The Canadian Wargamer (Michael Peterson)

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

In this second episode of The Canadian Wargamer Podcast, Mike and James speak with our very first (!) guest, Bob Murch, the dean of Canadian miniature sculptors and owner of Pulp Figures.   We talk about his early days at RAFM, his freelancing work, of course the pulp stuff, how Canada's indigenous peoples gave the Vikings the boot, and how Normans are cool.    It also gets really honest as we talk about the hobby and mental health and wellness.

Bob's book contribution to our virtual library:

Robert Mason, Chickenhawk (1983): https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/chickenhawk/9780143035718-item.html

See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chickenhawk_%28book%29

Joseph Boyden, The Orenda (2013): https://www.amazon.ca/Orenda-Joseph-Boyden/dp/0143174169/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SHCYWKTSXS9J&dchild=1&keywords=the+orenda+by+joseph+boyden&qid=1624458761&sprefix=boyden+orenda%2Caps%2C178&sr=8-1

After we said goodbye to Bob, we have a natter about some Canadian events (KegsCON in Chatham, ON and AttackX in Kamloops, BC), both happening (maybe?) this September.  We also talked Canadian military history, including Dr. Marc Milner's work on 3d Can Div in Normandy, Dr. Sarah Glassford's work on Canadian women Red Cross volunteers in WW2, Canadian battlefield tourism (remember tourism and going places?  that was great!).  We also talked about why we think Vikings were dicks (don't be a dick), indoctrinating grandchildren, and of course we went on about projects, at which point it rather became the Canadian Napoleonic contest.  Oh well, at least James hasn't glued his fingers to anything this week.  Mike's mind is still undecided about the Foundry Triad Paint System.

Do you have any stories to tell about a Rugged Adventures game with Bob that you played in?  Let us know.

Do you have a Canadian wargames event that you want to talk to us about?  Get in touch!

Know what Celer Paratus Callidus means?  Even better, do you know where we can find an .MP3 version of it?  Let us know!

Links to cool things mentioned in the podcast:

Bob Murch on Twitter: @PulpFigures

https://pulpfigures.com

Flint and Feather range of figures: https://pulpfigures.com/huron_iroquois_war/

AttackX Tabletop Wargaming Expo, Kamloops, BC - Sept 10-12, 2021 (to be confirmed): https://www.facebook.com/AttackXexpo

Kent-Essex Gaming Society (KEGS), hosts of KEGSCon - KEGSCON IX Sep 18, 2021  https://www.facebook.com/KEGSCON/

Hotlead - 18, 19 & 20 March 2022 - https://hotlead.ca

Maple Leaf Route Webinar Series - https://canadianmilitaryhistory.ca/webinar/

Dr. Marc Milner, Stopping the Panzers: Canada's Forgotten Overlord Role

https://canadianmilitaryhistory.ca/now-available-on-youtube-stopping-the-panzers-canadas-forgotten-overlord-mission-with-marc-milner/

The Old Front Line Podcast: Canadian Remembrance Tourism with Samantha Cowan https://oldfrontline.co.uk/2021/06/12/canadian-remembrance-tourism-with-samantha-cowan/

Mike on Twitter: @MarshalLuigi

Mike's Blog: http://madpadrewargames.blogspot.com

James on Twitter: @JamesManto4

James' Blog: http://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

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

In our January Episode, we speak with our guest Jason Weiser, the genius behind the first hobby magazine aimed at North American readers in twenty years!  Jason's been on a tour of all the posh podcasts, from Yorkshire  to the Great White North. We slaved in the studio to get this month's podcast ready just a day before the second edition of MM is released!   It's a nervy thing to do and we applaud the chutzpah of Jason and his team.   Listeners may recall that we talked with our guest Don Perrin about the demise of hobby magazines on this side of the Atlantic, so we wish the newcomer every success.

The interview begins at 14:45 in the podcast.  You can check out the magazine at https://militaryminiature.com and we encourage you to subscribe or at least order an issue.

Elsewhere in this podcast, James talks about getting the Russian Napoleonic army for Christmas, Mike talks about his problems and hopes in getting started in 3D printing, and we nervously cross our fingers as we discuss plans for Hot Lead 2022 in the Time of Omicron.    

Links for some of the stuff what we talk about:

Tadenac Games Canada:

@TadenacGames  tadenac.canada@gmail.com 

Legions IV Hire:

https://www.legionsivhire.ca/index.php?

