11/01/2026
There’s a big difference between saying, “We should host a 128-player Warhammer GT,” and actually standing in a room filled with 128 players, dozens of tables, terrain everywhere, judges, staff, sponsors, and two full days of Warhammer.
This year, The Upkeep Games took on our first-ever 128-player Warhammer Grand Tournament.
It was our biggest Warhammer event yet, and getting there took months of planning, problem-solving, teamwork, preparation, and the support of an incredible gaming community.
It Started with an Idea
We’ve hosted plenty of Warhammer events over the years, but we wanted to see how far we could take it. The goal wasn’t simply to fit more tables into a room and sell more tickets. If we were going to host a GT of this size, we wanted it to feel like an Upkeep event from the moment players signed up.
Players spend countless hours building armies, painting models, practicing lists, traveling to tournaments, and becoming part of this community. We wanted to create an event worthy of that effort. So, we decided to go big: 128 players.
Then came the hard part—figuring out how to pull it off.
Planning for 128 Players
An event this size changes everything!
We had to think about tables, swag bags, pairings, judging, scoring, schedules, food, prizes, setup, cleanup, staffing, and how more than a hundred players would move through the event throughout the weekend.
And then there was the terrain. A lot of terrain...
We are VERY grateful for Terrain Ju**ie. They really helped make this dream a reality. They were efficient, timely, communicative, friendly and so eager to see this all come together, especially with the shift to 11th edition!
When you do something for the first time, there are always things you learn along the way. That was part of the experience for us, too.
Watching It Come Together
There’s a moment before a big event begins when months of planning suddenly become real.
The swag bags are full.
The tables are set.
The terrain is down.
The parking lot starts getting full.
Armies start coming through the doors.
Players who have been talking about the GT for months are suddenly standing in the room.
Seeing 128 Warhammer players gathered together was something we won't forget. The energy is something we appreciate the most and this energy was way different from everything we’ve experienced before.
Throughout the weekend, the room was filled with competitive games, incredibly painted armies, close matches, brutal dice rolls, conversations between rounds, and people connecting over a hobby they love.
That was exactly what we wanted this event to be.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
An event of this size doesn't happen because of one person or one team.
Our sponsors played a huge role in helping us make our first 128-player GT possible.
To every business, organization, and member of the community who sponsored the event, donated prizes, provided support, or helped us bring another piece of the weekend together: thank you.
Your support helped us create an experience that went beyond simply showing up and playing games.
◦ RuneForge Gaming
◦ Baron of Dice
◦ Terrain Ju**ie
◦ Elrik's Hobbies
◦ Frontline Gaming
◦ The Army Painter
◦ Monument Hobbies
◦ The Colour Forge North America
◦ Game Envy
◦ Artis Opus
◦ Shadow's Edge Miniatures
◦ Base X Terrain & Scenery
◦ Goblin Boss Trading Company
We are incredibly grateful that you believed in what we were building and chose to support the Warhammer community alongside us.
Thank You to Our Team!
There are a lot of people working behind the scenes at an event like this.
Long before the first dice were rolled, our staff and volunteers were putting in the work.
From registration and setting tables to moving terrain, answering questions, judging games, keeping everything on schedule, helping players, and cleaning up afterward, our team stepped up in a huge way.
We couldn't have done this without them.
And Thank You to Our Players
You can build the tables.
You can set the terrain.
You can create the schedule.
But there isn't a GT without the players.
To everyone who bought a ticket, packed an army, traveled to the event, rolled some dice, met someone new, supported our store, and trusted us with your tournament weekend: thank you.
Having 128 players show up for our first GT at this scale meant more to us than we can say.
We're proud of what we accomplished, but we're also paying attention to what we learned and what we can improve.
This Is What Upkeep Is About
The Upkeep Games has always been about more than selling games.
We want to create places where people actually play them, build friendships, find communities, and share the hobbies they love.
A place where someone can walk in for their first Warhammer game and eventually find themselves sitting across from an opponent at a 128-player Grand Tournament.
Hosting this GT felt like another step toward what we've always wanted Upkeep to be: a home for gaming communities.
Standing in that room surrounded by tables, terrain, painted armies, and 128 Warhammer players, there was really only one thing left to say:
We actually did it.
To our sponsors, staff, volunteers, players, friends, families, and everyone who helped make it happen—thank you.
We can't wait to see where we take it next.
— The Upkeep Games
