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In the past few Tournaments I attended, it seems like there always ends up an odd number of players and in each one I was handed a "bye" turn. Does anyone have suggestions for a alternate system instead of missing a turn?? My group was thinking of asking the organizer use a ringer, to use someone that would only play if there was an odd number of players.

Ringer is the common solution if they don't give a bye.

We always try to organize a ringer for tournaments.

Do you have a preference for the ringer's build? For example, do you want it to be a dominant tourney army with the potential to table the opponent, a weak build to give the player an easy game or something in between?

Dont allow the ringer to win is the easiest solution to avoid problems. How i do ringers is that the player gets an automatic minor win (instead of a massacre as is the case with a bye).. then they have to work for a higher victory. But if the ringer wins they arent screwed over either

I am firmly against soft ringers, IE using lists that suck..But It also creates tension if the ringer is too good, people start thinking its rigged or something

We always have at least one person who is on the fence about playing or volunteering as staff. THAT person is our ringer. They'll always play their "best," and if they have to play from the first round they just pay a registration fee and are on their way.

We make sure it's not a friend, or someone clued into how the tournament will be run from the inner workings. Helps ensure it's not even a "ringer," just a substitute player. If this person goes in mid-way through things b/c of a drop, they simply play on the bottom tables, and again - still play to win.

We do what Kisaru said, but a little different. Basically, if you win or draw the ringer you get a major win. If you lose you get a minor win. Bonus objectives are determined normally. I personally try to make the ringer army a softer list and have the ringer player focus on making the other guy work for the bonus points. Usually, the guy playing the ringer is dead last and just wants a fun game, so letting them broom the ringer is fine, as they get neither a free massacre nor suffer a massacre from playing the ringer.

In a Nova style Win Loss format, though, I think you have to go with a Bye system, since someone stuck with the ringer early will cause drama no matter how you do it.

The biggest demand I see for a ringer is so people aren't bored during their bye round.

So in fairness to everyone at my tourneys we just issue a bye and then let them play a game against the TO for fun.

Seems like the best solution.