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Hey Folks!

My wife and I are moved into our new place in Cary (outside Raleigh) and I spent an hour or two today calling around to the various places that people mentioned in this thread...figured I'd post what I came up with for general info to any interested parties.

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The Game Connection: http://www.thegameconnection.com/index.htm
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I spoke to the owner (Ron), and I'm excited about what he said. Apparently, a lot of folks from Knightsdale were driving to Cary to go to All Fun And Games, but when he opened his store, they've started coming locally to play. Yesterday (Saturday, February 25th) they had a "seeding tournament" for their "Unending War" 40k campaign. Basically, there's a ladder progression of all the gamers who participate. The goal is to get to the top of the ladder and defend your spot for 3 games, at which point, you win store credit worth all the money in the tournament thus far (minimum of about $35, maxxed at around $70 from what I gathered). When someone gets there and wins, they go to the bottom of the ladder and fight their way up again. Each time you want to challenge someone, you pay $1 for the game; there's no other costs. You and the person you play each pay $1, and the winner moves up (or stays if they are defending) while the loser takes their spot on the ladder. If someone is sitting at the top unchallenged for a while, the store owner (Ron) mentioned giving out challenge tokens to try displacing the guy sitting up top. Each challenge has two weeks to be resolved; I'm guessing that if it hasn't been after that, the challenger gets an auto-advance.

Additionally, they're working on getting GW prize support this week, and regular RTTs will be forthcoming.

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All Fun And Games http://www.allfunngames.com/
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Their calendar is bare of 40k events. I spoke to someone on the phone today, and they said that while they have a league thing on Monday (which is an 8 week thing and is in the middle of it right now), the guy who runs 40k tournaments and stuff is either busy / left the store or something; they haven't got anyone to organize events, so there's nothing planned in the near future. However, this is the closest gaming store to me, so my wife and I will poke our heads in there and see what's going on - maybe some of the 40k gamers there would be interested in the Neverending Warfare campaign over at The Gaming Connection.

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SciFi Genre http://www.scifigenre.com/store/
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The guy on the phone said that they had a tournament yesterday for 40k, but that's all that was planned for the forseeable future. Their calendar is bare of any 40k events too. He said that some gamers come in on Sunday afternoons for 40k casual play, but its usually a very young crowd. Nothing particularly wrong with the young 'uns...but didn't sound like much was going on there.

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HobbyMasters
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Apparently, these guys are closed on Sundays. I'll give them a call this week and update what's going on.


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Hobbit Hobby Shop
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Fayetteville is a ways south, and the Hobbit Hobby is apparently also closed on Sundays. I'll give them a buzz and find out what's going on.


The bottom line: Sounds like "The Game Connection" in Knightsdale is where its at! The unending King of the Hill tournament sounds particularly fun, and I'm going to try getting involved, and as we meet other gamers in the area, we'll have see what's going on. Seems also like everyone has 40k stuff on Monday nights (as opposed to weekends?!?) Hopefully some of that might be able to get changed around to give folks with regular jobs a chance to get in some fun too!

There are a few of us in Raleigh. I think the main places people play are All Fun n Games in Cary and SciFi Genre in Durham, although there is a new shop called The Game Connection in Knightdale that I believe also has some 40k players.

I usually play at SciFi, but we're experiencing a bit of a lull right now. Of the places I mentioned, I think AFnG is probably the most active in 40k right now.

I was doing a bit of research, and the shops I found online (Lost Goblins) seem to have closed. I'm traveling to Raleigh on business today; figured I'd call around.

Join this Yahoo! Group to find out what is going on in the Triangle area:

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Skull-Bonez/

There is a lot of 40k activities!

G

I used to live in Raleigh area. Surprisingly there's not as much going on for 40k for such a large metro area. As was said, All Fun and Games is your best bet right around Raleigh in Cary. I know a guy named Mike that works there, or did before I moved back to MN. Watch out for ladders when traveling I40. LoL...I didn't see when this was originally posted, I'm guessing you've already been and gone by now.

Stores and shops:

All Fun and Games (Cary)
Sci Fi Genre (Durham)
The Game Connection (Knightsdale)


Clubs:

Skull Bonez (general)
Lords of War (general)
Full Metal Campaigns (campaigns)
Game On (general - Winston Salem)

Last year Skull Bonez hosted it's first Indy GT and had 18 players... A lot of beautiful armies and friendly people!

