Spring Con

3/17/2012

I'm considering attending the inaugural "future" GT hosted by The Source Comics and Games here in Minnesota. Its not a GT, as it was a last minute idea supposedly, but it should still draw 60 players. Which means, lots of chances for good games for me.

There are things I don't like about this tournament, even more so than the Dark Star GT. The main one is having to do with the "rerolls". This can single-handedly unbalance the game. It can destroy a masterfully played game by a skilled general. Like the Dark Star GT, I'm unhappy about the large portion of the scores that Sportsmanship plays into and the fact that INAT is being used. And I would prefer if the missions were released early!

Anyway, if you click the "Read More", you can read more about the tournament itself.

The tickets are here and you can now get registered for the Source 40k Tournament at Springcon!!!

Welcome!

Source Comics & Games is proud to announce it’s inaugural 2012 Warhammer 40K Tournament. Our primary goal is to provide an outstanding experience for all attendees while expanding on the amazing tournament scene here in the Midwest.

Why come to the Source GT / Springcon?

·         You will get to compete against 5 great opponents on fantastic gaming boards with themed terrain.

·         Prizes!!! Multiple prize categories! In addition, the overall winner will get a life size Power Sword to hang on their wall or smite their foes, whichever. J

·         Amazing Gaming Venue – the State Fairgrounds Grandstand! Plus, you have full admission into the largest Comic Book Convention in Minnesota; Springcon.

·         The Source GT will be on the official Games Workshop tournament circuit in 2013.

Tournament Rules

·         Games will be played using the Warhammer 40K 5th Edition rule set. All the current errata and FAQ’s available from Games Workshop or the INAT (http://www.dakkadakka.com/core/inat_faq.jsp ) will be in effect.

·         All models must clearly represent what they are supposed to be. WYSIWYG is the general rule (What You See is What You Get). No proxies are allowed.

·         Your models do not have to be painted. However, your paint score will be included in the overall and for the army to receive a paint score it must have 3 colors and be based.

·         Each player needs to bring 3 Objective markers.

·         There will be five games.

·         This is an Open List tournament. Players are expected to have a printed, legible army list to give to each opponents prior to the game. Bring a minimum of six copies. One copy will need to be turned in to the tournament organizers at registration.

·         You must provide access to your own rules (which include the actual codex used for your army), dice, templates, pen/pencil, calculator or anything else you’ll need during the course of the game.

Army list rules

·         You have 1850 points to construct your army using a standard force organization chart. Special and upgrade characters are allowed, assuming they are playable at 1850 points.

·         The following codices are allowed: Black Templars, Blood Angels, Chaos Daemons, Chaos Space Marines, Dark Angels, Dark Eldar, Eldar, Grey Knights, Imperial Guard, Necrons, Orks, Sisters of Battle (White Dwarf), Space Marines, Space Wolves, Tau Empire, and Tyranids.

·         You must use the current edition of any army book released before April 19th, 2012.

·         All players should submit an army list to the Source GT by May 15th, 2012. Lists should be emailed to raistlyn_merkur@hotmail.com with the subject line stating: Source GT. Please send the lists as an Army Builder 3 file if possible, otherwise Word document, excel workbook, or text file are fine.

Rule Judges

     Players are required to have their rule books handy and to resolve rule disputes between themselves in a fair and friendly manner. However, in the case of ambiguous rules or firm disagreements, there will be Rules Judges circulating on the floor. Rulings from a Rules Judge may not be correct, but it will be final. Arguing with a Rules Judge or getting hostile over a ruling that you don’t agree with will get you a red card or expelled from the tournament.

     Rules Judges will be empowered to hand out a Red Card to any player who acts in an egregious manner that is unbecoming to the Source GT. This includes (but is not limited to) outright cheating and violent displays of temper. One Red Card may result in expulsion from the Convention without refund, while two Red Cards will definitely result in expulsion.

Tournament Scoring and Awards

The 2012 Source GT 40K focuses on three elements of good game play – skill, sportsmanship, and appearance, in order to determine who goes home with the prizes. Every player will be scored on the basis of their ability to play the game, play a fun game, and paint their army. To that end, players can score a maximum of 130 points, broken down as follows:

Battle Points = 60 points

Sportmanship = 30 points

Army Appearance = 40 points

Awards

Overall Champion = Battle Points + Sportsmanship Points + Appearance Points.

Best General = Battle Points + base Sportsmanship Points.

Best Sportsman = Total Sportsmanship Points.

Best Army = Total Appearance Points.

Player’s Choice = Most Player Votes

Best Terrain = Most Player Votes

Awards will be given out for 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place in these categories: Overall, Best Sportsman, Best Army, & Best General.

