- [FIXED] Gaming Goals for 2024 – Wargaming Recon #2992024/01/30
This contains the fixed podcast episode. Use THIS one, and not the old one. Apologies for the error and inconvenience. Peter Saloom kicks off the episode with his 2024 goals for tabletop gaming. Jonathan discusses using the SMART criteria. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-based. Jonathan’s… Read More»
- [BROKEN] Gaming Goals for 2024 – Wargaming Recon #2992024/01/29
This contains the BROKEN podcast episode. Click HERE for the fixed one.Apologies for the error and inconvenience. Peter Saloom kicks off the episode with his 2024 goals for tabletop gaming. Jonathan discusses using the SMART criteria. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-based. Jonathan’s goals serve as starting… Read More»
- Carnage 2023 – Wargaming Recon #2982023/11/27
In this episode Jonathan is joined by Peter Saloom to talk about Carnage 26. Carnage was held Oct 27-29, 2023 at Killington Grand resort in Killington Vt. Jonathan, Robert Dunn, and Peter Saloom all attended Carnage on behalf of Wargaming Recon. Jonathan & Peter discuss the games played by all… Read More»
- Minis Agnostic Gaming – Wargaming Recon #2972023/11/07
This episode was recorded LIVE at Carnage 2023 in Killington, Vermont. Jonathan is joined by co-hosts Robert Dunn and Peter Saloom. The trio sit down and talk about miniatures agnostic gaming. Peter and Robert begin by defining what minis agnostic gaming is. We talk about our thoughts about this type… Read More»
- Gaming Across Eras – Wargaming Recon #2962023/10/16
In this episode Jonathan is joined by co-host Robert Dunn. Robert writes the show notes. He has been on the podcast before and travels with Jonathan to conventions. Jonathan and Robert get into a very long talk about what they think about the multitude of eras available in our wargame… Read More»
- One Day Conventions – Wargaming Recon #2952023/09/18
In this episode Jonathan is joined by Peter Saloom to talk about two recent 1-Day gaming events called Leveled Up and the Hobby Bunker Games Day. Leveled Up is part of Redemption Con and might sound familiar to our listeners. Peter talks about about the turn out and the games… Read More»
- Savage Worlds – Wargaming Recon #2942023/08/09
In this episode Jonathan is joined by Peter Saloom. You might remember Peter since he was on recently and was talking about growing community at Redemption Rock Brewing in Worcester, Massachusetts. Peter is a published writer with the Stingers & Spores setting in the Savage Worlds RPG ruleset. Peter starts… Read More»
- Toxicity in Gaming – Wargaming Recon #2932023/07/03
In this episode Jonathan is joined by counselor, author and professor; Dr. Allan Hunter. He has written 12 books including The Sanity Manual (affiliate link), Life Passages: Writing Exercises for Your Life Journey (affiliate link), and From Coastal Command to Captivity: The Memoir of a Second World War Airman (affiliate… Read More»
- Huzzah Con 2023 – Wargaming Recon #2922023/06/19
In this episode Jonathan is joined by Robert Dunn to talk about Huzzah! Con 2023. Huzzah was held in South Portland, Maine during the weekend of May 19-21, 2023. Robert writes the show notes for each episode over the past few years. He is an invaluable member of the team… Read More»
- Katana-Ra & AI Art – Wargaming Recon #2912023/05/15
This week Jonathan is joined by Kos, the CEO of W.R.K.S. Games. W.R.K.S Games is the publisher of Jordenheim, and now Katana-Ra. The pair jump right in to talking about their new game Katana-Ra and what it is; and the development behind it. Katana-Ra is a Japanese inspired cyberpunk RPG… Read More»
- Growing a Gaming Community – Wargaming Recon #2902023/04/24
In this episode Jonathan is joined by Peter Saloom. Peter helped found a gaming community at Redemption Rock Brewing in Worchester, Massachusetts; and he is also the president of a 2nd generation family business. Peter talks about his gaming origins and how it has led him to building his local… Read More»
- Joerg’s $5,000 Gaming Makeover – Wargaming Recon #2892023/03/27
This is the second of two live episodes recorded at TotalCon 2023. In this episode Jonathan is joined by Joerg Bender. Joerg is the owner of Things From the Basement; the company that makes beautiful MDF tabletop wargaming terrain. The Plan Joerg is given the $5,000 extreme gaming makeover challenge.… Read More»
- Razer RPG System- Wargaming Recon #2882023/03/15
