Oldhammer - Bring Out Your Lead! (2013)

The Oldhammer community are pleased to officially announce Oldhammer - Bring Out Your Lead! (2013). Of course, you've heard about it already. But this is the official announcement, so now you can officially start panicking about how long it will take to grow a mullet.

We are also extremely pleased with and grateful to our hosts - Foundry Miniatures in Nottingham. The event is taking place over the weekend of the 31/08/2013 - 01/09/2013.

So, first things first: This is a gaming event. The entire idea and surely the primary purpose for attending is to play games.

BUT - it is NOT a tournament. Nothing can be won. Your victory over your opponent is purely moral and for retelling in a pub later. There are no ladders, no leagues, no recognition of your amazing army building talents and keen interpretation of the rules. THIS IS NOT A TOURNAMENT!

Which makes things a little harder to organise. In a traditional tournament, the organisers would set a points limit, army restrictions and painting guidelines in order to ensure that everyone has a fair chance. There is no need to worry about who matches who, as once the first game is completed, better players will be faced off against better players and the whole thing is supposedly fair.

Because it's NOT A TOURNAMENT, we can't do any of that.

This means we need your help. In order to understand the numbers attending, we have a booking form. BUT, because it's NOT A TOURNAMENT, the organisers will not allocate you an opponent on the day. Read this as the organisers do not guarantee you a game.

You, aspiring gamer, CAN ensure a game, however, by following up your booking with an entry on the BLOOD Forum Looking For Game thread. In this forum, you will be able to tell others what you're planning to bring, how many points/figures you plan to field and what sort of game you want to play.

You are still welcome to simply turn up at Foundry with your army and no booking, but if there is more demand than supply, preference will be given to those who are registered.

How much is this gonna cost me?

Entry to the event is free. Our generous hosts, Foundry Miniatures, are not charging us for the venue, and as it's NOT A TOURNAMENT, we're not offering any prizes.

Of course, you still have other costs to consider - if you're travelling a long way, you might need a place to stay overnight. You will need to get there. And, of course, you'll probably want to get an army ready. Start saving now!

Where and when is this all happening?

The even takes place over the weekend of the  31/08/2013 - 01/09/2013 at The Wargames Foundry:


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Saturday (31/08/2013) from 10:00 until 20:00.
Sunday (01/09/2013) from 10:00 until 17:00.

Foundry's Address:

Foundry Miniatures Ltd
24-34 St marks Street,
Nottingham NG3 1DE
United Kingdom.
+44 (0)115 8413000

Please feel free to call Foundry if you have any questions on how to get there or where to park, etc.

We do ask that you arrive on time, as you will need to factor in finding your game, meeting your opponent, unpacking and packing of figures and copious amounts of pointing at things and going "Wow! Is that (delete as appropriate) [your amazing paint job / that ultra rare figure I've never seen in real life before / really your sister*]?

*Okay, probably not that last one. 

Foundry? They're in Nottingham! That's miles away!

Yes, it is. As mentioned above - they have offered their facility free of charge. They have the space, the tables and the interest in the hobby and so stand head and shoulders above any other option we've considered to date.

To be clear, we have no official relationship with Foundry - they've offered because they have an interest in what we're trying to achieve and they've offered us the facility as a result.

Also, they have provided a list of suitable accommodation for travellers. These are just suggestions - neither the organisers nor Foundry benefit from these suggestions or are accountable for the quality of the establishment you select.

That's awful nice of them!

Yes, it is. So lets talk about Foundry. Perhaps you've heard of Bryan Ansell? No? Once upon a time, he ran Games Workshop. Take a look at your Warhammer 3rd Edition books - that's right, he co-authored some of them. Marcus (Bryan's son, following in the family footsteps) runs Wargames Foundry. They have a clear 'spiritual' connection to the Oldhammer movement.

We mention this because we ask that the Oldhammer community respect the facility and the effort that Foundry (and the Ansell family) have gone through to host this. When you're on site, please don't litter, or break things, or steal, or do anything that would bring the Oldhammer community into disrepute. We would dearly love to be invited back to the Foundry. Keep this in mind when you attend.

I remember reading about cream cakes somewhere. Will there be cream cakes?

No. 

But - the Ansell family also conduct business in catering. As a result of this remarkable good fortune, Foundry are able to offer hot food and are licensed to sell alcohol. Of course, you'll have to pay for this (expect typical pub rates), but you won't need to go out onto the mean streets of Nottingham in search of lunch. 

A note of warning: if you are unable to handle your alcohol, you will be ejected from the event immediately! The idea here is to fulfil every gamers fantasy of playing cool games whilst having a pint -  not to lose your temper and get involved in a fist fight. 

I've heard there's some sort of Realms of Chaos Open Table game. What the hell is that?

More details on the Realms of Chaos Open Table game can be found over at Realm of Chaos 80s.

And the Rogue Trader Open Table game?

