UK Games Expo reveals

WARSURGE bounty, Bolt Action meta, Whispers of the Deep and more

G’day!

I’ve started collecting the sand from my three-year-old son’s shoes when he comes home from kinder.

This particular sand is quite fine which is ideal for basing minis. They look great on my Nurgle’s Rotters …

What are some of your favourite DIY hobby tips?

On with the news!

Chaos Nights

A fortnightly Warhammer 40K league has officially commenced at Guf Werribee.

I’ll be watching from afar with keen interest.

If any of the players want to share any battle reports please get in touch.

Fight Lunch Lady Laura

I’m sure I have a Nurgle proxy for this WARSURGE bounty.

Give it a go, it’s free!

Download the app, gather your forces and look out for the spikes and that portable blender.

"Laura snapped when she found an obese boy gorging in a food locker. She blended then served him… and others since. She is rumoured to use a hose to force feed her victims at a distance with raw, minced human flesh."

Play / Roster Code:

CR8-RSTR-V001-0000-C2568A76-5D37-F011-A5F1-6045BD3FB094

For more WARSURGE news, visit the official website.

Bolt Action meta deep-dive

What does the meta currently look like for Bolt Action?

Bo Mortensen shares his thoughts while unpacking lists taken at a recent tournament.

From what I can gather:

• The British are so hot right now.

• Apparently, the Japanese have fallen off competitively.

• Does Bolt Action have a tank problem?

What do you think? I think I should paint more DAK.

A nostalgic stroll through a warp-touched crater

I remember the Third War for Armageddon like it was yesterday.

• Commissar Yarrick was alive.

• Ghazghkull Thraka rallied the mightiest of waaaghs.

• We rolled scatter dice.

• Vehicles had front, side and rear armour values.

• There was a table to refer to for glancing hits …

Once upon a time I ran a Deathwing Dark Angels army. I’m sure this story has been told here before …

One shot from an Ork zzap gun detonated a landraider crusader and annihilated the embarked squad. Something like a thousand points gone in an instant – and I had to concede the match.

Thanks Cal!

This was one of many battles recorded for that ambitious global campaign.

Our stories – or rather my tales of woe – were part of a grander narrative that included White Dwarf articles, conversations at Games Workshop stores and fun at home with family and friends.

Playing a role in deciding the fate of a fictitious planet is awesome.

Over the years I’ve participated in various narrative-driven tabletop adventures like Kalador Burning but I do yearn to be a part of the next chapter in Armageddon’s wartorn legacy.

While the Yarrick-on-Thraka action is history, the story continues.

“Blood red skies have opened on Armageddon’s northern pole, and a daemonic horde of unimaginable magnitude will soon be unleashed upon the long-suffering planet. The Daemon Primarch Angron is back for another round, and even the intervention of the Grey Knights may not be enough to stop him in the latest supplement …”

~Warhammer Community

Dusk Raiders to complement my Death Guard?

I don’t want to paint more marines. I still have the Leviathan box to finish. My wife would murder me and place my body in a dreadnought for eternal domestic servitude.

But I hear Horus Heresy leans more into the lore? And the rules are reminiscent of earlier iterations of 40K?

I can hear one word on repeat in my mind (read by Toby Longworth): Lupercal!

Maybe being a dreadnought wouldn’t be so bad?

Konflikt ‘47 – silos needed

These Brotherhood of Nod German forces are looking rather superb for the upcoming Bolt-Action-meets-Red-Alert wargame.

Images: Warlord Games.

Whispers of the Deep

Black Site Studios has revealed its next game.

Image: Black Site Studios.

Welcome to Whispers of the Deep, a skirmish game set in the flooded ruins of Tolkas. In this game, you command a Delver—a mystic soul bound to a physical vessel—and a band of hired Fellows as you face off against another player in a head-to-head search for lost treasure.

Each game of Whispers of the Deep is played on a 2x2 tabletop with 2-3 miniatures per side. You’ll dive into ruined terrain, mine treasure, and survive encounters with spirits that emerge as the game’s danger level rises. Making use of a simple D8 dice system, each unit has a small range of stats. Move, Brains, Brawn and Armor. Your stat will tell you how many D8s to roll.

As you create more chaos, the spirits grow more aggressive, drawing random event cards and triggering unpredictable threats.

The Whispers of the Deep Core rulebook includes:

• Full core rules with all the elements you need to play.

• Story and lore about the world of Tolkas.

• Warband building rules.

• Rules for building your own Delver.

• Items and treasure lists

• Full rules for running a campaign of linked games.

The 19th UK Games Expo (UKGE) is this weekend

Image: UKGE.

It’s nearly time for the massive convention at NEC Birmingham.

Check out the guide here.

And there’s a map!

Here are some of the announcements that I thought were particularly interesting.

Hachette Boardgames UK will headline its stand with Gwent: The Witcher Card Game – making its long-awaited debut in physical form.

Image: UK Games Expo.

Corvus Belli will be hosting demonstrations of Infinity and Warcrow.

Whether you’re a veteran player or curious newcomer, the team will guide you through fast-paced skirmishes and epic fantasy clashes.

This event marks the UK debut of Vercana, the first-ever Warcrow convention miniature. Image: UK Games Expo.

Thirty years of CATAN! You know what that means? A new edition is on the way.

Image: CATAN.

The latest release for CATAN comes thirty years after the introduction of the original game from Klaus Teuber.

While CATAN's 6th edition maintains its essential mechanics, many of the game's creative components have been re-envisioned to provide additional ease and functionality. The game's rulebook now features more imagery, and easy graphic examples that simplify the learning process.

The game also features revamped art, from updated packaging to enhanced game components. The new premium square format box is finished with updated lid art, which paints a richer picture of the settings, immersing the player in the adventure they are about to embark on.

Apex Legends is coming to a tabletop near you.

Image: UK Games Expo.

Apex Legends: The Board Game is a competitive, tactical team-vs-team miniatures game for 2-4 players, with expansions allowing up to 6. Designed to authentically capture the essence of Apex Legends, it delivers the stakes, thrills, and dynamics of the battle royale experience.

The game takes 90-120 minutes and unfolds in two stages: Exploration and Final Zone. In Exploration, players gather resources like weapons, gear, and ammo while securing strategic positions. In Final Zone, action cards drive fast-paced combat, recreating the unforgettable, high-stakes moments Apex Legends is known for—grabbing loot, shielding teammates, and outmanoeuvring opponents.

Each player takes on the role of a unique Legend with distinct passive, active, and ultimate abilities. Tactical decisions, teamwork, and resource management are crucial, as even the strongest Legend is powerless without ammo or allies.

Victory comes by eliminating all opposing teams, with gameplay rewarding strategic coordination and creative use of abilities and equipment. The result is an authentic Apex Legends experience that’s competitive, thrilling, and unforgettable.

Image: Crooked Dice.

Crooked Dice Game Design Studio have teased some new and upcoming releases including a dungeon playmat, a Colony 87 demo and more.

Interns from the Edge Hill development team will be available to talk about this upcoming sci-fi game. Image: Crooked Dice.

Colony 87 is unique for 7TV games – as it has its own unique campaign setting.

Our world-building has been shaped by countless influences as it’s evolved, with a plethora of films, comics, books, TV shows and pop-culture all being thrown into the melting pot to bring life to the city of Vandestad.

We have often used a short-hand of ‘space western’ when describing the Pan-Prosperity and the backwater world of Cerberus. Events like the ‘shard-rush’ also hark back to that frontier spirit, adding another complication to our hive of scum and villainy!

Thanks for reading!