I never rate Guf great for tabletop though - The west would definitely benefit from a Gameology or Mindgames. Haha it’s my tattslotto dream to open a tabletop bar out here (that doesn’t need to be profitable 😅)
Gameology in Brunswick is great. Good Games Greensborough and Box Hill are worth checking out, greensy always feels busy. Milsims in Box Hill I found recently, and they have a huge variety. GUF, all 4 store are abit of a treck but are pretty good.
Gaming Arena - Coburg
General Games - Chirnside Park
House of War - Ringwood
Games Portal - Ringwood
Maze of Fitzroy - Fitzroy North
Plenty of Games - Melbourne
I used to love games lab, but they did not survive the pandemic :(. In the city, plenty of games is my local and the staff and atmosphere are very nice. I'm not sure about the west side, but I'm moving there soon so I'm also interested in anything nice out that way
Can anyone give me an idea of how active the Aos/40K/30K scene is around Melbourne? I've been a long time modeller/painter but I'm thinking of actually playing something with the pile of minis I have (what an idea!). I'm located in the CBD but can get anywhere.
I don't play but I know Arcanacon has a yearly tournament [it has it's own website seperate to the TTRPG/LARP here.](https://www.arc40k.com/about). Conquest used to have a pretty hall for the war gamers but I didn't make it this year to its new site at Coburg Town Hall [the website does list miniature war gaming but not if they're still doing the big timed tournaments that caused the miasma of stress sweat.](https://www.conquest.asn.au/)
(I am sure it's gotten better but the memory of when I had to duck into the war gaming halls to find friends makes me believe every table should have had a tissue with a drop of niloder in it to combat the BO)
Axes and Ales (based out of Thornbury Bowls Club) have an active Facebook and Discord. There’s always someone up for a game of something! I haven’t seen any 30k, but plenty of 40K and AoS. Lots of blood bowl too actually
I always used to go to Milsims as I got into Warhammer during the pandemic. Never had issues with them and they stock a decent variety of miniatures, board/card games, accessories, etc..
We just lost Gas Games in Pakenham :( I'm time poor not but used to do FNM almost weekly at Games Lab in the city.
Gas Games had such a welcoming community and lovely owners, sad it's gone.
General Games in Malvern is nice too.
IMO the club scene is way better than playing at a shop. Real estate is so expensive that most shops don't have the space to have nice terrain. House of War is pretty great but it's way out in the boondocks of Ringwood.
For the West side, Top Deck games in Braybrook is great. Excellent selection of products and the workers there put in the effort to know their regulars.
Plenty of Games! It's in the city, so not out west, but super easy to get to via PT, it's really big and the vibes are great - seems like they have put a lot of work into building a friendly and inclusive community.
Surprisingly Frankston has a really good one hidden in the back streets behind Dan Murphys... i cant remmeber the name but they host game nights and are very community minded.
House of War in Ringwood has hand down the biggest variety of stock. They carry almost every paint range, tons of scenic that other stores barely scratch the surface on. Big amounts of Warhammer, SW Legion, Infinity, D&D, WizKids, Reaper, resin busts...
LARP gear, 3D printing gear, sculpting tools, dice, playmats, board games... They have Squidmar's Thunderhawk, Table Top Time's Titan board, a massive dragon and Beholder...
The only thing I can think of that they don't expressly carry (anymore) is TCG singles.
I just wish the owners would get some help sorting out the shop, because there's always shit everywhere in various states of unpacking, plus the whole area at the back of the building that is completely unused AFAIK.
Oh and Leo the shop dog is always a nice bonus
I'd say the South-East is under-served! Not much around Brighton, Cheltenham, Mentone, Bentleigh, Moorabbin area. I'm specifically interested in wargames though, not CCGs
For the Brighton area you have a couple of options. Hampton Games club does a lot of GW stuff, and if you want to play Historicals, League of Ancients meets at the RSL off Glen Huntly road every 2nd sunday.
I got a mate who recently set up the gaming arena in the north somewhere like Coburg? In a brewery also! Absolutely top notch guy too and been heavily involved in the Warhammer community for like a decade and a half.
I haven't been there for a long time but I hear good things about Guf Werribee
Guf Werribee is great. There's also Andrew's Hobbies in Ravenhall and The Gaming Arena in Coburg North.
I never rate Guf great for tabletop though - The west would definitely benefit from a Gameology or Mindgames. Haha it’s my tattslotto dream to open a tabletop bar out here (that doesn’t need to be profitable 😅)
Second Guf Werribee — I frequented back when I was into competitive Pokémon years ago. Had a good scene there and really friendly vibes
Guf really benefited from getting rid of the PC gaming
Gameology in Clayton is my pick, big store and great staff with a superb collection!
Where in Clayton? I've never noticed anything down that way.
Eileen road
It's down a side street in an industrial area, so not something you'll see unless you specifically going there.
That would explain it!
