For Warhammer 40K and Warhammer Fantasy Battles
Another successfull State Championship has passed, the scatter of dice has cleared and the armies retired for another day. As with last year, the tournament was held in two rooms over two levels of the Mecure Hotel, The 38 Warhammer 40K players in the Terrace room upstairs, and the 22 Fantasy players in the Wellington Room downstairs.
Up to 70% of the players from 2005 returned to the 2006 Tournament have another attempt at the prize pool, many of those deciding to play in the opposite Warhammer game system they had played in the year before.
We hosted four interstate players, all self confessed Tournament junkies, that left very impressed with the event, had geat armies to showcase, and came in spite of the Sydney Grand Tournament being held over the same weekend. These players took home quite a few prizes, including best overall (in 40K and Fantasy) and best general (Fantasy) best Sportsman (40K)! well done Gentlemen! We expect the interest from other states tournamenteers will increase the incentive and level of competition.
The players again competed for over $1500 worth of prizes, given out over 5 categories in both systems (Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Fantasy Battles). Prizes were given for Best Overall, 2nd Overall, Best General, Best Army (judged), Best Sportsman and Best Army Players Choice.
There was a higher level of competition over the two days, shown by the very close final scores, a number of categories being only a matter of a couple of points apart.
There was also a higher standard of army theme and painting quality. A majority of competitors work solidly for months making their armies ready for the event, and these armies really shine. Examples of these are Sarah Donaghy's enfoliaged (sorry for making up words...) Tyranid army with amazing bases, a great Imperial Guard army covered with snow, accompanied by a great themed display base, Steve Bensons striking Tyranid army, a return of Shaun Dollivers great Chaos Army with great bases created from glue! (a long and hard search to find the right kind of texture paid off, there were a number of questions about his technique), Damien Hennessy's oozing Nurgle Daemon Legion and Sam Choraziak's great wolf mounted Goblin horde - with some of the greatest themed conversions in the tournament. Jamie Downwards Brettonian army was again deservedly selected to be showcased in White Dwarf, thereby robbing me of a unique opprtunity to do an army focus article on him again.... I think I am going to have to bug him for it anyway!
There was more public interest and spectators than the previous year, some people coming in to take photos. The hotel was also host to the New Zealand All Blacks Basketball Team (6 & 1/2 feet = 1950mm, comapred to our 28mm figurines :D)
Over the weekend we took photos of a lot of the armies that played. We also supplied a sheet to each player with questions on it so that we might be able to pick out the most interesting armies for galleries on the website. Its always funny reading over the questions and answers, but for entertainment value, I think it is worthwhile picking out some of the more notable answers here. Many of theme are amusing, and some touching.
A majority of the armies in the Tournament received above average scores for the painting section judged independantly of the players. We plan that if people have done the minimum expected from the rules pack, they will recieve a score around 25. Most of the armies got scores of 30 or above, demonstrating the great effort most of the players put into their projects. Unfinished armies get a huge penalty in this area, besides biting at the players who have put all of that effort in. 20 points are allocated over three sections as to wether the whole army is based and painted alone. Extra points are then awarded to those that have gone the extra mile with theme, conversions and technique. Besides composition, this is possibly the easiest area to pick up those extra points in your overall score. While Golden Demon standard armies will obviously do well in this area, those that have shown initiative, intent, and plain simple good ideas will still score well.
A majority of the terrain from last years Tournament made a re-appearance, but the guys and girls in thestore had taken some time out to make some more themed pieces to give the tables in both systems more flavour, and make use of some of the new terrain modelling products available from Games Workshop such as the water effect. There was a Nurgle themed table, with loads of gooey bits, postules and gaping mouths for Warhammer 40K. Downstairs in the Fantasy room Simon had created a Tzeentch themed table with warped coral like forests, fire and obelisks. (On the first round this table hosted two Chaos armies, one of which was a Tzeentch host, which looked quite fitting). There was much more jungle terrain made for Fantasy, in a Lustria style with ruins, a waterfall and pools, but while there four Lizardmen armies in 2005 we had none this year!
The Games Workshop Seminar, held on the Saturday night, was again a great opportunity for players to get a little closer to the production line and the new releases we can expect in the coming months, including a new Eldar Codex due in October. Laurie and Bryan treated us to a number of sneak peeks at the new miniatures being released for this army, such as the autarch and an out line of what we all judge to be the new Wraithlord (think more chunky looking warwalker). When pressed for what they knew (though there was not a great deal they could really let slip away) they talked a bit about the new rules for the Avatar, a new Troops choice, a redo of the special rules, new models for the Banshees, Fire Dragons and Striking Scorpions. When asked about rumours of the Dark Eldar and the Harlequins being included in the new book, they said that the Dark Eldar were not going to be included, but refused absolutely to comment on the Harlequins!.
