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Just a curiousity question. I will be taking my Marines down to San Antonio and it looks like the other two finalists from Killeen will be headed there as well. Where is everyone else looking at playing?

I will be going to San Antonio to Dragons Lair with the other guys from Austin.

I am not sure, but I believe that the semi's in Dallas will be in Garland at Comic Asylum

There will also be semi-finals at Lonestar Comics #1 in Arlington, TX. At least there has been the past few years.

Anyone that wants to try it, a buddy of mine will be going to the Comic Asylum one. Bring a list that can kill over 100 space wolves and teach him a lesson!

Off topic, but Lonestar is a horrible, horrible place. I hate them so much.

Spellbound wrote:There will also be semi-finals at Lonestar Comics #1 in Arlington, TX. At least there has been the past few years.

Anyone that wants to try it, a buddy of mine will be going to the Comic Asylum one. Bring a list that can kill over 100 space wolves and teach him a lesson!

I didn't see lone star on there and if they are not on the list don't expect them to get it. Austin has had it every year and they are not getting it this year for some reason.

Interesting. As far as Lonestar goes I don't play there often, but aside from allowing the latecomers to start and finish a game, thus delaying everyone else an hour and a half, I didn't have any problems playing there.

I used to be a store manager. I just hate certain levels of the management. Overall they don't want players there, they just want the space to be able to show off how "prestigious" their store is. The staff (which will rotate every couple months or so) will rarely know anything about the game or be able to provide a reasonable judge for what's supposed to be a well-run event. The first Ard Boyz I went to there was run by a guy who picked up the game a week earlier. This first Ard Boyz run there period I had a big part in and I had never even seen a rulebook.

Not, I'm in North West Kentucky and my state got left out. Not going to drive out of state for anything except a wedding or a funeral. Already told my event host to pass my place to someone else.

I'll be playing at Predator Games in Houston.

Cannerus_The_Unbearable wrote:The first Ard Boyz I went to there was run by a guy who picked up the game a week earlier. This first Ard Boyz run there period I had a big part in and I had never even seen a rulebook.

So lonestar is creating even more drama? Nothing new my friend..

I remember when they had their big "we are better than you" fight with games workshop and stopped carrying the line. Then they stopped allowing open gaming. They used to be MY store before that and I lived a good 40 minutes away. Their events were always packed and by giving so many gamers the finger, they basically propped up the GW store. Old drama...

In all honesty, the only person that was able to work with those owners was Mike and now he's long gone and runs Area 51. When I come back to Texas to visit, I definitely plan to go there over lonestar.

Let me first say that my involvement in the hobby is relatively new (read - Jan. 2008). Any interaction or affiliation with Lone Star Comics as it relates to the hobby is even more recent than that. This being said I have not been witness to the past drama cited by the above posters over this store.

With that in mind I will say that during what time I have been active with Lone Star I have seen a fair share of employees come and go. This is not unnatural when you consider that this is not a stand-alone establishment, but rather a chain of such venues all answering to higher levels of management. If an employee does not mesh with the views of this higher management they are sure to leave the company (by choice or otherwise).

I have seen great employees - employees who are strong proponents for the hobby and its events, leave the company because of such complications.

My request is don't condemn the building and space to spite this upper management when there are some very real individuals who love the hobby, and try our best to support the community.

I apologize for hijacking this thread briefly, and invite comments, questions, criticism, hate-mail, and honest discussion to be PM'ed to me further regarding this matter.

Thank you.

Another Ex-Lonestar Employee here..

Worked there in 1995-96 (great place back then). Then again in 2002-03. I have to say the company really changed for the worst the second time around. Bad management decisions, barely letting staff play or demo the games, emphasizing petty rules (the assistant GM actually walks around the store running his fingers on surfaces for dust).

I consider myself pretty professional and this wacko rarely ever gave someone a good review (he is literally one of those guys who will complain about anything or find something to complain about.).

In any case..

The emphasis is more on presentation and less on actual experience.

I played Ard Boyz at the mesquite store. The store management was great, but since Upper management (IE Chris/Aaron) basically told them they couldnt do any terrain till the last minute, we had to scramble to do it. The poor staff was busy trying blow-dry the painted tables.

We even had to open up some GW craters since the store was so lacking and unprepared for the event.

I here Lonestar totally dropped the ball at regionals last year as well.

In any case, I HOPE TO GOD Lone Star has nothing to do with the regionals this year. I won first place at the Ard Boyz I was at FWIW.

Nick

40k Ard Boyz semifinals last year has been rather hotly debated amongst employees and participants. As it was not one I attended I cannot directly comment but the gist of what I am told came down to three issues:

1. A pair of latecomers who, despite the time allotted, were allowed to go past the limit for first round, thereby throwing off the schedule for the remainder of the day.

2. Controversial objects and stand-ins serving as terrain (I heard everything from a fast food cup to a chair). In talking with some of the actual participants of those tables they expressed not minding (and in one case agreeing on it and placing themselves). This seems less an issue as players admittedly were ok with it or thought it funny/acceptable.

3. The final round supposedly (I do not doubt, but as I wasn't there can only use this term) cut short by an unmentioned employee saying they were closing the store.

---

No Ard Boyz I have attended or participated in with Lone Star has had any of these issues, and any problems an individual player may have had were not expressed at the time of the event.

nhohn wrote:Let me first say that my involvement in the hobby is relatively new (read - Jan. 2008). Any interaction or affiliation with Lone Star Comics as it relates to the hobby is even more recent than that. This being said I have not been witness to the past drama cited by the above posters over this store.

No one is saying you should abandon them and I didn't bash the community. Take my words (and others) as a warning to keep your ear to the ground and prepare for the worst at any moment with that store.

We did several mega-battles and had monthly tournaments with 24+ people showing up for a solid 3 years straight and out of the blue, they dropped the line and told the 40k community we couldn't play there anymore. Don't think that something on par to that couldn't happen again.

I don't pretend to know the exact reasons surrounding why the company chose at one time to discontinue carrying the GW hobby line, but it's safe to say it comes down to the reason of money. It obviously didn't last as they once again carry the lines in variety nothing short of an actual Games Workshop store can match.

The trick now (as it has been) is rebuilding a healthy community of both employees and players after so many have obviously been burned by past decisions.

The only thing I noticed when I attended the regionals there last year was the latecomers that were allowed to play, and yes they did throw the whole schedule out of whack.

I heard someone say that there was a lot of home cooking, and the judge sided with the local players in nearly every rules debate, even if the rules clearly went against them. I never saw any of that though, and never even really saw any arguments happen. Heard of a lot more problems down in Battleforge Games down in Austin, where home cooking definitely not only occurred, but was basically demanded by the local players [ie "we make this store what it is, how dare you rule against me"].

I had not heard specifically of judges siding with local players over any specific rulings (and same as you I have not yet heard of a specific instance - just some folks saying it happened).

When I am in store I do my best to promote the hobby to potential new players and those just passing through. It is something important to me, and if I can utilize the space there (of which there is plenty) to help build a community I will definitely do so.

I invite anyone even considering giving the venue a chance to get in touch with me directly. The more I can be directly involved in contributing to a positive environment (there and otherwise) I am happy to do so.