Miniatures in Nottingham 2023

Today we will arrive from all around the world to meet in London England. Tour members will be arriving throughout the day and will be given detailed instructions on how to meet up with the rest of our tour participants. You will be able to leave your bags at a London hotel prior to spending a free day exploring all that London has to offer. Depending on your arrival time, you might want to visit Buckingham Palace or the Tower of London, stroll Hyde Park, ride the London Eye, discover Big Ben, or just sit in a café or pub and enjoy the awesomeness that is the UK. For you hard core gamers, you might want to head off to visit the internationally famous hole in the wall store the Orcs Nest…

Be sure to make it back to our hotel by dinner time however, as Geek Nation Tours kicks off our landing party with our traditional Welcome Dinner right at the hotel.  It will be a great opportunity to meet your fellow tour participants and discuss what we are going to do in the coming days.  After dinner we might head out to a local pub for a pint or two.

Overnight Location: The Dixon, Tower Bridge, Autograph Collection (Welcome Dinner Included)

Today we will visit the Imperial War Museum London as a group. This amazing museum has everything a wargamer (of any stripe) would like to see. We will spend several hours here exploring the vastness of its collection and then head off to somewhere for Fish & Chips....

The rest of the day will be yours to fill as you will. We recommend a jaunt to the HMS Belfast as it is a quick cab ride away and an amazing ship that you can explore up close and personal.

We will gather again for a dinner tonight, and perhaps a trip to a London pub is in order... After that, those that want to make the trip, will head off to the London Eye to see all of Londontown from above.

Overnight Location: The Dixon, Tower Bridge, Autograph Collection (dinner and breakfast included)

What wargamer doesn't want to see tanks up close and personal?  What wargamer wouldn't want to take in Bovington Tank Museum's TANKFEST? Here you will see live tank displays where the armour will roll forward with menace (well, not real menace but you get the idea), epic guest armour, living history and you'll even get to take in one of the best military museums in the world. It will be a long and incredible day, but we will be with you every step of the way...

Day's end will see us at a hotel just down the road and a nice dinner... We are thinking something with gravy that will stick to your ribs...

Overnight Location: Holiday Inn Express Poole (dinner and breakfast included)

After breakfast we’ll travel north by coach to Oxford. We’ll arrive early afternoon and stop at The Eagle and Child for a lunch (Note that The Eagle and Child is currently closed. We do hope that it is reopened prior to our visit. If not we will be sure to visit one of the other pubs in the area). This unassuming pub is often associated with the Inklings writers who frequented it including J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. As such, we will likely be required to refer to ourselves only by our initials for the rest of the afternoon.

But really, what is lunch at a pub without guests?  To this end, GNT has invited the crew at Osprey Games to join us for a bit to eat and a visit... The Osprey crew is always a source of fun and positivity, and we are super excited to have them join us.

Later in the afternoon, we’ll tag along with a local guide who will give us a glimpse of Oxford via walking tour. That said, we will let you have the rest of the day to relax and visit some of the wonderful museums in this amazing city on your own. The Pitt Rivers Museum is high on our list of potentials...

We have something special for all tour participants tonight. We will be staying at the Malmaison Oxford tonight, which was once a former prison, but don't worry though the rooms are rather nicer than your average jail cell... Further, couples will be upgraded to the superior cell room and everyone on the tour will have their own room (regardless if you are sharing for the rest of the tour...)

We will overnight in Oxford, but we will let you explore and dine on your own tonight.

Overnight Location: Malmaison Oxford (breakfast and lunch included)

Now is time to explore the centre of the wargaming world – Nottingham. We will converge on Warlord Games. Expect to learn more about Bolt Action, Hail Caesar!, Gates of Antares and Konflikt 47… Warlord’s warlord, John Stallard will take us on a tour to explore their casting room, offices and store, who knows we might even get to roll some dice or run rampant through the warehouse aisles on a looting spree.

After a day of immersing into miniature games, Ludorati would like to offer you the chance to unwind, relax and enjoy the lighter side of board gaming. We’ll set up a selection of great group games that soon have you mixing and laughing together. Of course, if you don’t like the games that we suggest, you’re welcome to help yourself to anything from their library of over 750 titles (including some hidden gems from local game designers!). Either way their professional staff will be on hand to ensure you have a great gaming experience.

But what about the afternoon? GNT has a special treat for you… After taking in the spectacle of Warlord Games we will be headed to the house of Warlord’s Mighty John Stallard to see his famous step-up. John is known to be one of the most welcoming people in the industry. You want a good time? Just get him talking about the old days and you will hear some of the most interesting and humorous stories ever. John is boisterous and larger than life and a true joy to be around. Yes – that’s right – you wanted to have a once in a lifetime gaming experiences… Here is your chance!

Overnight Location: Jury’s Inn Nottingham (dinner and breakfast included)

We will continue our exploration of wargaming companies and head off to lunch at Mantic Games. The King Kahuna of Mantic Games will be at hand to say hello and possibility roll some dice with us. Ronnie Renton is a long-standing friend of Geek Nation Tours and his kindness and enthusiasm are legendary. You can tell he loves to move toy soldiers across a table and he radiates a kind of infectious excitement about miniature wargames that brings that joy to others. He loves miniature wargame fans and Mantic is sure to launch us into some awesome fun.

We will tour Mantic’s facility, check out their warehouse, game with them or even sit down and hobby. We will dive deep into all things Mantic from Kings of War, to Dungeon Saga, Mars Attacks, Dreadball and or course their Walking Dead game. But be sure to ask for a bit of Hellboy action when you are there… I am sure Ronnie will bring something out for you. We will also have to ask Ronnie if we can pilfer their warehouse for goodies to bring home.

