Halo: Flashpoint at Excaliburcon
Master Chief found refuge at the booth!
Welcome to Duluth
Aspen, posing for the site :)
Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of working with Mantic at its booth during Excaliburcon in Duluth, Minnesota. Duluth, a major port city known as the Zenith City of the Unsalted Seas, has the feel of a sleepy vacation town, with much of its summer energy coming from Minnesotans flocking to Lake Superior. Having recently moved to the Twin Cities, volunteering at Excaliburcon felt like the perfect excuse to visit Duluth’s lift bridges, lighthouses, and lakefront charm.
Excaliburcon hosts an annual Kings of War tournament known as The Lady of the Lake. Some of the best Kings of War players travel from across the country for the event, and this year Mantic had the opportunity to run a booth. Although the convention hosted several tabletop tournaments and events, the main draw seemed to be pop culture guests and voice talent rather than miniature gaming. That made the booth a fantastic way to introduce Halo fans outside the tabletop world to Flashpoint, especially since many of them had no idea the game existed.
Excaliburcon
Halo: Flaspoint merchandise at the Mantic booth
Throughout the event, Mantic and myself introduced people to the game via multiple avenues:
1. Paint and take: We had entire families sat down at the paint station, picking out their models and taking the time to make them their own. It was an incredibly wholesome experience, watching parents sit with their kids as they peacefully designed their very own spartan liveries. We had several people that were interested in getting a copy just so they could get into the painting aspect of the hobby!
The paint and take station, setup alongside the demo space.
2. Demos: Right next to the paint and take, I hosted demos for anyone interested. I taught the game to Warhammer: 40K as well as those who had never touched the hobby previously. We experienced lots of interest in just how the game played; Was it a large-scale wargame? A board game? Was it just for display? I answered these questions, and more as I set up short matches for people to give it a go for themselves.
Ultimately, I had a blast sharing a game I’ve come to adore with others, and hopefully for those who got a copy for themselves, they end up doing the same!
Speaking With Mantic
This was also a great opportunity to work with Mantic! The employee I volunteered with was incredibly accommodating, and we got along very well. We discussed the game at present, the 1.5 changes, and perhaps we even entertained a few ideas of what is next to come… It was also my first time seeing the new Spartan Killers and 1.5 ruleset/changes in person! They sold out of the other new units at Gen-Con, but the Spartan Killers are beautifully modeled, I look forwards to throwing a coat of paint on them!
By the end of the weekend, Excaliburcon felt like more than just a convention stop. It was a chance to visit a beautiful city, connect with fellow hobbyists, introduce new players to Halo: Flashpoint, and spend time representing a game and company I genuinely enjoy. If even a few people walked away excited to paint their first Spartan, roll some dice, or explore the wider world of Mantic games, then the trip was absolutely worth it. I look forward to doing it again at other locations!
Oh, By The Way, Howdy!
How could I forget to introduce myself! My name is Cole Markey, and I have come to truly adore Halo: Flashpoint. It has been my primary introduction to the hobby, and what a splash it has made! I joined the Black Harriers back when I lived in Albuquerque, NM, but have recently moved to the Twin Cities area. After finally settling down, I decided it was time to start writing up some articles for the site. You may also notice the Twin Cities branch of the site… I intend to get a group of players to meetup weekly, or semi-weekly, in Saint Paul as soon as I find a suitable game store in the city. If any readers in the area know of one, send us an email! I would love to get in touch and listen to your suggestions.
I hope to write up more articles for the community, whether it be similar articles about Adepticon coming up, or opinion pieces. I’m hoping to find my groove the more I write for the site, and I look forward to interacting with any of the readers who join us along the way.
