BED AND BOARD: GAMING RETREATS As more people than ever take up tabletop gaming, the way we play is evolving. How can we escape it all and get away with a jolly hobby holiday?

Words by Joshua King

he renaissance of tabletop gaming has beyond traditional fan groups, so the traditional self-catering holiday homes already come with swelled club membership across the ways in which we play are changing. battered boxes of board games as standard. country. Be it for Friday Night Magic An often overlooked option is the gaming Weekly game nights have never been or regular Eurogame sessions at their retreat. Picture a holiday dedicated to the possible among my friends – we are too Tlocal store, people are gathering to play more hobby: a weekend at the races with Camel scattered across the country – so instead than ever before. Up and Formula D, or a week exploring the we decamped to a tiny island off Scotland’s Dungeons & Dragons’ cameos in Stranger French charms of Carcassonne and The Castles Ardnamurchan peninsula. Things and Community piqued the interest of of Burgundy with all the comforts of home. In Over the course of a week we jousted over another generation in after-school roleplaying. the US, the team behind The Dice Tower even perennial Days of Wonder favourite Ticket Pandemic Legacy demands gamers pencil in runs an annual tabletop gaming cruise which to Ride as well as Tokaido and dice bluffer upwards of a dozen sessions into their diary. is part convention, part seaborne retreat. Perudo. The length of the holiday also gave But what is on offer for those gamers for Here at home there is a wealth of campsites, a chance to share new games and mix in co- whom weekly club play either isn’t practical or cottages and even remote islands to escape to operative experiences like Flash Point: Fire appealing? As the popularity of gaming spreads with boxes of meeples and beer. In fact, many Rescue with the inescapable Exploding Kittens.

48 March 2018 The event was originally conceived by miniature wargaming studio Blue Table Painting and has since been commandeered by YouTuber Miranda Bourke, also known as WarGamerGirl. “Imagine spending five or so days in a faraway retreat up in the mountains,” Bourke says. “You sleep on site or in a cabin nearby, every meal is fully catered by an expert chef and you just live with other gamers and play games. “You have something in common with everyone there so it’s easy to pick up a conversation, or stay up late into the night grabbing games of Munchkin or Coup and sharing stories and forging new friendships.” PLAY-CATION To date, gamers have travelled from as far afield A gaming retreat is not just one for the as Germany, Australia and the UK to attend the players. It can also prove a hotbed of event. Should they need a break from the dice, the creativity, as the family team behind The retreat also has a hot tub and hiking trails. Football Game found out. Valhalla in the Fall began as a celebration of Mark Pearson and his family have been miniature wargaming – Warhammer 40,000 and visiting a forest campsite near Exmoor for Warmachine still play a big part in the week – but the past 20 years. as new gamers join in, Dungeons & Dragons and “Treborough used to be a family and friends Pearson adds: “Our family grew up playing board games are becoming more popular. get-together,” Pearson says. “We’ve had about 20 board games, things that have survived from Bourke says that the whole thing has a but, as we’ve grown up, each family’s own love of our dad’s generation. ‘familial’ atmosphere and that she has no board games has changed what it’s about. “We’ve got a holiday let in the south west of intention of scaling it up from the 50 or so guests “It was never set up as a board game retreat England and whenever it’s available we get our they had in 2017. She intends to launch the but because of our interest and love of board friends and family down for three or four days Kickstarter for 2018’s event in March. games it became one. It’s a week or two in a forest of heavy games like Mega Civilization.” She adds, “It’s not a wargaming convention; with friends and games.” Valhalla is a wargaming retreat.” The holiday includes an annual Ticket to Ride PLAYS IN THE SUN There is more than one way to enjoy tournament – engraved trophy and all – as well as The Football Game is one of many Kickstarter tabletop gaming – beyond the worlds of weekly regular sessions of Dominion. success stories. In America the current club nights and friendly get-togethers is the It was also at Treborough that the Pearsons trend for crowdfunded gaming has actually opportunity to spend days or even weeks away unveiled the mechanics and pieces that extended beyond the board to organised with your favourite meeples. eventually became The Football Game. game retreats. Ultimately there is no right or wrong way to “Between myself and my brothers, it’s our Set in a mountaintop mansion in Utah’s enjoy games; retreats just give us all another 10th or 20th attempt to make a football board Heber City, Valhalla in the Fall is advertised as a opportunity to scratch the itch to roll the dice. So game,” Pearson says. “We grew up playing luxurious, “non-competitive environment” for why not pack a bag, turn off your phone and set Championship Manager and Football Manager gamers to get together to play. off in search of tabletop adventure? on the computer. “But when we were around 16, a night staring at the screen started to pale in TOP The Pearson comparison to spending a night laughing family and friends around a table with friends. at Treborough in “At three Treboroughs we took what we had 1997 (main) and and played it with the families. It’s vital to get 2017 (inset) the balance, to weed out dominant strategies. Playtesting is king and Treborough was a LEFT Getaways testing ground. can be as simple “We had to make it mechanically playable. as camping or fully Once we had that down, that’s when we had catered luxury fun adding the theme. It’s the game I wanted to play when I was a young football fan.” OPPOSITE Valhalla Some of the Pearsons’ fellow campers have in the Fall is held in even made their way into the box, credited in the largest private the rulebook or in the shape of manager and log cabin in the US player character cards.

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