The Canadian Wargamer

Mike and James are joined by our friend and wargaming dignitary Don Perrin to take a 360 degree view of the wargaming hobby in the midst of "the churn" of where we are as a society - "churn" being the vortex of technological, social, political and economic flux that we're all caught up in.   I think out conclusion is surprisingly optimistic, but have a listen and tell us what you think! More about our guest, Don Perrin: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Perrin Things that we referred to in the podcast: Sitrep Podcast:   https://www.youtube.com/c/SITREPPodcast 4P Press:  Early modern naval wargaming rules and cool and obscure ship STL files: https://www.wargamevault.com/browse/pub/18619/4P-Press Ecorcheurs Hundred Years War Rules and Figures: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/grippingbeast/ecorcheurs Bad Squiddo Women of WW2: Resistance: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/badsquiddogames/antifascist Contact Us! Canadian Wargamer Podcast on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/canadianwargamerpodcast/posts/248303724609871/ Mike:  madpadre@gmail.com James: jamesmanto@gmail.com

In this episode James and Mike chat with Canadian wargamer and games designer Mike Hoyt.  Mike has been throwing dice since he was a kid and now brings his professional military expertise as a Canadian Armed Forces design to serious games design.      Battlespace Publishing:   https://www.battlespacepublishing.ca/about Mike's contributions to the CWP Digital Library: he Art of Maneuver, Robert Leonhard, 1991 The Campaigns of Napoleon, David Chandler, 1966 A Soldier First, General Rick Hillier, 2009   Mike's choice for our march out music: The Mercury March, the official march music of the Communications and Electronics Branch of the CAF composed by Major Albert Fuery in 1974   https://youtu.be/vqw5j6y79mw?si=i-szhAoTtmcBq3BI

As we reached Episode 30 of the CWP, James and I had a terrifically enjoyable chat with Andrew Dobson.   Andrew is one of Canadian wargaming's rising stars, and is the proprietor of Dobbies Hobbies, a 3D printing factory licensed to produce a wide variety of models from a wide range of suppliers. We love Andrew's energy and his enthusiasm for the potential of 3D printing.  Andrew also has an interest in Canadian military history, which explains our final march past.    This interview was recorded in June, and we're sorry that it's taken a long time to get it to your ears.  Andrew, we would have loved to go with your Sabbaton choice, Cliffs of Gallipoli, but we were worried about the copyright implications, so there's a link below. Dobbie's Hobbies website: https://www.dobbieshobbies.net/ Andrew's Three Book Choices: William Trotter, Frozen Hell: The Russo-Finish War of 1939-1940, https://www.amazon.ca/Frozen-Hell-Russo-Finnish-Winter-1939-1940/dp/1565122496 JL McWilliams and.R James Steele, The Suicide Battalion: One Remarkable Battalion's Journey Through the First World War, https://www.amazon.ca/Suicide-Battalion-J-L-McWilliams/dp/1913518175/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?crid=JHYMT1HZHHNF&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.9NJfn0CyxqRrk5Dyvxrv993CoyTNQEl8VzcieBgLF4mJaYaijN5E043FFjWgxCHYuNnPA02EQMfOs2q5I-7ScA.89IiEKah1I-48QCG1b-JGcB9dP3fzy_X7K_15cg7e6I&dib_tag=se&keywords=suicide+battalion+CEF&qid=1752762024&s=books&sprefix=suicide+battalion+cef%2Cstripbooks%2C67&sr=1-1-fkmr1  Nicholas Jellicoe, Jutland: The Unfinished Battle, A Personal History of a Naval Controversy. https://www.amazon.ca/Jutland-Unfinished-Personal-History-Controversy/dp/1848323212 Our march out, Punjab, Quick March of the Saskatchewan Dragons: https://youtu.be/ImnfYl35A_o?si=R7pSyNmLa9w8bl55 Sabbaton, Cliffs of Gallipoli: https://youtu.be/PvoYEtyQ9A8?si=NoWuBj3GtwYoPSiC  

It's a special Hands Across The Border episode with our favourite Yank, Jay Arnold, the Veteran Wargamer.  After a brief skirmish in which Jay tries to annex us, we talk about podcasting versus gaming, what Jay as a soldier looks for in a wargame, and of course, lots of Quar talk during which I went and made a sandwich.   Here's links to what we mentioned in our chat. Jay’s work in Professional Military Education: Joseph “Jay” Arnold | U.S. Naval Institute   Jay’s Veteran Wargamer Podcast:  The Veteran Wargamer - Podcast - Apple Podcasts Scotland Yard (1983 game) Scotland Yard (board game) - Wikipedia Not Jay YouTube Channel (Jay’s Brother):  Scotland Yard (board game) - Wikipedia Cascadia Tile Laying Game:  www.alderac.com Command and Colours Ancients:  www.commandsandcolors.net Space Cadets by Dice Duel (2012) Space Cadets | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Sebastian Bae, Littoral Commander:  Littoral Commander: Indo-Pacific | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Too Fat Lardies, What A Tanker: What a Tanker Rule Set | TOOFATLardies Little Wars TV YouTube Channel:  (1516) Little Wars TV - YouTube Fist Full of Lead: Fistful of Lead: Reloaded 2nd Edition - Wiley Games | Wargame Vault Sam Mustafa, Lasalle Second Edition:  Lasalle — Sam A. Mustafa Forest Dragon Miniatures:  Forest Dragon Galaxy’s Edge Books:  Galaxy's Edge Series by Jason Anspach Quar and Joshua Gualtieri, Quar - Western Iron — Wargames Atlantic Elegoo Saturn 3 Printers:   Saturn Series 3D Printers – ELEGOO CA Jay’s Book Picks: Joseph Springer, The Black Devil Brigade: The True Story of the First Special Service Brigade in World War Two. https://www.amazon.com/Black-Devil-Brigade-Special-Service/dp/0935553509 John Keegan, The Face of Battle. The Face of Battle - Wikipedia Jason Anspach and Nick Cole, Legionaire, First Book in the Galaxy’s Edge series.  Legionnaire - GALAXYS EDGE  

