53 minutes ago, AdmiralYor said:

Kits are 25 now? So that means your store is pulling in 11-13 people every two weeks for Armada, impressive.

So if you run that for the entire calendar year of 2018 that gives you approx $1000

If everyone bought a Chimera and Profundity at full retail thats $90 per player (may be more in Canadian money), so if you have 15 players that's $1350

1000+1350 = 2350 /15 =156 per player

If you subtract out the cost of the product, odds are, you are pretty close to 100, probably less if you give a preorder discount or something.Sure, that's higher than just buying product, but getting 11-13 players every two weeks is very optimistic.

Also, this comes at a cost of 6 of the largest tables in any game store for about 8 hours of a Saturday.

Kits are 20. CAD.

Combined with leftovers from previous kits, a kit does a full month or more.

Sundays.

Fleet Patrols.

Only 5 hours after midday.

That’s my secret.

13 minutes ago, Drasnighta said:

Kits are 20. CAD.

Combined with leftovers from previous kits, a kit does a full month or more.

Sundays.

Fleet Patrols.

Only 5 hours after midday.

That’s my secret.

So the only way to win is to not play the game? I mean, I know people on this forum hate arguing with you, but I can't be the only one who this that logic is kinda weird.

I agree, the map is a bit thin.

Maybe it's a limitation of FFGOP in making kits? Maybe also on purpose due to the byes at Nationals?

16 minutes ago, AdmiralYor said:

So the only way to win is to not play the game? I mean, I know people on this forum hate arguing with you, but I can't be the only one who this that logic is kinda weird.

No, just trying to point out that if you are a little.... creative... you can foster a good relationship with your store and have it turn a healthy profit, thus enabling you to reap the rewards - even when there are no new releases for a year.

i understand it doesn’t work everywhere - but it’s... important to try beyond any doubt.

The logic that a store wouldn’t help or apply for a Regionals because their players don’t spend money IS solid... But, the question is: Why are you not finding a way to support that’s mutually Beneficial in the meantime?

11 minutes ago, Drasnighta said:

No, just trying to point out that if you are a little.... creative... you can foster a good relationship with your store and have it turn a healthy profit, thus enabling you to reap the rewards - even when there are no new releases for a year.

i understand it doesn’t work everywhere - but it’s... important to try beyond any doubt.

The logic that a store wouldn’t help or apply for a Regionals because their players don’t spend money IS solid... But, the question is: Why are you not finding a way to support that’s mutually Beneficial in the meantime?

Yup, we get a new kit every month. $5 entry and the store breaks even with 4 people. We're usually getting 8-10, so... Profit for them!

23 hours ago, geek19 said:

Yup, we get a new kit every month. $5 entry and the store breaks even with 4 people. We're usually getting 8-10, so... Profit for them!

I think the real question is if anyone is buying product during these tournaments? A profit of $20-30 is not a good reason for a game store to give up their whole game room for a day.

2 minutes ago, JauntyChapeau said:

I think the real question is if anyone is buying product during these tournaments? A profit of $20-30 is not a good reason for a game store to give up their whole game room for a day.

Often times, before or after, based on performance and strategy rebuilds... but it’s also why I found a day it was under utilized ?

1 minute ago, Drasnighta said:

Often times, before or after, based on performance and strategy rebuilds... but it’s also why I found a day it was under utilized ?

That's good! I guess I'm looking from my perspective as a guy who already owns at LEAST two of every product available.

6 minutes ago, JauntyChapeau said:

That's good! I guess I'm looking from my perspective as a guy who already owns at LEAST two of every product available.

Sorry, I forgot to add a few bits (and was incorrect in a few others). Namely the store uses these as month-long leagues. So entry fee is $10, not $5 (how I got that number before....?) paid once a month on our normal play nights. And the store makes profit from us buying other product. Looking at you last night, Keyforge...

can't be a definitive list, as none are listed in Europe outside UK, and there are some....

9 minutes ago, gounour said:

can't be a definitive list, as none are listed in Europe outside UK, and there are some....

That's the purview of distributors, not FFG, and is never listed on the FFG site.

1 hour ago, Green Knight said:

That's the purview of distributors, not FFG, and is never listed on the FFG site.

