Messages

So sorry to hear this news. Blunt was a true character and a great laugh to have around at the Lan but also while gaming with online.

I think Oldie sums it up great here "as a man who epitomised the dMw ethos". I will echo this comment as he always brought the positivity to the CS, Battlefield, COD etc gaming servers, and never took it out on anyone no matter how bad a player we were, when trying to support his soon to fail plans of attack. A true gent (minus the knifing incidents) and a cracking wit which will be missed greatly.

I have lots of memories of him and NVG coming back from Leonardo's with pizza and saying how rubbish it was but then going back the next night anyway.

I for one will be raising my glass to him tonight and also several times at the next Lan in October.

My condolences to you Tox and the family.

yep I don't mind going south about on the M25. Slightly longer drive but not by a massive amount so happy to do both ways for a contribution to fuel costs oh and a pint :beer:

Room booked, form filled in and arriving Thursday. Sharing twin with Ghosty for my sins.

I also have lots and lots of DVD sat in boxes in the loft with no likelihood of ever been watched again. I do wonder what to do with them all as it seems such a waste to me.

I'll be there too.  Ticket already bought.

Is that VIP ticket mate? and just you or is the lovely Dex joining us as well?

The annual Great British Beer Festival is back again for 2023 and as usual in the massive London Olympia building. With over 800 different local UK Beers, Ciders and Perry but also international brews from around the world.

The festival is running over the first week of August so Tuesday 1st to Saturday 5th August.

As is also tradition myself and a few other dMw folk will be making the visit to the festival on the Friday 4th August. Beers tasted at the festival and really enjoyed will be looked into and see if we can not get a barrel for the Autumn Lan.

I have got myself the VIP ticket version as this includes in the price. Ticket, £10 beer tokens, Festival glass (3 different types to choose from on the day), Festival program and most importantly separate seating area with tables, chairs. From experience 12 hours of drinking beers on your feet trying to get a table is annoying so the guarantee of a table and sit down is a must. Plus we get to use the table for some simple board / card game fun in between the all important beer tasting.

If you need accommodation in London during the event then you will need to sort this your self. But several of us will likely be staying in various hotels in London for a day or 2 so could always meet up and go visit other attractions in the big smoke etc.

Tickets can be found in the below link. If you want to join us remember were planning the 4th August session.


https://gbbf.org.uk/tickets

Confirm to the thread once you have your ticket and will get you added to the list

Attendees.

Gortex +1 - VIP ticket
Albert +1 - VIP ticket
Monkey - VIP ticket
Ghosty - VIP ticket
Faust - VIP ticket
TeaLeaf - VIP ticket

another victim falls to the Wham.

Went out side for some more logs to put on our log burner and next door builders radio started blasting it out before I could get back indoors. Bad enough I have to put up with the noise of their extension being built let alone to be shot with bad xmas music in my own garden.

count me in good sir

[If you want to be part of this years event but did not tick it on the Lan form then no problem there is still time to sign up for it, but just make sure your ticket is in a bucket by Friday early evening before steak night. If you are social attendee then no problem we can pop your name on a blank bit of paper for the bucket.]

As all those who have been to the bigger dMw Lan events will know, we like to run a Deadathalon tournaments, and this coming Lan XL will be no exception and we have decided that we will do so again.

If you want to be part of this years event but did not tick it on the Lan form then no problem there is still time to sign up for it, but just make sure your ticket is in a bucket by Friday early evening before steak night. If you are social attendee then no problem we can pop your name on a blank bit of paper for the bucket.


What is this event about? I hear the unexperienced say. Well it is a tournament held over several rounds, with each round being covered by a different style of game. With at the end of each round at least half the participants being eliminated, and the rest moving on to take part in the next well thought out game which usually works according to plan.

We like to have each round with a game where the participant does not normally need a copy of the game to play. Where possible has no idea what the challenge will be and had little to no experience. So evening up the skill field a bit. Because of this we open up the tournament to everyone who attends, so social attendees can also join in if they so wish, and we encourage to do so.

As a heads up this year we will have 5 rounds of different styles.

I need to let you all know the first game as I need those who have a copy to get it installed on their rigs prior to turning up in the lan room. If you have a copy or ever played Half Life 2 then you should have in your steam library for free tucked away Half-Life 2: Deathmatch. If not it can be picked up on steam currently for £3.99 or £1.89 on CDKeys (currently). Please note though you don’t have to have a copy of it as I am sure there will be some peeps who will be happy for a quick loan of their machine for you match on it.