Mike and James have a great chat with Winnipeg's Byron Mudry, a lifelong gamer who also takes us behind the scenes in his MDF terrain business.  We also talk about the vibrant gaming scene on the Canadian prairies, and his love of wargaming Canada's storied First World War history.  Byron also schooled us about Trench Crusade and other games that the cool kids are playing. Byron's business: https://northernlightsterrain.com/ Other things we mentioned Legions of Steel (Canadian early competitor to Space Hulk): https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2091/legions-of-steel State of Play podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5qFCUIbuAnuZI00KTaHUSg/videos Analogue Hobbies (Curt Campbell's Blog): http://analogue-hobbies.blogspot.com/ Fawcett Avenue Conscripts (Winnipeg gaming club): http://wpggamegeeks.blogspot.com/ Brutal Cities (Australian MDF terrain company): https://brutalcities.com/pages/about-us PrairieCon, Brandon MB's Annual Gaming Convention: https://www.prairiecon.com/ Friendly Fire Manitoba Gaming Event: https://friendly-fire-manitoba.com/ Legions IV Hire Gaming Store, Winnipeg: https://www.legionsivhire.ca/index.php Burrows and Badgers: https://www.oathswornminiatures.co.uk/c/4553237/1/burrows-badgers.html Gaslands: The Game: https://planetsmashergames.com/gaslands/about/ Trench Crusade: https://www.trenchcrusade.com/ Books that Byron Recommend: Brave Battalion: The Remarkable Sage of the 16th Battalion (Canadian Scottish) in the First World War, by Mark Zuelkhe: https://www.zuehlke.ca/brave-battalion.html Gallant Canadians: The Story of the Tenth Canadian Infantry Battalion, 1914-1919, by Daniel G. Dancocks: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2660649-gallant-canadians Eric Flint, 1632 Series: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1632_series Old Solomon Levi: Regimental March of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles: https://youtu.be/-4CdDPAKJ58?si=oOwg5BUFnAxvGcgg  

Not an episode per se, we just hit record for two hours while we tried to play Midgard using Zoom.   May or not be your cup of tea, certainly nothing slick and polished, but that wouldn't be us, would it?  Might amuse you while you're painting or lying on a gurney in the ER.  

After a very long hiatus, Mike and James emerge briefly from hibernation to chat with Irish warmer and friend Conrad Kinch.  CK publishes an irregular blog, Joy and Forgetfulness, and writes a regular column for Miniature Wargames. We recorded this just after Christmas, 2024, but due to his incorrigible slothfulness, Mike is only now finished editing and uploading this. CK's blog: https://joyandforgetfulness.blogspot.com/2021/03/?m=0

<Blows dust, taps mic> Hello, is this thing on?  Does it still work? Yes, in the spirit of all things Easter, this podcast has risen, or at least, roused itself from its slumber.  In this catch-up issue, James and Mike get together on air for the first time since last October.  No interesting guest, just us.    In a little over an hour, we talk about: Hot Lead, which took place just before Easter and of which James is justifiably proud of his team.   You can find his wrap-up of this year’s show at his blog:  https://rabbitsinmybasement.blogspot.com/2024/03/hot-lead-2024-lots-of-pictures-and-video.html Some further Hot Lead bits in this segment: We talk about naval wargaming, and the new WW1 rules by local boy Andrew Dobbie:  https://www.dobbieshobbies.net/ Model Builders Supply was not at Hot Lead this year but they sell great terrain (I love their trees) and you could buy the business!  Check it out:  https://modelbuilderssupply.com/ Also thanks to Hot Lead we got morbid and talked about war-games estate sales, since you can’t take it with you:  http://madpadrewargames.blogspot.com/2024/03/an-estate-sale-rules-haul-and-bit-of.html In the middle of the podcast, we talk about 18th century wargaming, starting off with Mike’s report on his first attempts with Henry Hyde’s horse and musket rules, Shot, Steel and Stone.  For more on Mike’s thoughts, see: http://madpadrewargames.blogspot.com/2024/03/first-thoughts-on-henry-hydes-shot.html We also discussed other 18th century rules we want to play more of, including Keith Flint’s Honours of War which gets good reviews from everyone who’s played it:  https://www.ospreypublishing.com/ca/honours-of-war-9781472808097/ As well as Twilight of the Soldier Kings which I think is available for purchase on Amazon.    If you have thoughts about these rules, let us know please. We also talk about ancient Romans, books vs PDFs (James is a print guy), James’ charming obsession with the Quar and Mike’s eagerness to try General D’Armee 2 from Reisswitz Press. Finally we look ahead to some upcoming war-games shows in Ontario: Ragnarok is more RPG and SF focused than Hot Lead but it’s in nearby Kitchener and worth supporting, April 20 and 21.   See https://www.ragnarokxp.com/ Our friends in Hamilton are organizing a more war-games oriented event in Niagara Fallson Saturday May 4:  https://allevents.in/niagara falls/dice-days-at-the-niagara-military-museum/200026103613028#google_vignette We leave you with a quiz:   Who is the best movie Napoleon?    Is it: Ian Holm (Time Bandits) Ian Holm (Time Bandits) OR Ian Holm (Time Bandits)   Cheers and thanks for listening. Write to us: Mike:  madpadre@gmail.com James:  jamesmanto@gmail.com   Blogs:    www.madpadrewargames.blogspot.com www.rabbitsinmybasment.blogspot.com   On Bluesky: madpadre.bsky.social jamesmanto.bsky.social    

