Advance! 2026
The FIFTH annual Advance! miniature wargaming convention hosted by the San Diego Historical Miniature Wargamers will take place on April 25, 2026 at the La Mesa Community Center. This venue has expanded room to support bigger and better gaming!
While focused on miniature gaming, there will also be several tournaments/group events and a Flea market.
Bookmark this page to be on the lookout for details to follow, and for any questions, feel free to send an e-mail to the Advance! 2026 General Staff at: advance.SDHMWG@gmail.com.
Feel free to share this QR code with anyone you think may be interested to help Advance! continue to be the Premier 1-day Miniature Convention in California!
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La Mesa Community Center
4975 Memorial Drive, La Mesa, CA 91942
There is parking on site at the Community Center. An overflow parking lot exists across Memorial Drive at Kuhlken Field. There may be street parking in the neighborhood with either meters or restrictions.
Click the link below for access to a parking map and more information on the town of La Mesa (food options, things-to-do, etc.).
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Click the button below, or scroll down to see the schedule — a comprehensive list of available games, tournaments, and events.
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Have stuff you want to see re-homed? Interested in finding that obscure mini you’ve always wanted? Tables will be available to set-up for sellers at $10/table. Get your table reservation using the Advance! 2025 Store (button below or navigation link above)!
For convention ticket and flea market tables, click on the button below or the “Advance! 2026 Tickets” link above in the navigation!
For the current list of games, click on the button below or scroll down the page!
Advance! 2026 Painting Competition!!!!
Welcome to the Advance! THIRD Annual Painting Competition! After an amazing inaugural event in 2024, and an even better one in 2025, we are excited to see more of the incredible talent and craftsmanship of miniature painters from across the realm. See below for categories, descriptions, and full rules for the competition. New to 2026 will be expanded categories!
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This category celebrates the best painted historical military units. From ancient warriors to modern soldiers, showcase your skill in bringing historical battles to life on the tabletop. Must contain at least FIVE miniatures to qualify as a “unit”.
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Delve into the intricate details of historical personalities, heroes and figures with this category. Whether it’s a knight in shining armor or a renowned general, let your brushstokes capture the essence of history.
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Show off your mastery in painting historical vehicles, war machines, or weapons in this category. Be it a tank from World War II or a medieval siege weapon, bring these iconic pieces of history to vivid life.
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Unleash your creativity with this category, where sci-fi and fantasy worlds collide. From alien creatures to mythical beings, let your imagination run wild and paint a ingle figure that embodies the essence of these genres.
Current Categories
Testimonials from previous Advance! Conventions
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I had such a blast playing in this game, commanding the right flank for the rebels. I lost an entire line of foot in one shot to devastating cannon fire, and barely managed to hold on as my fellow commanders seized the day on the left and center flanks. Thanks so much to Bill, Wade, John, Owen, Jon, and Chuck for a great battle and warm welcome to the hobby.
Garrett Kelly
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A big "Thank You" to the guys (and gals) who did the hard work to make Advance! the success it was. It was so great to see so many gaming friends all in one place.
John Kevin Smith
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Great game (10mm ACW Commands & Colors), had a great time playing it. Thanks to the gamemaster and the other players who made the game so enjoyable.
John E. Barsanti
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Great day at ADVANCE 2023! I got there halfway through but there was lots of action, great looking tables, and of course, a lot of happy people.
Tom Seeling
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Just got back home from Advance '23. The premier historical gaming convention of SoCal. Had a great time and already looking forward to next year's. I can see it becoming the Historical Rendezvous of Wargamers of SoCal .
Luis Medrano
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Thank you for the warm welcome. DMH (Dead Man's Hand) had 2 other players joining the table. Great play with Mike and Anders. It was my 4th time running a game of DMH for a group. I enjoyed it very much.
Elliot Aleman-Gomez
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Great con!
Michael Sterling
Friends and Sponsors
“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.”
— Cicero
Thanks to all the entities below who helped to make Advance! 2025 a success!!!!
A Special Thanks to the following individuals:
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John Kevin Smith
Hallowed Grognard, Donor
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Megan Loughran
Convention Admin
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Ben Cornelius
Painting Judge
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John Fletcher
Donor
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Tim Greene
Donor
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David J. Blood
Donor
Just some of what you might see at Advance!
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DBA 3.0 - Old School is the Only School!
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Black Sails - A morning port raid!
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For King! For Parliament!!!! 28mm ECW
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Drums Along the Mohawk - 28mm FIW
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Wolf Amongst the Sheep - Silver Bayonet!
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Historic 2000 years from now - Xenos Rampant!
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Brother against Brother - 28mm ACW!
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Caught Red Handed - 28mm Border Reivers
List of Games
Advance! 2026 Schedule of Events
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Check back again to see games as they're scheduled!
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Sample Game Listing
Time: TBD Gamemaster: TBD Ruleset: TBD Scale: TBD Max Players: TBD
Be sure to see below if you’re interested in making this game slot your own and run a game at Advance! 2026!!!!
Convention Schedule
A Full Day!
Morning, Afternoon, and Evening gaming. Click on the button to see a single page graphically listing the current overall slate of games and times!
Prospective GMs
We are ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW GAMES!!! Interested in hosting a game? See the contact information to the right, please provide the Advance! 2026 General Staff your contact information and details regarding your game (table size needed, preferred times, number of participants, etc.)
NOTE
Non-Club member GMs will receive a free ticket to Advance! (one free ticket per game)