> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.onlycastlesburning.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # SDHist Summit 2026 - URL: https://www.onlycastlesburning.com/sdhist-summit-2026/ - Published: 2026-11-12T17:08:33.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-12T19:28:36.000Z - Author: Keith Pishnery - Tags: Board Games, SDHist, Chalice of Poison, Imperial Elegy, Mai '68, Atlantic Chase, John Company, An Archivist's Dream, Gandhi, Liberty or Death, GMT Games, VUCA Simulations, San Diego > The mission of the San Diego Historical Gaming Convention (SDHist) is to create a diverse and supportive gaming community dedicated to playing, discussing, designing, and promoting historically-based board games. Through this commitment, SDHist seeks to serve both the existing historical board gaming community as well as grow it through the addition of new voices and perspectives. Ever since I got interested in historical board games a few years ago, I've known about SDHist. It sounded like the nexus around which a lot of the old and new designers in this field congregated to play favorites and new prototypes in the works. Notoriously small (around 100 people), I wasn't sure if it was something I'd ever make it to. Well, I decided to make it happen this year and my friend in the Bay Area met me down there to give it a try. Nestled in the beautiful Point Loma neighborhood, the convention takes place at a great location called the SES Portuguese Hall, walking distance from lots of restaurants and hotels. Getting around was a snap and, of course, San Diego is a gorgeous place to visit. Our hotel had a pool which definitely was welcome after the warm days. On to the games: ## *Chalice of Poison* (GMT Games, 2027?) We both arrived at about the same time and made our way straight to the convention, as we had *Chalice of Poison* scheduled to try. The designer, Akar Bharadvaj, taught and played with us. This game is in the pipeline at GMT and slated to come out within the next year, so we played on a playtest copy. Modeling the Iran-Iraq War of the 80s, it can be played 1v1 or 2v2 (we played 2v2). The statement of the game is balancing political and military power. Obviously you want to win the war but you don't want the military to then become so powerful that they take over. I think this is modeled well and it reminded me a little of the team play of [*Chicago '68*](https://www.onlycastlesburning.com/chicago-68-the-dietz-foundation-2025/). I was sitting on the side with the military and I could already tell that it was difficult for me to know exactly what the government was up to but that I needed resources from them. I would love to see the team aspect emphasized more in the final iteration of the game, since it feels like a 1v1 game for the most part. ## *Imperial Elegy* (VUCA Simulations, 2025) If there could be said to be a hot game this year, I think it would be this one. It seems like everyone is talking about it. There is a very strong *Here I Stand/Virgin Queen* player base in the current historical board game community, and *Imperial Elegy* is somewhat based on it. Although from what I can tell, it's heavier and longer. My friend and I participated in a Friday night "Teach & Play" of a couple rounds. While we didn't play a full game, it was a very enjoyable experience, helped in large part by the players who showed up and the wonderful pair teaching and advising on options. I believe there were two groups playing the full game over the weekend. Will I ever get around to playing a full game? Maybe next year, I'll take the dive! ![The board of Imperial Elegy is displayed with various markers on a map of Europe. ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e9/61/e9610d9f-1c04-4572-a1e2-d9e8ba85b367/content/images/2026/11/IMG_2804.jpg) Imperial Elegy (VUCA Simulations, 2025) ## *Mai '68* (Prototype) I already mentioned [*Chicago '68*](https://www.onlycastlesburning.com/chicago-68-the-dietz-foundation-2025/) above, a game I really love. So when I saw that the designer of that game, Yoni Goldstein, was bringing a prototype of this collaboration with Fred Serval ([*Homo Ludens*](https://www.youtube.com/@HomoLudens1871?ref=onlycastlesburning.com)*, A Gest of Robin Hood*), I jumped on the chance to try it out. While this was a somewhat early prototype, there's a lot to like about it. It models a three-sided struggle between the State, Labor, and the Students during the May 1968 protests in France. The State is fairly powerful, but both Labor and Students have ways of making their voices heard. The game play involves using cards to place and manipulate cubes into controlling areas of Paris, occasionally getting into conflicts and moving a pawn closer to your win condition. Very similar to *Chicago '68* when described that way, but in reality it feels completely different. I look forward to seeing how this game progresses. ## *An Archivist's Dream* (*John Company* 2nd edition megagame) Certainly the most memorable experience of the weekend was participating in a megagame based on the 2nd edition of Cole Wehrle's *John Company*. This concept was conceived by Non-Breaking Space ([*Cross Bronx Expressway*](https://www.onlycastlesburning.com/cross-bronx-expressway-gmt-games-2025/)) and I believe this is the first time he wasn't involved in running it at a convention. Neither I nor my friend had ever played *John Company* but we were hoping the megagame wouldn't be super reliant on the rules of the board game. I would say we were half right. We probably would have had a better grasp of what was going on, but the role play aspect was dominant enough that we could go with the flow to an extent. I'll relate the major event I was involved in to demonstrate the flavor of the game. The role I was given was Head of Military Affairs. I basically assigned where forces and resources would go in