The biggest tourney draws I've seen or played in actually occurs in Fayetteville (about 1 1/2 hours south) at the Hobbit.

The Hobbit runs a 40K tourney every 4 to 6 months which typically draws 24-32 players. 40K is played every Saturday there and will typically have 4+ tables of 40K. Fantasy and Flames of War is also big. The downside is getting the core group of us together at any one time due to deployments (Fort Bragg). IIRC their next 40K tourney is in April.

There is a good 40K group in Southern Pines at a shop called the Hit Pointe. I've not been to the store, but their crew has come to the Hobbit and have made for some great games.

Scifi Genre (Durham) has run some fun tourneys in the past and has a pretty good game group. However, some of the players have left and I've not played there in over 6 months.

I've not played at All Fun and Games, but have heard good things about the shop and players.

Overall, between playing up in North Carolina and Jacksonville, I think you'll find a more competitive gaming scene in North Carolina. Within 6 hours in North Carolina, you've got Golden Demon winners and players who can and do place in the top 10 at GT's. Granted, Jax does have Fred Reed and Gabe Dobkin.

Plus, you're about 7 hours from Baltimore. If you want to experience some great games and see gorgeous armies, the Baltimore GT is worth going to.

I just got back from Raleigh, and have accepted a position there, so I'll be moving there next month / end of this one.

While I was there, I put a few calls around, and a store called "Hobby Masters" said that they have the largest 40k crowd? I haven't seen any mention of them here...thoughts?

Sorry, I've not heard of them. However, it's been several months since I've been up to Raleigh to game.

They are alright but do not have nearly as many players/tables as All Fun and Games.

G

Awesome folks, thanks a lot!

I'm looking forward to the move, the new job, and a bigger gaming circle (I hope). =)

Dashofpepper wrote:I just got back from Raleigh, and have accepted a position there, so I'll be moving there next month / end of this one.

Congrats. I look forward to meeting you.

While I was there, I put a few calls around, and a store called "Hobby Masters" said that they have the largest 40k crowd? I haven't seen any mention of them here...thoughts?

Haha. They lied. Hobby Masters carries a reasonable stock of 40k stuff, and they have a great selection of hobby supplies. However, while I go there to shop, I never play there. They have between 0 and 2 tables set up at any given time, and only once have I seen a game of 40k being played there.

Also...I looked at "All Fun n' Games" website - they have a regular schedule that doesn't seem to leave room for any tournaments or RTTs or anything....

Do they have them?

Yes, they do. They usually have one every six weeks or so. This month they're running a 40k league, but probably next month there will be a tournament.

If you're looking to play in a tournament, there will be one at SFG on 21 Feb. You can see the details here: http://z6.invisionfree.com/Scifi_Genre_Forums/index.php?showtopic=3530

That's too soon - my wife and I are going to be moving TO Cary on the 21st, and we won't get any 40k action in until probably mid-march. The concern I had about All Fun And Games was that I looked at their calendar and all I see is Magic stuff. There is 40k free-play every Monday, but every Saturday in every weekend of every month I've looked at seems to be pretty much solid Magic without the word "Warhammer" anywhere.

Ah well, I'll get a feel for it when we move there, and I greatly look forward to meeting new people and seeing new armies! =) My wife plays Orks and I play Tau. My Tau are pretty standard, although her Orks are not. A few things that make her orks stand out...

1. They're Orkettes. They all have boobs.
2. Her Nobs stand out from her boyz in the fact that they wear pink jumpsuits.
3. Her boyz are painted in stylish shades of sky blue, yellow, and other pleasing colors.
4. Her Battlewagon has polka-dotted rivets.
5. Her "important" units have jeweled bases.
6. Her "Waaugh!" is a singsong two note cry that starts high and ends an octave lower. If you were to sing "Dinner time!" that's kind of what you hear.
7. Her Orkettes have discovered rich deposits of a fearsome metal called "purpleanium." Her swords, axes, and powerklaws use this strange purple metal to fearsome effect.
8. When her trukks, battlewagons, and other vehicles cross the field, they come with sound effects that sound like "Vroom vroom" and "Buddun buddun"
9. Her walkers (and powerklaws) - especially Ghazghkull make chomping sounds.

