No drama getting there and a fairly reasonable start (for me anyway less for Francois who had to get the tube to the countryside before risking getting in my car)
Got to sunny Hockley in time to help set up the tables, this would normally be the time I'd grab a pre game tea but for some unforgivable reason Wayland didn't open the bar until 11 so no tea, which hurt my cold dark soul.
Usual chat, handshakes, and hugs (Malifaux players are huggers) we joined the queue and registered with the TO team. (Non English readers do you enjoy forming into an ordered queue to register at events or is that just us??)
So time for game one.
I was a bit between crews as I'd just finished painting Sandeep but had only been playing Raspi. I decided knowledge or practice wouldn't make much difference to the way I play so I opted to run a few fun Sandi lists for the day.The plan was to run Sandi, Hannah, Anna, a trio of oxford mages, and the arc effigy. This didn't work game one as I misplaced my Hannah card. So I swapped her out for Snowstorm and powered through.
My first game was against a chap named John running Kirai. Which should have been do able with my Ca heavy crew but I got solidly out played. I over stretched turn one with a colossal charge from snowstorm into his crew but failed to really utilise the attack.
John weathered the brief storm and then went about his business. That business was hanged and more hanged plus picking up VP.
Despite the crushing it was a fun game and I got a brief glimpse of what Sandi could do.
Next up was lunch and to put something out for the painting competition. Lunch was a wayland special as always.
Regular readers will know that I'm keen on a painting comp, I always like looking through the entries and seeing the amazing range of styles and approaches to painting. It's also something that I enjoy taking part in and a big reason I've worked so hard on my painting since I started going to events. I really recommend that everyone regardless of where they believe their skill level to be enter painting comps when they can.I'm going to spoil the end for you a bit a say now that I managed to win the players choice painting trophy. Which is something I'm stupidly proud of, especially being up against such amazing models.
I say honestly that a year ago this wouldn't have been possible, two years ago it would have been completely impossible. It was only by seeing my stuff against my peers regularly, seeing step by step where I'd improved and where I need to learn more.In short, bloody enter the painting, and for December's sake look at the entries and vote on them or there's no point.
Okay so back to the action, oh wait did I mention I won a trophy?! Sorry still in shock.
Actually back to the action...
Round two. This time I was up against the gentle giant that is Rich. Always a nice fella and that's despite him usually running Pandora. Today he was being a tiny bit less mean and running Red-Dora otherwise known as Nellie. We were playing Guard the stash, and I having found my Hannah card was running the Sandi crew again.
I summoned a couple of fart gamin (I'm an adult I swear) and also managed to drop Bruce Bana-suva after having to re read his summon rule a few times.My general plan was hit things and drop markers, while Rich's plan was to hand out every condition there is and score points.
It did turn out to be a fairly close game which I lost but not by much.
The crew was starting to make some sort of sense outside of the fluffy idea behind it.
Now the third and final game. Now shockingly I wasn't on the bottom table and I also wasn't a broken mess on the floor so I was doing okay. I toyed with running Raspi just to round the day off but decided against it as the Sandi crew was still on the table and I'm very lazy.
This game was head hunter against a new player Andrew who was running Von Schill.
Now being the lovely person that I am and knowing that Andrew was new I tried to take my time to explain exactly what my crew did. But being a confusing idiot I probably did more harm than good.
The game quickly became a bit of a brawl with a Hannah vs Hannah slugfest going off for most of the game while Von Schill run around killing everyone.I have to say I was sloppy in this game and if Andrew had a few more games under his belt he probably could have taken advantage and taken the game. As it was I managed a win and managed to learn a bit about Sandi too.
So that was it three games where I managed to scrape a win and two loses and didn't get a spoon.
As always we helped pack up the tables (you all help pack up after right?) while the last few games finished off and Mike got the prizes and stuff sorted.
There were loads of trophies for winners, best in faction, spoon, and three painting awards which besides the grinning idiot included a lovely Levi, and a gremlin that I forget the name of but was very nice.
If you want the full run down of who won what head to the rankings or come to the event next time. (Or bug Mike on twitter)
Last up was the raffle, which aside from the tickets you got for being there was open to buy more for the great charity of MIND which I believe raised around £150 which was amazing.
And that was that, great day out of a little bit hot and tiring.
Arrived home to the heroes welcome of sprog searching through my bag looking for a wooden spoon.
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