Two copies of your roster....

[lunchmoney]

Dear fellow TO's,

Why do you ask participants to bring two copies of their roster?
If you do not ask this then this question is not for you.

Historically I can see why it was done - one for the coach to keep and refer to during play and one for the TO to keep and check over rosters to make sure no one has made any errors (which do happen).

Why not request everyone check their opponent's roster in round 1 to make sure it is legal? In fact, I'm sure it should be done every round when the players and their skills are discussed in the prematch.
One less printed roster to bring.

Why not bring a digital copy on a phone or tablet? One less printed roster to bring.

In a world where resources are running out, we (ie the entire human race) need to think about conserving things. We can save a lot of paper by not printing any rosters, let alone two for every coach at every tourney, every weekend!


Just my thoughts.
At my events (Exiles and Block of Holding) I do not require people to bring printed rosters. They can if they want, but I dont need them.

[howlinggriffon]

It would be great if there was an online tournament roster builder where you could create and store your rosters - then you could just share the link to your roster to TOs and download a copy to your phone for your opponent.

[Loki]

Basically I agree.

The reason I ask for people to bring two is to avoid the (very unlikely at least for BB) situation where someone could submit something to the TO before game 1 and pull something different out of their bag when they get to the board. As a TO if I have something submitted prior to game 1 if there are any issues I can refer to that - this would not have to be a hard copy but many/some/few (delete as you feel appropriate) coaches aren't organised enough to turn up with a set roster (I'm frankly surprised when some of them make it to the venue with their team and their trousers on) so suggesting that they will have gone online and set something up before the weekend might be a stretch.

Although ironically the most disorganised ones are often the ones I've known for years and know they wouldn't muck around with their roster anyway!

[Vanguard]

I'd agree with Loki. It's theoretically possible for someone to turn up with half a dozen rosters with varying skill choices and can then select the most optimum one once they see their opponent's race. No, I can't imagine it actually happening at any BB tournament I've ever been to, but it's always better to remove the possibility of mischief rather than assuming it won't happen.

I've also thougth that an online tournament site where rosters can be submitted, checked and shared would be a good resource. I have started tinkering with just such a site a few times, but never to the point of being releasable to the wild.

[Jip]

The reason I ask for people to bring two is to avoid the (very unlikely at least for BB) situation where someone could submit something to the TO before game 1 and pull something different out of their bag when they get to the board.

I had (a version of...) that at 7 Deadly Sins, last month. I took three different rosters with me (Dwarfs, Skaven and Pro Elves) because I wasn't sure what I wanted to play. We were a little late starting, so the draw was made then they checked, and entered, what races were being played during game one.

I drew Landrover, who was playing 'flings so, conceivably, could have said "oh, I've brought Dwarfs" and made the game a little easier for myself. I didn't because I a. wouldn't and b. had decided in the pre-amble that I would play Skaven, but the option was still there.

I think anything that removes the variables is a good thing, just in case.

The only time I'd say I had an issue with the 'two copies of your roster...' thing is if the TO had no intention of actually using them for anything, then I agree that it would be a waste of time, and paper.

[Darkson]

I've had a player (an experienced tournament goer) go round asking what people have taken, tell me their race then write their roster (remembering I have all skills listed from game 1) after the round 1 draw. (Didn't find this out until afterwards, and they didn't do well so I didn't sweat it).

And as Loki said, some players are notorious for not submitting in advance.

Not sure I'd be happy with rosters on phones, I have enough problems reading A4 rosters by game 6, without trying to squint at a tiny display screen!

[RoterSternHochdahl]

Paper rosters are outdated. Fraud can be avoided by asking for prior submission of electronic rosters to the TO

[Tojurub]

For my tourney(s) I ask for submission of the rosters before the tourney. This is done for checking for correctness and reducing time at registration. Secondly, I print the rosters myself and use them for Score Sheets during the tournament. So if there is a doubt coming up during the event there is one legal copy available for all coaches.

Paper rosters are outdated. Fraud can be avoided by asking for prior submission of electronic rosters to the TO

unfortunately, that statement is no longer true (see Dungeonbowl 2018).

[Jip]

unfortunately, that statement is no longer true (see Dungeonbowl 2018).

What happened at Dungeonbowl then?

[RoterSternHochdahl]

unfortunately, that statement is no longer true (see Dungeonbowl 2018).

What happened at Dungeonbowl then?

And how would paper printed rosters have prevented that happening?

[Tojurub]

unfortunately, that statement is no longer true (see Dungeonbowl 2018).

What happened at Dungeonbowl then?

And how would paper printed rosters have prevented that happening?

They haven't. But submitting the roster electronically prior to the event did not prevent this either.


@Jip: At DB all coaches were asked to submit their roster before the event to check them. Unfortunately, one coach used a different roster at least on day one, which was not leagal according to tourney rules. I was noticed on day 2 when an opposing coach took a closer look at the roster.

[RoterSternHochdahl]

Apparently we are talking about different things

[mawph]

I've gone to the Waterbowl twice very much underprepared (and other times slightly underprepared - such as the year I drove Mike and he wrote my roster in the car...). The year I took Norse, I carried my iPad around with my roster on it, handing it to my opponent (and organisers) to review for legality/generally refer to during the game. Another year I started round 1 without a written roster - playing with a pretty standard 3 ghoul undead line up - making up for lost time as I went (rd1 was vs Purplegoo, who was most accommodating to my uselessness).

I do rather like the idea of carrying around an electronic version of my roster. The sure fire way to avoid issues is however pre-submission and the tournament organiser printing everything out (although a pain in the bum for larger events!).

[Joemanji]

It is surely tournament tradition to scribble your roster on a soiled piece of scrap paper whilst queuing to register? Whilst hungover.

[mawph]

It is surely tournament tradition to scribble your roster on a soiled piece of scrap paper whilst queuing to register? Whilst hungover.

Is that just a Waterbowl thing for you, or everywhere? That was certainly my approach this last year at the WB (which I count amongst my more organised turnings up to WB, as I had a roster on paper before registering...)