Pics / reports from TempleCon

[Chase]

So, let's have em.  I haven't heard or seen anything.

[Grimwulfe]

Sorry were under a NDA....

[PhoenixFire]

So, let's have em.  I haven't heard or seen anything.

Pros:
-great time as always
-sending a mass email out in between matches to tell everyone the next round of pairings was a great idea, all you had to do was check your phone
-more people than last year! i think Keith had 40k and fantasy fully booked
-Guys really stepped up the display boards from last year, Jawaballs had an amazing one with a Blood Angel and Tyranid moving around and fighting in a crater and Chris Scottis danger zone was an impressive new showing with a working water feature and 80s power ballad!

Cons:
-table numbers changing between round 1 and 2 for some reason led to a lot of confusion
-some inconsistent judging... one round a game was allowed to go WAY past stop time (like 30mins +) and another round some people were forced to finish a phase and not even the round. Another instance a judge ruled blatantly against a codex in a game i was watching
-15 people or so dropped before the last round which kind of sucks but i know it happens at GTs
-the Warmachine tournament next to us seems to have gotten bigger this year and they were kind of obnoxious with their loudspeaker and playing music and crap

and unfortunately charity doubles on Friday had another really bad showing... only 6 or 8 teams again. It's a great cause and they've got some SERIOUSLY good prize support. Personally i think the biggest thing hurting it is start time. Starting at 3pm and having 3 games with sizable gaps in between means you don't get done till well after midnight and i think it drives away a lot of people.

Everyone i know who was there for 40k had all friday off anyway, if doubles had a morning start time i think you'd get a lot more bodies at the tables


So Chase, when is the BGGT happening?!

[Tharcil]

Was a great time.  Other than the the note above about numbers changing places I had no complaints and I LOVED the assignments going out via email as soon as they were ready given how loud it was and the space.  Link below for my batreps, it's way too long and detailed to include here, especially when you consider my very mediocre placing!  Definitely a great time.  The doubles event was one by two of the drunkest obnoxious loudmouths I've ever seen.

http://eodchapter.blogspot.com/2014/02/onslaught-bat-reps.html

[Cryptognomicon]

I agree - The event was a good time yet again.

Pros:
1) pairings via email was awesome. Not sure it would be needed for a smaller event, but with so many people in the room email was great solution.
2) Lots of awesomely painted armies.  I think requiring a minimum 3-colors adds a special something to the event.  People put a lot of pride and effort into their armies and its great to see it. 
3) Played with some really great people. It's nice to get the chance to play against some non-BG regulars.
4) Crown Plaza is a really awesome hotel
5) Lots of other non-40k stuff going on.  Got in a few game demos, the boardgame free play room was packed all weekend, there was a free to play Video Arcade, the steampunk/cosplay aspect of the convention is kind of cool to watch even if that is not your thing. 
6) Food options were not terrible. 

Cons:
1) Stuck in the same room as WM/H events.  I wish there was more space so that 40k could get its own room.  Hard to walk around at some points especially if you are moving display boards, etc. They also had a loudspeaker which drowned out everything. 
2) Paint judging was supposed to be on the first day per the schedule, but they didn't seem to get to 40k until day 2. I realize it was one person doing all the judging and it takes time, but it would have been nice to have it done on day one just so that i didn't need to be lugging the display board around for two days.
3) I wish that the paint scoring sheet had been posted before the event.
4) Parking at the hotel sucked.  Whoever they paid to plow the parking lot did a sad ass job of it and if you happened to have to leave during the day there was no way you were going to find a space again.
5) Terrain for the tables was pretty sparse.  On my first game we had 2 pieces on the table.
 

[the_trooper]

I got to see my favorite member of Dark Star, Rick James. So that was enough for me.

[Grimwulfe]

Cons:
1) Stuck in the same room as WM/H events.  I wish there was more space so that 40k could get its own room.  Hard to walk around at some points especially if you are moving display boards, etc. They also had a loudspeaker which drowned out everything. 
2) Paint judging was supposed to be on the first day per the schedule, but they didn't seem to get to 40k until day 2. I realize it was one person doing all the judging and it takes time, but it would have been nice to have it done on day one just so that i didn't need to be lugging the display board around for two days.
3) I wish that the paint scoring sheet had been posted before the event.
4) Parking at the hotel sucked.  Whoever they paid to plow the parking lot did a sad ass job of it and if you happened to have to leave during the day there was no way you were going to find a space again.
5) Terrain for the tables was pretty sparse.  On my first game we had 2 pieces on the table.

