Apocalyptic Kaissa Fair.

Some weeks ago (yes the Invulnerable have been that late) the Kaissa chain of stores held a games fair.
Kaissa has held games fairs repeatedly since their first ever back in ages past (it must have been 1991 or 1992) - I still remember it with us being boys back then enjoying a game of Battletech with my friends and several other players.

Kaissa has held a games fair every year since then and has been one of the two larger chain of shops that brought games of strategy and fantasy in our country, indeed Kaissa has been the first ever shop (the one in kalidromiou street) to ever bring the first fantasy game in Greece (if i am not mistaken).

This year's Kaissa Games fair hosted boardgames, card games (mostly that actually) and an apocalypse game between two teams of four players each with 5000 points (a total of 20.000 points each side, 40.000 points on the table) the Games fair has been hosted on the Stratos Vasilikos hotel (the same place where the first Independent club tournament was held and where the second also will be held).

Doubles tournament in Marousi.

Its been a week after the "Kathimerini Incident" and the players were still discussing the subject and i guess they still do until now, that - and the fact that a new shop has opened in Marousi - a fantasy shop that actually just got transfered from Kifisia led to a over-poppulation on the doubles tournament that was hosted in that day.

More than ten pairs were gathered to play and some had to be turned away because there wasn't enough tables to accomodate them all, while this is sad it is also a good hint that the days with the 6 and 8 players on a tournament are long gone now, the hobby and the community is facing a rise in its numbers, even with the bad economic situation in Greece.

People stay more in their homes instead of going to clubs and waste money (well we still go to them but not that much) - warhammer is an expensive hobby but buying an army today means that you will be able to play with it for years ahead with just some upgrades usually with each new codex, would you be able to say the same thing with computer games? and in any case sitting behind your computer chatting on text with your co-players is as much social as what is happening on our community? reasons like this are to explain the rise in the players numbers.

Anyway, enough with my mumbling, lets get to see what happened on the doubles tournament.

2nd Independent club tournament

Πριν λίγες ημέρες ήρθε στο mail του Invulnerable η ανακοίνωση για το επόμενο Independent club tournament, το θεωρώ ιδιαίτερη τιμή που ανεβαίνει στο Invulnerable, οι διοργανωτές ανέβασαν και άλλο τον πήχη αυξάνοντας της θέσης των παικτών στης 48. Θεωρώ ότι θα καλυφτούν η θέσεις και τον επόμενο μήνα θα γίνει το μεγαλύτερο τουρνουά warhammer 40k στην Ελλάδα (μέχρι, προφανώς... το επόμενο) καλή διασκέδαση σε όλους και καλή επιτυχία στους διοργανωτές.

(the following is also translated below)

Με μεγάλη μας χαρά σας ανακοινώνουμε την διοργάνωση του 2ου IC
(Independent Club) Tournament.

Ημερομηνία: Κυριακή, 08/01/12
Τόπος: Ξενοδοχείο Στράτος Βασιλικός
Ώρα: 09:30, Συμμετοχή: 15 ευρώ, Θέσεις: 48
Επικοινωνία: Τάσος Γρηγοριάδης, 6974877886 (anastasiosst@yahoo.com)

Πρόγραμμα:

9:30 – Εγγραφές
10:30 – 1ος Αγώνας
12:45 – Διάλλειμα 15 λεπτών.
13:00 – 2ος Αγώνας
15:15 – Διάλλειμα Φαγητού*
16:30 – 3ος Αγώνας
18:45 – Τέλος Τουρνουά, ανακοίνωση αποτελεσμάτων και βράβευση.

*Το φαγητό συμπεριλαμβάνεται στη τιμή της συμμετοχής και δεν φέρει επιπλέον
επιβάρυνση.

Κανόνες συμμετοχής:
1. Πρέπει να έχετε μαζί σας έναν πλήρως βαμμένο στρατό (ο στρατός πρέπει να έχει
τουλάχιστον 3 χρώματα και «μοντελισμένη» βάση).

2. Ο στρατός σας πρέπει να είναι μέχρι 1750 πόντους από οποιοδήποτε «τρέχον»
WARHAMMER 40k Codex (ή White Dwarf Codex) , και να τον έχετε
καταγράψει σε μια λίστα με ακρίβεια για το τι περιέχει (εάν χρησιμοποιηθεί
εκτύπωση από κάποιο πρόγραμμα που βοηθάει στην δημιουργία λιστών
παρακαλούμε όπως βεβαιωθείτε για την ορθότητα αυτής. Σε περίπτωση
σφάλματος τιμωρείται ο χρήστης και όχι το πρόγραμμα). Η λίστα αυτή πρέπει να
ετοιμαστεί εις διπλούν. Το αντίγραφο θα δοθεί στους διοργανωτές.

3. Πρέπει να φέρεται μαζί σας 3 objectives για τους σκοπούς των σεναρίων.

