Britcon August 2023

Something a bit different is a brief report on my adventures in Nottingham, where I met Robin Hood and his merry men, and some ugly sea monsters. All these weird tales occurred at this year's Lard Day held at Britcon.

Britcon 2023 at Nottingham Trent University. 

This was my first visit to this event and my baptism into a Two Fat Lardies Workshop. More about my adventures in Lardland later. For a large wargames show, the venue was excellent. Light and airy with plenty of space, despite the numbers and its own conference beer. Britcon was different from previous shows I attended because it focused on playing games rather than adding to your collection. Despite that, I have to confess that a few boxes of plastics strangely got added to my return luggage. 

A large area was given over to competition games, with most of the favourites being represented, Bolt, Saga, DBMM, DBA. MeG, and FOG, just to name a few. 

Two Fat Lardies' Workshop

I am not a great fan of completion games, so I signed up for the Two Fat Lardies’ Gaming Day for the first time. This was held downstairs in the chemistry area, where a fantastic concoction of games had been assembled. You could choose from thirteen games covering the Lard library of adventure, including Chain of Command, Dux Britanniarum, Kiss Me Hardy and What a Cowboy, with many being played in unusual settings. The tables on offer were rounded off by games in development. Here the players helped to play test and to fashion the final product. I let these few pictures talk for themselves, but they show the cinematic quality of these terrain boards, which were accompanied by fantastic miniatures and were enjoyable and fun. 

Madness in Lardsmouth

In the morning, I played a gangster version of What a Cowboy, set in the world of H. P. Lovecraft. Both teams were given the same story but with different hidden objectives. The sleepy fishing village of Lardsmouth sits on the US east coast, it's 1925, and prohibition is in force. Government Agents have been sent in to find a reported illegal Liquor operation. Enforcers from the neighbouring town's criminal liquor producers have also been sent to stop it. They all find more than they bargained for. 

Despite the occasional change of shots, both sides soon found out their main objective was to survive as the mist slowly rolled in from the harbour area. Soon visibility was reduced, and only shapes could be seen moving in the fog. My agent had been given the task of getting to the old lighthouse. After fighting some thugs, he managed to scramble to the top. However, by that time, madness had overtaken him. After completing his objective, he threw himself into the sea and the monster's clutches. My other agent survived being blown up (twice), killed a deep one and survived the experience if slightly singed. 

Tax, Mead and a Drunken Priest

Again the background set the scene of this Dux Britanniarum adaptation. Archbishop Roundwood has run out of mead, and Good King John is planning an imminent whirlwind tour of the Northern Baronies. However, all is not lost, as it is well known that the best mead is produced by the friars in Larddingham. Here, the Archbishop despatches the erstwhile Sheriff to secure as many barrels as possible. However, Robin and his band of Merry Men ( I wonder why they were merry?) set out to thwart the Archbishop's plans.

Again fun and surprises. From kids showing their bottoms to my bishop spending most of the game in the pub, where he tasted the delights of Laddington mead. In the meantime, the Sheriff, who may be a dastardly character but was no fool, had used his knights to disrupt Robin's plans. The game was close, and in the final turn, both sides had one point of morale left and an objective point each. However, Archbishop Roundwood was happy as he most to the mead in his stomach. 

Thanks and a Curry - When the Next One?

I must thank the game umpires and story masters, Mike and Jeremy, for making the games so much fun. Also, to all the organises who struggled with the monumental task of putting everyone's choices into a spreadsheet.

The day ended with a curry, a few pints and loads of conversation. My enthusiasm renewed, and I returned home with more project ideas and a mission to improve my scatter terrain. I will be looking out for the next Lard Gaming Day.