UK Games Expo 2022 Con Report [Part 2]

UK Games Expo 2022 Con Report Part 2 I was up early Saturday morning to give my dogs a quick walk before heading back to Birmingham and the Hilton Hotel. I wore my Skynet logo t-shirt this time, a subtle clue about the first Alien RPG scenario I was running.

Trains were running well so I got to the hotel in plenty of time to make breakfast. The breakfast at the Hilton was a buffet breakfast so you could help yourself. I had a large English breakfast with plenty of coffee and juice, followed by an hour of me grazing on the Continental breakfast selection, with more coffee, juice fresh fruit, and Danish pastries. I was filled up and set for the day.

I quickly returned to the Wellington Suite, it was just across the corridor opposite the breakfast room, and set for my first game of three that day.

I then nipped back to my room to freshen up and wear my Nostromo patch shirt and Weyland-Yutani cap.

Saturday morning was my Alien scenario ”Beauty is Not Only Skin Deep”.

I have ran this a couple of times online via Roll20 to play-test the scenario but this would be its first face-to-face outing. I was nervous still but excited at the same time as there is a HUGE TWIST in the scenario and I was worried it might come off as a bit of a bait-and-switch.

It was another sellout game but I had NINE players show up to play the game! I only had seven characters.

All had valid tickets for my game so obviously something had gone wrong with the system somewhere. The last three players to arrive decided to go and get a refund (which they got) and try to get into another game. Those same three players would join my Tales from the Loop game on Sunday. So with those three players leaving that left only six players in the end.

I had the following player characters to chose from, I had images in A6 Perspex stands for clearer display.

Corporal K. J. Arctor - Rifleman with M41A Pulse Rifle

Corporal B. Childan - Smartgunner with Smartgun M56A2

Corporal L. S. Ragle - Comtech with M41A Pulse Rifle

Corporal  E. Tagomi - Marksman with M42A3 Sniper Rifle

Corporal W. I. Runciter - Heavy Weapons with M12 RPG Launcher

Corporal T. J. Taverner - Assault with XM99A Phased Plasma Pulse Rifle

Corporal D. Eldrich - Forward Observer with M4RA Battle Rifle

Seven great Colonial Marines with different roles and weapon load outs.

On the surface it just looks like a military game but the difference is that they all have conflicting agendas.

The players chose their characters, the only one not chosen was Cpl Arctor, the rifleman. I am guessing he was just too basic a role?

The Alien game in action. Saturday Morning.

Once the players had chosen I handed out the character, cover, and folding agenda sheets. The character sheets are the same design I made for my other Alien games (as described above) but I did change these ones up a little. I took out the gear list, as that is all covered on the cover sheet, and had the full details of the PCs’ Talents instead.

I took the players through the character sheet, covering the details to play like the Skills, Stress, Armour, Consumables, Panic, and how the dice pools work.

I also took them trough the cover sheet that has a picture of their characters on it. However it also has sections made up like weapon cards, with details and images of their allocated gear, armour, and weapons. I even covered what ammunition they were firing.

Of course we had the M309 10x24mm caseless HEAP rounds the pulse rifle, their sidearm M39-10 SMG (no pistols), and even the Smartgun was fitted for it. The sniper rifle and the battle rifle took the single shot A19 High Velocity Armour Piercing High Explosive round, very devastating against distant targets. The M12 Repeater Rocket Launcher fired the US-MRHV 30x220mm Ultra High Explosive rocket, designed to take out armoured vehicles and the Plasma rifle had charged plasma canisters that emitted purple plasma beams in the 40 Watt range that disintegrated flesh and melted armour.

On top of that they had a selection of either M42 HEDP grenades, G2 electroshock grenades, Seegson System Diagnostic Devices, Suppressed Pups, Buzzbombs, M314 Motion Trackers, LK-8  Proximity Detectors, M18A2 Sniper Defender Mines, DE1 Breaching Charges, ME3 Cutting Torches, and most had the underslung Armat U7 Tac-Shotgun.

Their folding agenda sheets had different Act I, II, and III agendas on, with only Act I revealed with the others folded out of sight. Each character had their own mission objectives that by Act II and III would certainly conflict with the other player characters. I showed the players how to open them to reveal the next Act’s agendas but I would show them again at the right time. I stressed that the agendas really need to be kept secret from the other players.

Then I gave them an introduction to the game and informed the players that even though their agendas were conflicting, for the most part during the first Act and into the second Act they should work together as a proper squad for the most part. But definitely by Act III all bets are off and we should see some PC verses PC action. I even stated that they may have glorious deaths at each others’ hands so the key was to make them memorable.

