"Serious Prize Money" Topic

How high would the prize money for the winner need to be, for wargaming tournaments to be taken seriously?

They're not now?

I know it would only take about $20 USD to bring out the worst in some players. When I ran some tournaments years ago if a nice prize was donated it always went to the player in next to last place.

Some players don't need any money to take it way too seriously and stretch the rules. To the outside world, I am not sure how much money would be needed, maybe 500,000 to 1 million dollars. Maybe.

I don't know what's meant by "taken seriously."

If you mean teams to train up and sustain the participants--four figures, maybe five.

If you're waiting for Yahoo listings of results, like "fantasy football" betting in Las Vegas or a slot on ESPN--six figures, maybe seven.

For myself, I only take any sort of gaming event seriously if I have money on the outcome. And I never bet on gaming events.

Good lord, something as subjective and demanding of good sportsmanship as miniatures games would be unbearable if people could make a livelihood playing them.

Played a game where everyone was on the same side vs zombies. Half way through the game, the GM states that he's got a free copy of the rules to whoever meets the victory conditions first. Much back stabbing and hilarity ensued. So apparently, 20 bucks.

Five drachmae.

Bout tree fiddy

Are we going to have professional tournament wargaming players?
How about cheerleaders? Card girls in bikinis to carry cards announcing next turn?
How about sponsor logos on tee shirts?

I find nothing more boring than watching other people play. Others may disagree, and that's why the need for major arenas and television contracts. And long term contracts to avoid players' strikes.

100,000 Quatloos or

Doesn't matter, never gonna happen, silly idea. As has been said, possibly the worst conceivable spectator sport short of watching paint dry.

Any way you put phrase it no matter the prize money, it would be playing toy soldiers. No way to make that serious and if serious, it would not be fun.

Played a game where everyone was on the same side vs zombies. Half way through the game, the GM states that he's got a free copy of the rules to whoever meets the victory conditions first. Much back stabbing and hilarity ensued. So apparently, 20 bucks

Yep, sounds about right. :)

Tournaments are taken seriously when they bring in advertising money. Prize money is secondary.

A "golden bow" trophy it seems. The Celtic army facing the Mongol horde never was wiped out in so short a time. Player with the most unit kills won the bow trophy. Friendly units blocked charges of other players… it was a real steeplechase game scene. Didn't help much when the celtic WRB standing orders was viewed as "avoiding horsemen" in hand to hand combat for some units. One Mongol player even chased an entire 50 miniature warband over a cliff face, then followed himself…..

Cheers John G. and Gail if you see this message. That WRG game is still burned into my old memory gaming brain. Been… what… almost 40 years now.

Played a game where everyone was on the same side vs zombies. Half way through the game, the GM states that he's got a free copy of the rules to whoever meets the victory conditions first. Much back stabbing and hilarity ensued. So apparently, 20 bucks.

Ed was this your game??

Ed was this your game??

Could be. I usually offer a free set of rules at convention games. But people aren't necessarily greedy. Twice I've had the winner give the rules to the second place finisher.

.01 penny

Taken seriously by the public at large?

Never will.

Magic the gathering and e-sports stuff makes a lot of money and people sneer at that, so toy soldiers ain't never happening :-)

Ed was this your game??

It was one of Ken's ATZ Sunday morning brain dead games at Bayou Wars, 20 something players, each with a team of 4 minis. Mercs hired to rescue the VIP from the infested area. Half way through, Ed walks up and asks Ken, "Hey, you want to have some fun? Here, give this to the winner."

Enough money to allow a TV program to be made of a competition coverage with player interviews or a series of games played by people with celebrity power – maybe get retired generals (those with a bit of public profile would help) to play Zama, Waterloo etc.

David F Brown

I was in an ironclads game at one of the HMGS-E cons a few years ago. The prize for the best player was a copy of the rules, which I had, but I would have given to a friend if I had won them. I dominated my opponent and achieved my victory conditions pretty handily. The other guy on my side, basically ignored the VC and spun around in circles in a gun battle with his opponent. Didn't even try to achieve the VC. When the game was over, the GM – a well-known GM at the cons and super nice guy, asked, 'So, who's the best player?' Without hesitation, my opponent said I was, and his teammate agreed. My teammate started whining about 'well, we all tried our best…' wah, wah, wah! 'I don't have a copy of the rules', 'It's not my fault I didn't do as well as he did' (actually it was – he wasn't even close to meeting his VC because he didn't bother following them), etc. The GM looked at me and asked if he could give the prize to the whiner. (But not in those words, of course.) I said sure. It didn't even take a tourney!

just more than what the average person watching earns .

10 years ago who would have thought that there would be televised video game competition with prize money .