May 15, 2019: Year 10; Edition 11
Hello, All ~

I'm excited about a decade of NOVA Open, and so is the staff. They've started to go all out in preparation. I've enjoyed the festivities - so much so that me and a few gaming buddies have a video rolling out in our June 1 newsletter. We've had volunteers jump out of airplanes, fly in wind tunnels, and tattoo the anniversary coat of arms permanently on their bodies. This month, beloved NOVA Open Registrar Marti got into some explosive shenanigans of her own in "celebration" of the anniversary.

My challenge to you all is to join us in what has become this " #howfarwouldyougo?" series of wild videos. We've got a few more planned for the coming months, but how far would YOU go to celebrate 10 years of wargamers raising money for charity and having an awesome time? Would you paint or create the most epic model or conversion of your life as a centerpiece for your army? Would you make a crazy video of you doing something hilarious and share it with us for future newsletters? I could think of a bunch of interesting ideas - can you? Don't Be Shy . . . Be BOLD! We'd love to run the series at the con - if enough videos show up.

Turning to the convention on a logistical front: For those of you who are on wait lists, we'll be using the next month to rejigger our halls and make any space we can from events that aren't in quite as high a demand. This carries a few important notes for everyone:

If you're looking to attend an event that is not currently sold out, sign up for it IMMEDIATELY. We are likely to re-purpose some undersold events to those with massive wait lists. If you are planning on not showing up and walking in the day of, you may find that event has no room for you.

If you want to get into an event that is currently sold out, get on the wait list! We do not plan to simply shift empty seats from one event to another - most and/or all of any spots we open in any event will likely be filled by players currently on the wait lists. IF you aren't on one, we don't know you want a spot!

Since most event growth will go to those who are on long wait lists, there likely won't be a formal announcement of "new space." The wait lists themselves will fill any new event room we create, so again - make sure you're on the wait list for events you'd like to participate in!

FOOD TRUCKS! NOVA Open has an industrious young intern, Brown Riggins, who has murdered it gathering food trucks -- six truck slots, twelve shifts a day, five full days. Come hungry . . . to whet your appetite, scroll down toward the bottom of this newsletter and click through the menus of the 16 trucks already committed!

Finally, to all those who have family, friends and other loved ones who have paid the ultimate sacrifice serving their country, I wish you well this Memorial Day. We join you, and ask all our attendees to join us, in putting our thoughts and prayers to those who paid the highest price in trying to make the world a better place.

IT'S ALMOST JUNE, MERE MONTHS UNTIL NOVA!

Mike Brandt, NOVA Open CEO
ANNOUNCEMENTS
#HOWFARWOULDYOUGO?

MARTI SERAPHIN
NOVA' Opens beloved Registrar, devoted Customer Service Manager, and exemplary POC for all Lead Communications,
will be at NOVA Open 2019 to celebrate our 10 year anniversary.

Better watch out . . . she's an excellent marksman!
64-PLAYER AGE OF SIGMAR RTT JUST ADDED
AoS Players Have Asked for More - and We Heard You!

Join us at NOVA Open 2019 for a unique one day RTT AoS tournament. This event will appeal to the whole AoS community with its bold split between battle points, hobby and sports scores. To emerge victorious, you will
need to excel in all three areas.  


For competitive gamers, this will offer a great opportunity to score significant ITC points in what promises to be the most competitive year ever for AoS ITC. 64 players, three rounds means that 8 players will go undefeated. The ITC submission will be based on battle points alone, direct from BCP on the evening following the tournament. This gives 8 players the opportunity to score around 200 points each. For a RTT, no other event in the AoS calendar can touch that. 

Missions played will be determined once GHB2019 has dropped. They will be chosen such that a variety of mechanics for scoring are used (e.g. hero only/’burning objectives’/variable scores), that there is a mix between 18” and 24” starting separation and that we eliminate ‘gotcha’ style missions to ensure all games run deep. This is designed to ensure that a variety of list types are competitive.

For the hobbyists, this event will combine paint scoring from a detailed rubric and both players’ and judges’ choice best presentation selections, giving you the opportunity to be recognized for both your hobby from both a technical and entertainment perspective.

For the great sports out there, this event will combine sports scores for every game with a favorite game mechanic to genuinely test whether you are the most engaging, fun opponent in AoS. This game thrives because of the positive environment and the experiences you create for your opponents, whether you have known them for years or moments. Time to get recognized for it.

To be crowned the AoS Renaissance Gamer, you will need to perform in all three of these areas. We expect that you, the community, will blow us away with what you deliver - The NOVA Open AoS team look forward to being able to facilitate and share in this experience with you.
NOVA OPEN INTERVIEWS
MASON RINEHART OF SQUAD MARKS

While the wargaming hobby has been around for decades, it remains a space where companies can introduce interesting innovations for keeping track of your forces. In the case of Squad Marks, the company has introduced an accessory of plastic clips that attach to the bottom of a miniature’s base to differentiate between squads in an army. “There are not a lot of products that do all the things Squad Marks can and will be able to do and with such a simple solution that is fairly easy to set up and use,” said Mason Rinehart, the company’s owner.

