Planning is starting for the Gosford Shield 2009 Options

[MarkC]

FYI

I have sent out the following email to those players who attended the Gosford Shield that I had email addresses for.

Hi wargamers

This email is to let you know that planning is starting for the Gosford Shield 2009.

We held the Gosford Shield 2008 on the second Saturday in January and sold out just after Christmas. We ended up with 28 x 40K Players and 14 x WFB Players. Our feeling at the time was that early January was a good time to hold a 40K event but that many potential WFB players were focusing on DogCon at the end of January and so not as interested in an event in early January.

After the 2008 event, I had considered separating the two events and running a one day WFB event in early December and a one day 40K event in early January. However, family committments mean that I will be unable to run an event in early December.

At this stage I can advise that there will be a 40K one day event in early January. We are yet to decide if the WFB event will be on the same day or a different day. I am also trying to determine if there is demand for a Lord of the Rings event. We will almost certainly be in a hall this year rather than under a pavilion - the weather we had on the day was pretty good but it rained the previous and subsequent weekends.

I would be interested in your feedback if you have preference for a date for the event. At this stage the candidate dates are:

Sat 3rd Jan 2009
Sat 10th Jan 2009
Sun 11th Jan 2009
Sat 17th Jan 2009

Can you indicate if you have a preference for or against any of the above dates, and what gaming system you would be interested in playing. Also if you have any other suggestions or feedback I'd welcome them.

Regards


Mark Croxford
Gosford Gamers Guild

I thought that the second Saturday is a convenient time, but at the Gosford Shield 2008 this conflicted with Cryx Cup V down in Sydney and also it conflicted with the Corsairs regular gaming day.

I've already discussed date conflicts with ArchonCryx (TO of the Cryx Cup) to make sure we won't conflict next time. The Corsairs have stated that they will not move their gaming days from the 2nd Saturday as it causes too much confusion.

So the options are:

1st Saturday in Jan - is this too close to New Years Day?

2nd Saturday in Jan - either means that the Corsairs players miss out or that we run the event in their hall at the same time they have a regular gaming day.

2nd Sunday in Jan - could be a good compromise but I'd hate to be a Sydney visitor heading back down the F3 after the event.

3rd Saturday in Jan - people are probably back at work and is getting close to CanCon/DogCon.


I've not got as far as making inquiries about a hall yet.

Regards

Mark C

[Azure Fade]

The first saturday works for me, as Im planning on attending Cancon this year... It will give me a deadline to get stuff painted//made in prepration for well both events.

Have you decided on game size? Because the dynamic may change come 5th edition...

[MarkC]

The first saturday works for me, as Im planning on attending Cancon this year... It will give me a deadline to get stuff painted//made in prepration for well both events.

Have you decided on game size? Because the dynamic may change come 5th edition...

I quite liked the size we had at the last one, ie 1250 pts.

MOAB is running 1250 pts this year (10 x 1250 pts games over 3 days), and they will be playing under 5th edition.

Regards

Mark C

[MarkC]

I've also felt out the interest amongst some of the Sydney based 40K tournament regulars, and of the 10 or so I emailed 2 or 3 have expressed interest in the event. Given that I don't think there will be a Cryx Cup in January, we might attract 6 - 8 players to make the trip from Sydney (this year we had 2 x WFB players but no 40K players from Sydney). In light of this I think that the Sunday is not not a good choice (traffic on the F3).

I've also had a few players say that the 17th is too close to CanCon. I also like the idea of having it several weeks before DogCon (both CanCon and DogCon are the Australia Day long weekend) so there's a chance to run the Gosford Shield and then spend a few weekends at home before DogCon.

Based on the above I have made a tentative booking for the Tuggerah Community Hall for Saturday 3rd Jan. This was the venue for Blitzkrieg 2007. The cost of the Hall is $165 for the day (from 8:00am to late), plus a $300 deposit. We have a week to confirm the booking.