Now, before you laugh, she also painted a good chunk of my army. Before I was able to....curb her painting tendencies into something more aesthetically conservative, I ended up with a squad of pink and purple firewarriors, who have purple gun drones that have pink polka-dots.

But hey, I don't mind. Who else can raise their hand and say that their wife/girlfriend plays 40k with them?

I didn't know Gabe Dobkins lives in NC. He is a great guy and can put together some seriously beautiful armies.

G

You misread the post. Gabe's lived in Jax, FL for the last 20+ years.

I really wish I hadn't forgotten about DakkaDakka while I was in Raleigh for over two years w/o anyone to play :/

Well, now you know about Dakkadakka and can find some games right?

Sarigar wrote:You misread the post. Gabe's lived in Jax, FL for the last 20+ years.

That makes a lot more sense. I see him often here at the big events.

G

All fun and games is the place to play. It has a lot of tables and a good gaming group. Whenever I am back in town from school, I make sure to stop by and get some games in.

I called up there, and I looked at their calendar, and am a bit concerned:

Their calendar is all magic stuff. Across the board, its literally all magic stuff.

I asked about 40k tournaments and RTTs and the person on the phone said that they didn't really do that stuff there. =(

Strange. I could swear that was the shop that ran the 2nd round of Ard Boyz for 2008.

The Hobbit was asked to do it, but they had a FOW tourney already scheduled for that weekend.

I know they have 40k - their website says that every Monday night is open 40k tables, and when I called up there the first time (on a Monday) they said that they had 3 games of 40k running. Their calendar is all pretty much Magic though. Does anyone play at All Fun N' Games? Live in the area? Do they have regular 40k tournaments? RTTs? Do the stores in the area cycle them?

I'm sure if nothing else, I can find out when I get there.

My wife and I are here now!

I called up All Fun and Games, and they said that there is a 40k league on Mondays (bleh) but that there's not much in the way of tournaments and such because the guy who coordinates / does all that stuff has been busy/gone.

I suppose I'll call around to the various stores and see what's kicking then? Cary is quite lovely.

*EDIT*

I'm calling around to the various stores to find out what's going on, and it sounds like there's some pretty cool stuff at the various ones - when I finish, I'll get it posted here. There's this very unique and totally awesome tournament at the Game Connection....more details to come.

*EDIT 2*

I just edited and posted new stuff in my original thread.

All fun and games has a good group for Open gaming, but they dont run many tournaments. In fact, besides one of the rounds for 'Ardboyz, I dont think they really have tournaments. The guy who runs the store simply just doesnt run them. He says they take too much time and prefers to do league games. There is a place called sci-fi genre in Durham that has tournaments every now and then, and there is a really small shop very close to all fun and games called sports zone that has some 40k stuff.

I've got to head over to Durham today anyway, so I'll stop into Sci Fi and check them out.

Hi, this is Shane from Sci-Fi. We spoke in the store and I figured I'd post here as well to save you the trouble of relaying information.

We generally run alternating Fantasy and 40k events once a month. So since this month was 40k, March will be Fantasy (as is already scheduled) and April will be 40k. I'm looking at doing an April Fools theme tournament with some fun stuff going on. We also have a Fantasy painting league going on, and once that's over might be looking at some sort of weekly 40k event. Anyone with any ideas should feel free to contact me.. probably the easiest way is to PM me on the Sci-Fi Genre forums ( http://z6.invisionfree.com/Scifi_Genre_Forums/index.php ) where my username is the same as here, since I'm not certain how often I'll be here. Our goal is always to provide a fun gaming experience for anyone who wants to come, so any way I can help satisfy that goal should be brought to my attention.

Thanks again for stopping by! I hope to see you in again.

Hello, I was wondering if anyone here attends UNC Chapel Hill. I am interested in starting up a gaming club on campus and I am looking for anyone who would like to join. You can email anytime.

Some people will think this is a thread rez, but here is an update to the gaming stores in the Triangle area.

Hobbymasters went out of business. Not surprising since their main product was selling and fixing RC cars/planes/boats.

Lost Goblin Games also went under.

A new store in Cary recently opened, it's called Hangar 18 Hobbies.