Pioneer CON held at Tusculum

April 12, 2025   |   9 am @ Tusculum University

GREENEVILLE– Multiple gaming tournaments, cosplay and other engaging activities for people of all ages will create a festive atmosphere asTusculum Universityhosts another edition of Pioneer CON.

Pioneer CON will unleash nerdy shenanigans and family fun Saturday, April 12, starting at 9 a.m. in the Meen Center. You want Warhammer 40K? You got it. How about Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, Lorcana and chess? Pioneer CON will have them, too.

The event will also feature science fiction movies and food trucks for everyone’s enjoyment. Plenty of vendors will be on hand as well to discuss and sell their products to participants. Cosplay will take place all day.

“We love hosting Pioneer CON so people with varied interests in gaming can gather in one place and celebrate their hobbies,” said Dr. Harold Branstrator, associate professor of management and Pioneer CON’s organizer. “It is a great day for people to light their competitive fire in an enjoyable way as people take a break from their normal daily routine to showcase their skills in another manner. This event has become a new tradition for Tusculum, and we encourage everyone to be part of it.”

The Warhammer 40K tournament will last the longest, with a start time of 9 a.m. and the conclusion at 7 p.m. The other tournaments and their start times are:

·Chess hourly starting at 10 a.m. and running through 2 p.m.

·Dungeons & Dragons one-shots at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

·Lorcana at 10 a.m.

·Magic: The Gathering at 10 a.m.

·Super Smash Bros. at 2 p.m.

Dr. Nick Davidson, assistant dean of the Sport Studies Division, is organizing the Warhammer 40K tournament and is partnering with Isaac Ebrahimi, owner of House of Games. The tournament will feature 20 players.

Warhammer is a tabletop strategy game set in a futuristic universe, where players buy, assemble and paint their own miniature armies. The participants then battle those armies in a strategic setting. Dr. Davidson said the painting element gives each player’s army model a unique flair.

At the end of the tournament, organizers will award first, second and third place for the game results and a separate award for best painted. The winners will receive store credit from House of Games.

“I would argue that the hobby part is just as much painting and building as it is playing the game,” he said. “There are a lot of people who like to collect the models and build them and paint them and don’t even play the game. It’s a relaxing hobby. It’s really fun to see your progress in the hobby. There’s a social aspect to the game, too. We have a robust Warhammer 40K group in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia.”

One change from Pioneer CON in April 2024 is that the chess tournament will be played on game boards rather than on computer. This tournament will follow the U.S. Chess Federation’s 7th Edition rules, and the games will last about 45 minutes. Contestants should bring their own boards. People of all skill levels are welcome.

The first and second place winners of the chess tournament will receive a portion of the entry fees.

Tusculum student Joseph Medeck, who is organizing the chess event, said there is value to having this game at Pioneer CON.

“It is the ultimate board game,” he said. “It’s one of the oldest board games. It promotes mental strength and involves all skill and no luck. It’s a good intellectual activity, brings people together from our community and is a nice thing to do with others.”

Magic: The Gathering is a strategic card game that has fantasy elements associated with it. Players try to use their knowledge of their deck and particular strengths of different cards to meet and defeat their opponents. Lorcana is a trading card game featuring Disney characters that has similar philosophies to Magic-The Gathering, Super Smash Bros. is a series of platform fighting video games.

The purpose of the one-shots for Dungeons & Dragons is to provide a quicker session with the intent of telling a short story. They are particularly helpful for people who are new to the game because participants do not typically have to worry about building characters. It also enables people to try the game to determine whether there is an interest in pursuing it further.

The cost to enter the Meen Center is $10 but is free for Tusculum students and children 12 and younger. The Lorcana tournament is free, but the entry fee for all other tournaments is $20. Pioneer CON serves as a fundraiser for Tusculum’s gaming and esports clubs.

Anyone with questions can email Dr. Branstrator athbranstrator@tusculum.edu. More information about the university is available atwww.tusculum.edu.

Category: Festival