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So after 12 or so years in the hobby I have decided to go to my first games day. I have my ticket and the days all booked off work. What I wanted to know was what to expect from those who have been before. Do I need to bring money for food or is it better to bring my own? Should I get a catheter from work or are the toilets ok? Also is it worth me taking any models with me or is that not the done thing- fairly ignorant on this bit. Last thing I want to do is bring stuff I don't need or leave something behind and look like a muppet (more so than usual in any case). All help appreciated.



As an afterthought is it worth bringing a suitcase to carry all my purchases as will have just been paid bumper wage packet?

Should probably bring your own food. They usually have them in convention halls, which are tourist trap hell as far as food costs go.

Went to my first in 2010.

Long line for FW (but your UK so it may not be bad for you)
I wouldnt bring models (lost/stolen/to much to see)
GW ran out of *free* models at the build/paint events
Eat local and not at venue
Rolling case to bring home goodies BUT dont expect a price break

Posted in the other thread on this, but worth repeating: the most important thing you can do is go to the FW store and buy as much as you can of the new releases that aren't available to buy normally yet. These inevitably sell for a significant profit on ebay because there are lots of people who want them but can't get to games day. If you're already going to GD it's free money.

The toilets will be fine and there will be decent but expensive food there. The UK venue is in the city centre so you'll get better stuff locally.

I'd take water/cans of juice with you though, because if you try and go to the FW stand at the start you'll be in for a long wait (but if you go at the end all of the show only stuff will be gone).

I wouldn't bother taking your own models, as you won't have anywhere to use them; demo's will already have models.

Wear comfy shoes, and bring a comfy bag, and you'll be fine.

The food at GD 2012 was decent enough.

Aye I liked it, the only thing I thought sucked was that it was lots of small places with 2/3 menu items, so if you each wanted different food you had to wait in different queues. But GD2013 is in a different venue.

Herzlos wrote:
The toilets will be fine and there will be decent but expensive food there. The UK venue is in the city centre so you'll get better stuff locally.

I'd take water/cans of juice with you though, because if you try and go to the FW stand at the start you'll be in for a long wait (but if you go at the end all of the show only stuff will be gone).

I wouldn't bother taking your own models, as you won't have anywhere to use them; demo's will already have models.

Wear comfy shoes, and bring a comfy bag, and you'll be fine.

This post is wrong, ever since they moved from the NIA to the NEC in the UK.

The NEC is connected to Birmingham international train station and airport. it is no where near a town or city centre.

I would advise you bring your own food to the even although if you don't mind paying there are a number of restaurants in the NEC and a Wetherspoons if your after a cheep beer and food ( but be prepaid to wait a long while, ques get big there)

you can take your models as there are game boards set up to play against people although I find that if your going to gamesday just to play games it a bit of a waste. take the time to look at the golden deamon entries. do the scrap deamon, and participate in the big games they put on.

Are you planning on playing in any tournaments there? Last time I went to a gamesday was the last year they held it in Los Angeles California in 2008. Played in the tournament for warhammer 40k and took the best general award but wish i didn't play as I missed all the fun events going on and the tournament did not have any prize support even though they charged an entry fee to the tournament... My advice to you is participate in the events which seemed a whole lot more fun then the tournament as you can always get a match in with someone but you don't often get the chance to participate in some of the fun GW events they put on at Games Day. On the food aspect of it the convention center is pricy so I went to local places for food on the break from the tournament. Make sure you go get food before the tournament takes a break as the food places nearby get packed very fast as everyone playing tries to get some food before the tournament restarts. Most importantly have fun your at games day!

cammy wrote:

Herzlos wrote:
The toilets will be fine and there will be decent but expensive food there. The UK venue is in the city centre so you'll get better stuff locally.

I'd take water/cans of juice with you though, because if you try and go to the FW stand at the start you'll be in for a long wait (but if you go at the end all of the show only stuff will be gone).

I wouldn't bother taking your own models, as you won't have anywhere to use them; demo's will already have models.

Wear comfy shoes, and bring a comfy bag, and you'll be fine.

This post is wrong, ever since they moved from the NIA to the NEC in the UK.

The NEC is connected to Birmingham international train station and airport. it is no where near a town or city centre.

