Chimera Con 2024 - Get epic games on the table

Venue: The Teachers Club, 36 Parnell Square West, Dublin 1, 

Date: 18-19th May (10am - 9pm Sat, 10am -6pm Sun)  - TWO DAYS! 

Entry cost: 
Full rates: 1 day 20  euro, 2 day 30 euro
Early bird rates (until 7th April): 1 day 15  euro, 2 day 25 euro .
Junior (<18 tickets) for -5 euro from standard prices, juniors must be accompanied at all times by an adult.
Admission applies to all attendees, even if you only play your own games or spectate.

Introduction: A day of boardgames and wargames with a focus on the large, long or complex games that not often seen at other Irish gaming conventions because they are so hard to get to the table.

Chimera (Oxford Languages definition 2.) a thing which is hoped for but is illusory or impossible to achieve.

 This game genre includes titles like Here I Stand, Mega Civilisation, Twilight Imperium, and monster wargames. In 2024 we added a second day of games and a new schedule of shorter boardgames too. So you can also play modern classics like Brass:Birmingham, Terraforming Mars or Pandemic at Chimera Con too. The focus of the Con is to get everyone playing and it pioneered a voting system for longer games to ensure player interest and pre-registration is expected for most games. Warhorn is now used for event registration and game signups.

We depend on our game facilitators to make the games run and if you wish to volunteer to facilitate a game, please use our Board Game Geek List.

This event is designed to encourage create the critical mass of players, time and table space to make these games happen. The convention has longer time slots (5hrs), experienced game facilitators, pre-registration, and (subject to space) a free play area for pickup games.

The venue is centrally located in Dublin with a full bar in a well maintained historic building with reasonably priced food and drink.

Please read our players code and anti-harassment policy as all attendees must abide by it, we want an inclusive and welcoming event. 

The official Chimera Con photos are available for the 2017 and 2018 , 2022 and 2023 event photos. See  our Twitter account, https://twitter.com/chimera_con 

New: 

11 May 2024:

Less than a week to go! Please note that we are nearly full. Please pre-register if you want to attend as we cannot guarantee that people just showing up on the day will get 

admittance. There are several games with slots in the schedule, see:

https://warhorn.net/events/chimera-con-2024/schedule/agenda 

2 May 2024:

The ChimeraCon 2024 schedule is now finalised! See the full schedule here https://warhorn.net/events/chimera-con-2024/schedule/agenda 35 games in all!

Games with places left:

=Saturday 18th May
Tribune
Lords of Waterdeep
Zombicide
Pax Renaissance: 2nd Edition
Pax Pamir: Second Edition
Kingdom Builder

=Sunday 19th May
Carnegie
Friedrich
The Third World War
War Room
Up Front
Dune
The Taverns of Tiefenthal
Roll for the Galaxy
Ark Nova
Power Grid
Nemesis

There are only limited tickets left (especially on Saturday) and only pre-booked tickets can be assured of entry. We have a space limit and will stop online sales when it is reached. Games that do not reach sufficient players on the day will be cancelled.

There is only very limited space for pickup games and it is expected that most players will pre-register for games. Small casual games can be played in the bar in addition to the convention rooms.

25 April 2024:

We have now added a game of Nemesis to the Sunday schedule for ChimeraCon on the 19th May. You can register and book online https://warhorn.net/events/chimera-con-2024/schedule/agenda

We still have some table space if people want to volunteer to run a game. The best method to get a game listed is to add it to our BGG list and get some player interaction there. April 30th is the last day we are taking game suggestions.

Games with places left:

Sat 18th May

Lords of Waterdeep

Pax Renaissance: 2nd Edition

Pax Pamir: Second Edition

Sun 19th May

Carnegie

Friedrich

Nemesis

The Third World War

War Room

Up Front

Roll for the Galaxy
Power Grid 

19 April 2024:

1 month to go to Chimera Con! See our beautiful schedule and online registration here:

https://warhorn.net/events/chimera-con-2024/schedule/agenda


Stuart has kindly created a list on BGG for anyone who would like to advertise any games they would like to sell/swap or give away at Chimera Con.

https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/335215/chimera-con-2024-game-saleexchange


All arrangements are made between individuals and the Con is not involved but Chimera Con do give you an opportunity to meet up with fellow hobbyists to sell/swap/give away your games.


