It’s the most wonderful time of the year – no, not Christmas, the Bolt Action Grand Tournament is upon us!
The Bolt Action Grand Tournament will see some of the very best players in the world descend on Nottingham, the spiritual home of wargaming, for three days of intense Bolt Action competition. Hosted in partnership with the great folks at BritCon, the Grand Tournament will see one player crowned as Grand Champion – the ultimate bragging rights back at the clubhouse – as well as a ton of fantastic prizes and goodies! For British players, this event will also include the English Nationals and provide British Championship points, so there’s even more to play for!
Now that all the armies are painted (you have finished painting, right?) and lists have been finalised, all that remains is to turn up and have a great time. Here are some handy tips for doing just that!
Where is it?
Nottingham Trent University City Campus – my very own alma mater! See below for postcodes and exact directions.
How do I get there?
Driving in central Nottingham can be a bit of a fraught experience for the uninitiated, so by far the best way to get around is on the tram – handily, there’s a stop right outside the venue! The stop you’re looking for is usefully titled Nottingham Trent University, and from there it’s a 30-second walk up the stone steps to the main building – you can’t miss it!
When can I turn up?
There’s only one game on Friday – turn up from about 5pm – while for Saturday and Sunday you can get onsite from 8am – it’s always better to be early!
What do I need to bring?
Well, yourself and your army is a good start! You should also make sure you have at least three printed copies of your army list, all the relevant rulebooks, and plenty of dice! I always try and bring two sets of Order Dice in different colours (just in case my opponent happens to use the same as me!), plus all the usual gaming accessories – tape measure, pin markers, laser line, and templates! I also make sure I’ve got some fine superglue for any emergency repairs in the heat of battle. If you’ve forgotten any of this, don’t panic though! The Warlord Games stand will have a full range of gaming essentials on sale throughout the event, and in a real emergency, Warlord Games HQ is only a half-hour tram ride away!
What about the pubs? What about the pubs?!
Nottingham has a whole bunch of fantastic pubs and restaurants, and there are several within easy walking distance of the venue – players will no doubt be decamping to one (or more!) of them each evening, so you won’t have to go far for dinner in good company! As always, full details can be found on the BritCon website, so all that remains to be said is:
Good luck, have fun, and I’ll see you at the Grand Tournament!
Marcus