Mason’s idea for starting his business began when he began playing Warhammer 40K ten years ago and noticed a space in the accessories market for transporting and identify his squads between games. Mason’s interest in creating custom accessories also inspired him to launch the company. “I have always liked making tokens and templates for my games to speed up my play and make it easy for me and my friends to understand what I'm playing since I tend to use a lot of proxies and grey miniatures during practice games,” he said.
 
Continue reading the Squad Marks interview click HERE.
NOVA OPEN INTERVIEWS
JASON BRAME of THE CHANCE CUBE

Fantasy Flight Games’ Star Wars: Destiny positively exploded onto the gaming scene in December of 2016. Before it was even out on the shelves The Chance Cube was up and running, connecting fans and creating a community of players that continues to this day. Jason Brame released The Chance Cube’s first podcast on Sept. 16, 2016, making it one of the first content creators for Star Wars: Destiny.

The Chance Cube is now a non-profit media network dedicated to the education and exploration of tabletop games. It is maintained by a group of volunteers who refer to themselves as The Chance Cube Family. They produce a weekly podcast, YouTube videos, a weekly Twitch stream, a Facebook page and more!
 
Continue reading The Chance Cube's interview click HERE.
NEW EVENTS ADDED
COME a DAY or 2 EARLY & PLAY
WARHAMMER "Age of Sigmar" CHAMPIONS
Warhammer Champions is heading to NOVA Open and bringing huge events with us! The premier Warhammer Trading Card Game, Warhammer Champions are bringing a full two days of battling, demos and a chance to win massive prizes!

We’re kicking off the event with our NOVA Open Championship, our huge 2-day event that will bring major prizes for those who manage to make it to the top 8. Prepare your decks Champions, only the strongest will make it!

For those who are looking to experience Warhammer Champions for the first time, there be running demos, tutorials and other tournaments the entire show for you to try your hand at battling for glory and honour! Try your hand at your first sealed tournament or being your best constructed decks to play for our winners playmats from Ultimate Guard!
STEAMFORGED EVENTS
UPDATED & REVISED TODAY
Steamforged has a new convention team and big plans for a roll out at NOVA Open.

Guild Ball has added a "Welcome to the Pitch" open play event on Thursday - and will be running four days of its Regional Cup.

Godtear, its newest add which started with a Kickstarter last year, will have two open play sessions on Friday and Saturday. Steamforged is also excited to add four "Learn to Play" sessions over the course of four days.

Check your schedule and, if you have a window or two, think about registering for one or more of these events while you're at NOVA Open. Click on the icons below to go to our store, to browse around and register for more!

NOVA Open CHARITABLE FOUNDATION (NOCF) is also excited to announce that Steamforged will be revealing three (3!) studio painted Godtear Warbands which will be in the NOCF Summer Raffles, fundraising for great causes.
NOVA OPEN INTERVIEWS
GUTIER LUSQUINOS of CORVUS BELLI

NOVA Open had a chance to interview one of its long-time friends, Gutier Lusquinos, game designer for Corvus Belli, the parent company of INFINITY: THE GAME. Gutier has been attending NOVA Open on and off since 2014 and joining us again this year as our special guest.

NOVA Open was very excited to see a nice post by Gutier on their Facebook page.

NO: Give us a bit of background on your company/business. How long have you been in business? What is your mission statement?

GL: Corvus Belli was founded in 2001 starting with a range of 15mm historical miniatures. I joined the company in 2003 to develop what is now our main product, Infinity, a sci-fi skirmish wargame. I am responsible for Infinity, my main tasks being the background creation and development, and the creation and management of rules.

NO: What is your most popular product?

Find the answer to this and many other questions by following the store HERE.
KR MULTICASE IS LOOKING FORWARD TO
NOVA OPEN 2019
KR MULTICASE posted on Facebook. Here's what they had to say:

KR Multicase will be supporting the Tournaments at the NOVA Open!

NOVA Open is one of the biggest wargaming events in the USA, and it hosts a great many wargaming tournaments! And we are happy to be supporting this tournament – along with a great many of the other events and raffles at the show!

Regardless of whether you’ll be playing Warhammer 40000, X-Wing, Infinity, or a host of other wargames, there’s something at the NOVA Open for you. From August 29th to September 1st, there’ll be tournaments running all the time, from standard Swiss style tournaments to some themed mission events! More information can be found at the NOVA Open website, with details for each tournament on their own pages! Click here for the NOVA Open Website: http://www.novaopen.com/

Of course, we at KR Multicase will be supporting these tournaments with a range of our popular cases, trays and transport bags for the valiant competitors to compete for! Those winners will be lucky enough to have their armies travel in style and protection in our popular range of cases and trays!

