Holy ****! It's time for the best spearing of the year again!
http://wpo.belegarth.com/
This time, it's not even (quite) on Valentine's day!

What: Wofpack Opener, the best 5 hours of fighting you'll have all year, guaranteed.
When: February 13th, 2010. Weapons check opens at noon, the field opens at 12:30. Everyone leaves by 5:30 that night.
Where: Horton Field House on the ISU campus, Bloomington, about 4 hours drive each way. For directions, click the link
How much?: $5, or $4 if you print out a waiver and fill it out before you get there. Cheap!
Why?: Many of you have been before, you know what a great time it is, and how awesome the chinese food is afterwards. If, for some reason you haven't, this really is the most intense fighting of the year. As in, 300 people in a gym intense. If you spear, you want to spear at WPO - it's ridiculously good hunting. If you want to learn to fight, find me during one of the (few) breaks, and I will introduce you to people who will impart great wisdom.

This is a Belegarth event, and Belegarth rules will be enforced. In practice, this doesn't mean much difference at all.

On the field:

1. Archers! - a missile must deflect at least 30* for a shot to count. This is more than the "minute deflection" standard. Also, hand-on-weapon is weapon, so it goes through to whatever is behind it. Hand-on-weapon is only arm if the arm was behind the hand in the path of the arrow, not automatically.
2. Expect to hear "Hold!" instead of "Kneel!". Actually, expect to hear a damn airhorn, because that's what it takes.
3. Magic switch is perfectly legal. Then again, you've fought me and I can't help it, so I bet you can tolerate it .
4. Slashed arm goes behind your back, stabbed hangs limp.

Yup, that's really about it that you're likely to notice.

Off the field (weapons check):

1. There's no difference in template rules between stab tips and non-stab tips. However, this will rarely come up in practice.
2. Spears cannot flex more than 45*. Javelins are the only thing that can flex 90*.
3. Expect non-marine foam sword stab tips to be examined particularly closely for stability. Of course, there's no real reason not to have a marine foam stab tip anyway, so why not upgrade? Ask me how!
4. Armor: no Ti and leather has to make thickness within two layers
5. In every other difference I can think of, the bel rules are the same, just slightly more loose

I would be more than happy to doublecheck anyone's weapon beforehand, though I am by no means infallible. And if for some reason all your **** flails, I'm sure I can scrounge stuff for you to borrow.

I'm afraid I probably won't be able to provide any rides - I'm planning to stay overnight in a hotel with some Hydra friends, because a hot tub after fighting is an amazing thing.

Planning on being there. I'd be most grateful if you'd go over my gear prior to, as apparently both my brothers and a cousin are like to show up and fight. At least one brother will be bringing his own butted chainmail.

I think there needs to be some sort of Hydra/Legion alliance. I totally want in on this hot tub idea.

Thanks for the post Chicken! Will there be weapon vendors there? I really want a Bel bat.

I know, isn't that brilliant? Unfortunately, everything's kind of up in the air at the moment and I doubt we'll have room to share. I'd be happy to let you know where we wind up if y'all want to do the same thing, though.

Sync: I doubt Edhellen'll have a shop set up, but you can order from them and ask to pick it up their and skip shipping charges I'm certain, they do that at pretty much every large event.

We are staying with Bean Si, like normal, but you should tell us where you are staying so we can "crash" your party.

im interested in going and would like to arrange travel with some people. I can ride with them, or they can ride with me. But i plan on going. So talk to me about things and whatnot.

ill be going to champaign and then bloomington weds morning and will be coming back sometime sunday night or monday morning.
call me if you need anthing!
lothar and i am taking some goods to sell i have spoken to a member of the officers in wolfpack they have no formal space to set up vendors but we are fine to sell from our seats/ area of the bleachers

im bringing the mcfeelgood and byzant flags see you there!

Reminder!: PRINT OUT A WAIVER NOW, fill it out, put it with your gear so you don't forget it, save a buck and make the line go faster! Yay, faster lines, more fighting!

I should have 3 sick new poles in time to put on a show. Just plain atrocities against all that is good and virtuous, and just in time for the best spearing of the year, bar none.

So who is all fighting with who? Are we all going to fight as Byzantium? or by company with whoever we want?

When we form up for the realm battle, who's going to lead us? Are we going to stand alone or with others?

these are questions i wonder at times.