How competitive should I be for my first big tournament?

[Paulo187]

So far I have only gone to a couple of 400 point Combat Patrol tournaments at my local game store but I've never gone to an actual large event. I've decided that its time to leave my comfort zone and take a risk! I just signed up for the 1,750 point Warhammer 40k Championships at the Las Vegas Open in February! I'm pretty excited. I'm also worried.

I'm not a complete fluff bunny but I have never been comfortable with using spam lists, bringing triple Helldrakes, or having Space Marines with Xenos allies. Come to think of it maybe that does make me a fluff bunny. Either way, I can't bring myself to use the latest netlist since I'm not a WAAC player. I play to have fun but I don't consider getting tabled in turn two to be fun so I try to be at least semi-competitive.

Now my concern is just how competitive is the Las Vegas Open? Just how cut throat is this crowd? Should I screw my principles and bring the most competitive hardcore list I can think of? Am I being stupid for not min-maxing and spamming the most efficient choice. What do you guys think? What has been your experience at these events?

[Auticus]

Is your goal to compete or is your goal purely to play and have fun?

If its to compete, you will need to learn the power of list building since list building weighs so heavily in games in a min/max environment. If you are just looking to play and have a good time, take whatever you have fun with.

[Popsical]

Chat to some folks who went last year. If you get smashed every game you will regret bothering to spend the time and money. Then again you don't want to be seen as "that guy" with the uber, spam, beard, netlist, instant win, push button army either.
Its a balancing act, good luck tho.

[DarkLink]

I'm probably not taking my most competitve army. I feel like playing my Grey Knights rather than my much more competitive Eldar.

Edit: this is the first Las vegas Open, but Reece and Frankie are basically doing the same stuff as they did for the last three Bay Area Opens, which were awesome. So don't worry too much. There will be plenty of more casual armies out there, so at the worst you lose a game or two then end up with the softer armies in the lower ranks, but that doesn't mean the game can't still be fun.

[mathhammer]

re: Popsical
I think your comment is ........
re: Paulo187
It's a tournament, there is money on the table. You go to these for 1 of two 2 reasons.
1) You want the experience.
2) You want to win.

In either case you have fun, meet new people, see new armies. YOU must answer the only ONE question that matters,

Do you want to try to win and get the prizes?

If the answer is yes, then design your best army, play test it, practice and be ready to play hard. If the answer is no it doesn't matter what you bring. There is no "that guy", that is like saying the guy that wins the painting prize is "that guy" because h/she uses an airbrush. It's a competition, you bring your best, do your best, other wise you insult yourself and your opponent.

note: This applies if your going for a painting prize or some other prize.

[DarkLink]

There are also over 200 people signed up right now. There'll be a crowd for everyone, hardcore competitors and fluff bunnies alike.