Back in 2009 I attended my first ever large Grand Tournament. I brought my Orks of Waaagh! Karnage and finished 23rd overall, winning 1 game, losing 2, and drawing on 2. But what I got out of that weekend was well worth the price of admission.
Meeting many gamers from all over the area, and in what has been referred to me as a "Throwback" style tournament to what the Grand Tournaments of Yore were like. This was a relatively laid back event that acknowledged ALL aspects of the hobby we so much enjoy. It wasn't just all about Winning and Losing like many of the WAAC style events are (Win At All Costs). While those type of events do have a place in the competetive community, it doesn't not particularly appeal to my tastes.
The Mechanicon opened the doors to me on laying the ground work that would eventually become the Berks Spring Assault sereis of tournaments. Focusing on Sportsmanship and fairplay an also recognizing painting and modeling all appealed to the reasons I am involved in this hobby. It was refreshing to me to see an event that provided an atmosphere that celebrated ALL of these aspects of gaming.
While I didn't do great in my first big tournament debut, I made many new friends and had a great over-all gaming experience. Being able to sit back and socialize with your opponents and friends after the games and off the table over food and a beer or two really made for a nice time.
It is weekends like this that give adult gamers a chance to get out, enjoy our hobbies and enjoy our time with our friends. I recall my first night there, I got a pick-up game against Steve Smith from P.A.G.E. in a game of 40K, with my orks and his Chaos Marines. I won that battle, but more importantly, I made a new friend. Just this past year at Dakkacon at Showcase Comics, Steve and I would meet again on the field of battle in a tournament that feature "MY" format, the 1000-point tournament that is Berks Spring Assault! We had a classic battle, and again my orks defeated his Slaanesh-loving warriors.
We also clashed at Mechanicon last year in the Battlefleet Gothic, with my Ork ram ships hammering his cruiser in ramming attacks, allowing my Warlord to board his vessel and destroy it. Steve went on to win 1st place in that tournment, but my antics managed to get me 2nd place. We chat online and have invites to get together on occasions with our clubs to meet and play 40K or Battlefleet Gothic. It is developing friendships like that is the reason I enjoy going to the Mechanicon GT so much.
My second year in 2010 I did slightly better, finishing up around 16th overall. Still not very good, but again, having more fun, making new friends and reconnecting with old ones again. I got my first time in battlefleet gothic, placing 2nd and just having a great time with my friends. More of our club members attended and even ran a 40K Kill-Team tournamenet. I took 2nd place in one of those events too.
Last year was my 3rd time at Mechanicon. Our gaming club ran 40K Kill Team tournaments again. My son Ethan, now a growing gamer, was able to play on his own using his Imperial Guard army. I took my orks again, my army list now honed to a solid and formidible force. My army based around the theme of two large mobs of 20-stormboyz each, and everything else there to support them. I won 3 games, lost 1 and had a draw in the end to another formidable Ork army.