Best Terrain Award: $50.00 Gift Certificate to the Source and an official Source GT award.

Player’s Choice Award: An official Source GT award.

Battle Points

     Each mission will define 3 mission objectives. The player that has successfully achieved more mission objectives at the end of the game wins. If neither player has achieved victory through mission objectives, then the game ends in a tiebreak. Each mission will define a specific tiebreak which may have a secondary draw condition. A win is worth up to 6 points + 2/objective, a draw is 3 points + 2/objective, and a loss is worth 0 points + 2/objective.

Sportsmanship Points

     Sportsmanship is about not only having a good game, but also giving a good game to your opponent. What constitutes a “good” or “bad” game is very subjective. There are hundreds of factors, and everyone has a different criteria. However, it’s very easy to recognize a bad game when you have one. It’s also equally easy to recognize an exceptionally good game when you have one. So for the Source GT, sportsmanship scores will focus on your game experience with your opponent. At the end of the tournament, each player will get to cast a vote for their most enjoyable opponent of the weekend.

Appearance

Every army at the Source GT will be awarded a score by the tournament judges based on the overall appearance of their army. Technical painting is important, but it is only one factor in your appearance score. Conversions, theme, basing and overall presentation are equal factors as to what makes an army look good and score well in this category. Your objective markers will also be a part of the appearance judging.

Paint Your Own – Players must have painted their own army in order to be eligible to win the Best Overall, Best Army, or Player’s Choice awards. This restriction does not apply to Best General or Best Sportsman. Please notify the judges if you did not paint your own army.

Source GT Rerolls

Rerolls will be available for you to use throughout the tournament. You may use one reroll chip per game. The chip allows you to reroll one d6 at any point in the game. How do I get these reroll chips?

Paying by May 1st = 1

List in by May 1st = 1

Participation in Terrain Contest (see below) = 3

Terrain Contest

     Each player who wishes to participate in this event will bring one piece of terrain to be donated to the tournament for future use. Entries must show craftsmanship or it will be rejected from the competition (No pre-made and pre-painted Terrain or random object that you attempt to justify, i.e. No handing us a Snickers Bar and stating it's a Ghost Fence). Prefab houses, etc. are fine as long as it took some effort on your part to assemble and paint it. Please note that there is no size restriction for the terrain pieces.

     The terrain will be set on a separate table by the judges table to be voted on between Games 2 & 3. Votes will need to be turned in by the end of day Saturday. On Sunday the terrain will be placed on the tables for Games 4 & 5.     Winners for the Terrain Awards will be chosen by the tournament organizers as well as peers.

***Reminder: participation in the terrain contest will get you a re-roll token!!!***

Player’s Choice

     Player’s Choice is awarded by one’s peers at the tournament. The question many folks try to answer is “What army would I most want to take home with me?” This award is all about who brought the coolest toys that look awesome. One player, one vote. Once you win this event, you may not enter the same army again in future Source Tournaments. It will be time to paint a new one.

     Players should set up their armies with their names clearly visible after game 2 on Saturday. All Player’s Choice votes must be turned in before you leave on Saturday night.

Registration

     You may register and pick up your ticket for the event by stopping at or calling Source Comics & Games, (651) 645-0386. Please note that the Source will be closed March 25th-March 27th to move to their new location. Tickets for the Source GT are $45+tax; which includes a full admission into the Springcon Comic Book convention, snacks, soda, and some cool dice made for the occasion.

Important dates

Reroll Payment Date: May 1st

Reroll List Due Date: May 1st

List Due Date: May 15th

Payment Date: May 18th

Source GT Dates: May 19th & 20th

Schedule

Saturday

8-9 Check in

9-9:30 Tournament Kick Off

9:30-12 Game 1

12-1 Lunch

1-3:30 Game 2

3:30-4 Players Choice Voting & Terrain Contest

4-6:30 Game 3

Sunday

9:30-12 Game 4

12-1 Lunch

1-3:30 Game 5

3:30 – 4:30 Final scoring, awards, tear down

10 Comments

Matt R.

3/19/2012 05:33:55 am

Oy! Read your email! I sent ya a message.

Algesan link

3/19/2012 09:44:30 pm

Hmmm, five game tourney, with the possibility that if you pay early, send your list in early and give them a decent bit of terrain for them to use next year, you can reroll one d6 roll per game (I'm guessing you pick up one d6 for a Ld test, right?). I'm not going to sweat that one myself. Yes, it can mess you up at the right time, but while I can point to times a "critical" die roll decided a game, TBH, the "criticalness" of that roll was set up by other rolls and or actions. I lost my last game because of the game ending on turn 5.

