Wednesday 7 November 2012

In for a penny, in for a pound - Cancon 2013

Last week as I reminisced over my appalling luck at my first tournament, I turned my attention to the tournament calendar in an effort to give myself a new challenge and a shot at redemption. The problem is, there simply aren't that many Malifaux tournaments in the WA calendar. There's too many other games vying for control and our poor henchmen is swamped at the best of times.

I've been considering running an event myself, but at the moment work is crazy, and I really don't feel I have the time to dedicate to the task.

I turned my attention to the national scene to see if there was anything big coming up. I knew the GT was in August but was there a chance to get at least one more tournament in before that grand outing?

It was as I spied the tournament pages that Cancon leapt out as a contender. Based in our nations capital, some 3700 kilometres from where I live (Perth is the most isolated city in the world), Cancon was offering 2 unbridled days of gaming goodness. Day 1 offers a 4 round 30ss fixed faction tournament and day 2 is offering a brawl and two 35ss games. My heart lifted and I started to daydream about the crowds going wild with applause as I took the top podium spot, spraying myself and the crowd with over priced champagne and being handed a tournament cup the size of a hippo. (A mans gotta have dreams, but my slightly more achievable dream is not to come last)








I was snapped back to reality by the sinking feeling I'd forgotten something very important. As my addled brain came up to speed I realised there were several something's and they all clawed at my podium finish fantasy like a freshly raised zombie at his masters leg.

First was the issue of the distance, national flights vary wildly in price, was it going to be affordable? As I googled flights, my brain finally latched onto the other big something's, the facts that would undoubtedly mean my fantasy would have to remain exactly that. Firstly, the tournament was taking place on Australia Day and secondly it'd be a cold day in hell before I'd get a weekend of gaming goodness, on a public holiday, at the other end of the country, past my misses.

Never let it be said that adversity can't be overcome, all you need to do is sweeten the deal. I looked up Canberra and quickly found info on the national museum, zoo and library. Armed with a multitude of options I then popped the million dollar question... "Honey, how would you like to spend Australia Day watching the fireworks and lapping up the culture in Canberra?

"What's the catch" was the guarded response. Oh how she knows me...

"Well you know how boring I find culture., I thought you could go out and visit the museums, perhaps do a tour, maybe go to the zoo and I'd be at a tournament..." That last bit was said very quietly.

If pregnant pauses could be measured then what followed could easily have had octuplets before breakfast and been up the duff again by elevenses.

"As long as you're free in the evening to take me to dinner and watch the fireworks."

Wait - had hell opened an ice rink? Had Satan opened a winter lodge and was he currently manning the free eggnog stand?

Hell had indeed frozen over.

And as I pen this missive, hopefully I made you laugh along the way, but maybe I helped you appreciate your local gaming scene a little more as well. The next time you think a twenty minute drive to your local club or a mates house is too far, then maybe you'll spare a thought for how far some of us have to go for a game. At the very least it should give you some ideas on how to sweeten the deal with your other halves.

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