Look, as much as I love the UK, if it weren't for a certain, um, resin product manufacturer...well, you get the idea.

Yes, either paying for baggage or most likely, making a large enough order that shipping would be inconsequential.

But I do get your drift.

Cheers,

_________________
Honda

"Remember Taros? We do"

- 23rd Elysian Drop Regiment

I think a lot of whether there is a substantial population of players revolves around local recruiting.  My local group has slowly dwindled.  I'm fairly certain that we could round up half a dozen new players and get some old ones re-energized but as of right now no one has the time and energy to gin up the interest.


That said, I'm an old game whore and I'll drive to anyplace within about 3 hours for a tourney, or any event where I'll get in a few games in a single stretch.  From Nashville, that hits:

Memphis
Louisville KY
Huntsville/Decatur AL
Knoxville
Atlanta (which is farther, but I have friends to visit and stay with)

On the roughly annual occasions I make it to Detroit, I'd say anything in about 1-2 hour radius would work, which means anywhere in the greater Detroit area, plus Toledo and lower Ontario.  Unfortunately, all the guys I know in Ontario are several hours north.

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Neal

Just make sure that "holiday" includes a trip to Bovington Tank Museum  They have much more than silly English Armor...honest!

Speaking of travelling, how is it packing an army for flight?  I'd expect an Epic force would fare better than something 28mm, but I'd be reluctant to try it.  Having seen what my suitcase endures weekly at the hands of baggage handlers, I have visions of Gargant bits everywhere.

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WAAARGH!!
The Lost & the Dipped

Having traveled to Memphis with an army in tow, I can tell you it is a bit humiliating.  I wasn't about to relinquish my precious army to the baggage throwers (they don't call them that for nothing) so I brought mine on as carry-on.  Going through the metal detector, all the lead no doubt screwed things up for the X-ray machine and they spent a LONG time looking at my bag. They even segregated me from the rest of the line (which had grown considerably longer when my army case came through).  

I tried to explain but they wouldn't let me.  Then eventually they brought me the bag and I unzipped it and showed them.  The security guard screamed out, "Don't worry!  They are just toy soldiers!"

"No, they're scale models.  SCALE MODELS!"  They didn't listen to me.    Oh well.  So if you can handle this type of situation, traveling isn't bad.  Dave came down on a flight from CT for the Baltimore tourney in May and had no issues that I know of.

_________________
author of Syncing Forward and other stories...

It's a dog-eat-dog world, and I've got my Milkbone underwear on.

Excerpt from "Honda does Memphis - SPECCON 06"

Honda Does Memphis – SPEC CON 06

So, amid much fanfare and celebratory exhortations from the local populace, our errant hero boarded a Continental Embraer Expressjet to Memphis, leaving Houston and arriving without incident.

Of course it wasn’t totally without incident, after all, we are living in post- 9/11 times, so as my army of valiant and faithful soldiers slid down the X-ray machine’s belt, a friendly TSA staff person, escorted me to the frisk section to see what he could see.

Upon opening my carrying case, I said, “Their toy soldiers. I’m going to go play in a gaming tournament.â€Â

_________________
Honda

"Remember Taros? We do"

- 23rd Elysian Drop Regiment

I think TSA has it out for us.  

_________________
author of Syncing Forward and other stories...

It's a dog-eat-dog world, and I've got my Milkbone underwear on.

In real terms I guess us UK members should equate this to the IWF Tournament in Brussels. It's a 2 hour train ride from London or a 4.5 hour drive (which I think includes the time in the channel tunnel!)

So far only 3 people have been tempted by this event as it does require a bit more time commitment than a normal 2 day event in the UK does. I'd certainly think twice if it were to take more and 3 hours each way travel, especially if I had to drive.

... One of many reasons why I've grown to like Amtrak:
1) Amtrak security theater = "May I see your ID please?"
2) Get up and walk around... even 'congregate' near the lavatories
3) Cafe car tables, certainly a good place to unfold a lap top... and even, perhaps, a fairly good environment for epic-scale space hulk.  ;-)


Granted, in the United States, the trains don't run on time, and the NY-Chicago route is an agonizing 14 hours. But it's a fairly good, low-stress way of traveling on the eastern seaboard.

