of our good friends who have passed)

After well over a decade of amazing gaming and social experiences at our hobby clubhouse which we affectionately named, Das Krieg Haus, we had to pack up and move due to the exponentially rising rental costs. 

We have had countless games here, some run by premier game masters and hobby aficionados from all over the country, several whom are no longer with us, RIP. We’ve had gamers and visitors from other parts of the world as well. Boasting some 96+ members on our email list with a local core of 25+ gamers we are a very active group!

Here are a few of the tens of thousands of photos of  games from our little bit of Shangri-La. 

The SMG - South Florida Miniatures Gamers runs the Annual SMG Regatta in 15mm and 28mm with the Limeys & Slimeys rules. 

The Battle of Maiwand

Onward and upward, literally, we moved to a 2nd story office in a quaint little office building. I had my first Beer in the new digs with Mark Ritchie and Oriskany Jim while helping them and John R move some of the tons O hobby crap we have. 

More photos of the old Das Krieg Haus to come!!!

 

William “Bill” Moreno

                             Rest In Peace Brother

                                                                                  

Another long over due eulogy to a very dear friend. This was started upon returning from Bill’s funeral and languished since last May 2023.

Bill was a great friend and great guy! He will surely be missed for many a year to come. Bill touched so many peoples lives, he ran amazing games at cons all over the country, sold his miniatures world wide, was a fanatic painter, an exceptional GM, wrote articles and rules, was a big contributor to the electric football community, was an a vocalist, as well as many other talents. Many of Bill’s accomplishments can be read below form his official obit or on the HMGS-East Legion of Honor page, of which he was a member. So many people posted awesome anecdotes and memories of Bill which is a true testament of his mettal.

All that and more being said, simply put I will miss my friend, my con buddy, my hobby buddy, my drinking partner, the decade plus of games in Bill’s garage or at Das Krieg Haus, trips to Historicon, HurriCon, Recon, Rapier, etc. Bill is actually the one who got me into Irish whiskey, under his vigorous tutelage I developed a strong love for the Irish nectar, LOL…

Words seem trite, inadequate, good bye my friend.

                                                    

                                           

                                           

                                           

No one will miss him more than his beloved wife Barbara!

Here is the official obituary from the funeral home we attended:

William "Bill" Moreno Jr. Obituary

William (Bill) Louis Moreno Jr., passed away at his home in Buford, Ga., June 27 after a long illness. A beloved family man who spent his career in the travel industry, he was a military historian, an avid, award-winning gamer and small business owner. He was 62.
   Born Feb. 28, 1961 in Rockland County, N.Y., he spent his youth living in a variety of locations, including abroad, as the eldest child in an Army family. The biggest part of his life was spent in Huntsville, Ala., south and central Florida, and the Atlanta metro area.
   Bill is survived by his wife Barbara Terry-Moreno of Buford, Ga.; his step-son James Terry and his wife, Susan, along with their children, Kenneth and Jessica, of Suwanee, Ga.; step-daughter Staci and her husband  Grey O'Hara, of Kissimmee, Fla.; his mother Nancy Jones of Fayetteville, Tenn.; his sister, Vicki Richardson and her husband, Dale, and sons, Josh and Daniel, of Fayetteville, Tenn.; his sister, Michele Moreno-Myers and her husband Richard, of Monahans, Texas; his sister, Melissa Carpenter and her husband Nick, and their children, Robbie, Gabby, Nicholas, and Cameron of Bluffton, S.C.; along with numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, in-laws, and friends, many of them life-long friends.
   Bill was an avid player of sports and excelled in academics, graduating from Butler High School in Huntsville, Ala., in 1979. He studied at the University of Alabama and earned a BA in history from Florida Atlantic University in 2011. With a 4.0 GPA, he was inducted into the National History Honor Society, Phi Alpha Theta. He was director of strategic sales at the travel industry's Amadeus North America, where he worked from 1987 to 2021.
   He was an insightful conversationalist, no matter the topic, and loved to make people laugh. Always courteous, ever polite and polished, his company was always highly enjoyable.
   Bill, who as a young boy enjoyed chess, was an avid reader even as a young man. That would continue throughout his life, but history was his favorite reading material, with a particular interest in the Civil War. Years later he would learn that a distant great-grandfather on his maternal side fought for the Union with the 144th Infantry in that war, something that made him quite proud. Bill was an active participant in re-enactments, and was fond of recreating memorable battle scenes in miniature, all painstakingly painted with accuracy a key component. That would lead to a small business venture in the gaming industry.

