I've Been Diced!

The podcast returns! In this re-inaugural episode, Tom talks with fellow wargamer Randy Moorehead about the reasons why we love historical simulations as much as we do, which is quite a lot. Plus, Tom talks about serious games, which as the name implies is the use of games in work, education, government, and lots of […]

We’re back, after an interruption of only just a few years. In this episode, Tom talks about where he has been, and where the revived podcast is going. Randy Moorehead stops by for a conversation about why we love historical wargames. Tom gives a brief overview of the fascinating world of “serious games.” There are […]

There are a lot of series games in the hobby, both in the market and in our personal collections. This episode, our panel talks about series wargames and other boardgames. What are the advantages and disadvantages, for both the game consumer and publisher? Plus, a game off the beaten track that has special resonance for […]

We’re back after a long hiatus. In the first segment, I talk about games played recently, including Across Suez, Cry Havoc, Bloody Inn, and more. This episode contains the first installment in an introduction to serious games, the use of games in education, business, politics, and more. Plus, a quick discussion of why you might […]

Greg Stafford, designer of Dragon Pass and other board games, creator of the fascinating fantasy world of Glorantha, founder of Chaosium, and designer of Runequest, Pendragon, and other RPGs, makes a royal visit to the podcast. We cover the whole gamut of this interesting bit of gaming history, the future of Chaosium, why Pendragon is […]

Mitchell Land, designer of the Next War series of wargames from GMT, discusses the interesting design challenges behind those games, and we get a sneak peek at the next title, Next War: Poland. Plus, a few words about a departed friend. (c) 2016 Tom Grant

Sam Mustafa, designer of Blücher and other miniatures wargame rules, stops by to discuss his designs and the miniatures side of the hobby in general. Sam and Tom describe the path for boardgamers who might want to give miniatures a try. (Blücher might be a good start.) Plus, Tom shares lessons learned from his recent […]

Our first episode of 2016 is a whopper! We start with an interview with Gordon Calleja, designer of Posthuman, and associate professor and head of the Institute of Digital Games at the University Of Malta. Yes, not only does he design games, but he also teaches game design! Gordon and I talk about professional game […]

John Kranz, the founder of the Consimworld wargame community site, joins me for a discussion of the past, present, and future of Consimworld. Our Game Off The Beaten Path is right in time for football season. We also have news about a new serious game, and I talk about Le Vol de l’Aigle, a multi-player, […]

Troy Goodfellow, founder of the Three Moves Ahead podcast, joins me for a discussion of computer strategy games versus boardgames. What do computer games do well that boardgames don’t, and vice-versa? What can the two genres learn from each other? Plus, this episode’s Game Off The Beaten Path is W1815, a brilliant little game about […]

Not just one guest, but two! Roger Miller of Revolution Games and Randy Lein of Legion Wargames take time away from Consimworld Expo to talk about life as wargame publishers, muse about the state of the hobby, give us some previews into upcoming games, and give sage advice to anyone interested in submitting a new […]

Mark Herman stops by to talk about his new grand strategic WWII game, Churchill, plus oh so many other games he has designed over the years. During our whirlwind tour of Mark’s career as a wargame designer, we make brief stops at SPI and Victory Games, and even get a peek into professional Pentagon wargaming. […]

Our panel discusses combat systems in games — many of which we like, and a few that we don’t like. Air battles that are genuinely exciting, deck-building games that lead to interesting results, the genius of Dune’s commitment mechanic, a defense of hex-and-CRT wargames — all these topics, and many more, in the course of […]

Andy Loakes, designer of Toulon 1793, takes us behind the scenes of his first published wargame. Why hasn’t someone done a game on this topic before? Andy and Tom ponder that issue, along with other questions about Napoleonic history and wargaming. Plus, this episode’s Game Off The Beaten Path is a little wargame on a […]

Richard Borg talks about everything from the Command & Colour wargames to the X-Men games from Pressman (with a cameo from Stan Lee). We also discuss the Kickstarter for his new World War I game, Mutant Chronicles: Siege Of The Citadel, and much more. Plus, a game off the beaten path that should have an […]

Sandy Petersen, designer of Cthulhu Wars (among many other games), talks about the origins of the Call of Cthulhu RPG, the early days of Chaosium (which also published the Runequest RPG, the original Arkham Horror, and plenty of other innovative games). Sandy also tells us how Cthulhu Wars was almost his swan song as a […]

Our regular panel looks back on 2014 in gaming — the ups, the downs, the pleasant surprises, the grave disappointments. Where do games like Dead Of Winter, Fire In The Lake, Nations, and The Hunters fit into this picture? Plus, the recent arrival of Cthulhu Wars inspires Tom to muse on the value of our […]