“This game is set in the universe of the Alien films, using many of the elements and themes from them like the secret androids, colonial marines, the paranoia, the body horror, a relentless enemy stalking in the dark, and the painful death of the characters. The source material is primarily Alien, Aliens and the video games Colonial Marines and Alien Isolation. Remember that the player characters are to suffer and panic and may even challenge and fight each other, but it is your player characters, not yourselves, that are in danger, facing the risks, seeking the rewards, and possibly having the memorable death.

So take the risks, charge in where angels fear to tread, and stare down the jaws of the alien.”

Then I gave them the mission briefing and asked the players to come up with a reason why their character has not only been demoted to corporal but why they have been kicked out of their own squad and put on this live-ammo training mission.

The PCs were on the USS Rossumovi - Conestoga-class Light Assault Starship.

The Starship’s Commander is Captain K. Čapek who gives the PCs their mission briefing.

“Tench-Hut! Listen up people, eyes front and centre. Officer on deck!”

“You rabble, you wastes of skin, you’re a shower, unfit to be called marines.”

“You did so poorly on that last mission that the whole squad is going on a live-round training mission. We’re going to put you through the wringer, as you’ll get no help nor support until you come out triumphant on the other side!”

“Oorah!”

“Your opposition? Drones and Working Joes. You’re going to be fighting androids. You’re on toaster clean up duty!”

The PCs were to be dropped on a remote island that is the Seegson Training Facility to fight three waves robots, drones, and Working Joes. Due to combating tougher and more armoured targets they were issued more heavier ordinance to deal with them.

I got the players to introduced themselves, using the reason they were demoted as the reason whilst they get ready after coming out of cryo. Sort of a banter moment where each one will brag and out do the last speaker.

It worked a treat and the players were able to inject some character and personality in what are basically empty avatars. I didn’t give the PCs any backstory, no identity, no first names, and even gender. They just had their gear, stats, attributes, weapons, agendas, and Surname only.

So we had a few that had struck their superior officer, a couple had gone AWOL, and a few that refused to follow orders. A nice bunch!

The PCs were dropped down to the landing pad situated on the cliffs on one side of the island via dropship, flown by Pilot Al Jazari. They were accompanied by Sergeant John McCarthy, who was their instructor, and the Bishop Android, to monitor the safety of the training mission.

From there they entered the interior of the island, following an old supply road, through the woods. It wasn’t long until they encountered their first wave of tin-cans, battle robots escorted by a few Working Joes.

What followed was a one-sided battle in the favour of the PCs but that only left them with a mystery to solve as well as further waves of robots and androids to combat.

Of course we had a really bad dice roll, with all modifiers and bonuses and Stress, it was nineteen dice - not a single ‘6’ was rolled!

Nineteen dice and not a single '6' rolled. Ouch!

Of course their agendas also kicked in as they got further into the scenario so it started to get very messy. There were multiple shoot-outs between several of the players and as each tried to achieve their objectives it started getting worse.

All I can say is that none of the PCs made it to the LZ for extraction!

At one point near the end of the scenario, all the players realised the truth of the situation. The looks on their faces was priceless!

With the session coming to the end I took a photo of the players before they left and re-set the table ready for this afternoon’s game.

The players of my Alien game Beauty is Not Only Skin Deep. Saturday Morning.

I nipped out for lunch in Chow Street and a swift pint from the main bar. Just before the game I changed my t-shirt to a Nostromo one, one that matches my Nostromo patch shirt.

My Saturday afternoon Alien game was another running of ”Fortune Hinders the Bold”, the same scenario I had ran on Friday afternoon.

Again I got six players all keen to play, two of them were my friends that had signed up as soon as the games cam live on the UK Games Expo website. So we were only missing one player again.

I gave the players their choice of characters, they all choose who they dealt suited them and we ended up with Captain Dede Deladier not getting chosen again.

I took the players through the rules via going over their character sheets, including the cover and folding agenda sheets.

This game played very differently from the Friday afternoon one. This time all the players were very proactive and were actively seeking clues and investigating. More importantly though is that the characters distrusted each other from the get go. For example the Scientist and Doctor refused the protection from the more military capable PCs that ended up sidelining them. The two military PCs went off to do their own investigations in the bar, seeking the criminal underworld and the Union representatives (both the same thing) and trying to get information that way. The Federal Marshal, the player even did a great Sean Connery accent, was pushing all the group to get answers. We had multiple investigations going off at tangents so I had a lot of plates spinning to keep them all busy. The tensions between the PCs were raising even before the end of Act I reveal of the identity of the Replicants.

This time around the players didn’t fall for the trap but that meant the space combat was a more extended affair but very satisfying at its conclusion.

When it came to explore the planetoid, several of the players elected to stay on the ship in orbit, even though I did strong hint that they all travel down. However due to the tensions between the characters and the different sections of the investigation they all thought it was better to split the group up.