   Bill’s passion was gaming, where he excelled. He was a prolific writer for the historical gaming hobby and gifted speaker. Those who know him said he lived for the hobby and was well-respected in the community. An active participant for some 35 years, he was an Historical Miniatures Gaming Society (HMGS) Legion of Honor recipient as a leader, promoter and organizer. His miniatures of epic battles spanned multiple wars, including the American Revolution, the Mexican-American War, Crimea, the Civil War, WWI and WWII. He won numerous “Best of Show” awards at HMGS events nationwide.

   Taking his hobby a step further, Bill owned, produced and marketed several historical figure lines, as well as other gaming products, through his small business, Good Ground LLC, maker of Cracker Line Miniatures.

   The world is a lesser place without him in it, and his extended family has lost one of its pillars, an unshakeable, dependable, loving, and yes, very handsome man who, like his father, did not look his age.
   The fond memories of those left behind are the true, living legacy of the departed, and no doubt there are many such joyous memories of Bill and the way he made everyone’s life better. Those memories are held by family, friends and associates alike. He will be with us whenever we smile thinking about laughs we shared. And we will fight back tears over tender, loving moments that will live on in our thoughts.

   There will be a tribute to Bill at HISTORICON ’23 in Lancaster, Pa., July 19-23, 2023, as well as HURRICON ’23 in Kissimmee, Fla., Sept. 21-24, 2023. The tribute by those in the gaming hobby is not surprising, since Bill was considered a “rock star” in the wargaming community, and he inspired many people.

   The funeral is July 7, 2023, and viewing is the evening before, July 6, at Hazel Green Funeral Home in Hazel Green, Ala. The family welcomes flowers for the funeral and/or the viewing. Donations can also be made to the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) in Bill's name.

Bolt Action Game - France 1941, Sedan

  

26 June, 2021. Duane, aka Doc Yeungling a member of our group who had moved to northern Florida drove down this Friday to run a WWII game for us at Das Krieg Haus. This will be the scenario he’s going to run at this years HMGS-South’s HurriCon 2021. 

SMG - South Florida Miniatures Gamers link: 

https://groups.io/g/SMG/topics

Scenario:

28mm WW2 Blitzkrieg, early war May 194 against three German Platoons in May of 1940. German counter to regain supply route on their axis o your Bolt Action 2 books, but there 

will be some minor rule modific for either ease of play, or realism. 

                  Pregame, table being set up for the battle. 

The table and figures are absolutely amazing, what a visual treat. Doc Yeungling used Bolt Action V2 rules. I’m sure to many it’s a fine set, however it was mot my cup of tea. Nonetheless it was a beautiful table and a fun game!

Here’s the link for the official Bolt Action rules and products.                Bolt Action - Warlord Games

AAR provided by Doc Yeungling who ran the game.

Set in May 1940, near Sudan. French have counterattacked in strength and have a defensive position on an axis of supply, awaiting the Germans.

A German infantry company with support of an HMG, and Medium Mortar section, an artillery batter strike, and air support, with Sturmgeshutz Platoon attached, and Kampfgroupe Commander.

Several buildings are along the road, with assorted trees, walls, hedges, and fields breaking up line of fire, with the crossroads in the left center of the battle.

The French have two infantry platoons supported by a Char Bis heavy tank section, and a light AT gun section, with a medium mortar section. They have managed to get their infantry in buildings and along two stone walls for the most part with squads and support elements in woods, or in the fields to the South of the road.

 The German spread out their infantry platoons across the North side of the table to diffuse the combat power of the French and find a place to break the line or flank them. They grouped the assault guns to their left flank.

 Though the Germans were able to mass the fire from the assault gun light howitzers, they could not penetrate the heavy armor of the lone French tank on their left. They did managed to pin, and cause some casualties, but the stone buildings and terrain gave the advantage to the French. The Germans attacked the center crossroads with two infantry platoons with their armor support on the left. However, the German assault developed and was slowed by unexpected heavy casualties, and pins, while their tow tanks rebuffed all attacks. At best the German air attack caused pins to the French armor while their third platoon managed to get to the far right flank around the French. 

 Telling was the inability of the Germans to get a foot hold in the crossroads in a timely manner, with ineffective fire at the French armor.

 The Germans lost about 25% of their infantry power trying to get close to assault the crossroad, but could not budge the French, with no real way of killing the armor, until they could close assault with the AT grenades, and Panzerknocker teams, or wait for more air cover, and support.

 

In the end the French were able to stop the Germans for the morning (marginal victory), but two things were apparent. One, the Germans had worked to the far right flank, and could catch the French defending that side of the table in a crossfire, and assault the flank with a fresh squad, and with heavy casualties the Germans on the left could bring fire from the assault guns to the crossroads on the flank. This while though taking more casualties, the Germans where finally getting into position. 

