500 Points about 500 Points (Lists, Touraments & Rules, oh my!)

[MM3791]

I think it's seriously fucking stupid to have a requirement on the 500pt tournament, for the main reason that it's a casual 500pt tournament. Seriously, if I wanted to show off my artistic prowess and be king of the Paint scene, I'd do it.

You really wanna know why though I don't paint? It's because it's makes my army already MORE expensive than it currently is, it makes it more of a time consumer than it already is, and TBQH, I have many more important things to be worried about than painting my models for a 500pt "casual" 40k tourney.

Also, I mean seriously. it's a 500 point game. Do we really want to make it More rigid than a normal tournament? If you take 500 points seriously then it's just broken and not fun. This is why i think there should be a lower entry fee than normal tournaments (sorry chase ).

Wasn't that the point of this anyway? to suit the needs of the casual player?

I agree with Kevin on this one. If we don't have the large tournaments Painted Only(Which I mind considerably less than a 500pt painted only, to the point where it's totally understandable), then why make this paint only?

I 100% agree with Bromeo (and I like his attitude lol). As much as I'd love to field a beautifully painted army, 40k is just not on the top of my list of "real world things to do". I have little free time as it is and it took me all summer just to clue my 2000pt army, and will probably take all winter just to paint it.. only difference is that now I can finally play with it!!!

For the record love the idea of a 500pt tourney, it seems way more tactical then a massive 2000pt force.

[Loranus]

I love the Idea of a 500 Point Tournament also I mean so much you can do with 500 Points that you can't do with higher point games.

Also Space Marines 185$ before conversion on the list I have in mind.

Also Chase has been offered help before but usually he takes it all upon himself to do it anyways because he wants to make sure everything is just right.

[Benjamin]

I think it's seriously fucking stupid to have a requirement on the 500pt tournament, for the main reason that it's a casual 500pt tournament.

I see you take your casual fun seriously. 

A basic three-color scheme minimum for well under $15.
Flat black or white primer @ Home Depot = $1
Two pots of GW paint @ BG = less than $8
small brush @ Michaels = less than $4

Rob Walker of Evil Dice wrote a short article about the merits of painting and modeling. I think it's a good start, and I particularly agree with his third point.
http://www.evildice40k.com/?p=243

Battleground runs the few tournaments of which I know painting is not a requirement. For many other tournaments, a three-color scheme is required.

Three colors does not mandate Picasso or Michelangelo level talent. If Stelek's painted-crappy Space Wolves army qualifies, anyone's can.

This event likely won't happen for at least six weeks from now, and likely longer than that. So let's just take a deep breath, relax...

[canadianone]

sorry to keep belaboring the point, (i know i know) but some people might not want to rush their painting. I am going to try to have my army painted, but i make no promises.

[Chase]

"For the community, by the community."  I love it.


We are going to run this event.

It is going to be awesome.

It is going to be fun.

I like what's going on in this thread.  A lot.



Quick thoughts, (Ben, I'll respond to your email later, in more detail)...

$15.00 allows us to do quite a bit more than $10.00 and makes "rounding things out" much easier.
I care very little (read: not at all) about the store "making money" off of this sort of event.
I am sort of in love this the different brackets and "win/loss" style of play here.  How will we determine a winner?
I would like to bill this as a "casual, for fun" event, if it isn't already, due to it's nature.

Finally:
I would like to see painting required. - I would like this to be a "hobbyist" event first, and a competitive event second.  Most everything about the event reflects that theme, and a painting requirement would be in line with that.  To me, it makes sense.  It is of critical importance that we run / host different events for different types of gamers.

[Bromeo]

Alright, well, at least tell me that the best painted/best theme will get rewarded.

[Dissimulation]

Here is my final post on this topic, I feel as if my definition of casual may be different from everyone else's

-Competitive
Serious mode gamers. Absolutely nothing wrong with these types of gamers, they just know what is best and they are able to field it. However, this event was not made for them.

-Casuals
Don't like to devote much time to the study/playing of 40k, but when they do, it's always a blast.

-Hobbyists
Love the modeling and painting of models.

Here is what i think will happen

Most casuals, like i stated, won't want to spend a lot of time on their 40k. This includes painting a 500 point army, which, in theory is an easy task. However, I'd estimate that a 500 point army for me would take at least 1 or 2 good weekends of work. So less casuals will go to this event.

The hobbyists will LOVE this event. Painting required? Small army size so i can spend lots of time detailing? yes please!

The competitives will go there because they know they can exploit the fact that it is 500 points on a reduced board and steal the prize away from the casuals and the hobbyists.

So while the painting standard is definately a good thing, i feel as if the GIANT prize will ruin the entire "feel" of the event. What I propose is that the giant prize comes from the painting instead of the playing, and whoever wins the actual tournament will get a smaller, but still decent, prize.

[Chase]

Ben has come up with an interesting proposal re: prizes.  We are currently discussing them.

There will be an award for the best painted army any-which-way this turns out.

That prize will most certainly not exceed the top prize.


The way this event is shaping up I think that players of all types (as defined by Kevin) can appreciate, enjoy, and win something worthwhile.

[Benjamin]

I am sort of in love this the different brackets and "win/loss" style of play here.  How will we determine a winner?

The whole bracket idea is shamelessly ripped off straight from NOVA.

The event would be 5 rounds. Each round would be a straight-forward Win/Loss.

After Round 2, the field is divided into 4 brackets, based on performance.

Bracket 1 - eight 2-0 players
Bracket 2 - eight 1-1 players (top half)
Bracket 3 - eight 1-1 players (bottom half)
Bracket 4 - eight 0-2 players

The idea is that after two rounds, similarly skilled players are likely to be competing within their own brackets for prizes. So the first two rounds determine which prize a player is eligible for, and the final three matches determine which player actually wins the prize. The final 3 rounds, the Bracket Rounds, would be determined by matching up players only from within their bracket.

Bracket 1 winner would finish with a record of 5-0, the day's sole undefeated player and Grand Master Victor Winner Champion.
Bracket 2 winner would finish with a record of 4-1.
Bracket 3 winner would finish with a record of 4-1.
Bracket 4 winner would finish with a record of 3-2.

(Notice each bracket winner would go 3-0 to win within their bracket.)

If a seemingly clever player tanks the first two rounds on purpose, joke's on them for trying to take a whopping 10% or less of the purse. I know if we do a $15 entry fee, the prize numbers I was looking at almost guarantee skilled players will not be tanking any matches.

Now, as for the specific mission scenarios, that's something else entirely. I'll rope Sam into helping me come up with some proposals.

Just got hit with a bolt of inspiration. Promotional poster incoming.

[Chase]

Promotional poster incoming.

Nihilist Club style?

[Benjamin]

Nihilist Club style?

Oh dear. Less offensive, more awesome.

A conceptual draft. If you squint, you can see the "5". People with real photoshop skills should help.

[Chase]

Derek will be tasked with that when he's back from vacation.

Until then, I'll accept fill-ins.  In fact, if we have any photoshop ninjas out there let me know and show me you've got game.

[Ed]

5 cats = 500 points

[Rurouni Benshin]

I'm pretty sure Paul said this already, but Ed, you're my hero... 

[Benjamin]

Ed, I like what you've done here.

Can you incorporate the idea I had when I woke up and give him the Battleground shield? Maybe the cats, too.