NOVA OPEN Draws Near

We’re well under 2 weeks away from the fourth annual NOVA Open Wargaming Convention. Handfuls of tickets remain in many different events and seminars, so drop by!

When: August 29 – September 1, 2013, and will be on this weekend through 2015

Where: Hyatt Regency Crystal City, more or less in Washington, D.C. The provides free shuttles from Reagan National Airport, and free shuttles to the metro, which is about a 5-10 minute ride into the heart of D.C. The Hyatt gives a great deal to NOVA Open attendees – $85/night, in the heart of D.C., unheard of, especially for a VERY nice hotel!

What: The NOVA Open is a massive wargaming convention, hosting tournaments, organized play, and open gaming in Fantasy and 40k, Warmachine/Hordes, Infinity, Flames of War, Magic, and more. Additionally, the NOVA Open hosts social activities, an independent art competition, and tons of seminars and lectures.

Registration: You can still register in advance, most events have at least a couple spots open, and you can also sign-up on site.

Vendors: In addition to their usual discounts, vendors are offering additional discounts at NOVA … show up early and save more! Vendors include (Alphabetical): Battleroad Hobbies, Bodacious Babes Busting Breast Cancer, Games and Stuff, Grex Airbrush, The Jawaballs Way, Powered Play Gaming, Tectonic Craft Studios, Toledo Game Room – the “Bits Guy” from the AdeptiCon Hallway,Torrent of Fire, and the Warstore.

Capital Palette: The Capital Palette is a  Crystal Brush qualifier, run by Mike “Shades” Schaefer and Bob Likins. Justin McCoy of Secret Weapon Miniatures is the Chief Judge, joined by 2 non-NOVA judges – Caleb Wissenback and Alex Akers, as well as Shades and Bob. Prizes include Grex airbrushes to every Category Winner, Secret Weapon vouchers, and airfare to Crystal Brush.

Seminars: The NOVA hosted 14 courses in 2011. This year it’s 28. Courses include: Masterclass Painting, Blending, Freehand, Weathering, Basing, Airbrushing, Terrain Building, Casting, Display Bases, Working with LED Llighting, and MUCH more. There’s also The Imperial Infantryman’s Uplifting Primer on Personal Firearms Defense, taught by an expert in personal protection whose day job involves protecting our nation’s Law Enforcement and Special Forces.

For Charity, brewmaster Chris Jacques and mixologist Steve Carey will be teaching evening courses: American Craft Beer and American Craft Cocktails. You have to stay in the hotel to participate … no drinking and driving! J

Infinity: Infinity sold-out in 2012. This year, we doubled the space available (a few spots remain) and contacted Corvus Belli directly. All I can say is … Corvus Belli is AWESOME! Every attendee will get something from them (tons of prizes for the events; rulebooks and swag in every bag). Coolest, they sent us a limited edition, custom-for-the-event rulebooks signed and drawn in yearbook-style by every member of Corvus Belli. Don’t miss a chance to win them. Infinity goes all weekend: singles tournament, Team Tournament, and two “Hunger Games” evening events.

Warmachine/Hordes: WM/H at NOVA includes a line-up of 8+ events ranging from Hardcore to Caster Madness, with a la carte or all-pass registration available. Iron Arena goes on all weekend, with every table decorated by some radical donations from Tectonic Craft Studios. Prizes are insane this year!

Flames of War: Flames of War has single day Mid-War, and two-day Late War tournaments. The terrain is breathtaking, and the prize support we’ve received from companies like 4Ground, Battlefront, and Toledo Game Room is substantial.

Warhammer Fantasy: Warhammer Fantasy is nearly sold out, with about 2 of 64 spots remaining. It is proud to be a SE Master’s qualifying event this year. Every Fantasy GT attendee will receive a $65 value swag bag in addition to the radical NOVA Open swag bag (bigger and better than ever).

Warhammer 40,000: While only about 20-30% of our expected attendees this year will be 40k players, the NOVA Is best known for its 40k events. Our headline events are a 256-slot 6/8 split round GT, a 32-person 5-round Invitational, and a pair of evening events – the Trios Team Tournament and the DC Narrative.

Torrent of Fire: The  NOVA Open is proud to host the launch of the most innovative Tournament software ever seen. It’s entirely web-based, it gives every player optional live mobile self-scoring with accurate error prevention, and lets everyone see live results and table pairings all weekend long. Follow the NOVA Open GT and Invitational at app.torrentoffire.com throughout the NOVA Open.

Warhammer 40k GT – Your Way : The NOVA’s 40k GT gives attendees a “Choose Your Own Adventure” approach to tournaments.

For 2013, we added a Battle Points track. What makes the NOVA different is the ability of players to decide which “type” of tournament they want, all while part of a massive GT field. If you enjoy Battle Points, you get them – games that go all the way to tiebreaker award equal BP, and margin of victory is in play. A separate award has been added equal to our Best General and Best Overall, giving a “classic BP” tournament to those who enjoy it.

We’ve revised our Best Overall track. Best Overall (aka “Renaissance Man,” 50% appearance, 50% competitive, Sportsmanship regulated) is based on the first 6 rounds. Thereafter, players MAY withdraw from Rounds 7 and 8 (morning) to enjoy other things at NOVA or in D.C. Unlike 2012, anyone may participate in Rounds 7 and 8 as well. Bringing a gorgeous army and doing about 4-2 or better gives you a shot; it’s not all about winning every game or bust.

The NOVA Open innovated the “bracket” and win-path approach to pairing players with their peers. Few players enjoy lopsided gaming. Look for a post on whiskey40k.com explaining this in more detail. After Round 4 you are re-bracketed with the 15 other players closest to you in record. The final 4 rounds are then in a sense a series of 16-player mini-tournaments where you compete with your peers (skill/list level) for Generalship awards and prizes. Meanwhile, the hardcore 4-0 and 3-1 types remain with their peers, even if losing amongst them.

Finally, there’s the Win-Loss track. The 4-0 winner of the top bracket, whose record by design will either be 8-0, or 7-1 if no one goes undefeated, receives our Best General award (Tournament Champion).

DC Narrative – We All Came Here to Chew Bubblegum: The DC Narrative is entering its second year. Last year, 20 attendees battled it out against peers every night after the GT on tables centered by giant LED-lit recreations of DC’s monuments and museums (i.e., a 6 foot tall Washington Monument). Missions and covert assignments evoked famous historical quotes, and Sci-Fi and Alien Invasion  movies while participants’ decisions directly impacted the course of the next days and intervening year. This year’s narrative already has more than double the attendees, scenic bases designed by Secret Weapon Miniatures, characterful missions, and of course LED lit “monumental” gaming tables.