Hot Lead 2022:

https://hotlead.ca

Our March Out this month is in honour of the Royal Canadian Navy and of ou Canuck wargamer friend, @Medical_Int (Cheers, Thomas!).  The HMCS Naden Band:

https://youtu.be/8YTl5jFnhPs

Contact Us:

Mike: madpadre@gmail.com

@MarshalLuigi

www.madpadrewargames.blogspot.com

James:

jamesmanto@gmail.com

@JamesManto4

www.rabbitsinmybasement.blogspot.com

Part One: “The Kids In The Hall”:

Our interview with guests, Jacob Stauttener and Evan Switzer, borrows its title from the 1990s Canadian comedy show, "The Kids in the Hall".   Two (youngish) grandads, call us The Airfix Generation, put two (youngish) gamers, call them The GW Generation, on the spor to talk about generational differences and crossovers.

We talk about crossovers from the kind of turnkey gaming systems that young gamers find in a Games Workshop store to more "obscure" (shhhh, don't use that word around James!) games.  We talk about the appeal of creative and collaborative projects such as Evan's role in The Ninth Age, a player-driven continuation of the old Warhammer Fantasy system.  We also wonder if old gamers, like old church people, can stop clutching their pearls about "Where are the young people" and trust that the next generation will find its way into the hobby and make it their own.  And that's a good thing, we conclude.

Stuff mentioned in Part One:

Jacob’s Must Contain Minis website:  www.mustcontainminis.com

Also look for Jacob’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_dq-xyb2a9bgYKwD9gqTUg

Evan’s Ninth Age Project:

https://www.the-ninth-age.com/community/filebase/index.php?download/3990/ download link for one of our 'full books' we did for ninth age. good example of the quality we're striving for.

Evan on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/switz.hobbies.1

Other Stuff Mentioned in This Interview:

Bell of Lost Souls:  www.belloflostsouls.net

Jacob on Bell of Lost Souls:  www.belloflostsouls.net/ author/jwstauttener

Laurentian TableTop Gaming Group: https://laurentiantabletoporganization.blogspot.com

https://www.facebook.com/groups/582653558459668

Universal Battle Software:  www.universalbattle2.com

Critical Hit Gaming Lounge, Oshawa, ON:  www.criticalhitgaminglounge.com

Game Chamber Store, London, ON:  www.thegamechamber.com

Jacob’s Digital Library Contributions:

Joseph A. McCullough, Frostgrave, 2nd Edition, Osprey Press

Blood and Plunder: The Collector’s Edition Rulebook, Firelock Games

https://www.firelockgames.com/bloodandplunder/

Evan’s Digital Library Contributions:

Nathan M. Greenfield, The Damned: The Canadians At the Battle of Hong Kong and the POW Experience, Harper Collins, 2010.

Brent Watson, Far Eastern Tour: The Canadian Infantry in Korea, 1950-1953.  McGill Queens University Press, 2007.

Part Two:  Canadian Content Corner. 

Brad, aka @OTDCanMilHis, as a guest on WW2TV

Ask Me Anything on Canadian military history

https://youtu.be/qyw8IuZ0nqY

Mike speaks with Alastair Nichols, author of Wellington's Switzers: The Watteville Regiment  about European redcoats in Upper Canada in the War of 1812.

WELLINGTON'S SWITZERS: THE WATTEVILLE REGIMENT (1801-1816) - A SWISS REGIMENT OF THE BRITISH ARMY IN EGYPT, THE MEDITERRANEAN, SPAIN AND CANADA (KEN TROTMAN, 2014)

Alastair's book is available for purchase at https://kentrotman.co.uk

3) Whats Going On In Canada

- True North LardEhs Game Day #1

- November 27, 2021

- 9:30am-7pm

- Royal Hamilton Light Infantry Veterans Association Hall, Hamilton, Ontario

- intend for 2 timeslots of (at least) 4 TFL games per timeslot

- trying for curry dinner!

 https://twothreesixmm.blogspot.com/2021/09/take-3-of-lardehs-game-day-in-hamilton.html

4) Closing Music:

Slow March of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery

https://youtu.be/1cq9ZMcFGsY

Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery at Buckingham Palace

https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/news/2021/10/canadian-artillery-soldiers-assume-queens-guard-duties-in-england.html

Contact Us:

Mike: madpadre@gmail.com

@MarshalLuigi

www.madpadrewargames.blogspot.com

James:

jamesmanto@gmail.com

@JamesManto4

www.rabbitsinmybasement.blogspot.com

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!

