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So in a month I"m going to my first GT(Well kinda, first singles)
What are some tips i need to know about going? Like survival tips, tips for interacting and tips in general.

-Make sure you keep hydrated and well fed with something other than just junk food.

-as for interacting, treat it like any other tournament, be friendly and you will be fine.

Well im going to bring 2-3 pastrami sandwiches and some granola bars.

A good start, just make sure to bring sports drinks, or water to keep you well hydrated and sharp.

Other things to think of. Sit down when you get a chance.

Don't hold onto game results: If something does not go your way or leaves a bad taste in your mouth, move on don't dwell on it.

Bring a display board or some sort of tray to take your army from table to table without packing it up after each game.

Your army lists should be printed and bring a copy for each opponent.

Make sure you and your opponent are on the same page regarding terrain and its affects.

Shower.

You need a 'tray' to move around between games. You will not have time to put your models back in the case every game. A basic plastic tray or 'display table' is a must.

Also, consider when building your list, something which does well with time and you are able to play with fast and does not bog down. And make sure to PRACTICE so you know how your list works super well.

And never assume anything if you have a question about something about a person army ask them to show it to you and always be good manner but always go for the win,i understand it is your 1st tounry but bring food and drink and use the bathroom before you get there and after 1st round that is your biggest break to round 2 and always make clear what you are doing when you are shooting and moving and be slow but not turtle slow, take a army you know well and have practice and if you bring a army you have not been with you need to practice with it for about a month with the tables and rules they have they should have on there site, it where you can read and know the missions so you know how to play the rounds and know what to expect.Remeber bet like a boy scout always be prepared and look online and check how other tounrys are doing so you can get a a feel for what people might bring ok.

Oh i hav been practicing with this list for quite a bit, 2-3 months.

Basic stuff,
Make sure you have all your rules, codecies, FAQ printouts that you'll need.
Take a notepad and pencil, all your dice, templates, tape measure (and a spare).
Print out clean copies of your army list (spreadsheet or a list program like Army Builder) I usually take one for me, one for the judges, and one for each of my opponents to keep.
As well as water and (non greasy) snacks, take some painkillers.
A tournament with a headache is no fun.
The tray for putting the army on is a good one, I've seen some fantastic ones at tournaments, they help with the painting score I find, too.

Hmm, I dont have army builder, I just tend to have it all printed out on word.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Hmm, I dont have army builder, I just tend to have it all printed out on word.

Also make sure to have your name printed on the list. That will make it easier on the TO and, if there is a player's choice award, for your opponents to remember who you are.

Above all though is have fun.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Hmm, I dont have army builder, I just tend to have it all printed out on word.

As long as it's not a handwritten mess.
It needs to be clear and legible.
I've known a TO to disqualify people for bad lists (to be fair it was in the tourney pack that that would happen)

Well last time I took my list to a GT it was fine an legible.

That's fine, it's just that every tourney I've attended have insisted on a printed list

Oh I do plan on printing it, I cant even read my own handwriting.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Hmm, I dont have army builder, I just tend to have it all printed out on word.

That's fine, I do the same and I've been on the tournament scene since 98, honestly I cant stand army builder, its all gibberish to me most of the time. I have nearly every stat line and standard gear memorized so I don't need it reprinted with full description. I just need number of models, points, and what special weapons they have.

Maybe I will use Excel.

For actual gameplay, I've found an incredibly practical measuring device - those red plastic 18" rods that GW put in with starters (do they still? not sure). Take 2 rods, and cut them down to 6". This makes movement incredibly easy and fast as you have a 6" stick that does not take extra space like a tape measure does. Bring two so that you can offer one to your opponent for use. This will also help make sure no one is gaining fractions (or entire extra...) inches while moving infantry - its pretty hard to be accurate over a weekend with 4-6 games.

When playing non-standard missions, make sure you review your objectives after every turn (while your opponent is moving to save time). This will help you get a good idea of how your next couple turns should be planned.

As others have said, bring food and a source of water. Also consider packing deodorant as you'll be at it for a while.

Always be friendly and courteous to other players (not just opponents!) even when disagreeing. This is hard, but like every other facet in life sometimes you just have to grin and bear it.

Cheers, have fun!

Wear comfortable shoes! Space is often at a premium and standing for hours on end is often the only option. Bring spare dice if possible.

Make sure you know your own rules inside and out and those of other codex books fairly well.

