AER Fall Tournament, 2006

800*600



Gizmovision, Fall Tournament, 2006 12.2 meg Right Click / Save As executable
to view the Tournament Terrain
Always run antivirals upon any downloaded object.

Ron Baselice of the Dallas Morning News spent the day with us at Fall 2006.
DMN video       3.1meg windows media video




AER: Fall Tournament and Festival, 2006

The KAG ship, IKV Melota, once again announces a successful Tournament and Festival with fun for all. This is 7th year running that the IKV Melota has hosted a Batleth Tournament. This is the second time in the Melota Tournament history that the venue has changed. For the first time since moving the venue to Kbubble's property, this Tournament was held at a new venue. It also allowed for some interesting new possibilities as there was access to pedal boats, canoes, and a hard pavilion for events and entertainment.

We did not have to set up a commons tarp as we had rented the pavilion local to our area of the park. The House Salek pre-paid and reserved the entire Class B area including that pavilion so we "owned" that entire piece of the park for controlling porpoises. With a playground and the swimming area (too cold, but there) nearby, we still had mundane foot traffic with which we could wow and awe the mundanes.
This also allowed an (State Park required) entry fee for attendees of a mere $2 per head to get into the gate. For IKV Melota members and the first 12 tents of guests, that entry fee of only $2 would certainly make springing the loot for the event easier. Latecomers and late registrants still had the option of paying full price plus the $2 per head for a Class A campsite on the other side of the lake/park.

The fun part (or hard part) was now to come up with new and different ideas to make sure that both combatants and non-combatants have something fun in which to compete. Once again, Gizmet and Squeeze worked hard and came up with some really novel ideas for the non-combants.

We had many guests, both old and new. For the first time in literally years, the IKV Deliverance was not able to place combatants in the Ring. Real Life managed to get into the way of planning for all involved though understand and wish them well in their business endeavors. The IKV Bayou Serpent for the third year in a row was well represented considering the 5 hour drive. We had a potential recruit show up and the Dallas Morning News was there from 1100-2130 recording interviews and video.

The IKV Bayou Serpent arrived surprisingly early. They managed to arrive even before some of the DFW local regulars. Thus were was camp set up and a great time chatting around the fire. The moon was awesome. The one oddball happening that night was that a raccoon dove into the box of tribbles and took off with one that had an "adult prize" marker. Thus one of the adult prizes was unclaimed after Saturday's tribble hunt.

Combat was different as the "Ring" was half of a volleyball field. That was actually quite nice. Falling was not so painful. In fact, Ripar in particular used that fact to do some baseball dives under his opponent's weapon. It did put a serious damper on the "gerbil dance", though. Also different was the planned use of paint and Tshirts. That certainly make scoring easier. Another unusual first was the scoring section being run by a pair of lovely young binars. All scores were called out in cadenced stereo. Thank you, girls.

After a mass feed courtesy of the 'tokQs and Gizmos, there was then the non-combat events. First off was a pedal boat race. Four pedal boats were rented for this event. Many of us found out how long it has been since we were on a bicycle. My two weeks off the bike really caused my legs to hurt and burn. We also discovered that the 2 green boats wallow like scows. The two yellow boats are worse. It was still fun. Prizes were awarded. Ripar took home a massager for that one.

It was then pinata time! As in 2002, this pinata was a targh. As that early targh, it contained prizes for all ages. Since we only had 3 kids present, we went though them in a hurry. It was a grup that got to bust the targh and start a fair scrabbling for items and markers. Of all of the lousy luck, that Ferengi wannabe, Errol, once again found most of the adult markers. There was some serious discussing and trading until the Keeper of the Cookie Jar intervened and required him to divvy them amongst the adults. Stolichnaya. Cognac. Captain Morgan's. Jose.

There was then the targh hunt. The electric targh was found a little too easily. I don't recall the prize for the targh. None of the prizes were to sneeze at, though.

The Klingon Race was designed to be run at night. What a race! Puzzles with too many pieces. Locks and keys. Fishing ducks and sharks from the lake. Climbing on the playground equipment for balloons. Throwing various objects at targhets. Rope puzzles requiring the whole person to go through the knot. Wow! And then there were the prizes.

There was then the tribble hunt. All of the tribbles were found. However, due to the raccoon swiping one with an adult marker, one of the adult prizes went unclaimed.

Prizes. Let's see. We saw among other prizes:
automatic knife
propane torch
gift certificates to Half Price books and other stores
certificate for a 30 minute (legit) massage at Bodywerks
RC car
ST:TOS miniatures set
mini-DaQtag
And these are the ones that I remember.