For anyone who wants to arrange a game or who has friends who have not registered yet I provide the following information

Games with places left:

=Sat 18th=

Ardennes II

Lords of Waterdeep

Pax Renaissance: 2nd Edition

Pax Pamir: Second Edition

=Sun 19th=

Carnegie

Friedrich (Sunday)

The Third World War

War Room

Up Front

Roll for the Galaxy

Power Grid


We have *some* table space if people want to volunteer to run a game 10-4pm and 7-9pm Sat, and all day Sunday. The best method to get a game listed is to add it to our BGG list and get some player interaction there.

https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/331804/chimera-con-2024-potential-games-dublin-ireland-18

Apr 30th is the last day we are taking game suggestions, realistically you are better off doing it as soon as possible before then.


There will be limited tickets sold on the day (if we don't sell out before then) but we already have 25% more people than last year so we cannot guarantee admission. Pre-register on Warhorn if you want to come and play.


If you plan to cycle to the event, the Teachers Club (our venue) have asked us to tell that strictly no bikes are to be brought into the building and no bikes are to be locked to the railings outside. There are proper bike stands just across the road at the entrance to the hospital.


Finally the Teachers Club have told us that convention attendees may play small games in the bar in addition to the rooms we rented downstairs as long as they are buying food + drink. (One of the cheapest pints in Dublin city centre and very reasonable soup and sandwiches are available to purchase.)


From your Committee: Rob, Brian, Rory, Ciara + Padraic

6 April 2024:

Today is the last day of Early Bird prices for Chimera Con. All ticket prices will go up by 5 euro tomorrow.

31 March 2024:

We have now started to schedule shorter/traditional boardgames for ChimeraCon  as well as the big games, see : https://warhorn.net/events/chimera-con-2024/schedule/agenda  . If you want to facilitate a game please add it to our geeklist https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/331804/chimera-con-2024-potential-games-dublin-ireland-18 you can register and signup for games via Warhorn.

29 March 2024:

Large game scheduling is done and published on our Warhorn site: 

We have 37 players booked into large games. So far there are 6 additional players registered on Warhorn who will only play shorter games. We are still accepting (and need)  facilitators and players for short games. Please add short games you wish to facilitate to our BGG Geek List https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/331804/chimera-con-2024-potential-games-dublin-ireland-18 or contact us. We are approximately 60% full, so there is still space for more short game players or late registrations to join the few open slots in the long games. There will also be some space for pickup games at the event (but not much as we prefer to pre-register people to ensure they get games). People who want to register now can just do it through the Warhorn site and then when payment is validated they can add themselves to games with open slots via Warhorn.

Approx 83% of registrations so far are for 2 days, which is great. It makes things a lot easier for us financially and we were uncertain what percentage of people would do that with the change to a 2 day Chimera Con in 2024.

Compared to last year we have a much higher percentage of all day games. In many cases this is games like Here I Stand that were played for 5-6hrs last year extending to a full day of play. This year we have 17 long games and 10 of them are "full day". Last year we had 12 long games and 3 of them were "full day".

The initial schedule of short games will be published soon. That will keep being extended during April.

Thanks again for all your support.

18 March 2024:

Note Chimera Con prices will go up by 5 euro on the 7th April. The current prices are early bird rates. Please register now if you intend to come. Register on Warhorn  https://warhorn.net/events/chimera-con-2024 

12 March 2024:

OK, the voting/pre-reg form for long games is now up https://forms.gle/ajHJh6HtMFfp6RMA6

Voting will close on the 26th March. Then we will set the schedule for big games and allocate you to ones matching your preferences. Games that do not get sufficient support will not run. All games are subject to table space restrictions.

