Monday, August 29, 2011

The NOVA Open









Having just survived the NOVA open, my first tournament, and the most games I have played in a decade, I am at a loss for words. It was simply fantastic. I learned to appreciate the game. I met loads of really wonderful guys, whom I hope I get to see again. There were amazing armies, powerful gamer stench, and the sort of brotherly bond that forms when groups are suffering cumulatively from lack of sleep, food, and well air.

Rather than try to put up my list, which must totally rock, since I won 4 games, and I am a truly horrid player, I'll just point out that it is the blood angels one up top. Never again will I try to finish painting models before a tournament.

John's First List of Tournament Rules:
  1. Make your list and paint your models before tournament's eve.
  2. Bring a spare shirt, it gets really hot and smelly.
  3. Make tournament games secondary to making new friends.
  4. Just toss your models in a box. They are going to break anyway by the end of the. tournament when you are too tired to not go godzilla all over them.
  5. Bring a movement tray that is also a stand, or steal a garbage can to turn into a stand, or don't bring a movement tray.
  6. Always play against Eldar and Tau. (other species may join the list when I eventually play them)
  7. Never get out of your vehicles.
  8. Play the mission, including secondary objectives. Tertiary objectives are important as well
  9. Play in the back room with the bad terrain. People are nicer backer there.
  10. Don't be a jerk, but feel comfortable asking for rules clarifications.

I want to play 40k again this weekend. How crazy is that?

8 comments:

  1. Glad to have had you as my last opponent! Was a great game. :)

    ~Bob~

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  2. Bob! It was an awesome game, which only happens with a great opponent. I love the fact we were both so exhausted we kept losing track of what we were doing and had to keep rolling off for it. I pulled one final Godzilla move on my high tech printer box army case by spilling my unfinished coffee on the box before dropping the whole thing! I had just had such a good time it didn't even phase me. I hope to see you in my neck of the woods again, and will try to make it out to the heartland.

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  3. I really like your learning points, especially about the place where the nice people are. Always handy to know.. :)

    P.S. If you only knew just how hard it was to actually create this comment, you'd appreciate it all the more...

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  4. Drathmere: I'm right there with you, can't wait to roll some more dice soon! Are you playing next month at the Battle at Blob's Park tournament?

    Marshal / Bob: I really enjoyed our game and I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to play that second one! Hopefully our gaming paths will cross again in the near future ;)

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  5. @ Drathmere

    Haha. Yeah, it was getting pretty crazy there at the end. We were definitely tired, but I couldn't have asked for a better person to play against to finish off the day. Our game was so chillax and hilarious at the same time. Can anyone say flying Land Raiders? It was laugh after laugh. :D

    I thought you didn't want to paint anymore models? Looks like you're going to be doing repairs for the next few weeks. Though, if it makes you feel better, my army didn't fair much better. Our high-tech army transportation methods failed us. lol! ;)

    @ Joe

    I know! I was really looking forward to our rematch! Our game was also awesome, so I'm definitely going to get more games in with ya when I get the chance. Was also sad that I neglected to bring my Malifaux stuff with me. :D

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  6. Nice Salamanders. I'm always disappointed when people don't paint them with scales. The dragon mural is also nice, whose army is that?

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  7. There were a lot of really awesome armies that I wish I had taken photos of. I was just so worn out from gaming. I really might throw down for a game this saturday at the springfield store. NOVA has awakened the gamer inside me.

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  8. It feels liberating doesn't it? Getting some games out with the stuff you painstakingly built and painted feels good. :)

    If it makes you feel better, Nova Open has awakened the painter in me. Because now I have to go back and "fix" my ghetto minimum paint job on my marines because I'm a SOOO much better painter than the stuff I brought out. Lack of time and procrastination does that. lol!

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