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...the alternative title, 'Sucking for Kids' didn't go down well, for some reason.

Anyway, this has been something I've been working on for a while. Essentially I'm looking at running a Warhammer (purely because I don't know anyone who plays any other games) charity event. The idea is simple - beyond a small fee to enter, you can throw a pound in a pot and re-roll a dice. This still can't re-roll a re-roll but can start from the moment people start rolling off for table sides and such. I'm debating as to whether, in the case of large amounts of dice, whether this should be the whole pile of dice, the ones that missed or only a single.

Yes, the person who throws the most money in the pot has a better chance of winning than the person who doesn't. But the idea here isn't to be as balanced as possible - it's to raise cash for charity. I have a couple of shop owners and club runners helping to provide some of the stuff I'll be needing - tables, sufficient scenery, and the like. Although in an ideal world I'd just run the damned thing somewhere that had enough tables to start with...

The idea is a two day event - day one is 40k, Day two is Fantasy. Either way, it'll be a three round event, with winners facing winners from previous rounds. This will not, however, be a very serious tournament. For obvious reasons. The winner will probably end up with a certificate saying something like, 'I rolled so many ones children in Africa got a new well' or the like. If you're there, with a hard list and a sack of pound coins, good for you. Your pounds coins will be most merrily taken from you. Most people, I suspect, will just see this as a fun day to play some Warhammer and do something good at the same time.

I'll admit, I've not run a large scale tournament before - club stuff has been my previous limit. But as I've grown older and more irritable I've started to wanna do more good works, to offset the large number of hobo and hookers kills, and this is something I think I can manage. But I could do with a few questions answered, and this is why I've come to Dakka.

1 - Would you even attend an event like this? Why would you? More importantly, why wouldn't you?

2 - What level of prize support would you expect from an event like this? I'm trying to wrangle freebies from a sponsor, but most likely it won't be very much. This is a charity event, after all - everything bar the costs will be going to a good cause. And the only reason I'm not paying the costs is I probably won't be able to without serious hardship. I'm not that nice. However, I am thinking that maybe the winner might get to send a percentage of the days take to a charity of there choice.

3 - Does anyone have any recommendations for a good location for this? I'm in Derby, in the Midlands, so I'm looking around there. I'm thinking of contacting Maelstrom Games, which is nearby and apparently has a pretty solid gaming area. I could also think of contacting Warhammer World, although I understand that's not a cheap option. But both provide a pmetiful supply of gaming gear already set up, so...

4 - I'm thinking of breaking it into sub-categories - 750/1500/2000 games for Warhammer, and 1000/2000/2500 for fantasy. Mostly so it can include younger players/starters and such.

5 - What about the models themselves? I'm not going to ask for fully painted armies or the like, since while they do look better, but I do think I'll have to insist on a modicum of Wysiwyg for the models. No proxies, to avoid confusion. How far should I go?

6 - Any suggestions for missions/ways of scoring and the like? Remember, I'm a newb at this stuff - I'll take all the advice I can get, and will merrily raid other tournaments for good ideas. Should I include a separate paint contest or the like?

Thanks, folks. Any other suggestions will be gladly reviewed.

Hi, this sounds like a pretty good idea. I would attend for a fun day of gaming, and all for a good cause as well.

As for prize support, nobody is going to expect anything more than a certificate or something, although if you can nab some free stuff from sponsors that's always great.

I would split the profits as such:

50% to a charity of 1st place's choice
30% to a charity of 2nd place's choice
20% to a charity of 3rd place's choice

I'm afraid I can't help with location as I'm nearby but not that near.

I would expect wysiwyg and no proxies. If people are unsure then they can always email pics to you.

As for missions, there was this one tourney I read some reports on where there were objectives to capture as secondary but your primary was on a randomly selcted card that you did not show your opponent. So: my card might say: kill his two most expensive troops choices. While his primary is: have the most units within the center of the board.

Secret mission cards and rules: http://www.warseer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260328

An extra painting contest would be cool but it isn't mandatory.

If you need anything else then just ask.

I've played in a similar event. here's my input.
1. If its a close community, and no one is taking the event seriously, its a awesome idea. I've seen cans of soup instead of money so no money can change hands. Privateer press runs and official event with this yearly, I love it because in warmachine / hordes, dice rolls are really important, but usually the community is about the charity, at least the shop I was at was.

2. If its for 40k/WFB, and you get a couple of competitive guys, your in for a long long day if they want to between buying re-rolls and complaining about the amount of re-rolls.

3. You will have very very long games from all the re-rolls. Allot time for that.

Sucking for kids. Nope nothing wrong with that title at all!

