A history of board games, ancient and modern

Tabletop gaming is enjoying a huge renaissance. Sales of hobby board games have risen in double digits yearly for the past decade, with more people enjoying the physical, non-digital aspects of playing, along with the social interaction. It's one of the biggest sectors in crowd-funding platform Kickstarter.

Media interest has also increased proportionally, with celebrity endorsements such as Wil Wheaton's Tabletop show (1.5 million subscribers) and international newspapers, such as The Guardian, now hosting regular board game content. Board Game cafes are also springing up across Britain and America, a phenomenon that's attracting its own flurry of media attention.

The Tabletop Gaming Manual covers all aspects of games, from popular and traditional through to role playing and miniatures. It includes specific and specialist information for each area, appealing to the enthusiast market and serious gamer, but also to the curious beginner.