There’s still more that NOVA Open is doing and we are proud to be supporting the show in many ways, so keep an eye out for even more news on both our posts and the NOVA Open site! You can subscribe to their newsletter to always be up to date with one of the best wargaming shows in the USA.

If you have an event you’d like us to support, please contact us at: sales@krmulticase.co.uk, and we are always happy to provide support!

KR Multicase – Putting figures first!
www.krmulticase.com


NOCF GETS SURPRISE
POLISH COMMISSION STUDIO REACHES OUT
CASTLE BRUSH
NOVA Open Charitable Foundation (NOCF) received a surprising email recently. The painters at Castle Brush reached out with a donation that took our Vetting Committee a second to approve for this summer's online raffles. Here's what they wrote:

  • "We made our minds about what we are going to contribute to the NOVA Open Charitable Foundation. It will be a Space Marine part of the Dark Imperium Box - Primaris Space Marines, painted as Crimson Fists Chapter, from Warhammer 40K universe. We added some pictures; they can be also found on our website, in the gallery section."

Simon went on to say that he "hoped their work was painted on level of detail high enough to account our little studio into the honourable circle of painters & artists donating to NOVA Open Charitable Foundation."

It is!
SAM LENZ
REGISTER FOR HIS INTRO TO PAINTING WORKSHOP

NOVA Open surveys are filled with glowing praise for this fabulous artist and instructor, Sam Lenz ( Samson Minis). He is also renowned among his fellow artists as many have taken his individual classes to improve their own amazing and endless talents! As humble as he is talented, we enjoyed sitting down to interview him for our 11/15/2018 newsletter. Learn more about this unique and compelling artist HERE.

We are fortunate to be able to offer our attendees a chance to attend his first 2-1/2 day workshop. Get tickets while they're still available!


TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE FOR THESE HOT GAMES/EVENTS
NOVA Open 2019 has over 150 activities scheduled, PLUS 110 Seminars! Nearly 1/3 are sold out; another 1/3 have fewer than 10 seats remaining!

The following Games, Events & Seminars at NOVA Open still have space available. If interested, CLICK HERE to learn more from, and sign up at, our online store.

GAMES:
AoSKidshammer
40K Trios - Expanded!
Underworlds Grand Clash Tournament
Kill Team Pods (Thursday and Friday) - JUST EXPANDED!!
WH Champions (the card game): US Tournament & Side Events
KeyForge Championship & Side Events
X-wing Grand Championship (Heat 1 & 2) & Hunger Game Events
Destiny Grand Championship
L5R Grand Championship
LotR Doubles
Guild Ball and GodTear - UPDATED & REVISED EVENTS ADDED TODAY!!!
Malifaux
Blood Bowl
WM/H


SEMINARS:
Samson & Banshee Pre-Con Workshops
Matt DiPietro
Madeline Cockrell
Games Workshop: Meet the Studio, Developing the Community & Play Testers Panel
Duncan Rhodes: Painting Skin, Basing, Metallics, Edge Highlighting
Meet CK Studios to learn about their work on the NOCF Warlord Titan
Nanavati 40K Tactic Classes
Studios / Airbrushing: CK, Stiff Neck, White Metal Games
Tabletop Minions (Adam Loper), 40K/Wargamer Couple (Ethan & Amanda Voce)
Death Ray Designs, Austin Thompson


MISCELLANEOUS:
National Qualifier - Settlers of Catan
Board Game Tournaments:
  • Exit Games on Demand
  • King of New York
  • Red Dragon Inn
  • Scythe
  • Shards of Infinity
  • Terraforming Mars
  • Ticket to Ride
NOVA Open Limited 10th Anniversary "Coat of Arms" Specials :
  • German Beer Stein
  • Hockey Jersey
CONVENTION MANAGEMENT / EVENT PLANNING
INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE NOW

INTERNSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT POSITIONS
FOR COLLEGE AND WORK APPLICATIONS!

This is a great opportunity for high school seniors, college students and graduates to gain the "experience" every job posting requires. NOVA Open has an 8-year history of providing internships to enhance college and job applications. Most of our interns used their experience with NOVA Open and NOCF to land competitive jobs - and a few have gone on to earn awards and acclaim in their fields.