Wear comfortable shoes with good support. It may be a small thing, but a mind dealing with pain is a mind prone to mistakes.

Shoes? Ok.

Gale force 9 makes great template. speeds things up a lot. Also would bring super glue and super glue accelerator. Makes it dry in 10 seconds flat. models tend to break at the worst times.

http://www.waylandgames.co.uk/gale-force-9/gaming-aids/t-a-c-template/prod_4766.html

The basic idea is to understand that it's an all-day event during a hot summer day in August. Bring what you need to stay comfortable -- drinks, comfy shoes, a board to transport your army from table to table, etc. As far as in-game goes, keep in mind that other players might be experiencing their first GT as well and often will have little play experience outside of their home group. Be nice, understand that some things are mistakes and there are rarely instances of cheating, and don't be shy about calling over a judge if you're not sure about something. Most of all, have fun!

Don't be surprised when you get monkey stomped. Your area has a local meta and you've built your list around that, practiced against it, and your ready for it.
Now you will be thrown into an arena with people from outside your local area. And they won't be bringing fluffy cool lists. Foot Marines/Guard/Eldar do not fair well against triple HellDrakes. Land Raiders fall quickly to Lance Spam.
Azrael gives his entire unit a 4+ Invul-save...consider that while he is walking towards you with a 50 man guard blob (and when you challenge in CC any of the 5 Sgts can accept first). Njal can also do this trick to get close enough to punk everything in your army with his storm.
In short, have fun and learn everything you can from playing against some of the top lists run by some top notch players.

And you just may learn something to take back to your FLGS that shakes up your local meta; which is always a good thing.

Keep calm and give your opponent the benefit of the doubt.

I'm normally pretty good when it comes to keeping cool, but at my first GT I had a blow-up that I still regret. When you're 6 games in you can be tired and a little grumpy and if you're doing well, there might be a lot on the line. Things can escalate quicker than you expect.

Similarly, play as transparently as possible.

If you show and say what's happening and use different colors of dice it can help eliminate the kinds of confusion that leads to people thinking they're being cheated.

robpace wrote:
The basic idea is to understand that it's an all-day event during a hot summer day in August. Bring what you need to stay comfortable -- drinks, comfy shoes, a board to transport your army from table to table, etc. As far as in-game goes, keep in mind that other players might be experiencing their first GT as well and often will have little play experience outside of their home group. Be nice, understand that some things are mistakes and there are rarely instances of cheating, and don't be shy about calling over a judge if you're not sure about something. Most of all, have fun!

I will be sure to keep all that in mind, Im riding my bike over to get my transport board tommorow.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

dkellyj wrote:
Don't be surprised when you get monkey stomped. Your area has a local meta and you've built your list around that, practiced against it, and your ready for it.
Now you will be thrown into an arena with people from outside your local area. And they won't be bringing fluffy cool lists. Foot Marines/Guard/Eldar do not fair well against triple HellDrakes. Land Raiders fall quickly to Lance Spam.
Azrael gives his entire unit a 4+ Invul-save...consider that while he is walking towards you with a 50 man guard blob (and when you challenge in CC any of the 5 Sgts can accept first). Njal can also do this trick to get close enough to punk everything in your army with his storm.
In short, have fun and learn everything you can from playing against some of the top lists run by some top notch players.

And you just may learn something to take back to your FLGS that shakes up your local meta; which is always a good thing.

I listen to podcasts that talk about the meta, look at tons of battle reports and generally try my best to keep up(Know what to target first, know what excels at what and how to kill it)

As far as the carrying tray goes, try this:

http://www.target.com/p/threshold-acacia-wood-tray/-/A-14265533#prodSlot=medium_1_10

Its cheap, sturdy and I swear by mine.

What I might also suggest is shoulder bag from a military surplus store. They usually go for $10-15, and since you won't/shouldn't have your army bag/whatever, you'll need something carry dice, rulebooks, templates, army lists,etc. around in. Even a laptop bag or a curriers bag will work for this, bnut I've found them to be a little bulky for the intended purpose.

Good luck!

I have my own normal bag. An at my local crafts store they have a magnetic memo board that is the perfect size for my army. Im going to get some magnets an stick them to the bases.

Have fun.

Don't put any pressure on yourself to win, even if you do well with your first few games. Someone is going to bring "that guy" list, that just so happens to be of an army that counters yours hard. Play your best

be cool, laugh, joke.

sympathize when the rolls are not going well for your opponent. Because as we all know its almost as awkward for you as for him.