5 TIPS TO PREPARE FOR A BIG TOURNAMENT

It’s big tournament season again and that means weekend-long 40k events! Obviously, this is amazing, a bunch of 40k games, hanging out with friends meeting new people, and the potential to win incredible prizes! Depending on where you go it also means traveling, figuring out where to eat, or what to expect from the event. As an experienced (international) tournamentgoer I’ve compiled a list of tips to ease your first (overseas) tournament experience. I will also use the upcoming LGT as a prime example as I’ll be heading out there next weekend with my brethren from Wardice! So without further ado, let’s get into it!

750 players all gaming together..

1: READ THE RULESPACKS

Yes, this is still the most important rule as any good Rulespack will offer you the most information you need. The most important you are looking for are:

THE LOCATION
Pretty obvious but you wouldn’t be the first to end at the wrong location. This will also help you plan the rest of your weekend, including your traveling itinerary.

-EVENT TIMES
-What time does the event start and when does it end. Check the starting time on both days as these could differ from each other.

FOOD/DRINKS
Will there be food/drinks available at the lunch? This is actually very important but we’ll touch on this more later on.

MISSION & TERRAIN
What missions and terrain will be used. This bit, combined with the possible model restrictions is what you will use to decide which army and list you will bring to the event. 

DEADLINES
What are the dates for rules cutoff and list submission: You don’t want to get a penalty because you missed a deadline. Nothing feels worse than starting a tournament with a penalty in the pocket.

TLDR: Read the rulespack! We know it’s usually a very long and wordy document but it will make your weekend a more enjoyable experience!

Alliance open bringing the heat with a stellar venue!

2: LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION 

The first thing I do when looking at an event is grab Google Maps to see where the venue is and what the area looks like. Not all events are hosted at a hotel which means you’d like to have a hotel or Airbnb within walking distance of the venue. Having a supermarket nearby means you can grab cheap drinks or some breakfast before heading out to the tournament. Although the LGT is promoted to be in London it is actually not. Hotels are hard to find at walking distance and there aren’t really a lot of bars or restaurants within walking distance. Luckily there will be a lot of foodtrucks at the venue and there is 1 small coffee bar around the corner. For those of you going to LGT this year, I’d highly recommend that you plan where to eat afterward. Make a reservation for you and your friends and share an Uber. The other option is to ask local folk if you can join in on their plans;) There will usually be several parties heading out to a restaurant on Saturday and Sunday evening so try to see if you can join one of those groups. Not only will you get to experience the town through the eyes of a local, but you can extend your 40K experience. 

3: EATING AND DRINKING

The human body needs at least 2 liters of water per day, more if you’re active during the day. Playing 40K for 10 or so hours, staying awake, and actively walking around does take a toll on your body and mind so take good care of yourself! You can absolutely start drinking at 10:00 in the morning (totally normal in the UK) but don’t be surprised if you’re exhausted at 15:00 and you’re playing like a trainwreck. I always bring a one-litre water bottle with me and plan to refill at least twice throughout the day. Beer(s) will be kept at an absolute minimum on Saturday so i can go to bed early to guarantee my mental fitness on Sunday. 

Having control over your food intake can be a bit trickier as you’re dependent on the options but try not to overeat to prevent that after-dinner tip. Remember when I said, “Look up the supermarket on google maps”? Well, do it! That tip can save you during the weekend. Having fresh fruit like bananas, apples or a bag of assorted nuts are nice energy boosters that will keep you sharp and well-fed during exciting games. Avoid sugar as much as possible! While it gives you a nice kick for an hour or so you will eventually have a sugar crash, making you less focussed and sharp during the game.

The LGT venue map

4. COMFORT IS KEY

A regular tournament day is about 12 hours long and most of it is spent standing. So wear comfortable shoes! If you’re going abroad I’d highly advise you to bring 2 pair of shoes as this makes it a bit more comfortable on your feet as well. Having a yoga mat with you is a great idea as well! When standing in a hall with 50+ nerds it can be quite warm so try to keep your clothes light and easy, make your stay comfortable and easy! At the LGT you will be in a sportshall with more than 500 games going on! It will be loud and you will have trouble hearing your opponent. Prepare yourself for this as it can be quite a sensory shock. Whenever your game is done, head on out to the training field and give yourself a minute of rest, hopefully, the sun will be out so you can refill on some vitamin D. 

5: Measure twice, kill once!

When going to a big (international) tournament it’s very easy to misunderstand each other. To prevent this you play by intent and keep actively communicating with your opponent. Premeasuring before moving or shooting and asking your opponent to confirm these measurements can prevent any miscommunication and make the game much more enjoyable for both of you! You can take the pre-measuring a bit further if the rules pack contains any terrain maps. If so, you could do some preparations for your game and check the distances you need to cross to get to an objective, or the distance you need to cross to create certain firing angles. This will help you enormously with the deployment of your army and it might give you the edge to win your game! 

And that’s it folks, 5 tips to make your weekendstay at a 40k tournament a bit more comfortable! If you have any good tips yourself please share them with the community so we can make everyone’s 40k weekend as great as it can be! If you have any questions or feedback for us please reach out to us and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.