4. Όλες σας οι μινιατούρες ΕΠΙΒΑΛΛΕΤΑΙ να είναι «μοντελισμένες» με τον
εξοπλισμό που αναφέρεται στη λίστα σας. Οποιοδήποτε “Count as” μοντέλο,
unit ή στρατός θα πρέπει να εγκριθεί πρώτα από τους διοργανωτές πριν
χρησιμοποιηθεί στο τουρνουά. Παρακαλώ όπως έρθετε σε επικοινωνία μαζί μας
νωρίτερα από τις 30/12/11 προκειμένου να δοθούν οι απαραίτητες διευκρινήσεις.

5. Επίσης, θα χρειαστεί να έχετε μαζί σας, μεζούρες, ζάρια, «templates», το Codex
του στρατού σας μαζί με το τελευταίο FAQ του, το Rulebook της 5ης έκδοσης
μαζί με το τελευταίο FAQ του και ένα στυλό.

6. Δήλωση συμμετοχής μέχρι 30/12/11.
Διαδικασία Αγώνων:

1. Κάθε αγώνας θα διαρκεί 2 ώρες και 15 λεπτά, θα υπάρχει διάλλειμα μεταξύ των
αγώνων και το σύνολο αυτών θα είναι 3.

2. Το σύστημα διάκρισης θα είναι πυραμίδα (σε ισοπαλίες θα υπερισχύουν τα
victory points)

3. Extra points: Κάθε παίκτης στο τέλος του τουρνουά θα δώσει 1 πόντο σε έναν
από τους 3 αντιπάλους που αντιμετώπισε. Με αυτόν το πόντο βραβεύει είτε
καλύτερα βαμμένο στρατό που αντιμετώπισε, είτε fair gaming, είτε τον ποιο
ευχάριστο αντίπαλό είτε το fluff του στρατού του αντιπάλου του κτλ. Αυτό
σημαίνει πως οι παίκτες μπορούν να λάβουν από 0-2 πόντους επιπλέον. Θα
δοθούν απαραίτητες διευκρινήσεις σύντομα.

4. Κατά τη διάρκεια του τουρνουά οι διοργανωτές θα διαλέξουν τους 3 καλύτερα
βαμμένους στρατούς και στο τέλος του τουρνουά θα ψηφίσουν οι συμμετέχοντες
για τον καλύτερα βαμμένο στρατό.

Διοργανωτές:

• Συλλογίδης Άρης
• Κρομμύδας Γιάννης
• Γρηγοριάδης Τάσος

Συνδιοργάνωση: ΕΣΠΑΙΡΟΣ & Battle Bunker Club
Χορηγός: Τραχιώτης Μανώλης

And the call for the tournament in English: 

Dear friends, we are very happy to announce the second Independent Club Tournament
(ICT), taking place in Athens, Greece.

Date: Sunday, Jan 8th, 2012
Venue: Stratos Vasilikos Hotel
Time: 09:30, Fee: 15 euros, Participants: 48
Contact: Tasos Grigoriadis, tel: 6974877886, email: anastasiosst@yahoo.com

Timetable:

9:30 - Registration
10:30 - 1st Round begins
12:45 - Short brake
13:00 - 2nd Round begins
15:15 - Lunch Break *
16:30 - 3rd Round begins
18:45 - Games end, results are processed and subsequently top players announced.
*Lunch included in participation fee, no further costs required.

Requirements for participation
1. A fully painted army, with at least 3 colors on the miniatures and a modelled base.

2. A list, up to 1750 points of a legal Warhammer 40K Codex or White Dwarf Codex.

The list must be clearly written with points precisely allocated to models. If a
software program is used to create the list, it is highly recommended to double
check the validity/legality of your army selection. The list should be printed/written
twice as one of the copies should be given to the organizers upon registration.

3. All models MUST be modeled with the equipment corresponding to your list.
Any “count as” attempt must be approved by the organizers first. This is primarily for
historic/special edition/very cool miniatures. Please contact us before 30/12/2011 if
necessary for clarifications if you have a “count as” model.

4. Players should have with them a selection of 3 objective markers, required for game
purposes within scenarios.

5. Reasonable gaming paraphernalia are expected by the players such as: measures,
dice, templates, latest army Codex, latest army FAQ and a pen.

6. Last day to register your place, is January 30th 2011 (30/12/2011)

Round details:

1. Round duration is up to 2hrs 15 min, in total of 3 rounds for the tournament. Short
breaks will take place between rounds.

2. The structure of the tournament will be ‘pyramid’. In case of a draw victory points
will be taken into account.

3. Extra points: Each player in the end of the tournament will nominate 1 point to one
of the opponents faced during the day. This nomination is a form of recognition to
a fellow player that might involve: sportsmanship, fair gaming, well painted army,
interesting theme/fluff, influencing the end result of the tournament. Participants
will be contacted further on this.

4. During the tournament judges will select the three better painted armies of the
tournament and players are encouraged to vote for the best painted army of day.

