Wednesday, 1 January 2020
[January Update] UK RPG Convention Listing
This is the January update for the UK RPG conventions for 2020 and far beyond.
Each has a website (though a few have Facebook pages) for information and details.
I am waiting on news on a few regular events so I may update this list.
If you know of any that have been missed please mention them in the comments below.
Please note, a few conventions have asked to be removed from this list.
+
Winter StabCon 2020, Britannia Hotel Stockport, Dialstone Ln, Stockport, SK2 6AG
Friday 3rd - Sunday 5th January 2020
https://m.facebook.com/groups/21195645768
Northants Role Play Games Day #1, Manascrew (Game Shop) Chancery House, 52 Sheep St, Northampton, NN1 2LZ
Sunday 12th January 2020, 10:00am to 6:00pm
http://www.roleplayday.moonfruit.com/
HandyCon 7, Holiday Inn, Maidenhead, Manor Lane, Berkshire, Maidenhead, SL6 2RA
Friday 17th - Sunday 19th January 2020
http://handycon.co.uk/
ConTingency 2020, Searles Leisure Resort, South Beach, Hunstanton, Norfolk. PE36 5BB
Wednesday 22nd - Monday 27th January 2020.
http://www.con-tingency.uk/
GBCon Winter 2020 Tabletop Gaming Day, Lopping Hall, 189 High Road, Loughton IG10 4LF
Saturday 1st February 2020. 10:00am - 10:00pm
https://www.facebook.com/gbconuk
Spaghetti ConJunction 4a, Geek Retreat, 38 The Priory Queensway, Birmingham. B4 7LA
Saturday 8th February 2020, 10.00am - 7.30pm
https://spaghetticonjunction.wordpress.com/
Dudley Bug Ball 2020, Station Hotel, Castle Hill, Dudley, DY1 4RA
Saturday 22nd - Sunday 23rd February 2020
https://b-m.facebook.com/Dudley-Bug-Ball-Games-Convention-328010347608331/
Revelation 2020, Garrison Hotel, 635 Penistone Road, Sheffield, S6 2GB
Saturday 22nd - Sunday 23rd February 2020
http://revelationgames.org.uk/
Concord 2020, Arnos Manor Hotel, 470 Bath Rd, Arnos Vale, Bristol BS4 3HQ
Saturday 29th February - Sunday 1st March 2020
http://www.concordgamingconvention.com/
AireCon 2020, Harrogate International Centre, King's Rd, Harrogate HG1 5LA
Friday 13th - Sunday 15th March 2020
https://airecon.uk
Concrete Cow 20, The Old Bath House, 205 Stratford Road, Wolverton, Milton Keynes MK12 5RL
Saturday 14th March 2020, 9:00am - 11:00pm
https://www.mk-rpg.org.uk/Concrete_Cow
NormCon 2020, Entoyment Wargaming and Hobby Centre, Unit 2 Fleetsbridge Business Centre, Upton Road, Poole, Dorset BH17 7AF
Friday 27th - Sunday 29th March 2020
https://www.facebook.com/normcon20xx/
StabCon South Spring 2020, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Southampton, Bracken Pl, Chilworth, Southampton SO16 3RB
Friday 27th - Sunday 29th March 2020
https://m.facebook.com/StabconSouth/
Conpulsion 2020, Teviot Row House, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Friday 3rd - Sunday 5th April 202020
http://conpulsion.org/
https://www.facebook.com/conpulsion/
Seven Hills 2020, Garrison Hotel, 635 Penistone Road, Sheffield, S6 2GB
Saturday 4th - Sunday 5th April 2020
http://7hills.org.uk/
DevaCon IV, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Trinity St, Chester CH1 2BD
Saturday 18th April 2020, 10.00am - 11.00pm
https://devaconblog.wordpress.com
GBCon Spring 2020 Tabletop Gaming Day, Lopping Hall, 189 High Road, Loughton IG10 4LF
Saturday 18th April 2020. 10:00am - 10:00pm
https://www.facebook.com/gbconuk
National Student Gaming & Roleplaying Championships 2020, The University of Sheffield Students’ Union, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TG
Friday 24th - Sunday 26th April 2020
https://nsgrc.co.uk/
North Star 2020, Garrison Hotel, 635 Penistone Road, Sheffield, S6 2GB
Saturday 9th - Sunday 10th May 2020
http://www.northstarcon.org.uk/
Mega Charity Games Day for Mind 2020, The Core, 32 Foley Trading Estate, Herefordshire, HR1 2SF
Saturday 16th May 2020, 11:00am - 11:00pm
https://m.facebook.com/events/459922967890974
UK Games Expo 2020, NEC, North Ave, Marston Green, Birmingham B40 1NT & Hilton, Pendigo Way, Marston Green, Birmingham B40 1PP
Friday 29th - Sunday 31st May 2020
http://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk
Continuum 2020, John Foster Hall, Manor Road, Leicester, LE2 2LG
Friday 7th - Monday 10th August 2020
http://continuumconvention.co.uk/
FeatherCon 2020, Featherstone Castle, Hall Bank, Northumberland NE49 0JG
Friday 28th - Monday 31st August 2020
https://www.facebook.com/groups/485003805271383/
GBCon Summer 2020 Tabletop Gaming Day, Lopping Hall, 189 High Road, Loughton IG10 4LF
Saturday 5th September 2020. 10:00am - 10:00pm
https://www.facebook.com/gbconuk
Wyntercon VII, Eastbourne Sports Park, Ecat House, Cross Levels WY, Eastbourne, BN21 2UF
Saturday 26th - Sunday 27th September 2020
https://www.wyntercon.org
Furnace XV, Garrison Hotel, 635 Penistone Road, Sheffield, S6 2GB
Saturday 10th - Sunday 11th October 2020
http://furnace.org.uk
GrogMeet 2020, Fan Boy Three, 25 Hilton St, Manchester. M1 1EL
Friday 13th - Sunday 15th November 2020
https://thegrognardfiles.com
GBCon Autumn 2020 Tabletop Gaming Day, Lopping Hall, 189 High Road, Loughton IG10 4LF
Saturday 28th November 2020. 10:00am - 10:00pm
https://www.facebook.com/gbconuk
+
Continuum 2021, John Foster Hall, Manor Road, Leicester, LE2 2LG
Friday 6th - Monday 9th August 2021
http://continuumconvention.co.uk/
+
Continuum 2022, John Foster Hall, Manor Road, Leicester, LE2 2LG
Friday 5th - Monday 8th August 2022
http://continuumconvention.co.uk/
Saturday, 7 December 2019
Dragonmeet 2019 Con Report
Dragonmeet 2019, Novotel London West, Hammersmith, London, UK
Saturday 30th November 2019, 9.00am - Midnight
https://www.dragonmeet.co.uk
I do love this convention and I have tried to attend most over the last couple of decades. Last year I was kindly driven down and had over-night accommodation on the Saturday night by Bruce Cunnington due to my broken leg (thanks Bruce!). Despite my lack of mobility I was able to get about and run two games of Tales from the Loop, that were very well received. Trouble is I spent most of the evening, last year, stuck in the bar! What a shame.