I'm embarrassed to say that James and I recorded this chat on August 10, and then I totally forgot about uploading it in the business of my day job.  So here we are, two whole months later and I owe big apologies to James and to you dear listeners, all two of you. I vaguely recall that we talked about James' Quar fixation, the forthcoming Napoleon movie, and God knows what else.  So I'll be as surprised listening to this as you will be.  Hopefully we all enjoy it.

Wendy de Wolfe is a Canadian Armed Forces veteran, fine artist and freelance graphic designer, and wargamer with a particular interest in kriegspiels.   For the past year, she's ben running a large Napoleonic kriegspiel set in 1806 in which James and I were among the players, only to recently discover that James was the Prussian CinC.  It was terrific fun.     In this Now It Can Be Told episode, James and I had a terrific time chatting with Wendy about this particular game, what we didn't know at the time, and how the game went.  Wendy talks about managing a game of this scale as the referee, and offers some thoughts on what how to run a KS for those interested in such a venture.   She also discusses her experience as a combat veteran and how her military service has influenced her gaming and game design. Notes About Our Guest: https://wendydewolfe.com http://wendydewolfe.blogspot.com/ Wendy's report on her KS game: https://youtu.be/jN388s17nD0 https://youtu.be/g23MaOtqMHg James' report on Wendy's KS game: http://rabbitsinmybasement.blogspot.com/2023/06/rabbitman-lost-in-fog-of-war.html Wendy's Contributions to the CWP Virtual Library: Donald E Graves, Redcoats and Grey Jackets, The Battle of Chippawa (Dundurn Press, 1966) Marc Milner, Stopping the Panzers (University Press of Kansas, 2017) Other Things What We Mentioned: Andrew Field, Grouchy's Waterloo: The Battles of Ligny and Wavre (Pen and Sword 2017) Zombiesmith and Quar: https://zombiesmith.com/ All Things Quar: https://rhyfler.com/ Ottomans by The Assailt Group: https://theassaultgroup.co.uk/product-category/renaissance/ottoman/ Event Horizons hobby store, Midland, ON: https://www.eventhorizonhobbies.com/ Warlord Games, Black Powder: https://us.warlordgames.com/collections/rules-books/black-powder Warlord Games, Hail Caesar: https://us.warlordgames.com/collections/rules-books/hail-caesar Upcoming Gaming Events in Ontario:  https://mustcontainminis.com/ontario-miniature-gaming-conventions Our Guest Wendy's Choice for PlayOut Music:   Light of Foot, Dismounted March of the Royal Canadian Dragoons: https://youtu.be/9f_HaWp_llk  

Our blue ribboned panel of veteran HotLead game-masters and ne'er do wells, Keith Burnett, Dan Hutter, Don Perrin and Brian Hall join Mike and James in a shamelessly self-congratulatory chat about what we did, saw, and liked about HotLead, Ontario's premiere miniatures gaming event. In the back third of the episode, the podcast morphs into a bit of a 2024 planning committee meeting, but Lord knows who's still listening by then!

