Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Fantasy GT Update - 6 spots left

Quick PSA - Only 6 of 64 spots remain in the Fantasy GT.

Infinity, Warmachine, and 40k are all also very close to sold out.

The Masterclass Painting Seminar #10 (see schedule) has I think 1 spot left.

A LOT of stuff is filling up late ... this isn't a very comprehensive list. If you're a dawdler, grab your tickets.

Also, I don't think the hotel room block stays open at $85/night until the day of ... if you haven't reserved your room for any reason, do so ... there are not very many rooms left. I think like 23 room-nights total left? You can always cancel your reservation if you can't make it, at 0 cost.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Final NOVA Invitational 2013 Roster

This represents one of the toughest crowds we've ever had for the Invitational.

The schedule this year for it is also much easier, leaving players fresh in all / nearly all games (1 game Thurs night, Fri AM, Sat AM, and then the 2 final games Sun afternoon).

Daniel Bunker
Tony Kopach
Alexander Fennell
Nick Nanavati
Jens Gertsen
Ragnar Arnesson
Matt DeFranza
Alex Bessinger
Ben Mohlie
Andrew Gonyo
James Watkins
Jesse Newton
Allan Hernandez
Alan Bajramovic
Brad Nichols
Brett Perkins
Brad Townsend
Eric Hoerger
Jeremy Veysseire
Bob Roda
Vaden Ball
Robert Fortin
Aaron Aleong
Alex Harrison
Werner Born
Neil Gilstrap
Robert Tilly
Matt Schuchman
Adam Tricola
Nick Rose
Kurt Clauss
Mark Aksel

Are you getting excited for NOVA yet? Any questions unanswered?

The hotel room block is getting close to sold out, and the days to reserve it and its amazing $85/night room rate are also running low.

The FAQ has been updated as well, and should be republished soon ... keynote changes include ruling Vengeance Weapons Batteries are "Emplaced Weapons" and not "Gun Emplacements."

Have you checked out seminars in your off time? Magic events and booster drafts? Are you submitting anything to the paint competition?

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Marineception

First I saw this ...



So then I thought this ...


Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Tracking Team America at the ETC

To follow how Team America is doing in the Singles today/tomorrow, and the Team Champs as a whole by the weekend ....

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/pages/ETC-2013-Novi-Sad/147903428748437
Google+
https://plus.google.com/112836945837633020155
Twitter
https://twitter.com/2013ETC
Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/99535840@N02/


In 40k, Andrew Gonyo, a local buddy, regular opponent, etc., is sitting in first place after day 1 of the European Singles Championship (which leads into the ETC itself). Alan Bajramovic is up there as well, with Tony Kopach the next highest American in the standings.

Good to see our local crew, and the Americans as a more important whole, doing well already!

Follow along ...

 - Mike


Thursday, August 1, 2013

Short-Turn Draft FAQ - Responses Solicited

All,

The following link is to the INITIAL DRAFT 40k FAQ for the 2013 NOVA Open. While primarily complete, your feedback is requested for addressing critical absent responses, and any major rules conundrums you feel should be addressed / re-addressed.

Dispassionate feedback only, please, with rules references and cogent arguments to support your point of view. We follow a Rules as Reasonable approach, leaning Rules as Written when in doubt.

The 40k Chief Rules Judge will be reviewing the document internally, and we will publish a final version by Tuesday AM. All changes will be implemented after NOON on Monday.

Please remain respectful with any rules / rulings you feel especially passionate about, and keep in mind the NOVA's only intent with the production of this document is the adjudication of difficult or fuzzy rules/rulings at the NOVA Open itself.

Thanks for all the feedback, rules amalgamation, and Q&A we've had so far - it's been incredibly helpful!

 - MVB, NOVA

Friday, July 26, 2013

Brittany's Bar Charity Tournament 7/27 Update

Three new registrations for tomorrow's event came in today, and we're looking at a pretty good turnout.

Keep in mind, and I'll blast this out to attendees, they'll be serving game-table-side food all day, including a special breakfast offering at $8 for attendees. So, don't go eating ahead of time :)

Torrent of Fire live mobile scoring will be working, we've been playing around with it all week ... it's an exciting time!

If you're planning on attending, register ASAP by donating to the foundation.

 - Mike

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Hull Mounted Vehicle Weapons on Flyers at NOVA

Quick PSA -

To keep things fair, straightforward, as-rules-designed, and minimize Modeling for Advantage, all hull-mounted weapons (that's to say, ones that are limited to a 45-degree fire arc by rule) should be arc-determined perpendicular to the flight stand, parallel to the table. So, the angle at which you've modeled your hull mounted weapon will be more or less irrelevant to its arc of fire.

When in doubt, in order to measure arc of fire accurately and effectively, take any handy piece of paper, and fold it evenly along one of its 90 degree corners ... now you have a 45 degree arc to use for determining arcs of fire from the weapon.

Several quick PSA posts incoming over the next few days.

We're closing in on NOVA at this point ... things are getting crazy!

Friday, July 19, 2013

Farsight Enclaves - Getting the Rules Corect, Starting With the Stickiest

7/23 UPDATE - THEY JUST UPDATED THE DIGITAL EDITIONS:

"When choosing a Farsight Enclaves army with Commander Farsight as its Warlord, you may take Farsight’s Commander Team instead of Farsight’s XV8 Crisis Bodyguard Team. "


"Other" is an important word.

