Stingray Wins at IPMS Avon

Just back from the IPMS Avon Show at the Thornbury Leisure Centre where "Stingray" won the award for Best Participation Game. I'm particularly chuffed as this is the third time in the three years of the show that I've won this award (the previous two games were both Wings of Glory). First off I must say a very big "thank you" to Stuart and Gareth for helping out with running the game. Your efforts and enthusiasm were greatly appreciated.

The whole thing nearly fell apart at 0815 this morning when I discovered that the sound effects for the game weren't going to be available (tablet with movie file left at home, file successfully downloaded to phone but then bluetooth speakers died). And then to cap it all the box containing the models fell from the table to the floor, scattering models all over the place and smashing a few.  So a very hurried half hour sticking things back together again and improvising where necessary. And so by 0930 as the show opened we were up and running.

The calm before the storm.....

In all we got through five games during the 6 hours of the show, thus meeting the "game in an hour" criterion (we had a long lunch break!). Each game featured a civilian submarine carrying secret documents, equipment or personnel that had to escape from the table, the WASP players escorting it, the Aquahibians seeking to destroy it. Honours were just about even with Titan's Terrors (the Aquaphibians) and the Accursed Terraneans (WASP) winning two games clear. The fifth and final game went down to the wire with the civilian sub crippled but just making it off whilst in the middle of the table Stingray was blown out of the water (this was the only game where this happened - the whereabouts of Troy Tempest and Phones is currently unknown!). We called this a marginal WASP victory, but the Aquaphibians claimed the moral victory having despatched the Accursed Tempest to a watery grave!

We had a great time running the game and with just one exception** everyone who played it enjoyed it too. We had one youngster play it three times and he was most upset that we couldn't run a 6th game after the show closed. having his dad thank us for giving his son such a  good time was icing on the cake of a good day.

Even though all went well there's still some room for improvement. The rules are, I think, just about there now. Some variation in scenarios is needed and I'm now looking at making some undersea mining installations and bases for the next outing, which will be Blast-Tastic in early October.

Just to finish off, it was also a lovely opportunity to meet some old friends and make new ones. It really was a lovely day out and away from the stresses of everyday life.