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

James and Mike welcomed some friends to our CWP Christmas Podparty.   We also had a special visitor, Santa Grognard, though he seemed more interested in the Moose Milk than in our Christmas wish lists.

The usual silly seasonal natter and year end predictions.  We hope it gives you a laugh and a bit of cheer.

James and Mike with you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and thank you for your kind interest in our podcast!

PS

"Moose milk" is a Canadian military tradition, favoured particularly at Christmas and year end mess parties and unit "sticky floor" parties.   There are a variety of recipes, and they should be approached with extreme caution:

https://cookwithmitch.blogspot.com/2016/12/canadian-forces-moose-milk.html

James and Mike convene a stellar panel of new and veteran game masters to compare notes about what we saw, played, bought and did at Hotlead, Southern Ontario's best and biggest tabletop miniatures event and the first one since March 2020 and the start of Covid.

Our Guests: Joe Saunders https://www.youtube.com/c/MiniatureLandscapeHobbies/videos

Keith Burnett and Brian Hall from KEGS (Kent Essex Gaming Society) https://www.facebook.com/KEGSCON?filter=2

James' Hotlead report: http://rabbitsinmybasement.blogspot.com/2022/03/hot-lead-2022-in-which-rabbitman-does.html

Mike's Hotlead report: 

https://madpadrewargames.blogspot.com/2022/03/games-at-hot-lead-2022.html

Hotlead on Facebook

Our Current Contest:  Somewhere in this episode is a contest.  Listen to win a set of Bob Murch / Pulp Figures Cossacks.  Proceeds from these figures go to the UNHCR appeal for Ukraine.

In CWP Episode 7, James and Mike talk to Canadian wargames manufacturer Alex McCutcheon of Full Battle Rattle Miniatures.   Alex has brought his soldier's knowledge of the contemporary Canadian Army together with a talented sculptor to create a boutique label of gorgeous 28mm miniatures for gaming the Canadians (and their adversaries) in Afghanistan.   There's even a LAV 3!

We talk with Alex about his nervy decision to put his own money into the business, and get some mouth-watering hints as to where he might go next (1885 NorthWest Rebellion, anyone?).   We also talk about Alex's love of skirmish gaming, his crazy on again off again GW girlfriend, and a really interesting crossover of tabletop gamers and scale model builders in the Toronto area called Sword and Brush.

In the Canadian Content Corner, James and I convene a blue ribbon panel to discuss the new Dutch film The Forgotten Battle, because how many times in a lifetime do we get to see a film about Canadians in the Battle of the Scheldt (which could oversell what the film actually delivers)?  We're joined by grizzled grognard and Canadian Army vet Brian Hall, and by that rising phenom of Canadian military history, the newly minter Doctor, Brad St. Croix, to talk about what the film got right and wrong.  We end the conversation with some thoughts on how we would advise Steven Spielberg if he came to us with a hockey sock full of money and a desire to give the Canadians in WW2 a proper screening.

Links from this month's podcast:

Full Battle Rattle Miniatures: https://fullbattlerattleminiatures.com

Sword and Brush:  Canada's Premiere Tabletop Wargaming and Miniature Painting Expo: https://swordandbrush.ca

Lords of War Games Store, Oakville: https://lordsofwargames.com

Sword and Board Games Store, Toronto: https://www.theswordandboardtoronto.com

Alex's Contributions to the Canadian Wargamer Podcast Digital Library:

Mark Zuehlke,  Opration Husky, The Canadian Invasion of Sicily https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B003Z9JMS4/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

Robert Semrau, The Taliban Don't Wave https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B003Z9JMS4/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

Canadian Content Corner

Our Guests:

Dr. Brad St. Croix: @OTDCanMilHis

Brian Hall: @Brian34586884

Brad's You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQZZQKAo8CqUzsUoOhuQdYw

Brad's Patreon Page:

https://www.patreon.com/OTDCanMilHistory/posts

Brad's conversation with Mark Zeuhlke on the Scheldt: https://youtu.be/XGpDwvk5uUc

The Forgotten Battle (2020 Dutch Film): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Forgotten_Battle

The Battle of the Scheldt: https://www.bing.com/search?q=battle%20of%20the%20scheldt&FORM=ATUR01&PC=ATUR&PTAG=ATUR01RAND

Closing Music:

Royal Regiment of Canada March Past: https://youtu.be/ylAiGTAc8sA

Royal Regiment of Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/military-history/history-heritage/official-military-history-lineages/lineages/infantry-regiments/royal-regiment.html

Contact Us:

Mike: madpadre@gmail.com

@MarshalLuigi

www.madpadrewargames.blogspot.com

James:

jamesmanto@gmail.com

@JamesManto4

www.rabbitsinmybasement.blogspot.com

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.

