UK Games Expo 2022: Saturday Live Blog

That is us done for Saturday at the UK Games Expo. We have had a great time and dived into all sorts of awesomeness here at the event. We did a bunch of fun interviews and some great games as well.

There is more to come on Sunday for the UK Games Expo so keep an eye out at 11am sharp!

Bloodfields is a badass wargame that you can dive into and play after pretty much printing off EVERYTHING at home. You can get the rules online, print off the models, tokens and everything else besides.

It is well worth having a look at as an alternative to other skirmish wargames AND there are loads of different factions. You can also get the miniatures in SioCast if you like the feel of picking up a miniature from a store!

We check out this awesome game of dockfighting goodness from the folks at 3D Art Lab. You can head into the skies with your dirigibles and have some fun in the sky blowing each other up.

You can also head to their stand here at UK Games Expo and give the game a go. They also have a Kickstarter that you can get stuck into as well which is neat.

Cake of Doom will be heading over to Kickstarter soon, as designers attend to showcase their upcoming game of corruption; bringing wacky aliens and their thirst for sugar in a card game of bribery and sabotage!

Players will be taking on world domination for their needy thirst for delicious goods.

We get a chance to sit down with Ocean City Games and delve into two of their games which are currently making their way to the world of crowdfunding.

One of these is ISLA which has a lovely roll and write feel to it. The second of these is Tower Of Ra where you have to get stuck into some dexterity-based tom-foolery around the tabletop. Both are going to be worth checking out in the near future!

We get to chat with Jonathan Green of ACE Gamebooks who has been designing some awesome adventure books that you can dive into, based on Historical adventures.

One of the best is Beowulf: Beastslayer but there is also an awesome gamebook where you can choose which character to play as like Dracula OR Mina Harker!

Ben has made his way over to Dissent Games to have a look at Library Labyrinth – a female-focused title that places players into cooperative action alongside literary legends, fresh from Kickstarter.

Alongside Library Labyrinth, Ben takes a peek at the Roll & Colour Greeting cards, ready for both Christmas and Valentine’s day that brings entertainment and a game to the festivities.

We are approaching the final day of UKGE, the day when Tony puts on his suit and tie to announce this year’s award winners for the official UK Games Expo Award Ceremony.

Nominations are now closed, and we gear up to record the festivities announcing categories such as ‘Best Abstract Game’, ‘Best Miniatures Range’, and ‘Best Roleplaying Adventure’.

Check out the nominees and categories below for more info on the games and accessories up for nomination for the UK Games Expo Awards. Check out the shortlist here.

Who do you think will be the winners of each category?!

Fresh onto the market, Sniper Elite: The Board Game has received a wonderful reception at the event. Running demos across each table, and providing a chance to get your copy alongside the Eagles Nest Expansion & Deluxe Upgrade Kit – you can fill your boots and prepare your lens for a chance to take on the role of a highly-skilled sniper, in the hidden movement game based on the well-known video game series.

Are you tempted to try out Sniper Elite: The Board Game?

The Loke Battlemats stall has been rammed all weekend, as they showcase their new books, stickers and more that allow RPGers a visual and board to get stuck into an array of different locations. Showing off their new Wilderness title, and highlighting their current Kickstarter, with 7 days left on the clock bringing players into The Veiled Dungeon, and The Long Road.

Ben will be having a chat with Tamsyn from Loke tomorrow, so be sure to keep an eye on the blog tomorrow for a more in-depth sit-down interview regarding what’s new and upcoming from Loke Battlemats.

We are huge fans of Osprey here at OnTableTop, so we were delighted to head over to their stall to see what is happening! Not only do they have all of their top titles such as The Silver Bayonette & Stargrave on their booth for sale – players are also getting involved in a whole host of demos for games such as the Spiel des Jahres 2022 nomination Crypid, and the newly released Crescent Moon.

Whether you want to try before you buy, or indulge in the store – there is plenty to see over at the Osprey Games stall.

