Monday, June 20, 2011

SpoCon: 1750 points. Just right?

So I am back after a long hiatus.  Shouldn't have any more long breaks between posts, at least until after SpoCon.

So is SpoCon really 1750 points?  Yes it is.  I get asked this a lot and have read or heard comments along these lines:  "1750?  What an odd point level."  I kind of agree, in that its a point level we don't see around here.  Usually tournaments or pick-up games run 1500 or 2000; the later being the most standard point level here and seemingly everywhere in the US.  However 1750 really isn't all that odd.  Here's a couple of fun facts:


  • The last official Games Workshop GTs in the US were 1750 point affairs.  For a time a number of events were running at that point level, just not locally.  Except for...
  • The first SpoCon 40k tournament was 1750 points.  I was asked to run it like the GTs that year and they were 1750.  For whatever reason the points were increased to 2000 for the following two years. 
  • Much of the world runs 1750 as standard.  I know Canadians seem to play 1750 quite a bit, as does much of Europe and the UK.  ETC is another example of a long running 1750 point event.
  • The Throne of Skulls will be 1750 for the next while, including here in the US presumably.
So as odd as a 1750 point tournament seems to be at the moment, it may become much more common in the next year or so.  Although to be honest most of the above really factored into the decision.  Perhaps I felt a bit of nostalgia for 1750, but really I had planned on 2000 points early on.  However it become evident that wasn't going to work. 

From the outset I wanted to run four games on the first day.  That way we avoid having to use battle points to crown a winner amongst several undefeated players, like we would running a 3 game event.  That also means the bulk of the event could take place on that first day, leaving the option open to people to attend a Sunday 'Ard Boyz qualifier.  The problem then was available time and space.  The room has to be cleared out by 7PM, leaving very little time for 4 games -- 2.25 hour rounds to be exact.  I don't know about anyone else, but I rarely get a 2000 point game done in 2.25 hours.  They might roll like that down in Austin, but to me that just isn't enough time.

So 2000 was out.  What about 1850?  Probably doable for vets, but there's been at least 1 relatively new player at every SpoCon.  For them, 150 point difference isn't going to alleviate the issue much.

Then why not 1500?  You know, I considered it for quite some time.  I actually enjoy 1500 point games and it does have some popularity here.  However there's a number of folks that simply do not like 1500, and I think some codexes just don't function well at 1500 in 5ed.

So to me the obvious compromise was 1750.  Not quite as restrictive as 1500.  Not quite as time consuming as 1850-2000.  Just right?  I sure hope so!

4 comments:

  1. At first I found it odd, which you already know, but after playing a few practice games I think it works well with the time given. Enough points to build a fun list without alot of 'fat' on it.

    So at 7pm we get punted out of the game hall? That will be interesting!

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  2. You make me sad. If it was any other weekend, I'd be there in a hummingbird's heartbeat. Unfortunately, I'll be off trying to recapture the 40k OFCC bucket for the DMB that weekend. :-)

    1750 is a fine point level, its 1850 that is the weird one. Good luck on getting everyone's game wrapped up and the hall cleared out by 7pm, though! Sounds stressful.

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  3. Hopefully 3rd time is the charm... Blogger is such a pain sometimes.

    So I should clarify, we don't have to clear out by 7PM, just that the cleanup has to start then. But that does mean dice down at 7 and the award ceremony will take place at another location, either Spencer's or at one of the party rooms at about 8 (time for folks to move their armies and gear to a room or car and for me to calculate the winners). Its not ideal and will probably be a bit of a cluster but it is it what it is. If the event was any larger I don't t hink it would work but as is I feel (and hope!) its doable.

    Mags/Mars, total bummer that you guys can't make it. But do us east siders proud and bring the bucket back this way!

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