NOVA Open 2024 - Saturday, August 31

 

I had a couple hours to race through NOVA Open this year at the Washington Hilton in DC. Compared to the historical side of things this place really radiates youth and energy. Tabletop gaming is very much alive and thriving; perhaps many of these kids will dabble in historicals as they mature?

Though it's Games Workshop/Citadel dominant, the rest is also mostly sci-fi with a chunk of fantasy taking up space everywhere - games I couldn't name even at gunpoint. I'm more of a sympathizer than a fan of most of this stuff, but it's still tabletop miniatures at the end of the day.

Apart from looking at terrain and tables - most of which were crowded with tournament players, the bigger draw for me is the world class painting competition they call the Capital Palette. And like the last couple years I have been attending thee were some phenomenal models on display. Some I recognized from years prior. Nonetheless, here are the ones that caught my eye this year: 

One of my faves - the Object Source Lighting (OSL) was a particularly nice focus on many entries this year which I take particular delight in - a really splendid piece here.

Love the whimsical narrative in this one! Brilliantly realized!

Oooh - something from history!

I'm sorry, were you saying something?

Those gem stones!

Tasty free hand background - who doesn't love a moonlit cemetery?

A Reaper mini I have still in the blister - Inspiring take!

I love the contrast in styles and how they both work wonderfully in their own way.

Another favorite!

Lamp and lava - I liked these so much I took two pics!

The moonlight here really puts this one above - fantastic!

I had less time and space to capture beautiful tables, and I think I even missed a room or two in my haste. HMGS Conventions have the Flames of War tables I admire so much; NOVA Open has Lord of the Rings and Star Wars tables. Some gems in here - most seen before:

The main ballroom is difficult to shoot in as it is crowded with competitors and players are very much into their games. Still, there were some interesting things along the periphery and in the "dealer hall" - here called the Exhibitor Hall.

Boy, does this sum up the state of Liberty in the world today! What a conversation piece!

The iconic mascot of the whole event

Pry off the Orc symbol from above the door and you have a lovely building suitable for Old West, Colonial or even Ancients in Africa or the Middle East.

Necron city - fun!

Well, all in all, it appeared to be a fun convention for those who participated. As for the vending, I didn't find much - picked up a few new brushes from Artis Opus and an effect paint from the Green Stuff World guy. The "bits" folks were not here this year - that alone is often worth the price of admission; if you know, you know. 

I do recommend people attend this - it is a marvel and I enjoyed basking in the youthful energy. The people-watching (including just a handful of cosplayers) has some appeal too though I didn't have much time to take it in.

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NOVA Open 2023 - Friday, September 1

I had the opportunity to visit the NOVA Open again. It feels MUCH bigger than it did last year and was held in the Washington Hilton this year - a much better venue than in 2022. When the grognards wonder where the hell the kids are, they are here. This is the main competition space consisting exclusively of Warhammer 40k tables. Not particularly my thing as you know. BUT the event wasn't without a ton of interesting things for the miniatures hobbyist. Below are the sights that caught my eye.

 

In the entryway were the entries to the painting competition. Some real gems in there -most of which I could not identify.

A cool skellie and a technicolor yawn!

Terrible pic of one of the better models in there - entirely backlit with OSL moonlight.

I thought of Tango from TMP when I saw these - something he'd have posted for sure.

These were in the dealer hall area - nasty

This beaut of a table was off by itself. I don't know what it's for but it's evocative and gloomy - love it!

Like a lot of animals, I'm attracted to shiny things like the LED lights found on most of the buildings in this, uh, sci-fi something or other game.

I'm really out of my element on this aspect of miniature gaming - but I can recognize some stellar imaginative skill when I see it. Looks awesome!

On to the tables that caught my eye! They had a LOTR/StarWars/Age of Sigmar room similar in playing space to the 40K room. There were other offshoot areas hosting various things like Horus Heresy, Necromunda and other things I've never remembered.

The kids see terrain over which Marvel superheros will fight over. I see a town about to experience a zombie apocalypse.

Good to see the Monster Fight Club stuff (the trees, bushes and rocks). Mine remains unpainted.

I'm obsessed with the Warlord Ruined Hamlet set. I got it unassembled in ts box but fun to see how others are using them. I see Renedra fencing here. The tree, incidentally, is not part of that particular terrain piece.

Here they added their own shingling - nice touch!

Here's that first one again sans the tree, which I redeployed into the rest of the woods. I'll be forgiven for meddling with the table I'm sure.

I also love those Citadel Woods sets - I have two of my own already in progress.

Oh, you wanted to see that Warlord vignette again? Sure.

Tacking some shingles on is a pretty good idea - they all came out really nice that way.

There's a video of this one at the end of this entry - see below!

Some ruins somewhere in Middle Earth - I can't name it, but I do love these pieces.

Marvelous!

Superb!

I have a ton of these Woodlands Scenics tree armatures too I should get started on.

We move over into the Star Wars section with this lovely Nabuvian themed table. Really cool!

Khorne vs Eldar right? I'm more interested in the walls, towers and buildings here.

These blue tiled roofs are working for me.

A couple set of the Sigmarite Mausoleum on display. This is yet another thing I still have in the box but have every intention of painting up some day. I'm kind of intimidated by all the lovely details there.

More Sigmarite Mausoleum pieces - but in ivory! Neat!

Good rubble!

Back to the main stage was this terrific temple of ? display. Again, I don't know what it is, but it is impressive. (And it's shiny.)

Around the perimeter of the 40k competition space were yet more cool tables.

Number 2 insisted on being in this shot. So be it.

Every piece on this table fascinates me, so beautiful and interesting.

Unique color pallet

Cool little demo table.

 

Let's go back that Warlord Ruined Hamlet set - this time in one of the many corridors of the hotel.

I love the way these turned out.

I would lolly stick in some flooring but otherwise these look perfect to me.

Love this one!

 Finally, a quick vid of my favorite LOTR table - I just love these varying height, multi level tables. Beautifully planned and executed:

 

Well that's all folks!  I certainly would play a lot of these games, but I have no desire to model much of them. All and all it is a great little (big) con - a day trip for me is perfect. It's insight into an aspect of my hobby that I rarely interact with. These are definitely the cool kids of it all - the ranked competition players. 

 

Apart from a WW2 game there wasn't anything for the historical miniature enthusiast much at all. I didn't even see Oathmark, Frostgrave or Silver Bayonet games. There was an American Revolution RPG game being launched that sounded interesting - straight historical game built over a 5th edition D&D framework. Also, and I'll be appallingly judgemental and close minded here, there is a modern (and complex) board game based on Skyrim. The PC/console Skyrim is superb, I can't imagine getting much pleasure from a board game version of it where everything is slowed to a snail's pace. Like so many modern genre games it includes a thousand pieces, tokens and cards and fancy plastic miniatures. I'm obviously wrong about interest levels for such a thing but that one is definitely not for me.

 

Shopping: Army Painter, Citadel products, and wooden game accessories dominated the vending area and speedpaints were basically never out of view anywhere. It's not the bazaar one would find at an HMGS con but I did manage to pick up some paints and a few old Vampire Count skellies. All told it was worth it for the short time I was there.

 

As always, thanks for looking - questions, comments and followers are welcome and encouraged! I'm doing more and more on Facebook so follow my page there too! https://www.facebook.com/One-of-My-Men-Became-Restless-100659928063858