Making games that fit real lives

Martin from the Bedroom Battlefields community is a regular contributor to our monthly hobby update episodes. I've been keen to get him on for a more in-depth chat about his hobby life, and fortunately, he was happy to oblige!

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The Bee Gees of miniature gaming, Mark, Jason, and Ed, fill us in on how to get involved in a fun, global narrative campaign.

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Bedroom Battlefields community member Rob has 55+ years in the hobby, so a wealth of experience to draw on. He had a few thoughts on our recent discussions around points and army lists, and we had a great conversation about it all.

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The monthly hobby update of the Bedroom Battlefields community. 

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• The MiniGamer hobby newsletter

Mantic are currently Kickstarting DreadBall All Stars™: The Sci-Fi Sports Game

Spend five minutes talking to Ronnie Renton, and one thing becomes clear. He is still, by his own admission, “mentally… only 12 years old.”

That enthusiasm has carried him from the earliest days of Warhammer through to founding Mantic Games, and into a modern hobby that looks very different to the one he started in.

“I had a pre-order for the very first edition,” he says. “So I’ve been on that journey from day one.”

Now, decades later, he is designing for players who have taken that same journey and no longer have the time they once did.

Making games that fit real lives

A recurring theme in Renton’s thinking is simple. People still love the hobby, but their lives have changed.

“I don’t have time to spend ages finessing loads of things if I just want to play on a Tuesday night,” he explains.

That shift has shaped Mantic’s recent output. Where once the answer to everything was a large-scale game like Kings of War, the company now builds across a wider spread. Smaller, faster experiences sit alongside the traditional long-form hobby projects.

Renton describes it as two types of game.

“I think there’s the Forever Game and then there’s the now game,” he says.

The former is the classic army-building commitment. The latter is something you can pick up, play for a few months, then move on from without guilt.

Most players, he suggests, now live somewhere between the two.

Bringing in a legend

That shift in thinking is also reflected in who Mantic chooses to work with. One of the more notable recent moves has been bringing in Jervis Johnson, a designer whose influence stretches back decades.

For Renton, the decision was straightforward once the idea took hold.

“Why don’t we go and get the guy that invented the genre to write it?” he says.

The opportunity came while rethinking DreadBall. Rather than revisiting the existing game, the aim was to relaunch it in a way that felt fresh, faster, and easier to pick up.

“It had to pay homage to what came before, but it mustn’t be a rehash,” Renton explains.

Johnson’s approach reflects that brief. The focus is on clarity and pace, with rules that quickly become second nature.

“Once you know it, everything you need is on the card,” Renton says.

For Mantic, it is part of a broader direction. Bring in experienced designers, give them room to work, and build games that players can return to easily.

“He just knows how to do it from beginning to end,” Renton adds.

The danger of listening too much

For all the talk of community engagement, Renton is wary of letting players design the game.

“If you give the keys to the asylum to the loonies, they’ll make the game that they think they want,” he says.

The problem is not bad intent. It's focus. Players tend to fixate on edge cases and small frustrations, often at the expense of what makes a game welcoming in the first place.

“You must stay true to it, but you must clean it up and make it welcoming to new players,” he explains.

Fail to do that, and even a well-loved system slowly fades.

Solving the real problems

Renton now starts design from a different place than he once did.

“What problem am I going to solve?”

Sometimes that problem is practical. Terrain that looks good but is also clear to play on. Games that can be set up quickly and packed away without taking over the house.

Other times, it's social. Making it easier for players to actually get games in.

“I want to come together, have fun, roll dice, and not have to spend all night remembering rules,” he says.

That thinking runs through everything from quick-play sports games to simplified army formats.

Not instead of, but alongside

One of Renton’s more telling observations is that new games are rarely replacements.

“It’s an as well as game, not an instead of game,” he says.

Players are not abandoning their main systems. They are adding to them. A fast, one-hour game sits alongside a larger project rather than competing with it.