In this Edition of CWP, James and I catch up after a month off the air by recounting our adventure at Lard, Eh?, the first Canadian wargaming event (to our knowledge) dedicated exclusively to Too Fat Lardies miniatures games.  We're joined by our friend and one of Lard, Eh?'s organizers, Chris Robinson.   Our conversation covers the planning of this event in the time of plague and whether it bodes well for the reopening of the live wargaming convention scene in the Great White North.  James and I also talk about our reactions to O Group; BLUF, it's fun, it makes your noggin a bit sore trying to figure it out, but it's an exciting game and very good at putting the player in the role of a battalion commander without worrying about which section has so many 2" smoke rounds left.

In the Canadian Content Corner, we're joined by our friend Dr. Brad St. Croix, making his second appearance on CWP.  We recorded this conversation on Dec 9 (the Defence and Fall of Hong Kong began on Dec 8, 1941), so it's a fitting date to speak to Brad about his speciality, the Canadian role in Hong Kong and the way it's been obscured over the years by some unfortunate historiography.  Though Brad isn't himself a wargamer, he was a good sport and helped us work through the battle and how it might be modelled on the table top.   Rumour has it that Mike ran straight from the interview to the Peter Pig website to grab some 15mm Japanese infantry!

Continuing the CWP tradition of finishing with some relevant Canadian military music, we end the episode with the march of the Royal Rifles of Canada, one of the two gallant Canadian battalions that were destroyed in the battle.

Brad's contributions to the CWP Virtual Library:

Tony Banham, Not the Slightest Chance: The Defence of Hong Kong, 1941.  UBC Press, 2003.

Marc Milner, Stopping the Panzers: The Untold Story of D-Day. U of Kansas Press, 2014.

Review on Stopping the Panzers: https://scholars.wlu.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=1908&context=cmh

Info on Our Guests:

Chis' Blog: http://twothreesixmm.blogspot.com

Chis on Twitter: @LegendaryNoize

Dr. Brad St. Croix on Twitter: @OTDCanMilHis

Brian Hall: @Brian34586884

Brad's You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQZZQKAo8CqUzsUoOhuQdYw

Brad's Patreon Page:

https://www.patreon.com/OTDCanMilHistory/posts

Brad talks with the Juno Beach Centre about Hong Kong:

https://www.junobeach.org/podcast/c-force-to-hong-kong-with-brad-st-croix/

Closing Music:

"I'm Ninety Five": Quick March of the Royal Rifles of Canada: https://youtu.be/9DGOCtbJg48

Royal Rifles of Canada:

https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/military-history/history-heritage/official-military-history-lineages/lineages/infantry-regiments/royal-rifles.html

Contact Us:

Mike: madpadre@gmail.com

@MarshalLuigi

www.madpadrewargames.blogspot.com

James:

jamesmanto@gmail.com

@JamesManto4

www.rabbitsinmybasement.blogspot.com

Cynthia Jing is the youngest person to appear on our podcast to date, and is arguably the most famous, because she and her group have been featured on Little Wars TV, and we haven't (not that we're jealous).  Cynthia is part of the Laurentian Tabletop Organization, a Canadian club that supports college and university gamers in Ottawa, Montreal, and Toronto.

We had a great chat with Cynthia about how her group is firmly rooted in tabletop miniatures gaming, particularly at the crunchy end (Napoleonics and Seven Years War) while, thanks to Covid (thanks, Covid! >said ironically

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

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 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

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

In our August Podcast, we talk with a true grognard, Don Perrin, a Canuck who now calls Las Vegas his home.  Since Don and James met as cadets and barrack mates many years ago, Don went on to graduate from Royal Military College and serve in the Canadian Army in the RCEME Corps. Don's done practically everything there is to do in the hobby.  He's worked with giants like Frank Chadwick, run a games store, published (and killed!) wargames magazines, manufactured lead figures and now is doing cutting edge work in 3D printing as you'd expect from his extensive technical background. He's also a published fiction author, and the only guy we know personally to have a Wikpedia entry! In our discussion, Don shares his thoughts on what happened to North American wargames magazines, the pros and cons of 3D printing, and the future of our gaming hobby.

