Oh my god... Warhammer World. The Disney of Games Workshop fans.
Warhammer World, you damned teasing little slut you.
Not photoshopped.
We were originally supposed to go to Games Day, but that never materialized. It was determined there old be two days at WW, but we turned that into an outing o Duxford. However, on the day most people went to tour other companies, several of our group just wanted to go to WW. that was a difficult dilemma for me. Get an extra day of Warhammer World, better justifying the army I built and carried all the way through Scotland? Or visit some manufacturers to see and learn about their process, getting some one on one time with them to talk about their games? In hindsight, the choice was easy, I don't play any of these other games and I already know a lot about their processes, so I'm glad I went to WW.
There were Tyranids to fight after all.
The first day was pretty exciting even if I didn't get to do much. All I really did was gush at the sweet tables, play a game against Brent (who kicked my ass) and eat some onion rings. However, there was something fantastic about being somewhere that I could enjoy the hobby, geek the frak out about it and not be judged or criticized.
'Admired' was gladly accepted though.
The environment is so relaxed there, it's kind of easy to see why Games Workshop employees have trouble thinking of their games as competitive outlets. The staff is earth shatteringly helpful and seem to want nothing more than geek out with people about the hobby. The decor is top notch and the readily available food and drink really drive home the 'beer and pretzel' nature of the games. My only regret is stealing Brent from Natasha. I really should have let them play together.
Then again... Brent was a great opponent.
After this first day at Warhammer World, it was time for a Geek Nation Tours tradition...
I've been calling Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem, or simply 'the Trip' a pub ever since I've known about it, but I've since bee corrected. The Trip is an Inn, the oldest in England. It is centuries old, built partially from the caves and warrens under and around the castle and is brimming with more history than many a museum in my own province. From cellars that were used as prisons, cock fighting pits and gambling houses, to a chair reputed to cause any female that sits on to become pregnant within months and a model ship rumored to anyone who moves it, the Trip has a story for everyone.
The plan for the Trip was a diner and meet-and-greet with some of the better known names from local miniatures and gaming company. Anyone who knows me realizes that the networking aspect of the diner meant precipitous little to me. I'm just not comfortable making small talk or adulating people for their work. I mean, I happy giving credit where it's due but beyond the obvious compliments, I seek interesting conversation.
In that case I lucked out and struck up a conversation with one of the guests about writing, the publishing industry and self publishing. I learned at the tail end of the conversation that I was chatting with Alesio Cavatore who is somewhat well known in the wargaming industry for writing rule books.
As seen from where I ate.
Second day at Warhammer World was somehow even more epic than the first. That's because, aside from my father, the gang was all there. We posed in front of the life-sized Rhino APC in front of the shop, chatted with some Forge World guys and paired up for games.
I played against Ryan Carnes who was an amazingly fun opponent. Chill and funny, he kept a smile a kid around as I mercilessly destroyed his army. Good luck on my part, bad luck on his, a spectacular massacre... That only ended up with a 2:3 victory in my favor. That's right, despite bringing him down to only four models, I only won by one point.
This was also the day of purchasing. I did not o as overboard as I could have, but I did net some pretty sweet models. Not to mention that I got to benefit from my dad winning the random dice roll for the Geek Nation Tour Titan Giveaway. For that, I got to collect a Forge World Tyranid Harridan. A massive resin model. My brother also got himself a Forge World Keeper of Secrets, a gorgeous model.
Might have to clean off the 'releasing agent '.
It was a full day orgy of enjoying the hobby with mostly other people who feel the same. Amongst my favorite days of our entire trip.
We ended it with a final meal in Nottingham at the Roundhouse. The meal was average, but the way there was great. Still high on a great day, we got to take in som final sights from this gorgeous city.
JF
Green Arrow!? What are you doing here?
Nottingham Castle. For realz yo.