TABLETOP

SCOTLAND
2023
SPONSORED BY

1
2
 WELCOME TO OUR
2023 EVENT!
After 2022’s event, we were reminded how amazing it is
to have you all join us at the convention, and see you
enjoy what we bring together.

2023 is a bit different for 3 reasons.

1. We are open on Friday (from 4pm!) with a full slate

of RPGs, other events and lots of open play.
2. The Yellow Shirt team now includes Gemma and
John L, both have been volunteers since the start
and it’s great to have them on the team.
3. We can’t say what the future holds for Tabletop
Scotland, at least not yet. Given there is an ongoing
risk to the Dewars Centre’s future, we have got
plans for 2024 (and beyond) but it’s too soon to
share them. Once we can tell you, we will tell you.

Since our first event in 2018, Tabletop Scotland has

grown to be one of the biggest and best conventions
in the UK. We want to thank everyone that’s been
involved in making that possible, and for your
continued support. We look forward to 2023’s event
being the best Tabletop Scotland event so far.

Have fun & play well!

Dave, Gemma, John H, John L & Simon

3
4
 CONVENTION HOURS
Front Desk / Open Play
• Friday: 16:00 - 23:00
• Saturday: 09:00 – 23:00
• Sunday: 09:00 – 18:00
Exhibitor Trading
• Saturday: 09:00 – 18:00
• Sunday: 09:00 – 17:00
Playtest Zone
• Saturday: 10:00 – 16:00
• Sunday 10:00 - 16:00
Quiet Room
• Friday: 16:00 - 21:00
• Saturday: 09:00 – 21:00
• Sunday: 09:00 – 16:00

Games Library Food Trucks

• Friday: 16:00 - 22:00 • Friday: 16:00 – 21:00
• Saturday: 09:00 – 22:00 • Saturday: 09:00 - 21:00
• Sunday: 09:00 – 17:00 • Sunday: 09:00 - 16:00

Bring & Buy Bar

• Friday: 16:00 - 18:00 • Friday: 16:00 – 23:00
(Drop Off Only) • Saturday: 11:00 - 23:00
• Saturday: 11:00 – 18:00 • Sunday: 11:00 - 18:00
• Sunday: 10:00 – 16:00

Events are individually timed and occur throughout the

weekend. Where events have spaces, there will be sign-up
sheets near the Front Desk on the Ground Floor.

Convention Team Colour Coding

Convention Team
The convention team will all be wearing Yellow t-shirts.
If you have a question or need any assistance, then they
can help you. Their names are on the backs of their t-shirts.

Volunteers
Our volunteers are the team who make sure every part of
the convention works. As with the convention team they are
here to answer your questions and provide assistance. They
are all wearing Red t-shirts.
Event Coordinators
Events are a key part of our convention and those who are
hosting those events will be wearing Blue t-shirts.

5
 Cash Machine
The is no cash
machine onsite. Whilst
our exhibitors will take
debit & credit cards,
the nearest cash
machines are at ALDI
and Morrisons. Both
are less than a 10-
minute walk.
Note: Bring & Buy,
Charity Prize Draw
and Tuck Shop are
Cash Only.
General Information
1. Your convention badge must be worn at all times.
2. Alcohol from the bar is permitted throughout the venue
however we ask all attendees to act & drink responsibly.
3. Our Code of Conduct and Anti-Harassment policy must
be adhered to. Report incidents to Red or Yellow shirts.
4. First Aid is provided by venue staff, please let a Red or
Yellow shirt know if you require assistance.
5. Smoking / Vaping is not permitted within the venue. Use
the designated area at the front of the venue.
6. Wheelchair Access: The venue is accessible via
wheelchair. External access is via a ramp or from the
underground car park you can access the lift by
contacting Dewars Centre reception via a buzzer.
Disabled toilets are on the ground floor only.
The location of the lifts are marked on the floor plan.
7. Parking: There are 380 car parking spaces at the venue.
Validate your ticket at reception for reduced prices:
Friday / Saturday : £2.00 | Sunday: Free
Perth has many car parks if the venue car park is full
https://www.pkc.gov.uk/article/14739/Parking-in-Perth-
City-Centre
8. The Park & Ride bus service from Broxden is operated by
Stagecoach. More information can be found here:
https://www.pkc.gov.uk/article/14949/Park-and-Ride
Buses stop outside the venue, and takes ~10 minutes.
6
9. Wi-Fi: The venue has free Wi-Fi which must be registered
for. There are signs throughout the venue with
information on how to access.
10. Quiet Room: The Kinnoul Room is available for anyone to
use as a quiet space. It is on the ground floor and can be
accessed via the Front Desk or the Strathearn (Bowling)
Hall. No gaming is permitted in the Quiet Room.
11. Lost & Found: If you find any items that may have been
left by another attendee please inform a Red or Yellow
shirt who will take it to the Front Desk for safe keeping. If
you have lost any items then please ask at the Front
Desk. We cannot be held liable for items lost. Where
items are not claimed, we will hand them into Perth
Police Station and you should contact them directly:
www.scotland.police.uk/secureforms/lost-property/
12. Taxis: Here are some Taxi numbers should you need to
travel without a car or using public transport.
o A&B Taxis: 01738 634567 / 446688 / 636663 / 444234
o Ace Taxis: 01738 444000
o Perth Radio Taxis: 01738 580058

Enjoying Tabletop Scotland 2023?

