Pre-arranged casual games with friends.
Random pick up-games (everything allowed, first come first serve)
Limited pick-up games (you filter pickup opponents (no Escalation, etc))
Pre-arranged games (you and your opponent arrange ahead of time)
Competitive games (tournaments, I deal with whatever appears across from me)
Pre-arranged casual games with friends.
Tournaments! I knew every tournament I'd get to play 3 games in a set period of time, and get some variety in. I was also guaranteed 3 games without having to try to find people to play with. Even the escalation leagues at the FLGS were more of a hassle because I'd have to try to contact the people, arrange times that would work for both of us, reserve space at the FLGS for those times, etc. Besides not having my gaming stuff out of boxes, that's the other big reason I haven't played since moving...
It really depends;
I have my army packed up and ready to go most of the time, and often I'll just show up somewhere with my army and see if anyone is around for a game. Mind you; it really depends on the army though, because hauling around multiple cases of Orks through public transport tends to be a bit annoying.
On other times I make an appointment ahead with a friend to see when he has time and stuff like that.
40k- Chaos Space marines - Chaos Daemons - WM/H - Khador - Cygnar - Dystopian wars - EotBS
usually arranged with friends, since there is not a lot of pick-up gaming available ´round ´ere... and then usually in the same location: my friend´s garden shack (cold as hell in winter, but the only location with enough space available to us really
The bigger they are, the bigger the mess they make when they step on you. - Ahzek Ahriman, on Titans
My gaming group plays on the first floor of a pub, and whilst they don't sell pretzels, it is very much a beer and crisps setting .
Games are nearly always arranged ahead of time, but there is always flexibility in how to play when discussed in advance (e.g. basic 1850, double force org, (yet to be introduced in numbers but...) Escalation and Stronghold Assault). The game itself has always been what you make it and our tourneys are just the same. Great choice.
Starting to have a few more games round a mate's house too.
my friends and I mostly game to prepare for tournaments. What does that count as? I know what races they have but don't know exactly what they play. We used to have pick up games but now we've all moved away from each other this gives us the focus to keep seeing each other.
We will pre-arrange games with lots of planning about twice a year, usually our traditional Christmas game and something big each summer.
we play at home mostly, having clubbed together to build a good collection of scenery (and working at GW never hurt either!)
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I play random pick-up games with the regulars (and random walk-ins) at the local FGS - I do okay against the old timers with old-edition armies (as I am one myself!) but tend to get curb-stomped by the newer, more competitive players. Still, it's all good. Nerd time is fun time!
For me, It is usually a situation of arranging a game with a player, establishing a points level, and then I dont know what I am up against till it hits the table. with some opponents you know what faction they will bring, but rarely army comp. prolly 50/50 on home games vrs LGS games.
If I do "filter" opponents it's to avoid the net-list types, but even that is rare.