Once it came to the fight the military characters on the ground managed to hold their own but extraordinary help from the Doctor did seal the deal.

Of course as soon as it all went to sh!t on the ground the Federal Marshal chose to launch his nuke in the tube, it was the only way to be sure!

So half the group were wiped out whilst the others could only wish their existence could be over so fast. Marvellous!

What a great game, same scenario and characters from before but such a different experience and result.

I took a photo of the players before the left and re-set my table for the next game.

The players of my Alien game Fortune Hinders the Bold. Saturday Afternoon.

I went and freshened up again and had a couple of pints in the bar before my evening game to relax a little.

My Saturday evening Fria Ligan game was Alien: playing my scenario ”All That Glitters is Gold”.

I have ran this game quite a few times on Roll20 as t has been about for a while but this is the first time playing it face-to-face due to the lockdown.

I had one player turn up early, he was so keen to play and he picked to play Johner, he was perfect for the role, channeling Ron Perlman like a pro.

In all it was a sell-out game and all six players turned up.

I had them choose their characters using the A6 Perspex stands with the character portraits mounted in them.

The characters are the crew of The Betty from the 1997 film Alien: Resurrection.

Captain Elgyn, Second-in-command Christie, Mechanic Call, Pilot Hillard, Chief Mechanic Vriess, and Mercenary Johner.

The game works so well when you got the full compliment of the crew doing the Heist. The game itself split into three Acts, the first Act was the planning stage, second Act was a Heist itself, and of course the third Act was the Getaway.

Once The players have chosen their characters, I took them right through the character sheets, how the Skills and Attributes work stress dice, dice pools, and everything worked. The cover sheets where is slightly different, the front page had images of each cast member from the film in different poses so that the players could get a good idea of them, as well as their division emblem. On the back of the cover sheets were the biographies of each character, the talents in full details, and the stats of the ship, the Betty.

Each player was also given a folding agenda sheet, that was set up as normal so hiding their Act II an Act III agendas by folding them away. Also included the weapon cards on the folding agenda sheet of all of their weapons and gear. Home-made is great for pies and food but awful for grenade launchers. Johner had Vriess make him a home-made grenade launcher, that’s going to turn out good isn’t it?

With that I started the game with the transmission from The Boss, a criminal gang leader. They were to head to Thucydides to meet up with The Boss for full details of the Heist.

“The job would be a cinch, a simple box bust on a floating palace baron stuck in a jam. Ringers onboard have thrown a spanner in the works.

Once they douse the glim, we bolt in offering gall gab as we grift our way in. Togged up as grease-monkeys to fix their gears they’ll welcome us in.

There’s no gitters or feds to nix the keister so we can oil open the box.

The haul wouldn’t be chicken feed either, it will be a cushy number of props. We secure the derby, scoot it out on The Betty, and meet up for the slaughter for our split. You savvy?”

The job sounds simple. Get on the Fhloston Paradise by posing as engineers to fix the ship, raid the vault, get six black cases that belong to The Boss, take anything else from the vault that’s valuable, get out. It is simple.

The only thing is there’s an additional security measure inside the vault that is independently powered, it can’t be shut down from engineering.

So the players plot and plan what they are going to do, who has which roles in the heist, and what gear and equipment they need. All seemed well.

Of course once they get on the Fhloston Paradise with The Betty their plans are for nought as things do take a turn for the worse. Then when they get inside the vault it gets really bad and soon The Betty crew are out of their depth.

This game went very well, it’s a simple premise but the twist and turns near the end do make it exciting. The players had some great dice rolls for a change - Vriess rolled to take over the Fhloston Paradise and gain control. The player rolled twelve dice and got seven ’6’s - a complete success so Vriess could do anything with the ship.

Twelve dice rolled and seven '6's rolled - wow!

And again when Johner had the combat the security measure he rolled ten dice in his pool to fire his home-made grenade launcher. He got five ‘6’s and was able to deal with it there and then. Ten dice rolled and five '6's rolled. Marvellous!

There was a particular part of the game where I acted out a chest-buster scene for the players at one point and the look on their faces was priceless.

With it all going to sh!t in the vault, and at the start of Act III, the layers definitely decided to get out quick. They left the derby, all the extra loot, and just rushed back to their ship.  With the alarms going off - “Which alarms are sounding?” “All of them!” - and the flashing lights distracting the players, piling on the pressure they only just made it with lucky dice rolls.

By luck more than by judgement all the PCs were back on The Betty and were able to escape. Of course the final scene, as it faded to black, was Johner aiming his home-made grenade launcher at a face-hugger as it crawled over the window of the cargo door as they travelled in space.