Got a one day ticket and want to stay longer?

Upgrade at reception for the cost difference

between tickets.

7
 FIND GAMES & GAMERS
We have two options to help you find games to play and to
meet other gamers.

• Game Finder on https://game.tabletopscotland.co.uk/

or
• Use our Players Wanted and Teachers Wanted signs. You
can pick these up at the Games Library

3.GAMES
WWW.EXIT2
INTS
RADICAL PA S
MINIATURE
INCLUSIVE ES
TASTIC SK IRMISH GAM
FAN

WWW.EXIT23.GAMES
8
 GAMES LIBRARY
Looking to play a game before you buy it? Come to the
Games Library and you can do exactly that. You can
borrow games throughout your time at Tabletop Scotland.

Our games library is provided by the team at Rent, Shuffle &

Roll, and they are on hand to help you.
How does it work? Opening Hours

• Go to the Library desk • Friday: 16:00 - 22:00

• Give a £10 cash deposit • Saturday: 09:00 – 22:00
& a mobile number • Sunday: 09:00 – 17:00
• Receive your library card
• Explore the games library Notes
• Choose one game at a
time to borrow • Games cannot be taken
• Head to the Library desk outside the venue
• We scan the game and • Games must be returned
your card no later than 10pm on
• Find a table and PLAY! Friday & Saturday, and
4pm on Sunday
Returning a game? • If deposits are not
reclaimed, we donate
• Box up the game, make the money to our charity:
sure everything is there! Scottish Autism
• Take the game back to
the Library
• We re-scan the game
and your card
• We return the game to
the shelves
• You can now look for
another game to play

Finished using the Library?

• Go to the Library
• Hand in your library card
• We give you back your
£10 deposit Find out more at
• Done! rentshuffleandroll.co.uk

9
 Community, Conventions & Clubs. Oh my!
Steve Ironside
When I was asked to put together some words for the
Tabletop Scotland guide, I wondered what value I could
add to a usually brilliantly thought-out publication.

In the 30 seconds or so it took my fingers to reach the

keyboard, however, I knew what I wanted to say. So, I want
to take a moment to talk about communities of every size –
from local clubs to the global community!

My name is Steve, and I’m a community

builder (professionally in IT, and as part of
my love of gaming). I’m a founder and
president of the Knights of Trinity – a
games club in Aberdeen that’s been
running for more than 21 years, with over
100 members. I’ve organised and aided
at conventions, judged tournaments,
refereed LRP, and been involved with
writing, playtesting and demo teams for RPGs. I hope that
means that I can offer some insights on this subject, and
maybe some suggestions too.

When the world shut down in 2020 because of the COVID-19

pandemic (I apologise for casting us back to that memory),
every single community on the planet was forced to
change, in ways both subtle and gross. Most survived, some
didn’t – but none got away unscathed. Suddenly,
community organisers were forced to work at the speed of
Internet and clubs that were a laid-back, weekly affair were
suddenly confronted with "going digital” and becoming a
full-on 24/7 operation. Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Discord and
Slack memberships all shot up as people tried to stay in
touch; gaming tools like Roll20 and
FoundryVTT found demand for their services
unlike anything they had seen before.

While technology helped, a darker side rose

too. Our new reliance on the Internet let the
trolls in. It was easy to adopt the worst habits
of online behaviour and discussions that
should have been resolved in 10 minutes

10
“down the pub” perpetuated in forums and WhatsApp
groups.
I’ve spoken about this to other community leaders and
know I’m not alone in this view. After climbing out from its
quarantine cave, the world seems to be less tolerant and
forgiving. Tempers are shorter, disagreements rapidly
escalate into full on arguments, and people seem less willing
to help others. We’ve perhaps lost practice in tolerance.
We used to have strategies for putting up with other people
when they didn’t agree with us, but it’s only taken a couple
of years to get rusty.

This is why conventions – like Tabletop Scotland – and local

gaming clubs are important. They serve as a way for us to
relearn how to be part of a community by bringing us
together in person rather than on a screen. Please support
these communities, and let’s make gaming a welcoming
hobby again!

If Tabletop Scotland have been their usual efficient selves,

then you’ll find a list of games clubs and stores in the guide.
[Editor note: See pages 18 & 19!] Seek them out and use
them! These are all friendly groups who are passionate
about the same things you are.

Support conventions! The fact that you’re reading this

means that you do, but even if you can’t make it to all of
them, please share and spread advertising for events, so
others can get involved.

Finally, and most importantly, do your bit to improve the

hobby in your area. From grandiose things, like volunteering
at conventions and clubs, to chatting
with folks at the local gaming store. Even
small stuff, like pausing to consider
someone’s feelings at your gaming table
before roasting them for doing
something that you think is “wrong” can
help make our roleplaying experiences
better!

Whatever you do, though, have fun!

11
 Play a board game, invest in future you!
Kristine Wright
I personally love the educational aspect of
board games, from science to history,
arithmetic to geometry, I think almost
every board game can teach us
something new. Hands up if you knew
what the word orthogonally meant before
playing a board game. Honestly? Did
you? I’m pretty sure most of us didn’t.

