Warhammer World 2020 – Hobby Centre, Gaming Area & Bugmans Bar
Here I am, back in very early 2020, once again in Nottingham and once again at the headquarter of Games Workshop, the Warhammer World. But this time not as part of a gents trip, but on a family vacation and I brought along my wife and daughter. My last visit was in April 2018 during our Salute trip, and the first time I was here was in the late 90s over Easter with my parents.
It's the sunday after Warhammer World Open Day 2020, and even within the last one and a half year a bit has changed at Warhammer World. They moved the Space Marine statue (which has been around for at least 2 decades) from the opposite side of Bugman's Bar balcony to the place next to Rhino, just below the Imperial Aquila.
Did you know that they included the Warhammer World and Games Workshop HQ buildings as an easter egg in a Genestealer Cult miniature? Well, now you know!
And I am back!
We began the new year with a brief vacation in England, with trips to London and Nottingham.
Spent the majority of the time in London, going for a city tour. We had our daughter with us, so this was a family trip and not a guys tour as some of the other journeys I have covered here. Therefore content and focus was a bit different, but I'll come to that later.
While in London, we went for some of the must-haves, parks and squares, that would be accessable with a stroller. While near Hyde Park I came across the Animals in War Memorial, and had to think of of the Man with the Donkey in Wellington, NZ at the National War Memorial. Of course, with my latest interest in the age of sail, and Black Seas, a visit to Trafalgar Square was out of question. And you know about my gusto for burgers, so having the chance to drop by one of the very few Shake Shacks outside of the United States, I just had to.
Warhammer World 2018 – Exhibition Centre Part 2
With the Old World covered in Part 1 of the Exhibition Centre article, this one focuses on the next two areas, with the (grim) dark Sci-Fi setting of the Warhammer 40,000 world, including the horus heresy and the main piece of the exhibition, Battle for Angelus Prime.
And be sure, the grim dark future of Warhammer 40,000 is not under represented. Indeed quite the opposite. The setting has outpaced the former bigger, fantasy brother in the last decade. This has many reasons, one of them surely the popularity of the Horus Heresy, which is although shown in its broad beauty, both in the newer plastics and extended Forge World resin range.
As promised above, Horus Heresy era World Eaters getting ready for battle, boarding several thunderhawks.
Warhammer World 2018 – Exhibition Centre Part 1
The exhibition hall at Warhammer World has a long tradition and has been redone in a couple of variations. For a short amount of time before the last huge overhaul, it was a medium sized room with show cabinets on all walls, covering the different armies from the Warhammer Fantasy and 40,000 ranges.
But that room is history and was replaced by a much larger installment. The new exhibition centre covers two floors and 4 areas, along with a huge centre piece, The Battle For Angelus Prime, that will be shown further below. Entry is 7,50 GBP per adult, 5 GBP for children from 12 to 17, younger kids are free. There are group and family tickets available as well.
Games Workshop has gathered some of their first products, released back in the days when they were a publishing company, along with going through their archives to bring back some of the first models. Some of these pieces were shown on Games Days (those are called Warhammer Fest now), but are now presented in the first cabinets you see when you enter the exhibition centre.
Warhammer World 2018 – Hobby Centre, Gaming Area & Bugmans Bar
As our "Operation Sealion 2018" was not only build up on visiting Salute on Saturday, we did a tour to the lead belt of Nottingham, and I was eager to see the renovated Warhammer World, the head quarter of Games Workshop.
The entrance has been redone and the venue is now barrier free. The Rhino is still in the front, and yes it is functional, there are videos of it driving around on facebook.
The main office got its front re-designed. The Imperial Eagle was replaced by Sigmars Hammer during the release of Age of Sigmar. There are a couple of pictures from the old front in my 2004 coverage of Warhammer World. They even took down the Space Marine, guarding the office front and replaced it with the statue of a Stormcast Eternal. The old Space Marine can now be seen in the yard next to Bugmans Bar.
Campaign Sea Lion 2018
It is time to take another approach and try to loot the Island for pewter, plastic and resin! Thursday we head over to the UK, for a short trip to the "Leadbelt" of Nottingham as well as paying a visit to the Salute on saturday.
Salute is the largest wargaming event in the UK, hosted by the South London Warlords at ExCel London on April 14th. Crisis in Antwerp is hard competition in size to this event, as it is larger on floor terms, but Salute is more international and has the benefit of being british homeground.
Oldhammer much?
This year is my 20th (!) "anniversary" in wargaming. Still can't believe it has been that long, since my first miniatures and wargaming rules.
Inspired by the exhibiton at Tactica 2017 and associated contest on Sweetwater, I would like to share my beginnings in wargaming. It must have been the summer of 96, in an art study group at school. Somebody had Heroquest miniatures with them, and my oldest friend Holger remembered, seeing those at a toy store near our home town. We had 30-60 minute car travels (well, we annoyed our parents until the drove us) to nearby cities, to get our hands on our first White Dwarfs. In September I bought my first miniature, a Space Marine Veteran Sergeant or Captain, that I painted directly in store - in the colour of the Blood Angels, as those are part of the current starter box. Later that year I subscribed to White Dwarf, as it was an incredible hassle to get one in the countryside.
Back from the Lead Belt
I still owe you guys some reportage on my Nottingham trip.
The 4 days around Warlord Games Day were not only used to visit Warlord Games, but Mantic, Battlefront and the Warhammer World as well.
First off all, what did i bring back to Germany? Due to travelling by plane a little bit less than i would have otherwise.
Warhammer World 2004
In 2004 i visited the Warhammer World for the third time, and here are a few impressions from back then.
The Bugmans Bar and Warhammer World were re-designed. About the Bugmans Bar, as the Games Workshop Employees eat there as well, it has quite a selection of food, it's tasty and there are even some healthy options. Beside that, decent prices and broad choices of beverages.
And sorry for the mediocre image quality, i just had a small powershot back then.
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