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7eat51
05-25-2013, 22:41
Hey Folks,

I am hoping to run SoG events at two conventions this fall - Rock-Con in Rockford, IL, and Flat-Con in Bloomington, IL. I would like to run smaller engagements for several reasons. One, this will be my first time running events. Two, I will be relatively new to SoG this fall, as will all of us. Three, I like smaller engagements in terms of tactics, etc.

For those of you who have led, or played in, AoS games at conventions, how small can an engagement be, and still make for a worthwhile event? Any other advice you can offer is appreciated. At present, I pledged at the Commodore level, and purchased the Constitution and Victory add-ons, and a couple of additional mats. So I will have two of every ship released this summer.

Thanks.

From a different thread, David Manley shared the following advice concerning running a WGF event, and events in general:

Firstly, keep it simple. Just use basic rules, and a fun, simple scenario that everyone can get involved in. If its an escort based scenario, have the umpires drive the bomber/2 seater and let the players have fun with the fighters.

Just use the basic rules, don't try to extend to the advanced rules; your players will probably never have used the rules before if you are reaching out to newbies so don't risk confusing them.

Have your scenario(s) prepared in advance, and only take the models and other items that you need (other material in a display is fine, but if you only have the models you need for the game it makes setting up much quicker and easier.

Make sure you have someone with a good voice acting as "mater of ceremonies", calling in players and running the game. I'm actually not that good at doing that, so I try to make sure I have people along who are. It really does help.

But above all, have fun!

And Chris (Sea Gull) shared this:

I think David's advice is spot on. Not everyone is suited to getting punters into the game or explaining things to them. Having helpers is always a good idea.

If you have the luxury of a couple of spare bodies during the game, use these to offer advise to those players new to the game. While the game is in progress, don't forget about catching hold of those punters standing and watching the action. Have someone engage them, maybe pull them into the next game.

I've found that running the game is only part of the show. Explaining things to the public while the game is in progress may not have immediate results as far as the game is concerned. But that person could just turn into a new member of your gaming group.

Enjoy it and don't forget to drink something between games.

Whitejamest
05-26-2013, 19:51
Eric,

I can't offer any thoughts on convention games, as I've never been to one. But I've been introducing a few handfulls of people in local gaming groups to age of sail gaming, and the biggest thing that has helped me is not just giving people their ships and telling them to start on opposite sides of the board, but rather to set up a scenario that is in a more advanced state. That way players don't spend the first few turns just charging at each other from across the board, but find themselves already thrust in to the middle of a scenario.

That's probably a really obvious thought to most people, but it took me a few games to figure it out!

Incidentally, is there a section of the forum where people post scenario ideas? Opposing lines of battle just trying to destroy each other can be a lot of fun, but it's nice to be able to mix it up a little with some more irregular actions too.

- James

Andy Blozinski
05-27-2013, 21:53
I wrote a paragraph and a half of stuff, then my computer crashed. Here's the short version.
Set it up for (6) people. Make sure you can work it with less. Make sure you have extra wind markers and LOTS of extra range rulers. Hardly anyone has the sense to bring a pen to a convention.