So the Farsight Enclaves list is available. It is available for

Here's the rule that's going to be (IMO) the biggest sticky issue due to how it was worded:

FARSIGHT’S COMMANDER TEAM
When choosing a Farsight Enclaves army, you have access to a special unit called Farsight’s Commander Team. If you choose to take this unit, Commander Farsight does not allow you to take an XV8 Crisis Bodyguard Team as normal; he has the Commander Team instead. This special unit is an HQ choice that does not take up a Force Organisation slot and consists of up to seven other battlesuits chosen from the Eight. They must be equipped exactly as described; the Signature Systems rule above does not apply to them. They can take no other options. Each of the Commander Team models is Unique and has the Independent Character special rule.


So what do we do with this? Here are the key points ...

First off - the Commander Team is a series of Independent Characters, inclusive of Farsight (8 total guys to choose from). These IC's are all pretty good ... the most interesting of which for most players probably being O'Vesa, who is an Independent Character Riptide. Yup, you read that right. Hope your gears are whirring.
That said, O'Vesa is 305 points. If you require a 165 point investment in Farsight in order to enable any of these guys, it's a very different book.
OH, and just as an aside, you can ally a Farsight list with a Tau list. Battle Bros.

So anyway ...
 - When choosing a Farsight Enclaves Army, you have access to a special unit called Farsight's Commander Team

So far so good ... if you choose this army, you get access to the team.

 - If you choose to take this unit, Commander Farsight does not allow you to take an XV8 Crisis Bodyguard Team as normal; he has the Commander Team instead.

So, if Farsight is taken, you can't take a Bodyguard for him, because he is PART of the "Farsight's Commander Team" (he's one of the 8 listed). Here's where it gets sticky.

 - This special unit is an HQ choice that does not take up a Force Organisation Slot and consists of up to seven other battlesuits chosen from the Eight.

This rule does NOT STATE [and do not "paraphrase" it as] "and consists of up to seven battlesuits chosen from the Eight." It states seven OTHER battlesuits. Seven other suits other than WHAT?
To take any of the referenced seven, you need one to begin with for them to be "other" than. That's the strict RAW. The stricted application of RAW would be that unless you can divine who the "first" is, from whom the additional seven can be Other than, you can't take the team at all, and it's a pointless entry.
So either the word "other" was a mistake, or they intend for there to be one suit you MUST take. Anyone out there who is a rocket scientist (or not) want to take a stab at which one in the Farsight's Command Team of Eight is the mandatory minimum so you can choose up to another seven from the eight?
I ALREADY hear people who are saying since it does not state who the first is, you can take however many of whoever of them you want. The early read amongst our judges is that Farsight is mandatory to take any of them. Reasoned arguments otherwise? Thoughts?

We'll need to clarify these rules ASAP, because we stated we'd be using GW supplements as long as they were more than a month in advance, and available for ALL people (not just Apple users). This is the case here.

Fire away.

Monday, July 15, 2013

Next Charity Tourney - July 27 at Brittany's Bar in Woodbridge, VA - NOVA Invitational Alternate, Charity for a Good Cause

OK guys,

First we did it in a backyard, now we're doing it in a bar! Thanks to a little coordinating help from the IFL, we'll be taking over Brittany's Bar in Woodbridge, VA for the next event, another 30-player cap, and a chance to try out the coolest full features of Torrent of Fire (including PLAYER MOBILE SELF SCORING!).
http://brittanysrestaurant.com/
12449 Dillingham Square  Woodbridge, VA 22192

1850 Points
3 Rounds
Painting is NOT required, but you cannot win Best Overall if you are not painted.

The bar will be serving food and drink all day, and we'll be possibly getting them to set up a brunch menu for us to boot. Due to the easy access to food and drink without needing to leave the venue, we'll be shortening the lunch break a little as well.

Registration and the doors (And helping us shuffle tables in!) begins at 10:00AM
Round 1 - 10:45A (or as soon as all are present) - 1:15P
Round 2 - 1:45P - 4:15P
Round 3 - 4:45P - 7:15P
Breakdown - 7:15P - 7:35P
Awards - 7:35P - 8:00P

Schedule subject to amendment, but open/close-times will remain as they are (10A - 8P)

COST:
$25 donated to charity in order to Participate
UPGRADES:
You may donate up to $15 additional, in 3 $5 increments, in order to gain the following:
Charity Re-Roll:
May be used once / game. Permits the owner to re-roll ONE single roll for Warlord Traits, or randomly generated Psychic Powers. It must be used immediately after the result to be re-rolled occurs.

So, you could spend a total of $40 and have one re-roll of this sort per game. You could spend $0 and have 0. Every dollar will go directly to charity.

To register, simply go here:
http://novaopenfoundation.org/?tcp_product_category=donation
And in the FOURTH bullet, where it says NOVA Open Charitable Foundation, enter a quantity of 25 (or 30, 35, or 40 if you want the re-rolls and to give more to the causes the Foundation supports).

Then, Checkout. When the people who run the Foundation (not me) tell me someone has donated the appropriate quantity, I'll add your name to the guest list.


Monday, July 8, 2013

Final Mission Packet Notice; FAQ Call-Out

All,

Final Mission Packets for ALL EVENTS are due to me by July 15 from the leads, with publication on the web by August 1, to give everyone a full month of practice in any/all events with EVERY mission as it will actually occur and be presented.

Anticipate the 40k GT missions will be rotated around a bit such that the first 3 missions for Friday are tuned to the alternate terrain layout - NO center LOS blocker, but the larger blocking hills moved up to midfield on offset flanks, with better terrain concentrations along the central area of each Dawn of War deployment zone. Yes, that's correct, there won't be a massive LOS blocker camping on top of the Relic this year :) That's the last hint I'll give before August 1.

We are working on the updated FAQ over the next couple of weeks; ANY questions you think need answering, post them here!

Also, finished serpents and hawks ...