Tournament Organiser: Mike Marshall, aided and abetted by Lee Battrick and Jen Truby, and sometimes helped sometimes hindered by Benjamin 'Joffrey' Crowe and Oz Capewell.
So where do you even start? This was, at 124 players, comfortably the biggest Malifaux tournament ever. As well as copious amounts of prize support Wyrd Games sent over Malifaux's lead designer Aaron Darland to take in the sights (Connor Truby in a frighteningly good Changeling costume...) and sounds (mostly Mike over the PA system). And enough glassware and wood and trophies were given away, it took as long to set them all up for the prize giving as it did for us players to pack away the terrain from 62 tables.
I'm going to go ahead and say this - I have never had as much fun in a weekend's gaming in 18-odd years of attending events. Meeting up with so many awesome people and being able to hang out and chat was just amazing. There were so many people I didn't even get to catch up with everyone I wanted to! The atmosphere was great, even at the sharp end of the event when things were getting tense.
Considering your average gamer is as easy to organise as a herd of cats, Mike and his team of dedicated helpers did a miraculous job of corralling us into each round and making it so simple. The technology failed meaning they had to read out the entire draw and print out sheets - handled without a problem. The packs had all the paperwork we needed and between the five staff, the results sheets were distributed quickly enough that we all had the scheme pools promptly at the start of every round.
A special mention for the packs. Every single attendee received a set of 7 UK Nationals poker chips to use as Soulstones, along with a custom fate deck with some lovely art by the multi-talented Mr Truby. These will be in use for some time and are a lovely reminder of the weekend.
The venue was great. Battlefield Hobbies deserves to be mentioned amongst the top venues in the country. The facilities were excellent, there was enough space for everyone even with so many people present, and the guys there kept us going all weekend. It's only problem is Daventry being in the arse end of nowhere, but that's not their fault!
If I'm being picky, the packed lunches were actually a bit rubbish and Sunday's turned up two hours late. There was lots of swapping going on so everyone could get fed with something, but there was enough there that the less discerning wouldn't be going hungry.
But this shouldn't detract from what was a monumentally awesome tournament. Absolutely fantastic. And you better believe I'll be there next year, if I have to pit fight for tickets.
Mr Marshall, you and your little helpers (and Mr Crowe) did you and the UK proud. Thank you all.
Runners and Riders
(Deep breath...)
Best Cosplay: Cy Dudley (alt Barbaros)
Best Table: Mick Green (Dreamer's Bedroom - he even put a 'tour guide' there so you found all the little touches and knew what to treat the terrain as!)
Best Display Board (Wanker): Mick Green
Best Painted (Judges Choice);
3rd Mick Green
2nd Johan Hoflin
1st Alessandro Meschieri
Best Painted (Players Choice);
3rd Bonk, the Polish legend
2nd Haydn Smith
1st Alessandro Meschieri
Best Sports: Stuart 'Snezzley' Snares. No, I don't know how either. He got 5 votes and was out on his own... The beer must have been strong.
Oar of Shame: Nick Pratt (last place)
Spoon of 'So Crap They Couldn't Even Win the Oar': Gordon Barlow (next to last place)
Best Fixed List: Adam Hutchinson (Kaeris)
Best Trinity: Josh Fletcher (Ramos / Von Schill / Lilith)
Best Fixed Master: Ant Hoult (Rasputina)
Best Arcanists: George Hollingdale
Best Gremlin: Ricardo Nieri
Best Guild: Matt Lewin
Best Neverborn: Mark Elwood
Best Outcast: Graham Bursnell
Best Resurrectionist: Martin Jones
Best 10 Thunders: Joe Jackson
3rd Place: Joel Henry (Zipp)
2nd Place: Ricardo Nieri (Gremlins)
1st Place: Mark Elwood (Neverborn)
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