The Coolest Things We Saw at the Tacticon Tabletop Gaming Convention

This year marked the 36th year for Tacticon, arguably Denver’s most wargaming-centric fan event, and certainly one of its most popular. Over the Labor Day weekend, gamers of all stripes converged at the Hyatt Regency Aurora-Denver Conference Center, their battle mats boasting finely curated terrain, scads of dice and an impressive array of sci-fi and fantasy miniatures.

“We made some changes this year,” says Tacticon’s owner Andre’a Arnold, a longtime gamer who also runs GhengisCon. She and her husband, Donny, attended AdeptiCon in Milwaukee back in March, in part as gamers themselves, but also to see how that larger event sets itself up. “We were so inspired,” she says. “Instead of using the ballroom as just vendor space, we moved all the tabletop wargaming there, with vendor booths lining the perimeter. Wargamers are used to playing in a big open space like this, and this way, everyone can admire everyone else’s impressive set-ups. It’s all about fostering community-we think this arrangement will encourage more of that.”

The new arrangement utilizes the halls between gaming centers for more vendor space and keeps the role-playing in the same break-out rooms in which they always have been, giving those groups a quieter and more manageable space to play. But Arnold says she’s excited about the continuous interaction between vendors and attendees in a high-energy, immersive environment.

At this year’s Tacticon, the genial hubbub was palpable, as was the creative joy on display. Here are some of our favorite things from the 2025 iteration. And Denver gamers – if you missed this year (or even if you didn’t), GhengisCon kicks off on February 19, 2026. Game on.

The Art of the Game
Part of the joy of wargaming is providing a visual playspace for miniatures that looks as good as it plays. From buildings to terrain to trees to crashed war machines – it’s a feast for the eyes. Tip of the game-themed trucker cap to those who spend the time to make these maps look magnificent.

Embrace the Old Days
Yes, model-crafting is not for young kids – but kids don’t care anyway. This map harkens back to those days when gamers just grabbed any old thing in the toy box that would serve as a place for battles to take place. From old-school building blocks to what looks to be a Strawberry Shortcake house, this was clearly a skirmish for the ages. Extra points for the fake-spilled drink smack in the middle. At least we’re pretty sure that’s fake.

Indie Authors
Denver fantasy author Kendra Merritt was on hand for Tacticon 2025, selling some of her many books, of which Mishap’s Heroes is only one. Merritt is a great example of today’s fantasy, written with a clever wink and an inspirational set of characters that are as diverse as they are fun to read. It’s always good to support local authors, especially those who make the trip to gaming conventions – after all, we need something to read in our downtime between sessions.

DICE. DICE. DICE.
They’re the polyhedric necessities of the gaming life, and a gamer’s relationship with their dice is one fraught with complex emotions. It’s not often that we possess objects that carry with them such power and personality that, when they randomly fail us at a crucial moment, we feel the need to punish them by putting them away-or even in dice jails. (Yes, those are a thing.) Robin’s Nerd Supplies has attended Denver gaming conventions for years now, providing new dice that are pretty and shiny and promise to never let you down, really. Promise.

Crafty!
What’s a nerd convention without some awesome and quirky handmade stuff? Denver artist Debbie Ngo works in illustrating, ceramics, sculpting and even cake decorating – and this year, she had shelves full of products to amuse and amaze, from dice trays of various designs to mugs that eyeball those around you to flower pots that look a little hungry.

The LEGO Life of a Showgirl
Taylor Swift is everywhere these days, so why not in LEGO form? And so many eras (no pun intended) from which to choose here: from her early acoustic years to her latter-day glitz and glamour, she’s taking over LEGOland. Even the many shades of Dr. Doom (far left) take a backseat to Tay-Tay. Check out all the LEGO goodness available at MacDaddyBrix.

Games about Games!
“Pop will eat itself,” said British writer David Quantick back in 1986, and he was right. But that self-celebrating cannibalism is also sort of fun. Witness the example of the Street Fighter board game, which is based on the ’90s home console franchise, which was in turn adapted from the arcade game series. Sure, it might be silly, but getting to play Zangief and Chun-Li one more time, in another setting? We’ll take it, if only to be able to bellow “I AM THE RED CYCLONE” within a context that doesn’t make those around us startled and a little scared.

A Mecca for Mecha
Not only were there several tables of mech-battles on the gaming floor, but these beauties were displayed out front. They show off not only the many classic designs of mechs, but also the passion for the genre, evident in bringing these battle-bots to life. These are from the game Battletech, which came out in 1984 as a tabletop game and has since been turned into a franchise that includes novels, video games, and more. It’s true to the “real” history of our world up through the mid-80s, when pretty much everything started to fall apart. Yes, in the game world. Also ours, sorta.

Froghemoth.
That’s it. Froghemoth. It’s just awesome that this guy has a mega-figure. I mean, look at the challenges he’s faced. Three eyes, bifurcated tentacles for limbs, a crippling anxiety issue stemming from a deep fear of not being loved. And yet, here he is, making it work in the world today, which, as we all know, takes everything we’ve got.

Being a Real Hero
Games are great; they’re wonderful vehicles for both entertainment and camaraderie, which is what Tacticon is all about. But Andre’a Arnold – a former educator – also instituted an on-site blood drive with Vitalant, on the suggestion of a former student. It’s a way to give back to the community, and at the same time, score some sweet, sweet apple juice boxes. These are all good things.

Check out Tacticon’s upcoming sister show, GhengisCon, in February, on gamergirlgames.com.