Don Perrin on Twitter:  @dbsperrin

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Perrin

Don’s Websites:

https://donperrin.com

https://historicalminis.com

Don’s Stuff on War-game Vault (The Courier, MWAN, etc):

https://www.wargamevault.com/browse/pub/3610/Don-Perrin?page=2

Don’s 3D Printing Website:

https://home3dprints.com

Don’s Virtual Bookshelf Contributions:

Operation Warboard’ By Gavin & Bernard Lyall. Adam and Charles Black, 1976 ISBN 0 7136 1646 6 

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01N7E9PBN/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

Operation Husky: The Canadian Invasion of Sicily, July 10–August 7, 1943 By Mark Zuehlke. Douglas and McIntyre (2013) Ltd., 2009 ISBN: 1553653246

Stuff We Mentioned In Our Conversation:

First Clash: Combat Close Up in World War Three, by Kenneth Macksey, 1998. https://www.amazon.com/First-Clash-Combat-Close-Up-World/dp/0425107566

Sound Officers' Call Blog: https://soundofficerscall.blogspot.com

The Sentry Box (Calgary, Alberta games store): https://sentrybox.com

Canadian Content Corner:

Brad St. Croix and Alex Fitzgerald-Black on Operation Husky: https://youtu.be/xkiWFlDpD9w

Alex Fitzgerald Black on The Air Support Rollercoaster: Air Power and its Contribution to the Morale of the Canadian Army in Normandy: https://youtu.be/6YpFVLtIRtc

Alex Fitzgerald-Black, Eagles Over Husky: The Allied Air Forces in the Sicilian Campaign, 14 May to 17 August, 1943. https://www.amazon.ca/Eagles-over-Husky-Sicilian-Campaign/dp/1912174944/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=eagles+over+sicily&qid=1628977961&sr=8-1

Arthur Gullachsen, An Army of Never-Ending Strength: Reinforcing the Canadians in NW Europe, 1944-45.  UBC Press, 2021. https://www.amazon.ca/Army-Never-Ending-Strength-Reinforcing-Canadians/dp/0774864818/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=arthur+gullachsen&qid=1628976179&sr=8-1

Closing Music:  

The Corps of Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers March Past: https://rcemecorpsgemrc.ca/our-history/rceme-marches/

Our Contact Info:

Mike's email:  madpadre@gmail.com

Mike's Twitter: @MarshalLuigi

Mike's blog: www.madpadrewargames.blogspot.com

James' email: jamsmanto@gmail.com

James' Twitter: @JamesManto4

James' blog: www.rabbitsinmybasement.blogspot.com

In the interview, we speak to Curt Campbell, the Sidney Roundwood of the Canadian wargaming scene, the Snowlord himself.  Of course, we talk about the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge which has become an international community of over 90 gamers and painters.  We also talk about running a games store in the heroic early days of Games Workshop, the gaming scene on the prairies, and why quirky, eclectic games like Moonstone are so much fun.  Finally, Curt doesn't disappoint us by making 5(!) deposits into our Virtual Library.

After the interview, during our patented Canadian Content Corner, Mike and James discuss the Canadians in Italy and Normandy.  We then ask the burning question: just why are Bavarians are so sexy right now?  James reports on his experience of VirtualLard6, and a new set of rules, Packing Heat, that will have all the gun mooks and their molls all jazzed up.  It then gets rather Napoleonic.

Show notes for Episode 3 of The Canadian Wargaming Podcast, July 2021.

Part One:   Our Guest, Curt (“The Snowlord”) Campbell

Curt’s blog:  http://analogue-hobbies.blogspot.com

The Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge:  https://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.com

Curt on Twitter: @analoguehobbies

Prairie Con Gaming Convention:  http://www.prairiecon.com, https://www.facebook.com/PrairieCon

Fawcett Avenue Conscripts Winnipeg Gaming Club:  http://wpggamegeeks.blogspot.com

Moonstone: https://moonstonethegame.com

Curt’s five book pics for The Canadian Wargamer Podcast virtual library:

     Fredrik Logevall, ‘Embers of War: The Fall of an empire and the Making of     America’s Vietnam’

   Craig Symonds, ‘World War II at Se: A Global History’

  Tim Willcocks, ‘The Religion’

  Christopher Buckley, ‘The Relic Master’

 Joseph Boyden, ‘Three Day Road’

Part Two: Canadian Content Corner

Alex Fizgerald Black and Brad St. Croix discuss Operation Husky: The Invasion of Sicily: https://youtu.be/xkiWFlDpD9w

Dr. Lee Windsor, The View From Point 67: Canada's Killing Zone in the Second Half of the Battle for Normandy: https://youtu.be/vWf2pUT8dLE

Part Three: Hobby Natter

James’ report on Virtual Lard 6: http://rabbitsinmybasement.blogspot.com/2021/07/packing-heat-at-virtual-lard-6.html

Osprey Publishing, Absolute Emperor  https://ospreypublishing.com/absolute-emperor 

 Boyd Bruce, author of Absolute Emperor, talks about his rules: https://youtu.be/lkT-OoH5_LY

A Soldier for Napoleon: The Campaigns of Lieutenant Franz Joseph Hausmann: 7th Bavarian Infantry, by Franz Joseph Hausmann, ed. John H. Gill.