I think the point is that why isn't it their purview? The current method could scarcely be less well-organized.

1) Hire a community organizer.

2) That organizer contacts all distributors that have run events in the past, or some that may be interested in running them in the future.

3) The organizer works with stores to schedule dates, and ensure that the appropriate prize packages are sent to them.

3) Next, they post the information on when/where in three places: Somewhere in the forums or on the main Armada page, on Twitter and in each region's appropriate Facebook page.

4) Profit

Instead of this, we have the current system where no one knows anything and we have to scratch and hunt for any hint of events being held. This is how you schedule tournament seasons when you couldn't possibly care less what the attendance or visibility is. Absolutely insane. I'm so tired of it being assumed that the players are going to do all of the heavy lifting to make FFG's game succeed.

8 minutes ago, JauntyChapeau said:

I think the point is that why isn't it their purview? The current method could scarcely be less well-organized.

1) Hire a community organizer.

2) That organizer contacts all distributors that have run events in the past, or some that may be interested in running them in the future.

3) The organizer works with stores to schedule dates, and ensure that the appropriate prize packages are sent to them.

3) Next, they post the information on when/where in three places: Somewhere in the forums or on the main Armada page, on Twitter and in each region's appropriate Facebook page.

4) Profit

Instead of this, we have the current system where no one knows anything and we have to scratch and hunt for any hint of events being held. This is how you schedule tournament seasons when you couldn't possibly care less what the attendance or visibility is. Absolutely insane. I'm so tired of it being assumed that the players are going to do all of the heavy lifting to make FFG's game succeed.

That’s because basically, OP is like, 2 people, and getting a third to be a community contact increases their budget by 50%, which would never be approved.

8 minutes ago, Drasnighta said:

That’s because basically, OP is like, 2 people, and getting a third to be a community contact increases their budget by 50%, which would never be approved.

I believe FFGOP is four people.

Having four people responsible for all of the organized play across nearly a dozen game lines is cheap and unrealistic. Which is why prizes are often so head-scratchingly odd choices, kits are late to arrive to venues (this was a huge problem in 2016 and 2017), tourney regulations are often slow to go up, there are no official FFG Floor Rules, official tournament software was often terrible (especially in the early years), and at the big venues where FFG Hosts and at their own game center there are no projectors, no clocks, no anything that would help display and make visible pairings, standings, time-remaining, etc.

At the bigger events, the vast majority of folks helping TO or staff the events are often "Flight Crew" and other non-paid or under-paid volunteers who are giving their time to FFG. It's amazing that despite having several of the best-selling game lines on the market and having a host of free (or nearly free) labor from the many people who are Flight Crew, Judges, Play Testers, etc. that they can't find room in the budget to actually staff and support Organized Play a bit better.

Either way, is a little over 20 Regionals in the US the typical amount? Or is this list much shorter than usual? It feels shorter, and a couple states that have had Regionals in the past do not appear to have any listed yet this year.

2 hours ago, JauntyChapeau said:

I think the point is that why isn't it their purview? The current method could scarcely be less well-organized.

1) Hire a community organizer.

2) That organizer contacts all distributors that have run events in the past, or some that may be interested in running them in the future.

3) The organizer works with stores to schedule dates, and ensure that the appropriate prize packages are sent to them.

3) Next, they post the information on when/where in three places: Somewhere in the forums or on the main Armada page, on Twitter and in each region's appropriate Facebook page.

4) Profit

Instead of this, we have the current system where no one knows anything and we have to scratch and hunt for any hint of events being held. This is how you schedule tournament seasons when you couldn't possibly care less what the attendance or visibility is. Absolutely insane. I'm so tired of it being assumed that the players are going to do all of the heavy lifting to make FFG's game succeed.

Yes, this is much better.

But it's not how FFG works.

Shrug.

On 11/16/2018 at 12:58 PM, AllWingsStandyingBy said:

Either way, is a little over 20 Regionals in the US the typical amount? Or is this list much shorter than usual? It feels shorter, and a couple states that have had Regionals in the past do not appear to have any listed yet this year.