So this year, with the news that there was engineering works on the line on Saturday 30th November, I had to start off really early catching the first train to London from Derby, at 05:21 in the morning!
It was very cold and frosty, and later before the dawn it got very misty with a dense fog reducing visibility right down to almost nothing. The train was going as far as Market Harborough. I had to change from a nice warm train carriage to a freezing cold bus to Bedford to then catch another train to London St Pancras. So instead of a swift two hour trip, the journey was an additional hour and a half longer. From St Pancras it was a quick tube train to the Hammersmith Station to get to the Novotel Hotel and Dragonmeet.
I got there just before the morning game slots started at 09:30. I rushed upstairs to my allocated room, the Fronsac Suite on the second floor of the hotel. I had a table full of players patiently waiting for my game.
I was firstly running Fria Ligen Tales from the Loop game ’On Cloud Nine and Golden Sunshine’, my latest episode.
I handed out the Character Archetypes and blank character sheets for the players to go through, whilst I set up and got ready to start the game. The players even started char-gen while I set up, they were that keen!
We put two of the tables together to give us enough space to play in. Plus I had to park my laptop at one end for the display of my Keynote presentation for the game.
So I had five players, a sixth one was due as he was stuck in the queue for the Bring & Buy, and he would join us later.
So I took them through the Principles of the Loop to understand the setting, set the scene about Derby in the summer of 1984, and to inform them that they have been sent to a Summer Camp - not the nice fun summer camp from the American films with the summer sport activities, hijinks, splashing in the river, etc. No, this is a correctional camp for troubled children, a penal camp for underage offenders and not a holiday at all. The players Problem for their characters would be the crime the committed (or were accused of) that got them sentenced to the camp.
Michael had a Young Farmer called Dylan with his farm dog hooch, whose favourite song is ‘Blue Monday’ by New Order. His crime was breaking the right arm of the son of another farmer during a decades old feud.
Matt was playing the Weirdo called Percival whose iconic item was a string of sausages (very weird) and liked Billy Joel’s ‘We Didn’t Start the Fire’. He was sentenced due to stealing a tractor to pull out a trapped cow in a ditch.
Sunny was Horace the Computer Geek with his modded Gameboy and obsessed with the cartoon Transformers song ‘The Touch’. He had a disagreement with his Computer Studies teacher, Mr Smith. So Horace hacked all the BBC Micros at the school.
Pete is playing Stevie the Rocker with his iconic leather jacket and is always playing Aerosmith’s ‘Eat the Rich’. He is trying to make a band with Horace. His crime (the most Rock & Roll thing he has done) was throwing a dust bin through a large plate glass window.
Morgan was playing the Jock, Toni, with her blood-stained netball and her love of Joan Jet’s ‘I Love Rock & Roll’. She was sentenced because she was bribed to throw the final of the Midlands Netball Tournament.
Joining the game later was Robert playing Bob the Bookworm with his magnifying glass and liked Aha’s ‘Take on Me’. His crime was that he burnt down the school library because it didn’t carry the books he wanted.
They were all members of the ‘mildest’ hut, Hut D, that operates as their Hideout.
So they were rudely introduced to the Camp Leader (commandant) Ms Hodgeson and learnt that they were in a competition, with the other huts, to win attendance at the Champagne Launch Party of the new Magnetrine Ship, Cloud Nine. The players were very keen and competitive and were wanting to beat the other huts to this prize.
Hut A was given the task of clearing up the litter and rubbish at the country park Elvaston Castle after a festival.
Hut B were issued the job of working on the local farm.
Hut C had the top job of delivering leaflets into the letterboxes of Derby.
Hut had the task of clearing books in their own hut.
Now the players’ hut, Hut D, were given the job of clearing a section of the River Derwent of the floatsum, jetsam, and debris that accumulated there. It sounds like a cosy job until they realised that the smooth and serene millpond surface of the river wasn’t water but solid sludge! Black, solid sludge and mud. Breaking the ‘surface’ were abandoned shopping trolleys, traffic cones, glass bottles, cans, and other detritus.
Straight away they sought to get a tractor to assist them in clearing the river but they also wanted to sabotage the other huts in their tasks too. So they planned and schemed, fortunately abandoning the more vicious and nasty plans.
So with plans in place they set about the adventure, using their Contacts to get a tractor to assist them, Sneaking about the camp to get extra tools and robotic help, planning to sabotage the efforts of the other huts, encountering broken robots, crashed Magnetrine ship, weird tramp, automations (not Minions!), and time portals. There were a few bad puns (Prof Bell was called Babybel - groan), a sausage obsession, vicious dog attack, too much interest in one of the character’s fit mum, feats of incredible strength from a twelve year old netball girl, and breaking into very bad German accents occasionally.
It was a lot of fun, lots of laughter and the whole group of players delivered an excellent game session. Very rewarding and a perfect start to the convention.
Unfortunately I was having too much fun that I forgot to take any photos of the group! D’oh!
I did record the game for Podcasting though, so expect that to be broadcast in the New Year.
Then it was a two hour lunch break so I had a good wander around the trade hall, got caught up in a first aid incident there - a busman’s holiday reallly. I had a sandwich and a small bottle of London Pride (£5.70 for a 300ml bottle!) and got set up and changed for my next game for the afternoon - Alien.
Now I have made a Nostromo uniform shirt before my arrival, from a white pilot shirt with the Nostromo patches and badges on. I also had the ‘Nostromo’ done in the same style lettering from the film uniforms too. I must say myself but it did look affective and did add to the atmosphere of the game.
I had only six players turn up for my Fria Ligan Alien game even though it was marked as full. A few were wanting to learn about the Alien game as they had the book from Fria Ligan so were wanting to experience it. A few of the players had their own dice too which helped a lot during the session, so we could get several dice rolls going at once.
I introduced the player characters and let them choose who they wanted to play. I also showed them how to unfold the Agenda sheets so they can access their agendas and orders for each of the three Acts in the game. I also took them through the character sheet and explained the skills to them.
I also mentioned that they may feel inclined to pass secret notes due to their agendas or events occurring during play. I encouraged them to say their secret intentions out loud so that everyone can enjoy them, and asked them to respect that their own characters would be obvious to that information. As with secret notes not all the players would be privy to that information and experience. I also warned them that in the latter acts of the game is *may* go player versus player. At the start their agendas are more closely aligned but will diverge as the game goes on.
The Players in my Alien Game
We had Doug playing Dr Monygham, the cryogenic specialist and acting as squad medic. Andy was playing Corporal Carlos Gould, stoic and capable. Anton was playing the Smart Gun Trooper Lance Corporal Hernandez, whose Smart Gun was smarter than he was. Nikki was playing Lieutenant Antonia Avellanos, the second in command of the squad. Iain was portraying Senior Hirsch, the Weyland-Yutani agent who was taking comprehensive notes. Finally Richard was playing Captain Decoud, the squad leader, who had to keep the group together.