If you have a son or daughter, family member or friend, who may be in need of an internship, send them our way: internships@novaopen.com

Find out more by clicking on the button below.
STORE ITEMS for PRE-ORDER
Limited Editions May Sell Out Before Con
Best way to Secure Shirt Sizing is to Pre-Order
Pre-Sales Close on July 1, 2019
PRE-ORDER - $80
CON PRICING - $90
PRE-ORDER $22
CON PRICING - $25
PRE-ORDER $8
CON PRICING - $10
PRE-ORDER $23
CON PRICING - $25
PRE-ORDER $25
CON PRICING - $30
PRE-ORDER $40
CON PRICING - $45
PRE-ORDER $95
CON PRICING - $100
NOVA OPEN NEWS


RESEARCH & PREP IS KEY!
The 2019 NOVA Open schedule is posted. Make it a point to check the newsletter and schedule often for additions/changes.
PRE-CON EVENTS
Sunday - Monday - Tuesday - Wednesday
2019 NOVA OPEN GAMES & EVENTS
EVENT PRIMERS
What game and events are on your NOVA Open radar this year?

Primers can change up until and after registration, and leads are highly responsive to commentary and input.

with your thoughts or questions. 

We'll track changes in the newsletter and within each draft primer doc, so you're always aware of any tweaks and updates moving forward.

Click any event title to see the Primer. If your event is not linked here, visit novaopenstore.com - they will be available for viewing there.



SEMINARS
GAMES WORKSHOP SEMINARS AT NOVA OPEN 2019
 
Check out Games Workshop: Meet the Studio: Join Games Workshop studio head Pete Foley and legendary games designer Jervis Johnson as they explore just how they brought the latest games from the 41st Millennium and the Mortal Realms to life. This is your chance to find out how your favourite games are made. From how new armies are designed, to the thinking behind your favourite codexes and battletomes, there will never be a better time to ask those burning questions you’ve always wanted answers to.

Check out Games Workshop: Developing the Community: Join the Warhammer Community team as we discuss what it’s like to talk about Warhammer for a living and what you have to look forward to in the coming months. During the presentation, you’ll have the chance to check out the latest community initiatives give us your feedback. Make your voice heard – if you’ve got a great suggestion, we want to hear it, so come along! 

MINIATURE ART STUDIOS TEACHING
AT NOVA OPEN 2019
The NOVA Open Tabletop Wargaming Convention and the NOVA Open Charitable Foundation are extremely fortunate to have built wonderful relationships with the key artists and team talents of several miniature art studios over the years. Do not miss a chance to take classes with these amazing instructors. When you do, remember to thank them for the compassion and generosity they bring to the charitable works of our Foundation.

Wes Cogdal, lead designer for SNS, has been attending and sponsoring NOVA Open since 2011. In 2013, when the NOVA Open Charitable Foundation ( NOCF) began, Wes painted one of the original three armies for that year's online raffles:  House of the Silent King. He has been an active contributor to those raffles every year since. It took a while to convince Wes that seminar instruction was a good fit, but we're glad we did. NOVA Open attendees look forward to learning from him more and more each year. Check out the SNS class offerings at SEMINARS.

Caleb Wissenback, the fearless leader of a talented Band of Talented Artists, cut his instructor chops at NOVA Open 2012. A strong supporter of the Convention, and a contributing member of the NOCF Artist Consortium, Caleb has become one of the best known instructors around. CK Studios exists because of the combined talents of Caleb and his incredible business partner, Kat Jackson. NOVA Open is thrilled to have four members of the CK Studio team teaching this year: Caleb, Vincent Venturella, Sam Lenz and Justin Keefer. Check out the CK Studio class offerings at SEMINARS.

Pay special attention to the Friday evening " MEET CK STUDIOS" seminar, where you'll have a chance to hear their stories and learn about how they brought this year's NOCF Warlord Titan to life!

Caleb Dillon, of White Metal Games, began attending NOVA Open in 2016. It took him a couple years, but Caleb decided to start the WMG venture into teaching seminars at NOVA Open 2018. The classes were all well received and, once again, our attendees were able to enjoy new instructors sharing great tips and tricks. Caleb and his team are back with fresh ideas. Check out the WMG class offerings at SEMINARS. Caleb/WMG joined the NOCF Artist Consortium last year, as well - and Caleb has stepped into a lead role for this year's online Raffles.  

NOVA OPEN 2019 SEMINAR INSTRUCTORS
NOVA Open is honored to announce the return of many renowned artists and instructors to its 10 th Anniversary Seminar Schedule. We are also pleased to introduce artists and instructors who will be joining NOVA Open for the first time on this special year. The list is long and growing, classes are diverse, and the choices extensive. 

Spend time studying seminars and working them into your schedule at www.novaopenstore.com .
 
