With the expansion of space at Drawbridge Games (three times the number of tables), I was pleased to finally be able to run a sizeable Steamroller event at that venue. In chatting with the owner, we were laughing about how the Swamp Gobber Chef is by far his best-selling model. That got us thinking: well, how about a Chef-themed event?
Thus, the Gobber Chef Classic was born. We decided to have a steamroller that included all the different bells and whistles of official trophies, plus a bonus trophy awarded for painting and conversion work: the best food-themed model.
I’m really pretty proud of how the trophy for the conversion model turned out!
In addition, Enrico managed to get Whole Foods to sponsor the event as well and provide prize support in the form of a number of gift cards.With new table space and ample prize support, the Gobber Chef classic just needed players. And players we got, with 14 showing up for games.
Results
First up, the overall winners by points:
Les (center) took first place with an undefeated run and best strength of schedule. Larry (right) got second, also undefeated. And Savage managed to finish third with only a single loss and one of the best strength of schedules for the day (5 means some harrowing opponents in all three rounds).
Overall Standings from the event shook out as follows:
| Name | Caster Pairing | Win/Loss | Strength of Schedule | CPs |
| Les Smartnick | Maddox / Sloan | 3 – 0 | 4 | 3 |
| Larry Paladin III | Makeda1 / Makeda2 | 3 – 0 | 3 | 10 |
| Andrew Savage | Amon / Vindictus | 2 – 1 | 5 | 3 |
| Ryan Nolte | Denny3 / Terminus | 2 – 1 | 4 | 10 |
| Brad Randall | Naaresh / Hexeris2 | 2 – 1 | 4 | 8 |
| Stuart Surgent | Durst | 2 – 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Mike Meharey | Kraye / Caine1 | 1 – 2 | 6 | 10 |
| Kyle Tanczos | Scaverous / Denny1 | 1 – 2 | 6 | 3 |
| Ryan Murray | Thexus / Ossrum | 1 – 2 | 4 | 0 |
| Andy Dobies | Stryker2 / Kraye | 1 – 2 | 3 | 7 |
| Alex P. | Vyros1 / Kaelyssa | 1 – 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Kevin Finch | Tanith / Kromac2 | 1 – 2 | 3 | 0 |
| Addison | Krueger2 / Kromac2 | 0 – 3 | 6 | 10 |
| Larry Paladin IV | Rask / Barnabas | 0 – 3 | 4 | 3 |
On the best Food-themed conversion side of things:
Kevin Finch won the overall prize with his epic Swamp Gobber River Waiters conversions. They’re delivering fine dining and a bit of death to battlefields across Immoren.
The other entries were great as well, from Mike’s chef-slash-sawbones, Larry’s Swamp Gobber Chef, and Addison’s Gorax-dining-on-a-Tharn conversion. Eeep!
We also gave out a best-painted award for the best of two fully painted lists.
Ryan N. won with his classic Cryx scheme. Denny3 and Terminus.
(L to R) Addison won Best Sportsman, Ryan N. got the majority vote for his classic Cryx theme for best completely painted army, and Kevin won the best Food conversion.
I also got a few action shots of games being played, though certainly not an exhaustive set.
Ryan N.’s Denny3 clashes against Addison’s Krueger2, and managed to pull out the win on scenario thanks to a Poltergeist effect pushing Krueger2 off a flag when he missed a shot. Ouch!
Larry in the final stages of his plan to have Molik Karn strigke from all the way downtown and take out Kyle’s Denny1 (she’s hiding right behind the pumpkin objective, and Karn is the yellow proxy base).
Crash of the heavies as Larry IV’s Rask-led wall of warbeasts met Brad’s Naaresh-led wall of warbeasts.
Andy’s Kraye got a little too close to Ryan M.’s Ossrum list and was shot down by all the little dwarf jacks.
Denny3 again for Ryan N., who was worn down by the sheer volume of Savage’s Vindictus list.
Mike’s Cygnar try to hold the line versus Brad’s wall of Naaresh, but the big elephants triumphed again.
Andy’s Cygnar, this time led by Stryker2, faced off again Stu’s Durst list. In a complete grind that ended with literally only the two casters left trying to kill each other, Stu managed to win thanks to a Durst retributive strike on Stryker2.
This last one came after a battle: Kevin’s Kromac2 sits down for a pleasant goblin-served dinner with Savage’s Vindictus following their epic clash.
Finally, a shot of the winners of the Whole Foods Door Prizes: various gift cards loaded with cash kindly provided by the grocery company to support our local endeavor!
The Dark Muse 