And that was UKGE 2025 – Day 4

With the potential of a 3+ hour drive home, we never planned to stay too long on the Sunday. Some people had already gone, others were busy scouring the halls for last minute deals, and the rest were taking it super easy. It ended up being a day with no demos and no games played at all. Yet my two hours on my own ended up being the final big highlight of the weekend.

My wife woke up feeling exhausted and advised me that it was best if I head over alone for the morning. While she stayed back and enjoyed reading her book in the hotel bar, I ran solo for a bit, with the mindset of seeing what else I could grab among the carnage of the busy halls.

Except they weren’t busy. Or hot. In fact, while others complained about the cold aircon, I was in my super chilled happy place, being someone who loves the cold (I used to work in a coms room after all). Add this to the fact that the number of people walking around was lower than any other part of the weekend, and I was in heaven.

I ended up grabbing two more games (see below) and a couple of board game adjacent items (shout out to Geeky Meeples 3D Printing) before calling it a day. Just after 11am I headed to the train station car park to grab my ride home.

And that was it. It was a relaxing drive home with no issues or traffic. We ended up dumping all the bags in the dinning room and then just crashing on the sofa for the rest of the Sunday.

PURCHASED GAMES

FLEET: THE DICE GAME – While I still had a wishlist of games I’d have liked to have grabbed at the Expo, I wasn’t going too crazy while I perused the shop stands when the doors opened at 9am. As I made my way along the tables at Gameslore, I spotted FLEET: THE DICE GAME, the only one of the four Matt Riddle Roll ‘n’ Write games we didn’t yet own. It was a sign and I grabbed it immediately. I was also then encouraged by the sales guy to add the small £5 expansion which would go nicely with it. Bastard.

IRONWOOD – This 2-player only game had caught my eye when it was released but I assumed it would be super expensive due to its lovely components. So I passed on it. But as I walked by the Mindclash Games stand I spotted it and had a change of heart. And it turned out to be cheaper than I’d expected. It’s a nice looking 2-player only game with asymetirc abilities and I’m looking forward to trying it soon.

So, how was the Expo? How did I rate it to the two previous visits we’ve had (2021 and 2022)?

Well, I can honestly say that it was pretty much perfect.

I have a lot of confidence issues and one thing I worried about a lot in the build up to the event was that we would spend the weekend with little interaction with people that we chat with on social media. This includes people we regular meet up with, either at gatherings or with house visits. My head likes to convince me that people don’t really like me even if the evidence is conflicting states otherwise.

Yet, from the very start we were nothing but welcomed by fellow boardgamers. Despite the large number of people at the event, despite the massive crowds shambling through the halls across the Friday and Saturday, we continued to bump into people we either see regularly. We step to one side and catch up with how the weekend was going so far, sharing stories and showing off purchases. Seeing the stalls and purchasing games came second to just standing around and chatting with like minded folks.

On the Sunday morning, about 90mins of my 2 hour ‘browsing’ time was made up with conversations with boardgame designers, podcast hosts, and Instagram friends. I was able to speak with Maddie from Cotswold Games and badger her for information on their next game (she withstood the interigation). I finally got to properly meet up with Tom and Paul, the hosts of the awesome ‘I’m Having My One‘ podcast. I bumped into my new gaming buddy (and brother from another mother) @boardgamejimmy and we ended up saying hello to the Grim Reaper and a squad of Uruk-hai. I waved at folks I’d been gaming with all weekend as they passed by. I even got to have quick chats with Kerley, Becky, Rob, Adrian, and JP from the ‘Whose Turn Is It Anyway‘ podcast just as I was heading out the doors.

It was these interactions with people I rarely see, or have finally had the chance to meet in real life for the first time, that made some of my favourite moments of the four day vist. Gamers talking about games, all of us excited for the same things, and all of us keen to make sure everyone around them was having fun.

So thank you to all those that waved, chatted, and played games with my wife and I over the entire weekend. It has made for some great memories and I’m looking forward to more gaming with each and every one of you.