1. Loudspeaker wasn't close to drowning everything out as it was in previous years my experience this year, it was tamed yes but still annoying.  (next year im bringing a bullhorn)
2.Ya that sucked but it happens when dealing with 120 people
3.  It was
4. for real!!
5. 5 boxes of terrain were list and not recovered till day 2 so that was unfortunate this is the same reason table numbers had to be changed.

[Cryptognomicon]

Cons:
1) Stuck in the same room as WM/H events.  I wish there was more space so that 40k could get its own room.  Hard to walk around at some points especially if you are moving display boards, etc. They also had a loudspeaker which drowned out everything. 
2) Paint judging was supposed to be on the first day per the schedule, but they didn't seem to get to 40k until day 2. I realize it was one person doing all the judging and it takes time, but it would have been nice to have it done on day one just so that i didn't need to be lugging the display board around for two days.
3) I wish that the paint scoring sheet had been posted before the event.
4) Parking at the hotel sucked.  Whoever they paid to plow the parking lot did a sad ass job of it and if you happened to have to leave during the day there was no way you were going to find a space again.
5) Terrain for the tables was pretty sparse.  On my first game we had 2 pieces on the table.

1. Loudspeaker wasn't close to drowning everything out as it was in previous years my experience this year, it was tamed yes but still annoying.  (next year im bringing a bullhorn)
2.Ya that sucked but it happens when dealing with 120 people
3.  It was
4. for real!!
5. 5 boxes of terrain were list and not recovered till day 2 so that was unfortunate this is the same reason table numbers had to be changed.

Just curious, where was the paint scoring rubric posted? I didn't see the rubric on DakkaDakka where the event info was.  Maybe I missed that?

[Goblin]

and unfortunately charity doubles on Friday had another really bad showing... only 6 or 8 teams again. It's a great cause and they've got some SERIOUSLY good prize support. Personally i think the biggest thing hurting it is start time. Starting at 3pm and having 3 games with sizable gaps in between means you don't get done till well after midnight and i think it drives away a lot of people.

that event was seriously amazing (despite us having 95% of our army killed before we got a turn in game three). i personally liked the later start time, but it's mostly because i'd much rather be up at 2am than 7am.

[Moosifer]

As for your issues Jason, we did our best.  When players obviously don't pay attention (90 Minute Warning, 60 Minute Warning, 30 Minute Warning, 15 Minute Warning) there is not much we can do unless we had a hard dice down, which is a bit more difficult to do than you would think.  As for the blantant ruling violation what happened?

[Tharcil]

Cons:
1) Stuck in the same room as WM/H events.  I wish there was more space so that 40k could get its own room.  Hard to walk around at some points especially if you are moving display boards, etc. They also had a loudspeaker which drowned out everything. 
2) Paint judging was supposed to be on the first day per the schedule, but they didn't seem to get to 40k until day 2. I realize it was one person doing all the judging and it takes time, but it would have been nice to have it done on day one just so that i didn't need to be lugging the display board around for two days.
3) I wish that the paint scoring sheet had been posted before the event.
4) Parking at the hotel sucked.  Whoever they paid to plow the parking lot did a sad ass job of it and if you happened to have to leave during the day there was no way you were going to find a space again.
5) Terrain for the tables was pretty sparse.  On my first game we had 2 pieces on the table.

1. Loudspeaker wasn't close to drowning everything out as it was in previous years my experience this year, it was tamed yes but still annoying.  (next year im bringing a bullhorn)
2.Ya that sucked but it happens when dealing with 120 people
3.  It was
4. for real!!
5. 5 boxes of terrain were list and not recovered till day 2 so that was unfortunate this is the same reason table numbers had to be changed.

Just curious, where was the paint scoring rubric posted? I didn't see the rubric on DakkaDakka where the event info was.  Maybe I missed that?

I glanced around for them ahead of time as well, they certainly didn't jump out at me.  Didn't really effect how I painted anything, but I was curious going into it.

[PhoenixFire]

As for your issues Jason, we did our best.  When players obviously don't pay attention (90 Minute Warning, 60 Minute Warning, 30 Minute Warning, 15 Minute Warning) there is not much we can do unless we had a hard dice down, which is a bit more difficult to do than you would think.  As for the blantant ruling violation what happened?

i'll preface this by saying i personally didn't run into any of these problems with my games

I've got no problem with a hard dice down, i just thought it should of been consistent. IE one round there was a table that went over 30 mintues past time delaying the other 50 something people but when it happened another round they had to stop everything mid phase.

