Nick Kyme

Nick: It was way back in April that I first headed over to Cambridge Gaming Room, so it was with keen interest and curiosity that I made my return to see what they'd done with the place. Not only that but I was also eager to have a crack at the new Mines of Moria game being showcased there, thanks to the UK Community Team, and chat to all the hobbyists. Here's how I got on...

The first thing I noticed about the revamped Gaming Room was the tables. A stunning volcano board and a Lustrian jungle temple were the jewels in this particular hobby crown.

The Cambridge Gaming Room's volcano and Lustrian-themed gaming tables.

"We wanted to put themed boards in, so it was a bit more special than a green board," says Manager Dave Pond. Quite right too Dave. But Cambridge has its so-called 'green boards' too, and presents a nice mix of open tables, available to be lavished with scatter terrain for any battle and the aforementioned themed boards too. With six tables of various sizes and landscapes in total, there's loads of capacity for gaming. And it's a feat that has been some time in the making.

"We've been building boards and planning for over two months," Dave tells us. The exact details of which have been greatly influenced by the hobbyists at Cambridge.

"We spoke to the gamers and found out what they wanted." It's indicative of Dave's approach to running the Gaming Room, a place which he sees is for his hobbyists. "It's like your parent's garage, where they throw you to do your gaming." Not literally, of course. But what Dave means it's got that personal feel, like it's your space.

"I think it's great. It's quite big and I really like the lava board."
Josh Bister, hobbyist on the new-look Gaming Room

PAINTING

Ian demonstrates his ultra-fast painting techniques.

These sentiments extend to the painting area too, which has also undergone the makeover treatment – again in response to the demand of the hobbyist. "They wanted a much larger area for painting," says Dave. They got it – six separate painting areas, all with paint stations (this area is multi-purpose too – on a particularly busy gaming night or perhaps when Cambridge plays host to a tournament, this area can take another two 4'x4' gaming tables).

This painting area is also the Gaming Room's 'chill-out' zone. "It's an area where people can commune," Dave explains. Beatnik euphemisms aside, it has a sofa where people can relax, talk tactics and even make their armies. There's music too, so if you want to listen to Ride of the Valkyries whilst pounding you're opponent with Imperial air support, then so be it. Dave wraps it up nicely when he says, "It's a Gaming Room, but it's not just for gaming – it's a hobby room."

"We all sit around the gaming table, swapping tips."
Ian MacKendrick, hobbyist on the Gaming Room

One of Cambridge’s hobbyists, Jodie Folkes, indulging in some sculpting.

Cambridge also has another facet to its painting facilities, brought about as a result of the changes; two single person painting/sculpting tables that bookend the gaming space, front and back.

"We salvaged them from the old Cambridge store," Dave explains (for those of you that don't know, Cambridge has moved around Deep Strike-esque since its inception and to the present day. Rest assured the teleport homer is now firmly fixed in place). "It's designed to be a personal work space," he adds. These tables are perfect for tutorials. "If you want to sculpt or paint quietly, you can." It's also something that Dave is keen to promote, "We're making a big thing of painting lessons – they're free." And the pedigree of painters on hand to provide tips is impressive. Alex Cairns is one name that stands out (his Mortifactors have already been in WD309. Keep your eyes peeled for more) and ex-staffer, now regular hobbyist, Ben Cartwright, is an amateur sculptor extraordinaire.

"It's really nice to sculpt; now there's a proper place for it,
down here amongst the tables."
Jodie Folkes, hobbyist on the painting area

Painting and sculpting tutorials are just one of the refreshed initiatives that Dave is implementing at the new-look Cambridge Gaming Room. Another is its use as a venue for clubs and tournaments. "We've got amazing facilities here," he says, "so make use of it. If you want to organise a tournament, or if you're a club and want to use the Gaming Room, then contact us."

Cambridge is very easy to reach. Simply drop Dave a line at: 0122 3313350.

For more details about the Cambridge Gaming Room and our other Hobby Centres, check out the store finder.

CLUB LINKS One Gaming Club that is affiliated with Cambridge is the Impington School Club, which has recently started to use the Gaming Room for special events and trips when the school is on half term. Yair Doza is a teacher at the school and also runs the club. "We're in our second year. Most of the kids play 40K," he tells us. The club plays and paints regularly and, despite the popularity of Warhammer 40,000, it's for The Lord of The Rings that they are best known, achieving success in the The Lord of The Rings School's League finals in Warhammer World. It seems only fitting then that the club get to visit Cambridge to try out the new Mines of Moria game, and so that's exactly what they did."

THE DARK PLACES OF THE WORLD...

For the first time ever in a Games Workshop Hobby Centre Mines of Moria was played. Community liaison, Prince hurtled over to Cambridge, boards and books in hand, to kick off proceedings.

A Mines of Moria game in full flow under Prince's tutelage.

A healthy throng of hobbyists had gathered and soon the clash of steel on steel in the dark depths of Moria could be heard. Ingeniously Prince and the guys at Cambridge had constructed special mini-tables to play the game on. Although intended for use with the Mines of Moria, these are perfect for any small-scale scenarios and give you a really fun and furious game that's easy to transport around – it all fits into the box. Find out how Prince made his Mines of Moria gaming board.

Nick gets Aragorn stuck in against a Moria Goblin.

So contagious was the atmosphere around the tables that I simply had to have a go myself. In seconds the board was set and I threw down against staffer Scott Godfrey. I had a great game, wielding the Fellowship like a big club, boshing Scott's Goblins all across the length and breadth of Balin's Tomb. I was really surprised at the speed and intensity of the game, all just using the models and scenery in the box.

We played 'Battle in Balin's Tomb' and I need to kill the Cave Troll to be victorious, while ensuring I didn't lose four members of the Fellowship. In the end it was a victory for the Fellowship – though I lost Gandalf and Merry – the likes of Boromir, Gimli and Aragorn felling the Cave Troll through their combined efforts, while the rest of the Hobbits held off Goblin reinforcements by sealing up the trapdoors and Legolas took care of any that came through after the Cave Troll – result!

"It's awesome, the Hobbits are awesome!"
Yair Doza on the Mines of Moria (he was controlling the Hobbits)

Next: Building Prince's Mines of Moria gaming board

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