Nova Open: August 28th-31st, Virginia

Hey hey, everybody. I’m Certs from the Infinity forum and I’m here today to promote the Infinity events for this year’s NOVA Open on August 28th-31st. Now, bear with me here as I’m usually terrible at these sorts of sales pitches.

For those of you who are unfamiliar, the NOVA Open is a growing tabletop gaming-oriented convention, already home to one of the largest 40k tournaments in the world, and is located just south of Washington DC.

And, with the success of their 40k GT, the guys and gals who run the NOVA Open are kinda crazy about giving all the other game systems the same opportunity to flourish. They’re willing the pretty much bend over backwards to help make sure everyone who attends the convention has a great time.

While there are plenty of other gaming events going on throughout the weekend, I’ll focus on the Infinity events that I’m going to be running.

The NOVA Open 2014, August 28th-31st

Location: The Hyatt Regency in Crystal City, Virginia.

Just down the road from Reagan National Airport (DCA), and across the bridge from Washington, DC.

The Infinity Event Schedule

Thursday: no formal event scheduled

Friday: 4-round modified YAMS tournament, Corvus Belli Seminar, and 2-round NOVA Hunger Games

Saturday: 4-round Top-Tier Classic ITS tournament and 2-round NOVA Hunger Games

Sunday: 4-round Mid-Tier Spec Ops ITS tournament

The full NOVA Open 2014 Event Schedule

We’ll have 20 tables available to play Infinity on throughout the weekend unless we’re able to get 40+ sign-ups, in which case we’ll have up to 40 tables available, making the actual attendance cap for each event 80 participants.

There’s plenty of space. So, the more, the merrier.

However, The NOVA Open will only be able to supply up to 16 tables worth of terrain (produced through the hard work of our volunteers). The rest of our terrain needs will be brought in by participants (for which there is a small terrain contest, free of charge). Whenever a table isn’t in use for an event, it willbe available for open gaming.

The Corvus Belli Seminar

We will have a yet undetermined guest from Corvus Belli attending the NOVA Open and holding a seminar on Friday. The seminar will contain several exclusive previews separate from those shown at GenCon’s seminar two weeks earlier, and will also have a ‘first in world’ announcement from Corvus Belli.

For the rest of the weekend the guest will be either hanging out down in the event hall or up in the NOVA Lounge at night (unsure if/when he may do some sightseeing, but the NOVA Open does offer several tours for sightseeing in DC).

Prices

Weekend Convention Access Pass (CAP): $50 (Early Bird of $40 if purchased by June 15th)

Infinity ‘All Event Entry’ registration: $60

Single Day Pass: $20

‘Friday only’ registration: $30

‘Saturday only’ registration: $30

‘Sunday only’ registration: $25

Hotel Reservation (NOVA block): $89 per night (accommodates 1-4 guests)

Adjacent public parking garage (hotel has its own garage for guests renting rooms): $10 Friday, $6 on Saturday and Sunday.

Food and Refreshments

There’s the hotel’s restaurant in the lobby and NOVA Open Lounge (located upstairs in the presidential suite), a Subway one block away, and a street full of restaurants and bars another block beyond that. There will also be three food trucks serving right outside the hotel doors all weekend long.

The NOVA Open Lounge offers craft beers at $3-5 and cocktails at $4-7. All proceeds go to charity. The Corvus Belli guest, as well as other notable VIPs (such as Malifaux’s lead designer, Mack Martin), will be hanging out in the Lounge after-hours throughout the weekend. Last call for the Lounge is sometime around 1:30 a.m. each night.

Prize Support

Just in case the memories of hanging out and playing Infinity with a bunch of other people who enjoy the game isn’t enough, NOVA Infinity will be offering an outstanding amount of prize support.

In addition to all of the prize packs offered to those who finish with the highest scores in competing, painting, and sportsmanship during the tournaments, there are also various prizes offered just for coming out and participating.

Every one who participates in each tournament will receive a free blister (that’s three blisters for playing in all three tournaments). There’s also the convention-wide Lemonade Raffle (chances to win something increase with each defeat), the convention-wide Tabletop Olympics Raffle (a general free raffle that allows friends to pool together their chances to win if desired), and the free Infinity Terrain Contest (players rate the tables they played on and owners of the highest rated tables win prize packs).

Suffice it to say, almost everyone should be walking away with some nice souvenirs to commemorate their time spent at the NOVA Open. All made possible by our generous sponsors (full list found here).

—

Well, there’s my quick summary of what to look forward to at the NOVA Open 2014. I occasionally post updates on my blog, Certs Tabletop, where you can also look back at most of the prep work involved in getting things ready, or post any comments, suggestions, or concerns.

For those who are interested, you can browse and register for the convention at the NOVA Open’s website.

Hope to see you there!