The Spiky Club Open '09 10th/11th October 2009

Ironjaw · Post by **Ironjaw** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:15 pm

Grumbledook wrote: I just felt that others reading this should get an actual idea from someone who went.

That's fair enough Jon. I can only go on my past experiences and what others have told me.

Imagine the Blood Bowl GT doesn't exist. How does Spiky compare to other tournaments in the UK? I don't think it's in the same league as Thrudball which is what? £18, great certificates and trophies, the auction and crazy Frank...

It is a matter of opinion, and like Jimmy, I go to many tournaments in the UK and this is (IMO) the worst I've been to...

firebreather · Post by **firebreather** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:19 pm

I had 5 enjoyable games, and played Geggster in the 6th,

who tried to use a coke can as a Dice shaker

Darkson · Post by **Darkson** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:23 pm

Grumbledook wrote:how had they changed the skills from what was written in the rules?

I checked the rules pack last wednesday and it said in the pdf you get get skill before each game and that is what it was, was it not?

Really? The pdf I got sent said it was a skill after each game:

Spiky Open 2009 Rulespack p.2 wrote:Your teams will not progress at normal
levels. At the end of each game, each team
coach must allocate a player on his side as
the M.V.P.

Not bothered by the change itself - 5 o 6 skills makes no odds, but if they've changed the rules (and if there's 2 different pdfs about, they obviously have done) it would have been nice to have been informed.

(If you can check, my pdf is 321kb, and was modified 6th June 2009, though that might be the date I received it via email.)

Grumbledook · Post by **Grumbledook** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:33 pm

I didn't go last year and it sounds like many thought it was terrible. This year I felt it was on par to the poobowl and thrudbowl if you ignore the hitches in the draw (which wasn't a big deal from my perspective and easily fixed).

So I don't get what all the moaning is about ;]

Poo you get some dice (which is of no interest to me) but you have to buy your own lunch (not a problem) and cost the same.

Thrudbowl also just had paper certs, though did have some trophies as well. Evening meal was left to sort out for ourselves though it appears most ppl didn't have one and just went along to the crazy eating and waxing frank had set up. The french guys and myself just went off to get a chinese much like some of us went to nandos in reading.

So really getting back the old spikey custom trophies (which are nicer than winning a golden poo) and switching to Score should really get rid of the complaints, neither of which bother me personally. Certainly not to an extent to make me not go to a tournament.

I expect next year will have a larger turnout and the criticism taken on board.

One thing I would have liked (though Dave said next year hot meals will maybe be back) would have been to order something specific from subway rather than the pot luck selection that was there (but I'm a fussy eater didn't seem to bother indigo 5 bellies).

Darkson · Post by **Darkson** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:51 pm

Oh, and in allthe general bitching and moaning, I forgot to say I enjoyed myself, even though I've come to the conclusion that dwarfs bore the crap out of me.

Deathroller is over-powered (Stu, I'm looking at you!)

Amazons don't get hurt enough (10KOs, no Cas - arrgghhh!)

Mad Frank is, well, mad!

And Dwarf armour sucks - Lycos managed 11(!) Cas on BigBelcher's Dwarf team in game 1, and only missed the 12th by not being any good at fouling!

Stu · Post by **Stu** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 2:57 pm

Hey, I wasn't the only one with a Deathroller

. Jim had one too (and he was in the final as well. Hmmm)

It may be hardly worth mentioning, but I would have liked a bigger cardboard cup for my tea rather than those little plastic ones.

ace2k00 · Post by **ace2k00** » Wed Oct 14, 2009 7:44 pm

i appreciate your feedback guys. I Will pass it on to the committee.

Podfrey · Post by **Podfrey** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 10:31 pm

I've not been to Spiky for a couple of years now because:

a) the social scene outside of the event is rubbish. At every other event (including GW's

) the organisers go out of their way to mix with the people who make the long trek to support the event and do something nice. At Spiky this doesn't happen.

b) the food is poor/non existent. If I pay for food, I'd like it to be at least nice. Or don't charge me and I'll sort myself out. I don't want to be charged, be offered something sub-standard, then have to fork out again.

c) the price is fairly expensive and you don't get anything in return. I understand from speaking to people around the organisers that the hall is relatively inexpensive to hire, and that the profits are ploughed back into the club. That's fine, but having such a high price is quite galling. Some tournaments still make a profit for their own club, but usually at least give something away to sweeten the deal.

