The first of three US Open events is going down at the end of this week – it’s the first official tournament since the global pandemic brought big events to a halt. This is a huge moment for competitive gaming, and for the entire global Warhammer scene.
There are plenty of reasons to be jazzed, and now that it’s so close we thought you would enjoy a few more to get fully riled up. Whether you plan to attend or not, everyone will be able to enjoy the action with live streaming throughout. Read on for the details.
1. Tickets Are Still Available (At the Time of Writing, Anyway)
You read that right. The US Open venues are truly incredible, and they’re also BIG – easily able to accommodate loads of tables while allowing for ample social distancing. Believe it or not, there are still a few tickets left if you want to join the fun and roll some dice.
The first of three US Open events takes place in Orlando, Florida, on the 13th of August, so don’t wait too long. Get out there and book your tickets before they’re gone.
The fine folks in the events team have rounded up a veritable dream team of the best judges in competitive Warhammer, including John Weyermuller and Justin Curtis for Warhammer 40,000, and Warhammer Hero Chuck Moore for Warhammer Age of Sigmar – all of whom have years of experience as both playtesters and judges. They supplement the excellent events team itself, boasting experienced judges like Mike Brandt and Nate Goodfellow. The gaming experience should be smooth as butter even if some of us are a bit rusty after so long an absence.
2. Massive Warhammer, and Actual Real-life Warhammers
The competition will be fierce, especially when the players realise their names will be immortalised on a pair of honest-to-goodness warhammers. We’d love to show you, but the blacksmiths at AWE Me Studios (you may have seen their work in the Man at Arms show on the History Channel) are still putting the finishing touches on them.
The winners of each of the tournaments will earn their rightful place in history, and their names permanently engraved on these weapons – a familiar-looking thunder hammer for Warhammer 40,000, and Ghal Maraz for Warhammer Age of Sigmar. No pressure, right? Of course, they’ll also earn a spot in the finals, but which one do you think they’ll brag about to all their friends?
3. Pure Warhammer Party Vibes
Speaking of oversized weapons of war, you’ll marvel at the sheer size of a full-scale Primaris Intercessor. And we mean FULL scale – standing over eight and a half feet tall, including an accurately-scaled base.
If you hang around, you might even hear him dispense some 41st-Millennium-style wisdom. Yup. He speaks.
In addition to the big boy, the Primaris Lieutenant* himself will be there. Sort of. He’s on deployment, but the remembrancers have rendered his glorious image in the form of a cardboard cutout. Keep an eye on the Primaris Lieutenant’s super-official Twitter account to see what he gets up to during the show.
The lucky folks who are attending in person will be among the first to watch a full episode of upcoming Warhammer Animation project Hammer and Bolter during a special screening event.
4. The Best Shopping Outside of Warhammer World
Gaming isn't the only reason to hit up official events like these, you’ll also have the chance to shop the latest Forge World resin goodies, exclusive miniatures (including Aspiring Champion of Chaos Holga Clovenhorn and Necron Lord Hasmoteph the Resplendent), books, and awesome merch.
You’ll find all of that and more at the stalls. You don’t even need tickets to the tournaments to come and shop, so it’s well worth a trip if you’re within striking distance of Orlando, New Orleans, or Austin.
5. Can’t Make It in Person? Catch the Live Stream
There’s still plenty to take in, even if you can’t make it to Orlando. We'll be streaming the whole thing on Warhammer TV’s Twitch channel. Two expert Metawatch contributors will provide live coverage – Paul Murphy’s on hand for play-by-play commentary throughout the weekend, and he’s joined by Nick Nanavati with in-depth analysis of the biggest moments.
6. This Is the Beginning of a New Era
As the inaugural event in the US Open 2021, the Warhammer Open Orlando is just the first chapter in a long saga. With two more Warhammer Open events, plus the final at the Warhammer Citadel in Grapevine, Texas, this season will kick off with a bang. After that, expect to see more official events all across the USA.
Warhammer will be hitting Gen Con in full force, including exciting news (just like the old days) you won’t want to miss. We’re so eager to talk about these tournaments, and you can learn more about how they all go from our coverage on the Warhammer Community website. We’ll keep you up to date with all the latest news about global events – sign up for our email newsletter to get them sent directly to your inbox.
Attendees might want to read a few Metawatch articles so they know what to expect. In fact, you can count on these events to make an appearance in future Metawatch articles, since they’ll be the first official tournaments using the latest rulesets for BOTH Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Age of Sigmar.
* You should definitely pronounce it “loo-tenant” while he’s in America, just to watch all the British people squirm a little bit.