That shift has consequences. It means games need to be easier to revisit, easier to teach, and easier to enjoy without long preparation.

Keeping the hobby alive

For all the changes, Renton does not think players themselves have become harder to please. The challenge is different.

“There’s more choice,” he says.

That makes it harder to reach critical mass. A great game still fails if no one nearby is playing it.

Which brings him back to the same core idea. Remove friction. Help players get from buying a game to actually playing it.

Because in the end, nothing else matters if the miniatures never reach the table.

And for someone who has been there since the very beginning, that still seems like a goal worth chasing.

Few designers have influenced narrative miniature gaming as much as Tuomas Pirinen. From Mordheim in the late 1990s to the recent breakout success of Trench Crusade, his games have always leaned heavily toward story, character and campaign play.

What surprises him most is that the latest one worked as well as it did.

“We were totally prepared to lose our shirts and be happy about it,” Pirinen says of launching Trench Crusade. “But it didn’t go that way.”

The project was essentially a gamble between friends. Pirinen and collaborator Mike Franchina funded sculpting and development themselves, assuming the Kickstarter would be a passion project rather than a runaway hit.

Part of the reason was the concept itself.

“On the surface, it’s very counterintuitive,” Pirinen explains. “You go into a space where there is a totally dominant player. Then you narrow your audience because the game is clearly aimed at a mature audience. And the theme is religion and its role in war, which no major games company would touch with a barge pole.”

By the logic of spreadsheets and market analysis, it should not have worked.

“But creative work doesn’t always follow the Excel sheet,” he says. “The Excel doesn’t always determine the fate of creative endeavour.”

From Mordheim to Trench Crusade

For many hobbyists, Pirinen’s name is still inseparable from Mordheim. Released in 1999, the skirmish game focused on small warbands exploring the ruins of a cursed city, gaining injuries, experience and grudges along the way.

“Mordheim was very narrative driven,” Pirinen says. “It wasn’t about perfectly balanced competitive play. It was about creating a story with your friends as the campaign unfolds.”

That philosophy has never really left his design work. Trench Crusade follows the same broad idea, although updated for modern players.

“In many ways it takes that high level idea and brings it forward,” he says. “Mordheim came out in 1999, so a lot of water has flowed in the river since then.”

Interestingly, Pirinen himself used to approach games very differently.

“When I was younger, I was very competitive,” he admits. “Winning mattered a lot to me. These days I’m much more focused on the narrative side.”

That competitive background still informs his design work. Even narrative games need solid rules.

“If the rules don’t work, you just end up arguing every two minutes. In a miniature game there’s no dungeon master to smooth things over.”

Why campaigns fall apart

Despite their popularity, narrative campaigns often struggle to survive beyond the first few games. Pirinen believes the reason is mostly practical.

Campaign play demands commitment. Players need to keep turning up, track experience and equipment, and maintain armies that grow over time.

“It’s simply more work,” he says.

There is also a more subtle problem. Campaigns can collapse if one player falls too far behind early on.

“A very common reason campaigns fall apart is that one player gets beaten badly in the first few games,” Pirinen explains. “They feel like nothing they do matters anymore, so they stop playing. Then the campaign falls apart.”

The solution is something designers call catch-up mechanics. These systems help struggling players remain competitive without removing the reward for winning.

It is a delicate balance. Too much help and victory feels meaningless. Too little and the narrative ends early.

The balance paradox

Balance is often treated as the holy grail of wargame design. Pirinen is more sceptical.

“Perfect balance is possible,” he says. “But it probably isn’t that much fun.”

The reason is simple. True balance usually means forces become increasingly similar. Yet variety and asymmetry are where the excitement lies.

“A huge part of the fun is encountering something new,” he says. “A new warband, a new character, some new piece of equipment. Those things create interesting situations.”

They also create imbalance.

Rather than chasing perfection, Pirinen relies on extensive playtesting and data. If factions win roughly equal numbers of games over time, the design is probably healthy even if players argue otherwise.