I've not been for two years now, but would gladly return if the above three points were addressed. Otherwise I'll continue to support those events that support and give something back to the community.

Deathwing · Post by **Deathwing** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 1:35 am

Odd that the post Spiky threads for the last couple of years are pretty complimentary... great weekend...thanks to the organisers..etc etc.
I was otherwise engaged this year, and missed the one immediately prior to the NAF World Cup, but apart from that I've been to them all.
The hot food was a bit of a loss, not so much on the Sat but the Sun lunch used to be excellent and perfect for sorting the hangover.
Can't speak for the nightlife, always commuted with being so close and always had guests at mine, it was a veritable French colony here for a few years! But there are a lot of attendees relatively close, most people can head home and a lot of those who come from further afield stay with them, so it tends to be more fragmented than some tournies, you end up with groups of 5 or 6 going back to various houses rather than a mob-handed curry and pub night.
I miss the bar being open in the same room too, not a biggie but it was both more inclusive in that you were never far from the action and didn't have to wander in-and-out, and yet more exclusive in that it was just us if you get my drift.

A lot of good times there, hope to be back next year.

alun · Post by **alun** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 7:03 am

Darkson wrote: Amazons don't get hurt enough (10KOs, no Cas - arrgghhh!)

Oh no, did my ladies not die, the shame!!

It was quite funny seeing all the 11s and 12s for the armour roll and no casualtys!!

I must say, this was my first Blood Bowl tournament and I'm already looking forward to it next year. Being a tournament organiser myself (multiple systems) I know and realise there will be blips with scoring etc. But, if there is a good scoring programme out there I'd urge you to use it.

What is the score programme, and where can I get it. Hopefully over the coming year the Viet-Taff Cardiff club will be starting to host Blood Bowl tournaments now we have a better venue. Obviously will post up somwhere else for hints and tips as it were.

Thankyou Spiky club for an enjoyable weekend.

Darkson · Post by **Darkson** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 8:37 pm

alun wrote:What is the score programme, and where can I get it.

Score: http://www.jorisdormans.nl/article.php?ref=score

Having used it at the 3 ARBBLs, I have seen no reason to use anything else.

Venomous Breath · Post by **Venomous Breath** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 9:35 pm

Always used it for the ACC too. Hence why I never have to do anything all weekend

Deathwing · Post by **Deathwing** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 11:12 pm

Venomous Breath wrote:Always used it for the ACC too. Hence why I never have to do anything all weekend

I seem to remember a pencil and paper year, good job we were thin on the ground!

rodders · Post by **rodders** » Thu Oct 22, 2009 9:13 am

i've used it for the budget bowl 3 carrot crunch's and 2 tritex's its simple does the job and above all else works extremely well

if the scoring codes put in right you just have to enter results it does the rest

Skaffen · Post by **Skaffen** » Wed Nov 04, 2009 8:39 pm

Hi guys, I am new to TBB and this is my first post!

I attended this year having missed last year due to the honeymoon! I had been to 3 or 4 previous tournaments and although I would agree that it wasn't quite as slick and that the loss of the spiky clubs (Trophies) was a dissapointment that it was by no means as bad as some people seem to be saying. I did enjoy the games and I certainly didn't win them all! The people were all very friendly as you would expect and we did get our NAF membership renewed in the price of the ticket and if you were already a member then I believe you got a reduction. OK subway is not everyones cup of tea (i'm a bit fussy myself) but I was full on both days and got my cookie too! The bar was good and if you hadn't noticed was also subsidised, you certainly weren't paying pub prices! It wouldn't take much to get together on here before the tournament and organise a night out that could also be publicised on the spiky web site. I really can't comment on how the proceeds are spent but i didn't feel ripped off for my two day event.
Dave has been very restrained and welcomed your comments, he may not have been organising the last two but he is still a spiky member and it was his baby previously. I am glad to see that he will be more involved next year but it does go to show just how much he was doing and is a tribute to his organising skills!

Hope I haven't ruffled too many feathers! It is just my opinion, I am hoping to do some more tournaments next year and then I will be more informed and able to compare better.