Fighting For Napoleon: French Soldiers’ Letters 1799-1815, ed. Bernard and Rene Wilkin.

The Iron Marshall: A Biography of Louis Davout, by John G. Gallaher.

Contact Info:

James' blog: http://rabbitsinmybasement.blogspot.com

James' email: jamesmanto@gmail.com

James on Twitter: @jamesmanto4

Mike's blog: madpadrewargames@blogspot.com

Mike's email: madpadre@gmail.com

Mike on Twitter: @MarshalLuigi

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 )

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

Shawn Taylor is the first published Canadian rules writer that we've had on the podcast.  (James has also published rules, but he's a host, so he gets an honourable mention).  Shawn is an amazingly prolific rules writer.   He's best known for his collaborative work with Robert Dunlop on Great War Spearhead, a popular set of rules for fighting  large (corps level) First World War battles in small scales.    Besides GWS, Shawn has authored rules for clandestine warfare in Nazi occupied Europe, SF skirmish actions defending Earth from alien invaders, and French-Viet Minh actions in IndoChina.

Shawn was an enthusiastic and talkative guest.   Our guest bio conversation covered his long military career and family heritage and how that informs his gaming and choice of subjects.    We spent a lot of time discussing the Great War, a subject that arguably has been poorly served by war-games rules and not well understood by wargamers.    Shawn walked us through the mechanics of GWS and how it puts players in the role of senior commanders, thus challenging players to resist their own possible stereotypes about lions led by donkeys.

We also talked about Shawn's other projects, including Mourir Pour L'Indochine and its recent successful Kickstarter, as well as the gaming scene in Victoria and the Lower Mainland, which we hope to visit (virtually) in a future podcast interview.

Links to our Guest Shawn Taylor:

Shawn Taylor Publications Rules: https://www.lulu.com/spotlight/gwshii

Great War Spearhead on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/480426242475999

God's Own Scale Interview with Shawn Taylor and Robert Dunlop:

https://godsownscale6mm.podbean.com/e/episode-41-the-one-with-shawn-taylor-and-robert-dunlop-talking-great-war-spearhead/

Shawn's Book Recommendations for the CWP Virtual Library:

Mark Zuehlke, Ortona: Canada's Epic Battle

https://www.amazon.ca/Ortona-Canadas-Epic-World-Battle/dp/1550545574/ref=sr_1_1?crid=P8QD5BMBGISL&keywords=mark+zuehlke+ortona&qid=1648844507&s=books&sprefix=mark+zuelke+ortona%2Cstripbooks%2C106&sr=1-1

Mark Zuehlke, Tragedy at Dieppe: Operation Jubilee, August 19, 1942: https://www.amazon.ca/Tragedy-Dieppe-Operation-Jubilee-August/dp/1771620161/ref=sr_1_1?crid=9H9RI7DBM55Q&keywords=mark+zuehlke+dieppe&qid=1648844599&s=books&sprefix=mark+zuehlke+dieppe%2Cstripbooks%2C134&sr=1-1

Terry Copp, Fields of Fire, The Canadians in Normandy (2nd Ed)

https://www.amazon.ca/Fields-Fire-Canadians-Normandy-Second/dp/1442626550/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3MHLOEC1YYS1H&keywords=terry+copp+fields+of+fire&qid=1648844705&s=books&sprefix=terry+copp+fields+of+fire%2Cstripbooks%2C61&sr=1-1

Terry Copp, Cinderella Army, the Canadians in NW Europe, 1944-45 

https://www.amazon.ca/Cinderella-Army-Canadians-Northwest-1944-1945/dp/0802095224/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2U1YAWKITI9OC&keywords=terry+copp+cinderella+army&qid=1648844793&s=books&sprefix=terry+copp+cinderella+army%2Cstripbooks%2C73&sr=1-1

Our Closing March in Honour of Our Guest:

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

In this inaugural episode of the Canadian Wargamer Podcast, hosts and BFFs Mike (@MarshalLuigi) and James (@JamesManto4) introduce one another and address the crucial question: does the world need another miniature wargames podcast in which two (youngish) granddads natter on?  Spoiler alert - yes, it does.