“You shouldn’t always listen to what people say,” he notes. “Look at the results.”

Designing the ending first

One of Pirinen’s most practical design tricks is starting from the end of a campaign rather than the beginning.

“If you know the final battle, you can work backwards,” he says.

That approach helps identify problems early. If a key character dying in game three would break the narrative climax, the designer can adjust the scenario before the campaign ever reaches the table.

It is a method Pirinen uses not only for tabletop design but also for roleplaying campaigns and video games.

“At the end of the day, it usually comes down to the final battle,” he says. “If everyone arrives there feeling they still have a chance, you’ve probably done well.”

History and the darker side of heroism

Many of Pirinen’s settings feel unusually grounded compared to typical fantasy wargames. That comes from his reading habits.

“I read a lot of history,” he says. “Academic history, historical novels, everything.”

What interests him most are turning points where events suddenly shift direction. The fall of Constantinople. The later stages of the Hundred Years War when artillery changed siege warfare. Moments where a seemingly unstoppable trend suddenly breaks.

Those moments also shape the tone of his games.

“My sympathies are usually with the ordinary people,” he says. “Men and women fighting for their homes even though they had nothing to do with causing the war.”

That perspective helps explain the bleak worlds found in both Mordheim and Trench Crusade. The darker the circumstances, the brighter the heroism appears.

“If the situation isn’t grim and challenging, you lessen the heroism,” he says.

The moment that mattered

For all the discussion of rules and systems, Pirinen insists the most powerful moments in gaming rarely come from mechanics.

He recalls one roleplaying campaign where the players were pursued by an enemy far beyond their ability to defeat. A beloved companion stayed behind to hold them off while the party escaped.

“My players were in tears,” he says simply.

No rulebook can guarantee that kind of experience.

“That’s something between human beings,” Pirinen explains. “It takes time for players to trust each other enough to open up like that.”

A campaign worth the journey

So how long should a campaign last?

Pirinen often recommends around six games. It feels like a journey without becoming overwhelming.

For groups with more time, a monthly game over a year can feel truly epic. Roleplaying campaigns may stretch even longer. One of his own lasted six years.

The key ingredient is not complexity or balance but investment.

“You get more out if you put more of yourself into it,” he says.

In the end, that philosophy runs through everything Pirinen designs. Rules matter, but they exist to support something larger.

A good world. A group of friends. And the unpredictable stories that emerge when the dice hit the table.

Or as he puts it, borrowing an old gaming phrase:

“Let the dice tell the story.”

Also Mentioned

• Doctor Spork's Terrain
• The MiniGamer Newsletter

My first encounter with Oldhammer came via the incredible Realm of Chaos 80s blog. Since 2012, the site's owner, Orlygg, has documented his hobby, shared pictures of beautiful old lead models, and interviewed legendary creators.

Bryan Ansell, Mike McVey, Tony Ackland, Rick Priestley, and Bill King are just a few of the hobby heavyweights you'll find conversations with over there. It really is a treasure trove for anyone interested in Games Workshop during that uniquely special Ansell era.

On this episode of the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast, Orlygg gets to sit in the guest chair for once. I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation, and I've no doubt that you will, too!  

Also Mentioned

• Doctor Spork's Terrain
• The MiniGamer Newsletter

The monthly hobby update of the Bedroom Battlefields community. 

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Hobgoblin by Mike Hutchinson is a fast and brutal miniature-agnostic mass fantasy battle game, enabling you to use anything you have and giving you the tools to stat your army up in any way you like. This is a co-hosted episode with Dan of Paint All The Minis and part of his "Why I Love..." series.

We all love listening to conversations in the hobby, and we shouldn't lock them in a walled garden.

Off the back of his epic two-part chat with Rick Priestley, Jason continues the narrative gaming thread with Gerry of OnTableTop/Beasts of War fame.

Hobgoblin is a really fun fantasy mass battle game. What makes it even more fun is pretending it's 1994 and you're making a battle report for White Dwarf. On this episode, we do just that!

