Gencon 2022 - new Normal?

So the "Best Four Days in Gaming" returned to it's normal August timeframe in Indianapolis this year (sorry that it has taken me three weeks to get off my lazy butt and write it up).  Still not quite up to where it was in the "before times" though.  Vax and mask requirements (which honestly feel to me like the old "Duck and Cover" drills of the 1960s - more security theatre than real protection.  I really miss seeing peoples faces when talking to them.

It was a decent drive over to Indy Wednesday morning, and I got in to the convention center just after lunch.  Luckily the line for vax check was very small at that time - took me less than 10 minutes.  I saw it later that evening when it was moving fast but still taking over an hour (or even two).  So it definitely pays to be early.

I find it a little frustrating that GMs have to wait until after 3 pm on Wednesday to pick up their badges / packets - when people who aren't doing any work at all for the convention can walk up and get them anytime (or even have them mailed to them ahead of time).  We finally got out arm bands that allow us into the gaming hall early to set up, and then the long haul (4 loads in my little cart) back and forth from the parking garage, then setting up the mats for Kings of War, Armada and Vanguard.

I had six tables for vanguard (with the frames around them), 6 for Kings of War, and 3 for Armada).  Plus I had to pull all the tin sheets from the cases and put all the minis on their movement trays for Kings of War (and FINALLY took the time to mark the leaderpoint on ALL the units, since I was handling every one anyway (I had picked up some white paint pens and keep finding more  uses for them!)

In addition to my games, Blake was running his big game up front, and there were also people running FireFight, Hellboy and Star Saga in the Mantic area.

I had 3 sessions of Kings of War, 4 sessions of Armada and 3 sessions of Vanguard, for a total of 49 games and 82 participants (including the How You Use It! tournament).  Unfortunately I also failed (again) to get many pictures of the events.

Learn to Play: Vanguard

Learn to Play: Kings of War

Friday night was the return of the "How You Use It!" Kings of War tournament, where the players change tables, but the armies do not.  I did get a few pictures of this though.  At one point we had 10 players signed up, but with several last minute withdrawals, including one that could only play for the first round.

Quick, let me see your faces before the Mask police arrive.  Jeff Franz, Blake Shrode, X, X, David Collins, Dan White, X

Scott Johnson v Blake Shrode, Round 2

Alan Wigness v Jonathan Neessen, Round 2

Dan White v Jeff Franz, Round 2

Jonathan Neessen v Dan White, Round 3

Mantic provided the prize support, and the Ohio War Kings provided the trophies!

3rd Place - Scott Johnson

2nd Place - Jonathon Neessen

1st Place - Jeff Franz

Gencon How You Use It 2022

Final

Place	Name	Armies	Opponents	Total	Awards
1	Jeff Franz	Basileans, Nightstalkers, Forces of Nature	Jonathon Neessen, Dan White, Blake Shrode	55	1st
2	Jonathon Neessen	Abyssal Dwarfs, Empire of Dust, Undead	Jeff Franz, Alan Wigness, Dan White	42	2nd
3	Scott Johnson	Ratkin, Elves, Halflings	David Collins, Blake Shrode, Alan Wigness	36	3rd
4	Blake Shrode	Orcs, Forces of The Abyss, Goblins	Alan Wigness, Scott Johnson, Jeff Franz	33
5	Dan White	Ogres, Northern Alliance, Order of the Green Lady	Mike Carter (Ringer), Jeff Franz, Jonathon Neessen	32
6	Alan Wigness	Salamanders, Trident Realm, Riftforged Orcs	Blake Shrode, Jonathon Neessen, Scott Johnson	24
7	David Collins (W)	Dwarfs	Scott Johnson	15
8	Mike Carter (Ringer) (W)	Kingdoms of Men	Dan White	5

Overall it was a great show, as always.  Since I am pretty much by myself running my games anymore, I am thinking about cutting back to only 8 seats per Learn To Play event (that is what I had at Origins, and it is significantly easier than 12).  So am already looking at next year.

Because it is all fun and games . . .