They talked about the new Warhammer Fantasy Battles book, due on September the 9th, touching on the new Formation rules, Psychology and panic, Magic phase changes and that a standard five models per rank will be the norm. The next big releases in Army books will be the Empire, with a focus on John Blanche-esque gothic darkness, emphasising just how nasty a place the Empire is to live in. This new feel will be apparent in the miniatures, with a move away from the puffy sleeves, and incorperating some of the more unique elements of the Empire, and a statuesque warmachine of some sort (Not much information was given, but the picture certainly looked very cool).
Bryan Cook also talked about the new direction of White Dwarf, the new look and the new content. The focus of the magazine has moved away from rules, and if at all possible this will become something not discussed in the magazine anymore except in the popular tactical articles. The reason this is a change is because warhammer 40K existed in Whate Dwarf before Rogue Trader was released. It has always been a place to float new ideas to the masses with experimental rules and the like. The problem with it though is that it causes issues for players in groups or tournaments. All players need a specific copy of Whaite Dwarf to have the rules for this thing or that thing and it all becomes very confusing. This will now only be the realm of the Army books and codexes (thereby making them fatter with rules and fluff - which is what we all really want!) and some limited releases on the internet, which makes it quite available and free to all. Another change to White Dwarf is some of the content. The UK studio has co-ordinated worldwide content, which brings some continuity and consistency throughout the magazine over the world. The Australian Studio is then allocated about 40 pages in which to fill with things that Australian gamers want, and Bryan was kind enough to talk with us for quite a while about what it is we want to see in our magazine. He may or may not get much feedback from the readers really, but he took the time out to let us come up with ideas for things we all like in previous editions, things we want to see more of and new areas to follow up. Mainly, he told us to expect to see more local Armies in the showcase sections, modelling and hobby ideas, events and Golden Demon coverage, and Battle Reports by Aussie and New Zealand gamers.
Overall, the players have said they had a great time at the Tournament, with big thanks to the sportsmanship of the players and to the Games Workshop guys giving us the time and the sneak peeks. Ideas and comments are being thought through for next years Tournament, so if you would like to make a contribution (and please do - player ideas on how to make this bigger and better is very important!) head over to the forums and join in the discussion here.
Thank you to everyone who was a part of the 2006 Tasmanian State Championship Tournament from the Area 52 crew.
Name: Joe Humphries
Army type: Dark Angels
Why did you choose this army?
It fights for finger paint!
Name: Bryan Coglan
Army Type: Speed Freaks
How does the Army work?
By getting to the enemy quickly without falling apart!
Name: Sam Dean
Army Type: Imperial Guard
How does the army work?
Not very well (theres always one that says this, but still gives me a giggle... Ed)
Future plans for the army?
There are none.
Name: Mark Wilson
Army Type: Space Wolves Space Marines
How does the army work?
Apparently it doesn't (another one! .... Ed)
How do you think you went over the weekend?
I really think I should play more often.
Name: Sarah Donaghy
Army Type: Tyranids
Why did you choose this army?
Because they eat lots!
How does the army work?
Eat 'em, eat 'em fast!
Future plans for the army?
Aliens breed, what more can I say?
Name: Shane Guley
Army Type: Necrons
Why did you choose this army?
Because I enjoy standing back up
How does the army work?
Die, and then stand back up.
Name: Justin "Goon" Chilcott
Army Type: Space Marines (Daemon Hunters/Witch Hunters)
How much time did you spend working on this army?
2 days
How does the army work?
ok, if it works, sometimes it's unemployed.
Future plans for the army?
Scrap heap!!!
Name: Damian Harper
Army Type: Tyranids
Why did you choose this army?
To see how many dead space marines I could fit on my bases.
What was the favourite model for painting/converting?
The Carnifex, melting the Rhino was fun!
How does the army work?
Run at them and hope to hell I make it there in one piece.
Future plans for your army?
Kill more Ultramarines.
Name: Sam Choraziak
Army Type: Goblin Wolf Riders
Why did you choose this army?
For fun, theme, conversion opportunities and to prove to people that Wolf Rider armies can be competitive.
How does the army work?
Speed with numbers. PAIN!!! Chariots for hitting power, backed up by solid ranks, outnumbering and the Standard of the Wolves.
Name: Paul Wright
Army Type: Chaos Dwarves (Dawi Zharr)
Why did you choose this army?
We like them because they are normal height, and they follow John Howards Industrial Relations Policy
How much time did you spend working on this army?
Nowhere near enough.
How does the army work?
So many troops they choke up the deployment zone
Name: Nathan Lovell
Army Type: Night Goblins
Why did you choose this army?
This army was my best friends, but he passed away. I decided I should take his army from last year in his memory.
How much time did you spend working on the army?
About three hours fixing up little details he had missed.
How do you think you went over the weekend?
well, I went well, shame about the army!
Future plans for the army?
Try to keep it in each tourney.