Welcome and History
Welcome to the Siege of Augusta's website. We certainly hope that this site makes it easier and more
efficient to obtain information about registering as a gamer or dealer, signing up to host events, and obtaining
the information that people need when they aren't from the local area (e.g., making hotel reservations,
obtaining driving directions, and finding out where to eat, etc.).
While we are billed as an historical miniatures gaming convention (being sponsored by the Historical
Miniatures Gaming Society-Mid South), events are not limited exclusively to historically-based games.
If you want to host a role-playing, fantasy, science fiction, or other event, you are welcome to sign up and
attend. The only genre that we do not host is live-action role-playing (LARP) games due to space
considerations. We look forward to ALL GAMERS attending this year's Siege!
Please search the entire site. In the coming weeks, more information will be added.
Certainly, as the we draw nearer to the convention date, expect more updates, especially
to the Events and Dealer Listing. For the dealers and those who want to host your event, please get your
registration in as soon as possible!
If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to email the webmaster by clicking the link on the left-hand
side of the page.
While many great things have been said about the Siege of Augusta, Phil Viverito, of Classical Hack fame and
frequent attendee (who is often the person who drives the farthest to attend the Siege), has summed it up best
as to what makes a convention great and why The Siege of Augusta falls into that category:
"There are many conventions all over the United States and Canada, we know we go to many of them and they are all
nothing short of good. A good convention is a first and foremost a gathering place. Second it is a place to
mingle with old friends and new. Then too it is an agora where you can make those important purchases and find
out what is new and exciting. One thing for sure it is not size-quality always beats quantity. Other important
things that make a good con include nice accommodations, easy access to and from the event and local places of
interest and need. Most importantly it is where attendees simply do their thing: in this case GAME! So a good
con offers a fine time, an equally fine place to gather and finally dissolving into good memories.
What Makes a GREAT Convention?
While we have found the 9 conventions we attend to always fulfill our expectations of a good and fine time,
there is often the convention event that goes beyond being either of these two things. A GREAT convention is
somehow different. It in some way leaves cleaner and sharper images of the convention experience. Perhaps
there is no way to express it in words but the memories remain more intense. For us The Siege of Augusta
is one of those GREAT conventions. Why? Perhaps it is the weather or the lovely town with its sights and sounds.
It is certainly the people that attend. Heck that is a given; besides we would not even come if it was not for
the people we see. Whatever the criteria may or may not be for some unexplainable reason, The Siege of
Augusta fulfills our ideas and ideals of what a Great Convention is." Phil Viverito, December 1999.
(emphasis added).
The Siege was the brainchild of Dr. James Birdseye. Jim decided to start the Siege because he was new to the
Augusta area and wanted to meet other gamers.
The first convention was held at the Ramada Inn on Washington Road in January 1992. Because the Siege was too
large for the Ramada from the get-go, Siege II was held at the Landmark Hotel on Broad Street. Although many
of the "grognards" enjoyed the Landmark (could it be due to the "gamier" aspects of downtown Augusta?), that
facility was soon outgrown and for the fifth installment (1996), the convention was moved to Augusta Sheraton,
(although the Augusta Sheraton underwent three name changes during our stay: first to the Augusta Towers, and
just recently, to the Doubletree) where it remained through Siege XVI (2007). For it's 17th installment (2008),
the Siege was moved to the Belair Conference Center.
Although ably assisted by various persons throughout the years, Jim was the driving force behind the
planning, organizing, and running of the Seige of Augusta. Everyone, whether player, event host, dealer, or
guest, owe him a great debt of gratitude for his vision and hard work to have started The Siege and in keeping
it running through all of these years. Jim has now passed the baton to others to continue the convention-we
hope that the seed he first planted in 1992 continues to grow. We also hope that he will enjoy attending the
Siege as a player as much as he did as it's Director.
Jim's dream was realized as the convention proved to be frutiful. During the 90s, the local gamers met on a
monthly basis at Augusta State University; at times there would be 30-40 gamers attending. Although the group
has dissipated over the past 5-6 years, renewed interest and committment to reform the group has begun; some of
the locals are now meeting regularly at KingMaker Games.
Although the convention is one of the "crown jewels" of HMGS Mid-South (a historical miniature gaming society),
it has never been strictly limited to historical miniatures, but rather, the convention has been open to a
multitude of gaming genres. We like it this way because regardless of whether you are pushing around an orc or
a fusilier, you are a part of the miniature gaming community.
Do you have an interesting story about the Siege you'd like to share? How about some photos? Email them to
Webmaster so they can be added to our archives.