We explain our Concept of Operations for the podcast:

1. Tell stories about the Canadian wargaming scene, a small scene in a BIG country. 

2. Introduce Canadian hobby leaders - figure sculptors and producers, bloggers, local linchpins - and hear they stories;

and

3. Explore connections between Canadian military history and wargaming.  Of course, we may talk about our goblin wolf riders and Prussian grenadiers, but we are particularly interested in representing Canadian battles and soldiers on the tabletop.

We talk about what's keeping us busy for the next month:  

James - lots of decidedly non-Canadian Napoleonics.

Mike - might get to those 15mm Canadians in Sicily this month.

We also shamelessly steal Sean Clarke's virtual library schtick from his God's Own Scale podcast.  We intend to ask each guest to "donate" one or two books with a Canadian military connection. In this issue, we each put two books on the digital shelves.

James' choices:

Mark Zuehlke, Brave Battalion: the Remarkable Story of the 16th Battalion (Canadian Scottish) in the First World War (2008). https://www.amazon.ca/Brave-Battalion-Remarkable-Canadian-Scottish/dp/0470154160

Chris Wattie, Contact Charlie: the Canadian Army, the Taliban, and the Battle that Saved Afghanistan (2008).

https://www.amazon.ca/Contact-Charlie-Canadian-Taliban-Afghanistan/dp/1554700841

Mike's choices:

Frederick George Scott, The Great War as I Saw It (1922).

https://www.amazon.ca/Great-War-Frederick-George-Scott/dp/0978465253

https://archive.org/details/greatwarasi00scotuoft

Farley Mowat, The Regiment (1974).

https://www.amazon.ca/Regiment-Farley-Mowat/dp/1551251221

Let us know what you thought of the podcast and tell your friends!   Also, check out our blogs:

James: http://rabbitsinmybasement.blogspot.com

Mike: http://madpadrewargames.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

In our fifth episode, we talk to Rene Charbonneau, president of what may be Canada's oldest wargaming club in Vancouver, BC, the Trumpeter Tabletop Gaming Society.     We talk about what makes a club a success: planning, a code of conduct, outreach to the community and hospitality to young people.   Trumpeter's big convention, Salute, sounds like a fine excuse for a trip to gorgeous Vancouver in the spring.

In our second segment, the Canadian Content Corner, we talk about the Dieppe Raid, what we think it was about, and what it was actually about.  Mike reports on what he learned watching WW2TV on YouTube and listening to Canadian historian  David O'Keefe.

Next, Mike and James ask the question, what makes for a good set of wargames rules and that leads to a good old natter.

Finally we take about what's on the paint bench, and James talks about how his Bavarian sharpshooters, Scharf's Schutzen, are a thinly veiled homage to a well-known series of books and films about some fellows in green.

Links to this Episode:

1) Our bit with Rene Charbonneau:

Trumpeter Tabletop Gaming Society: https://trumpetergaming.weebly.com

Rene's Book Choices:

Vic Hartley, Arrows Against Steel: The History of the Bow and How it Forever Changed Warfare. https://www.amazon.ca/Arrows-Against-Steel-History-Forever/dp/098347561X

Niall Ferguson, The War of the World: Twentieth Century Conflict and the Descent of the West. https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B008UCJ6T6/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

2) Canadian Content Corner

Historian David O'Keefe's interviews with Paul Wooladge on WW2 TV:

Part One: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sw-h7WLd0Bw

Part Two: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjkSis17Ljc

Part Three: August 19 Dieppe Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBL4kVIdIls

David O'Keefe, One Day in August: Ian Fleming, Enigma, and the Deadly Raid  On Dieppe. https://www.amazon.ca/One-Day-August-Fleming-Enigma/dp/178578630X

Dai's Wargames Blog and Dieppe Project:

https://lostdamnedstunted.blogspot.com/2021/08/1942-ww2-canadian-regulars-dieppe.html

https://lostdamnedstunted.blogspot.com/2021/06/dieppe-commandos-16-of-16-done.html

https://lostdamnedstunted.blogspot.com/2021/05/dieppe-chaplain-j-w-foote.html

3) What Makes A Good Set of Wargamer Rules?