I still have to discuss my plans with Glenn of Gosford Hobbies, and also any of the veteran gamers. I hope to do this over the next week so I can set things in motion before I have to head off overseas for work.

Regards

Mark C

[MarkC]

I spoke to Glenn today. He told me that he can get much larger pavilions than we had for the Gosford Shield 2008. If need be he may also be able to borrow tents from Army contacts. He would prefer to hold the event outside the store.

At this stage we have decided on a date of Sat Jan 3rd for the 40K event. We have not yet decided on the venue for the 40K event. We will hold the WFB event on a separate date, possibly including LotR.


Venue Options

The Tuggerah Hall is closer to the freeway and public transport (the Tuggerah train station is about 125 m from the Hall). It also has McDonalds and Hungary Jacks across the road, Pizza Inn next door, a bakery next to Pizza Inn and a Subway between the hall and the train station. The Hall has separate male and female toilets with multiple stalls.

The Tuggerah Hall has 25 tables and over 100 chairs.

Playing under Canvas outside Gosford Hobbies has the advantage that we don't have to transport the boards and terrain. We also save the cost of $165 hall hire (which can go directly to prizes) and avoid the cash flow issue of the $300 deposit. We may have to hire tables and/or chairs.


Resources

The boards that we have at the moment are:

11 x full size (ie 6' x 4')
24 x half size (ie 3' x 4')
4 x combat patrol (ie 4' x 4')

This means that we can provide 25 (11 + 24/2 + 4/2) full size playing surfaces. I think that setting a maximum size for the 40K event of 20 - 25 tables (40 - 50 players) is the realistic maximum.

Terrain will probably be more of a limiting factor than anything else, and as Darren (Thorfinn) has posted elsewhere we need to have some terrain workshops. We had 51 players at Lords of Terra and the terrain for 2/3 of the tables filled up my Magna (boot, back seat and front seat). That's a lot of terrain.


Expected Numbers

On Jan 12th 2008 there were 3 separate one day 40K events between the Sydney CBD and the Central Coast. The Gosford Shield had 28 x 40K players, Cryx Cup V had 18 players in Sydney and the Corsairs had 12 at their event.

I have spoken to ArchonCryx (who runs the Cryx Cups (as well as Leviathan and Lords of Terra)) and Spakka (Corsairs Tournament Coordinator) and we will not have other events conflicting with us next year. If we can get back all the players who played in the the two events on the Central Coast last year that's 40 players already, and we'd probably pick up 5 - 6 extra Sydney players.


Action Items

I will try and get the 40K event advertised in the Nov White Dwarf (submissions close Aug 1st so the date is not an issue, but normally the November issue would only have November and December events).

Glenn is going to find out more details about tents / marquee so we can work out if they will cover 20 - 25 tables.

Darren is taking the lead in organising some terrain workshops.


Regards

Mark C

This post has been edited by MarkC: Jul 12 2008, 09:54 PM

[Azure Fade]

hmm it seems like both hall and tents have their positives and negatives..

Hall = High outlay costs... But is close to public transportation..

Tents = At the whims of mother nature.. But is close to the store, so board and terrain transportation is easy..


Could we fit 50ish players in the tuggerah hall??

[smally]

Well i know of serveral players from the corsairs that are very interested in the event, but most of them (including myself) are on the commity and thus have made the commitment to being there as often as posable, so in my personal interest i would like it on any day other then the 10th.

And we fit around 30+ people comfortably withing the hall gaming wise, and if need be there is a load of room out the back but it's a bit of a mess. But i think the major up in the hall is the fans, the shade and no wind, big pluss in the middle of summer.

This post has been edited by smally: Jul 13 2008, 12:08 AM

[RudeBoy]

Have you considered looking into what Ourimbah campus could potentially offer?

On another note, if you use tents, won't you then need lighting inside said tents?

[Mr Stabby]

just curious where abouts in ourimbah campus could you think of holding a gaming event i don't know any area in there that would be pratical and large enough?