I drop by the HQ for Worthington Games to talk about their wargames, past, present, and future. Forged In Fire, Band Of Brothers, Cowboys, Hold The Line, and others — what kind of games does Worthington choose to publish? And how does a small publisher find its niche in today’s market? Plus, this episode’s “Game […]

Our regular panel plays a session of Microscope, the game of collaboratively building a grand historical narrative. We put our creative powers to the test by writing the history of a world in which the Roman Empire never fell. This innovative game should appeal to anyone interested in epic sagas in science fiction, fantasy, alternate […]

Jon Compton of One Small Step and the MCS Group tells a gripping story of the trials and tribulations of being a small wargame publisher. We also muse about the popularity of modern wargames. Plus, our regular panel discusses gaming taboos: What behavior elicits gasps of horror from fellow hobbyists? (c) 2014 Tom Grant

Mike Nagel talks about his Flying Colors series of Age of Sail wargames, his new “captaincy” game covering the same era, Sun of York, and what drew him to design a game about the battle of Attu. Plus, Tom lunges headfirst into the subject of what is a wargame. Actually, he talks about when the […]

Greg Smith, the designer of The Hunters and the upcoming Silent Victory, talks about his games, solitaire wargames in general, his work on computer wargames at HPS Simulations, and why boardgame design can be more challenging than computer wargame design. Plus, Tom gives advice to wargamers visiting Paris, and he proves beyond a doubt that […]

John Poniske, designer of Hearts & Minds, King Philip’s War, and Lincoln’s War, discusses the reasons why he developed a different game system for each of these games. Plus, John tells us about some upcoming designs, including games about the Plains Indians Wars and the Haitian rebellion. (Note: Apologies for the poor sound quality during […]

Jim Day, designer of Iron & Oak and Panzer, talks about these two recently-released games, cross-pollination between miniature and board wargaming, and possible new versions of MBT and IDF. Plus, we look at a key requirement for the success of any tactical wargame. What is it? I’ll lay out the scenario for you. (c) 2014 […]

Kim Kanger, designer of Ici, C’Est La France! and Tonkin, discusses France’s counterinsurgency wars, and how differences between these wars led to different game designs. We also discuss Kim’s upcoming game on the siege of Dien Bien Phu. Strap in for another deep discussion of insurgencies and insurgency-related games. (c) 2014 Tom Grant

John Gorkowski, designer of WWI-based games like Guns Of August, Guns Of Galicia, Red Poppies, and In The Trenches, as well as the upcoming The Great Game. We talk about what fascinates us about WWI, the need to take a fresh look at a conflict before dropping game mechanics on them, and why a future […]

Steve Kendall gives us a brief history of the Ragnar Brothers and the games they've produced. Ponder why Angola may have had more successful innovations than any other single game. Hear about the playtest of a new epoch for A Brief History Of The World. Learn why Viking Fury / Fire & Axe is a […]

We’re at Prezcon 2014, where we talk about the games we played, such as A Distant Plain, Theseus: The Dark Orbit, Coup, Cosmic Encounter, Napoleonic Wars, and the recent favorite A Study In Emerald. Plus, wargames that give a little extra historical something. (c) 2014 Tom Grant

Joel Toppen is our guest this episode, here to tell us how he designed Navajo Wars, and give us a sneak peek into his next game, covering the Comanches. Joel also provides useful advice on building Vassal modules (he’s built dozens himself). Finally, Tom gives some recommendations for solitaire wargames. (c) 2014 Tom Grant

We look back on our 2013 in gaming. Best and worst experiences, biggest surprises (good and bad), best fun per dollar, best digital boardgame translation…Vicariously share our action-packed year of gaming. Plus, the Up Front! Kickstarter project’s woes point to some serious risks for boardgames that start as Kickstarter projects. The first podcast of 2014, […]

Tom and Grant Dalgliesh stop by to discuss their successful Kickstarter campaign for Napoleon, and the new Kickstarter for Bobby Lee. Plus, your host has seven reasons why you should be playing more wargames about the American Civil War. (c) 2013 Tom Grant

Remember two episodes, when we discussed noble failures? Now it’s time for ignoble successes, the games that were more successful than they should have been. Plus, Tom gives his list of 10 science fiction boardgames for people who are serious about science fiction. (c) 2013 Tom Grant

Paul Rohrbaugh of High Flying Dice is our guest this episode. If you’re not familiar with this publisher of low-cost, print-on-demand wargames, you should be. Paul and I talk about the company, his game designs, and games as educational tools. (c) 2013 Tom Grant

Many games come oh so very close to being good, or event great, but don’t…quite…make it. That’s the topic for this episode, noble failures. Even if they didn’t completely succeed, from a design or a market perspective, these games deserve respect. Plus, Tom reviews Eclipse, both the new iPad version and the original boardgame. (c) […]

