Upcoming Tourney: Lafayette Game Preserve

by SandWyrm

I found out yesterday from some players at Games 2 Die For that there's an upcoming 40K tourney at the Lafayette Game Preserve that I didn't know about. Everyone there was talking about the, um, interesting comp system that's being used.

Here's the info that I found on the store's Facebook page, where there's already been some discussion about the silly comp. I'll do a detailed critique of the system being used if there's enough interest from the readers here.

Personally, I have no interest in going, as I know that there's at least one more win/lose non-comp tourney coming up this year in Indy. So playing a random-matchup, 3-round BP system that encourages WAAC seal-beatings and soft-score cheating doesn't make any sense to me.

Warhammer 40,000: Autumn Tournament, 2010
The Game Preserve, Pavilions, Lafayette

When & Where
Saturday or Sunday, October 23rd or 24th, 2010, from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm.
...The Game Preserve, Pavilions, 100 South Creasy Lane, Suite 1030, Lafayette, 47905. (765) 448-4200.

Format
The tournament will consist of three rounds, conducted in a Swiss format, each day. You can play Saturday OR Sunday, but not both. Standard Force Organization: each army must have at least one HQ (up to two) and two Troops (up to six) selections. You may have up to three selections from each of Elite, Fast Attack and Heavy Support (although there are composition point considerations. See below.)

OFFICIAL SIGN UP SHEET IS IN THE STORE!

Requirements
- There is no entry fee if you sign up in advance! Day of registration, the entry fee is $10.00.
- Due to space restrictions, a maximum of 12 players will be allowed per day. The official sign-up sheet is in the store.
- Each player must bring one army of no greater than 1500 points. All army lists must be typed and are to be turned in the morning of the Tournament (you will not get it back). You should also bring a copy for yourself and perhaps your opponents.
- Armies must be selected out of current Codices. No Legendary or Apocalypse units or custom vehicles are allowed. Chapter Approved armies must be approved in advance by the TO.
- All figures in your army should be painted to level 1. If not, you will lose points.
- You must bring all relevant materials, including rulebook, codex, dice, range ruler, templates, etc.
- Optionally, you may bring a single piece of painted terrain with a base up to 6” x 9” and up to 6” high. You will be able to deploy this piece of terrain in your deployment zone.
- If there are any questions, email them to Carlos: eurotia@yahoo.com.

Scoring
A player’s overall score will include points in the categories listed below. There are 114 points possible.
- Battle outcome (0-20 points per battle)
- In-Game Attitude (judged by game opponents 0-6 points per battle)
- Army Appearance (pre-game, peer judged 1-12 points)
- Army Appearance (TO judged basics 0-6 points)
- Army Composition (TO judged 0-18 points)

Schedule
Each game will be played to the end of six full rounds or two hours, whichever occurs first. At the end of the round, all games still in progress will cease immediately. Any player deemed to be stalling will result in a five point reduction in victory points for that game, and that player’s opponent for that round will be awarded five bonus victory points (to a maximum of 20 and a minimum of zero).

9:00 to 9:30 Registration. Please be on time.
9:30 to 9:50 Pre-game, peer judged Army Appearance
10:00 to 12:00 Round One.
12:00 to 1:00 Lunch break. Fend for yourselves.
1:00 to 3:00 Round Two.
3:30 to 5:30 Round Three.
6:00 Awards Ceremony!

Prizes
Prizes will be awarded for the following achievements during the Tournament.
- Best Overall score – Boxed set of your choice (< $90)
- Second best Overall score – 40K Boxed set of your choice (< $40).
- Door prize for one random tournament finisher – 40K Blister pack of your choice (< $20).
The winner of the tourney will also be immortalized on the Hall of Heroes plaque forever.

Battle Outcome
Each battle each player will be able to earn up to 20 points by destroying enemy models and through various in-game objectives. Successful armies will incorporate speed, firepower, and assault capabilities, while minimizing casualties. The Post Game Results Form will be printed on the back of your mission handout. Your opponent will fill out your Battle Outcome score, and initial it. Then you will take the form back, grade your opponents on In-Game Attitude and initial it.

When judging In-Game Attitude, consider the following and award one point for each bold question:
- Was your opponent on time and ready to play each round? Did he have all relevant codices, dice, templates, measuring devices, etc? Did he present you with a copy of his army list?
- Was your opponent pleasant? Or was he merely there to do some business?
- Did your opponent take set-backs in stride? Or did he drone on about how bad his dice are?
- Did your opponent seem to measure distances fairly? Did he “bend” any other rules?
- Were you and your opponent able to resolve rules disputes amicably? If a judge was called over multiple times, this may indicate that someone was a rules lawyer. If it was you, then perhaps you should give your opponent this point anyway.
- Did your opponent use good dice etiquette? Did he leave the dice on the table long enough for you to acknowledge them? Were his dice easy to read?

Before the tournament, you will grade all other player’s Army Appearance, ranking them from first to last, with your army last. Your criteria are your own.

During the tournament, the TO will judge every Army’s Appearance according to a simple method, earning one point for each of the following:
- Is the whole army painted to “Level One”? This means that every model is primed, with a layer of additional color on all parts of the figure. If any figures in the army are bare plastic, metal or primer, the player gets a zero for appearance.
- Is a consistent color scheme used? For most armies, models should look like they belong to the same force or squad, rather than looking like a miscellaneous hodge-podge of different forces.
- Are all the models in the army based? Is the entire army based with static grass, flock or sand?
- Is there a fair amount of conversion work? Cut and glue space marines are just fine. But are there any awesome poses that took conversion work? Any custom vehicles?
- Are the models shaded and highlighted? One layer of paint over primer is not good enough.
- Are the models detailed? Decals, free-handing, and other such details and iconography can really enhance the look of an army.

During the tournament, the TO will judge every army according to a simple method, awarding points for each of the following (the number in parenthesis is the maximum points earnable):
- Each troops selection that is at maximum size (2). Chaos will earn this point if their troops are at their chaos number (Tzeentch 9, Khorne 8, Nurgle 7, Slaanesh 6) or the printed maximum. Imperial guard will earn this point for each platoon with two or more infantry squads, but not for veteran or penal squads.
- If Elite is not maximized (2). One or two choices will earn you this award.
- If Fast Attack is not maximized (2). One or two choices will earn you this award.
- If Heavy Support is not maximized (2). One or two choices will earn you this award.
- If HQ is not maximized (2). One choice will earn you this award.
- For each troop selection over the minimum (4).
- If the army has zero special (named) characters (2). Anyone with a name counts, including sergeant and vehicle upgrades.
- If the army has zero duplicate, non-troops selections (2). You can have one Leman Russ squadron with three tanks, but not two squadrons. One Terminator Assault Squad and one Terminator Squad are ok. One Dreadnought, one Venerable Dreadnought, and one Ironclad Dreadnought are ok. Two Devastator squads with completely different numbers and equipment will not earn this award.