NB you must pay your registration on Warhorn before you can vote/register for a game, https://warhorn.net/events/chimera-con-2024

26 Feb 2024:

Early Bird registration for Chimera Con 2024 is now available via Warhorn (Paypal payments only) https://warhorn.net/events/chimera-con-2024/

People will need to pre-register to vote on which large games run and to ensure getting a place at a large game.  Note that places at the event will be strictly limited so we advise pre-booking if you want to secure a place. There will only be limited free-play space so we expect most attendees to be booked into games at most times.

Payments are handled by Decking Awesome Games. Secure your place now!

Warhorn will also be used to publish our final game schedule and enable players to book late places in big games and all places in normal games once they are added to the schedule.

Thanks to Ciara (our new committee member) for all her help getting this much improved booking system setup and enabling online payments.

25 Feb 2024:

Game facilitator proposal list is now live on BGG https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/331804/chimera-con-2024-potential-games-dublin-ireland-18 Please add games that you would like to run at Chimera Con 2024. Game submissions for long games will end on 11 March 2024 and voting will start then. This year you will need to pre-register to vote.

11 Feb 2024:

Please note that Decking Awesome Games will handle our online payments for Chimera Con 2024 and that is the name you will see charged to your Paypal account for registrations.

9 Jan 2024: 

STOP Press: We are expanding to two days of gaming in 2024. We are also increasing the range of games to include some shorter 1-2 hour boardgames and free play areas.


8 Jan 2024: 

MeepleCon is a sister Con to Chimera Con and will run on Sat 6th April in 2024 (and is expected to run again in Sept).



Old News: 

25 July 2023:

MeepleCon is a new convention on the 2nd Sept 2023 in Dublin with a very similar format to Chimera Con. Registration/voting for games for 2023 has started, use this form .

31 May 2023:

Thanks to everyone who attended Chimera Con 2023. See you at next year's event. Until then you can have a look at the photos of this year's event.


20 May 2023:

Looking forward to seeing you next weekend in the Teacher's Club.

This should be the biggest Chimera Con ever with 45 players registered. We only have 3 open slots in round 1 games and I have 2 maybes talking to me. Hence if you know someone who is thinking of just turning up it is critical that they contact us to reserve a place in a game as we have very little capacity for walk-ins. Arriving at 3.30pm for the second game slot 4-9pm is a possibility as there will likely be some pickup games in that slot and there are 3 slots in scheduled games available.

ll day (10am -9pm)
John Company: Second Edition :1 place

Morning (10am -3pm)
The Napoleonic Wars (Second Edition) : 2 places

Afternoon (4pm - 9pm)
Admirals' War: World War II at Sea: 2 places
Europe Engulfed: 1 place

27 Apr 2023:

Late registrations are available in the following games (please email us at chimeracondublin@gmail.com to register on a first come, first-served basis):

All day (10am -9pm)
John Company: Second Edition :2 places
Twilight Imperium: Fourth Edition: 1 place - Gone! This game now full (4/5/23)

Morning (10am -3pm)
Struggle of Empires: 2 places
The Napoleonic Wars (Second Edition) : 2 places
Xia: Legends of a Drift System: 2 places

Afternoon (4pm - 9pm)
Admirals' War: World War II at Sea: 2 places


26 Apr 2023:

Games schedule for 2023 complete!