Then I ran through the introduction to the scenario in the characters of the Sergeant Major Montero and as of the captain of the ship, Captain Mitchell, as if they were leading the mission briefing. Of course this was backed up with the Keynote presentation on my laptop with plenty of images of the station, planet, and the people involved.
The premise of the scenario is that the San Tome Mining Facility on remote planet LV-510 was reduced to a skeleton crew as the planet was going through a dangerous phase of terraforming. Dissidents in the workforce revolted and took over the Facility and took hostages from the Mine Management Team. They also took four executives, who were still in their cryogenic chambers, captive too.
The PCs are a Weyland-Yutani corporate hit-squad, brought in to provide a ‘Final Solution’ to the problem. Their orders are to eliminate all hostiles with extreme prejudice, capture the leaders of the resistance for ‘questioning’, and to rescue the hostages especially the corporate executives in cryo-sleep chambers.
Of course nothing is as it seems.
The players had some good ideas out of the gate, one suggested using the PDTs, Personal Data Transmitters, to locate the dissidents in hiding before engaging them. A good idea except they wouldn’t be able to use them until they liberate the main control room, the mission target.
So they get dropped down planetside via the UD-4L Cheyenne Dropship, this group decided on the main landing pad as their touchdown point, foregoing the auxiliary landing pad. Corporal Gould drove the M577 APC using his Heavy Machinery skill (1 + 5 Strength + 2 Bonus for the APC). He managed to succeed, rolling a six, but I explained to the group how to Push the Roll, gaining a Stress if he failed his roll.
The Cheyenne Dropship took them down to the Facility, firing a couple of missiles at the Radar before they noticed them. Senior Hirsch wasn’t happy with the wanton damage, noting it down in his notebook. More damage occurred though as the good lieutenant used the rail guns on the turret on the APC to rain damage on the windows above the main airlock as well as the vehicles on the landing pad.
Of course the group moved through the facility with extreme prejudice, dealing with the dissidents with relative ease. But as things went wrong with the mission, the Stress built up in all the characters, it went very player versus player at the end. It was a lot of fun.
Me with the players in my Alien game
The players were happy with the game and those players that owned the game were more confident in running games themselves.
Again I recorded the session for a future Actual Play Podcast.
The Alien wants to podcast too!
After that I packed up and went down to the main bar of the hotel, meeting people and chatting about games, role playing and conventions. I also took the opportunity to show off my foldable character sheets to anyone interested much to their delight and mock chagrin.
That was flooded by a quick trip to the pub, The Latymers, for another quick pint and a social visit. I left the pub to catch the 20:30 tube back to St Pancras Railway Station to start my epic trip back home. The train only went as far as Bedford again, so it was a long and cold coach trip to Derby, getting home at 01:30 in the morning!
In all a great day out, only spoilt by the long, long journey in and out.
I got there just before the morning game slots started at 09:30. I rushed upstairs to my allocated room, the Fronsac Suite on the second floor of the hotel. I had a table full of players patiently waiting for my game.
I was firstly running Fria Ligen Tales from the Loop game ’On Cloud Nine and Golden Sunshine’, my latest episode.
I handed out the Character Archetypes and blank character sheets for the players to go through, whilst I set up and got ready to start the game. The players even started char-gen while I set up, they were that keen!
We put two of the tables together to give us enough space to play in. Plus I had to park my laptop at one end for the display of my Keynote presentation for the game.
So I had five players, a sixth one was due as he was stuck in the queue for the Bring & Buy, and he would join us later.
So I took them through the Principles of the Loop to understand the setting, set the scene about Derby in the summer of 1984, and to inform them that they have been sent to a Summer Camp - not the nice fun summer camp from the American films with the summer sport activities, hijinks, splashing in the river, etc. No, this is a correctional camp for troubled children, a penal camp for underage offenders and not a holiday at all. The players Problem for their characters would be the crime the committed (or were accused of) that got them sentenced to the camp.
Michael had a Young Farmer called Dylan with his farm dog hooch, whose favourite song is ‘Blue Monday’ by New Order. His crime was breaking the right arm of the son of another farmer during a decades old feud.
Matt was playing the Weirdo called Percival whose iconic item was a string of sausages (very weird) and liked Billy Joel’s ‘We Didn’t Start the Fire’. He was sentenced due to stealing a tractor to pull out a trapped cow in a ditch.
Sunny was Horace the Computer Geek with his modded Gameboy and obsessed with the cartoon Transformers song ‘The Touch’. He had a disagreement with his Computer Studies teacher, Mr Smith. So Horace hacked all the BBC Micros at the school.
Pete is playing Stevie the Rocker with his iconic leather jacket and is always playing Aerosmith’s ‘Eat the Rich’. He is trying to make a band with Horace. His crime (the most Rock & Roll thing he has done) was throwing a dust bin through a large plate glass window.
Morgan was playing the Jock, Toni, with her blood-stained netball and her love of Joan Jet’s ‘I Love Rock & Roll’. She was sentenced because she was bribed to throw the final of the Midlands Netball Tournament.
Joining the game later was Robert playing Bob the Bookworm with his magnifying glass and liked Aha’s ‘Take on Me’. His crime was that he burnt down the school library because it didn’t carry the books he wanted.
They were all members of the ‘mildest’ hut, Hut D, that operates as their Hideout.
So they were rudely introduced to the Camp Leader (commandant) Ms Hodgeson and learnt that they were in a competition, with the other huts, to win attendance at the Champagne Launch Party of the new Magnetrine Ship, Cloud Nine. The players were very keen and competitive and were wanting to beat the other huts to this prize.
Hut A was given the task of clearing up the litter and rubbish at the country park Elvaston Castle after a festival.
Hut B were issued the job of working on the local farm.
Hut C had the top job of delivering leaflets into the letterboxes of Derby.
Hut had the task of clearing books in their own hut.
Now the players’ hut, Hut D, were given the job of clearing a section of the River Derwent of the floatsum, jetsam, and debris that accumulated there. It sounds like a cosy job until they realised that the smooth and serene millpond surface of the river wasn’t water but solid sludge! Black, solid sludge and mud. Breaking the ‘surface’ were abandoned shopping trolleys, traffic cones, glass bottles, cans, and other detritus.
Straight away they sought to get a tractor to assist them in clearing the river but they also wanted to sabotage the other huts in their tasks too. So they planned and schemed, fortunately abandoning the more vicious and nasty plans.
So with plans in place they set about the adventure, using their Contacts to get a tractor to assist them, Sneaking about the camp to get extra tools and robotic help, planning to sabotage the efforts of the other huts, encountering broken robots, crashed Magnetrine ship, weird tramp, automations (not Minions!), and time portals. There were a few bad puns (Prof Bell was called Babybel - groan), a sausage obsession, vicious dog attack, too much interest in one of the character’s fit mum, feats of incredible strength from a twelve year old netball girl, and breaking into very bad German accents occasionally.
