12 Days of Christmas: Events in the UK, 2018

Over the past 11 days you have read what's going on with our games in 2018 (and seen a couple of terrific offers, too). To compliment all this good stuff, we will be providing many ways to engage with it too!

Andy here again, and I'm going to grasp onto the very tip of the tail of the '12 days of Christmas' and take the opportunity to tell you about the array of events we have been cooking up for you. We think there's something for everyone - do let us know in the Comments if there's anything we could add.

I'll begin by detailing 2018's Clash of Kings National Championship, before turning the spotlight onto Mantic HQ and waxing lyrical about gaming events held here. The Walking Dead: All Out War Tournament, and the DreadBall 2 Launch Day are two of the gaming events we're rolling out already, with a raft of more exciting days (and a weekend) listed as well. I'll close out with some words on Mantic Games' Spring Open Day 2018, which - given the feedback received from 2017's the Autumn Open Day - should be yet another jewel in the year for attendees.

Be warned that this is a long blog post, but I know you all enjoy reading these as much I as do crafting them. Let's start with the big hitter...

CLASH OF KINGS (UK)

Returning on 13^th & 14^th October 2018, Mantic's premier Kings of War tournament will be held at the Element Games North West Gaming Centre in Stockport.

Tickets are on sale now for this 100-player event.

After the success of the 2017 event at Cardiff's Firestorm Games, we're trying out another crazy idea with this one: moving north to Stockport! Only kidding, that's not the crazy bit.

Expect the usual six games over two days as we power through the storm of double-1s to determine the Kings of War National Champion for 2018. Unsurprisingly we'll be using the Clash of Kings 2018 supplement rules and scenarios and giving them a good run out with up to 300 games being played over the weekend.

We have plans afoot so that every attendee will receive an item to commemorate this exceptionally enjoyable gaming weekend and for the winner...

... well, the attendee with highest placed Mantic army* over the weekend will receive a ticket to the 2019 Clash of Kings in the US, as well as a massive subsidy to help them get there! Yes, that's right, we will fly YOU (well, potentially you) over to the US to take on the American champion.

There are more events below, but given the prize pool you'll want to secure your ticket before you read on.

(*- Like our rules for the Best Army award, this special prize will use the same minimum 90% criteria for Mantic models.)

MANTIC HQ GAMING EVENTS AND WHY YOU SHOULD BE INTERESTED!

Here at Mantic HQ we have been humbled by the overwhelming positive reaction to the events we ran last year. How can we celebrate this? By making sure there are even more events in 2018 of course!

Why Do We Hold Gaming Events at Mantic HQ?

When we moved into our HQ in Nottingham we realised that there is a ready-made gaming area immediately as you enter the building!** It turned out that we can fit up to ten tables in the Gaming Hall, which means there's a ready-made atmosphere even when it's only half full.

In addition to the tables, we have many of our Studio models on show in the Gaming Hall. Add to this the artwork, posters, and framed pictures forthcoming, and we quickly find ourselves with a terrific gaming 'club house'. (Keep your eyes open for the re-opening of the Mantic Monday Club on 22^nd January.)

On top of this we managed to find an adjoining room to create the Mantic Store: a home for new releases, everything you'd expect to find, and some legacy treats and exclusives too!

What Makes Mantic HQ Gaming Events Enjoyable?

We focus on making the gaming experience as easy and pleasant for you as possible. From paperless entry and free tea & coffee (and breakfast pastries), through the registration and briefing we aim to create a light and jovial environment to kick off your first game. Between rounds there is time to socialise and take in some of the spectacular eye candy, helping yourself to the refrigerated sodas, or topping up on tea!

Lunch is provided for our smaller events such as tournaments and during that break we've been slipping in micro-seminars, surprise presents for attendees, and general opportunities to chill and ask questions about All Things Mantic.

The day rounds out with the Feedback and Awards section where we celebrate and commiserate in equal measure - and always with smiles (and often with a tongue in cheek). For some it's about the sprit of friendly competition, for others it's about getting in 3 or 4 games in a day, and then there's the social side of it.

When Is The Next Gaming Event For...?

We've created a handy summary of our events. You'll find details of some of them both above and below this section:

(**- non-gamers and Estate Agents might refer to this as a 'generously proportioned reception hall' – what do they know!)

THE WALKING DEAD: ALL OUT WAR TOURNAMENT

Coming 5 months after the our last post-apocalypse event, Survivor Groups will return to Mantic HQ on 10^th March to find out who is top dog in our The Walking Dead: All Out War Tournament.

Tickets are on sale now for this 16-player event.

Our inaugural event in October 2017 signalled that there is a keen player base for competitive play in The Walking Dead: All Out War - and who are we to deny them their bragging rights!

With 250 points available, you will assemble a Survivor Group to use across a series of four unique scenarios. Against four opponents your Survivor Group will prove dominance, search for essential items, and carry off as many supplies as possible!

