Such anticipation!

4 days to go till the FluffyCon which will be held as part of Battle Cry at the ASB Stadium this weekend. That's:

- 4 days of work
- 5 Pistoliers (1/2 done - Brown ink for the win!)
- one Wizard's base

... until I'm ready to play.


I'm not so jaded a tournament veteran that I'm over the excitement of the buildup to a tournament. Pre-tourney trash-talk ("Phil-baiting") is one of my favourite pasttimes; players post on forums with increasing frequency debating who is going to place/win/lose/get the wooden spoon; and I find myself reviewing my army list (and rereading blog entries on playtesting battles) over and over, desperately trying to scratch together a modicum of a strategic ideal. Trent's School Lessons are getting a thorough reread, as is every IF article and any scrap of Warhammer-related tactical doctrine, information or theory on the 'net.

I'm driving my wife mad as I prowl around the house, fidgety and nervous, barely able to contain a growing excitement and enthusiasm for what I expect to be a simply outstanding weekend of gaming.


I've been to enough tournaments (both Warhammer and 40k) to know how it works. For me it's all about preparation. Have you ever watched a tennis game on TV and in the breaks the players have a bite of a banana, drink some Powerade (or equivalent) and chase that down with a sip of water. That's me at a tournament. For the life of me I can't see how anyone could down a beer (or pineapple and vodka) or five during a tournament and play straight. I'm as happy as the next man to sit back and roll dice with pizza in one hand and a Woodstock (best... drink... ever) in the other in a casual game on a Friday night, but in a tournament I'm just too... tense. A good kind of tense - fierce and determined and active and aware.

I've got what I consider to be some great mates coming along to play too. A Dogs Breakfast (the DogCon series) has helped me evaluate my priorities for this weekend. I want to win. I want to do well. But there's an excellent opportunity to spend quality time with a great bunch of guys and really, that's now the priority. Win or lose (and by the way, I say this now... Feel free to quote my happy-go-lucky attitude back to me if I get smashed) I'm just happy to play the game, spend time with friends, share some laughs, talk some more crap... True Warhammer. Real Warhammer.

Bloody great game isn't it?!


So, send-up placement predictions aside, how do I really think I'll go?

Well... I've set myself the goal of a Top Five finish. This is pretty huge (plan B is a Top Ten finish) considering the players that are going to be there and, to a degree, the army I'll be using. I managed 8th at Fields of Blood in a similar-sized field (albeit a field with more dirt than you could shake a skink at) but the Lizards felt like a more capable army. No, that's not the right word - Empire are damn capable. Maybe it's the feeling that the Lizards could generate a more rapid or sudden change on the game. I don't know. A Top Five goal puts me right up against some very serious players - not only that I'll have to beat them! Tony (Vod) for example, I've yet to beat. That'll be a tough game if it happens.

Maybe I'm over-reaching? I think it's important to go in with a goal and mindset though and try hard to make it happen. Not to be a dick. Not to sulk and cry if it doesn't all come together. But go in and (somewhat) realistically choose a place or a bracket of placement that you feel will push you and extend you as a player. Set the bar and try and reach it. I think most players do this unconsciously but the conscious decision has a greater impact on your overall play. Trent mentioned in one of the Lessons about tracking your score, in the game and across games, setting mini-goals (how many points do I need in this game, for example) based on army matchups. I think one of the big challenges I'll be facing is looking carefully at my opponent (and their army) and accurately gauging my chances of a big/medium/minor win. Or even a draw - looking hard at their list, considering my strengths, and maybe playing for a draw against a really hard army (not that anyone is taking a HARD list of course - this is still FluffyCon!).

This is a bit of a ramble now... bah. Well what the hell... it's my blog. I'll write whatever I want :)