In a first-of-its-kind tournament for NZ, we finally kicked off our new 2016 season last night with a 150pt Melee-only tournament: our first MeleeCon!

Our restrictions were heavily modified and were thus: 150pt, every piece must have "Melee Attack", no abilities or force powers that have a range greater than 6, no override, a cap of 4 pieces for each type of non-unique (couldn't have 5 ugnaughts etc.), no map restrictions(!), and 40-minute games (only one game went to time, and it was won in that round anyways!).

We had seven players:
Paul/Darth Moore: Seps - 100ptDooku/GreivousHOH
JP: NR - LukeMOTO/KyleCI
Ian: Republic - MaceLotLS/Cin/Serra
Graham/TheHutts: Vong - Zenoc/OssusG/JH/Yun-Ne'Shel/Shai Subaltern/OssusP/PraeVW
Kezza/kezzamachineII: Sith - Karness/Celeste/Malakili
Dave/Daman: Vong - Tsalok/Celeste/Malakili/4xChazrachs
Cameron: Rebel - Master Yoda/Luke RC/Padawan Com./Ithorian Com

That meant three rounds of swinging lightsabers and such around and, first time ever, we got the whole lot done in under three hours! = happy wives.

The games (I will update the proper map names when I find them):
Round 1
Paul (Separatist) beat Kezza (Sith) 180-48 [3-0] on Hoth Plains
JP (New Republic) beat Cameron (Rebel) 190-33 [3-0] on Rebel Fortress
Ian (Republic) beat Graham (Yuuzhan Vong) 151-65 [3-0] on Pinky Jedi

Round 2
JP (New Republic) beat Paul (Separatist) 188-43 [3-0] on Hoth Plains
Ian (Republic) beat Daman (Yuuzhan Vong) 189-46 [3-0] on Mos Eisley
Graham (Yuuzhan Vong) beat Kezza (Sith) 180-30 [3-0] on Outpost Oasis

Round 3
JP (New Republic) beat Ian (Republic) 154-59 [3-0] on Pinky Jedi
Paul (Separatist) beat Graham (Yuuzhan Vong) 170-20 [3-0] on Hoth Plains
Kezza (Sith) beat Cameron (Rebel) 170-0 [3-0] on Outpost Oasis

Results:
[We scored it first by pts and second but the your game score difference - to encourage combat!]
1. JP 9pts [3-0] +397
2. Paul 6pts [2-1] +137
3. Ian 6pts [2-1] +134
4. Dave 6pts* [2-1] -143
5. Graham 3pts [1-2] -86
6. Kez 3pts [1-2] -112
7. Cameron 3pts* [1-2] -327

Two points of interest: Cameron, a newer player, rocked up with a Rebel squad that a) consisted of a Republic piece, b) was only 140pts, and c) made up of pieces on the lower half of theHutts Mini of the Day scale. We let him run with it because a) we didn't catch it and, b) its prolly good he learn about squad building. He had a Bye in Round 2.
Dave/Daman had two Byes as he refused for me to sit out the last round due to the fact that I had travelled from out of the Region (I no longer live in the Hutt!). We bent the rules because a) we love him, b) he's in charge, and c) we had already changed so much.

So, I incorrectly said in another thread that Ian won it - I was wrong there - congrats to JP who adds this Major win to his NNC100 win from two seasons ago! However, congrats are due to Ian as well, because it was his first final. Both played it very well. Ian and JP also got their hands on the Save11 Shield, JP walking away with it in the final!

The 2016 SWM Season is on in NZ. Plans are already underway for the next series of events. Next Major is likely HamilCon and a small series of Minors alongside it. Boom!