There was a terrific atmosphere last time, and Ronnie swung by for an impromptu 30 minute seminar on where Mantic are going with this game after the Made To Suffer expansion releases***. As you may have read on our previous blog posts (Ronnie's Review of 2017 and The Walking Dead: All Out War in 2018) there is much more to come as we explore the storyline.

There are many events on the calendar, but this should prove popular, so secure your ticket before you read on.

(***- Made To Suffer is released over February, March, and April.)

DREADBALL LAUNCH CELEBRATION

DreadBall 2 is available from your local store in March. To celebrate the launch of this new edition of The Galaxy's Greatest Sport, on 24^th March [EDIT: This is an updated date] Mantic Games will open our doors to Coaches old, new, and inquisitive.

Tickets are on sale now for this event.

If you've been to a Mantic Open Day you will be familiar with most of what we'll be doing on the day. However, with the focus entirely on DreadBall you can expect a little more, too!

Opportunities to Play

What's a celebration without games? We are offering three tiers of play on the day: first the Demos will introduce you to the flavour of DreadBall 2; Learn To Play games will play through a couple of Rushes to help you nail the basics; and finally, we make boards available in the Open Gaming Area for you to throw down your current team and find out they fare against other Coaches in this edition!

Opportunities to Learn

Seminars are always popular at the Mantic Open Day and are likely to prove so at the DreadBall Launch Celebration. We will be interviewing Studio Manager and DreadBall 2 developer Stewart Gibbs. Also on the cards is a seminar on the backdrop to the game with tabletop game designer James Hewitt of Needy Cat Games, and informal opportunities to chat about the game.

We will also have a painting area where help will be on hand to answer questions about edge highlights, how to deal with organic areas, and what colours make a Team kit eye catching rather than eye watering!

Everything Else

As one would expect at a Launch Celebration, all of the new DreadBall 2 items will be available at the Mantic Store. Whether you need to pick up the new edition, treat yourself to the new Matsudan and Cyborg teams, or pick up the Legacy Team you never got around to, there will be plenty in stock. There are also retail exclusives, such as the Event Deck (with Elmer & Dobbs), and of course we'll see what other 'legacy' and pre-release items we can find for you...

Talking of pre-releases and eye candy, the cabinets will be displaying the Mantic Studio models of everything you've seen in print as well as the first teams in line to get a DreadBall 2 make-over****! And finally, we will unveil a rather spectacular something that top tier teams can utilise while at Mantic HQ.

NOTE: due to the focussed nature of the DreadBall Launch Celebration there is a strictly limited number of tickets available as we want to ensure that no attendee misses out!

(****- Legacy Teams are being reviewed and will include a Team Card, a Captain model and 10 Captain Cards!)

MANTIC GAMES' SPRING OPEN DAY 2018

The Mantic Open Day returns on 5^th May, on the cusp of a glorious summer of gaming*****

Tickets are on sale now for this event.

Mantic Games are unlocking the vaults again to let loose a host of activities and seminars that were honed during a Winter where the weather kept us indoors. With feedback graciously received from previous attendees, we strive to make us better for you.

You may be aware that the ticket is always terrific value - not only are there multiple activities to engage you for most of the 6-hours of the day, but the goodie bag is always worth more than the ticket price (more so if you pick up a Group Ticket for 4 people)!

This time our featured game is DreadBall 2, so expect to grab a seat for this season's hot ticket. We will also be celebrating the Made To Suffer expansion which introduces the Woodbury storyline (and closes out The Prison arc) for The Walking Dead: All Out War, the GCPS will receive some cheer, and our Terrain Crate gets a good look-in as it moves to release (from preview at November's event). All of these will feature in both participation and demonstration games throughout the day - and all tables will have friendly volunteers.

The painting and terrain tutorials are returning alongside the model production seminar - and there will be more of them! Our trial in November showed just how popular these were; you asked and we'll provide.

We're currently signing up guests for our Interview and Q&A series and will let you know who we have closer to the day. Many of you reacted so well to sitting with author Christopher Verspeak and games designer & author Mark Latham that we're trying to book a similar mix of guests. Ronnie will be in attendance of course and he'll be excitedly discussing what's coming up at Mantic.

To summarise the Mantic Open Day:

• More painting and terrain tutorials, and more model production seminars
• Continuation of special guest interviews
• LOADS of games to play - and more volunteers to help you
• DreadBall, The Walking Dead: All Out War, GCPS, and Terrain Crate
• Previews, Studio Models, and another inspiring display
• Pre-releases, exclusives, and deals at the Mantic Store - and another sweet goodie bag!

We have been close to capacity during the last few Mantic Open Days, so secure your ticket for this must-attend event ahead of the crowd.

(*****- I've seen the Release Sheet for 2018 and regardless of the weather, the gaming outlook is glorious!)

Coming later today we'll hand over to Community Pat who'll wax lyrical about the excitement building around events stateside. Stay tuned...