India. The commanders of the military in the region had a strong interest in what I would decide, so they immediately came to me to ensure I would give them what they want. I thought I was very reasonable when responding that I would need to see the situation on the ground first. This immediately put me at odds with the commander of Bengal, who was roleplaying very strongly as a brash general with a singular focus. Once in India (a separate room), I dutifully assigned officers and resources to the regions requested, although my choices were not precisely to some people's liking. The nature of the game is that everyone is looking out for themselves and how much money they can make off the situation with the goal being to retire comfortably. I noted in a letter home (to a family member in the main London room) that the commander was awfully aggressive. Shortly afterwards, I had to make a roll (for some reason I didn't catch) to see if I retired (which I did...luckily we had enough money to set me up on a nice estate). Unbeknownst to me, my other family member in India, the Governor of Bengal, wrote a letter to the Prime Minister that the Commander was misusing funds. This set off a chain of events whereby the Commander was ousted and came storming back to London bent on retribution. Despite me now playing a descendent of the retired character involved, he zeroed in on me as the source of his misfortune. He challenged me to a duel, which I accepted on my innocent father's behalf. Unfortunately I lost the duel...but got my own retribution. My wife wrote a heartfelt letter to the Prime Minister, which led to restitution and imprisonment of the former Commander (who also tried to bribe the Prime Minister!). My family ended up winning the game, surprisingly. Some shrewd investing, more retirements, all orchestrated by our most experienced player. Long live the Sykes name. This experience was at times bewildering but fun. Putting a megagame hat on, I think I would downplay the board game frame work and shift it more towards the role play, but overall it was a good afternoon of intrigue! ![Character sheets from An Archivist's Dream are spread across a table, showing current and past members of the Sykes family. ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e9/61/e9610d9f-1c04-4572-a1e2-d9e8ba85b367/content/images/2026/11/IMG_2805-1.JPG) The Skyes family is at a crossroads after the death of one of their own. ## *Gandhi* (GMT Games, 2019) One of my goals at this convention was to play some more COIN games. After another game falling through, I set up a session for *Gandhi*. I've had this game for a bit but have yet to play it with anyone. The unique aspects of this COIN is that two of the factions are non-violent and that some of the areas of Muslim spaces, creating a situation where some areas only old benefit for the Muslim League. Unfortunately due to our time slot, we only got about half through the short scenario, but I'm intrigued enough to try this another time. ## *Atlantic Chase* (GMT Games, 2021) A wonderful attendee set up a permanent table to teach and play *Atlantic Chase* with everyone he could. He taught us early Sunday morning and walked us through how a typical game would go. While I enjoyed this cat and mouse jaunt around the Atlantic, I came away with the impression that too much of the game is reliant on dice rolls. This started a long conversation afterwards about determinism and longevity in games. Do games need a random element to prevent them from being stale or "figured out?" I don't necessarily think so, but it was a useful conversation to have. ![The board of Atlantic Chase is a a map of the Atlantic Ocean with wooden blocks denoting the trajectory of various supply lines and boats.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e9/61/e9610d9f-1c04-4572-a1e2-d9e8ba85b367/content/images/2026/11/IMG_2811.JPG) Atlantic Chase (GMT Games, 2021) ## *Liberty or Death* (GMT Games, 2016) My last game of the convention was something I've been trying to get a full play of in this year of celebrating revolution. Finally made it happen! A great group joined me, with one of the members knowing the game much better than I. I was grateful for him to run it. Surprisingly, I eventually won as the French on the tiebreaker rules, although I kept expecting the Patriots to prevail. We worked together to counter the British and it ended up being just enough to push French over the top. Great game, great play. I still think the combat is a little fiddly, but I understand the goal of the design for sure. A great way to cap off the convention! ![Close up of the board of Liberty of Death from the perspective of the French. Cubes and markers represent the distribution of forces and status of the Colonies.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e9/61/e9610d9f-1c04-4572-a1e2-d9e8ba85b367/content/images/2026/11/IMG_2813.JPG) Liberty or Death (GMT Games, 2016) ## Overall impressions I enjoyed my first time at SDHist and think I've figured out how I would approach it in the future. Namely, I would try to play a few longer and established games instead of trying to participate in prototypes and games without a likelihood of finishing. I would probably also not try to run games. The scheduling and noise level of the hall is not suited to the way I run games usually. I would also probably emphasize games I already know decently well. Definitely focused too much on "trying things" instead of "playing things" this time. Lastly, I'd also like to see some of the seminars. There is another side to SDHist that is very much about history and the industry. You will see many designers and content creators/writers in attendance and they seem to be having a separate convention alongside the non-industry attendees. I'd like to see that side a little more and hear more about the meta thoughts of historical board games.