After a half-year break, the Save11 SWM year is about to launch with a new event this Friday night: MeleeCon! The NZ SWM group is looking at how to push on with lots of interesting thing happening here with the group, and this - an evening tournament designed to look and feel like an all-day one, but with a three-and-a-half-hour time frame - is the first step into the new landscape. I'm sure I'll talk about it a bit more as the season progresses. It also means that, for the first time since we started in '08-'09, we are moving to a Jan-Dec season as opposed to the July-June one we've been using to shadow the US of A.

Anyhoo! MeleeCon! It is a deliberate Melee-driven, three-round tournament, designed to shake up our current state of normality and get people excited about a modified format, and about being comfortable with change. The Tournament effectively replaces HaweraCon as the first Major of the season (although, expect that puppy to return is a slightly different format) where its an 150pt affair. However, we are adding some carefully considered restrictions: 150pts, every piece must have the Melee Attack special ability, no tempo control pieces, any ability or force power that has a range greater than 6 squares is ignored, 10-pt gambit and no map restrictions.

The idea is that we want to a) shake things up (as stated above), b) try something where we don't automatically know what's gonna happen, c) have the possibility of seeing new, strange maps, and d) enjoy the crap out of beat the snot out of each other in the middle of the map. If we succeed in these, we will be dreadfully happy!

Anyhoo, I will bring you news as it comes to hand! In the meantime, you can enjoy the Tournament's theme song (has that ever been done before?!) - a track written by myself and Richard/Darth Rattlehead/creator of the Minicron entitled "Daala". If you can guess where the inspiration comes from, I'll give ten points to Gryffindor!

https://therocklords.bandcamp.com/track/daala

We wish you were here to......

Ian did well to make the final with Mace, Sin, and Serra, but I think JP's Luke/Kyle squad took the honours!

I went 1-2 with this:

--Vong Specialization--
29 Domain Shai Subaltern
28 Zenoc Quah
26 Yuuzhan Vong Ossus Guardian
22 Praetorite Vong Warrior
20 Yuuzhan Vong Jedi Hunter
13 Yun-Ne'Shel Priest
11 Yuuzhan Vong Ossus Protector

(149pts. 7 activations)

I played 3 Jedi squads, but Cin kept parrying everything and I messed up against Dooku. I should have taken the side of the map with round 1 gambit, and I should have sat back and Thud Bugged him, but instead I charged into his Jedi Reflexes and had to eat a lot of extra damage.

The winner had Luke MotO, Kyle Combat Instructor, and an Ugnaught.

The other finalist had Mace LotLS, Cin Dralling, and Serra Keto (with Makashi and Djem So). Luke won by using Lightsaber Throw and getting round Serra's melee defense.

This was 150 points, the Vassal comp is 200 points.

We had 7 players, we also had:
- BHC Dooku/Grievous HoH
- Celeste, Malakili, and Karness Muur
- a Vong squad with Celeste and Chazrachs
- a Republic squad with a Yoda (didn't really see it).

I think Kez has photos. Ian and JP don't have screen names.