UK Games Expo (and the hobby doldrums...)
The UK Games Expo is something like the Mecca for tabletop gamers of all stripes in the United Kingdom. Held yearly in Birmingham (aside from that pandemic related blip), it has grown to encompass vast swathes of the National Exhibition Centre and draws tens of thousands of gamers, making it the third biggest gaming convention in the world. It's something I've always wanted to go to. Usually, I leave it too late, spend up on games in advance, or have work/other commitments get in the way. But this year, I actually booked the time off, got my shit together and went. That, and I was spurred on by the fact that my WFRP group made plans to meet up and play a session of our Enemy Within campaign in person there.
And, as expected, I had an absolute blast. I got to see people I only get to see once or twice a year at similar events, play an awesome game of WFRP, hang out with friends, eat too many sausage rolls, and spend far too much money on games to take over all the remaining space in my office. Huge thanks to Pookie for lugging a copy of The Original Adventures Reincarnated: The Dark Tower in for me, and to Simon (and Blanka who actually made it) for the hand made dice bags given to each of the WFRP crew, which were truly awesome gifts! One and a half days wasn't enough to take it all in, and I was exhausted after that, given the overwhelming nature of shuffling your way through so many people. But I do hope to do it again, and next time I'd aim to space out my time with some pick up games and booking in some RPGs to play, alongside trawling the vendors and, of course, making time to see friends.
I have, of course, got to post up the obligatory shot of the Expo haul and detail it below (as this is the only picture I have before I shelved it away, wore it, or built it...):
- Runequest: The Lunar Way
- Pendragon 6th Edition & The Grey Knight Campaign
- Age of Sigmar: Soulbound - Ulfenkarn
- Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay: Ubersreik Adventures 3
- Mothership: Nirvana on Fire
- Ronin (Mork Borg hack)
- Eat the Reich
- The Legend of Ghost Mountain
- Forbidden Psalm & The Collection of Death
- Rosewood Abbey
- Sarissa Precision MDF Terrain Japanese Starter Bundle , MDF Terrain Japanese Lantern and Measuring Tool set & Gaslands dice/tokens/templates
- 2x Deep Cut Studios mats for Shatterpoint and Bushido
- The Inari's Judgement Theme Warband for Bushido
- Runecairn Wardensaga
- AK Interactive Weathering Pencils and Guidebook
- The Dark Tower (5e version - thanks to Pookie for picking this up for me!)
- Moonstone Commonwealth Token Set
- The Staffordshire Trading Company Works of John Williams
- Bridgetown
Phew, I think that's everything. It was a lot. And a lot to carry back home on the train as well. Thankfully, I brought a bag and a suitcase, so I came prepared. Unfortunately, some of the books did bet dinged and a bit scuffed on the way back in said suitcase - I will have to pack it out better with clothes next time to prevent the wheel arches causing issues. Fortunately, it's only minor cosmetic damage, though sadly noticeable on my copy of Ulfenkarn...
Into the doldrums...
I find myself now three weeks post Expo weekend. The excitement of the event, the purchases, and seeing friends has worn off, the collective joy of running around like a kid in a candy store having long since evaporated. And now I find myself in a kind of post con slump. I've loads of new stuff I picked up and should be reading, models to paint, scenery to build, tools to play with. And yet, I just feel a bit blah to an extent I haven't really felt before after a con.
Perhaps it is the amount of stuff I bought, acknowledging that I did go a little crazy (though perhaps not quite as much as some I saw at the event...)? Perhaps it is facing up to so much new stuff and being paralysed by the choice of what to big into first? However, I think it is partly facing up to the reflective question of just when am I going to get the read/build/paint/play all of this stuff?!
By my nature, I am one of those gamers who likes to dip their toes into many different things. For example, this year alone, I've picked up no less than four new miniatures games after realising that I can't get enough games of Warhammer in regularly in the hopes that one of these will fill that gap. Likewise, I am constantly picking up new RPGs that take my fancy, but I am currently tied into four different campaigns that take up my gaming time.
So again, when am I going to get to play all of this new stuff? And that question seems to have sucked away some of my hobby enthusiasm these past few weeks. I haven't read much, I haven't painted much. I guess I have built a few things here and there - my new Bushido miniatures have been put together and primed, and I've been working my way through some of that MDF scenery. So that's a win? Right?
I guess, maybe I need a little break. Or maybe I need to stop being hard on myself by asking that question - when am I going to play all this stuff? Perhaps it's time to seek out new opportunities to get some of these games to the table, and check out new local groups to see if I can find some players for some of these new miniature games. Maybe it's OK to read your RPGs without having the chance to play them, perhaps in preparation for the future, or perhaps just as inspiration to work into the games I'm already taking part in. Either way, I hope the doldrums pass me by soon...