In this episode, we detour from miniatures to chat to Marc Rodrigue, Montreal-based designer of the award-winning French and Indian Wars boardgame, Bayonets and Tomahawks, published by GMT Games.   We talk about Marc's abiding interest in the French and Indian War, and the design process that led to his game.   Marc's also a FIW reenactor, and has some interesting insights to the period from portraying a soldier of the Franche de la marine.   Marc's current projects include an interesting looking WW2 armour game, reflecting his love of tanks, and some other fascinating projects. After we said au revoir to Marc, James and I chatted about the ups and downs (and legalities) of 3D printing, getting ready for Hot Lead in less than two week's time, playing Napoleon in a tactical game, James' initial thoughts on Osprey's new SF rules, Xenos Rampant, and an early look at Sam Mustafa's Nimitz, along with some opinions as to why destroyers are cool. Links to things we discussed: Marc Bayonets and Tomahawks: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-978-bayonets-tomahawks-2nd-printing.aspx B&T on BGG: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/206509/bayonets-tomahawks Academy Games:  1754 FIW game: https://www.academygames.com/pages/1754 FIW reenactors in Montreal: https://atmmontreal.com/en/who-are-we/ Other Stuff: Nimitz by Sam Mustafa: https://sammustafa.com/nimitz Xenos Rampant by Osprey Publishing: https://ospreypublishing.com/ca/xenos-rampant-9781472852366/   Marc's Book Contributions to the CWP Virtual Library: Peter McLeod, Backs to the Wall: the Battle of Sainte-Foy and the Conquest of Canada, https://www.amazon.ca/Backs-Wall-Battle-Sainte-Foy-Conquest-ebook/dp/B01LX5EN7P/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1PVU4K375ZT6A&keywords=backs+to+the+wall+the+siege+of+quebec&qid=1679105042&s=digital-text&sprefix=backs+to+the+wall+the+siege+of+quebec%2Cdigital-text%2C76&sr=1-1 Peter MacLeod:  Northern Armageddon:  the Battle of the Plains of Abraham and the Making of the American Revolution ,https://www.amazon.ca/Northern-Armageddon-Peter-MacLeod-author/dp/1101973501 Fred Anderson:  Crucible of War:  The Seven Years and the Fate of Empire in British North America, 1754-1766, https://www.amazon.ca/Crucible-War-British-America-1754-1766/dp/0375706364 David Preston:  Braddock's Defeat:  The Battle of the Monongahela and the Road to Revolution, https://www.amazon.ca/Braddocks-Defeat-Battle-Monongahela-Revolution/dp/0190658517 La petite guerre et la chute de la Nouvelle-France" by Laurent Nerich, a French military analyst.  It blows away the myth of the French “forest Rambos” and describes very well the capabilities and limitations of “Canadien" light troops.   "Montcalm, général américain” by Québécois historian Dave Noël. Like Preston’s book “Braddocks Defeat” book does for the British general, it gives a more proper portrayal of how that French general was adapted to the North American theater.    Closing Music:  Aupres de ma blonde, sung  by Olivia Chaney, https://youtu.be/lY2izR3fN_U Contact Us (We Love Hearing From You!): Canadian Wargamer Podcast Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/canadianwargamerpodcast Mike: madpadre@gmail.com @MarshalLuigi www.madpadrewargames.blogspot.com James: jamesmanto@gmail.com @JamesManto4 www.rabbitsinmybasement.blogspot.com      

Mike and James chat with Roger Chrysler, a wargamer whose family history led him to a deep dive in early Ontario history and the War of 1812.   Roger tells us about his family and their involvement in the war, and we do our own deep dive into the many gaming possibilities (figures, rules, scenarios, books) that this fascinating but poorly known war offers.  If you aren't itching to refight Queenston Heights or Lundy's Lane after listening to this, we don't know what's wrong with you. Also, we chat with Kevin Jacobi, one of the partners behind Six Squared Studios in St. Catherines, ON.   Started as a labour of love, these guys cut their teeth cutting and selling MDF bases and slowly built a business that now includes a well thought out bricks and mortar store.  Did someone say road trip?  It's wine country, so the wife should approve ... Six Squared Studios: https://6-squared-studios.shoplightspeed.com Board Game Maniacs interview with Six Squared: https://youtu.be/Ycm-DbCqqQA Stuff We Mentioned Hamilton area gaming stores: Hamilton Hobby Specialties, Kenilworth Ave. Tistaminis, Parkdale Avenue, Black Knight Games Mohawk and Upper Ottawa, Dundas Valley Hobbies, King Street Dundas. Roger's Books for the CWP Virtual Library: Novel : The Bloody Boy, Doug Thomas, Keltoi Publishing, 2001. 49th Light Company soldier, Queenston, York, Stoney Creek, Beaver Dams, Crysler’s Farm. Field of Glory, Donald E Graves, Robin Brass Studios, Chateauguay and Crysler’s Farm. 1999 The Civil War of 1812. American Citizens, British Subjects, Irish Rebels, & Indian Allies. Alan Taylor, Vintage Books. 2010 The Gun, Death to the French (Rifleman Dodd) C.S. Forrester   Contact Us (We Love Hearing From You!): Canadian Wargamer Podcast Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/canadianwargamerpodcast Mike: madpadre@gmail.com @MarshalLuigi www.madpadrewargames.blogspot.com James: jamesmanto@gmail.com @JamesManto4 www.rabbitsinmybasement.blogspot.com  

Not a lot to say about this one except to wish a very Merry Christmas to our listeners, and hoping to have more for you in the new year. Cheers from Mike and James.

