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Warhammer Fantasy Warhammer Fest - My review
#1
Last year I attended the last Games Day. It was my fourth consecutive year, sixth in total, and the third time at the NIA. The venue having last year switched back to where I had fond memories, it severely scaled back in size from the previous years at the NEC Arena.

Well the last Games Day was atrocious. Cramped Golden Demon displays (along with Armies on Parade,) in the Arenas Basketball court, was far to busy and space was at a premium. The main arena hall was largely the store, with ridiculous queues for Forge World. Not one Game was played at Games Day, licenceees were up in the arenas stands, and the Forge World and GW deseign studios had relatively small areas.

So this year with a switch to the Ricoh Arena in Coventry and a rebranding of the event to Warhammer Fest, I was hoping for much more. Split over two days, I was hoping to attend the Saturday, but due to work commitments, Sunday was the day I made it over. The build up to the event, made much of Seminars and Demo Pods, and I was hoping this would be the events salvation.

I got to the event early to grab a ticket for a seminar and having browsed the programme for information on the demo pods, it looked like I would have to grab the 2pm to 3pm slot.

I started by hitting the stores, to pick some bits and pieces up. The line for forge World moved very briskly, but the attendance at the venue did seem much much lower, than previous events. If this was down to the two day format, or people's sceptism over Warhammer Fest, I cannot say. However when i got to the GW section of the store I was immediately disappointed. GWe have been moving stock over to direct order, and I was hoping that they may have some limited stock of these items at the venue. Alas they didn't, and if you could walk into any other Games Workshop and pick it up off the shelf, it was available at the Ricoh. If you couldn't, you couldn't. So it seemed largely pointless being there at all. To make things worse, every year I spend the GDP a of a Pacific Island on Black Library products. This time around unless you wanted Horus Heresy books, or any other book released between September to November it was unavailable. A huge huge let down (I have been reading the Return of Nagash, and really wanted some other Warhammer books.)

After grabbing some Brunch (it still being around 11:30,) I headed off to see one of the demo pods. Being titled how to Paint Well and and Speed, I thought it would be a very useful thing to see. Along with about 50 others, I struggled to hear what was going on (being 4 deep, and the Demonstrator not having a microphone,) and all it involved him trying to describe techniques on a completed miniature. Not a demonstration at all, and another disappointment. Being in the same Hall as the Golden Demon, the Forge World Design Team and three other demo pods, the noise was never going to make hearing easy, but the content seemed quite poor.

At around midday, I had had enough, jumped in the car and drove home. I never made my seminar so cannot comment on what they were like, but they were in a seperate room and probably would have been the only decent thing at the show.

Other things if note, Sunday was Golden Demon, so I assume Armies in Parade (if it was still on,) would have been Saturday. I do know staff Armies were there on Saturday, and not being a huge fan of fighting trying to get a view of the Golden Demon, Saturday did appeal more. There were also three demo games going on by the store area, but it certainly did not have the participation numbers of previous to 2013 levels. The Ricoh seemed even smaller than the NIA, although the layout was preferable.

On the whole I left feeling somewhat disappointed in my day. It was topped off by discovering my Nephew is teething and spent the afternoon screaming. I'll probably give next year another shot, but if I fail to find any value again, it will be my last.
Star Wars Legion - Rebels
Guildball - Alchemists
Blood Bowl - Lizardmen
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#2
Its a shame to hear its gone like that.
I guess the only thing to ask is, would to go next year?
W40K: Blood Ravens / Orks / Inquisitor / Imperial Guard
Warhammer: Dwarfs
Warmachine: Protectorate of Menoth / Khador / Cygar / Circle
Malifaux: Started Neverborn and Outcasts
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#3
As I said at the end. I'll probably do next year and if it's as bad, never again.
Star Wars Legion - Rebels
Guildball - Alchemists
Blood Bowl - Lizardmen
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#4
Oh year I forgot. The Licenceeees were not in attendance. They had what could only be described as a cloak room staffed with three people doing ipad demos. Nothing at all like last year, which whikst terribly placed, had the likes of Cyanide, Nomad and Fantasy Flight there to discuss and sell products.
Star Wars Legion - Rebels
Guildball - Alchemists
Blood Bowl - Lizardmen
Reply
#5
Ohh sorry not sure how I missed the last line!
W40K: Blood Ravens / Orks / Inquisitor / Imperial Guard
Warhammer: Dwarfs
Warmachine: Protectorate of Menoth / Khador / Cygar / Circle
Malifaux: Started Neverborn and Outcasts
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