Hi ho, hi ho, the grand day was finally upon us.
We awoke bright and early (well, I did, several times, first at 3am, then at 5, then finally 7) and had showers and got all our stuff together. Afterwards, we discovered we had left the hotel room broken, beaten and scarred. But, hey, what are you supposed to do with a free hotel room?!
We walked down stairs and out the doors for a good ol' morning feed, and, after passing several closed establishments, we decided on Maccas. Yeah, I know. I wasn't too happy about it, but then we had little choice. We got a 'blue H' out of it, at least (I have no idea how the current Maccas scheme is 'I Spy' but, go figure).
Some disgusting food down the whole, and we were ready to go!
We went back to the room, brought all our trappings down and signed out at the desk. Moments later, Papa Scerri was arriving at the loading dock and we jumped in, on our way to the convention hall.
After a little stuffing around with trying to find where we were supposed to park (and watching another guy who clearly didn't know either) we got out and said our good-byes and joined the MASSIVE queue for Games Day! The line did not disappoint. Not too many costumes, but there were a few fine Commissars, and in honour of Dreadfleet coming out, a fair few pirates (and pirate wenches to accompany them). There was also a troupe of Goths which looked like the damn coolest Eldar Harlequins I had ever seen, but I somehow don't think they were actually in 'costume'. That just seemed to be what they usually looked like. Weird.
Anyway, the line started to trickle inside, and once actually inside the doors of the convention hall we saw how awesome the place truly was! It was like a giant steam-punk factory in there... (The place is used to exhibition old trains and engines, so it was filled with cool looking Mechanicus devices for our perusal!)
The line snaked around and we finally got to the doors where a charmingly voiced Irishman gave us our Skaven Warlords and took our tickets. We had been told to 'mention our names on the door' so we did so, and the guy called over his co-worker Gerrard. Gerrard was nice enough to show us around, and to lead us to the Q&A with the Black Library team, where in I was given a free copy of White Dwarf which the Perry twins, Phil Kelly and Anthony Reynolds signed... Oh yeah... AND GRAHAM MC-FUCKING-NEILL! YEAH! (I unfortunately didn't get Mathew Farrer's signature, as he was a tad busy, but that is ok. I can get it next time I am in Canberra :p)
I got to ask my question of Graham, and he was gracious enough to respond (but don't dare believe I will repeat the words of His Holiness, holiest McNeill!!!
Then we went Golden Daemon hunting. Armies on Parade was spectacular! (Pics at the bottom for those interested) And the mainstay competition was brilliant as well. There were a few notables, and those ones are those I chose to place at the bottom of this post. I can't remember exactly who won what with what, but I'll cover that specifically once the Golden Daemon results are posted sometime soon in White Dwarf.
We played two games all up, but the second was incomplete as we left it a little late. The first game was Me, Nemesis, Beard-Guy and Jackie (I say this because to me he looked like Jackie Chan... And I'm not being racist here... He seriously looked like Jackie Chan) playing Tyranids, against Angus (a kid who was like 6 years old or something, god bless him), Glasses-Man, Glasses-Man's Friend and I-Actually-Own-A-Monolith who played Necrons. (Note: I call him that because he seemed to like to remind us every few seconds that he actually indeed did own a Monolith, like it was some big achievement. He was maybe 13 years old and utterly annoying, who didn't know how to handle a Monolith because he advanced it towards a Carnifex and often forgot to shoot with it etc. Furthermore, the second we killed ANY Necrons, he said he wanted to leave the game, and then when the guy running it said that he wouldn't give him a Purity Seal (I'll explain later) if he didn't see the game through, he decided he didn't need to leave anymore.)
The game was pretty close. We got our arses handed to us by an early Monolith shot, where in almost all of our Warriors fell, and then (due to the foolishness of the armies maker, not us) we had to send our Hormagaunts (yes... We had Hormagaunts... Sigh) into die. We eventually took down enough of their forces, however, to be forced into a draw (because they refused to fight us on their last turn and fled, giving us equal victory points instead of a clean end!)
So Purity Seals were given out, and all were happy (except, hopefully I-Actually, who was taken away by his mum shortly before the game, thus denying him his Seal. BAHAHAHAHA!). Now is as good a time as any to explain the Seals. Basically, THQ showed up with a giant replica Space Marine Chainsword. Yeah. I know. And they were raffling it off. You won raffle tickets, 'Purity Seals', if you participated in events, voted, etc. They were giving them away in droves, and they had up to 10,000 of them (as they were 4 numbered, ranging from 0-9). Anyway, back to the story.
Then we had lunch. *Interlude music*
It actually wasn't half bad, but it did cost me my first- and second-born sons... Damn carni-folk!
Then we voted on Armies on Parade, and played our second game: Tau vs Dark Eldar. I was Tau. Never thought I'd see the day. We got a few hits in and barely lost a man, (taking out a squad of Reavers on the first turn, and so forth) but we didn't get to use out Hammerhead. Damn 'Shaken' and 'Stunned'! But then we were saved by the bell... Or should I say the drunken rasping of the Pirate MC?
Awards were awarded, claps were clapped, smiles were smiled and snaps were snapped... Those last ones were camera photo snaps... Forgive me, I seldom get to rhyme.
Then, after a misdraw, some young whipper-snapper got the Chainsword and I vowed bloody retribution on the heads of everyone present. But, you know, I'll get over it.
So, yeah, everything packed up and we were on our way home. Games Day was a success *big smile finish*!
And now those pictures I promised. I don't know how well they turned out, or how well they will turn out for you out there in blagosphere land, but here goes: (Forgive my shitty camera and my shitty photography skills!)
