Announcing: TMAT GT 2014!

Another year, another GT!

Time to announce the opening of registration for the third annual Tell Me A Tale Grand Tournament! This tournament is a small 1-day independent tournament for the Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game and will be played on Saturday, March 29, 2014 in Purcellville, Virginia starting at 10am (players are asked to arrive at least 20-30 min early for check-in and setup). LOTR SBG players in the greater D.C. area and beyond are welcome to attend, but are asked to register NLT Mar 22. The tournament is free to play and the rules for the tournament are provided below.

1. Gameplay

(1.1) The ruleset from the One Rulebook (ORB) and warbands sourcebooks will preside over the tournament along with the TMAT House rules listed in the tab above. Apart from the rules adopted in the house rules, the Hobbit ruleset will not be used; however the armies and models may be used. It is the responsibility of the player using the new models to provide their full profiles on the day of the tournament.

(1.2) All games will have a time limit of 90 min. At the end of 90 min, if the victory conditions have not already been met, players will be permitted to finish their current round and tally points.

(1.3) Once started, the time clock will only be stopped if two players have a significant disagreement on a particular rule (line of sight, special rules for a unit, etc.), in which case all games will stop and the other competitors will mediate/look up what the proper ruling is. If a resolution is unable to be established in a short time period, a roll-off will be cast to determine the ruling for that game.

(1.4) There will be approximately 15 minutes between games for players to move to the next table, refresh themselves, turn in their scoring data, etc. and there will be a 60 min break for lunch.

(1.5) Upon check-in the day of, players will draw a number and be assigned to randomized opponents and boards. The boards you are assigned to will determine scenarios played.

(1.6) Scenarios will be a mix of Warband and LOME based scenarios with minor modifications. See Section 3 for scenario details.

(1.7) Battle Points are earned as follows: Major win: 10pts, Minor win: 8pts, Draw: 6pts, Minor loss: 4pts, Major loss: 2pts.

(1.8) Additional Battle points can be earned by: 1) Accomplishing various Oaths of Battle in-game with your Army leader (see 4.1); 2) Kudos points from your opponent (see 4.2) 3) Secret Objectives acquired each round (see 4.3).

2. Army building

(2.1) Army size will be 600pts (+0.5% grace with hard limit of 603pts), 60 model limit. Your army must contain a clearly designated Army leader.
(2.2) Armies may be constructed either using the Warbands scheme or using a modified LOME scheme with at least 200 points (33% of total) spent on at least 2 heroes and all LOME alliance restrictions in effect.
(2.3) For the purposes of deployment, LOME armies will be broken into 3 detachments of at least 6 models (if your army contains fewer than 18 models, divide as evenly as possible). These detachments will be treated as warbands for the purposes of deployment and any scenario rules that refer to "warbands." These detachments must be designated prior to the tournament and will be submitted with your army roster. (Note: LOME detachments do not need to be all from the same sublist - for example, you could deploy Mordor orcs in the same detachment as Easterlings). If you have insufficient heroes to provide a leader for each detachment, nominate a model to "lead" the deployment for any detachment without a hero. All models in a detachment will be deployed within 6" of the leader.
(2.4) For newer post-LOME models that do not show up on the old army lists, use common sense to determine which list they would fall under. Feel free to contact the tournament organizer if you have questions as to whether a new model is allowed in a certain LOME list. Please consult the House rules page for the adopted LOME alliance structure for the new Hobbit army lists.

(2.5) WYSIWYG - equip your models appropriately. Proxy models are permitted only if specially purchased/converted/clearly established for that role permanently. (e.g. no "counts as, but only for this tournament" substitutions. If you want to field a particular character, invest the time/$ to do so). Exception: generic Nazgul models may be used as named Nazgul as long as it is clear to your opponent what they represent.

3. Scenarios

(3.1) For all scenarios, scoring rules regarding the opponent's army leader will be modified to the following as applicable: 0 Victory Points are scored for wounding the enemy leader. 2 Victory Points are scored for killing the enemy leader.

