In Review: Kippers' Melee

"See, that is what happens when a mom runs an event" was a frequently heard comment at Kippers' Melee the weekend of October 25-27. It had nothing to do with being a mom, I promise, not even the rice crispie squares and peanut butter cookies--Bard please say a huge thanks to your wife for me if you haven't already :)

I admit to being really nervous Friday when I drove down to Nanaimo, for the first time in my life I did not know exactly what to expect or how an event I planned would go. It left me with no hunger and a lot of anxiety. Turns out that I had nothing to worry about.

Friday we kicked off the weekend with Magic the Gathering Events. Having never, ever in my entire life played Magic or been to a Magic event I really relied on Ben from Dice Bag Games and the Event Judge Callum to tell me what they needed, and to make sure the event happened. I was just there to collect money and hand out convention ID badges. I learned a lot about Magic that night. We held a Standard event that had 8 guys and followed it with a Draft event that had 10 guys (estimated since I  don't have the numbers in front off me while I type this). 

I had close to 40 people show up to help with setting up the hall for the weekend. I was expecting three and was overwhelmed and thrilled with the help. There were a few glitches with the floor plan I  had developed but some quick tinkering and we got it all sorted out. After set up I was starving and exausted and intended to go back to the Ramada, I swung by Tim Horton's for a sandwhich and hot chocolate before bed and wound up sitting in watching the Magic gaming for a while longer and discovered a crew of guys playing various board games as well: Warhammer Quest and Pandemonium among others.

Saturday morning dawned bright for me. I was at the hall for 7:30 with Fantasy check in at 8. We tapered the sign in and start times for all the events so that we did not wind up with a back log of people waiting to sign in. It worked. Sign in went smooth with the only glitch being uneven numbers for Fantasy and 40K. Both myself and Darren from Real People Games were prepared to play if need be but it left our registration table unmanned. We had some help from the other event coordinators with that as they helped out by making sure everyone for their events got checked in just fine. 

We had Warhammer Fantasy, Warhammer 40K, Warmachine and Magic events going throughout the day and in the evening we ran Malifaux and X-Wing alongside the Magic events.

Because I was playing in the events I didn't get a chance to take as many pictures as I would have liked to of all the events so if anyone reading this has some of any of the events I would love a copy emailed to kippersmelee@gmail.com

If anyone has any battle reports they would like to submit to I would loe to read them. I know home my games went....my new army list was terrible hahaha. I tried an almost completely peasant army but I also tried a Lord on Pegasus so I could take 2 units of pegs. Terrible idea with as few pegs as I was able to take, it would probably work a lot better with 5 or 6 pegs minimum in each unit, though I would prefer at least 8. The Lord waas also dead by turn 2 of each game but the surprise to me was the success of my 60 man Men at Arms unit. It survived so well I have been continuing to use it.

Somehow I got roped into playing X-Wing too. Haha. I h my first X-Wing tournament and the first time I used a B-Wing, and Hawk. I lost all three games there but it was a great time socializing with everyone and learning my new ships.

Sunday morning, tired from the day before we were back Sunday morning for more Warhammer, 40k, and Warmachine.

We started out at 8 with two games to make the day end early enough that everyone could get home relatively early. Our awesome guests helped with clean up as they finished up their games by gathering the terrain in one spot, stacking chairs and tables and then buggered off for something to eat. Everyone was back in order to participate in the awards.

A big thanks to the organizers of the TSHFT tournaments who donated a ticket to one of their events to each and every Warhammer and 40k winner, as well as Real People Games, Dice Bag Games, Paul P and the GottaCon crew, Callum, Brody, Chumphammer, Black Talon Regiment, Curious Comics, Secret Weapon Miniatures, Soda Pop Miniatures, Imperial Hobbies, Dan M of WCP and everyone else I am forgetting at the moment. Our gamers, friends and everyone else who came out to the event.

I learned a few things for the next time, and was pleased to award our assorted prizes to the winners of each event. 

Pictures and links to standings to come...