Lastly for Round 2 this is opened up to everyone at the lan to have a go and even those who have not signed up to be part of the Deadathalon as there is a separate prize to be won. Note though only those signed up for the Deadathalon will go through to round 3.


So summary:

Round 1 â€" Half-Life 2: Deathmatch (you will be in teams)
Round 2 â€" None computer game
Round 3 â€" Retro style Shooter game
Round 4 â€" Fighting style game
Round 5 â€" Sports style game

Deadathalon Champion reached and the King of the Losers

[So what are we having?]

Just 1 week now until the start of the 40th dMw Lan and a good point to talk about beer for the event I feel. This year we have once again sponsored beer for you wonderful people to enjoy, but on this occasion it is fully sponsored by the dMw community fund rather than individual sponsors.

So in effect a big thank you to everyone who is part of the mad group and cheers!!! :cheers::cheers::cheers:

This year we will be selling a pint of cider or beer at £2 which yes is slightly up from previous years, but I am sure you will agree is a lot less than the current price. So there is every reason for going back to the bar for more and buying your mates a brew while at it.

So what are we having? I hear you shout at the screen as you read this.


Real Ale #1

Roadkill by Mad Squirrel Brewery

An Opaque and Hazy IPA, BAM! That’s Roadkill hitting your taste buds like a body bouncing off a bonnet. An ABV of 65mph collides with the squishy pulp of unexpecting fruit and leaves super smooth tire-tracks all over your tongue. Roadkill, don’t drink and drive.

The beer of the festival for those who went to the GBBF22 earlier in the year and we have been able to get a barrel of it. The ale is at 6.5% so stronger than your probably used to and comes in a 50 pint barrel so slight less that we are used to which is possibly a good thing. Lots of juice, lots of hops and lots of flavour. Really good.

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Real Ale #2

Black Sheep Ale â€" Black Sheep Brewery

Black Sheep Ale is a full flavoured premium ale with a rich, fruity aroma. Brewed using generous handfuls of choice Golding hops, it has a perfectly balanced bittersweet, malty taste with a long, dry and bitter finish.

Your bitter for the Lan is served, and a cracker in my opinion. Don’t confuse this one with the usual Black Sheep best bitter you may have seen in pubs and shops. This is the slightly stronger 4.4% and more punchy ale version. If you love a decent quaffing English ale then this is a big win.

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Real Ale #3

Moonshine â€" Abbeydale Brewery

Our flagship pale, and our most famous beer. Moonshine has been in production since way back in 1996, when our brewery led the path to America to experiment with hops never before seen in the UK. More than 20 years down the line and Moonshine is still a firm favourite across the board. Hopped with Willamette, Delta, Citra, Chinook & Centennial - this is a beautifully well balanced pale perfect for any occasion. Multi award winner and Bronze medal winning Golden Ale at the Champion Beer of Britain Awards 2018

A completely new one to all of us and our Pale Ale for the Lan. From what I have seen it looks to be a pretty decent and interesting brew with a good average rating on untapped. Abbeydale from Sheffield have been around for a long time and a well-known brewery, so I think we are in safe hands.

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Real Cider #1

Gasping Goose â€" Newton Court Cidery

This cider is the result of 14 years of head brewery Paul’s experience growing, pressing and blending the best cider apples in the country - and now it's certified organic. Gasping Goose is a complex medium cider with a slightly tannic finish.

Not being a knowledgeable cider fan myself I went with some advice from someone who is. They recommended trying out Newton Court who are a popular cidery and known for making top quality organic style cider. So we have a big box of it.

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After all that I will see you at the bar. :beer:

Can I change mine to the 16oz Fillet please boss? everything else to stay the same.

Ok important thing to be aware of with all this planning and sorting. At the moment on the 5th October (yes the Wednesday) there is a train and drivers strike planned so you need to check if your taking a train that there are actually trains running and at the moment don't just assume it.

Also don't panic yet for lifts and pick ups we are looking at options and how best to help out.

Wednesday double for me.

It feels like an age and more ago that we did a trip to wonderful London Olympia for the annual Great British Beer Festival.

The good news is that it is back for 2022 :yahoo: myself and Suicidal Monkey have got tickets for the usual Friday all day session of the festival in the VIP section. Sadly the VIP has sold out now but you can still get normal entry tickets and we can meet up for sinking several beers, ciders, mead or even gin. You never know we might find something really special that we can get a barrel of for the next Lan in the autumn.

Link for the event below and just follow the tabs for the tickets.

https://gbbf.org.uk/

:cheers::3cheers::cheers:

Cheers all for making this a really fun lan. Just got home as well and all is working as it should do again thank goodness.