In Episode 20, Mike and James speak with Glenn Pearce, the Dean of Canadian Napoleonic Wargaming.     Glenn is the mastermind behind what may be the oldest Napoleonic miniature wargaming group in the world, based out of Toronto, Ontario.  Glenn describes how he and his group made a big decision to go small and only game with 6mm figures.   We also discuss Glenn's work with Baccus as a rules writer, with one set (Ruse de Guerre) published and another on WW2 divisional plus battles in the early stages.  In the second half, James and I talk about a new Napoleonic STL Kickstarter, as well as how darn needy Austrian armies can be.   Our Guest: Glenn Pearce, Napoleonic Miniatures War-game Society of Toronto: https://www.facebook.com/Napoleonic-Miniatures-Wargame-Society-of-Toronto-100470888212245/ Glenn's Ruse de Guerre rules: https://www.facebook.com/Napoleonic-Miniatures-Wargame-Society-of-Toronto-100470888212245/ https://www.wargamevault.com/product/206835/Polemos-Ruse-de-Guerre George Jeffreys, Variable Length Bound Wargaming: https://groups.io/g/vlb-rules Glenn's Contributions to Our Virtual Library: Cowpens 1781: Turning Point of the American Revolution, by Ed and Catherine Gilbert https://www.amazon.ca/Cowpens-1781-Turning-American-Revolution/dp/1472807464/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3EGB5647J9VO1&keywords=cowpens+ed+and+catherine+gilbert&qid=1670877727&s=books&sprefix=cowpens+ed+and+catherine+gilbert%2Cstripbooks%2C88&sr=1-1 Napoleon and Grouchy: The Last Great Waterloo Mystery Unravelled, by Paul Dawson, 2017. https://www.amazon.ca/Napoleon-Grouchy-Waterloo-Mystery-Unravelled/dp/1526700670/ref=sr_1_1?crid=17SI78IMMDRD2&keywords=napoleon+and+grouchy+dawson&qid=1670877849&s=books&sprefix=napoleon+and+grouchy+dawson%2Cstripbooks%2C95&sr=1-1   Napoleon and Austerlitz: The Glory Years 1805-1807 (1997), by Scott Bowen https://www.amazon.com/Napoleon-Austerlitz-1805-1807-Napoleonic-Research/dp/0962665576   Crisis on the Danube: Napoleon's Austrian Campaign of 1809 (1990) bj James Arnold, https://www.amazon.ca/Crisis-Danube-Napoleons-Austrian-Campaign/dp/1557781370/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3G03ONJDQDTS5&keywords=crisis+on+the+danube&qid=1670878174&s=books&sprefix=crisis+on+the+danube%2Cstripbooks%2C85&sr=1-1   Battle Tactics of the Civil War, Paddy Griffiths (2014) https://www.amazon.ca/Battle-Tactics-Civil-Paddy-Griffith/dp/1847977898/ref=sr_1_1?crid=9XTPGDFAYY7U&keywords=battle+tactics+of+the+civil+war+paddy&qid=1670878285&s=books&sprefix=battle+tactics+of+the+civil+war+paddy%2Cstripbooks%2C83&sr=1-1   The Anatomy of Victory:  Battle Tactics 1689 - 1763 by Brent Noseworthy (1991)   Other Stuff That We Mentioned:   Jon Hodgson backdrops: https://www.patreon.com/jonhodgsonmaps Lucas Luber, Alps Aflame Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/pianowargames/the-alps-aflame Piano Wargames: https://pianowargames.de Closing Music: Blue Bonnets Over the Border (Quick March of the Toronto Scottish Regiment) https://youtu.be/j-gaPwPAU7g Contact Us (We Love Hearing From You!): Canadian Wargamer Podcast Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/canadianwargamerpodcast Mike: madpadre@gmail.com @MarshalLuigi www.madpadrewargames.blogspot.com James: jamesmanto@gmail.com @JamesManto4 www.rabbitsinmybasement.blogspot.com  

After a two month absence, which is explained in tedious detail, CWP is back.  No guest this month, just Mike and James having a long overdue natter and catchup. We talk about the Amazon pseudo-Silmarillion series Rings of Power, and whether it will have any influence on wargaming in Middle Earth.  Those who know James will know that he has strong opinions.  Will Games Workshop offer Rings of Power, oooops, sorry, Second Age figures?  No matter, gamers have tons of options for ME suitable figures.  James talks about his new Conqueror dwarves like Durin exulting over mithril, and some of his newest recruits (Oathmark, etc) in his Host of the Rohirrim.   Jams also offers some thoughts on Lion Rampant 2nd Ed. Mike talks about his move and a new job, a hobby slump, and maybe starting a gaming group in a new town from scratch.   Mike hasn't painted much lately, but has backed some SYW 3D Kickstarters from our friends at Tundra Works and Henry Turner.   We spend the last third of the podcast chatting about the books we've read lately, and James anticipates his trip to LardEh 3 in Hamilton which is long in the past by the time this is published.   From what we've seen of James' Twitter feed since then, it was a good time. Stuff we reference: Conqueror Models Dwarves:   https://conquerormodels.com/product-category/28mm-fantasy/dwarfs/ Lion Rampant Version 2 Rules:  https://ospreypublishing.com/lion-rampant-second-edition?___store=osprey_ca Books: James D. Hornfischer, Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors,  https://www.amazon.ca/Last-Stand-Tin-Sailors-Extraordinary/dp/0553381482 James Holland, Brothers in Arms: One Legendary Tank Regiment's Bloody War From D-Day to VE-Day  https://www.amazon.ca/Brothers-Arms-James-Holland/dp/0802159087/ref=sr_1_1?gclid=Cj0KCQjwnvOaBhDTARIsAJf8eVM7hxW5cF3nyo0PMpm-bo9dveH7aJxN5hT8JiqXvRoJQPG20ViAEo8aAvWYEALw_wcB&hvadid=549311616473&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9000890&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=925040391481924233&hvtargid=kwd-1438570923992&hydadcr=13567_9588741&keywords=brothers+in+arms+james+holland&qid=1667091767&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIwLjg3IiwicXNhIjoiMC43MCIsInFzcCI6IjAuNTkifQ%3D%3D&sr=8-1 Andrew Field, Grouchy’s Waterloo: The Battles of Ligny and Wavre https://www.amazon.ca/Grouchys-Waterloo-Battles-Ligny-Wavre-ebook/dp/B0727LVGBL Humphrey Carpenter, J. R. R. Tolkien: A Biography https://www.amazon.ca/J-R-Tolkien-Biography/dp/0008207771   Contact Us (We Love Hearing From You!): Canadian Wargamer Podcast Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/canadianwargamerpodcast   Mike: madpadre@gmail.com @MarshalLuigi www.madpadrewargames.blogspot.com James: jamesmanto@gmail.com @JamesManto4 www.rabbitsinmybasement.blogspot.com        

