It’s the day of the show and you have landed safely. If there is a program make sure you know where you are going to be setting up. My friend Paul Forgette or my wife Lynne always help me here and I really appreciate that. If it is a big game which will repeat several times ask the organizers if you can leave it set up. While I would not leave armies and figures out unattended I do leave my big set ups out over night even. Hadrian’s Wall or Tyre would be had to cart off in the night even under the best of circumstances.

You know when and where you are playing. You’ve dragged or carted all your stuff in. Set up can now begin and this one act is one of the most important ingredients of a successful game.

Set down the terrain. A friend can be a big help here as if you are doing something really unique people will constantly come by and ask you questions. A friend can divert them long enough for you to set up the armies. Often when people come up to me I ask them to help me setup. Usually they will gladly help. This will speed things up and both parties are satisfied.

Once I was really rattled at set up about something and that will happen on occasion and I did said something I really regretted. So be sure you allow for plenty of time and try to get relaxed. If by standers don't help r you want to set things up your way just explain that you are really in a rush and you don’t mean to be rude but you have to get things done so please come back in a few minutes and all questions will be answered with the proper attention due them.

Placing the units will determine the entire flow of the game. Remember you are putting on a demonstration game. The demonstration is not intended to explain every little detail of the rules but to give a general idea of the system. I determine the set up of the armies and that’s that. I rarely permit the players to rearrange things.

This is done for a number of reasons. First you want to control the game without appearing to be a little Hitler. Once you loose control you seldom get it back. One of the short comings of permitting players to rearrange things is that the game grinds to a halt. Many gamers do not want to move because they are afraid to lose in front of others. So they get the “Slows” as Mr. Lincoln would say.

Here’s what to do . Place all the units of the two opposing armies so close that to move anyway but forward will obviously invite defeat. I like to have the units of the armies start within two normal moves of each other. Remember you want players to play. You control the game flow by letting the mechanics of the game kick in. It has been my experience that when players have to play they will really get into things and they normally love what unfolds even if they lose.

If you give the players too much decision making the game will roll to a halt. After all they do not always grasp and under stand the rules if they haven’t played before. If you are not using Classical Hack and the rules you are using are not understood by turn three you are lost. You are lost because there is too much information to effectively digest by the players. It’s not you it’s the rules.