This episode was recorded live at TotalCon 37 on February 25, 2023. Jonathan was joined by Peter Bryant for this live recording. Peter is the co-owner of Solarian Games and the game designer behind the new Razer RPG system. Jonathan quizzes Peter on his gaming origins and why this makes… Read More»
- Pocket Bard Gaming Music – Wargaming Recon #2872023/01/30
In this episode Jonathan is joined by Alex Berner and Chase Harris of Pocket Bard. Alex is the composer and CEO of Pocket Bard. Chase is the Lead Developer and Interactive Audio Lead. The trio talk about what Pocket Bard is and how it can enhance your own RPG or… Read More»
- CaptainCon with Andrew Hartland – Wargaming Recon #2862022/12/19
In this episode Jonathan is joined by Andrew Hartland. Andrew is the Gaming Coordinator for CaptainCon and a NASA engineer. Andrew talks about what he does as the Gaming Coordinator before talking about CaptainCon itself. CaptainCon is February 3-5, 2023 in Warwick, RI and is full of RPG’s, Miniatures and… Read More»
- ArmourCon 2022 w/ Dave Valentine – Wargaming Recon #2852022/11/21
In this episode Jonathan is joined by Dave Valentine of Bloody Scotsman Games. Bloody Scotsman Games is the maker of Devil in the Wilderness and the expansion Devil In Sleepy Hollow. (You can even find Jonathan and Adrian in the game as characters.) Dave had a vendor booth at the… Read More»
- Modeling and Painting Vietnam Wargames Review2022/11/18
Wargaming Recon recently received a review copy of the new book by Michael Farnworth, titled Modeling and Painting Vietnam Wargames published by Military Miniature Press. They appear to be a relatively new company and based on the quality of this book, it will be worth seeing what they have releasing in… Read More»
- Extreme Gaming Makeover – Wargaming Recon #2842022/10/31
This week Jonathan is joined by Peter Bryant. Peter is a Co-Owner of Solarian Games. He is a gamer designer who created Cube of Death. Jonathan gets Peter to go through what his personal extreme gaming makeover would entail. The idea behind the Extreme Gaming Makeover is to see how… Read More»
- Cigar Box Battle with Cory Ring- Wargaming Recon #2832022/09/05
In this episode we are joined by Cory Ring. He is the co-owner, content manager, editor, and gamer guru for Cigar Box Battle. If you are not aware Cigar Box Battle has 143 different designs for their tabletop gaming mats. 24 of them are 36″x36″. Two of them are massive… Read More»
- Wargaming Campaigns with Henry Hyde – Wargaming Recon #2822022/08/22
This week Jonathan is joined by the esteemed Henry Hyde. Henry is the best-selling author of Wargaming Campaigns (affiliate link) and The Wargaming Compendium (affiliate link) books. Many consider The Wargaming Compendium to be the definitive wargaming tome of our generation. Jonathan and Henry discuss why Henry decided to take… Read More»
- 5 Tips for Whatnot Buyers – Wargaming Recon #2812022/08/08
This week, Jonathan is joined by special quest Anthony from Brickify. The pair talk about the online auction site Whatnot; they explain what it is and it can benefit you. The 5 tips for buyers that the pair discuss are as follows: Be selective Be careful from whom you buy… Read More»
- USS Adrian Benson – Wargaming Recon #2802022/07/25
Joerg Bender is the owner of Things From the Basement. He comes on to discuss what’s happening with their MDF terrain. Things from the Basement has 13 main lines of MDF terrain and tabletop gaming accessories. Jonathan and Joerg talk specifically about the Exploratory Submarine USS Adrian Benson. The USS… Read More»
- Adrian’s Gaming Requiem – Wargaming Recon #2792022/07/11
In this episode, Jonathan is joined by Alex Tabb. Alex is a long time friend of Adrian Benson and a fellow gamer. The two travel into old school wargaming as they swap memories of gaming with Adrian. Adrian and Alex met at The Compleat Strategist in King Of Prussia PA,… Read More»
- Wargaming with LEGO – Wargaming Recon #2782022/06/27
In this episode, Jonathan talks about how he is joining his loves of Star Wars, LEGO, and wargaming. Jonathan is working on developing a convention game for the Battle of Hoth using his LEGO kits. He covers his dilemma with either using the Star Wars Legion rules or using a… Read More»
- Australian Gaming Con 2022 – Wargaming Recon #2772022/03/14
In episode #277 I am joined by Joshua Shoobridge. Joshua is a podcaster, wargamer dad, 3D printing enthusiast and our audio editor. We start off talking about what games and hobby tasks that he is enjoying currently. We also discuss how COVID has impacted gaming. Joshua talks about his local… Read More»
- Solarian Games Rises – Wargaming Recon #2762022/02/28