In the first and longest part of the podcast, Mike speaks with Dr. Robert C. Engen, a Canadian military historian and educator with a passion for wargames.    I spoke with Robert while he's between jobs.  Until recently, he used wargames to teach operational process and planning to mid-career officers at the Canadian Forces Staff College in Toronto, and will be soon be on his way to teach the same thing to the Australian military.  The same job, Robert tells me, only upside down. Robert and I had a wide-ranging discussion about hobby wargaming (he is one of us!) and wargames used as part of Professional Military Education, both in the history of Canada's military and today.  We talked about the similarities and differences between hobby and professional wargames, as well as whether war-games are predictive (often they're not) or better used to teach decision making and process.  Our conversation included the classic game Diplomacy, Operation Husky (Sicily 1943), Taiwan, and the current war in Ukraine.   We didn't even get to Robert's considerable body of work on the Canadian Army in World War Two, so we'll have to invite him back to discuss that. In the Canadian Content Corner, James and I speak with Morgan Drawson of Tundra Works, a Canadian miniatures producer whose Kickstarter just went live today.   Tundra Works offers an interesting line of 18mm Lace Wars figures, and their project is connected to a wider project of introducing campus gamers to historical miniatures (we discussed that project with Cynthia Jing some months ago).   It's an ambitious project, we we wish them luck.   Their KS info is below. Our Guest Dr. Robert C. Engen Dr. Engen's Website: http://robertengen.ca Dr. Engen's Books: Canadians Under Fire: Infantry Effectiveness in the Second World War (McGill Queens 2009): https://www.amazon.ca/Canadians-Under-Fire-Infantry-Effectiveness/dp/0773536264/ref=sr_1_1?crid=23HUU3VZA2YX2&keywords=robert+engen&qid=1660443658&sprefix=robert+engen%2Caps%2C215&sr=8-1 Strangers in Arms: Combat Motivation in the Canadian Army, 1943-1945 (McGill Queens 2016). https://www.amazon.ca/Strangers-Arms-Motivation-Canadian-1943-1945-ebook/dp/B01E0MXIR0/ref=sr_1_2?crid=23HUU3VZA2YX2&keywords=robert+engen&qid=1660443658&sprefix=robert+engen%2Caps%2C215&sr=8-2   With Matthew Barrett: Through Their Eyes: A Graphic History of Hill 70 and Canada's First World War (McGill Queens 2022). https://www.amazon.ca/Through-Their-Eyes-Graphic-History/dp/0228010578/ref=sr_1_3?crid=23HUU3VZA2YX2&keywords=robert+engen&qid=1660443658&sprefix=robert+engen%2Caps%2C215&sr=8-3 Our Guest Morgan Drawson TundraWorks Lace Wars Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tundraworks/tundraworks-miniatures-lace-wars?ref=nav_search&result=project&term=tundraworks Also Mentioned: 6 Squared Studios: https://6squaredstudios.ca 6 Squared on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/6squaredstudios/   Contact Us (We Love Hearing From You!): Canadian Wargamer Podcast Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/canadianwargamerpodcast   Mike: madpadre@gmail.com @MarshalLuigi www.madpadrewargames.blogspot.com James: jamesmanto@gmail.com @JamesManto4 www.rabbitsinmybasement.blogspot.com      