Ken Reilly's Yorkshire Gamer chat with Stephen Wold: https://kenrtai.podbean.com/e/episode-11-stephen-wold-oldwargamer/

Anything But a One! Adventures in Historical Wargaming Podcast.Episode 30, Old School vs New School Games.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-30-old-school-vs-new-style-games/id1525105734?i=1000534186317

Zac's blog post on Dragon Rampant:

https://zacgaming.wordpress.com/2020/12/14/stop-recommending-dragon-rampant/?fbclid=IwAR0m6S_xEC3fKSG4FDPZC7sXspxq_gEritMK7Bge0nPoyu8MjYpyZ8QuYGM

James' blog post on Scharf's Schutzen: http://rabbitsinmybasement.blogspot.com/2021/09/the-bridge.html

Final Music:  Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Regimental March

https://youtu.be/vGmvkeO2Gos

Contact Us:

Mike: madpadre@gmail.com

@MarshalLuigi

www.madpadrewargames.blogspot.com

James:

jamesmanto@gmail.com

@JamesManto4

www.rabbitsinmybasement.blogspot.com

James: 

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

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

Joe Saunders is one of the nicest guys you'll ever hope to meet in the hobby - he's an artist, a modeller, and a gifted teacher who wants to share his many skills so the rest of us can build better looking models and fight our miniature battles on better looking tables.   In this interview, we talk about Joe's background with Games Workshop Canada (remember them?), building his YouTube channel, and his work with Battlefront.  We also discuss Joe's recent decision to get into Napoleonics gaming (One of Us!  One of Us! One of Us!).

In the second half of the podcast, Mike and James go into the Canadian Content Corner to talk about a little known and horrific battle, Kapelsche Veer, in the winter of 1945 as Canadian troops (Lincoln and Welland Regiment, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders), some of them in canoes (!), cleared stubborn German defenders in a brutal week of fighting along the Maas River in northern Holland.  

In the What We're Doing segment, Mike talks about his early adventures in 3D printing, and his favourable impressions of Sam Mustafa's Napoleonics rules, Lasalle 2.   James talks about how artillery takes up a lot of space on the battlefield, and revisits his beloved Bavarians being annoying to Napoleon at Hanau in 1813.   We also talk about how things are looking better for HotLead in March (woot! woot!) and we look ahead to CanGames in Ottawa on the Victoria Day Weekend in May (hmmmm, gaming, or gardening????).

Links to This Episode:

Our Guest, Joe Saunders:  

Miniature Landscape Hobbies YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/MiniatureLandscapeHobbies/about

Joe's livestream on Building Terrain:

https://youtu.be/5A05nKypJww

Joe's Etsy Store:

https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/JoeSaundersTerrain

Joe on Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/Miniaturelandscapehobbies

Joe's Books for the CWP Virtual Library:

Peter Morby, Creating a Napoleonic Wargames Army, 1809-1815 (Crowood Wargaming Guides)  Creating A Napoleonic Wargames Army 1809-1815 (Crowood Wargaming Guides) eBook : Morbey, Peter: Amazon.ca: Kindle Store

David Miller, Fighting Men of World War Two: Axis  (Simon and Schuster)  Fighting Men of World War II - Axis eBook : Miller, David, Smith, Graham: Amazon.ca: Kindle Store

Canadian Content Corner:

Paul Woodage of WW2TV talks to Edwin Popken on the Battle of Kapelsche Veer: https://youtu.be/8_LzRfAuARY

James Holland and Al Murray of We Have Ways podcast talk to Mark Zuehlke about the Canadian Army in NW Europe:

https://podcasts.apple.com/fr/podcast/the-canadian-story/id1457552694?i=1000548427211

Other Stuff Mentioned:

Becke and Summerfield, Hanau 1813: Napoleon's Retreat from Liepzig

https://kentrotman.co.uk/newbooks/hanau-1813-napoleons-retreat-from-leipzig/

Sam Mustafa's Lasalle II rules: https://sammustafa.com/lasalle/

HotLead 2022 (Mar 18-20) https://hotlead.ca

CanGames 2022 (May 20-22) http://cangames.ca

Our Closing March

The Lincoln and Welland Regiment:

The Lincoln and Welland Regiment - Wikipedia

The Lincolnshire Poacher:  March of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment  https://youtu.be/s6vyUcF_F2k

Contact Us:

Mike: madpadre@gmail.com

@MarshalLuigi

www.madpadrewargames.blogspot.com

James:

jamesmanto@gmail.com

@JamesManto4

www.rabbitsinmybasement.blogspot.com

<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