30TH JULY TO 1ST AUG 2021 NEC, BIRMINGHAM, UK MAJOR SPONSORS ASSOCIATE SPONSOR OPENING TIMES GUIDE TRADE HALLS INTRODUCTION 5 COSPLAY 13 Friday: 9.00am – 6pm Saturday: 9.00am – 6pm HELP DESK 6 VIKING VILLAGE 13 Sunday: 9.00am – 4pm LOST CHILD POINTS 6 LIVE ENTERTAINMENT 14 OPEN GAMING AND SHOP & DROP 6 PLAYTEST ZONE 18 TOURNAMENT SPACE IN NEC HALL 3 BOARD GAME LIBRARY 6 TOURNAMENT ADMINISTRATION 18 Thursday: 7pm – 11pm Friday: 9am – Midnight OPEN GAMING 7 ROLEPLAYING GAMES 18 Saturday: 9am – Midnight Sunday: 9am – 6pm MAIN STAGE 7 SEMINARS 19 ROLEPLAYING ROOMS EXHIBITION SERVICES 9 PUBLISHER-DESIGNER TRACK 19 Friday: 9am – Midnight CATERING FIRST TIMER'S GUIDE Saturday: 9am – Midnight 9 20 Sunday: 9am – 7pm FAMILY ZONE 10 MAP 22 SEMINARS TREASURE HUNT 10 EXHIBITORS 24 Open during scheduled sessions – see page 19. CHILDREN’S ROLEPLAYING GAMES 11 SPONSORS 29 LIVE SHOWS Open during scheduled sessions - see page 14. ARTICLES If you want to attend any events, go to the event desk at the NEC VIEW FROM THE TOP: DON’T ROLL A 7 30 GAMING THE CLASSICS 40 Hall 3 to buy your tickets. HEREFORDSHIRE BOARDGAMERS: BRAND DESIGNS 44 EVOLUTION OF A BOARD GAMING CLUB 32 MENTAL GAMES 46 WINNING & LOSING? IS IT IMPORTANT? MSO: PLAY MORE GAMES COMPETITIVELY 49 HOW CAN WE HELP DEAL WITH BOTH? 34 see page 6 CARCASSONE VS COVID 52 FIVE QUESTIONS TO ATTUNE TO AN RPG SETTING 38 AWARDS: AND THE WINNER IS... BEST ABSTRACT GAME 57 BEST ROLEPLAYING ADVENTURE 60 BEST GAMING NOVELTY 57 BEST ROLEPLAYING GAME 60 Cover by: Ralph Horsley www.ralphhorsley.co.uk BEST CHILDRENS GAME 57 BEST ROLEPLAYING EXPANSION 60 Programme design/layout by: BEST MINIATURE RANGE 58 BEST BOARD GAME (AMERICAN STYLE) 61 Akha Hulzebos BEST MINIATURE RULES 58 BEST NEW BOARD GAME STRATEGIC 61 BEST ACCESSORY 58 BEST NEW BOARD GAME (EUROPEAN STYLE) 61 BEST NEW DICE GAME BEST NEW CARD GAME STRATEGIC Printed in the UK by 59 62 THE MAGAZINE BEST PARTY GAME BEST NEW CARD GAME GENERAL PRINTING COMPANY 59 62 using only paper from FSC/ BEST FAMILY GAME 59 BEST GAME VARIANT OR EXPANSION 62 PEFC suppliers www.magprint.co.uk UK GAMES EXPO 2021 3 Tony Hyams, Richard Denning and the most out of your visit. In these the seminars and the Publisher & the whole UKGE team welcomes you pages we detail the exhibitors, events, Designer track activities take place. to the 2021 UK Games Expo. This seminars and more, all of which you The Piazza suite is also home to the is the UK’s annual celebration of can enjoy during your time with us. roleplaying games this year. Pick up tabletop gaming but follows the dark There is a detailed map of the Trade tickets at the event desk or buy online. period of pandemic that still affects hall on pages 22-23. much of the world including the UK. The lakeside area between the This last 15 months or so have been Follow us, if you would, around the NEC, Resort World and the Hilton so hard on everyone, whether you UK Games Expo as we describe where Metropole Hotel is where you will find are a gamer, a trader, a volunteer you can find all the fun and games. the Viking Village. Here you can have or one of our sponsors. We have a close encounter with a Viking, watch worked hard all year, but particularly NEC Hall 2 is our trade hall where them do battle or even challenge them these last few months, with our you will find represented every type to a game! sponsors and partners to bring you of tabletop game. On the right of the the very best games, experiences, entrance there is a help desk and the UKGE is a great place to walk live entertainment, tournaments official UKGE merchandise stand. around and see everything to do with and opportunities for a great day or Over on the left side is the Publisher NEW TO tabletop gaming, whether that means weekend out. We invite you to leave Designer development area which board games, role playing games, the world behind you and just come includes Playtest UK and university UK GAMES family games, miniatures gaming, and have fun. Let the games begin! department design areas. In the centre party games or card games. The of the hall is the Coiledspring Family EXPO? choice is yours! A word about safety. All safety zone and the Children’s Roleplaying THEN PICK guidance, rules and regulations area. Towards the rear you will find If you are new to UKGE and haven’t can be found up to date