GENCON 2013 RECAP: PART 1

The GenCon 2013 Dungeons & Dragons Fourthcore Team Deathmatch Tournament of Champions has come and gone with blood, pain, and tears. An event lauded by many, but mastered by so very few, it represents the ultimate embodiment of brutality. For truly, can there be no greater quarry than thy fellow man? No, there is none.

Tournament Basic Info

Benoit's amazing terrain graciously donated to the cause:

• Vault of the Spider Queen
• Mortal Kombat
• Run!

Morning Entry Round
Moose Hockey Maple Syrup, Eh? vs. Team Walk-Ons
At this point in time, the returning champions are on the ropes and losing, visible via the clear cups used to track deaths. Victory went to MHMSE? with a brutal 12-7 score while at the other end of the room the Badass Dungeon Crushers mopped the floor with The Stalkers 14-10

Such a nice, beautiful setup of Benoit's Vault of the Spider Queen terrain. We used the shining gold pipe cleaner ring to denote which dungeoneer carried Lolth's Egg, while the player held a lilac-colored plastic Easter egg. Glass beads were dropped in cups to record number of deaths, while traditional colored pipe cleaners were wrapped around the minis to denote which team they belonged to.

A shot of Marc Talbot (MHMSE?) standing proudly in front of the FTDM banner, anxiously squaring off against the Badass Dungeon Crushers on E1M9 - Run!

Defeated teams from the Entry Rounds were given the privilege of playtesting FTDM's newest map, E5M4: Carbon Freeze while the semifinals raged on behind them.

MHMSE? vs. BDC in an intense struggle during the morning semifinals on Run!, Jon Green presiding.
Arguably the most difficult challenge to them all, this would prove to be the closest anyone has ever come to defeating MHMSE? with a narrow defeat of BDC at 13-14.

The poster size tournament ladder is filled in with the names of the defeated and the victorious.

After a short 45 minute break, we are back in high gear with the afternoon matches. The entry round at this table had a total of three teams vying for dominance - Stormhawks v. Eh Team v. Order of the Radiant Sun, in a heavily populated, chaos-filled, target-rich environment.
Three teams enter, only one team leaves; as the Eh Team crushes their enemies and dominates the field.

The epic three-team battle continues as twelve dungeoneers duke it out against each other simultaneously.

Red Bulls were given freely, but only to those who would roll their dice faster.
At the other end of the room, Big Jim's Sons are unceremoniously splattered by Don't Make This Weird.

I lieu of pictures, video was taken of the afternoon semi-finals round, to be revealed later in the week. Don't Make This Weird capitalizes on their mastery of forced movement to shut down the Eh Team with a remarkable victory of 10-3.

The fighting stays mostly confined to the bottom two floors, Don't Make This Weird trying to force the tide of battle there to capitalize on their forced movement and prone-ing capabilities.

"See this guy I'm pointing to? Dead."
The use of tiers for this terrain is perfect and expresses the core concept beautifully.

The end scene of the entire tournament. If we could only see the true carnage, dungeoneers knee deep in the dead. MHMSE? clinches victory for a second year in a row with a solid 21-16 score. Congratulations!!!

The tournament ladder is updated with finality, Moose Hockey Maple Syrup, Eh? once again taking the championship and establishing a dynasty of triumph.

"We're #1, two years running."
Immediately beforehand, no shit, a rousing rendition of O Canada is sung by the members of MHMSE?, both in English and in French. You can expect to see that video as well.

Marc and Derek, stalwart defenders of Canada's honor honour.

Team Moose Hockey Maple Syrup, Eh?
Victorious.

A post-game pic of Marc the next morning, running some D&D Next and proudly showing off his medal.

Be sure to check out Andy Kotch's personal picture roll, mostly of the final match between Don't Make This Weird and Moose Hockey Maple Syrup, Eh? found at imgur.com/a/0WuVE