Organisers

Sillogidis Aris
Krommidas Giannis
Grigoriadis Tasos

The third attempt to write about the "article"

Indeed, i tried three times to write something about the article in the Kathimerini newspaper, i just didn't knew what to write about it, plus my friend - Antipope in his blog - who discovered in the first place the article covered almost everything that there is to say about it.

In the case that you didn't read the article or you haven't visited so far Antipope's blog then do so here:
http://cadia122.blogspot.com/2011/11/bad-journalism.html?spref=fb

First of all lets see again the conversation i had with the journalist back then at the tournament, lets see what she (and me) had to say.

Taken from the 2nd part of the report from the independent club tournament.

Invulnerable Reporter (I.R): What do you think of all this?

Georgia Lemou (G.L) : All those things look extraterrestrial to me, completely.

I.R: it's a game that looks more like an advancement from chess.

G.L: If you see it that way yes, its more like chess, its a game that require strategy and brains, but if you see it ideologically - if you read the notorious "fluff" (yes she even mentioned the word: fluff!) you will discover that there is a world in it. And why this world has to be evil, disfigured and problematic? So far wars have been raged only by humans and there are wars who are justified and wars who haven't been justified, or an alliance of nations who go and wage war because of their perception of justice. In this story there isn't such a thing.

I.R: Everyone in this story has his version of right.

G.L: I don't know if there is a issue for right here, or anger.

IR: It's a racial war between the various races of the game, its more like Cortez exterminating the Mayans (and the Mayans fighting back in this case). Who you fight as a race in warhammer is totally alien to you (most of the time). They usually do not have political or cultural differences (there is no time for it).

GL: There is some cultural difference in this war, the Spanish waged war on the Mayans to get their gold and transfer it back to their king while the Mayans conceived treasure differently, in the case that you mention there is racist issue that is even more intolerable.

I.R: Yet it is presented on a game, look the situation on the Warhammer world is so bad that it turns out to be ridiculous. the bad guys in this story - actually everyone is bad in this world - are so bad that turn out to be more like cartoons...

G.L: ...Caricatures, from wherever they might be?

I.R: For example, humanity in this game, is so evil - that is unacceptable to us.

G.L: Its a bit idiotic (referring to humanity on the wh40k world) for example someone mentioned that the marine prays four times a day and has only 15 minuets of free time in 24 hours. How do you explain that?.

IR: they just present such information for the enjoyment of the fans. In the history of the game the space marine is so much an evolved human that ceases to be human anymore.

G.L: You are using positive words for something that is completely negative, someone told me that the space marine is more like a war machine, whats good on a human turned into a war machine?

I.R: they are evolved in regards to their biology, obviously they are not better as humans, mutants would be a far better title for their condition.

Our conversation continued about collecting the miniatures and their cost, someone mentioned to Miss Lemou that he would have got a very good car if he had not bought all the miniatures he has, that led me to ask her how she sees spending all this money for miniatures:

G.L: I am not troubled by this, it is a different choice to them - instead of meeting up every weekend and go for "bouzoukia" they meet and get to play their favorite game, its far more healthy and humane to spend your money to a social game even if this game in some of its ethics has its "bad turns" (μπάζει) than to go and spend your money to night clubs.

Our chat led to talks about my choice of an army, i told her i got Blood Angels and when she asked me why i chose them i told her that because they are red, interestingly enough she told me that i could have bought any army and paint it red - as i told her another reason was that the first thing i ever bought about warhammer was the second edition main box and that came with a lot of Blood Angels.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Obviously the journalist had (at the time?) a positive look towards the game as a board game and a completely negative attitude towards the fluff of the game - how the story is actually formed to justify all the wars that happen in this fictional universe and how it is perceived by the gamers (at least how she sees it).

The warhammer story (or fluff) is geared in such a way so that everyone can fight over anyone so that all the players can play against all the players without saying that in their "fluff" their armies wouldn't play (fight) against each other because they are allies, this is - i believe - the main reason behind the motto: in the grim darkness of the far future there is only war - and whatever goes with it.

There is so much "Hate" and "Anger" in this game for a reason, and that is not to make players hate more anyone or be more angry. It is shown is such a way and in so much density that a intelligent reader will not agree with it, I don't think that anyone who is at least a bit reasonable can agree with the ideas presented in the warhammer fluff.


Warhammer players know a little bit more about racism, xenophobia, war, anger and how bad a human can be because of those articles - the fluff - if they are intelligent enough they will filter it, learn from it, they will not copy it and wont agree with it, actually in most cases the exaggerated fluff has been used mostly for humor between the players - because it is so much exaggerated - as i also told her in our interview - so that it looks more like a dark comedy.


The best thing that people from the press should do is to make a more thoughtful search into the community, see what the majority of the players really are, the good things about the hobby and the good things that it gives back at them.

Sincerely yours
For the Invulnerable


Panayiotis.