RogerBW's Blog

Back to one of my favourite conventions, now in a new and much larger venue.

It was something of a forced move: the Dewars Centre in Perth couldn't commit to being open a year in advance, so the Tabletop Scotland crew looked at the other five Scottish venues that were at least as large as the space they were already using, and ended up at the Royal Highland Centre right next to Edinburgh airport largely because that was the only one that could give them an option on bookings for the same weekends in 2025 and 2026.

This is surprisingly tricky to reach (there's public transport to the airport, but then it's a 15 minute walk) so I cheated and stayed in the one hotel that's right next to it, the Holiday Inn, which has double glazing good enough to keep the sound of the planes out.

It's eight hours on the road from High Wycombe to Edinburgh, though the journey is made easier by stops at Tebay and the Moffat Toffee Shop. We got in the night before and got into the mood with some Witching Hour ("the candle is this game's seahorse", which will make sense if you've played Sea Salt & Paper) and Haggis.

The weather was like this pretty much all weekend. There is a runway out there in the fog, really.

Food trucks!

OK, so the place is basically a cattle shed: tarmac on the ground, minimal heating (it was cool enough for me).

For the first day of the actual show, we started with Sea Salt & Paper where I managed a win from behind.

On to Railroad Ink Challenge: Lush Green Edition which did a great job of inducing decision paralysis.

Two- and four-player Illimat, yet another on my list of "games I should play more often".

Courtisans, which is becoming an "always bring along" game because it's both simple to teach and enjoyable to play for one's first game.

Project L, which would be better if it still fit in its original box rather than the overblown kickstarter edition box but never mind.

Lemminge to demonstrate that just because it's a game for children that doesn't make it unworthy of being played…

To finish off the evening, Imperium: Horizons (Atlanteans vs Greeks)

and then Sentinels of the Multiverse: Definitive Edition with Matriarch on Insula Primalis, opposed by Harpy, Tempest, Wraith and Legend. ("But isn't Harpy the Matriarch after she reforms?" "Yeah, it's comics, man.)

Next morning, Sea Salt & Paper to start again, followed bu Damask

and then Coldwater Crown.

The bar was open.

More Imperium: Horizons (Minoans vs Mauryans)

With DJCT from the forums, Earth

with quite diverse scoring.

Then on to Gladius (really not at its best with two, must try it again with a larger group).

and Realm of Sand.

We picked up some passing players and I introduced them to Nokosu Dice (which, strangely, I won) and to end the night Courtisans (I think this was the one in which we managed a three-way 0-0-0 draw.)

The airport remained foggy.

Sunday started with Tinderblox Sunset and some comprehensive losses by me.

Followed by Sea Salt & Paper and much the same.

The Imperium: Horizons came out a little more evenly, though. (Egyptians vs Minoans, each of us playing a faction we hadn't tried before but the other player had.)

Back with DJCT from the forums, Courtisans

and Sea Salt & Paper,

then onto Imperium: Horizons (Japanese, Mauryans and Celts) which seemed a fitting note on which to finish the show. (We looked around the traders and chatted a bit, then left shortly before things closed down completely.)

The event ended up being nearly twice the size of the one last year in Perth, but it still felt small and friendly: gaming first, like all the most enjoyable shows.