Think about your favourite board game and what it has

taught you, has it increased your mental arithmetic
capabilities? Taught you about a period of history you knew
nothing about? Improved your spelling? I am a
Microbiologist when I am not wearing one of my other
gaming related hats (of which there are many) and one
thing I do love is to seek out games that I can use to teach
my friends/gaming buddies/other half about the science I
work with. But what are the other benefits of our hobby
(other than just being fun)?

Many of us know the benefits of board gaming for our kids.

They teach them social interaction, forward planning skills,
teamwork, how to be a gracious winner (or loser), help them
develop key arithmetic skills, and can be valuable for other
areas of their education. In fact, there is a growing board
schooling scene which I have watched develop over the
past 4 or 5 years, where parents use board games to
complement their kids traditional education.

But what about those of us who are that little bit older?
What benefits do we get from playing board games? The
obvious ones are social, as we age our responsibilities pretty
much deny us a lot of the freedom we had in our teens and
twenties, and this can lead to feelings of loneliness and
isolation. Gaming allows us to have friends over and enjoy a
break from the daily grind. But this is not the only benefit of
board gaming.

12
Would you believe me if I told you that a lot of board games
actually help to relax you and lower your blood pressure?
What about that they can heighten your senses and help
slow down the development of memory add cognitive
issues?

Sitting at the table with a board game can help you relax
and unwind after a stressful day, the release of endorphins
when gaming relaxes our muscles and increases blood
circulation lowering our blood pressure. There is a study
which was published in the British Medical Journal (1) which
showed the risk of developing dementia reduced by 15% in
those who play board games, and a 68 year-long study
(Yeah, the length of that study also astounded me) which
took place in Scotland and was published in the Journal of
Gerontology (2) found that more frequent gaming (cards,
chess, bingo and crosswords), resulted in a higher learning,
thinking, reasoning, remembering, problem solving, decision
making, and attention functions at age 70 than those who
did not play games frequently.

So yeah, we have more than one excuse to have our friends

round/challenge our partners to a game a couple of nights
a week. Science says it’s good for us. Investing in our future
selves while having fun enjoying the latest hotness has to be
a win/win, right?
(1) Dartigues JF, Foubert-Samier A, Le Goff M, et al
Playing board games, cognitive decline and dementia: a French
population-based cohort study
BMJ Open 2013;3:002998.
https://bmjopen.bmj.com/
content/3/8/e002998

(2) Altschul DM & Deary IJ,

Playing Analog Games Is
Associated With Reduced
Declines in Cognitive Function:
A 68-Year Longitudinal Cohort
Study, The Journals of
Gerontology: 2020;73:3:474-
482. https://academic.oup.
com/psychsocgerontology/
article/75/3/474/5628188

13
CHARITY PARTNER
Scottish Autism is dedicated
to enabling autistic people to
lead happy, healthy and
fulfilling lives.
Donate here: https://www.
justgiving.com/page/
tabletop-scotland-2023
www.scottishautism.org

Help raise money in many ways.

Artwork

Scottish Autism will have artwork

created by their community.
Buy it to support them.

Bring & Buy

10% of revenue will be used as

part of our overall fund raising.

Prize Draw
Win tabletop prizes and help us
raise money at the same time.

• Visit the Scottish Autism stand in

the Strathmore (Ice Rink) Hall.
• For every £1 donated you will
be given five tickets.
• If any ticket ends in a 5, you
have won something! Choose
from the selection available.

Tuck Shop

The Scottish Autism team will be

selling various snack foods
throughout the convention. All
profits from that will go towards
their fundraising.

14
 PLAYTEST ZONE!
Our Playtest Zone is on Saturday & Sunday. Fill in a feedback
form to help designers refine their games.
Why should I playtest games?
It’s an excellent way for designers to get feedback before
publishing. It’s an opportunity for you to try games and know
that your feedback will help bring that game to life.

List correct at time of going to print.

The Tabletop Scotland Playtest Zone is

hosted by Keith McLeman of
Cardboard & Coffee Games.

15
 An ode to attendees.
Richard Simpson
Raise your meeples, your die or dice. Hold aloft your DM
screens and pencils worn. Elevate your bags of preloved
games and pre packed sandwiches, spin your lanyards and
shout.
Let us honour those who have walked these halls today and
today’s past.
Here’s to those who travelled to Scotland’s Heart, with heart,
to share their hobbies, to show their passions and darlings.
Here’s to the last minute hotel bookers and the commuters,
the train sitters and bus riders, to the early car park arrivers
and residential pavement parkers.
Here’s to the bring and buyers, to those who arrive with one
pile and leave with another slightly bigger pile.
To the coveted treasure hunters armed with reusable
canvas bags and hopeful smiles.
Here’s to the advanced ticket buyers and last minute
queuers and the angels on the desk that with gentle
fabulousness keep us ticketed and walking through. Thank
them.
Here’s to the planners with their mapped out hours and
where they’ll be spending their time on cardboard
engagements from organised arrangements.
To those who simply stand and stare at the library of
cardboard as it overwhelms them with gentle possibilities.
Here’s to the guides that take them softly under their wing
and help them decide, sending them down new paths and
adventures.
Here’s to demonstrators who sit you down and instruct and
introduce you to games and fun governed by rules with
friendly unlimited enthusiasm.
To the Contact Starship simulations teaching teamwork and
making captains of us all. We salute you.
Here’s to the shouts and screams of those who walk the
plank, pirates of mirth and laughter and pray for those
around them hoping for a quiet port in a storm.
To the parents spending analogue times making memories
and leaving the screen based babysitter at home. You’re
one of the good ones.

