Brandon gamers place in top 30 at national tournament

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This article was published 06/10/2022 (1181 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Three Brandon tabletop gamers are feeling good after a weekend competition that pitted them against some of the best players in the country.

Corey Trumbley, manager of I Want That Stuff, and employee Logan Litzenberger went to war, so to speak, with 66 other Warhammer 40,000 — also known as Warhammer 40K — gamers at the inaugural Goonhammer Canada Open in Winnipeg, Oct. 1 and 2.

When the proverbial dust had settled, Trumbley came in 25th and Litzenberger landed in 27th place.

“We finished in the top 30, so a good showing for us,” Trumbley said. “Sixty-eight people coming to this from across Canada and parts of the United States was great to see, considering COVID and other things like expenses and holdups at the border.”

Both said they were happy with the results, since it is often a single roll of the dice used to determine moves that can decide the winner.

While the event was open to all Warhammer 40K players, Trumbley said the quality of players that come to these competitions is high. Many have spent years building armies and playing in major tournaments, as well as smaller regional contests. Whoever wants to refine their game strategy and advance in standings will be there. This is also a chance for newer players to learn from others.

Trumbley brought his Dark Angel Army and Litzenberger unleashed his Chaos Daemons.

At the tournament, it was six rounds of matches over two days, explained Trumbley. All participants received a player pack outlining the sequence of missions in each round and were matched with other gamers.

Trumbley won his first match against a Dark Eldar army, winning by 10 points. He was also victorious in his second match, which he called a close one, due to the firepower.

Trumbley and Litzenberger competed against each other in the third round. It was a tight one, which Trumbley said came down to a single position that saw him win by three points.

Day two was not a victorious day. Trumbley was matched with one of the top 10 players in Canada and it came down to a single dice roll and a narrow loss for him. The fifth and sixth matches were also losses for him.

“The first two matches had to be played cagey because of the firepower, so I had to play a clean and careful game,” said Trumbley. “I ended up playing against the second-place guy and third-place guy [in Canada], so tough fights all around. I’m happy with the game I brought and that I could go up against these top players.”

Litzenberger’s first match was up against Chaos Space Marines, which he said was to his advantage because he also plays that army, plus it’s the counter to his Chaos Daemons. He already knew the advantages and shortfalls going in. The second match was against a Tyranid army, which he also won. In his fourth game, he fell to a veteran gamer with a Craftworld Eldar army in a match heavy with firepower. He also lost his other matches.

Overall, however, the tournament was well run, said Trumbley. It was entertaining to play against other players and see curious onlookers come in to watch matches and talk to players.

He had high praise for his fellow gamers, many of whom he’s played in the past and had tight, well-played matches across the tournament.

All points earned at Goonhammer Canada Open will go toward the Independent Tournament Circuit for international standings, which culminates in a four-day tournament in Las Vegas in February.

However, there were few cash prizes. Only the top three received rewards, Trumbley said, with all other gamers getting points for their circuit standings.

People were also competing for other reasons besides battles. Many were showing off their artistic skills and designs, such as Sean Clancy, based out of CFB Shilo and a regular at I Want That Stuff’s gaming and painting nights. He brought his A Thousand Sons army, an Egyptian-themed Chaos Space Marines, and won best paint job. All 54 figurines are around two inches tall or less — each one he meticulously painted by hand, he said.

He first followed an online tutorial, then progressed his own skill levels as he worked on the army. It’s a simple paint scheme, he said, with blue and gold as the main colours.

For him, it’s both the art and the battle that brings him to the gaming table.

“I used to be someone who just wanted to play, but like a runner that didn’t like running. I got good at it and I like painting,” he said. “Now that I’m good at painting and I can see positive growth, I try to push that into the community, too.”

The aesthetic of A Thousand Sons is what draws him to it, he added. He has worked on many armies, but the Egyptian-based motifs is a scheme he likes.

» kmckinley@brandonsun.com, with files from The Brandon Sun

» Twitter: @karenleighmcki1