Thanks for the feedback, assorted minions and drones. Your gruel shall be improved as compensation.

tantan628 wrote:Hi, this sounds like a pretty good idea. I would attend for a fun day of gaming, and all for a good cause as well.

As for prize support, nobody is going to expect anything more than a certificate or something, although if you can nab some free stuff from sponsors that's always great.

I would split the profits as such:

50% to a charity of 1st place's choice
30% to a charity of 2nd place's choice
20% to a charity of 3rd place's choice

I'm afraid I can't help with location as I'm nearby but not that near.

I would expect wysiwyg and no proxies. If people are unsure then they can always email pics to you.

As for missions, there was this one tourney I read some reports on where there were objectives to capture as secondary but your primary was on a randomly selcted card that you did not show your opponent. So: my card might say: kill his two most expensive troops choices. While his primary is: have the most units within the center of the board.

Secret mission cards and rules: http://www.warseer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260328

An extra painting contest would be cool but it isn't mandatory.

If you need anything else then just ask.

The secret missions are interesting, but potentially difficult to get right. I was thinking of going for something simpler, essentially the three main scenarios from the 40K rule book with secondary objectives. Probably simply kill points in the Capture missions, and a trio of Objectives in the kill point mission. Secondary objectives are purely for tie breakers and the like.

Still, I love the idea of secret objectives. Might see if I can work that in to something, possibly the fantasy side of things.

njpc wrote:I've played in a similar event. here's my input.
1. If its a close community, and no one is taking the event seriously, its a awesome idea. I've seen cans of soup instead of money so no money can change hands. Privateer press runs and official event with this yearly, I love it because in warmachine / hordes, dice rolls are really important, but usually the community is about the charity, at least the shop I was at was.

2. If its for 40k/WFB, and you get a couple of competitive guys, your in for a long long day if they want to between buying re-rolls and complaining about the amount of re-rolls.

3. You will have very very long games from all the re-rolls. Allot time for that.

Well, you still can't re-roll a re-roll, so I can't imagine it'll add that long to the game...not unless they feel like forking over a lot of cash. Which is kinda the point. I will be sure to make sure that there is extra time, though. I hadn't thought it would add all that long. I can't see anyone complaining about the amount...I mean, someone's paying a £1 each time to do so, and that money is going to charity. Both of which will be clear in all promotional material.

I'd like to run Warmachine/Hordes and maybe some card games too, but I think we'll have to wait until I try a second one. I just know Warhammer best and know a couple of clubs I can use as captured cash machines. I mean players. Totally players.

Kurgash wrote:Sucking for kids. Nope nothing wrong with that title at all!

I know! Don't have any idea why people starting shuffling away from me and ringing Child Services...

Never done a warhammer charity event but have organized a couple of charity concerts in my time and my girlfriend threw a dance show just 6 months ago that went down well. So from experience i would say:

defiantly choose the charity yourself, you want to know the charity is reputable - so that means alot of checking it out. Also you will be able to tell everyone who has given money exactly what their money is going to do and buy as the charity(s) you pick will send through info. They tend to send promotional stuff too like stickers, balloons, even t-shirts sometimes - all of which is great for promoting and branding the tournament as really being about the charity and that should help get the right atmosphere.

I don't think people would expect much prize-weighting, your idea about certificates is actually really great. Cheap (but not naff) novelties like that which people can keep and enjoy is the best way forward. if you get sponsorship and a "proper" prize then put it in a raffle or give it to the person who gives the most on the day so that actually winning isn't the most important thing to everyone. A little prize for last place always gets a good cheer too.

As for going to an event like this, i would. If i could conveniently make it of course. Get in touch with local-ish clubs (local to where you will hold the tournie) and work your way out. know how many places you want to fill beforehand and work costings to account for no shows etc. it always happens.

I do a bit of graphics/illustration and i'm trying to build up a portfolio of work this year so check out my site www.samueltskinner.co.uk and if you want any imagery or branding to promote something like this down the line i would be happy to contribute.

it sounds great!

Mmm, you may be right about the charity thing. I know there are a few charities that I'm not fond of, due to some weird policies or high paid management. And the promotional material would be helpful.

And, yes, I'd love some help with the graphics side of thing. I can't draw to save my life. I do have some friends who can do it, but they tend to be slow.

Well the offer will be open if you need, if you know people who want to do i then thats cool but if i can be of help do let me know!

Maelstrom have an awesome table and terrain set up.

I'd be more than happy to come down for a day out rolling dice for fun, though as a guard player... can I re-roll lots of dice for my quid?

Hi, everything's sounding good so far.

just wanted to let you know that I'd be happy to help with organisation or something depending on when you do it (as long as I'm not away or bogged down at the time). Not sure how much I would be able to help since I'm not nearby but if you do need some help then I'll do what I can.