We made it. Under the Dice Fest 2024 is in the books. It went by in a flash, and I can barely recall half of what happened due to being so busy and running around so much. It was an absolute success. Over 140 badge holders attended the weekend. With even more people just hanging out, browsing vendors, and showing up to watch the bands. It turned out to be 3 days of absolute chaos due to so many people turning up on Friday looking to get into some gaming. So I’ll go over it all in order and to the best of my memory. 

Day 0. Zero Hour
Last minute touches to boards were finished up. We met with the table rental company to have 30 tables dropped off for the event. We set up the rough layout and returned to the Hive Scum HQ to gather boards and make drop offs to make the morning set up easier. Friends from near and far began rolling into the studio to help with prep and just hangout. I managed to sneak a 1000 point game of OPR Regiments in with @itswhatevan. 

Day 1. The Day of Reckoning.
New England Mordheim Open at Under the Dice Fest. We arrived at 7AM to get to work setting up tables, loading in boards and placing terrain. Vendors and friends looking to give a hand started arriving shortly after. Players registered on arrival and were given their badges and NEMO welcome pack. Vendors were set, food was being prepped, the music equipment was being set up and the tattooers got to work. We had a total of 89 out of 100 registered players in attendance for NEMO.

I can’t accurately describe the events that took place. I was all over the room at any given moment. Our friends @knottedsword and @cambion set up their shop on wheels and laid down some incredible warhammer and rpg related designs. Multiple dungeonsynth artists played throughout the evening after NEMO died down and open play began. And the night closed with a Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean set. I don’t know of anywhere else you could get all this in one place and I think that’s what really made it special.

Artists that played the show:

BASILISK – OZEREGROTH – UNSHEATHED GLORY
SOMBRE ARCANE – CHAINED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN

NEMO awards went to:

Champions – Most wins, highest warband rating.

1st: Grant @underworldalliance

2nd: Austin

3rd: Mike

Bloody Lip – Most losses, lowest warband rating.

Blerz @blerzcraft


The next winners were voted on by the community.

Best Warband

1st: Marauders of Chaos by @gabrielle.delbianco & their partner.

2nd: Wyrdcelium by @underworldalliance

3rd: Sin Killer by @Gundamofficalhobby

Best Board
1st: Bobby @FavoredTerrain

2nd: Blerz @Blerzcraft

3rd: Steve @Sovthofheaven

Here are some photos of just a fraction of the boards at the event.

Day 2. The Final Day.
This day was off to a slower and later start than the first, which I can only assume is due to the insane 17 hours everyone spent gaming on Saturday. The day started with MCP & Magic the Gathering events kicking off. Shortly After the King of the Kitbash event began. At some point I managed to wrangle 14 people to compete in the Flames of Orion World Championship. 2 rounds of free for all mayhem. With @wittlegoblin coming out on top and taking home the trophy, along with a set of the wonderful @gardensofhecate mechs. After this point it felt like it was the end of the night, but it was only 5PM. So people kept gaming and building for King of the Kitbash until 6 and we did the 50/50 raffle and voted for best kitbash. The winners were in order;

KOTK Champions – These were voted on by the community.
1st: Tyler @tylerisalrightatpaintinng
2nd: Paul @dogpiles
3rd: Blerz @Blerzcraft

I also snuck in another 1000 point game of OPR with @itswhatevan. It was glorious.

There is so much to say but it’s hard for me to articulate how this feels. I just want to let everyone know; I feel very special to have such an awesome community both locally and at large. It seems like the odds are against us at times with the lack of support in some places, but the community always steps up and makes this stuff worth any headaches involved while getting things done. 

Special shout out to Paul, without him, this event would not exist, and I likely would not have taken the time to play the game that unites so many of us now. Another shout out to my brothers in Hive Scum who constantly reign me in and help steer the ship when I’m in manic work mode. Oliver and the kitchen crew for keeping everyone fed and taking that entire burden out of our hands. The Legion for always working with us and being happy to do so despite how unconventional we are. And finally the New England War Council, our local crew of friends who turn up to everything big or small and always show support and are just happy to give feedback, roll dice or hangout.

There is so much more to write but my head is still spinning.

– Steve

Shout out to all of the sponsors of the event:

Wargames Atlantic

Pendraken

Exalted Funeral

Monument Hobbies

Knucklebones Miniatures

Goblins Hut

Sprue Dude

Ramshackle Games

Electi Studios

Chronicle RPG

Between the Bolter & Me podcast

In Rust We Trust discord

Five Star Games