All day (10am -9pm)
John Company: Second Edition (full day)
Operation Typhoon: The German Assault on Moscow, 1941 (all day)
Twilight Imperium: Fourth Edition (all day)

Morning (10am -3pm)
Here I Stand: 1
Here I Stand: 2
Struggle of Empires
The Napoleonic Wars (Second Edition)
Xia: Legends of a Drift System

Afternoon (4pm - 9pm)
Admirals' War: World War II at Sea
Europe Engulfed: WWII European Theatre Block Game
Fire in the Lake: Fall of Saigon
Friedrich 1
Friedrich 2
Gandhi: The Decolonization of British India, 1917 – 1947
Pickup games


22 Apr 2023:

Pre-registration closes Sunday 24th April. Please use this form to pre-register https://forms.gle/Qvz5Lwu7P1XL3oLr8

2 Apr 2023:

Pre-registration and game choice is now open for Chimera Con 2023! Please use this form https://forms.gle/Qvz5Lwu7P1XL3oLr8


1 March 2023

Game suggestions open on BGG: https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/311490/chimera-con-2023-potential-games-dublin-ireland-27

26 Jan 2023:

Start thinking about what games you want to run at Chimera Con 2023! We will put up a geeklist on Boardgame Geek soon. Have a look at games from previous years here: 2022 , 2020 (planned, it did not run), 2019 2018, 2017  .


5 Nov 2022:

Chimera Con 2023 dates set: Sat 27th May, 2023.2022

14 May 2022:

Covid Safety at Chimera Con 2022: Please note everyone planning on attending that we want the event to be as safe as possible and of course will obey all Irish covid guidelines currently in force at the time of the Con. Attendees will have to be vaccinated to maximise protection and safety for everyone. As per current government advice, mask wearing is strongly encouraged to reduce risk for all. (https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/3361b-public-health-update...)

Late registrations still available:

Twilight Imperium is now full.

11 May 2022:

Late registrations are now available:

Normal registration is closed but we still have limited spaces in these games (which are confirmed to be running)

To book one of these games, please send us an email with your email address and the game you would like to play.  Slots will be allocated in a first come, first served basis.

7 May 2022:

Game allocations are done!

We had a record number of pre-registrations for games - 45 potential players!

The games running are:

A Distant Plain (all day)

Advanced Squad Leader (half day) x 2 slots

Cuba Libre (half day)

Fire in the Lake (all day)

Here I Stand (half day) x 2 slots

It Never Snows (all day)

Mare Nostrum: Empires – Atlas Expansion (all day)

Oath: Chronicles of Empire and Exile (half day)

Pericles: The Peloponnesian Wars (half day)

Twilight Imperium: Fourth Edition (all day)

Whew! Thanks again to all our brilliant game facilitators. 

15 April 2022:

Chimera Con 2022 pre-registration/game signup form now live (closes 6th May).

 https://forms.gle/axXHi4Zyv4No3Y1G8

Please register your game preferences now so we can generate the schedule.

Everyone will be notified by email of the games they are registered in.

17 Mar 2022:

A great set of games are being proposed by our volunteer game facilitators, see the list on BGG and propose games of your own:

https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/296661/chimera-con-2022-potential-games-dublin-ireland-28

21 Feb 2022:

Chimera Con 2022 date announced ( Sat 28 May)! We plan to have a physical event in the Teachers Club once more.

2021

23 Oct 2021:

Today and tomorrow there is an online. historical board wargames session at Gaelcon

Hopefully in future years we can make the wargames stream a part of the physical Gaelcon.


2020:

14 Apr 2020:

Postponed. We will try to run Chimera Con in the Autumn if possible. Please stay safe and play lots of games. 

9 Dec 2019:

Date for 2020 event announced - 9th May.

2019:

9 April: Game Schedule Announced

The games scheduled this year on Sat 11th May are:

9.45am Doors Open & Setup

10 am Start

Scythe: The Rise of Fenris (all day)

Proud Monster (all day)

The Devil's Cauldron: The Battles for Arnhem and Nijmegen (all day)

Fire in the Lake (morning)

Here I Stand (morning)

Churchill (morning)

Pickup games (all day)

4pm Start

Cataclysm: A Second world War (evening)

Pickup games (all day)

9pm Games End & Retire to the Bar

Now in comparison to other years we have not been able to leave many open slots in these games so if you come along without a pre-registration, then I *strongly* encourage you to bring a game you want to play and do some networking either on BGG or FB or wherever.