I think it's the same as last year, i believe both had 24, but that is down from the 2016/2017 regionals

On 11/16/2018 at 1:29 PM, JauntyChapeau said:

Instead of this, we have the current system where no one knows anything and we have to scratch and hunt for any hint of events being held. This is how you schedule tournament seasons when you couldn't possibly care less what the attendance or visibility is. Absolutely insane. I'm so tired of it being assumed that the players are going to do all of the heavy lifting to make FFG's game succeed.

I agree with all of that, unfortunately it isn't how FFG wants to do it. I know around me the tournament scene had been crap until recently. Stores wouldn't even have TO's and most only did Store Championships and you were lucky if there was more than 4 folks there. Regionals in 2018 had 11 people but it was the only show in town. Recently I have taken up the reigns at a store that is open to TO's in New Hampshire (it is amazing how many stores don't want TO's running things). This past year we had 10 for the Store Championship, another store that had a TO in Connecticut had 11. Just this past weekend we had a casual tournament with 12 and I will be TO'ing a Regional at the same store in NH in January and expect we could do much better then that.

To your point though, I work with the Store owner to pick dates (although Regionals we don't have a lot of say in that) about 3 months out. They get it on their calendar and I spread the word on social media. I repost once a month until we are 1 month out from the event then I make posts once a week. That keeps it on folks minds and has really helped attendance. FFG just doesn't want to do that work, they want the stores or the TO's doing it.

I have seen stores put up their Store Championships on their calendars 1 week before the event. Honestly those stores just don't care.

I have been working hard to get folks from Northern New England connected and keep the conversation flowing in FB Messenger. We don't all have the same FLGS but having those connections we criss cross to other folks stores for casual games and keep things flowing. I also monitor social media for folks in the general area looking for games and contact them. Many are new to the game, that is great, and we grow the game. There is at least one other store looking to have more Armada tournaments now as well.

Not everyone has the time or desire to do that though, it would be nice if FFG would pay someone to do it but I don't think thats happening any time soon.

On 11/15/2018 at 11:03 AM, AdmiralYor said:

So the only way to win is to not play the game? I mean, I know people on this forum hate arguing with you, but I can't be the only one who this that logic is kinda weird.

Ahem, excuse me. I agree with Dras ALL the time. Maybe less now than a couple months ago but new job/ declining interest in the game has cut into my forum time.

4 hours ago, dominosfleet said:

Ahem, excuse me. I agree with Dras ALL the time. Maybe less now than a couple months ago but new job/ declining interest in the game has cut into my forum time.

Not sure if you are trolling, or we need an autocorrect meme...

17 hours ago, AdmiralYor said:

Not sure if you are trolling, or we need an autocorrect meme...

autocorrect meme, should be "argue"

NORDIC Regionals update:

Copenhagen (Taastrup), Denmark: Saturday, 26th January

Uppsala (just north of Stockholm), Sweden: Saturday, 26th januar

Østersund, Sweden: Sunday, 10th February

Herning, Denmark: 16 or 17th Feb

No(r)way: None (no surprise really, don't think anyone bothered to apply)

1 hour ago, Green Knight said:

Uppsala (just north of Stockholm), Sweden: Saturday, 26th januar

Østersund, Sweden: Sunday, 10th February

Hm, I think Uppsala might be do-able for me.

Östersund, is a bit far of a drive, but if I get my host hooked at an upcoming little tournament in Karlskoga, and then Uppsala, who knows. Taking the train on my own seems like a bit of an ordeal.

1 hour ago, Mikael Hasselstein said:

Hm, I think Uppsala might be do-able for me.

Östersund, is a bit far of a drive, but if I get my host hooked at an upcoming little tournament in Karlskoga, and then Uppsala, who knows. Taking the train on my own seems like a bit of an ordeal.

Will most likely go to Østersund.

Uppsala is a bit too far to drive, so plane is the only option. Flights are not so expensive, but hotels are.

1 hour ago, Green Knight said:

Will most likely go to Østersund.

Uppsala is a bit too far to drive, so plane is the only option. Flights are not so expensive, but hotels are.

I'd offer you a place to stay, but I'm not exactly around the corner from Arlanda either.