And with a toddler, it just can't be beat -- "I toddle, therefore I am" is just not compatible with cars or airplanes."


James Fallows has some well-thought out and scathing observations on the TSA.

This is as opposed to my observations while in security line -- simply scathing, but rather less considered.

My observation is that TSA has it out for those who are most worried about airline security:  I heard a lot of grannies saying something to the effect of "security mus be tight, they even searched me."  Generally I avoided mentioning that I'd basically breezed through the checkpoint.  To a degree, it made sense to focus on infrequent travelers... but this meant that they spent a lot of time searching women over the age of 50.

I set off all the alarms at Heathrow security check once with my lead. Was very impressive. The big bloke in charge wandered over looked at them said something to the effect of his son likes them as well and enjoy your flight.

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If using E-Bay use this link to support Tac Com!
'Abolish red trousers?! Never! Red trousers are France!' – Eugene Etienne, War Minister, 1913
"Gentlemen, we may not make history tomorrow, but we shall certainly change the geography."
General Plumer, 191x

The TSA is completely biased against infrequent flyers and they make a point of being a hardass and picking on those least equipped to defend themselves.  I've seen them go nuts over some ladies bottle of face cream that was .4 oz over the stated limit while I sailed through (unknowingly) with a Zippo lighter in my bag.

If you could find the right case (i.e. bombproof exterior) , it seems like it would be less of a headache to check your stuff than try to run it through security.

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WAAARGH!!
The Lost & the Dipped

If you hold it in late September/early October, I might be able to attend. I'm planning on visiting cousins in Dallas next year around that time.

_________________
"I don't believe in destiny or the guiding hand of fate." N. Peart

When I went to Brussels last February, for a EPIC tournament, I went via Eurostar. On the Eurostar there is no baggage holder, everything is classed as hand luggage; so my army went on its way and headed through the x-ray machine...

.... then operator reversed the machine and my bag went through again...

... and again

Looking over I could see a middle aged security guard with a very confused look slapped all over his face; another security guard picked up my bag and asked:

Security Guard: "... Is this your bag sir..."
A rather embarrassed me: "... yes; there are toy solders in there..."
Security Guard: "... do they have passports too?..."

He then gave me back my bag and off I went ... rather quickly

Complete comedy!

Also I took a 28mm High elf army to Munich; I put that in my suitcase and off it went into the depths of the luggage holdall of the plane. When I opened it up in my hotel in Munich, only an eagle wing had broken ... quick bit of super glue and it was right as rain

The new GW cases ... brilliant!

_________________
EPIC UK Chairman
www.epic-uk.co.uk

EPIC UK - Improving and Enhancing Epic gaming in the UK

chairman@epic-uk.co.uk

They stopped me going down. I think my Strike Cruiser looked like a punch dagger in the machine   . The lady asked if the bag was mine, I said "I bet you found my models", she opened it up, her and a fellow worked made sort of a "oh/woah" face, and off I went.

No problem heading back though. I bet Baltimore is pretty used to it though with GW being right there.

_________________
Dave

Blog

NetEA Tournament Pack Website

Squats 2019-10-17

... Much of my air travel around the turn of the century was fencing-related: as a referee or a competitor.

Foils, Epees, and Sabers tended not to raise an eyebrow... but woe betide the inexperienced tournament-goer who called them 'swords' or, worse yet, the term of art: weapons.

Not too much of a problem in checked baggage -- much of the equipment takes far more abuse on the strip.  But I think it has gotten much worse now that airlines have decided that baggage is another revenue-source.

I'd love to hit an Epic Tournament if it was within 2-4 hours driving time from Northeast Ohio.  I even told my wife that for my birthday, instead of any toys, I want plane tickets to wherever the big US Epic Tournament is for 2010.  As soon as I find out when the next major US tourney is, I'll get off my butt and make my Necrons airplane-transportable.