(3.2) Depending on the number of games being incorporated (which will be based on the number of participants - min of 3 games), the following scenarios will be used (in order of precedence)

(A) Where the Wild Things Are: Played like To the Death from the Warbands sourcebooks with a few alterations. 1) Setup: after the terrain is placed, 3-5 lairs are placed, One in the center, and the other 2-4 mirror each other diagonally at least 12" from any board edge. A variety of wild beasts (suggested: 1 cave troll/2 bat swarms/3 barrow wights/1 WWC and 4 wargs for the center lair and 2-3 wargs each for outliers) are placed in base contact with the lairs. 2) Deployment: Warbands/Detachments are placed within 6" of the board edge on the roll of 1-3, and within 12" of the board edge on the roll of 4-6. 3) Scoring: An additional 2 VPs are awarded if the opponent has been driven to 25% of their starting force.

Special Rules: The Wilds: The wild beasts are hungry, and do not take kindly to the intrusion of the outside world. Each turn, the player who loses priority controls the wild creatures and moves them before the normal move phase begins (but after any heroic moves). All wild creatures can move freely within 6" of their lair with the following exceptions: 1) if the wild creature's move starts within charge distance of a player's models, the creature will always charge the nearest model(s) - even if it is the controlling player's models, 2) The wild creature will continue to charge nearby models on subsequent turns to a maximum of 12" from their lair. 3) If the wild creature has no chargable models within 12" of its lair, it must immediately return to within 6" of its lair

Savage Ferocity: Fights involving wild creatures are resolved before the normal fight phase begins (but after any heroic combats). For each fight, the player whose models are not being attacked controls/rolls for the wild creature. If a wild creature wins a fight, the player(s) being attacked roll a die for each of their models in the fight. On a 4+ they are knocked to the ground. Might may not be used to alter this roll. Wild monsters will always strike normally instead of using brutal strikes. Additionally, all wild creatures are considered to have the Resistant to Magic special rule.

Pack Animals: If a wild creature is killed, roll a die. On a 3+, a new wild creature is placed in base contact with the appropriate lair at the end of the round. On the roll of a 6, two wild creatures are placed instead (if there are sufficient models available).

(B) Domination: Scenario setup, play and scoring uses the rules from the Warband sourcebooks with the following exception for setup: Opponents select opposite corners of the board rather than board edges. All warbands/detachments are deployed within 18" of their corner.

(C) Seize the Prize: Dig up the treasures and carry them off the board to win! Game ends at 25%.
Setup: 6 objective markers are scattered within 3" of the center line and at least 12" from the side board edges.
Deployment: For each warband/detachment, roll a die. On 1-4 they must deploy within 3" of the board edge. On a 5-6 they may deploy within 6" of the board edge.
Scoring: 3 points for each treasure that escapes the board via any board edge. 1 point for each treasure in your possession at game end (must be carried, not just in base contact). 1 point if the enemy is broken, 3 points if they are broken and your army is not.
Special Rules: Buried Treasures: Any infantry model in base contact with an objective marker may spend a full move attempting to dig up the treasure. On a 4+ the treasure has been discovered and may be carried away as a Heavy Object.  Digging models may not pick up the treasure on the turn it was uncovered (other models in base contact may pick up the treasure).
(D) The Arkenstone: Played like To the Death from the Warbands sourcebooks with a few alterations. 1) Setup: after the terrain is placed, a small objective marker is placed in the center of the board to represent the Arkenstone. 2) Deployment: Warbands/Detachments are placed within 6" of the board edge on the roll of 1-3, and within 12" of the board edge on the roll of 4-6. 3) Scoring: An additional 2 VPs are awarded if the opponent has been driven to 25% of their starting force.