True, but it was also the failed Ld roll (which would have made it a tie since my contesting squad fell back), as well as failing several armor saves, plus several mistakes in my movements. In the end, I had control over the draw/win situation, but I messed up in the movement phase first.

Devjon link

3/20/2012 08:52:02 am

The problem is that by doing things entirely unrelated to the game, certain players will be given an advantage in the skill category, which means that skill has a lesser impact in the tournament.

3/21/2012 09:50:12 am

My point was that games I've lost (and won) by a single die roll:
A. Aren't that common
B. In only one instance, did not require my "assistance" in non-random decisions to make it so critical.

Commonly it is the end of game roll and I've yet to get past turn five in any time limited tournament I've played in. The only people I've seen get past turn five are when two low model count lists played each other, with most of the models inside vehicles for most of the game. I can say similar things about other games I've played.

IMO, the two NOVA "tricks" were much worse: BLOS terrain crammed in the middle and not maintained plus the trick where if even one model survives you get the entire VP value of a scoring unit to decide table quarters. The first can be lived with (although MVB claiming "IG is just fine" when he ran a point blank combat list vs. a leafblower style was a bit rude), but the second can be outright gamed by players as Blackmoor showed so well last time. Using GK, he forced every game to be about KP and he fielded eight (8) KP. Yes, I think I could counter this trick (the list is vulnerable to melta/PF suicide squads in drop pods), but not in a game with KP primary objective.

So, one extra die roll a game or praying that I don't get stuck vs a rigged list at the wrong time.

Marshal Laeroth (Admin) link

3/22/2012 12:09:02 pm

While I can understand the point of view Algesan 100%, as overall, the impact of a couple of rerolled dice could be minimal. However, when to use the die rerolls is almost another "game" of skill. One could use them defensively or offensively.

What I envision being the most broken sorts of thing is like rerolling game ending rolls. Which would be especially trouble-some in situations like my Game One at Dark Star. Statistically, my opponent had the advantage in the game ending. But if I get a reroll attempt? My chances at a win gets significantly better. Now, in my opinion, I played a good game considering what my dice gave me. But I almost snatched a victory from my opponent at the end because of my skillful maneuvering. It came down to a single die roll and it didn't go my way. And that is fine, that randomness is what makes things fun. But I could have changed fate, especially on that 6th turn. A single die roll would have put me on the winners tables and totally re-aligned my opponents beneficially, or possibly negatively. While I did something cool in that game to make it very close, do I think I deserve a 2nd chance to win? No. Makes me feel like I'm cheating. :(

But I think I've decided to go...so I'm definitely going to be using my rerolls. Stupid not to if the opportunity presents itself.

John Stiening link

4/1/2012 04:47:54 am

The problem with buying re-rolls is that it presents an uneven playing field to players who hod not have re-rolls. It seems like a pretty weird thing for a tournament to sanction.

4/4/2012 10:47:53 am

How many games have you played in 40k or otherwise where the issue came down to one die roll? How many of those games could you look back at, hit yourself in the head and say "Man, if I had just made (or hadn't made) that one move..."?

Last game I lost, one die roll to end game. Loss to me because it ended. There were three mistakes made in my last turn that forced it to be a critical die roll. Correct any one of them and I don't care, it is a draw, correct two and I don't care, it is a win.

Game lost before that, partner game, lose by two kill points, bad deployment by my side. Still could have recovered it if the game hadn't ended when it did, same thing.

Lucion

4/5/2012 04:00:40 pm

Cant believe anyone is moaning about a single dice roll. I mean havent you got anything better to do? Think we're in fuck-ng wonderland or something for christ sake.

4/7/2012 03:55:47 pm

It boils down to : What would Grimaldus say? Because if your not made of steel what are you doing here?

All I am seeing is a repetitious duo of solemn mournings and manoeuvrings when the simple truth is: sometimes you win + sometimes you learn.

4/8/2012 06:23:10 am

The fact of the matter is that I don't like having an unknowable factor in my games that can potentially deny me of a win. What Algesan suggests is, however, true. Most of the time, a game is won or lost much earlier in the game. Unless matched against a player of equal skill and similarly powerful armies. If that is the cause, especially in a tournament environment...the game is naturally going to be close unless someone makes a mistake. That is when a single dice roll can make all of the difference. It "changes" the rules of probability and you cannot know when an opponent will use it.

Nevertheless, having to face such an unpredictable force is an acceptable risk. Its a tournament and I'll treat the extra dice rolls as I would not knowing who my opponent is. :)

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