16
Here’s to the child friendly zones, those here to fuel and
spark Imagination, showing us Rhino Heroes and token
based smiles.
To the tables that carry the weight of cardboard, fun times,
rules learning and new friendships, fulfilling that promise to
play that game.
Here’s to the lunchtime queue, where we share our tales of
games found and bought and of plans for the day and a
hope that the sausage rolls aren’t finished.
To the retailers who stand with their piles of pressed and print
trees hoping to seduce the money from our pockets and
offer us a chance to belay that fear of missing out.
Here’s to the Dice sellers who offer multi sided treats that you
hope increase your odds and allow you to do anything
except die.
To the pub quiz and its teams and its questions and last
year's grudge matches and this year's triumphs, all based on
knowledge of facts that only have use in that one room.
Here’s to the Crokinole, watching flicking fingers kissing disks
with the light touches while underneath their feet the curling
rink lies in a jealous rage.
To the roll players, creating worlds, fighting beasts and being
the best versions of their mythic selves all with only paper,
voices and dice.
Here’s to the crowdfunders asking you to step lightly on their
dreams, and hoping you see a hint of their vision. Hoping to
inspire a crowd.
Here’s to Bez, resplendent in red with rhyming names for
rhyming games and raising laughter and energy and joy all
these times.
To those friends we know online, that we meet like long lost
siblings, no awkwardness, big smiles, who always are taller
than we imagined.
Here’s to the Tabletop Scotland team led by a man whose
Wright was to build something for us geeks to retreat to in
large numbers.
Mostly, here’s to you, for giving us your time, your trust, and
your faith in our plans to help bring you joy and raise your
spirits and your smiles. Here’s hoping the trade for memories
repays what you’ve given us.

17
 Scotland’s game shops & clubs
Scotland is blessed with some fantastic tabletop game
shops and clubs. Find your nearest one by reviewing our lists.

Stores in bold have exhibited or hosted events at a Tabletop

Scotland convention.
Town / City Shop Name Website
Aberdeen Asylum Books & Games h�ps://asylum-booksandgames.com/
Aberdeen Geek Retreat h�ps://www.facebook.com/GeekRetreatAberdeen/
Aberdeen Plan 9 h�ps://freshcomics.us/shop/uk-plan9/scotland-aberdeen
Aberdeen Tabletop Minis h�ps://www.tabletopminis.co.uk/
Airdrie The Last Output h�ps://www.thelastoutpostcomics.co.uk/
Ayr Boom! h�ps://www.facebook.com/boomandminiboom
Bathgate Knightly Gaming h�ps://www.knightlygaming.co.uk/
Callander Karnak Comics h�ps://karnakcomics.com/
Cumbernauld Castle Comics h�ps://castlecomicsuk.co.uk/
Dundee Highlander Games h�ps://highlandergames.co.uk/
Dunfermline Accent Gaming h�p://www.accentgaming.co.uk/
Dunfermline Warbases h�ps://warbases.co.uk/
Edinburgh Ancient Robot Games www.ancientrobotgames.co.uk
Edinburgh Black Lion Games h�ps://www.facebook.com/blacklionedinburgh
Edinburgh Blackwells h�ps://www.facebook.com/BlackwellEdGame
Edinburgh Games Hub h�ps://www.facebook.com/GamesHubEdinburgh
Edinburgh Mox in the Hole h�ps://moxinthehole.co.uk/
Edinburgh Red Dice Games h�p://www.reddicegames.com/
Elgin The Pop Shop h�ps://thepopshopelgin.co.uk/
Fraserburgh R&S Dyga h�ps://www.facebook.com/R-S-Dyga-118077885011403
Glasgow Geek Retreat h�ps://www.facebook.com/GeekRetreatGlasgow
Glasgow Geek-aboo h�ps://www.geek-aboo.com/
Glasgow Sta�c Games h�ps://a1toys.com/
Glasgow Top Hat & Bishop h�ps://tophatandbishop.co.uk/
Glasgow West End Games Ltd h�ps://www.westendgames.co.uk/
Hamilton Se�lers h�ps://www.se�lersestore.com/
Inverness Ellerium Games h�ps://elleriumgames.co.uk/
Kilmarnock Sta�on Gamers h�ps://ksrht.org/sta�on-gamers/
Largs Bus Stop Toy Shop h�p://www.busstoptoyshop.com/
Motherwell Geek Retreat h�ps://www.facebook.com/GeekRetreatMotherwell/
Newton Stewart The Hobby Burrow h�ps://www.facebook.com/HobbyBurrow
Paisley Comicrazy h�ps://comicrazy.co.uk/
Peebles SubAComic h�ps://subacomic.shop/
Polbeth, West Calder Cards Den h�ps://www.cardsden.co.uk
S�rling Common Ground h�p://www.commongroundgames.co.uk/
Strathaven Board Hoarders h�ps://www.boardhoarders.co.uk/