Special Rules: The Arkenstone: The two armies have taken the field in pursuit of a glorious artifact - the Arkenstone. The desire to acquire this priceless gem inspires beyond reason. At the beginning of the fight phase, the player that has the most models within 3" of the Arkenstone treats the Arkenstone as a 6" banner for that round. The other player treats the Arkenstone as a normal banner.
(E) Hold Ground: Scenario setup, play and scoring uses the rules from the Warband sourcebooks

4. Additional Scoring

(4.1) Oaths of Battle: For each game, after deployment select 1 Oath not previously sworn and announce it to your opponent. If both players achieve their oath: score 1 Battle Point, If neither player achieves their oath: score 0 Battle Points, Only one player achieves: that player scores 2 Battle Points. 3 bonus Battle Points are awarded if a player achieves all Oaths during the tournament OR (if there are fewer than 5 games) the player fulfills their oath each game:

Blood-sworn Enemy: Choose an enemy hero - he is your arch enemy and they must die on the field of battle before the end of the game

Future King: Your army leader must continue to lead his force at the end of the game, neither slain nor "heroically departed".

Chivalry in Battle: Your army leader must fight the enemy leader in close combat for at least one round and survive (die being rolled on each side). Your army leader may not use the shielding rules in this effort.

Line in the Sand: Nominate a piece of terrain within 12" of your opponent's board edge (or place a marker if there is no suitable terrain). Your leader must end its move in base contact with it at least once during the game.

Battle Prowess: Your army leader must kill more models than your opponent's army leader.

(4.2) Kudos: At any point during your game, up to 3 categories may be awarded by your opponent once per game, worth 0.5 battle pts each (maximum of 1.5 battle points per game). Your opponent is not obligated to give the maximum kudos - or any kudos at all. They must be earned. 

Hope Rises: A non-named figure acts in a way that both players agree was awesome. (Example: Your captain just used a might point to shoot into a combat and kill his own troop - thus opening up a previously concealed Legolas to 6 xbow shots!)

Lead by Example: A named hero acts in a way that both players agree was awesome. (Example: Eomer just called 3 successive heroic combats to catapult himself to the rescue of your emissary!)

Master Plan: Perform a maneuver that causes your opponent to be impressed (for good or ill) by the strategy. (Your elf cavalry just rode around behind the opponent's line and dismounted in order to shield their opponents into difficult terrain - thus clearing a path to the objective!)

Fortune's Favor: Experience a very lucky streak of dice rolling that is acknowledged by both players (Example: your orc archer just passed 2 in the ways to wound a D7 unit!)

The Dice are trying to Kill Me: Experience a very unlucky streak of dice rolling that is acknowledged by both players (Example: your mounted Nazgul had its mount slain, was thrown to the ground, failed both fate rolls and broke its wraithish neck!)

(4.3)  Secret Objectives: Each round, a secret objective will be randomly shuffled out to players for the chance to win extra Battle Points that round. These objectives do not impact the outcome of your current game, but add to your overall tournament score. Your secret objective is not to be revealed to your opponent until game end. Each succesfully completed secret obective is worth 2 Battle Points.

5. Registration:

(5.1) Registration is done via the comments below. Post your army list and note your army leader and indicate how it is organized under the appropriate LOME or Warbands rules. Once a list is posted it may not be revised. If the posted list does not comply with the guidelines given, the Tournament Director reserves the right to make minor ad hoc corrections to facilitate compliance.
(5.2) Your army should be themed in some way with appropriate "background" text of at least a paragraph (100 words max) submitted with your army list before the tournament begins. Players are encouraged to use this to explain any alliances, unique color schemes, markings, etc. in the army.  
(5.3) On the day of the tournament you must provide a hard copy of your army roster with: 1) A complete army list organized by warband (or detachment for LOME armies) with the army leader designated; 2) The complete profile stats of all units in your army; 3) Total model count, army broken point and 25% level of your army (all fractions are rounded down - a 31 model army is broken when reduced to 15, 25% when reduced to 7 models); 4) A copy of the army's background "theme."
Players who fail to provide their army roster on tournament day as outlined will not be allowed to participate until they produce the required roster. If this should delay the first game, they will be credited with a major loss and their opponent will automatically be awarded a major win.


For any questions regarding the above, feel free to ask away in the comments below. We're looking forward to yet another great tournament. Let the games (and modeling/painting flurry) begin!

- Z