I would advise you bring your own food to the even although if you don't mind paying there are a number of restaurants in the NEC and a Wetherspoons if your after a cheep beer and food ( but be prepaid to wait a long while, ques get big there)

you can take your models as there are game boards set up to play against people although I find that if your going to gamesday just to play games it a bit of a waste. take the time to look at the golden deamon entries. do the scrap deamon, and participate in the big games they put on.

It is in the NIA again this year, in the city centre.

cammy wrote:
This post is wrong, ever since they moved from the NIA to the NEC in the UK.

It's back at the NIA.

Gizmodious wrote:
Are you planning on playing in any tournaments there?

UK Games day doesn't have any tournaments or open gaming space. There's hosted gaming space though, run by shop staff.

Herzlos wrote:

cammy wrote:
This post is wrong, ever since they moved from the NIA to the NEC in the UK.

It's back at the NIA.

Gizmodious wrote:
Are you planning on playing in any tournaments there?

UK Games day doesn't have any tournaments or open gaming space. There's hosted gaming space though, run by shop staff.

Most importantly have fun your at games day!

Definitely!

Just come back from Gamesday UK (my third) and it was rubbish. Absolute garbage and boring. Compared to the other two which were fun and value for money and had atmosphere this was stale.

NO gaming of any sort. Only FF board games were being demonstrated and some video games in the making (quite interesting).

The arena was easily HALF just one big shop. Forge World and GW. It was massive. And pointless. Paid £35 to go to a shop basically.

Plus points: Spoke to Adam Troke and some of the design team which was interesting and my friend got his books signed by various authors (Abnett, McNeil, Cruddance).

We left around 12pm and heard many conversations that were basically echos of our opinions.

I must admit I heard that there would be less stuff to do than last year, Guess I was lucky I had to work.

Sadly, grim dan I have to echo this.

I've also been the last three GD's, I loved the others also but this one was not great.

The venue is small and shabby, in the middle of a rework, (GW got a sdiscount methinks) the absent gaming was part of the atmosphere the last years. Its lost some of the magic of having all the three aspects of the hobby, painting gaming and modelling for me. AND No chance of getting to seminars tickets if your doing Golden Demon or shopping and such.

And Golden Demon. Sigggh. Firstly, The lighting - awful, dark and misdirected.

Secondly, please note this is not intended to be disparaging to any of the entrants at all. I know all art is subjective, indeed Ive come away with three lovely finalist medals so thats fine. But the decisions were appalling.
There were some breathaking entries across all categories, but I feel there were political decisions made not artistic ones. One of the squad winning demons was totally tabletop level, mould lines still visible, no contrasting bits, and i wasnt the only one saying this. Other awesome squads were not even finalist.
Again in Diorama, an awesome tau image, and beastmen. Nothing.
There was even a sternguard squad which was nice, but made the final cut over some awesome other units, because it seemed it was a new release and wanted to draw attention to the models.

I think GW has lost any objectivity in this and I will only be entering in future incidental pieces as any attempt to work toward the event seems empty now as it also has been taken over by the corporate and corrupt.

Glad it wasn't just me and my friend then Ellis.

I had a quick pop down to the Golden Daemon room and it was far too small so barely saw any models as people were just not moving around. The lighting was awful like you say, VERY dark :/ Made all the models and dioramas appear murky if they wasn't under artificial light.

Can't comment on the judging as we were long gone.

Real big shame :(

I have to say I agree, not what I was expecting at all. Still glad I went. Got few books signed, I did think it was crowded, especially around the golden daemon entries. One of the armies on parade that stuck with me was the White Scars in the loading bay board. Do agree with the gold though, that board was good.

 gr1m_dan wrote:
Just come back from Gamesday UK (my third) and it was rubbish. Absolute garbage and boring. Compared to the other two which were fun and value for money and had atmosphere this was stale.

NO gaming of any sort. Only FF board games were being demonstrated and some video games in the making (quite interesting).

The arena was easily HALF just one big shop. Forge World and GW. It was massive. And pointless. Paid £35 to go to a shop basically.

Plus points: Spoke to Adam Troke and some of the design team which was interesting and my friend got his books signed by various authors (Abnett, McNeil, Cruddance).