Mike Brandt of NOVA Open - hosting a 40K Playtesting & Panel Seminar
Madeline Cockrell of Lightcraft Miniatures
Wes Cogdal and his crew from Stiff Neck Studio
Caleb Dillon and other artists from White Metal Games
Matt DiPietro of Contrast Miniatures
Alfonso Giraldes, best known as Banshee, from Banshee Miniature Art Academy
Joe Johnson, long-time member of the NOCF Artist Consortium
Justin Keefer (aka "Keefer of Secrets") of CK Studios
Joe Kopena, a NOVA Open Lead skilled in 3D Modeling & Printing
Oscar Lars of Oscar Lars Tutorials
Sam Lenz of Samson Miniatures
Adam Loper of Tabletop Minions
Gutier Lusquinos Rodriguez, game designer of Infinity / Corvus Belli
Sean McAfee of Brushforhire
David Mommel, best known as Basilisk, from Banshee Miniature Art Academy
Nick Nanavati, 40K Game Strategist
Duncan Rhodes of Warhammer TV
Erik Swinson of Swinson Studio
Austin Thompson from Death Ray Designs
Vincent Venturella from Warhammer Weekly
Ethan & Amanda Voce, the 40K Couple
Joe White of Smooth Blend Studio
Caleb Wissenback of CK Studios  

Games Workshop, Fantasy Flight Games, Steamforged and Privateer Press will present community seminars with Q&A, as well.
ART & HOBBY EVENTS
ARTISTS PREP YOUR BRUSHES!
SEVENTH ANNUAL CAPITAL PALETTE COMPETITION
The NOVA Open convention invites hobbyists and artists to proudly display their work in Capital Palette, a juried, open-forum award, miniature art competition. The three Divisions - Apprentice, Journeyman and Masterclass - are each judged by their own 3-judge panel of world-renowned miniature artists (identified below). Those panels will award first place crystal awards across the Division's six Categories. Gold, silver, and bronze accomplishment medals are also awarded in a ceremony on Sunday at 2:00pm in the Foundation Lounge.

In an open forum competition, there can be multiple gold, silver, or bronze winners in a category (or no winners), and each submitting artists’ work is individually evaluated and receives the level of award the judges feel their work merits, without regard to the awards given to other pieces in the competition.

The three Divisions were added in 2018, so that submitting artists can use this format to better judge the progress of their work from show to show, without concerns about what other artists may create. Check the NOVA Open schedule for .

Additionally, the judging panel (see below) will select one model in each category as the Best in Category winner. One of the Best in Category finalists will be chosen as the overall Best in Show winner. Convention attendees will select a Fan Favorite from among all submissions.

APPRENTICE JUDGE PANEL
Wes Cogdal, David Jenson, Alex Goode

JOURNEYMAN JUDGE PANEL
Dave Taylor, Marc Raley, Jeff Jenkins

MASTERCLASS JUDGE PANEL
Matt DiPietro, Sam Lenz, Caleb Wissenback

If you have any questions about the competition, please take a look at the primer or email customerservice@novaopen.com. 

PREPARE FOR THE 2019 TABLETOP OLYMPICS
The Tabletop Olympics (TTO), which started in 2014, is a free personal achievement and group competition where anyone who attends the NOVA Open can participate. Players accumulate personal "forever achievement points" and can also form groups of 3 to 20 people to compete against other groups. Points can be amassed individually and/or combined with other attendees if individuals band together for group points. In addition to tracking points for teams during NOVA Open 2019, we will also keep track of cumulative points for individuals that accumulate across NOVA Open conventions.
 
If individuals form groups, they need a Point of Contact (POC/Captain) and a group name. The POC must verify the name is not already taken by registering it with the NOVA Open. POC must also submit/verify list of NOVA Open registered members. We recommend that individuals form groups early; groups can consist of individuals participating in a range of point generating activities..

Groups must email customerservice@novaopen.com to register groups. Registration for TTO is open through August 15; it is reopened onsite at the NOVA Open registration desk.
 
In addition to earning points by participating in activities, teams can also earn points through team spirit and good sportsmanship. If a team is witnessed by the NOVA Open Staff supporting their fellow team members in a tournament through cheering or wearing team shirts, they will be awarded bonus points depending how strong their team spirit is. If the NOVA Open Staff witnesses a team member going out of their way to help individuals, they will also be awarded bonus points that is up to the discretion of the staff member.
 
Winning Group and Winning Individual will have their names permanently emblazoned on the NOVA Open Olympic Torch Trophy. As a participant in the Tabletop Olympics, every individual point earned equals an additional chance of winning a prize in the Final Ceremony Raffles; Check-in required (which adds another entry in your name!) Must be present to win.
WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS
At the NOVA Open, we believe when life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade. Therefore, we run the annual Lemonade Raffle - where you can win for losing! In order to be eligible, you must have lost at least one of your tournament games. If you are not playing in a tournament, you are not eligible for the Lemonade Raffle. For every tournament round you lose, your event's Lead will enter your name into our raffle pool. This does not apply to non-tournament pickup games. For example, if you lose one (1) round, you will have one (1) entry in the Lemonade Raffle, if you lose five (5) rounds, you will have five (5) entries in the Lemonade Raffle, and so on. Tournament organizers for your specific game system/s will be responsible for entering your name into the raffle pool.

