The Joy Of Tournaments

I'm in a warm fuzzy place with regards tournaments at the moment.

So far this year I've been to three two day events, and placed respectably at all three, I've done two one day events, and have another one next month - somewhere new I've not been to before - and I think is their first FoW event. And on the horizon is a campaign weekend and of course the ETC, alongside other events.

I'm a big proponent of tournaments, as I think they bring so much to any wargame. The obvious one is its competitive - who is the best general. Whether this is fought over at a local one day event or at Corrivalry and other big national events - it really gives you that chance to show just how good you are to your peers. I'm not lying in saying that this is my favourite part of gaming, I always go to have a good time, and of course to win (remember 'do or do not, there is no try!) I'm becoming more a fan of the local one day event for this now as well, it builds up the banter and the comradeship amongst the gaming community, as it's not just about winning, it's about coming higher than your mates!

It also gives you the reason to work on the other aspects of the hobby, painting is a great example. When you're down your local FLGS lots of the time things are not fully painted, with the tournament pending it gives you motivation, as well as inspiration from all the other beautiful armies out there. Same goes for terrain, at a lot of events people supply the terrain and there are prizes for it, letting everyone see your terrain as opposed to the odd opponent is a great feeling.

The other great thing about them is bringing in new players, specifically the local one day events. Firstly even by having a tournament it signals to players locally 'we've got a gaming scene here' I constantly get told in our FLGS they have other people who I don't know come in to play FoW - and we already have a big community. By having little one day events these guys come out the woodwork and join the larger community. It also might just inspire other gamers who have always wavered about jumping into a new game but not knowing if they'd get any games.

I think you can bring so much diversity to the game as well, there is a real joy in changing up the combinations to bring new tactical challenges - a great example I always feel is with mid war, the difference between 1550 and 1750 points is huge with infantry seemingly doing better at lower points, and tanks at higher, the change up forces you to re-examine list and your tactics too, Another bit I'm really loving is the theme of tournaments recently, whether it's west front only, or barbarossa only, or only minor nations etc - by changing up these parameters it again forces you to really re-examine the options you have available.

I think that tournaments bring so much to our hobby, if there's none near you, organise one, publicist it on the BF forum and Facebook, and see it grow.