It was a lot of fun, lots of laughter and the whole group of players delivered an excellent game session. Very rewarding and a perfect start to the convention.
Unfortunately I was having too much fun that I forgot to take any photos of the group! D’oh!
I did record the game for Podcasting though, so expect that to be broadcast in the New Year.
Then it was a two hour lunch break so I had a good wander around the trade hall, got caught up in a first aid incident there - a busman’s holiday reallly. I had a sandwich and a small bottle of London Pride (£5.70 for a 300ml bottle!) and got set up and changed for my next game for the afternoon - Alien.
Now I have made a Nostromo uniform shirt before my arrival, from a white pilot shirt with the Nostromo patches and badges on. I also had the ‘Nostromo’ done in the same style lettering from the film uniforms too. I must say myself but it did look affective and did add to the atmosphere of the game.
I had only six players turn up for my Fria Ligan Alien game even though it was marked as full. A few were wanting to learn about the Alien game as they had the book from Fria Ligan so were wanting to experience it. A few of the players had their own dice too which helped a lot during the session, so we could get several dice rolls going at once.
I introduced the player characters and let them choose who they wanted to play. I also showed them how to unfold the Agenda sheets so they can access their agendas and orders for each of the three Acts in the game. I also took them through the character sheet and explained the skills to them.
I also mentioned that they may feel inclined to pass secret notes due to their agendas or events occurring during play. I encouraged them to say their secret intentions out loud so that everyone can enjoy them, and asked them to respect that their own characters would be obvious to that information. As with secret notes not all the players would be privy to that information and experience. I also warned them that in the latter acts of the game is *may* go player versus player. At the start their agendas are more closely aligned but will diverge as the game goes on.
The Players in my Alien Game
We had Doug playing Dr Monygham, the cryogenic specialist and acting as squad medic. Andy was playing Corporal Carlos Gould, stoic and capable. Anton was playing the Smart Gun Trooper Lance Corporal Hernandez, whose Smart Gun was smarter than he was. Nikki was playing Lieutenant Antonia Avellanos, the second in command of the squad. Iain was portraying Senior Hirsch, the Weyland-Yutani agent who was taking comprehensive notes. Finally Richard was playing Captain Decoud, the squad leader, who had to keep the group together.
Then I ran through the introduction to the scenario in the characters of the Sergeant Major Montero and as of the captain of the ship, Captain Mitchell, as if they were leading the mission briefing. Of course this was backed up with the Keynote presentation on my laptop with plenty of images of the station, planet, and the people involved.
The premise of the scenario is that the San Tome Mining Facility on remote planet LV-510 was reduced to a skeleton crew as the planet was going through a dangerous phase of terraforming. Dissidents in the workforce revolted and took over the Facility and took hostages from the Mine Management Team. They also took four executives, who were still in their cryogenic chambers, captive too.
The PCs are a Weyland-Yutani corporate hit-squad, brought in to provide a ‘Final Solution’ to the problem. Their orders are to eliminate all hostiles with extreme prejudice, capture the leaders of the resistance for ‘questioning’, and to rescue the hostages especially the corporate executives in cryo-sleep chambers.
Of course nothing is as it seems.
The players had some good ideas out of the gate, one suggested using the PDTs, Personal Data Transmitters, to locate the dissidents in hiding before engaging them. A good idea except they wouldn’t be able to use them until they liberate the main control room, the mission target.
So they get dropped down planetside via the UD-4L Cheyenne Dropship, this group decided on the main landing pad as their touchdown point, foregoing the auxiliary landing pad. Corporal Gould drove the M577 APC using his Heavy Machinery skill (1 + 5 Strength + 2 Bonus for the APC). He managed to succeed, rolling a six, but I explained to the group how to Push the Roll, gaining a Stress if he failed his roll.
The Cheyenne Dropship took them down to the Facility, firing a couple of missiles at the Radar before they noticed them. Senior Hirsch wasn’t happy with the wanton damage, noting it down in his notebook. More damage occurred though as the good lieutenant used the rail guns on the turret on the APC to rain damage on the windows above the main airlock as well as the vehicles on the landing pad.
Of course the group moved through the facility with extreme prejudice, dealing with the dissidents with relative ease. But as things went wrong with the mission, the Stress built up in all the characters, it went very player versus player at the end. It was a lot of fun.
Me with the players in my Alien game
The players were happy with the game and those players that owned the game were more confident in running games themselves.
Again I recorded the session for a future Actual Play Podcast.
The Alien wants to podcast too!
After that I packed up and went down to the main bar of the hotel, meeting people and chatting about games, role playing and conventions. I also took the opportunity to show off my foldable character sheets to anyone interested much to their delight and mock chagrin.
That was flooded by a quick trip to the pub, The Latymers, for another quick pint and a social visit. I left the pub to catch the 20:30 tube back to St Pancras Railway Station to start my epic trip back home. The train only went as far as Bedford again, so it was a long and cold coach trip to Derby, getting home at 01:30 in the morning!
In all a great day out, only spoilt by the long, long journey in and out.
Monday, 2 December 2019
[December Update] UK RPG Convention Listing
This is the December update for the UK RPG conventions for 2020 and far beyond.
Each has a website (though a few have Facebook pages) for information and details.
If you know of any that have been missed please mention them in the comments below.
Please note, a few conventions have asked to be removed from this list.
+
Winter StabCon 2020, Britannia Hotel Stockport, Dialstone Ln, Stockport, SK2 6AG
Friday 3rd - Sunday 5th January 2020
https://m.facebook.com/groups/21195645768
Northants Role Play Games Day #1, Manascrew (Game Shop) Chancery House, 52 Sheep St, Northampton, NN1 2LZ
Sunday 12th January 2020, 10:00am to 6:00pm
http://www.roleplayday.moonfruit.com/
HandyCon 7, Holiday Inn, Maidenhead, Manor Lane, Berkshire, Maidenhead, SL6 2RA
Friday 17th - Sunday 19th January 2020
http://handycon.co.uk/
ConTingency 2020, Searles Leisure Resort, South Beach, Hunstanton, Norfolk. PE36 5BB
Wednesday 22nd - Monday 27th January 2020.