The Lemonade Raffle occurs Friday through Sunday. There are typically four (4) drawings a day, with 20-30 prizes being given away every three (3) hours or so.Throughout the weekend, over 300 Lemonade Raffle items are awarded with prize values escalating as the convention nears its end on Sunday evening. The NOVA Open staff will attempt to delivery prizes to you, but it never hurts to stop by the Lemonade Raffle desk now and then to see if you're a winner!
NOVA OPEN CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
(NOCF)
NEWS AND UPDATES
The NOVA Open Charitable Foundation has long been on a mission to create a shorthand NOCF that becomes familiar to tabletop wargamers around the world as "their Foundation." We think we've finally got it!

Please join us in thanking Shane Rozzell, a renowned miniature painter and publisher, who donated his daytime job skills to develop and design this new brand. Shane's company, Robot Pigeon Publishing, is responsible for two miniature magazines: Figure Painter and Initiative.

In the coming weeks, we hope to see the full width and breadth of his talent as he and Rick Miller of Steppingstone, LLC, work together to implement their plans for the NOCF website and social media presence.
IN OTHER NEWS:
NOCF will be running only one international online raffle in 2019 - with nearly 40 items currently slated!

Tickets will go on sale July 1 and end September 1 at 12:00pm EST. Winners will be announced at NOVA Open's final awards ceremony that night.

The NOCF will be undergoing a re-brand and updating its website in the coming weeks. Watch for further reveals here.

When NOVA Open attendees check out of the store during registration, they are invited to consider a donation to NOCF. We are blow away by their generosity, as the two-week total since opening on March 1 is now at $3,000!

The artists involved with our online raffles select the charity their item will support from the top three organizations NOCF has supported since inception in 2013: Doctors Without Borders, Fisher House Foundation and Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

90% of every dollar spent on tickets during the online raffles is donated directly to the named charity; the remaining money covers US and International PayPal fees as well as Shipping Costs to deliver all prizes wherever they are bound, world-wide!

We started with three armies in our first raffle; we are approaching 40 items that will ship in 2019.

We started with three artists; this year, there are over 110 members in the NOCF Artist Consortium. 


WORKS IN PROGRESS
WARLORD TITAN
Check out Caleb's Video:
STOMPA
Check out Justin's Video:
X-WING REPAINT
Check out Madeline's Video:
NOCF ARMIES UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Expect updates here soon. The Artist Consortium is working on the following armies:

UPDATE from CHAPTER of HOPE:
40K Community Kill Team Box will include Tablewar mat -- the teams are:
  • 12-man Deathwatch unit by Joe Behrend; and
  • "The Bloated Band" - a highly customized 12-man KT, plays as Adeptus Mechanicus

UPDATE from CHAPTER of HOPE:
40K Battle-Ready Box will also include one or two Tablewar mats - the armies are:
  • 2000 point Imperial Fist Primaris Force by Alex Good;
  • 2000 point Chaos Daemons by Andy Lingoes;
  • 2000 point Adeptus Custodes by Keith Rudis; and
  • 2000 point Imperial Guard Vehicle Regiment by Alex Good

40K Ork Box Set & Infinity Operation Cold Front
  • Courtesy and Talents of Wes Cogdal leading Stiff Neck Studio

40K Special Anniversary SuperNOVA Space Marine Chapter
  • Courtesy of Joe Johnson leading Artist Consortium Team

30K White Scars & 30K Night Lords Zone Mortalis Assault Force
  • Courtesy of Ryan Bridges leading Artist Consortium Team

X-wing Repaint
  • Courtesy and Talents of Madeline Cockrell, Lightcraft Miniature Studio

Age of Sigmar Deathrattle Army, Arkhan's Defiled
  • Courtesy and Talents of Caleb Dillon leading White Metal Games

WM/H Monsterpocolypse
  • Courtesy of James Craig leading Artist Consortium Team

GodTear Warbands
  • Courtesy of Steamforged

Flames of War - two WWII armies
  • Courtesy of Battlefront & Steve McCuen
NOCF LOUNGE
The Foundation Lounge, located on the rooftop level of the Hyatt Regency hotel, Chesapeake View, throughout the NOVA Open convention, is run by volunteers for the NOVA Open Charitable Foundation. Proceeds support the continued work of the Foundation, as well as other named charities.
 
The Foundation Lounge has become the go-to place for attendees, where relaxing with old friends and making new ones after long days of gaming at the convention just comes naturally. The Lounge opens at 11:00am every day with last call is at 1:00am. Come on up to visit this year. There's always something going on at this fully stocked bar, where you'll meet industry experts chatting about their businesses, participate in raffles, join board games, enjoy sumptuous snacks and (on occasional) listen to a live band!