Tom and Grand Dalgliesh of Columbia Games talk about their Kickstarted new edition of the classic block game Napoleon. We also delve into the secret of Columbia Games’ sustained success, the history of the company (including Hârn), some possible new games, and the reasons why the real history of Macbeth would make an awesome game. […]

Tom, TJ, Kevin, and Jason have a therapy session about Descent 2nd edition, with some primal screaming. Why was this game so hard to love? Is it time to break up? Plus, Tom’s belated list of noteworthy games from 2012. (c) 2013 Tom Grant

Volko Ruhnke is our guest, and boy, do we have a lot to talk about. From Wilderness War to Labyrinth, from Andean Abyss to the next games in the counterinsurgency series, we’ve got it all. How do you portray guerrilla warfare and terrorism in wargames? Why haven’t there been more games about the most frequent […]

Jason White, formerly of the Point2Point podcast, chats with Tom about the games we’ve been playing, from No Retreat on the table to Summoner Wars on the iPad. Our game off the beaten path is not one, but two fantasy wargames with a very different backstory. Tom worries that companies porting boardgames to mobile devices […]

Jason Matthews, designer of Twilight Struggle, 1989, Founding Fathers, 1960, and Campaign Manager 2008, drops in for a discussion of his games, the Cold War, and political games. Plus, your host nominates the top 10 modern conflicts that don’t get enough coverage in wargames. (c) 2012 Tom Grant

Martin Wallace talks about his wide, wide portfolio of games, when he got the inspiration for many of them, how he starts the design with a fundamental mechanic, why he doesn’t get train games, and what to expect in his new Doctor Who game. Plus, why the heck would you want multiple games on the […]

Jerry Taylor stops by to discuss his games, Hammer of the Scots, Crusader Rex, and Richard III. What makes the Middle Ages great source material for wargames? How do subtle differences in Columbia block games translate into major game effects? How do you simulate asymmetric situations, such as the Third Crusade and the War of […]

Adam Starkweather tells us about his collaborations with Japanese designers on A Victory Lost, Warriors Of God, Fire In The Sky, and A Most Dangerous Time. Adam also tells us about the origins of his two mega-tactical games, Devil’s Cauldron and Where Eagles Dare, and his upcoming wargames, including a Normandy version of Cauldron/Eagles. Plus, […]

Ed Beach discusses his boardgames, including Here I Stand, Virgin Queen, and the Great Campaigns of the American Civil War series. We also talk about Ed’s work on the Civilization V computer game, including the new Gods & Kings expansion. How similar or different are board games and computer games, from a design perspective? Plus, […]

Carl Paradis talks about the genesis of the No Retreat! series of wargames, and where they’re headed. We also journey into Carl’s secret Napoleonic room, and we find out about the challenges designing a simpler, faster wargame that’s true to the history. (c) 2012 Tom Grant

Ben Hull stops by for an in-depth discussion of his wargames, including Fields of Fire, the Musket & Pike series, and his upcoming operational game of the Thirty Years War. Plus, Ben throws in a recommendation for historical fiction buffs at the end. (c) 2012 Tom Grant

Tom’s trek across the continental United States is done, so we’re back to blab about boardgames. In this episode, we catch up about the games we’ve been playing, from fishing fleets in the Atlantic (Upon A Salty Sea) to battling Brits in North Africa (Battle Academy). We find interesting parallels between FFG’s A Game Of […]

We heard that Mage Knight: The Boardgame was mildly popular, so we’re providing an introduction to the game. What are the core rules, and how do they work together? What are some tips for beginning players? But first, we bemoan the frequency with which many recent games become unavailable. And later, Tom outlines his theory […]

Three gamers walk into a bar. So what do they play? We discuss three player boardgames: which ones are good, and what makes them work. Plus, a quick historical overview of Eastern Front wargames. Which is a history of history, really. (c) 2012 Tom Grant

What are the boardgames we regret not buying, when we had the chance? Which ones do we regret selling? In this episode, we discover how light of heart Dave is, and what a great burden of remorse Tom carries with him. Plus, since we’ve frequently discussed Martin Wallace’s Princes of the Renaissance, Tom gives a […]

Our obligatory but spirited take on 2011. What we liked and hated, what surprised us, what disappointed us. Plus, why Pursuit of Glory is both a great game and a great history lesson. (c) 2011 Tom Grant

Our game designer interviews continue with Eric Lee Smith. Aside from designing classic wargames like Across 5 Aprils, Panzer Command, Ambush!, and The Civil War, Eric is also the founder of Shenandoah Studio, which is bringing wargames like these to the iPad. Plus, a review of both Titan the beloved boardgame and its iPad version. […]