Hi all,
Today we have something new in my series of interview. We are chatting with Martin who is running the ACO Sigmar Grand Tournament. My past interviews have focused on narrative events but today we are looking at a competitive event.
If you are interested in attending you can still get tickets here
1. Tell me a bit about yourself! What events have your organized, what games/armies do you collect?
Hello, my name is Martin Orlando. I would describe myself as a lifelong fan of the Warhammer and scale models hobby. I do my best to dabble in all of its aspects, though I am most known for my painting (I can provide a few photos of my recent work and my Instagram upon request). I have won awards for painting at conventions and independent exhibitions, with a specialty in fully realized gaming armies. I love telling a story with a complete wargaming army as the canvas.
I’ve organized events for Warhammer: Age of Sigmar in the greater New Jersey region of the United States, including at PAX Unplugged and volunteering on the AoS staff at the Nova Open. I’ve also been honored to do my part for the Atlantic City Open since its inception. I collect Lumineth Realm-Lords and Cities of Sigmar for AoS, and for 40k I’m working on a narrative play Dark Angels Space Marines army.
2. How has your past experienced helped you prepare for this coming event?
I would say my experiences at Nova and PAX help manage the Atlantic City Open with relative ease. However, I could not do it without the help of our wonderful attendees, Age of Sigmar events are a cooperative event from top to bottom and that is part of what makes them special to me. Also, I like to believe that my expertise as a painter yields a degree of trust regarding judging for the hobby awards. It is a privilege to experience the talent of so many passionate artists in our community.
3. Are there any challenges you are gearing up to meet? I.e. terrain issues, over-tuned factions etc.
A June event tends to have the luxury of coinciding with the end of the half-year seasons Age of Sigmar is currently structured under. Thus, any especially powerful builds have been discovered and played out. Players either bring them for a last hurrah, or attempt wild skew tricks whilst waiting for the seasons to finally change. As for terrain, I am grateful Frontline Gaming has such a bounty of non-40k scenery to make use of, otherwise my staff and I would be in for quite the scramble to bring outside resources to bear.
4. How many players are you expecting at this event? How does that compare to past events?
We are expecting somewhere in the ballpark of 80-85 players, marginally increasing year over year. It is my opinion that growth is controlled by the venue’s geography. Atlantic City is not easy to get to, being fairly distant from major airports. Our players are appreciated for making the journey by any means and it is they that make the endeavor all worthwhile.
5. How do AoS tournaments differ in their organization from 40k events? Are there any special considerations organizers have to account for?
Age of Sigmar and Warhammer 40,000 events are organized in similar ways, though the general tendency towards melee combat over gunplay means that we still need line-of-sight blocking terrain, but the scenery doesn’t necessarily have to be taller than two or three floors. We do our best to reward all aspects of the hobby, and thus include awards/prizes for Favorite Opponent, and Players’ Choice for paint in addition to judge picks.
6. Any advice to someone thinking about organizing their first competitive AoS event? Or for someone trying to make the leap to a GT or major?
Networking and knowing your audience is absolutely critical. Reaching out to clubs, local shops, social media groups; acquainting yourself with the regulars in each area can supercharge turnout. You won’t be able to cater to everyone’s needs, but in this niche hobby, showing your community that you are engaged and proactive, pays dividends.
Fascinating. Thanks for your time Martin. I have never played in any AoS events and so it’s interesting to get an idea for how they run. Best of luck to you and all who are attending.
If you are interested in attending you can still get tickets here!
And remember, Frontline Gaming sells gaming products at a discount, every day in their webcart!