http://www.con-tingency.uk/
GBCon Winter 2020 Tabletop Gaming Day, Lopping Hall, 189 High Road, Loughton IG10 4LF
Saturday 1st February 2020. 10:00am - 10:00pm
https://www.facebook.com/gbconuk
Spaghetti ConJunction 4a, Geek Retreat, 38 The Priory Queensway, Birmingham. B4 7LA
Saturday 8th February 2020, 10.00am - 7.30pm
https://spaghetticonjunction.wordpress.com/
Dudley Bug Ball 2020, Station Hotel, Castle Hill, Dudley, DY1 4RA
Saturday 22nd - Sunday 23rd February 2020
https://b-m.facebook.com/Dudley-Bug-Ball-Games-Convention-328010347608331/
Revelation 2020, Garrison Hotel, 635 Penistone Road, Sheffield, S6 2GB
Saturday 22nd - Sunday 23rd February 2020
http://revelationgames.org.uk/
AireCon 2020, Harrogate International Centre, King's Rd, Harrogate HG1 5LA
Friday 13th - Sunday 15th March 2020
https://airecon.uk
Concrete Cow 20, The Old Bath House, 205 Stratford Road, Wolverton, Milton Keynes MK12 5RL
Saturday 14th March 2020, 9:00am - 11:00pm
https://www.mk-rpg.org.uk/Concrete_Cow
NormCon 2020, Entoyment Wargaming and Hobby Centre, Unit 2 Fleetsbridge Business Centre, Upton Road, Poole, Dorset BH17 7AF
Friday 27th - Sunday 29th March 2020
https://www.facebook.com/normcon20xx/
StabCon South Spring 2020, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Southampton, Bracken Pl, Chilworth, Southampton SO16 3RB
Friday 27th - Sunday 29th March 2020
https://m.facebook.com/StabconSouth/
Conpulsion 2020, Teviot Row House, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Friday - Sunday 7th April 2020
http://conpulsion.org/
https://www.facebook.com/conpulsion/
Seven Hills 2020, Garrison Hotel, 635 Penistone Road, Sheffield, S6 2GB
Saturday 4th - Sunday 5th April 2020
http://7hills.org.uk/
DevaCon IV, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Trinity St, Chester CH1 2BD
Saturday 18th April 2020, 10.00am - 11.00pm
https://devaconblog.wordpress.com
GBCon Spring 2020 Tabletop Gaming Day, Lopping Hall, 189 High Road, Loughton IG10 4LF
Saturday 18th April 2020. 10:00am - 10:00pm
https://www.facebook.com/gbconuk
National Student Gaming & Roleplaying Championships 2020, The University of Sheffield Students’ Union, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TG
Friday 24th - Sunday 26th April 2020
https://nsgrc.co.uk/
North Star 2020, Garrison Hotel, 635 Penistone Road, Sheffield, S6 2GB
Saturday 9th - Sunday 10th May 2020
http://www.northstarcon.org.uk/
Mega Charity Games Day for Mind 2020, The Core, 32 Foley Trading Estate, Herefordshire, HR1 2SF
Saturday 16th May 2020, 11:00am - 11:00pm
https://m.facebook.com/events/459922967890974
UK Games Expo 2020, NEC, North Ave, Marston Green, Birmingham B40 1NT & Hilton, Pendigo Way, Marston Green, Birmingham B40 1PP
Friday 29th - Sunday 31st May 2020
http://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk
Continuum 2020, John Foster Hall, Manor Road, Leicester, LE2 2LG
Friday 7th - Monday 10th August 2020
http://continuumconvention.co.uk/
FeatherCon 2020, Featherstone Castle, Hall Bank, Northumberland NE49 0JG
Friday 28th - Monday 31st August 2020
https://www.facebook.com/groups/485003805271383/
GBCon Summer 2020 Tabletop Gaming Day, Lopping Hall, 189 High Road, Loughton IG10 4LF
Saturday 5th September 2020. 10:00am - 10:00pm
https://www.facebook.com/gbconuk
Wyntercon VII, Eastbourne Sports Park, Ecat House, Cross Levels WY, Eastbourne, BN21 2UF
Saturday 26th - Sunday 27th September 2020
https://www.wyntercon.org
Furnace XV, Garrison Hotel, 635 Penistone Road, Sheffield, S6 2GB
Saturday 10th - Sunday 11th October 2020
http://furnace.org.uk
GBCon Autumn 2020 Tabletop Gaming Day, Lopping Hall, 189 High Road, Loughton IG10 4LF
Saturday 28th November 1st 2020. 10:00am - 10:00pm
https://www.facebook.com/gbconuk
+
Continuum 2021, John Foster Hall, Manor Road, Leicester, LE2 2LG
Friday 6th - Monday 9th August 2021
http://continuumconvention.co.uk/
+
Continuum 2022, John Foster Hall, Manor Road, Leicester, LE2 2LG
Friday 5th - Monday 8th August 2022
http://continuumconvention.co.uk/
Tuesday, 19 November 2019
My Games at Dragonmeet 2019
Dragonmeet 2019, Novotel London West, Hammersmith, London, UK
Saturday 30th November 2019, 9.00am - Midnight
https://www.dragonmeet.co.uk
My games at Dragonmeet 2019 in London.
https://www.dragonmeet.co.uk
On Cloud Nine and Golden Sunshine
Tales from the Loop RPG
Saturday Morning slot.
For up to seven players. Newbies welcome!
There is a big celebration in Derby at the launch of the brand new Gauss Freighter “Cloud Nine”. It means a new class of Magnetrine Ship powered by a Gravitron reactors manufactured locally providing jobs and economic success. But when were strange echo spheres strategically placed on the vessel?
Tags: Player-led, Sci-Fi (Alt-History), Nostalgia Play, No Pre-gens, Rules-lite, Newbie Friendly, Fria Ligan, Musical Accompaniment.
‘Three’s Company’
Alien RPG
Saturday Afternoon slot.
For up to seven players.
Newbies welcome!
Wey-Yu - In space, everyone has a job to do, a reason for working here.
To the company your are an asset, a vital cog in the machine, a significant dollar value, an expenditure on a spreadsheet.
Yet when we come in that is all forfeit.
We are an expensive solution to that vital bottomline. Why are you making this so costly?
Tags: 18+, Alien, Hidden Agendas, Horror, Player-Led, Pre-Gens, Sci-Fi, Spaceships with Ashtrays, Fria Ligan, Musical Accompaniment.
On Cloud Nine and Golden Sunshine
Tales from the Loop RPG
Saturday Morning slot.
For up to seven players. Newbies welcome!
There is a big celebration in Derby at the launch of the brand new Gauss Freighter “Cloud Nine”. It means a new class of Magnetrine Ship powered by a Gravitron reactors manufactured locally providing jobs and economic success. But when were strange echo spheres strategically placed on the vessel?
Tags: Player-led, Sci-Fi (Alt-History), Nostalgia Play, No Pre-gens, Rules-lite, Newbie Friendly, Fria Ligan, Musical Accompaniment.
‘Three’s Company’
Alien RPG
Saturday Afternoon slot.
For up to seven players.
Newbies welcome!
Wey-Yu - In space, everyone has a job to do, a reason for working here.
To the company your are an asset, a vital cog in the machine, a significant dollar value, an expenditure on a spreadsheet.
Yet when we come in that is all forfeit.
We are an expensive solution to that vital bottomline. Why are you making this so costly?
Tags: 18+, Alien, Hidden Agendas, Horror, Player-Led, Pre-Gens, Sci-Fi, Spaceships with Ashtrays, Fria Ligan, Musical Accompaniment.
Wednesday, 13 November 2019
GrogMeet 2019 Con Report
GrogMeet 2019, Fan Boy Three, 25 Hilton St, Manchester. M1 1EL
Friday 8th - Sunday 10th November 2019
https://thegrognardfiles.com/grogmeet-2019/
So I set off early from Derby on a crisp and foggy autumn morning. There was some confusion at the Railway Station as many northern trains were delayed or cancelled due to severe flooding in Yorkshire.