               A dram of Good libations to grease the treads. 

Doc Yeungling mulling over the battlefield casualties. 

Some of the local SMG Crew in our Ft Lauderdale Florida clubhouse, Das Krieg Haus. 

“Wargaming is calling and I must go”

                                                    William "Bill" Pritchard

I cannot believe it’s been a year since Bill’s passing, just days before Doc. Once again this post was started and left unfinished to find pictures and the right words to commemorate a friend. While looking through the 20 or so started but unfinished blog entries I came across this un-posted post. 

But, better late than never....

It is with sadness that I must report the passing of one of our own friends and club members. Bill Pritchard passed away this afternoon (8/13/2019) after a long hard battle with multiple medical issues and being in and out of healthcare facilities for treatments. Sadly his wife is NOT going to have any kind of ceremony here in Fl. or in Mass. May I suggest we honor him at our next club game this coming August 24th. 

Bill was a voracious gamer and collector with many historical interest, his favorite being the American War of Independence, being raised in Mass. He collected all manor of military memorabilia and had (2) large collections of toys, one in Mass and one here in Florida. I'd known Bill for many a year as we had met at a Historicon some umpteen years ago. He collected, painted, and ran games despite his hearing loss from an illness as a very young man. We had collaborated on many games and were working on one just before he passed away. He'd sent me the map and scenario ideas for the game we were planning and which I will formalize and run at an upcoming HMGS-South Convention at an Orlando / Kissimmee venue in his honor. 

He lived for wargaming and the times he got to spend with his friends and club mates around a games table.

Bill entertained us with his lengthy and witty replies to any and all correspondences, his digital salutation always being “Wargaming is calling, and I must go.”

We will miss you Bill.

Best regards,

Jeff Baumal

Goodbye my friend....Rob Hall

It is with great sadness that I must advise of the passing of a close friend and club mate Mr. Rob Hall who left us this past Friday (1/31/20) late afternoon. He had been battling liver cancer for the past few months after successfully coming back from a stroke a few years ago. Rob was a good friend, a good person, and a great guy to game with. He was an avid gamer and historian who loved the horse and musket period. He worked for the railroad the majority of his adult life. I will surly miss him, his dry humor and wry wit. We will cherish the many memories of epic games, road trips, fun cons, Tajicon games, and the camaraderie of SMG games in Bill's Garage.
Rob was the kind of guy that would literally give you the shirt off his back, A kind, funny, unselfish, warm soul who was a pleasure to be around. He was always willing to help with a project, assist in running games and loved to be around his friends talking history and gaming. I don't think I'd ever heard him utter a negative word about anyone.

Below are just a few of the many comments I'd received when I posted the notice of Rob's passing to our SMG club mates ( the South-Florida Miniature Gamers). He was also a member of HMGS-South, HMGS-East, and the Jacksonville Garrison. He will be missed by many.

Rest in Peace my friend.....

I count Rob among my true friends. Rob gamed with our group in South Florida even though he had to drive all the way from Jacksonville. He always arrived at our home with a bottle of wine for Barbara and a bottle of scotch for me. He was always invited to stay, but always booked a hotel as he did not want us to be disturbed by his snoring. Rob accompanied me to Historicon, Cold Wars and Fall In countless times. He assisted me in running my games for many years at these conventions and both Recon and Hurricon. I drove up to Jacksonville, and stayed with he and his wife Robin prior to leaving for Lancaster, PA or other parts North.  He was always a pleasure to be around. Rob leaves a huge empty spot in our gaming community. My friend Vince and I were able to visit Rob a few weeks ago. He was still hoping to get in one more "big game" before he left us. I hope to have the opportunity to raise a glass in his honor at Recon as a group. He is truly missed.

Bill Moreno

Good times and great memories of our friend Rob.  Thank you Vince for being there for us. 

Tim Harwood

So typical of Rob to not let on the issues he was having.  Always the gentleman he made it a point each convention to seek me out and let me know how much he enjoyed the efforts and the convention.  For me the comradeship we enjoy is over half the fun.  I will truly miss Rob.  I have the feeling we have one heck of a great convention brewing in heaven.  

Marc R

Well said Jeff.  Rob was one of the good guys.  And a lot of fun to be around for his love of history and the game.  R/ Jim

He will be missed. We were blessed with his presence for too short of a time, in our gaming club.

Duane Cunningham

Dear Jeff and All Wargamers:

A true loss – an absolute gentleman and raconteur; we will all miss his entertaining dry wit.

Bill Mcintyre