In this episode, we are joined by games designer Peter Bryant. Peter has quite a resume, he is a game designer, former podcaster, dad, science nerd, TotalCon Industry guest and co-owner of Solarian Games. We briefly talk about how TSR had change names to become Solarian Games. Wargaming Recon used… Read More»
- Grief, LEGO, and Gaming – Wargaming Recon #2752022/02/14
Referencing the award-winning musical, Dear Evan Hansen, Jonathan shares how chronic depression, anxiety, and grief caused Jonathan to feel like a sinking ship with no land in sight. That is until Jonathan rediscovered a love of LEGO. LEGO is more than a building toy. It can even be used for… Read More»
- Lessons From Pandemic – Wargaming Recon #2742022/01/31
Kicking off the 2022 season with some lessons Jonathan has learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. Jonathan shares a few lessons that apply to the tabletop battlefield and everyday life. The global pandemic has impacted many individuals in a variety of ways. If you, or someone you know, is mourning a… Read More»
- Oathmark – Wargaming Recon #2732021/11/08
In this episode Joshua talks about Oathmark by Joseph A. McCullough. Joshua gives a review of the game and covers the mechanics. He explains how to build your units and the different miniatures you can use. Joseph’s bio can be found here. The Oathmark rulebook can be found here. Additional resources… Read More»
- Gaming During Australian COVID-19 Lockdown – Wargaming Recon #2722021/10/25
Australia is in lockdown because of COVID-19. While many may think this means gaming isn’t possible, Joshua Shoobridge shares why that isn’t true. He discusses his gaming and hobby experiences during lockdown. They cover everything from painting minis, trying new painting techniques, and even a dive into 3D printing. As… Read More»
- Gaming Time Capsule with Bob Yates – Wargaming Recon #2712021/08/24
Joshua Shoobridge hosts this episode featuring long time gamer, Bob Yates. Bob can be seen in the award-winning documentary Word From a Gamer directed by Steven Wollett (award-winning director and friend of the show). He has been gaming since his early childhood. Although he considers himself more of an RPG… Read More»
- Alyssa Faden LIVE – Wargaming Recon #2702021/06/21
Alyssa Faden returns in a live recording from the virtual con “Hold The Line.” This is the virtual convention put on by the Maine Historical Wargamers Association in 2021. Alyssa is the owner of Alyssa Faden Cartography. You can watch her streams on YouTube Monday – Wednesday. On her YouTube… Read More»
- Father’s Day 20212021/06/20
Jonathan shares some musings about Father’s Day in this special micro recording for Father’s Day 2021. Support Wargaming Recon through Patreon. It costs as little as $1 per per month. That is less than a cup of coffee. You’ll get episodes before non-members. Credits “Downtown” by Matthew Ebel is our… Read More»
- Farewell Adrian – Wargaming Recon #2692021/05/24
THIS EPISODE FEATURES CONTENT THAT MAY BE UPSETTING TO THOSE DEAELING WITH GRIEF AND ISSUES OF EMOTIONAL/MENTAL WELLNESS. WE ARE NOT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS. IF YOU ARE IN CRISIS, PLEASE USE THE EMERGENCY NUMBER FOR THE AREA YOU ARE IN (911 IN THE US, 999 IN THE UK, ETC…) We are… Read More»
- Cartographer Alyssa Faden – Wargaming Recon #2682021/05/03
Alyssa Faden is a creative whirlwind. She’s a wargamer with a penchant for ancient Rome & Napoleonics. She’s a cartographer drawing works of art for many RPGs. She’s a Youtuber sharing reviews and tips/tricks for wargamers/RPGers alike. She’s raised bundles of gold coins for charities. She’s also been an industry… Read More»
- Vacations for Wargamers – Wargaming Recon #2672021/04/26
As more individuals receive the COVID-19 vaccine, more locations are opening up for travel. In the coming weeks, months, and year(s) more and more individuals will feel comfortable traveling to locations far and wide. This episode shares places that Adrian and Jonathan think will be of interest to wargamers. Whether… Read More»
- 2021 Escaping the Dumpster Fire -Wargaming Recon #2662021/03/29
Kicking off the 2021 season with a bang, Adrian co-hosts this episode as we touch on so many topics. Everything from virtual cons to canceled in person cons, from recent gaming purchases to what we have no intention of buying, from updates on cool Kickstarter projects to where things stand… Read More»
- What you have may have missed.2021/03/24