and our Main Stage and the Cosplay zone. UP OUR played many games before, don’t in detail on the UKGE website: FIRST worry! There are many tables in the www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk/plan/ Hall 3 is home to a large Open exhibitor stands where you can sit before-the-expo/playwithconfidence/ Gaming space near the entrance. In TIMER down and try out games, and you the centre is our Boardgame Library don’t need to know all the rules. UK Games Expo occupies around and an event desk, where you can buy GUIDE Alternatively, head for the open 25,000 sqm of space. There are tickets for the various fun activities gaming area and borrow some games some 200 exhibitors, over a hundred we have going on this weekend. There from the board game library and get roleplaying events, along with a range is also a Food Court in this Hall. OR HOP gaming. of tournaments and live entertainment Further away from the entrance is the events, a schedule of seminars and tournament zone where some of the ON OVER And if you’re still feeling a bit lost, workshops, cosplayers and a Viking more competitive gamers in the hobby TO PAGE head to the help desk in Hall 2 or the village. So, a lot to explore and enjoy. will be battling it out – and where you help desk or Event desk in Hall 3 and can even enter yourself just for the 20 ask for advice or just flag down one of If it seems a bit bewildering, we fun of it! our ‘Blue Shirt’ Ambassadors, who will have got you covered. Before you be happy to help you out. head into the halls, grab a drink, put The Toute Suite outside NEC Hall your feet up and take a moment to 1 is home to our Live Entertainment So, what are you waiting for? Dive read through the Guide section of the shows. The Piazza Suite across the in and have fun. programme in order to help you get way from the Hall 2 entrance is where HALL 3 PIAZZA SUITES NEC TOUTE SUITE HALL 2 INTRODUCTION UK GAMES EXPO 2021 5 Full page advert_Equinox.indd 1 25/06/2021 16:17:06 FEELING A BIT LOST ? Don’t worry - if you need any help and environment in which all visitors, traders, LOST CHILD POINTS advice head to the help desks or flag volunteers and venue staff can have a great down an Ambassador. Help desks are time. If you spot anything that you feel needs located in Hall 2 and Hall 3. These are to be reported to Expo staff, look out for FRONT ENTRANCE HELP DESK manned by our friendly Ambassadors, any of our yellow shirted Volunteers, green who will be happy to help you. You shirted Team Leaders, or an Ambassador. can also spot Ambassadors - easily Over in the roleplaying area, each room has a recognisable in their pale blue shirts Room Captain on hand. Their role is to keep Hall 2 Hall 3 - roaming the Expo, ready to step in an eye on things to make sure everything is quickly if you need a hand. This year we running smoothly and intervene in the event Help Desk Help Desk have volunteers on hand to make sure of any problems. They can be approached everyone is having a good time and get by any player or GM who wishes to raise an Stand 2-T73 (by Event Desk) the help and assistance they need. UKGE issue. To find out more, visit our website at attracts a wide range of attendees of www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk and click on OR ALERT ONE OF OUR COLLEAGUES all ages, and we aim to provide a safe Keeping You Safe, under Contact Us. You know what it’s like. You buy some games Please do remember to pick up your goodies There is always a need for space to just sit Plan B Games, and Equinox, from the Board and then have your arms full. What do you at the end of the day, as we will not store down, get out a game and start playing. If Game Library, and stick it on the table. do? Haul them around, trying to balance an your stuff overnight. Anything not collected you’ve made a shiny new purchase and can't Open Gaming is free to anyone with a ever-more precarious stack? Or take them by close of the Trade Hall each day will be wait to play it, brought an old favourite with UKGE pass, please note that tables cannot back to the hotel or car and miss some of the auctioned. You can find the Shop & Drop you or want to check out the Board Games be reserved. #PlaywithConfidence: As the show? We have an answer: The Shop & Drop. close to the edge of Hall 3 nearest to Hall 2.