Today Geek Nation Tours has arranged a once in a lifetime wargaming experience. The Perry Twins, as they are affectionately known, have a long history in the wargaming world. They have created miniatures for Wargames Foundry and Games Workshop and were instrumental in creating the hobby we love today. Sometime ago the twins started their own wargaming company – and many of you will be able to pick up your pre-ordered Perry Miniatures minis today… But that is just the half of it. The Perry Twins, have graciously invited us into their homes. You will get to go into their households to see their armour collections and their private gaming rooms! All the while the Perrys will talk to you about the old days, recount their beginnings and show you their historical miniature line, miniature collections and get a first-hand experience from two of the nicest people in the industry.

Today is also the day for our traditional outing to “Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem” pub. We’ll take in a few pints and have a tour of the pub’s secret warren of caves – there are a lot of hidey holes in Nottingham! We will dine at the “Trip” and settle in for a night at the pub. Even better, GNT will be inviting a number of special guests to our dinner. Have a beer with wargaming celebrities and join in our pub quiz and other pub fun. John Stallard from Warlord Games and Ronnie Renton from Mantic Games have both said they will join us for a “pint” or two again this year. In the past the Perry Twins, Rick Priestly, Jervis Johnson, Andy Chambers, Alessio Cavatore – and many more notables – have joined us as well.  So be sure to bring a small game, and some gaming questions, as we settle in for the night.

This year we will continue build our guest list and invite, Daniel Jack from Atlantis Miniatures, and Robert Lane and Tim Fisher from Mierce Miniatures. Oh, and they might even be able to take some pre-orders too – for delivery right into your hands….

Further, Daniel Faulconbridge from one of the industry’s best magazines Wargames Illustrated will be on hand and may even join us on one of our day’s expeditions… Who knows, you might even end up in an article…

Overnight Location: Jury’s Inn Nottingham (dinner, lunch and breakfast included)

Today we visit to the all-new Warhammer World. Revamped in 2014-15, WHW now sports three stores! In addition to the Games Workshop store, there are also separate stores for Black Library and Forge World as well. Even better, WHW now has a brand-new Exhibition Centre which displays many of those beautifully painted ‘Eavy Metal miniatures you have seen in White Dwarf. But the really big news is that they now have a multitude of specially build dioramas, including the largest diorama that Games Workshop has ever built. All the dioramas are true wonders and are breath-taking for miniature fans of all types…

All tour members will have the opportunity to play friendly Warhammer 40,000, Horus Heresy or Age of Sigmar games on WHW's "Featured" tables, and we will be taking pre-orders from Forgeworld for those interested...  Participants can come and go to Bugman’s Bar for lunch, and even have a pint or two when they play.

We will depart around 6:00 pm and head over to the offices of Wargames Illustrated for dinner there, and to have a cut-down 'focus on fun and rolling dice' taster of "Never Mind the Billhooks" by the crew of Wargames Illustrated themselves....

Overnight Location: Jury’s Inn Nottingham (breakfast included)

We will return to Warhammer World to continue our games or start new quick ones... Necormunda or Kill Team will be the order of the day!  With almost 12 full hours to game here, I am sure we can come up with our own narrative this day so expect the crescendo of a long hard-fought battle.

For those wanting to skip Warhammer world, Nottingham offers plenty for the visiting history geek. Visit Nottingham Castle, Wollaton Hall (Nottingham Natural History Museum), or the National Justice Museum... Or just head back to the "Trip" for another pint or two...

We will dine (both lunch and dinner as WHW is open late this day) on our own at Bugman's Bar, or any of the multitude of awesome dining establishments in Nottingham...

Overnight Location: Jury’s Inn Nottingham (breakfast included)

Another first for Geek Nation Tours, we are super proud and excited to visit our final miniature wargaming company this day – Wargames Foundry. Established in 1976 Wargames Foundry produces miniatures, paints and other gaming supplements, with deep roots in Wargaming history. Bryan Ansell of the Foundry is the founder of Citadel Miniatures. He helped create Warhammer Fantasy Battle, was once the Managing Director of Games Workshop and had a direct hand in the Warhammer boom of the 1980s.

We will arrive for lunch, and after we eat we will hop on a tour of their factory and workshop, witness a live casting demonstration and much more. We will also view some historical Games Workshop art and the Foundry’s massive collection of miniatures while being regaled by Bryan about the history of our hobby. His stories go way, way back, so you’re sure to learn loads about our hobby and how it developed into what it is today.

After the tour we will do some shopping as you pick from the largest miniature range in the industry.  But that is not all – make sure you have your miniatures handy as we will be gaming this day as well.  All systems are welcome, and I am sure whatever you want to play your fellow tour participants will happily jump right in and roll some dice with you… After dinner we will head back to Nottingham,

Overnight Location: Jury’s Inn Nottingham (dinner, lunch and breakfast included)

Today we will leave our mecca and proceed from Nottingham back to London, arriving early afternoon to continue our explorations. In particular, we will visit the original Cabinet War Rooms where Churchill and his inner circle planned wartime strategy. We will learn more of how he and the cabinet lived and worked in these warrens. After we leave the War Rooms we will explore, via a private tour with museum guide, the Churchill Museum and learn more about the man and his life. This interactive museum will provide a deeper grasp of who he was, not only through the displays and artefacts, but through recordings of his wartime speeches as well.

In the evening we will gather once more for our Farewell dinner and perhaps one last pint....

Overnight Location: The Dixon, Tower Bridge, Autograph Collection (dinner, lunch and breakfast included)

Today will see us headed off to the airport and home. We will take taxis and will depart in small groups. The memories, miniatures and friendships you made are yours to keep forever! Bon voyage, captain and may your travels be filled with thoughts of dice and miniatures.

Overnight Location: (breakfast included)