• Hobgoblin in 15mm
• Doctor Spork's Terrain
• Owen's Time Between Times
• DIY doom markers for Hobgoblin

The monthly hobby update of the Bedroom Battlefields community. 

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• Human Blood Bowl team
• Thundercats Miniatures
• The Midlife Hobby Renaissance survey
• Amazing Tales RPG book
• Dr Spork's Terrain

Padre talks us through his 13+ year Tilea's Troubles narrative campaign, built around Might Empires and the occasional game of Warhammer Fantasy Battles. If you'd like to hear more about his hobby origins, then be sure to check out this episode of the Crown of Command podcast.

Returning hobbyist? I'd love to hear about your experience.

I’m sure Gav Thorpe needs no introduction to any listener of this podcast, and he was kind enough to join me for a chat back in July 2023. The topics we covered were very much evergreen and as relevant today as they were a couple of years ago. I thoroughly enjoyed listening back to it, and I'm sure you will too!

White Dwarf readers of a certain vintage will undoubtedly remember Fred Reed’s iconic Howling Griffons space marine army. Then-Games Workshop store worker Fred showcased the stunning force in issue 179 (November 94), and it had a runout in the mag’s battle report a month later.

Fred’s army was a source of inspiration to many young hobbyists in the mid-90s and is still talked about more than 30 years later. One man who’s gone above and beyond in his nostalgia, however, is Jonny Watson of the Jonny Watson Gaming YouTube channel. Jonny did the ultimate homage to Fred’s Howling Griffons by assembling and painting his own tribute act.

I had the pleasure of chatting to Jonny about this project and the opportunities it brought him, from interviewing Fred Reed himself to being featured on the hallowed pages of White Dwarf. We covered his origin story, returning after the inevitable deep freeze, and how running a YouTube channel can supplement and enhance your hobby when you’re not playing the algorithm game.

The monthly hobby update of the Bedroom Battlefields community. 

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• Photos from our game of Hobgoblin
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Narrative wargaming is often framed as a niche revival or a reaction against competitive play. Rick Priestley rejects that outright. Narrative play is not a rebellion. It is the foundation modern wargames were built on.

Before points values and mirrored tables, games were shaped by scenario and judgment. Sieges were unfair. Last stands were desperate. Balance was not calculated. It was agreed.

Early British designers such as Featherstone, Grant, and Young did not rely on points systems. They assumed good faith, shared imagination, and players who wanted the game to be interesting rather than optimal.

So what changed?

When Balance Became an Ideology

Points values began as a convenience. They helped players build collections and find games quickly. Over time, that convenience hardened into expectation.

Modern balance culture assumes that a properly designed game should resolve to a near-perfect 50/50 outcome between equally skilled players. The result is list optimisation, meta-chasing, and games whose outcome is often decided before the first dice roll.

Priestley does not condemn this approach. He simply questions what it produces. Efficiency, perhaps. Predictability, certainly. But not always joy.

The Games Master We Lost

One of the clearest casualties of this shift is the Games Master.

In the episode, Jason describes running vast multiplayer games overseen by a GM who introduces events, resolves disputes, and keeps the story moving. Priestley immediately recognises the model. This was early Warhammer. Early roleplaying games. Early wargaming.

The GM was never a workaround. They were the engine.

Attempts to replace that role with campaign books and flowcharts were understandable, but limited. You cannot automate trust or improvisation. A referee works because everyone agrees they are there to make the game better.

As Priestley puts it, the only rule is that the Games Master is always right. Not because they wield authority, but because the group has given them responsibility.

Rules as Tools

Another striking thread in the conversation is how casually the group ignores rules.

Forgotten mechanics are handwaved. Unclear outcomes are resolved with a roll and a decision. Priestley admits that even with systems he helped write, momentum matters more than correctness.

This is not carelessness. It is confidence.

Narrative players are not anti-rules. They simply refuse to let rules dominate the experience. Systems are scaffolding. If something blocks the flow of the game, it is removed.