I he a choice of going either via Stoke-on-Trent or Sheffield, I went for Sheffield and I am glad I did. I ended up being half an hour late, catching a later connection.
I got to Fan Boy Three just as the games had already started.
I like the set up at Fun Boy Three, the main level where the majority of the shop products were on display had five round tables for games. They were great tables (I have a thing about venue furniture) and were a perfect size for running RPGs. There was a ‘hidden’ staircase down to the lower level where they had the store’s game library and six more gaming tables set up, each made up of three good sized rectangular tables, making the tables pretty big; perfect again for RPGs.
There was just a nice vibe to the place and the fact everyone was playing was nice.
My first game was Tunnels and Trolls, ‘Paddy’s 13’.
This was a great fun game! We were all playing Leprechauns that were double crossed by a wizard in the town of Sanctuary set in Thieves World. Now to be fair, he had hired us to steal this little gold idol, but he got us sent to prison on delivery and took the idol for himself.
We all vowed revenge on release from prison so we plotted to steal back the idol and to embarrass the wizard in the process.
What followed were some very silly plans to infiltrate the wizard’s house and steal back this idol, and any other valuables too.
We all had the ‘Wink Wing’ teleport ability and incredible Dexterity (and very poor Strength) to our very small stature.
My character’s speciality was thievery and a very heavy build.
By pure luck we managed to not only gain access to the wizard’s house but also to succeed against the wizard’s might. We even impressed Jubal from the Vulgar Unicorn.
The Tunnels and Trolls system works very well in it’s simplicity and helps to deliver a good game experience.
Some very, very bad puns were delivered and silliness abound during the game but it was fun and very satisfying. A great starter the day.
Credit goes to the wonderful GM and my fellow players.
Lunch was spent at the local pub for a cooked meal and a swift pint before the afternoon session.
I set up quickly for my afternoon game of Fria Ligan’s Alien ’Three’s Company’. I was allocated a table in the downstairs section, nicely in middle of the room. The tables were nicely spaced out so noise from one table didn’t affect to others.
I had a total of seven players, all keen and raring to go. I quickly introduced the characters and let them make their choices, I also showed them how to open their foldout character agendas so that they could see their agendas for each act for later on in the game. I also had their agendas for each act split into two selections; their personal orders and allocations as part of Special Order #10015a, and their personal agenda. There would possibly be conflicting agendas for each character too!
Mike, a player returning to role-playing after a long break, was playing Corporal Carlos Gould. Matthew was playing Lance Corporal Hernandez, the Smart Gun operator. Nick’s character was Senior Hirsch, here to help the squad, “Good Luck Guys!” Ty was playing Captain Decoud who was in charge of the squad. Dr Monygham was played by Johnny, here to act as a medic. Dan was playing Lieutenant Antonia Avellanos, second in command. And finally we had Pookie playing Lance Corporal Conrad Kurze, the tech guy with a Plasma Rifle in the 40W range.
I then took them through the character sheets, describing how they Attributes and Skills work, more importantly how Stress works as well as the Buddy/Rival works too. I also issued a crib sheet with all their Talents described for them to check out as they play.
I then introduced the scenario, in character, as either Captain Joseph Mitchell - Commander of the USS Ribiera, and Sergeant Major Montero. I wore my Weyland-Yutani cap backwards when I played the Sergeant Major and his accent went dodgy Mockney. Captain Mitchell I portrayed with a crisp British accent and I wore the WY cap properly. Of course at one point the players wanted answers from both characters at once so I was swapping my cap around like I was some comic turn!
So the players got plenty of information up front as they did ask lots of questions and they also introduced some of their own plot points. Gould especially mentioned the fact his brother is possibly one of the hostages, first time that has happened during the start of the game after running three times before.
They were also introduced to Guzman Bento, their pilot of the UD-4L Cheyenne Dropship that will be taking them down to planet-side. He is a bit gung-ho but the characters were confident in his abilities - mostly.
A few of the PCs managed to smuggle a few grenades with them as they were gearing up but none were pushing for any other equipment to take with them.
Now Gould was up to drive the M577 APC onto the Dropship, a Heavy Machinery roll, but his first roll failed (Heavy Machinery 2 + Strength 4 + APC bonus 2 = 8 dice). So this was the perfect opportunity to show how the Stress worked as the player wanted to Push his first roll so he gained a point of Stress, gained a extra Stress Dice to his roll, and rolled multiple sixes the second time around. So I described a bit of grinding metal as he tried to straighten the APC up but then he managed to drive up the ramp into the Dropship.
The players were pushing the banter between themselves as they got to the planet-side. They had chosen to go for the main landing pad at the facility, and managed to avoid any of the booby traps.
Hernandez operated the the turret of the APC to bring fire on the figures they spotted in the windows above the main airlock.
They also used their Motion Trackers early on, I provided the sound effects from my iPad, and that showed them where the dissidents were.
They even went after the movement that was trying to circle around them.
After that they went in with extreme prejudice and dealt with the dissidents. Again I had the sound effects of the pulse rifles to play as well, that went down very well as that sound is very recognisable.
The game progressed very well, with the PCs dealing with all the challenges presented. The banter between them continued but they were pushing their rolls and taking Stress early. When things started to go wrong the Stress for all the characters did grow quite fast. The moment that the Alien showed up you could hear a pin drop. I had an NECA Alien toy figurine 9” tall that I placed in the centre of the gaming table. It not only stopped the players around the table in their tracks, but the players on the other tables stopped to see it too I was told later on - it caught the attention of the con.
The player versus player started near the end of the session, though I had hoped that the good Dr Monygham would have taken a few of the characters out when presented with the best opportunity. Though I did realise afterwards that I hadn’t told the players to go to Act III Agendas before the end of the scenario so that would have done some bearing.
A great game with fantastic players, with some interesting actions at the end. Only a few of them survived but they were glorious deaths and fun was had by all the players.
After the game sessions were over it was a short jaunt to Bar 21 in the city centre for after show drinks. That was a nice wind down after the day and it was nice to catch up with people and just talk nonsense about role playing games. I even had my photo taken with a Alien!
With that I headed back home on some more delayed trains back to Derby, taking over three hours to get back.
I would like to thank the organisers and the staff of Fan Boy Three for all their hard work, hospitality and service throughout the day. I’ll hopefully be back next year again!
So a great day with the only downsides being the transportation on the day and the fact I failed to get a GrogMeet badge!
My first game was Tunnels and Trolls, ‘Paddy’s 13’.
This was a great fun game! We were all playing Leprechauns that were double crossed by a wizard in the town of Sanctuary set in Thieves World. Now to be fair, he had hired us to steal this little gold idol, but he got us sent to prison on delivery and took the idol for himself.
We all vowed revenge on release from prison so we plotted to steal back the idol and to embarrass the wizard in the process.