18 http://tiny.cc/ScotGameShops
 Town / City Club Name Website
h�ps://www.facebook.com/Aberdeen-Wargames-Club-
Aberdeen Aberdeen Wargames Club
169929073038704/
Aberdeen Knights of Trinity h�ps://www.facebook.com/Knights.of.Trinity
Alyth Game Square Alyth h�ps://www.facebook.com/GameSquareAlyth/
Annan Annan Gaming Club www.facebook.com/groups/521726434613476
Anstruther East Neuk Tabletop Games www.eastneuktabletop.org
Arbroath Friockheim Tabletop Club h�ps://www.facebook.com/groups/383319935738361/
Banff Banffshire Geeks and Gamers h�ps://www.facebook.com/groups/banffshiregamers/
h�ps://www.facebook.com/events/
Bonnyrigg Midlothian Games Club
2361527870759890/
h�ps://www.facebook.com/Goblins-and-Gubbins-
Coatbridge Goblins and Gubbins
101631729191680
Dumfries Dumfries Gamers h�ps://www.facebook.com/dumfriesgamers/
Dunbar Dunbar Boardgame Club h�ps://www.facebook.com/DunbarBoardgameClub/
Dundee Dundee Wargames Club h�ps://www.dundeewargames.co.uk/
h�ps://www.facebook.com/groups/
Dundee Dundee RPG Club
dundeeroleplayingclub/
h�ps://www.facebook.com/groups/
Dundee World's End D&D
1683978771830199/
Dunfermline Wargaming and
Dunfermline h�ps://www.facebook.com/DWARFclub/
Roleplaying Fellowship
East
Antonine Board Gamers www.facebook.com/antonineboardgamers/
Dunbartonshire
East Kilbride Sco�sh Fana�cs h�ps://www.facebook.com/EKTGC/
Edinburgh Edinburgh Board Gamers h�ps://www.meetup.com/Edinburgh-Gamers/
Edinburgh Board Gamers
Edinburgh h�ps://www.facebook.com/groups/edibgconnect/
Connect
h�ps://www.facebook.com/groups/
Edinburgh Edinburgh Indie Gamers
EdinburghIndieGamers/
Edinburgh Juniper Green Board-Gamers h�ps://www.facebook.com/groups/393090567800456/
Edinburgh North Edinburgh Gamers Group h�ps://www.facebook.com/groups/1223903751699394
Edinburgh Open Roleplaying Community h�ps://orcedinburgh.co.uk
h�ps://rphaven.co.uk/games/category/edinburgh-
Edinburgh Role Play Haven
branch/
Edinburgh Wa� Gamers h�ps://www.facebook.com/groups/wa�gamers
h�ps://www.facebook.com/groups/
Fraserburgh Broch Board Game Night
1641251765927857/
Freuchie Howe To Play (Tabletop Games) h�ps://www.facebook.com/groups/howetoplay
Glasgow Glasgow Wargaming Society h�ps://www.facebook.com/glasgowwargames/
Glasgow Glasgow Board Games h�ps://www.facebook.com/groups/263536471024016/
Glasgow Glasgow Games Group h�p://www.g3gamers.co.uk/
Glasgow Unplugged Shawlands h�ps://www.facebook.com/UnplugGame/
h�ps://www.facebook.com/groups/
Grangemouth Falkirk District Wargames Club
1955877781294035/
Hamilton ML2 Gamers h�ps://www.facebook.com/groups/163708224079373/
HAHA- Helensburgh Alterna�ve
Helensburgh h�ps://www.facebook.com/HAHAHelensburgh/
Hobby Associa�on
Inverurie Shire Gaming Club h�ps://www.facebook.com/groups/846619568807838
Irvine North Ayrshire Wargames Club h�ps://www.facebook.com/NAWGC/
Kilmarnock Sta�on Gamers h�ps://ksrht.org/sta�on-gamers/
Kinross Kinross Tabletop Club https://m.facebook.com/groups/
1350420999138459/
Kirkcaldy Kirkcaldy Meeple Club h�ps://www.facebook.com/Kirkcaldymeepleclub
Leven Levenmouth, Gamers h�ps://www.facebook.com/groups/731837708140889
Lundin Links Lundin Board & Card h�ps://www.facebook.com/groups/333695333712772
Motherwell Lanarkshire Gamers h�ps://www.facebook.com/groups/261557973924682/
Nairn Nairn Boardgamers h�ps://�nyurl.com/Nairnbg
Perth Perth Wargames Club h�ps://facebook.com/groups/135861000340151

19 http://tiny.cc/ScotGameClubs
 BRING & BUY
The Tabletop Scotland Bring & Buy is a fantastic way for you
sell games that you’re not playing anymore and buy games
that are out of print / stock! It’s also a great way to support
our 2023 Charity, as 10% of all sales revenue from the Bring &
Buy goes towards our charity fundraising for Scottish Autism.

While at the convention you can check what’s available

and monitor what you have sold via our GAME system -
https://game.tabletopscotland.co.uk/

Please note: The Bring & Buy is a CASH ONLY service.

Our team are on hand to help you with the process of

checking in your games and cashing out before you leave.
Selling! Checking In

• Games must be listed via • Friday: 16:00 – 18:00

the GAME system prior to
checking them in
• Loose items must be in a
bundle and secured
• 10% (rounded up) goes
towards our fundraising
for Scottish Autism.
• Please price responsibly!
• Items are left at the risk of
the Seller, Tabletop
Scotland accepts no
liability for your items
• Money/items uncollected
by Sunday 16:00 will be
kept as donations.
(Drop Off Only)
• Saturday: 09:00 onwards
• Sunday: 09:00 onwards
Buying
• Saturday: 11:00 - 18:00
• Sunday: 10:00 - 16:00
Cashing Out
• Saturday: 14:00 - 18:00
• Sunday: 14:00 - 16:00
Notes

Buying! • CASH ONLY!