We will always try to squeeze people into scheduled games and some people may drop out so there could be extra places but please do not attend expecting to join one of these games - instead you should expect to play pickup games. That is most likely in the 4pm-9pm game slot as there are many players who do not have a scheduled game at that time. 

15 March: Update on the first preference votes for this year's games so far:

Scythe: The Rise of Fenris 5

The Devil's Cauldron: The Battles for Arnhem and Nijmegen 5

Proud Monster 3

Cataclysm: A Second World War 2

18Ireland: 2

Fire in the Lake 2

Here I Stand 1

Churchill 1

Struggle of Empires: 1

Pickup games 1

Please get voting by signing up for games, it is not necessary to be 100% sure you are going to attend. Vote on what games you want to play at Chimera Con on the 11th May here.

23 Feb

You can now vote on what games you want to play at Chimera Con on the 11th May:

The votes will determine which games we run. Only games which get sufficient player support and which can fit into the schedule will run.

Voting will close on the 26th of April.

9 Feb 2019 Game proposals will close on 15th Feb

Then we'll create the voting forms. Please get in contact if you want to facilitate a game at Chimera Con 2019.

19 Jan 2018, Chimera Con 2019 Game selection started

A boardgame geek list has been started to collect proposals from game facilitators for games that they would like to run at Chimera Con 2019. Please add your game directly onto the list or contact us if you are having difficulty. Later in the year we'll start a pre-registration process which will determine which games run (just like previous years).

2018:

28 Nov 2018: Chimera Con 2019 dates confirmed

Next year's event has been booked at the Teachers' Club, it will be on the 11th May 2019 with the traditional format.

 2018: Event Timetable Published

Given the numbers of pre-registrations (23), Chimera Con 2018 will have the same amount of room-space as last year. Hence we have plenty of space for people wanting to play pickup games! Please add your pickup game suggestions to this special board game geek list: Chimera Con 2 pickup game suggestions

Please arrive 10 mins before your game is due to start

The timetable is as follows:

Doors open: 9.50am Sat 12th May

Slot 1: 10am - 3pm

Day of Days 

Republic of Rome

Virgin Queen

The Tide at Sunrise: The Russo-Japanese War, 1904-1905

Churchill

Pickup games

Slot 2: 4pm - 9pm

Day of Days (continued)

A Game of Thrones: The Board Game (Second Edition)

Advanced Squad Leader

Pickup games

In addition we have the following open slots in our round 1 games still available (all these games are confirmed and will run regardless):

News: 15 Apr 2018: Our pre-registration form for games is now live. Please tell us which game(s) you would like to play at the event so we can create a timetable.  Signup deadline: 30 April 2018. 

NB we have less game facilitators and hence game slots available than last year. If you would like to run a game please contact me urgently and I can add it to the list. For everyone else, get your registrations in early before the games fill up!

News: 21 Jan 2018, a boardgame geek list has been started to collect proposals from game facilitators for games that they would like to run at Chimera Con 2018. Please add your game directly onto the list or contact us if you are having difficulty. Later in the year we'll start a pre-registration process which will determine which games run (just like last year).

News: 12 Nov 2017, Chimera Con 2018 date announced: 12th May, same venue. We'll start to organise games in Jan 2018. 

Save the date!

News: 20 May 2017, the official Chimera Con 2017 photos are now available here. 

Thanks to Geoff for the photos and to everyone who came and made it a great day. We will certainly run another event in 2018. IF you are interested in hearing about furture events please subscribe to the iwargames mailing list.

Please read our players code and anti-harassment policy. By entering Chimera Con you are agreeing to abide by these rules to respect everyone and have a good time.

Con Organising Committee

Rob Brennan (chair)

Brian Friel

Rory Meehan

Padraic Burke  - Social Media Tsar

Ciara Costello

Past members:

Gerry Mellerick (2018)

Declan Breen (2017)