Monday 2 December 2019

Dragonmeet 2019

The wind was biting cold on Saturday, despite the sunshine, but it didn't stop us from having a great day out at Dragonmeet. This show used to be a regular part of my gaming calendar and then for a few years it just wasn't. No particular reason but I missed several years (and a change of venue) and it was only last year that I attended the show again. My eldest daughter and her friends were going, they had a spare ticket so I tagged along like the crotchety grandpa of the group...and I had a great time. So this year I had the show pencilled in on my calendar well ahead of time and I convinced the young padawan to join me. We met up with my eldest daughter and partner for what is best described at the premier roleplaying and board game convention in London.

The show is hosted by the Novotel complex in Hammersmith and is spread across several floors with a separate and very busy trade hall. Side rooms host day-long gaming sessions although you need to be fast to get booked in for a game. Hard-core gamers can play a range of participation games right up to midnight, but I was going mainly to look at the new releases and to do a bit of retail therapy in the trade hall.

The Trader Hall

I bought some of these resin figures last year.

The Padawan

A blurry picture of Ian Livingstone signing books. 

Another shot of the trader hall. 

Me and Dredd

There were plenty of participation games taking place. 

Dice... a gamer can never have too many!

The Bring and Buy was packed early on but quietened down as the day went along. Some really old stuff on sale here but often quite expensive. 

More boardgames being demo'd in one of the other halls.

Painting displays were also taking place. 
This is obviously a tabletop board and role-playing conventions, so may have limited interest to wargamers. Personally, having started with RPG's in my youth, I like to think I straddle both sides of the hobby. I was there mainly looking for miniatures and I came home with some very nice figures from a range of retailers. I also couldn't resist buying more dice...and a dice bag and a dice tray. My wife also bought me some Frostgrave figures (or so she found out after I got home) so not a total bust from a wargaming perspective. 

2 comments:

  1. A show I've never heard of, but then not likely too given it's target audience. However it looked well attended and if I was in the locale, would have wandered in just to see what was on offer. I'm sure I would have bought more die, as as you say, you can never have too many!

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    1. It is aimed at role-players but there has always been a degree of crossover with wargamers so you can always pick up some figures at this show. As I said, I got a couple of boxes of figures for Frostgrave and a selection of other models and terrain items just because they appealed to me. Mostly fantasy stuff so I'm sure Ray will hate it!

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