Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Thread title says it all really. Not too sure why we don't, maybe it's a health and safety thing.

Was at my local GW today and they only had 2 tables running, waited for 4 and a half hours for a game then someone nicked my table and the manager didn't do anything about it. I decided to not lose my temper and left until we get a new manager (which is in September). There were a few people waiting for longer than me to play and it just made me think that the problem could have been sorted if we just had a few more tables

Since they don't make an effort to expand their current GW stores, I think it's really that they don't see it as necessary. My store has been awaiting a much needed rehousing for years, as it's far too small, with only a single 4'x4' board to play on, and the other two housing the starter kits that GW HQ have demanded always be on show and ready to play.

There's a small board upstairs, but GW HQ have refused to get it done up and made safe for standard play; currently, it's only open to 18+ on Vet's nights.

I just don't think GW HQ see BBs as a good investment in the UK, and think that the barely living room-sized stores are good enough, and that we should be damned lucky that we get a board to play on at all.

We do. For example, the Battle Bunker in Bromley.

Ketara wrote:We do. For example, the Battle Bunker in Bromley.

Appears there's on in Middlesborough too, although it doesn't completely invalidate the question; more Bunkers would be nice.

We probably have more Bunkers than the US, if you work out how close they are together.
The US is more spread out, and has lots more room for big shops.
The UK's shops are generally closer together, and floor space if far more expensive.

So, if you have to travel to a UK Bunker, it'll be no different to the US bunkers.

Not that I know where my local one is

I don't actually know anyone that plays in store. And that could be it; maybe some managers know there are a good deal of clubs about their area so feel there is no need for lots of tables, just enough to get the new kids in.

No idea what facilities or wargaming clubs there are in Doncaster but I know of at least four clubs in my area. With a bit of effort I'm sure I could find a game every night if I wanted to without setting foot in Games Workshop.

My local GW (Poole) has a bunker, there are 15-20 tables upstairs above the store. Even with that 10 minutes down the road I still play most of my games at home.

Four and a half hours in a GW store, what did you do to deserve this sort of punishment?

^ I can second that must've done something nasty in a past life.

I've always thought that the UK GW stores seem a bit anti-gaming really XD I was once told I wasn't allowed a game 'in case anyone new comes and wants to try' because they only had the one board... had a quick look around, and I think I was the only person within a mile radius of that store... edit: on a week day, during a school week, during working/school hours.

But yeah, floor space is expensive in the UK, and on average the stores I've been to (quite a few) only actually have at most a couple of tables, and as stated most are occupied by the mandatory starter sets...

Avatar 720 wrote:Appears there's on in Middlesborough too, although it doesn't completely invalidate the question; more Bunkers would be nice.

There's one in middlesbrough ?

Baron von Felixton wrote:

waited for 4 and a half hours for a game

Seriously? You sat in a store doing nothing for 4 1/2 hours just for a chance to play a game? A GW game no less...

Well, thats some dedication...Ill give you credit for that...

My local Poole does, and so does exeter iirc

What the heck's a battle bunker?

How do you find out if there's a battle bunker nearby?

Go to GW's site, and look for the Store Finder.

Then again, it doesn't specify.

Oooh that's a battle bunker To be honest the middlesbrough store did have a back room full of tables, but for some reason it was closed off and now there are only 3 tables to play on, most of which are for display.

because who needs land defense when you have a Navy and you encircled by water.......and who really has a beef with Britain anyway? to me you guys are like Canadians (in a good way)

Another person using the poole bunker - It's really nice to be able to play on a nice board with nice scenery and as new players having the other people especially on thursdays for us to go "Hey.. how does this work?" is realyl handy

Baron von Felixton wrote:Thread title says it all really. Not too sure why we don't, maybe it's a health and safety thing.

erm ... Just because there isn't one near you doen't mean there aren't. Worcester near me has one, and Birmingham as well IIRC. The one in Dudley doesn't purely because its located into a shopping mall so can't accomadate it. Why not check out the stores nearest to you assuming they aren't impractically too far away, or check local clubs that would specifically run just tables for gaming

Don't they have Bugman's Bar? I here rumors you can play warhammer in there without shotty looks from other patrons.

If I was local to there, I would see little reason to goto a Battle Bunker.

because for the most part... the UK has better local GW support than the US or other countries do... I for one have lived and travelled accross the US and it is actually RARE to find any reasonably sized GW or hobby store that supports miniature gaming.

The US has official GW bunkers in Chicago, Baltimore, LA, and Memphis. There are a few GW shops with 4-6 tables scattered around as well, but those are being redone into the smaller shops. The UK sounds like it has at least as many, and in a much smaller geographic area.

In the US though, we also have a lot of independent stores that carry GW and have gaming tables. It's quite common for stores to open up with 4-6 tables for gaming, and many larger stores have quite a bit of space dedicated to open gaming. It's now become the standard, vs the exception, and retailers recognize gaming space as part of their business model.

he he, not to brag or anything but both my two local stores, (chester, Reading) have loads of space, reading has 4 6x4 tables and chester has 2 6x4's, chester used to have a upstairs but now their short on staff they've closed it off. by the way, when you say battle bunker what is that?

What's the difference between a Battle Bunker and a normal GW store?

coolyo294 wrote:What's the difference between a Battle Bunker and a normal GW store?

Bunkers are bigger than average, and usually have a large amount of gaming/painting space from my understanding.

madman12367 wrote:he he, not to brag or anything but both my two local stores, (chester, Reading) have loads of space, reading has 4 6x4 tables and chester has 2 6x4's, chester used to have a upstairs but now their short on staff they've closed it off. by the way, when you say battle bunker what is that?

The big GW bunkers in the US have over a dozen tables. Over 40 I think in Chicago. Philadelphia used to have a GW store in Franklin Mills Mall that was called a battle bunker, with about 8 tables I think.

So in general I'd say at least 8 tables, if not more. I keep 12 eight foot tables up in my store, and can go to 20, so I guess we count as one by that definition.

Avatar 720 wrote:
There's a small board upstairs, but GW HQ have refused to get it done up and made safe for standard play; currently, it's only open to 18+ on Vet's nights..

I'm intrigued. What is "wrong" with the board that it isn't safe for standard play, and only usable for 18+?

GW Franklin Mills, PA~ formerly had 9 table which were 6 feet in length.
GW Voorhees, NJ~ presenlty has 4 tables which are 6 feet long, and 3-4 4 foot tables meant for smaller then 2k point games.

Showcase Comics, has one of the best current set ups I've seen. Formerly having their Bunker as a dedicated gaming space. Mikhaila has quite the sweet looking shop, plus the space to run not only a event, but a few tables on the side for open gaming.

Gamers like gaming. Obviously we want to play where we purchase models as long as the crowd is right. Capitalizing on that, plus other things gamers like... food, soda, locality to adult styled things like bars, helps grow a gaming community. Showcases currently location cut down the distance to the food court area, always a bonus for those events

I'd rather just see regular, large-scale clubs than battle bunkers, so that I can play non-GW games and use non-GW models in them.

Maelstrom is a good example in the UK, they have a great playing area.