In Search Of The Perfect Gaming Event by Patrick Eibel
What makes a great gaming event? Be it Games Day, a Grand Tournament, a Rogue Trader Tournament, or a casual assemblage of players, all events should have certain characteristics to be really great:

• The event should offer the opportunity to play as many games as you want, either with or without your own miniatures;
• The event should be an opportunity to play with people outside your current circle of players;
• There should be lots of cool armies to see and scenery to play on;
• There should be a place where you can buy Games Workshop products if you want to; and
• It should not cost a whole lot to get in the door.

Like Games Day and the Grand Tournament(s), Conflict attracted people from all over the area, and while many were there for the Grand Tournament, there were just as many that were just there to hang out. One big difference between the Conflict tables and the Tournament tables was the stress level. All of us in the back of the hall were having a good time enjoying our games regardless of the outcome. I am not sure I would feel the same way if I had paid $89 to get in and then proceeded to get beat every game (a definite possibility, given the level of competition). 

However, it was great to have the Tournament tables nearby just to see the great armies up close. Many gamers go all out, creating elaborates army stands, painting some wonderfully detailed miniatures, and pulling out all the stops on conversions. In one of the best armies I saw, the modeler rigged working lights into his Dark Eldar Raiders and Ravagers. The lights glowed out of the engine area and blinked like Christmas lights. It really was an attention-grabber.

Aside from the open tables, there was also an area where you could paint up a miniature and take it home, or create a bit of scenery for your own gaming table. I thought these were some nice touches that would not be practical to try at an event as massive as Games Day. I ended up painting a Cadian officer that I will use in my Daemonhunter army.

So, kudos to GW for getting it right! Conflict definitely made for an enjoyable weekend for me, and I attended an event (the Grand Tournament) that I normally never would have bothered with (I just do not feel the need to pay that much to lose five games, thank you). Just for the records, I went 2–0 in the games I did play that day, so kudos to the Kult of Speed too.

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© Copyright Patrick Eibel, May 2004. Used with permission
 

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