The NOVA Open will be underway by mid-afternoon on Wednesday, August 28 - and the Lounge will follow with a 6:00pm opening that day. Make a point to spend some time with us this year! Watch newsletters for a sneak peek at the daily activities being planned.
SILENT AUCTION
As a part of NOVA Open Charitable Foundation's (NOCF) commitment to supporting its charities, the NOCF organizes a Silent Auction four days (Thursday-Sunday) at the annual convention. NOVA Open attendees have the opportunity to bid on a range of unique and beautiful items such as armies, miniatures, terrain, and art pieces.

We are excited to share in a wonderful surprise we received from Jim Vesal this morning:

"I won a beautifully painted Tyranid army in the 40K championships at Adepticon and was hoping I could donate it to NOCF for the silent auction instead of keeping it. Who can I talk to about arranging this? It was painted by a professional studio and is fully magnetized. I don’t have a complete list of all the models but it is probably around 2000 points."

At NOVA Open, we love nothing more than a great practical joke on April Fool's Day, so you have to know we asked - and Jim promised, this was a genuine offer, no kidding! What an amazing, generous thought, right? If you know him, or meet him, thank him.

It's that easy, folks! If you have something you'd like to donate to the Silent Auction, let us know by writing to novacharities@gmail.com. The success of NOCF depends on you!

Proceeds from the Silent Auction will support the NOCF and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Please note that you must be present to bid on items as well as when we announce the winning bids. You can take a look at prior Silence Auction items here and read the rules for participating in the auction here.

SUPPORT YOUR GAMERS' FOUNDATION
** EVERY TIME YOU SHOP AMAZON **

As of April 1, 2019, forty-three (43) people have designated NOCF as their charity preference on smile.amazon.com ~ resulting in donation to NOCF of $278.06. Thanks to all who are showing their support in this simple way.

The deposits to date, though they be small, are mighty - because they are just the beginning!


It's easier than ... well, just about anything!
We heard from a supporter: "It took less than a minute!"

Log Onto Smile.Amazon.Com
Choose NOVA Open Charitable Foundation
Shop Amazon!

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Book at Renaissance Today ~ Going Fast!

NOVA Open Blocked 100 Doubles
We Can Add More at the NOVA Open rate

If they sell out before you book, notify us: customerservice@novaopen.com


The Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel
2800 South Potomac Avenue
Arlington, VA, 22202
HOTEL BLOCKS FOR NOVA OPEN 2019
HYATT REGENCY SOLD OUT THURSDAY - SUNDAY
BOOK HYATT SUNDAY-WEDNESDAY
Attend the Pre-Con Events!

It is always smart
to check the Hyatt block now and then
to see if anyone cancelled their reservation.


The Hyatt Regency Crystal City
2799 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington, VA, 22202
CONVENTION PARKING
The Hyatt and Renaissance are both offering 50% off their usual rates for parking during the convention. We wanted to make sure you were also aware that a Colonial parking garage is also nearby. While we are unaware of their rates, they should be less than hotel.

2733 Crystal Dr
Arlington, VA 22202

Would also warn against moving once they're parked. With over 3000 expected, the spaces will fill as quickly as they're emptied.

IS YOUR FOOD TRUCK AT NOVA OPEN 2019?
Food Trucks are already reaching out to NOVA Open for spots at our 2019 convention. We want to know which trucks YOU (OUR ATTENDEES) want to see again.


The following are planning to be at NOVA Open 2019:


Send your list of favorites to: foodtrucks@novaopen.com

VENDORS AT NOVA OPEN 2019
NOVA Open is excited to announce that the following vendors are locked in and will be there for you at NOVA Open 2019:
NOVA OPEN MALIFAUX TEAM PARTNERS WITH
CRAIG SHIPMAN OF THIRD FLOOR WARS

This year the NOVA Open Malifaux team is proud to partner with Craig Shipman from Third Floor Wars to offer painting commission vouchers as prizes in this year's Malifaux 3e Grand Tournament! With everyone learning the new edition the playing field could not be more level! This is your chance to win some awesome commission painting and say you were the very first Master of 3rd Edition Malifaux! But wait... there's more... Craig also founded the US Faux Tour, the North American answer to the British Masters series. The NOVA Open will be the inaugural event of the US Faux Tour 2019-2020 season!
FREQUENTLY ASKED REGISTRATION QUESTIONS
Now that registration for NOVA Open 2019 is in full swing, many players are contacting Customer Service with questions. Here are answers to the most frequently asked questions:

HOW DO I DROP AN EVENT OR SEMINAR?

  1. Log in to your account at novaopenstore.com.
  2. Click on the event(s) that you want to drop, one by one.
  3. Click on the Drop event button that's below the icon & schedule for the event.
  4. The system will automatically give you store credit for the amount you paid.
  5. Your credit can be used for any NOVA Open 2019 or 2020 events or seminars .

HOW DO I TRANSFER AN EVENT OR SEMINAR?