We're back for Episode 17 of CWP and we're chuffed that we are now over 5000 downloads.   Of course, we have no idea how many of those downloads led to people wiping their hard drives after listening to us for a few minutes, but 5k is 5k, and we'll take it.  Our gratitude to all of you who listen to the podcast and who tell their friends about us. In this Episode, James and I managed despite a spotty Zoom connection to speak with Thomas Moore whose out in Whiterock, near Vancouver, British Columbia.  Thomas' Twitter bio describes him as "Amateur Historian, Wargamer, Painter, Mpdeller, Voracious Reader, RCN Vet, NFL Seattle Seahawks Fan".   All of those things are true.   We would add that Thomas is possibly the nicest guy on wargaming Twitter, always a voice of encouragement and enthusiasm, and never a snarky or sarcastic word from his keyboard.   We could all learn from him.  OK, we could.   Well, James, mostly. We talked about Thomas' time in the Royal Canadian Navy as Cadet and Reservist, back when they let cadets do fun and really dangerous things, and about his wargaming career.  Thomas had us salivating as he described the gaming group  of true grognards he plays with in Whiterock, British Columbia, and we were both considering emigrating there before the end of the interview.    Yes, he did say that one member of his group has 100,000 figures! Also, have you ever valued your wargames and mini collection?  No?  Well, you should, because Thomas talks about how he and his wife Rita put their lives, and his hobby, back together after a fire in their apartment building.   It's a sobering story, and on we could all learn from.     In the Canadian Content Corner, we speak with Thomas about his Twitter project of documenting Canadian military history in WW2 through his choosing photographs from the National Library.    This salon is reason to follow his Twitter feed.  Also in the CCC, as we're now calling it, we talk about finding, identifying, and laying to rest Canadian soldiers of the Great War, as well as long overdue honours to the African-Canadians of No. 2 Construction Battalion. Our Guest Thomas on Twitter: @Medical_Int Mentioned: Wargamer's Terrain webstore: http://www.wargamersterrain.com Thomas' Book Choices for our Virtual Library: Brent Nosworthy: The Bloody Crucible of Courage: Fighting Methods and Combat Experience of the American Civil War. https://www.amazon.ca/Bloody-Crucible-Courage-Fighting-Experience-ebook/dp/B00359EV94/ref=sr_1_2?crid=7ODVTWKXCWC3&keywords=brent+nosworthy+american+civil+war&qid=1658021779&sprefix=brent+nosworthy+american+civil+war%2Caps%2C99&sr=8-2 James Holland, Brothers in Arms: One Legendary Tank Regiment's Bloody War from D-Day to VE Day.   https://www.amazon.ca/Brothers-Arms-Legendary-Regiments-V-ebook/dp/B08YS123SZ/ref=sr_1_1?gclid=CjwKCAjww8mWBhABEiwAl6-2Rbfv2LB1MddqquSvCBt7AFMSZUd5AW8Tt4DDD6VJju4TS1EtuZwdzRoCAqIQAvD_BwE&hvadid=549311616473&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9000801&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=9174794733792679732&hvtargid=kwd-1438570923992&hydadcr=13567_9588741&keywords=brothers+in+arms+james+holland&qid=1658021686&sr=8-1 John English, The Canadian Army in the Normandy Campaign, A Study of Failure in High Command (1991). Our Closing March: In honour of our guest, Heart of Oak from the Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy. https://youtu.be/8YTl5jFnhPs   Canadian Content Corner Pte John Lambert (The Newfoundland Regiment) identified and buried with military honours: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/military-history/history-heritage/casualty-identification-military/Private-John-Lambert.html Burial Service of Unidentified Member of the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles, Loos Commonwealth Cemetery: https://www.cwgc.org/visit-us/events/burial-service-for-an-unknown-soldier-of-the-5th-canadian-mounted-rifles-and-two-unknown-soldiers-of-unknown-regiments-will-be-held-at-cwgc-s-loos-british-cemetery-france/ Dr. Sarah Lockyer on Twitter: @S_Lockyer No. 2 Construction Battalion National Apology: https://youtu.be/RDLetn8eRAA No 2 Construction Battalion History: https://www.no2-cef.ca/history/   Contact Us (We Love Hearing From You!): Canadian Wargamer Podcast Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/canadianwargamerpodcast   Mike: madpadre@gmail.com @MarshalLuigi www.madpadrewargames.blogspot.com James: jamesmanto@gmail.com @JamesManto4 www.rabbitsinmybasement.blogspot.com  

In the first half, we convene a bona fide panel of some of our favourite grognards to talk about a burning question, why are there so many Napoleonic rules sets out there, with more arriving every year, and why are they still being written? The conversation focuses on Naps, but could easily be ported to a discussion about ancients, WW2, etc.  At the very least, what should we legitimately expect of a new rules set?    Is it a vanity project, published by someone who simply doesn't like other peoples' games, or does it offer some new mechanism or insight?    Should wargames authors at the very least have to tell us what are the assumptions behind their rules?  It's a fascinating, lively and wide ranging conversation. In the second half, James and Mike natter about Napoleonic wagon and artillery parks and how logistics never goes out of style, DBA as a guide to understanding the ancient world, and some of the great games to be seen at LardEh in May. Our Guests: Tom Castanos, Anything But a One Podcast: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/nax6w-dfdf2/Anything-But-a-One%21-Adventures-in-Historical-Miniature-Wargaming-Podcast Jim Owczarski ( @TheGascon ) http://kriegsspieler.blogspot.com   https://www.armchairdragoons.com/podcast/ Jim's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6hA1_EvjQQGYdlMGLoYfA   Glenn Pearce, Napoleonic Miniatures War-game Society of Toronto: https://www.facebook.com/Napoleonic-Miniatures-Wargame-Society-of-Toronto-100470888212245/ Don Perrin: https://donperrin.com Books Mentioned: Nigel Stillman and Nigel Tallis, Armies of the Ancient Near East, 3000 BC - 539 BC, WRG 1984 (OOP) Arthur W. Gullachsen, An Army of Never-Ending Strength: Reinforcing the Canadians in NW Europe, 1944-45. UBC Press, 2021.   Our Closing March: The Great Little Army (Quick March of the Canadian Army). https://youtu.be/SVPj_yBLw1M   Contact Us: Canadian Wargamer Podcast Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/canadianwargamerpodcast   Mike: madpadre@gmail.com @MarshalLuigi www.madpadrewargames.blogspot.com James: jamesmanto@gmail.com @JamesManto4 www.rabbitsinmybasement.blogspot.com