With everything that has been going on in the world, I am sure many of us have curtailed our spending on new products and have hopefully been able to work through some of our backlog. Even during the pandemic companies are still working on putting out some great new products… Read More»
- Last Minute Christmas Gifts2020/12/24
It is Christmas Eve and you haven’t finished (or started) your shopping. DON’T PANIC! You can still get meaningful gifts for the gamers in your life. Below are some suggestions from small businesses where possible. Please note, some links may be affiliate links. That means it doesn’t cost… Read More»
- Goodbye Dumpster Fire 2020 -Wargaming Recon #2652020/12/21
The year 2020 has been a gigantic dumpster fire. One positive thing that’s happened this year is a focusing on improving our mental health. We began the year discussing that. This episode caps the year by discussing how painting Dwarven Forge terrain can help to improve one’s mental health. We… Read More»
- Knyghte, Pyke & Sworde. A Game of Medieval Skirmishes2020/12/20
Title: Knyghte, Pyke & Sworde (affiliate link) Authors: Ivan Sorensen Publisher: Nordic Weasel Games MSRP: $9.99 USD (PDF only thru WargameVault.com) Period/Setting: Medieval, roughly 500AD-1500 AD. There is a supplement that expands this to include the Pike and Shot era. Scale: 15mm or larger Basing: Individual figure on each base… Read More»
- Holiday Gift Guide 2020 -Wargaming Recon #2642020/12/07
No matter whether you exchange grudges for Festivus, light the Kinara, or celebrate Saturnalia, we have gift ideas for you. Face it buying presents for tabletop gamers can be tough. There’s only so many dice you can buy. Fear not! We’re here to help. A variety of individuals join us… Read More»
- Beneath the Med review2020/11/16
Title: Beneath the Med: Regia Marina at Sea 1940-1943 Author: Gregory M. Smith Publisher: GMT Games MSRP: $52.00 USD Period/Setting: World War 2 Italian submarine commander. Player count: Solo game. There are rules for playing with a second person or in a tournament setting. Printed Playing time: 2-3 Hours Overview:… Read More»
- Return to Roleplaying with Rowan -Wargaming Recon #2632020/11/02
Joshua takes the prime seat to discuss his buddy, Rowan’s, return to roleplaying games down in Australia. This is one you’re sure to enjoy if you’re into RPGs. Support Wargaming Recon through Patreon. It costs as little as $1 per per month. That is less than a cup of coffee.… Read More»
- Get Political – Wargaming Recon #2622020/10/13
Don’t panic! We’re not actually getting political. We want to highlight some of our political games. Below is a list of the games mentioned in this episode and how to get them. Games Mentioned 270 – FREE on iOS with in-app purchases The Campaign Manager – $2.99 USD on iOS… Read More»
- The importance of batch painting, the Road to 350.2020/10/06
Batch painting is an important aspect of my painting method. With no permanent hobby space I can’t just leave things sitting between painting sessions, mix in work, a two year old and other family commitments and I’m lucky to get in an hours worth of painting in on a week… Read More»
- Jordenheim RPG with Kosala – Wargaming Recon #2612020/09/29
Founder of W.R.K.S. Games, Kosala Ubayasekara, discusses the Jordenheim roleplaying game. Set in the same universe as their popular computer game, Blood Bond – Into the Shroud, Jordenheim merges Scandanavian history & myth with their imaginative twists. All of W.R.K.S. Games’s properties are developed with the story first and everything… Read More»
- Therapeutic Uses of Building with Dwarven Forge – Wargaming Recon #2602020/09/14
Jonathan returns from his time spent away from the show as he began to mourn the passing of his grandmother. This episode features Jonathan sharing the story of his grandparents and how their lives not only shaped him, but also shaped the culture of Wargaming Recon. The second half of… Read More»
- Getting Your Groove Back: Ideas for Burnt Out Wargamers2020/09/13
When I started the wargaming hobby two years ago, I had childishly thought that I would never get tired of painting miniatures. Three-hundred painted miniatures later, I was so burnt out from the hobby that I could not fathom the thought of picking up a paint brush. In any hobby,… Read More»
- A view from the inside, looking outside, looking inside.2020/09/01
Normally, I write reviews, but I have not been able to play anything or buy much in this pandemic. I wanted to take my turn to write about my thoughts and the few things I have painted. I am sure that many people have painted fewer figures than I. Hopefully,… Read More»