To think that in 2014 when we decided to go, we did it as a bit of a laugh. Have a road trip and see what would happen and now it's become an annual pilgrimage for us and something we all look forward to every year.
This year was going to be a little different. We were still playing EW but we'd be using V4 rules this year. Armies would be 900 points each player with 100 able to be shared if needed.
And so, Friday morning, bright and early we mounted the Reid Mover and headed off. You may remember a couple of years back when we had to detour as a result of some road closures on our most direct route to Palmerston North....
We made the decision early to go straight for the alternate route rather than heading to Taupo and hoping for the best although Damo was very adamant that "if we started that way and the roads were opened, we'd never head the f**king end of it."
He also promised to apologise should the opposite be true.
I have the apology on film....for posterity.
And so, we were off....
The clouds were looming...
We weren't able to stay with the Pearce Whanau this year, unfortunately so made do with a motel in town. Once checked in, it was pretty much dinner at a local pub, find more booze and settle in for a Rick and Morty marathon before bed. Wubba Lubba Dub Dub!!
We arrived at the venue bright and early the next morning, keen and eager to get into some serious V4 action! The forces were pretty wide and varied across the board.
Desert table made as a collaboration between Battle Kiwi and Kreative Scenery.
Chris reading the riot act...well, not really. Explaining how the "More Missions" determinations would work. This is a great addition from Battlefront, in my opinion, and allows for some really strategic decisions to be made.
Yep, Team Koch Bloch was back....
Andrew was to have teamed up with Phil...but Phil got sick. He was there in card form.
The beauty parade opened day 2...
And then, back into the games and I was very lucky to get to play on the desert table!
6mm Flames of War...
And of course, there were prizes...
Best Painted: Victor Pesch
Runner-up Best Painted: Chris Otton
Best Sports: Tom Leamy and Alex McEwen
3rd Place: Russell Briant and Tony Bates
2nd Place: Chris Townley and Casey Davies
And the winners of Panzerschreck 2017: Cameron Wansbrough and Andrew Olds.
But, of course, the most important prize of the weekend, the SPOON....was tied!
Savvas Rigas and Julian Emmett
AND TEAM KOCH BLOCH!!!
Well done to all the winners and a massive thank you to Battlefront and all the other sponsors of this great event!
After the massive ups and downs of a weekend gaming, the best thing you can do is go back to your hotel, eat chinese food, drink beer and Dr Pepper while binge watching GLOW and finish with Pulp Fiction because one of the Noobs had never seen it!!!
Before turning in for a good night's sleep before taking one of the most picturesque drives in the world....I'll let the photos tell the story.