• At peak periods we may
• CASH ONLY! have to cap attendees in
• Tabletop Scotland has no the Bring & Buy.
liability for items bought at • We may have to limit
the Bring & Buy number of games added
• Refunds are not possible to the library if supply is
• All available items are too high. Choose wisely.
online during the • No reservations or holds
convention for games are possible.

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21
CONVENTION

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FLOOR PLAN

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FIRST FLOOR MAP

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 FOOD TRUCKS
Our food trucks are outside the front of the venue. These will
cater for all diet and other related requirements you have!

Diamond’s Diner

Classic snack van serving

breakfast rolls, cold filled rolls,
burgers, paninis, toasties and
salad boxes.

Fergie’s Kitchen

All dishes are dairy, eggs and

meat free.
Some may contains nuts,
mushrooms and gluten.

Yellow Coloured Café

Vintage Horsebox serving 12”

pizzas with our homemade sauce
and our famous Yellow
Cheesecakes.

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 EVENTS
ARKHAM HORROR
The Card Game
Hay Room (1st Floor)
Saturday @ 10:00

Multiplayer event three rival

cults seeks to summon its own
Ancient One.

Can the investigators survive

being caught in the middle of
this war, or will our world be
torn asunder?

BLOOD ON THE CLOCKTOWER

Skate Hire (Reception)

Friday @ 7pm
Saturday @ 12pm, 3pm & 7pm
Sunday @ 11am & 3pm

Take part in the social bluffing

game everyone is talking
about, where the Storytellers
lead each game to a nail-
biting conclusion.

CONTACT
Starship Training Programme
Boardroom
Throughout Saturday &
Sunday

Enlist today and become

Humanity's best hope in the
stars!
Contact is a real-time starship
bridge simulation.

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 EVENTS
CROKINOLE!
Hay Room (1st Floor)
Saturday
Learn To Play @ 12:00
Grand Prix Event @ 14:00

Learn to play the greatest

game on Earth and / or take
part in our friendly Grand Prix
tournament.

DEAD MAN’S HAND

Strathearn (Bowling) Hall
Saturday: Learn To Play All Day
Sunday: Aces & Eights @ 09:30

A skirmish game of tough and

wily Cowboys, stoic Lawmen,
ruthless Outlaws and crazy
Desperados fight for fame
and respect in the Old West.

DOOMTOWN: WEIRD WEST

Hay Room (1st Floor)
Saturday @ 16:00

Doomtown is an expandable
card game set in the Weird
West of Pinnacle
Entertainment’s legendary
Deadlands RPG setting, which
combines the Western and
horror genres, with some
steampunk elements.

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 EVENTS
HOBBYCRAFT!
Strathearn (Bowling) Hall
Saturday & Sunday

Go from a bare figure to a

finished figure within 90
minutes.
These tutorials involve some
1:1 coaching and you will
come away having learned
some new skills.
Miniatures provided or bring
your own (pre-primed!).

GIANT WALK THE PLANK!

Strathearn (Bowling) Hall
Saturday @ 14:30
Sunday @ 11:00

Team game where players

are trying to stop their pirates
from walking the plank and
visiting Davy Jones’ Locker!

The game will be available for

adhoc play outside of the
event timings.

WARHAMMER UNDERWORLDS
Nemesis Event
Hay Room (1st Floor)
Sunday @ 09:30

Play four best-of-three

matches in our one-day
Nemesis event.
Test your skills against a
parade of tacticians hoping
to be crowned as the winner.

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 ROLEPLAYING GAMES!
We have more RPGs than ever before happening at
Tabletop Scotland. D&D Adventurers League is in the Gallery
and all other RPGs are in the Gannochy.
With the exception of the D&D 5E Epic events, all of our RPG
sessions have two spaces reserved for booking at the
convention and sign up sheets can be found at reception.

For the first time we’re experimenting with Games on

Demand, and we’re delighted to have a variety of
Pathfinder Society games on the schedule this year too.

Approximately 5-10 minutes prior to the RPG starting, our

team will start the ‘muster’ in the appropriate room. This is
where the GM for each game will be named, along with the
game that they are running and the sign up sheet will be
given to them. If you’re playing in that game then you
should go to that table. Note that the Games on Demand
and Pathfinder Society events are on a slightly different
schedule than other games.
All roleplaying games at Tabletop Scotland utilise the X-Card
safety tool as a minimum standard.
If anything in the game makes anyone at the
table uncomfortable, they either lift the card
or simply tap it. They don’t have to explain
why.
The GM will adjust the game accordingly.

Find out more about the X-Card here: http://

tinyurl.com/x-card-rpg

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ROLEPLAYING GAMES!

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ROLEPLAYING GAMES!

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ROLEPLAYING GAMES!

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ROLEPLAYING GAMES!

33
 The secret to being a great RPG player?
Play more RPGs!
Gilly McBride
As a huge fan of RPGs, I'm always looking for ways to be a
better GM and player and happily, the most effective way
I've found of improving both of those abilities is by playing
more RPGs!