The rules thing was when i was watching a game where one of the players had Tau, his opponent (eldar i think) was all upset when he intercepted with both weapons and the judge ruled he couldn't

I understand there's some debate about Tau intercepting with both weapons and overwatching with both weapons but at BG tournaments it's always been ruled the other way, and i know two other guys who attend other GTs that play it that way as well. Perhaps i misspoke by saying "blatantly".

Overall it was a very fun and well run GT and i look forward to going again next year, i'm not saying we need a "templecon FAQ" or anything, just next year maybe the judges can get together before hand and be on the same page about certain rules quandaries and what happens when time expires and guys are still playing.

I know judging is a tough and usually makes you the bad guy to someone. I'm not looking to beat anyone up, i just wanted to get what i saw out there so we can address it and improve things for next year.

[Sir_Prometheus]

I understand there's some debate about Tau intercepting with both weapons and overwatching with both weapons but at BG tournaments

Intercepting is quite clear.  Intercept is by weapon, not model, and the Tau Early Warning System lets you make any or all of your weapons have intercept, if you so choose. 

The overwatch thing gets horribly convoluted and more open to interpretation.   It's good to keep in mind that multi-trackers and MCs have the exact same wording, and everyone is perfectly happy to let MCs overwatch with both weapons. 

There hasn't been a real FAQ in almost a year.  Has anyone considered they might just not FAQ things anymore, cuz screw competitive play, and they make no money off it? 

Templecon was well run, and I really like Keith's missions most of all.  This year kinda cemented my malaise about 40k, though.  I won 3 games, and lost 2 ...and in only one of those games was it actually a "game".  First turn I played an Eldar-Tau guy, I think we had pretty even chances to win, but luck simply wasn't on my side, and once my army started to fold it folded so hard and fast that there wasn't really any chance of recovery.  I played two marine players (including jawaballs) who just didn't have a chance against Tau firepower. Last game was against Sean Nayden and his beast pack, and I just don't think I have any good way of dealing with it.  (y'know, same as the marines couldn't do anything to me)

The only game I really enjoyed was against Keith Girard's orks, and I'm pretty sure HE didn't enjoy it.  He has a good list, and I messed up and didn't stay far enough back, so he rushed me, and got all his battle wagons and trukks and stuff <6" from me first turn.  And if life were fair, that should have been the beginning of the end, but I was able to kill or immobilize everything, and then mostly block charges, and setup crazy overwatches so that the only thing that survived to charge was some mega nobs which I sorta let kill my riptide and some tanks until I could deal with them.  I just kept on killing 5-7 boyz from each boyz squad to trim them back from the relics.  That was a fun tactical challenge for me, but I'm sure he felt robbed, or at least I would if I were he.  I messed up and I still nearly tabled him (only his bastion with some gretchin inside was left)

Point is what makes a game fun, for me anyway, is the tactical challenge, the idea the choices you make matter.  I had 1 game that came down pretty squarely to dice (and had things cone the other way, I think I would have wiped him just as hard, in, 1 game I had no chance, 2 games my opponent had no chance, and one game made interesting by my deployment mistake. 

I guess I'm just feeling whiney.  It was a well run tournament.  Templecon itself, is interesting to visit.  I love Keith's missions.  But I just don't feel the same about 40k that I did say, around NOVA. 

[PhoenixFire]

Templecon was well run, and I really like Keith's missions most of all.

Excellent point, they really were GREAT missions and definitely away from the norm!

The only game I really enjoyed was against Keith Girard's orks,

I played Keith round 1, (poor guy must be really sick of Tau by now). Great opponent, his army had a lot of real nice conversions. Especially that Ork bastion, never seen anything like it before

[Benjamin]

As for your issues Jason, we did our best.  When players obviously don't pay attention (90 Minute Warning, 60 Minute Warning, 30 Minute Warning, 15 Minute Warning) there is not much we can do unless we had a hard dice down, which is a bit more difficult to do than you would think.

How is it then this has never once been an issue at a BG tournament? I'd ask Sam what he does.

Actually, I have the routine down pretty well myself.

"Alright, that's time folks."
"But I'm not finished with my turn."
"Sorry, but time's up. Dice down."
"That's not fair the other player gets his turn."
"We tell players not to start a new turn if they are unable to finish it before the end of the round."
"But my opponent slow-played."
"That's against the rules. You should have said something."
"I'm going to post bad things online about BG."
"And it will be drowned out by the other people praising an event for finishing on time. Dice down."