We awoke bright and early (well, I did, several times, first at 3am, then at 5, then finally 7) and had showers and got all our stuff together. Afterwards, we discovered we had left the hotel room broken, beaten and scarred. But, hey, what are you supposed to do with a free hotel room?!
We walked down stairs and out the doors for a good ol' morning feed, and, after passing several closed establishments, we decided on Maccas. Yeah, I know. I wasn't too happy about it, but then we had little choice. We got a 'blue H' out of it, at least (I have no idea how the current Maccas scheme is 'I Spy' but, go figure).
Some disgusting food down the whole, and we were ready to go!
We went back to the room, brought all our trappings down and signed out at the desk. Moments later, Papa Scerri was arriving at the loading dock and we jumped in, on our way to the convention hall.
After a little stuffing around with trying to find where we were supposed to park (and watching another guy who clearly didn't know either) we got out and said our good-byes and joined the MASSIVE queue for Games Day! The line did not disappoint. Not too many costumes, but there were a few fine Commissars, and in honour of Dreadfleet coming out, a fair few pirates (and pirate wenches to accompany them). There was also a troupe of Goths which looked like the damn coolest Eldar Harlequins I had ever seen, but I somehow don't think they were actually in 'costume'. That just seemed to be what they usually looked like. Weird.
Anyway, the line started to trickle inside, and once actually inside the doors of the convention hall we saw how awesome the place truly was! It was like a giant steam-punk factory in there... (The place is used to exhibition old trains and engines, so it was filled with cool looking Mechanicus devices for our perusal!)
The line snaked around and we finally got to the doors where a charmingly voiced Irishman gave us our Skaven Warlords and took our tickets. We had been told to 'mention our names on the door' so we did so, and the guy called over his co-worker Gerrard. Gerrard was nice enough to show us around, and to lead us to the Q&A with the Black Library team, where in I was given a free copy of White Dwarf which the Perry twins, Phil Kelly and Anthony Reynolds signed... Oh yeah... AND GRAHAM MC-FUCKING-NEILL! YEAH! (I unfortunately didn't get Mathew Farrer's signature, as he was a tad busy, but that is ok. I can get it next time I am in Canberra :p)
I got to ask my question of Graham, and he was gracious enough to respond (but don't dare believe I will repeat the words of His Holiness, holiest McNeill!!!
Then we went Golden Daemon hunting. Armies on Parade was spectacular! (Pics at the bottom for those interested) And the mainstay competition was brilliant as well. There were a few notables, and those ones are those I chose to place at the bottom of this post. I can't remember exactly who won what with what, but I'll cover that specifically once the Golden Daemon results are posted sometime soon in White Dwarf.
We played two games all up, but the second was incomplete as we left it a little late. The first game was Me, Nemesis, Beard-Guy and Jackie (I say this because to me he looked like Jackie Chan... And I'm not being racist here... He seriously looked like Jackie Chan) playing Tyranids, against Angus (a kid who was like 6 years old or something, god bless him), Glasses-Man, Glasses-Man's Friend and I-Actually-Own-A-Monolith who played Necrons. (Note: I call him that because he seemed to like to remind us every few seconds that he actually indeed did own a Monolith, like it was some big achievement. He was maybe 13 years old and utterly annoying, who didn't know how to handle a Monolith because he advanced it towards a Carnifex and often forgot to shoot with it etc. Furthermore, the second we killed ANY Necrons, he said he wanted to leave the game, and then when the guy running it said that he wouldn't give him a Purity Seal (I'll explain later) if he didn't see the game through, he decided he didn't need to leave anymore.)
The game was pretty close. We got our arses handed to us by an early Monolith shot, where in almost all of our Warriors fell, and then (due to the foolishness of the armies maker, not us) we had to send our Hormagaunts (yes... We had Hormagaunts... Sigh) into die. We eventually took down enough of their forces, however, to be forced into a draw (because they refused to fight us on their last turn and fled, giving us equal victory points instead of a clean end!)
So Purity Seals were given out, and all were happy (except, hopefully I-Actually, who was taken away by his mum shortly before the game, thus denying him his Seal. BAHAHAHAHA!). Now is as good a time as any to explain the Seals. Basically, THQ showed up with a giant replica Space Marine Chainsword. Yeah. I know. And they were raffling it off. You won raffle tickets, 'Purity Seals', if you participated in events, voted, etc. They were giving them away in droves, and they had up to 10,000 of them (as they were 4 numbered, ranging from 0-9). Anyway, back to the story.
Then we had lunch. *Interlude music*
It actually wasn't half bad, but it did cost me my first- and second-born sons... Damn carni-folk!
Then we voted on Armies on Parade, and played our second game: Tau vs Dark Eldar. I was Tau. Never thought I'd see the day. We got a few hits in and barely lost a man, (taking out a squad of Reavers on the first turn, and so forth) but we didn't get to use out Hammerhead. Damn 'Shaken' and 'Stunned'! But then we were saved by the bell... Or should I say the drunken rasping of the Pirate MC?
Awards were awarded, claps were clapped, smiles were smiled and snaps were snapped... Those last ones were camera photo snaps... Forgive me, I seldom get to rhyme.
Then, after a misdraw, some young whipper-snapper got the Chainsword and I vowed bloody retribution on the heads of everyone present. But, you know, I'll get over it.
So, yeah, everything packed up and we were on our way home. Games Day was a success *big smile finish*!
And now those pictures I promised. I don't know how well they turned out, or how well they will turn out for you out there in blagosphere land, but here goes: (Forgive my shitty camera and my shitty photography skills!)
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