We left around 12pm and heard many conversations that were basically echos of our opinions.

I'll echo this. Very disappointing show all in all. The Golden Demon is the only reason to go now and given the appalling display arrangements that's not that great. It just didn't feel fun, there was very little buzz.

I can't help but compare it to Partizan at Kelham Hall in Newark which I went to recently - I think it was £3 entry for me and my wife - 2 boys got in free, demonstration and participation games, show discounts and a free 28mm figure on entry. And the carvery dinner in the hall was £6 for adults and £4 for the kids. I walked away having spent well over £120 and would probably have spent more.

GW, U R doin it wrong. I spent NOTHING at your show.

So it's a games day without the games? Shame...

It was nice to talk with the designers, but would have been nice if they kept the display games.

And i was sad at working two 16 hour shifts this weekend!

Think I dodged a bullet there.

 filbert wrote:
So it's a games day without the games? Shame...

This is great news!

Echo this, it was terrible, absolutely no atmosphere, GD entries were gloomy and very poorly lit, overcrowded. Pretty much paid £35 to go to a big shop. Will not be going next year unless they move it back to the NEC, last year's was such a contrast, it was a brilliant day out. I feel a bit sad about the whole debacle really, GW has truly lost its' way it seems.

winterdyne wrote:
I can't help but compare it to Partizan at Kelham Hall in Newark which I went to recently - I think it was £3 entry for me and my wife - 2 boys got in free, demonstration and participation games, show discounts and a free 28mm figure on entry. And the carvery dinner in the hall was £6 for adults and £4 for the kids. I walked away having spent well over £120 and would probably have spent more.

GW, U R doin it wrong. I spent NOTHING at your show.

From their point of view, a family of four = four £35 entry tickets = £140.

So they've got more money from (this hypothetical version of ) you, with no investment. Basically, all of the (hypothetical family's) disposable income has gone on the ticket price, which is guaranteed.

 sing your life wrote:
It was nice to talk with the designers, but would have been nice if they kept the display games.

I'd queried previously, in other threads, how they were going to do the massive display battles, armies on display, the truly 'mental' stuff that you could only get at a GD, without the shop staff any more.

Essentially they were the guys who pulled most of the rank and file together, did the thousands of man hours necessary to get the massive displays, banners, etc. even run the games (previously you would get 2-3 staff from each shop going?) There is a very simple logistical reason to why the GD's these days lack what was for many one of the big selling points, and that simply comes down to lack of manpower.

 Apologist wrote:

winterdyne wrote:
I can't help but compare it to Partizan at Kelham Hall in Newark which I went to recently - I think it was £3 entry for me and my wife - 2 boys got in free, demonstration and participation games, show discounts and a free 28mm figure on entry. And the carvery dinner in the hall was £6 for adults and £4 for the kids. I walked away having spent well over £120 and would probably have spent more.

GW, U R doin it wrong. I spent NOTHING at your show.

From their point of view, a family of four = four £35 entry tickets = £140.

So they've got more money from (this hypothetical version of ) you, with no investment. Basically, all of the (hypothetical family's) disposable income has gone on the ticket price, which is guaranteed.

I don't take my boys to Games Day. It's not worth it. A day at Legoland (including the drive all the way from Nottingham to Windsor) is far cheaper and more rewarding for them.

Salute only costs £10 and it's one of the more expensive enthusiast run shows on the calendar.

 Kilkrazy wrote:
Salute only costs £10 and it's one of the more expensive enthusiast run shows on the calendar.

And the ticket price includes a limited edition mini for the first couple thousand through the door (in plastic now, used to be metal). There's a few I've been to where it's been £3 entries with a free mini.

Good Lord they didn't have any games?

I'm stunned. seriously what is going on there?

The last games day event I went to was back in 2002 in Baltimore. It was great fun. They didn't charge extra for the miniature (I see that they do now), and I got a free deck of the new CCG that came out as well as some other stuff.

You could also buy t-shirts and pins and buckles.

If Games Workshop can't pull off a rocking games day on their home turf, that is just too sad for words.

When I first heard that Games Day had no Games I thought that it was just hyperbole.

Then I heard it again.

And again.

When I heard it a third time.... What the heck GW?!

The Auld Grump