What followed were some very silly plans to infiltrate the wizard’s house and steal back this idol, and any other valuables too.
We all had the ‘Wink Wing’ teleport ability and incredible Dexterity (and very poor Strength) to our very small stature.
My character’s speciality was thievery and a very heavy build.
By pure luck we managed to not only gain access to the wizard’s house but also to succeed against the wizard’s might. We even impressed Jubal from the Vulgar Unicorn.
The Tunnels and Trolls system works very well in it’s simplicity and helps to deliver a good game experience.
Some very, very bad puns were delivered and silliness abound during the game but it was fun and very satisfying. A great starter the day.
Credit goes to the wonderful GM and my fellow players.
Lunch was spent at the local pub for a cooked meal and a swift pint before the afternoon session.
I set up quickly for my afternoon game of Fria Ligan’s Alien ’Three’s Company’. I was allocated a table in the downstairs section, nicely in middle of the room. The tables were nicely spaced out so noise from one table didn’t affect to others.
I had a total of seven players, all keen and raring to go. I quickly introduced the characters and let them make their choices, I also showed them how to open their foldout character agendas so that they could see their agendas for each act for later on in the game. I also had their agendas for each act split into two selections; their personal orders and allocations as part of Special Order #10015a, and their personal agenda. There would possibly be conflicting agendas for each character too!
Mike, a player returning to role-playing after a long break, was playing Corporal Carlos Gould. Matthew was playing Lance Corporal Hernandez, the Smart Gun operator. Nick’s character was Senior Hirsch, here to help the squad, “Good Luck Guys!” Ty was playing Captain Decoud who was in charge of the squad. Dr Monygham was played by Johnny, here to act as a medic. Dan was playing Lieutenant Antonia Avellanos, second in command. And finally we had Pookie playing Lance Corporal Conrad Kurze, the tech guy with a Plasma Rifle in the 40W range.
I then took them through the character sheets, describing how they Attributes and Skills work, more importantly how Stress works as well as the Buddy/Rival works too. I also issued a crib sheet with all their Talents described for them to check out as they play.
I then introduced the scenario, in character, as either Captain Joseph Mitchell - Commander of the USS Ribiera, and Sergeant Major Montero. I wore my Weyland-Yutani cap backwards when I played the Sergeant Major and his accent went dodgy Mockney. Captain Mitchell I portrayed with a crisp British accent and I wore the WY cap properly. Of course at one point the players wanted answers from both characters at once so I was swapping my cap around like I was some comic turn!
So the players got plenty of information up front as they did ask lots of questions and they also introduced some of their own plot points. Gould especially mentioned the fact his brother is possibly one of the hostages, first time that has happened during the start of the game after running three times before.
They were also introduced to Guzman Bento, their pilot of the UD-4L Cheyenne Dropship that will be taking them down to planet-side. He is a bit gung-ho but the characters were confident in his abilities - mostly.
A few of the PCs managed to smuggle a few grenades with them as they were gearing up but none were pushing for any other equipment to take with them.
Now Gould was up to drive the M577 APC onto the Dropship, a Heavy Machinery roll, but his first roll failed (Heavy Machinery 2 + Strength 4 + APC bonus 2 = 8 dice). So this was the perfect opportunity to show how the Stress worked as the player wanted to Push his first roll so he gained a point of Stress, gained a extra Stress Dice to his roll, and rolled multiple sixes the second time around. So I described a bit of grinding metal as he tried to straighten the APC up but then he managed to drive up the ramp into the Dropship.
The players were pushing the banter between themselves as they got to the planet-side. They had chosen to go for the main landing pad at the facility, and managed to avoid any of the booby traps.
Hernandez operated the the turret of the APC to bring fire on the figures they spotted in the windows above the main airlock.
They also used their Motion Trackers early on, I provided the sound effects from my iPad, and that showed them where the dissidents were.
They even went after the movement that was trying to circle around them.
After that they went in with extreme prejudice and dealt with the dissidents. Again I had the sound effects of the pulse rifles to play as well, that went down very well as that sound is very recognisable.
The game progressed very well, with the PCs dealing with all the challenges presented. The banter between them continued but they were pushing their rolls and taking Stress early. When things started to go wrong the Stress for all the characters did grow quite fast. The moment that the Alien showed up you could hear a pin drop. I had an NECA Alien toy figurine 9” tall that I placed in the centre of the gaming table. It not only stopped the players around the table in their tracks, but the players on the other tables stopped to see it too I was told later on - it caught the attention of the con.
The player versus player started near the end of the session, though I had hoped that the good Dr Monygham would have taken a few of the characters out when presented with the best opportunity. Though I did realise afterwards that I hadn’t told the players to go to Act III Agendas before the end of the scenario so that would have done some bearing.
A great game with fantastic players, with some interesting actions at the end. Only a few of them survived but they were glorious deaths and fun was had by all the players.
After the game sessions were over it was a short jaunt to Bar 21 in the city centre for after show drinks. That was a nice wind down after the day and it was nice to catch up with people and just talk nonsense about role playing games. I even had my photo taken with a Alien!
With that I headed back home on some more delayed trains back to Derby, taking over three hours to get back.
I would like to thank the organisers and the staff of Fan Boy Three for all their hard work, hospitality and service throughout the day. I’ll hopefully be back next year again!
So a great day with the only downsides being the transportation on the day and the fact I failed to get a GrogMeet badge!
Monday, 11 November 2019
Alien RPG by Fria Ligan Unboxing
So my Alien RPG arrived today so here is the unboxing video.
I hope you enjoy and feel free to ask any questions below.
This was the Standard Bundle if you pre-ordered it in August 2019.
Contents include the Core Rule Book, Chariot of the Gods scenario pack, GM Screen, Maps and Markers, Custom Card Deck, the Base Dice Set, and the Stress Dice set.
Sunday, 3 November 2019
Alien Game at Ludorati Café Halloween Special
So I was invited to run my Alien RPG scenario, Three’s Company, at Ludorati Café on Thursday as part of their Halloween RPG event. I had ran this scenario before at Furnace and Spaghetti ConJunction earlier in the month and it had gone down well.
I was worried as there had been only one person expressing an interest in the game on social media.
I needn’t have worried as I had six players turning up to my table in the Cube at Ludorati Café. Two of the players hadn’t role played before so no pressure there then! I later learnt that they weren’t even familiar with the Alien franchise as they hadn’t seen the films before either.
The Cube at Ludorati Café set up for my Alien Game
I like playing in the Cube as not only can I put up images on the large TV screen via my Laptop, but I can play background music via the Bluetooth speakers. I had a Keynote presentation playing from my MacBook Pro with images of the base, characters, ships, etc that I could control from my iPhone, I had the Aliens OST playing from my iPhone through the speakers and I was referring to my notes, as well as taking notes, on my iPad Pro. It is a good set up.
I started by handing out the character sheets to allow the players to choose which one they wanted to play. I also showed them how to use the foldable Character Handouts, they were impressed with them!