If you are here at the event and want to get yourself a souvenir, make sure that you stop by the official UK Games Expo Merch Stall, where they are offering up all of this year’s UKGE branded accessories, including T-shirts, dice trays, dice bags, bottles and stationery.

Plus if you want to get hold of the merch from the last few years, there is a sale up for you to indulge in some previous event swag.

We love the folks at Cubicle 7 so it was great to catch up with Emmet to run through all of the things down on the Cubicle 7 stand at the moment.

They have loads of awesome roleplaying books for those diving into Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Wrath & Glory and Warhammer Age Of Sigmar Soulbound! Plus, who could say no to that fantastic Doctor Who roleplaying game.

If you are keen on trying out some of the hottest titles from Asmodee, you can camp up in the Dedicated Gamers stall in Hall One. Proving players a chance to test out games such as World Of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King – A Pandemic System Board Game, Orlog: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dice Game, Ankh Gods of Egypt and if you want to trial some new gameplay for Exploding Kittens – the new Zombie Kittens expansion is yet to be announced! For more info on the Dedicated Gamers Stall!

We were besotted by this artwork. The folks at Eerie Idols have been doing an amazing job with their upcoming game, The Old King’s Crown.

Bringing amazing artwork and storytelling together alongside bluffing, subterfuge and some old fashioned skullduggery and you’re set with this game.

Watch out for it coming to crowdfunding in the VERY near future.

CCCU is attending UKGE to showcase their Game Design course, and bringing lots of titles with them to the event to show what their students have produced.

Displaying board and card games from students who have attended, and getting technical with what the course has to offer. Including technical and creative skills to not just showcase on the tabletop, but development for computer, mobile and digital avenues.

If you have considered a career and games design – be sure to head over to CCCU for more information on the course.

Lucky Duck Games are doing some awesome stuff with their board games of late. One of those is Sherlock Holmes: Case Connection where you have to see if you can find the right links between elements of a crime! Who would have thought it?

This is just the start of what’s on offer from Lucky Duck Games as they have LOADS of other games including the awesome Destinies series where you dive into a much more twisting and turning plot.

Come and join us here at the UK Games Expo for all the fun and laughs of a Viking raid out on the green. As well as enjoying some awesome Viking action, the team has also got Romans and even some World War II reenactors into the mix as well!

The folks behind CATAN are back with an updated take on the classic board game. Dawn Of Humankind has you charting the progress of human civilisation and trying to make the most of your settlements.

You will also travel the prehistoric world and dive deeper into a more complex version of the original strategy game that launched a thousand collections.

We always see lots of Dice Stands here at UKGE, and there is always plenty of choice from stall to stall. The Dice Shop are offering a whole scope of different coloured gemstone dice. Whether you are looking for a dainty set in your favourite colour, dragon scale design, or some mahoosive D20s. You will be sure to find a set of dice that will make your eyes twinkle with the Dice Shop.

Have any of these beautiful dice caught your eye?

UK Games Expo is a great place to take the kids. To that end, you will certainly want to check out the HABA zone which is in Hall 2 where they are playing all sorts of fun kids games like Rhino Hero: Super Battle & Moonlight Castle.

We got a look at two of their newest ones but there are loads of amazing kids games (and games for big kids) for you to check out.

If you are on the hunt for Conquest this weekend, you can find Para Bellum over at the Wayland Games stand. Whether you want to take a look at what is new or get some questions in with the Para Bellum team. There is plenty to do and see, with a wide range of miniatures being showcased at the event. There’s even an Apex Predator dominating the stand!

Last year, Free headed over to Honey Badger Games, where they were showcasing some truly unique sweeties that would appeal to those who like to indulge in some nerdy candy!

This year, Honey Badger Games have returned with Food Pawn, with a ton of different flavours and shapes including the likes of meeple, dice and tiny dinosaurs. There’s even a tease that chocolate accessories will be heading to the store soon.

That’s one way to dispose of your dice if it’s not serving you right!