  1. Log in to your account at novaopenstore.com.
  2. Click on the transfer button in the orange banner at the top right of the page.
  3. Click on the event/seminar you wish to transfer.
  4. Fill in the requested information to complete the transfer.
  5. You will need the Account ID# for the person to whom you're transferring the event/seminar. They can find that ID# on the manage account page that is accessed by logging in to their account & clicking on their user name at the top right of the page.
  6. The person to whom you're transferring must have a Convention Access Pass or Day pass. 

NOVA Open does not facilitate transfers, nor do we assist with or manage any monetary transactions between buyer and seller.

HOW DO I GET MY NAME ADDED TO A WAITING LIST?

  1. Log in to your account at novaopenstore.com.
  2. Click on the game system/category for the event for which you want to be waitlisted.
  3. When the page opens, scroll to the event & click on the "add to waitlist" button that's just below the icon & schedule for the event.
  4. Once you click there, you'll automatically be added to the waiting list.
  5. If your name reaches the top of the waiting list and an entry is available, you'll receive an automated email, offering you that entry.

Let us know if you have any questions by emailing customerservice@novaopen.com.

CONVENTION ACCESS PASSES (CAPS), DAY PASES & PREMIUM SWAG BAGS
  1. A Convention Access Pass (CAP) is required to attend the NOVA Open; it is good from Sunday-Sunday. Single day passes are also available if one does not wish to attend the entire convention.
  2. CAPs and Day Passes are non-refundable, non-transferable items. 
  3. The Early Bird pricing on the CAP is over; the cost for a CAP is $60. Each Day Pass is $20.
  4. There are two upgrades available which require the purchase of a CAP: SuperNOVA and DwarfNOVA. When you place an upgrade in your cart, a CAP will automatically be added and you will purchase both at checkout.
  5. The only people who will receive one of the NOVA Open's Premium Swag bags will be the "First 400" who purchase CAPs (and all 150 SuperNOVA upgrades). This is based on registration date alone.
  6. If a "First 400" cannot attend: The swag bag is forfeited unless arrangements are made ahead of time with Marti Seraphin (customerservice.com) for a friend to pick it up. NOVA Open will not ship.
  7. Use of board games from the NOVA Open library and/or participation in side events scheduled in that hall are free to those with a Pass; however, Board Game tournaments which confer prizes will require a nominal fee. If Board Game activities are planned in the Foundation Lounge, two drink tokens will be exchanged for a required $10 registration fee, as the Lounge is a fundraising venue for NOCF.
JOIN US AT THE
2019 NOVA OPEN TERRAIN BUILDS
We need skilled terrain makers and painters to complete these projects. Please consider joining us. There can never be too many people at these fun and exciting adventure days. Watch for the Evite and be sure to RSVP.

If you are not on the current Evite list (you would know by now since several have already gone out), and would like to join the team, have a great day, and make dozens of new friends, please contact customerservice@novaopen.com.

NEXT TERRAIN DAY - JUNE 8

TELEGRAPH SELF STORAGE
8935 TELEGRAPH RD, LORTON, VA 22079
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
2019 TERRAIN BUILDS
(dates are subject to change)

START BY JOINING YOUR FELLOW GAMERS
MAY 25TH
9am - 5pm

If you can make it, write to customerservice@novaopen.com NOW!
June 8
June 22
June 29
July 13
July 27
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Year-Round Staff . . . Now & Then
Pre-Con . . . At Con . . . Post-Con

If you enjoy the NOVA Open and being a part of the charitable work of NOCF - and you have the time and energy to put into volunteering - please send us an email telling us a little about yourself and your experience with NOVA Open: customerservice@novaopen.com 

Everything you need to know about volunteering at the NOVA Open can be found on our website by clicking the button below.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!
KR Multicase
Games Workshop
Fantasy Flight Games
Toledo Game Room
Steamforged Games
Corvus Belli
Atlantis Games and Comics
The Chance Cube
Secret Weapon Miniatures
Grex
Wyrd Miniatures
Powered Play Gaming
Crystal Brush
Firmer Terra
Stiff Neck Studios
Green Stuff World
The Army Painter
Privateer Press
Black Maria Designs
Mini Duels
Hampton Inn
Forge World
Printable Scenery
Broken Egg Games
‌
Florian Stitz
Victory Comics
Game Envy Creations
Tectonic Craft Studios
Anvil Eight Games
Fallout Hobbies
Tablewar
Crafted Storage
TNT Laserworks
Andres Jimenez Design

Creature Caster
Epic Quest Master
Shadow's Edge Miniatures
Death Ray Designs
RMC Gaming
The Genesys Project
Dad's Armies
Games and Gears
Redgrass Games
Warhammer Age of Sigmar Champions
The Magnet Baron
White Metal Games
Slugfest Games
Best Coast Pairings