More details on the Rogue Trader Open Table can be found over at Fighting Fantasist. 

Tell me about the participation events?

The participation events are showcase games, where the figures will be provided and players will be able to just 'jump' into a command and play. The form has options for the participation games simply so that we know how many people are interested. The actual 'bookings' for the various scenarios and commands will be arranged on the day. 

There is no intended participant for these games - its as much an opportunity for an experienced wargamer to participate in as it is for someone with casual interest to 'have a go'. That said, if there is a lot of demand for these games, we will apply a 'one player, one scenario' limit in order to allow everyone to have a go. 

We are offering two scenarios:

Bloodbath at Orc's Drift. If you're interested in Oldhammer and you haven't seen Thantsants' superlative efforts with this 2nd edition scenario, either you need to go there right now, or you need to pack up your desk, check in your oldhammer badge at reception, and leave. 

Forenrond's Last Stand. The scenario in the back of the Warhammer Fantasy Battles 3rd Edition rule book. If you haven't ever played this scenario with the photocopied cutouts in the back of the book, then you need to:

• Stop what you're doing, get the copies immediately and fill in this heinous gap in your upbringing, or...
• Register for this game, or...
• Pack up your desk, check in your oldhammer badge at reception, and leave. 

What's the Golden Gobbo?

Full details of the Golden Gobbo have yet to be worked out, but this is a painting contest. This is a minor exception to the fact that this is NOT A TOURNAMENT. Andy Craig has offered to be the judge, so you'd better get started. 

The theme of the contest is The Spirit of the 80's. Any figure, from any range, from any era is eligible. It could be your own sculpt, a scratch build from a power ranger, a monster, a vehicle, a lone goblin. No restrictions - just in keeping with The Spirit of the 80's.

I need more lead! Can I get some there?

Yes you can! There will be a bring and buy stand where you can trade OOP figures. We would recommend a realistic pricing strategy, however - don't use the Buy It Now prices on eBay as a guide, because they're mostly wrong (and too high!). We would recommend trades over cash buying, but both will be allowed. Note that the bring and buy has nothing to do with Foundry Miniatures.

We do ask, out of respect to Foundry, that you don't trade or sell anything that is currently in production and available.

Did you know that Foundry Miniatures still produce figures from Citadel moulds from the 80's?

Foundry will have these, as well as the rest of their range - including many contemporary items from famed 'GW' sculptors (such as Kev Adams) on sale.

These are their ranges from the Citadel moulds - very relevant to the Imperial and Bretonnian armies:

• C26 Men at Arms
• C26 Feudals
• Norse
• Samurai (Foundry also have the Ninja that used to come with this range)
• Hundred Years War (not all of these are ex-Citadel, but most of them are)
• Elizabethans

Foundry also have other Perry sculpts which would fit in perfectly with your existing Citadel ranges:

• Landsknechts
• Mercenary Knights
• Medieval Swiss

What else do I need to know?

• In case you missed it: this is NOT A TOURNAMENT!

• The only unpainted figures we're expecting to see are those being traded. If you are playing a game, you must play with painted figures! You effectively have seven months from this announcement to get your figures ready. We acknowledge that there might be latecomers -  tough. Painted figures are a sign of respect to your opponent and to the community. 

• Chances are, you're not as familiar with the old rules as you think you are. Take some time to read the rules before you arrive, but please allow for the fact many of the 'classic' rulesets are badly organised, badly written and sometimes just plain missing. You should expect that your game will involve lots of reading and discussion as you try to work out how to resolve whatever is happening. Don't panic - this is normal!

• You may bring figures from any manufacturer and from any era. Although the Oldhammer movement is rooted in the 80's, we are interested in the spirit of Oldhammer, not the manufacture. You are as welcome bringing a heroic scale 28mm modern plastic army as you are bringing your soft lead pre-slotta army. 

• There is a question on the form about scenery. Foundry have offered to supply some scenery, but if you are able to bring something, please do - every little bit helps. Where possible, we'll do our level best to ensure that scenery remains table specific - both to satisfy the aesthetic 'it all looks the same' perspective and to help ensure that your scenery is all in one place (for easy identification and care).

• Ultimately, you are accountable for the fun you have. This event is a framework for you to create the ultimate oldhammer experience that you never had in your youth. We're trying to make it as flexible as possible, but we can't do that without your participation and effort. Let's be clear: you will have to do something for yourself before you arrive at Foundry this summer!

• Neither the organisers nor Foundry Miniatures accepts any responsibility or liability for you. Although we've tried to make this as 'formal' as possible, it is absolutely an informal get together arranged by enthusiasts who have never arranged an event like this before. 

Okay, I'm in. What am I supposed to do again?

• Fill out the booking form!
• Register on the BLOOD Forum!
• Create an entry on the BLOOD Forum Looking For Game thread to organise your games!
• Pitch up on the weekend!
• Don't be a dick!

Oh - did we mention that this is NOT A TOURNAMENT? Good.