Ceremonies were held about 2100. We Howled for Amanda Grayson and other dead. There was the "Prayer to Stovokor". Bloodwine was dipped. Then the meat of the Ceremonies was fairly quick and painless.

Promotion: Squeeze to Lt. Cdr., QuadComm presiding
Klingon of the Year: Squeeze

Win: Gizmo
Place: KartoQ
Show: Ripar
Batleth: Gizmo
Mekleth: KartoQ
DaQtag: KartoQ
First Blood: Gizmo
First Broken Weapon: Gizmo (and it was his own loaned to his opponent)
Longest Distance: IKV Bayou Serpent
Campaign Pins were handed out

Order of Kamin: Salek and Squeeze as a couple
Presented by Dragen as Krell's proxy.

After the Ceremonies were over, I remembered an object that I had created for the Ceremonies. Well, too late. However, I had fully intended to hand it over to the IKV Bayou Serpent. I had created a "firestone". This would be a huge, honkin' candle made out of a very large rock that was drilled for a wick. The IKV Bayou Serpent was introduced to another new technology courtesy of the IKV Melota. Hopefully, we shall see that stone at VW4. Who knows? Perhaps it may metastaze into more stones for VW4.

Well, another "tech" that was demonstrated was the first ever "Firewine". Many tried. None died, though there are those that thought that they might. This is a modified ginger ale with habeneros in it. Ask K'allen about it. He is the Warrior who gave me the recipe. Ripar drank it with a straight face. It does have a little bit of burn going down.

Finally, on Sunday, "Retread" pins were handed out for those who participated in the Race for the second time.

Overall, the weekend was great. The fighting was brutal. The non-combatant games were fun. The possibilities are the future that such an event would hope to reap.

Strength and Honor

Cdr. Salek Sutai
Ship's Brewer
An Approved Brewmaster of the Empire
www.janissaries.net



On November 4th, the IKV Melota hosted their annual Batleth tournament. There were the traditional 3 main events (Batleth Mekleth and Daq), as well as various noncom events for the entire crowd.
Friday afternoon the 3rd saw the various arrival times of Melota, Federation and Bayou Serpent participants. We all set up camp wherever we wanted for the most part, and the socialization place for the weekend was at the compound of Dragen Draconus of House BoS'ra (because I was the only one that had a campfire going and it was REAL chilly).
Saturday morning saw the dawning of a glorious day of battle. I myself faced Ri'Par of the Bayou Serpent and his danged "Barney" batleth, and was quickly eliminated (I got a half point, so at least was not skunked). Remind me to hate that danged purple dinosaur. There was much bloodshed, athletic prowess (partly due to the sandy arena floor), and it was all great fun.
Saturday afternoon saw the non-com games, most of which I didn't do because of hurting in my lower back.
In the middle of the late afternoon, Lord Krell and spouse arrived for a couple hours of fellowship and Ferengi marketing (krell was selling Star Trek models to the Serpent guys and kartoq).
That night saw the ceremonies and awarding of the various prizes won throughout the day of battle. The Treasure chest was especially well stocked this year. The 2 biggest prizes were a Star Trek:TOS bridge set donated by Lord Krell (One of the older ones that I have seen on Ebay for around 300 or so at times), and a remote controlled car that had interchangeable bodies donated by I know not who. After the ceremonies was a scifi trivia game and much partying around the Dragen campfire again.
All in all it was a glorious weekend, and a much needed escape from reality. Unfortunately I had to depart early Sunday morning due to a family emergency, which all worked out for the best in the end and all are fine now. Sorry I missed out on helping out with the breakdown and cleanup guys.

Dragen


I'll try not to rehash everything since Salek and Dragen have all the bases covered for the AER but needless to say I had a great time.It always takes a few days to fully get over the bruises and bloodwine!

This was also my first tournament to judge in which is harder than it looks,especially in double weapon matches.Thanks to Dr Gizmo for the chance to do something new and thanks to the 2 pretty binars who would always repeat my scoring in perfect harmony. It never got old!

I got to meet Melota members that I havent had the pleasure of meeting yet and missed a few I had hoped to see that couldnt attend for various reasons.

Thanks to the entire Melota crew for inviting us and showing us a great time! Thanks to Salek for the fire rock and firewine (yes,I drank it with a straight face.Guess I have a duranium stomach).

Thanks to sQueeze and Gizmet for the great planning and prizes. You all know I'll be back next year!

Lt Cmdr Ri'Par vestai-bortaS IKV Bayou Serpent CO

                 


AER's Page
Downloads Page
Home