In a hobby obsessed with precision and FAQs, this mindset feels quietly subversive.

Not a Rejection, a Reminder

Priestley is not calling for the end of competitive play. He is arguing for memory.

Narrative gaming never died. It was crowded out of the conversation. What groups like Jason’s are doing is not inventing something new. They are remembering how the hobby once worked and choosing to make space for it again.

The most radical idea in modern wargaming is not breaking the rules.

It is remembering they were never the point.

We've seen some large-scale narrative games take place within the Bedroom Battlefields community these past couple of years. But is this approach often overlooked in favour of "balanced" points-based pitched battles?

Jason and Mark from the Bedroom Battlefields community sit down with legendary game designer Rick Priestley to talk about the roots and future of narrative wargaming.

They explore how tabletop wargames were played before points lists and tournament balance took over, and why story-led, games master driven play still matters today. The conversation ranges from early Warhammer and historical wargaming to massive multiplayer battles, campaign play, and the creative freedom that comes from trusting the people around the table.

This is part one of a longer discussion, focusing on the shift from narrative play to competitive formats, and what was gained and lost along the way.

Topics include:

• How wargames were played in the 1970s and early Warhammer era
• Why Rick Priestley avoids points-based systems in his own games
• The role of the games master in creating memorable experiences
• The shared DNA between early wargaming and role-playing games
• How commercial pressures reshaped Warhammer
• Why narrative campaigns struggled to survive despite strong ideas

The result is a thoughtful, funny, and occasionally provocative conversation about play, creativity, and why wargames do not need to be hyper-competitive to be meaningful.

Part two continues in the next episode of the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast.

Join the conversation:

If narrative gaming, story-led battles, or games with a games master resonate with you, you are welcome to join the Bedroom Battlefields Discord at bedroombattlefields.com/discord

The monthly hobby update of the Bedroom Battlefields community. Submit your own clip for December right here. Oh, and here's a few pics of my 15mm Hobgoblin setup.

Space Weirdos is a cult classic miniature agnostic game, and you can hear an interview with its creator, Casey, on a recent episode of the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast. Today, I'm joined by Ed, who is an active Bedroom Battlefields community member and Space Weirdos evangelist. Ed has recently facilitated a fan expansion, Weird Millennium, and we chat about the why and how. If you want more of Ed waxing lyrical about Space Weirdos, check out his chat with Dan on this episode of Paint All The Minis.

Doctor Spork and I play out The Rivalry of Rot mini campaign using the Song of Blades & Heroes rules and my various Nurgle miniatures.

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Hobby updates from the Bedroom Battlefields community. Submit your November update here and be part of the next one!

Award-winning game designer Brent Spivey joins me for a chat about two of his cult games, Mayhem and Rogue Planet. You can keep up with future updates from Brent by visiting his website Bombshell Games.

For most hobbyists, gaming happens in the evening, and almost every group or club meets after 7pm. But what if you're a morning person? I'm joined by Dan of Paint All The Minis, who likes to get his dice rolled before the sun is up!

What have you been painting, playing, or planning for during the month of September? It's time for a hobby progress and accountability update. Be sure to get involved in next month's episode by leaving a voice clip here. And you can see pictures of what I've been up to right here.

"You're looking through the wrong end of the telescope", says Peter Berry of Baccus 6mm - "6mm figures aren't tiny, 28mm figures are very very big".

On this episode of the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast, we're exploring the world of wargaming in the 6mm scale. This is a great conversation highlighting the many joys of six. Peter is keen to point out that this isn't a case of one scale OR another (most of us love 28mm first and foremost, after all), but using the right tool for the right job. 

From deep dives into HeroQuest and Citadel Combat Cards to in-depth chats with folks like Ian Livingston and Rick Priestley, Jordan Sorcery is creating incredible content documenting the rich history of Games Workshop. On this episode, he's kind enough to join me for a chat about where it all began, watching someone destroy a Dwarven cannon at Games Day, and uploading his first cat video.