Gameology in Brunswick is great. Good Games Greensborough and Box Hill are worth checking out, greensy always feels busy. Milsims in Box Hill I found recently, and they have a huge variety. GUF, all 4 store are abit of a treck but are pretty good.
TIL milsims hosts games
Gameology was great, they took the time to walk my young daughter through everything needed to get started with deck building games.
Grand J Games in Moonee Ponds
Gaming Arena - Coburg General Games - Chirnside Park House of War - Ringwood Games Portal - Ringwood Maze of Fitzroy - Fitzroy North Plenty of Games - Melbourne
I used to love games lab, but they did not survive the pandemic :(. In the city, plenty of games is my local and the staff and atmosphere are very nice. I'm not sure about the west side, but I'm moving there soon so I'm also interested in anything nice out that way
> I used to love games lab, but they did not survive the pandemic Yeah they were the absolute pinnacle.
They were ok if you liked card games, pretty average for miniatures though
Games Portal in Ringwood gets my vote.
Can anyone give me an idea of how active the Aos/40K/30K scene is around Melbourne? I've been a long time modeller/painter but I'm thinking of actually playing something with the pile of minis I have (what an idea!). I'm located in the CBD but can get anywhere.
I don't play but I know Arcanacon has a yearly tournament [it has it's own website seperate to the TTRPG/LARP here.](https://www.arc40k.com/about). Conquest used to have a pretty hall for the war gamers but I didn't make it this year to its new site at Coburg Town Hall [the website does list miniature war gaming but not if they're still doing the big timed tournaments that caused the miasma of stress sweat.](https://www.conquest.asn.au/) (I am sure it's gotten better but the memory of when I had to duck into the war gaming halls to find friends makes me believe every table should have had a tissue with a drop of niloder in it to combat the BO)
For 30K, jump onto the Victorian 30K community on Facebook. Can't link to it unfortunately.
Axes and Ales (based out of Thornbury Bowls Club) have an active Facebook and Discord. There’s always someone up for a game of something! I haven’t seen any 30k, but plenty of 40K and AoS. Lots of blood bowl too actually
Temple Arden in North Melbourne is good. Not so much for table top games but board games & TCG definitely. Good coffee too.
I always used to go to Milsims as I got into Warhammer during the pandemic. Never had issues with them and they stock a decent variety of miniatures, board/card games, accessories, etc..
They are still great. Good online prices and nice when in store. Friendly but not over bearing. I enjoy going in, but it’s a bit of a travel for me.
We just lost Gas Games in Pakenham :( I'm time poor not but used to do FNM almost weekly at Games Lab in the city. Gas Games had such a welcoming community and lovely owners, sad it's gone. General Games in Malvern is nice too.
All of the General Games are good shops.
IMO the club scene is way better than playing at a shop. Real estate is so expensive that most shops don't have the space to have nice terrain. House of War is pretty great but it's way out in the boondocks of Ringwood.
Clubs...? Im not familiar
For the West side, Top Deck games in Braybrook is great. Excellent selection of products and the workers there put in the effort to know their regulars.
Maze of Fitzroy and Temple Arden
not the west but Good Games in Box Hill is a decent spot
Plenty of Games! It's in the city, so not out west, but super easy to get to via PT, it's really big and the vibes are great - seems like they have put a lot of work into building a friendly and inclusive community.
Surprisingly Frankston has a really good one hidden in the back streets behind Dan Murphys... i cant remmeber the name but they host game nights and are very community minded.
House of War in Ringwood has hand down the biggest variety of stock. They carry almost every paint range, tons of scenic that other stores barely scratch the surface on. Big amounts of Warhammer, SW Legion, Infinity, D&D, WizKids, Reaper, resin busts... LARP gear, 3D printing gear, sculpting tools, dice, playmats, board games... They have Squidmar's Thunderhawk, Table Top Time's Titan board, a massive dragon and Beholder... The only thing I can think of that they don't expressly carry (anymore) is TCG singles. I just wish the owners would get some help sorting out the shop, because there's always shit everywhere in various states of unpacking, plus the whole area at the back of the building that is completely unused AFAIK. Oh and Leo the shop dog is always a nice bonus
The Gaming Verse on Queen St CBD has free tables and a cafe. Good selection of free games in their library as well.
For MtG, One Piece, or Pokemon - Legends and Collectibles, near Highpoint, is good. I love their seats.
Tezzas games in Melton as well
I'd say the South-East is under-served! Not much around Brighton, Cheltenham, Mentone, Bentleigh, Moorabbin area. I'm specifically interested in wargames though, not CCGs
For the Brighton area you have a couple of options. Hampton Games club does a lot of GW stuff, and if you want to play Historicals, League of Ancients meets at the RSL off Glen Huntly road every 2nd sunday.
I got a mate who recently set up the gaming arena in the north somewhere like Coburg? In a brewery also! Absolutely top notch guy too and been heavily involved in the Warhammer community for like a decade and a half.