The Canadian Wargamer

Michael Peterson
The Canadian Wargamer

Your hosts James and Mike, with the occasional guest, look at the Canadian wargames scene. We're interested in miniature wargaming, board (hex and counter) games, and how Canadian military history inspires some of our projects. We hope to help tell the stories of a small but dynamic hobby scene in a big country.

  1. 04/14/2024

    The Canadian Wargamer Podcast Episode 26: Is This Thing Still A Thing?

    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

    1h 17m
  2. 06/30/2023

    Canadian Wargamer Podcast Episode 24: Talking Kriegspiels With Our Guest Wendy de Wolfe

    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

    1h 56m
  3. 03/18/2023

    The Canadian Wargamer Podcast, Episode 22, With Our Guest, Marc Rodrigue, Designer of GMT’s Bayonets and Tomahawks

    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

    1h 48m
  4. 01/19/2023

    Episode 21 With Our Guests, Roger Chrysler on Gaming the War of 1812, and Kevin Jacobi of Six Squared Studios

    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

    2h 20m

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Your hosts James and Mike, with the occasional guest, look at the Canadian wargames scene. We're interested in miniature wargaming, board (hex and counter) games, and how Canadian military history inspires some of our projects. We hope to help tell the stories of a small but dynamic hobby scene in a big country.

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