Nice!

Unfortunately I didn’t get a photo of the players before they left, but I did get a shot of the carnage left on the table.

The carnage on the table. The Character Sheets, the Folding Agenda Sheets, and all the casino chips. The green chips are Stress Points.

I then cleared up the table and headed back to my hotel room with all my gear.

I had a pint in the main bar just to help me relax after those three games, then I retired to bed.

Sunday morning was an early rise to get to breakfast, as I wanted to get a good hour and a half of grazing. I had such a large breakfast that I didn’t need to eat for the rest of the day. I changed into my 80’s appropriate t-shirt, this time a Flash t-shirt.

My last game of the convention was my Sunday morning Fria Ligan game Tales from the Loop ”Timeslips and Sunken Ships”.

This game debuted at UK Games Expo 2021, last year, and has been ran a few times more at other game meets and conventions.

I set my table ready in the Wellington Suite, putting out the blank character sheets with pencils, laid out the eight Character Archetypes sheets, and put out place names cards.

I had another sell out game of seven players but only six players turned up meaning we had one no-show. Three of the players were the ones who couldn’t get into my Saturday morning Alien game due to a double booking, but this time they were early and had their feet under the table.

I started with Principles of the Loop taking the players through the setting, we are in the Summer of 1980, Wednesday 16th July 1980 outside a small coastal village of Happisburgh (pronounced Hazebro) in Norfolk, UK.

The main NPCs are Frank and Jean Skinner. Frank is an ex-Navel serviceman who suffers from “shell-shock” (post traumatic stress disorder) and has always been a “difficult parent”.

We had Chad the Jock aged 14 who was Frank’s son. Frank’s step-daughter (and by extension Chad’s step-sister) Deng (Denice) is the Rocker is also aged 14. Seb with his pet rat is the Weirdo is aged 14 too. Keith the Computer Geek with his Amstrad Calculator is the youngest at eleven years old, who has a striking resemblance to both Frank and Chad (Frank sorts out Keith’s mum’s plumbing). The Bookworm Phillip is thirteen and carries his enclicopeadia. Finally we have our Young Farmer Harrison who is also aged 14 who is armed with his trusty Swiss Army knife.

So we started with the Kids left in a field having to build their tents for camping. The adults are staying in the Hotel whilst the Kids rough it in the wilderness, Frank wants to knock off their “rough edges”.

As the Kids mess about we had the banter, the sibling rivalry, and the pecking order sorted. That bit was very fun, it got us all into the spirit of the game and it was great roleplaying.

But soon the Kids discovered about the missing girl, Sarah, and went off on an investigation.

What was interesting was that some of the players, obviously familiar with Tales from the Loop, used their LEAD skill to not only organise the players but to gain a pool of extra dice to help them later. That was very useful.

They explored the ruins of the Old Naval Station, quickly worked out what was going on but still fell afoul of the Timeslip.

The players were really proactive and managed to knock out the German Captain, meet their dad, fire the laser, rescue the British Sailors, and save the day (and the girl).

They even managed to help their father, Frank, by succeeding rescuing the missing girl. Though the change in the flag over the Bull Hotel may prove that they really didn’t help!

That was a good run of my scenario and the players really made it. I was laughing so much at points it took me a moment to compose myself. Great fun!

With the game over I took a photo of the players before packing up my bags and leaving the Wellington Suite for the last time.

The players of my Tales from the Loop game, Timeslips and Sunken Ships. Sunday Morning.

I rushed over to the Railway Station via the NEC but was stopped by security for a random bag search. That delayed me and meant I missed my train. That minute delay added an additional hour to my journey time.

But fortunately I was home by the afternoon in time to take my dogs on a long walk - they had missed me.

So in reflection I ran six games over three days for a total of 37 players. A few of the players returned to be in a few of my games so I must be doing something right.

I had so much fun as the twists and the reveals in the games worked so well. The players portrayed their characters really well and seemed to enjoy the scenarios I put forth. Having the same table allocated to me in the same suite over the three days did really help. I never got over to the NEC (except to get my pass on the first morning or cutting through to get to the Railway Station) and never saw any of the trade halls. But I did enjoy my time at the Hilton Hotel, especially having a bit of time to play Starship Simulator on the Friday evening.

The thoughts from the players was booking for games via the UK Games Expo website was difficult due to not having the game system nor the GM names shown with the game title and description. It made it harder to find the right games.

There was also a lack of games to choose from. That was possibly due to a lack of GMs stepping forward to offer them.

Hopefully more GMs will be recruited for next year’s event.

I am looking forward to next year’s event that falls at the same time of year, Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th June 2023.

I’ll be running new games and scenarios then too!

My next convention is North Star V on Saturday 25th June 2022.