I started as many people do playing D&D 5th edition and

while I still have enormous fun playing and running D&D
(come say Hi when I'm running a table at the D&D Epic on
Saturday night!), I have learned a lot of great RPG skills by
experimenting with different systems and rulesets.

Here are some of my favourites, which are available to be

played at Tabletop Scotland.

• Call of Cthulhu is a horror

game, which says what if
instead of being a wizard
who's fighting dragons,
you’re an Antique dealer
who's investigating a
mystery?

This is not your typical D&D power fantasy where you can
realistically fight a giant or a dragon and walk away to
tell the tale.
Character death and TPKs (total party kills, where every
character dies) are common and these high stakes lead
to some incredible character moments with noble
sacrifices and desperate last stands. Every character is a
"normal" person and many start the game not believing
in the occult and supernatural until they start to
encounter events and creatures that either become
impossible to deny, or stress their mind to the point of
breaking.

Playing this game taught me to really embrace the risk of

character death in RPG’s, and to embrace failed rolls
and dangerous situation in game because of the way
they can lead to much more interesting stories. Call of
Cthulhu works fantastically well as a one shot where you

34
 can easily playthrough a complete adventure in a short
time and is a great way to spend a few hours making
new friends during convention play.

• From creatures that come from

space, to people trying to make a
living in space - Traveller is a
science fiction game where you
play as a crew of a spaceship
desperately trying to survive in a
galactic landscape populated by
rival mercenaries, evil empires,
and traders who may or may not
be operating within the confines of the law.

Infamous for the fact that your character can die during
character creation (yes, really) the character creation
system in this game is a really unique and interesting way
to build a rich and meaningful backstory with strong
connections to the other player characters.

You could go into the character creation in this game,

which is a mini game in itself, with a strong sense of what
sort of character you want to build but the dice could
have their own idea and throw up something completely
different. When I played this game, I loved that I ended
character creation with a character in their mid-forties,
retired from the air force with a knee injury and a long
history of dramatic missions and life changing events that
were intrinsically tied into the lives of my other party
members.

During convention play you may not get to experience

that aspect of the game due to the time constraint of a
single session but what you will get to experience is
exciting missions, dramatic story beats, a lethal combat
system and plenty of laughs.
• The final game I’m going to talk about is my newest
obsession, and the one that’s taught me the most about
not just storytelling, but true collaborative storytelling and
worldbuilding and how much of a richer game is
created as a result.

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The game is Brindlewood Bay,
where you play as elderly women
solving murder mysteries in their
sleepy seaside town, and starting to
uncover a dark conspiracy.
Brindlewood Bay is described as a
cozy creepy game and it has a
wonderful juxtaposition of cozy
influences like Murder She Wrote,
with a creepy Cthulhu-esq
background plot unfolding in a
really interesting and fun way.
There’s a lot I love about this game.
Firstly, playing as an elderly woman
and getting to really lean into and
play with some of those characterisations and tropes will
never not be fun for me. I also really enjoy the ‘Paint the
Scene’ moments in the game, when the GM introduces
a new environment and then asks the players to paint
the scene by describing something about it.

Every time I run this game I see the players get excited to
bring their own additions to the world at these points and
this is definitely a GM’ing tool I’ll take with me when I run
other systems and games. The really innovative part of
Brindlewood Bay (and other games from the same
publisher using the ‘Carved from Brindlewood’
mechanics) is that no one, not even the GM or writer,
knows the solution to the mystery. Instead, the players
build it together by taking seemingly vague clues to form
a narrative of what might have happened, then roll
some dice to find out if their solution is correct, with each
clue incorporated granting a bonus to the roll. This
means that you could play the same mystery 20 times
and reach 20 different correct solutions.

I'm running a game of Brindlewood Bay on Sunday at

Tabletop Scotland but if you don't get a chance to join
that table, you can find it published by The Gauntlet and
available on DriveThruRPG along with other Carved From
Brindlewood games from the same publisher like The
Between (monsterhunters in Victorian London) and
Public Access (Latchkey Kids investigating a mysterious
town with a TV station that’s literally disappeared).

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Gilly is a GM and player of a variety of RPG’s.
You can find her as a player in the
Call of Cthulhu actual play podcast
“Stars Are Right”, named alongside
the Chaosium official production
and Critical Role’s Call of Cthulhu
oneshot as one of “5 great Call of
Cthulhu…podcasts to tune into”
(Blizzardwatch.com), or as a GM
running a Brindlewood Bay oneshot
on the ‘Exquisite Corpse Presents’
Twitch and YouTube channels.

At Tabletop Scotland this year Gilly is running a table at the

Saturday night D&D epic and a Great British Bake Off
themed Brindlewood Bay one shot on Sunday afternoon.

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 Ticket to Railroad Tycoon
Andy Stallard
We start when Holly was about 2 or 3. Matthew was 7.
Smaller kids take up a ton of time and we were really keen
to make sure Matthew was actually getting some of our
attention. Winters are long in Scotland and Christmas was
coming.

I remembered playing Railroad Tycoon on PC in a previous

life and vaguely remembered it was based on a board
game. So we Googled “train board games” and bought
Ticket to Ride. Wrong game as it turned out (it was Railways
of the World) but that didn’t matter…

Ticket to Ride kicked us off, Matthew was

enraptured, and other games soon followed,
but TTR held a special place in our hearts.
When Holly was a bit older she played as well;
we either gave her Seattle to New York
(oranges and lemons line- orange and yellow
required) or Los Angeles to Miami (chocolate
line- green and blacks). We played around her. It was great.