[MarkC]

I have sent an email today to White Dwarf to try and get the event in for the November issue. Normally November issue would only have November and December events, but our event will be held on or before the day that the January White Dwarf goes on sale so I'm asking for an exception.

At this stage venue is "Central Coast NSW", but I'd like to be able to bed this down.

I hadn't considered Ourimbah Campus. They'd have lots of room, lots of tables, but we'd still have to move all the tabletops and scenery, and AFAIK they would have no food facilities as that time of year. However, if anyone has any contacts or knowledge about hiring facilities there let me know.

I am also thinking about setting a maximum size for the event. As stated above, 45 - 46 players could be a realistic expectation. I was originally thinking of aiming for a maximum size of 50 players. However, I am wondering if we should set a smaller size for the event to ensure that we easily can fit into the venue and also that we have enough scenery. Should we limit numbers at 40? We don't have to decide this yet.

Regards

Mark C

[Azure Fade]

I would see how initial tickets go before thinking of limiting it.. Give it a week or two first and see how sales go, when you have an idea of intrest perhaps then have a look a limit...

[MarkC]

The size of the hall/tents and amount of scenery/tables determines the maximum number of players.

Conversely, if we know how many players we want to be able to support that determines the minimum size for the hall or tent and how much scenery we have to make.

Last year we sold out just after Christmas. However, many events don't have people buy tickets until the last minute. You need to have venue and tables/scenery sorted out well before the last minute.

Regards

Mark C

[mkooper]

I can recommend:

Niagara Park Community Centre, Washington Avenue, Niagara Park
Rooms for hire: Hall seats approx 400, lots of chairs and tables, kitchen, fans
Disability access, level/ ramp access, accessible his & hers amenities, parking, close to train station (< 2 minute walk!!)

It's about 8 minute drive from the shop.

Telephone: (02) 4329 7144
Rates from $230 per day/weekend.

[Mr Stabby]

in regards to the ourimbah campus as a venue i am currently a student there doing a marine science major and term starts tomorrow if you want me to inquire about using the campus as a venue or least some rooms than i am more than happy to as i don't really have to go out my way to do it .

[Thorfinn]

I like the idea of having it at the shop. Transporting all the gear up to Tuggerah means a long day for organisers.(read as unhappy partner )

Limiting to 40 players maybe? Would we get more? I'd like to think we could get 40.

Or go for a "premier event"- 100+ players.............just kidding!

[Nox]

Is the event open only to "codex" lists or is my armoured company welcome? (not sure how I'd hold objectives in 5th ed though)

[MarkC]

Is the event open only to "codex" lists or is my armoured company welcome? (not sure how I'd hold objectives in 5th ed though)

I think that I will allow Forgeworld models subject to TO approval, but not Armoured Co. For most 1250 pts armies, dealing with that much armour is going to be too hard. Especially if they also need to be capable of dealing with horde armies.

In other news, Glenn says that he has organised tents so it looks like we will be holding the event at the store. I've yet to hear back how large the tents are - this will determine maximum numbers that we can aim for.

Regards

Mark C

[Duke]

I'll come to this one if I can make the date,Its been a while since I've played with the Gosford Guys.If Nox can't use AC I'll doubt Aircraft are allowed (Shame as I run Airbourne),Might mean a few purchases are in order.

This post has been edited by Duke: Aug 8 2008, 05:36 PM

[simo warn]

So army lists will be official codexs only?

Is there going to be different age categories or just a simple all ages tournament like last year?

[MarkC]

The event will have all players in a single pool, but there will be a prize for "Best Junior".

Last year "Best Junior" was 16 years or under, if I recall correctly. Originally we were going to make "junior" = under 16 but there were a lot of players exactly 16 and only a couple under 16.

Official Codexes includes Blood Angels, if that's what you are wondering. It also includes Space Wolves, but I have yet to decide on 13th Co.

Regards

Mark C