Another year and another UK Games Expo. What a bloody Expo!! this year it was manic but amazing. The halls were absolutely jam packed with exhibitors and traders - noticeably Games Workshop were not here this year, but their slot was amply filled much to my delight by Catalyst Games and the fantastic amount of Battletech merchandise.
Again I was working for Ares Games, a great company to work and demo games for and for the second year running we also had a few of my friends from the Wings of Glory Aerodrome group, who do a brilliant job at wargames shows demoing and hosting the Wings of War Aerial combat game. Huge shout out again to Roberto and Christoph from Ares. Those guys are wonderful and its thanks to them calling the same people back every year that makes our group excellent.
So last year I posted that the numbers were the highest recorded. Well this year the numbers were blown out of the water. Over 65000 people in total attended the Expo and Saturday was the most busy I have ever seen the show.
As stated before on my posts, I absolutely love being at this show, no one gives two hoots if your different or what your into, wargames/boardgames/RPGS/Cosplay - or the way you live your life and identify. Anything and Everything goes and people just have so much fun. Shame real life cant be like the Expo!!
We ran a number of games on the Ares Stand, a large scale version of the new 2 player WW2 Quartermaster General set - East Front, portraying Operation Barbarossa. Cangaceiros, where you are a Brazilian gang leader, Pyramidice, a wonderful dice and card game where you collect Egyptian gods and build pyramids with dice. The Rich and the Good, a new English edition of the German Hab & Gut, a Victorian commodities trading game as well as the Dungeon Crawler, Swords & Sorcery.
On the Sunday as usual we hosted the Battle of Birmingham - a massive WW1 Aerial dogfight with over 40 participants this year. Spot prizes were included for the planes shot down and the most times shot down as well as a larger prize for the highest scoring Aces of the day. No one walked away empty handed though as everyone involved received a beautiful participation certificate.
This year I also managed to snag a ticket to see John Robertson on the Friday night. I met John and had a good natter last year but missed his Dark Room show. If you haven't seen it, do, its absolutely hilarious (Check out Youtube)
Below are the photos from the show and again I didn't get to see a lot of it with working but its mainly about the people and Im blessed to know so many good friends and colleagues in this weird and wonderful hobby.
The Crowds
Friends
Around the Show
The Dark Room with John Robertson
No Rolls Barred
Battle of Birmingham WW1 Dogfight
Ares Crew and my Haul
Thank you UK Games Expo and heres to 2025!!