The player characters are:
Dan had picked Lance Corporal Juan Hernandez the Smartgun Operator
Becky had chosen to play Dr Monygham, the Trauma and Cryogentic Specialist
Helen was playing Corporal Carlos Gould, the murderous soldier.
Lucy had gone for playing Lieutenant Antonia Avellanos, the second in command.
Miles chose to play Captain Martin Decoud, the Squad Leader.
Adam was playing Lance Corporal Conrad Kurze with his Plasma Rifle (in the 40W range).
Photo by Damon Mitchell
The mission is simple:
Special Order 10015A - LV-510 - Phoronis
Eliminate all hostiles with extreme prejudice.
Capture the leaders of the resistance for questioning.
Rescue all the hostages especially the corporate executives in cryogenic sleep.
Minimise damage to corporate facilities that have significant dollar value.
All other considerations rescinded.
After the mission briefing on the USS Ribiera the players chose to take the more risky option of the plan, getting closer to the main target facility rather than the main landing pad. This did prove costly as they lost their transport after dust off.
They managed to deal with the resistance set against them, moving through the facility slowly but surely.
They used their Motion Trackers, I used the sound effects for that at the table that was well received, to track the movement of the miners. They discovered that most of their opposition was ahead of them, but some were moving through the facility on either side, trying to get past them or flank them. The group decided to move forward and attack the main group.
The round opened with rolling for initiative, 1d6 plus the Agility score of the character instead of drawing cards, the highest going first. It worked well and it ended up with one of the miners firing first, pelting the Captain with shotgun fire. His armour didn’t stop the shot, so he took damage. The Doctor then helped the Captain heal up with her Medkit. The Captain returned fire with his Pulse Rifle, I used the sound effects again, and he was able to take down the opposition.
The rest of the group took turns in attacking the miners, each shooting the miners, and taking a tally of their kills. Corporal Gould was very brutal, getting in close with his sawn-off shotgun to deal with the miners. It ended with the last miner shouting out, with his dying breath, a message over his comms, “launch it, launch it now!”
But launch what?
After that the PCs managed to move through the facility to the control room, running afoul of a few traps along gathered way, but they managed to secure the facility. The rescued the hostages and captured the leader.
From there the tension built up and the PCs started taking Stress as things started going very wrong with the mission.
The funniest moment is when they were planning to getting everyone off the planet, working out how to fit the hostages into the different escape shuttles and ships. Of course no one is going to make it out alive!
When the Alien arrived things did get hectic, Corporal Gould tried to shoot it, but Dr Monygham (played by one of the new to role playing players) decided to take him out to protect the Alien. What followed was a tense battle as each player tried to out do the other. Of course it was a disaster but it was great fun for the players!
The Players with their character sheets
The player realise they are all going to die!
It was a great game and both the new to role playing players did very well, getting very involved in the planning and actual execution! It was a lot of fun.
My thanks goes to Damon at Ludorati Café for organising the Halloween special, there were quite a few great costumes on show by many of the visitors to the cafe, many of them playing games.
Also my thanks goes to all the staff at Ludorati Café for their hospitality and service.
I was worried as there had been only one person expressing an interest in the game on social media.
I needn’t have worried as I had six players turning up to my table in the Cube at Ludorati Café. Two of the players hadn’t role played before so no pressure there then! I later learnt that they weren’t even familiar with the Alien franchise as they hadn’t seen the films before either.
The Cube at Ludorati Café set up for my Alien Game
I like playing in the Cube as not only can I put up images on the large TV screen via my Laptop, but I can play background music via the Bluetooth speakers. I had a Keynote presentation playing from my MacBook Pro with images of the base, characters, ships, etc that I could control from my iPhone, I had the Aliens OST playing from my iPhone through the speakers and I was referring to my notes, as well as taking notes, on my iPad Pro. It is a good set up.
I started by handing out the character sheets to allow the players to choose which one they wanted to play. I also showed them how to use the foldable Character Handouts, they were impressed with them!
The player characters are:
Dan had picked Lance Corporal Juan Hernandez the Smartgun Operator
Becky had chosen to play Dr Monygham, the Trauma and Cryogentic Specialist
Helen was playing Corporal Carlos Gould, the murderous soldier.
Lucy had gone for playing Lieutenant Antonia Avellanos, the second in command.
Miles chose to play Captain Martin Decoud, the Squad Leader.
Adam was playing Lance Corporal Conrad Kurze with his Plasma Rifle (in the 40W range).
Photo by Damon Mitchell
The mission is simple:
Special Order 10015A - LV-510 - Phoronis
Eliminate all hostiles with extreme prejudice.
Capture the leaders of the resistance for questioning.
Rescue all the hostages especially the corporate executives in cryogenic sleep.
Minimise damage to corporate facilities that have significant dollar value.
All other considerations rescinded.
After the mission briefing on the USS Ribiera the players chose to take the more risky option of the plan, getting closer to the main target facility rather than the main landing pad. This did prove costly as they lost their transport after dust off.
They managed to deal with the resistance set against them, moving through the facility slowly but surely.
They used their Motion Trackers, I used the sound effects for that at the table that was well received, to track the movement of the miners. They discovered that most of their opposition was ahead of them, but some were moving through the facility on either side, trying to get past them or flank them. The group decided to move forward and attack the main group.
The round opened with rolling for initiative, 1d6 plus the Agility score of the character instead of drawing cards, the highest going first. It worked well and it ended up with one of the miners firing first, pelting the Captain with shotgun fire. His armour didn’t stop the shot, so he took damage. The Doctor then helped the Captain heal up with her Medkit. The Captain returned fire with his Pulse Rifle, I used the sound effects again, and he was able to take down the opposition.
The rest of the group took turns in attacking the miners, each shooting the miners, and taking a tally of their kills. Corporal Gould was very brutal, getting in close with his sawn-off shotgun to deal with the miners. It ended with the last miner shouting out, with his dying breath, a message over his comms, “launch it, launch it now!”
But launch what?
After that the PCs managed to move through the facility to the control room, running afoul of a few traps along gathered way, but they managed to secure the facility. The rescued the hostages and captured the leader.
From there the tension built up and the PCs started taking Stress as things started going very wrong with the mission.
The funniest moment is when they were planning to getting everyone off the planet, working out how to fit the hostages into the different escape shuttles and ships. Of course no one is going to make it out alive!
When the Alien arrived things did get hectic, Corporal Gould tried to shoot it, but Dr Monygham (played by one of the new to role playing players) decided to take him out to protect the Alien. What followed was a tense battle as each player tried to out do the other. Of course it was a disaster but it was great fun for the players!
The Players with their character sheets
The player realise they are all going to die!
It was a great game and both the new to role playing players did very well, getting very involved in the planning and actual execution! It was a lot of fun.
My thanks goes to Damon at Ludorati Café for organising the Halloween special, there were quite a few great costumes on show by many of the visitors to the cafe, many of them playing games.
Also my thanks goes to all the staff at Ludorati Café for their hospitality and service.
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