It's been over a month since we published Ep 14, so here's TWO AND A HALF HOURS of nonsense and yakking to make up for our absence. In the first half, we talk to Montreal-based gamer Pierre-Yves Troel, who wowed us all in March at HotLead with his participation game of What a Cowboy, a much-anticipated western gunfight game soon to be published (we hope) from Too Fat Lardies.   P-Y (Mike totally mangled his name and variously called him Y-P, P-J, and God knows what else, though our guest was too polite to say anything) talks about his gaming career, discovering the TFL community through online gaming, and his growing expertise in 3D printing.  We also talked about the gaming scene in La Belle Province of Quebec. In the second half, during our Canadian Content Corner (CCC),  friend of the podcast Chris Robinson checks in to give us a update on LardEh, Canuckistan's  TFL-themed gaming day returning to Hamilton, Ontario on 28 March.  Chris also tells us about what he and Big Rich chatted about when Chris was a guest of the TFL Oddcast.    Rounding out the CCC, Mike reports on what he's learned about how the Canadian Army faced a massive challenge training an NCO Corps from scratch in WW2.   We also chat about about the Guadalcanal Campaign, about gaming WW3, James' WW3 Imaginations (Mantovia and Borduria), Mike's discovery of DBA (talk about coming late to the party) and how many figures a horse and musket unit really needs.  It's a wide ranging convo, good for an extra-long painting session. Our Guest: Pierre-Yves on Twitter: @iwouldlike2rage P-Y's minis and painting website: http://www.iwouldliketorage.com P-Y's contributions to the CWP Virtual Library: Churchill's Secret Warriors: The Explosive True Story of the Special Forces Desperadoes of WW2 by Damien Lewis.  Quercus Publishing, 2014. https://www.amazon.ca/Churchills-Secret-Warriors-Explosive-Desperadoes/dp/1848668554 Behind Japanese Lines: With the OSS in Burma  by Richard Dunlop.  Skyhorse Publishing, 2014.   https://www.amazon.ca/Behind-Japanese-Lines-OSS-Burma/dp/1626365385   Other Subjects Mentioned In This Podcast: Events: LardEh, Hamilton, May 28: https://twothreesixmm.blogspot.com/2022/03/lardehs-game-day-ii.html?fbclid=IwAR03DIVymyCg_GqCWmHkxIwb7LcUEUCQhJuLZOZg6bzh5Z4Kq-w1HGTYBm0 Frozen Lard Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/frozenlard Books Mentioned: Battlegroup! The Lessons of the Unfought Battles of the Cold War, by Jim Storr (Hellion, 2021). https://www.helion.co.uk/military-history-books/battlegroup-the-lessons-of-the-unfought-battles-of-the-cold-war.php Neptune's Inferno: The US Navy at Guadalcanal, by James D. Hornfishcher.  (Bantam, 2012). https://www.amazon.ca/Neptunes-Inferno-U-S-Navy-Guadalcanal/dp/0553385127/ref=asc_df_0553385127/?tag=googleshopc0c-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312844313495&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9475770318543822771&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9000801&hvtargid=pla-454531967423&psc=1 Building the Army's Backbone: Canadian Non-Commissioned Officers in the Second World War, by Andrew L. Brown (UBC Press, 2021). https://www.ubcpress.ca/building-the-armys-backbone George MacDonald Frazer, Quartered Safe Out There. (2007) https://www.amazon.ca/Quartered-There-George-MacDonald-Fraser/dp/1602391904/ref=asc_df_1602391904?tag=bingshopdesk-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80127001872958&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583726555030834&psc=1 DBA 3.0 Rules, by Phil Barker (WRG). https://www.amazon.ca/Bellis-Antiquitatis-Version-3-0/dp/024469768X Our Closing March: The Meeting of the Waters (Quick March of the Rocky Mountain Rangers), played by the band of the Royal Highland Fusiliers: https://youtu.be/K6vw45WlSoY Contest: Listen closely to the podcast for details on how to win some of Bob Murch's fabulous Cossack miniatures, proceeds go to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Fund for Ukraine.  Contact Us: Canadian Wargamer Podcast Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/canadianwargamerpodcast   Mike: madpadre@gmail.com @MarshalLuigi www.madpadrewargames.blogspot.com James: jamesmanto@gmail.com @JamesManto4 www.rabbitsinmybasement.blogspot.com