Small World was next. Rachel, the significantly better half,

loved it. She still does. “Flying Sorcerers” was the first of many
homemade t-shirts that Matthew never took off.
A whole new vocabulary took over;
• Zero sum
• Meeple
• Worker placement
• Deck builder
We loved it all.

We really fancied Castles of Mad King Ludwig- it was top of

Matthew’s Christmas list. It was out of stock everywhere but
we eventually snagged it unbeknownst to him. We were on
holiday and had a couple of days stop over in Fussen- home
of the actual castle. We went up there. Matthew hoped
they’d have the game. They didn’t. He was devastated.
We never told him we already had it. Bad parents…
Gloomhaven really changed it up again for us. We waited
with eager anticipation for month after endless month for

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the 2nd Kickstarter to, well, kick in. We’d
agonised over every card, every character,
every item before we’d even got the game.
Matthew was the Cragheart- homemade T
shirt for Christmas “Brickhead – Rock Hard”.
Replacing the Flying Sorcerers.
Gloomhaven arrived 2 days before me and Matthew went
to Essen. We met Isaac the designer on the first day before
he was world famous. He appeared more terrified of a 10
year old kid than Matthew was of meeting his hero.

I remember sitting down at Essen playing a demo of Pulsar

2849. Me and Matthew were joined by a slightly crusty
German chap. He looked at 10 year old Matthew and
shrugged. Matthew wiped the floor with him. Super proud
Dad. Even more proud when he almost “broke” the
prototype of the Endeavor reprint.

It wasn’t our intention, but years of gaming was also

incredibly educational. Constant mental maths, logic
puzzles, strategy. It was all there, and it was evident in both
kids’ education. A nice by product to a great hobby.

Covid happened a year or two later and board

games were a major part of our mental survival
over those impossible months. Both at home and
over Zoom. Quartermaster General saved our
sanity. 3 or 4 different households playing over
Zoom with 3 or 4 boards all updated as we went.
“Has everyone got a German tank in The
Balkans”? One of the lads even set up an
overhead camera. We were mighty impressed until he
revealed it was an IPhone parcel taped to a broom handle.

Covid was eventually over but games weren’t. We still have

Thursday Nerd Nights. Matthew is too cool for them but still
sticks his head round to see what we’re playing and
occasionally allows himself to join in. He’s kidding himself
he’s not interested.

Holly is still hooked. She always wants to be the whites in

Scythe so she can read the stories and she’s always the
vagabond in Root just so she can hold the Sword of
Damacles over the rest of the table.

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She loves to explore at Dead Reckoning and hates that I’m
always a pirate.
I only have 600 words and I notice I’m at 700 already so I’m
going to leave you with my top 10 board gaming moments.
In no particular order.

• Matthew is helping our friend Tanner in Wallenstein.

Tanner decides to attack from a region with precisely
one army. Matthew attempts to point out the error of his
ways. Tanner sticks to his guns, proudly announcing
“nobody will expect it”. At least he was right about that
bit. Tanner is wiped out. Matthew goes to bed in disgust.
• Holly goes last to first in Heat (Pedal to the Metal) after
falling 2 corners behind. The first and last time I have ever
seen it happen.
• Milky has a cup of tea in front of him when we’re playing
Werewolf. EVERYONE tells him to be careful. He isn’t.
Werewolf is soaked. We all chip in for a new one.
Matthew, age 8, comes down from his bedroom and
offers 50p to the kitty.
• Rachel, in every single game we’ve ever played, tells me
I didn’t explain that rule to her.
I always did.
• Tanner goes to Sweden in Quartermaster General in
2018. Nobody to this day knows why.
• Lynne diligently keeps mining and mining in Western
Legends. I keep diligently whacking her over the head
and stealing all of her gold nuggets on the threshold to
the bank. Lynne goes back to mining. And repeat.
• Holly shouts from the neighbouring bathroom, at the top
of her, 7 year old, voice “DADDY, AM I A FASCIST?” as we
embark on a game of Secret Hitler. I expect Social
Services to knock on the door.
• Matthew wipes the floor with me in under an hour, age 9,
at Twilight Struggle after pulling off 3 totally unexpected
scoring cards on the run. And I was really
trying.
• At board game club in the school we play
Werewolf. We recap every role before we
play. 14 eleven year olds shout with
undisguised glee “BECAUSE HE SPENDS THE
WHOLE DAY WITH HIS HANDS IN HORSE’S
WEE” when we establish why the Tanner
wants to die.

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• And this is my favourite.
We’re 3 hours into Twilight Imperium.
Matthew is about 9. He’s sat across
the table from a 40 year old guy
he’s never met. Matthew has the self
destruct guys. He tells the guy he’s
going to drive (and I quote) ‘the fun
bus’ into his sector if he doesn’t give him all his trade
goods.
The guy can’t believe he’s being extorted by a 9 year
old. He pays him the trade goods.
Matthew blows him up anyway.

So there we have it. The best hobby there is. Including golf,
which I play 3 times a week.

The family that plays together stays together and the

memories are priceless.

Just don’t tell them it’s educational.

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