Andy Chambers (Blood Angels) takes on Jervis Johnson (Orks) in White Dwarf 166, October 1993.

Our question of the month for August 2025 was around what you're up to right now. What are you painting, playing, or planning for?

The world's most iconic Oldhammer event, Bring Out Your Lead, took place at the Foundry between Friday, 8th August and Sunday, 10th August.

I caught up with Mike Hutchinson (Hobgoblin, Gaslands, A Billion Suns), Owen Staton (Crown of Command, Time Between Times Storytelling), Lewis (Oldhammer Fiction Podcast), Jordan (Jordan Sorcery), Evelina (Jimmy the Brush), Jason (Bedroom Battlefields Community), and David (5th Hammer) to hear about their first impressions, plans, and experiences.  

Is this hobby the one remaining place we can still escape from digital technology and leave the phones, tablets, etc at the door? Or, are there benefits to be had by implementing certain tech to run "hybrid" style gaming experiences? That's just one of the topics we touch on in this episode of the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast.

This time around, we're joined by Robey Jenkins of Precinct Omega. Robey is the creator of the Horizon Wars games series, as well as the Precinct Omega News & Game Design Podcast. You can find his games (as well as a whole trove of others) on Wargame Vault.

We talk about storytelling, and worldbuilding in miniature agnostic games, referencing some of our own favourites like Open Combat, Song of Blades & Heroes, and Rogue Planet. Does providing a universe or setting limit players, or does it help them to build their forces and play out more meaningful encounters?

We couldn't have a chat with Robey without dipping into game mechanics. What are some of the most innovative ones he's come across? What are the mechanics he's most proud of creating himself? Are there only so many different variations of miniature wargame rules out there? And while we're at it, what makes a hobbyist gamer want to start writing their own rules in the first place anyway?

Robey also offers his thoughts on how he'd go about adapting a popular miniature game into a solo or co-op ruleset, and whether or not you could make a "tiny" game with only two minis.

No conversation on this podcast would be complete without touching on Games Workshop, either. Does GW have more or less of an influence and hold over this industry than it did, say, 25 years ago?

Dan of Paint All The Minis joins me for a chat about the look, feel, and design of miniatures, from old school metal lumps to modern-day GW 400,000 part kits. We also talk Blood Bowl, hobby parenting, and hobbying from two different locations!

3d printed terrain might be trendy right now, but let's not forget about the tremendous benefits of MDF buildings and scenery - especially as this medium has been levelled up recently at Warbases, who now run a pre-coloured range. They also run the fantastic Bifrost Miniatures range and there's loads of fun to be had in there, from giant Ettins to Haggisnadoes.

Also mentioned

• Question of the month
• The Fundamentals of Tabletop Miniatures Game Design
• Baron's war novels
• Oathsworn Miniatures

Frostgrave is one of the most recognisable games in the tabletop miniature wargame hobby. It's also one of the most popular outwith the Games Workshop Empire.

On this episode, we're joined by the architect of the frozen city himself - Joe McCullough. We're going to talk about the lay of the land when this miniature agnostic fantasy skirmish game was released back in 2015, and speculate on the key factors behind its success.

Joe's no one-trick pony though, and his scope extends well beyond Frostgrave. Stargrave may sound similar in name (and certainly shares a few core mechanics), but this sci-fi skirmish game is much more than just "Frostgrave in space".

Then there's Rangers of Shadow Deep - a solo and cooperative game that became a firm favourite during the year of global lockdowns that was 2020.

More often than not, Joe has appeared to release games in the right place and at the right time. One notable exception, however, is Oathmark. This mass fantasy battle rank and flank game was undoubtedly subdued by its Spring 2020 release date - a point in time where very few people could actually play it. Joe offers his thoughts on that as well as how the game might recover from this setback going forward.

One of the reoccurring themes of this conversation was that of miniature wargame terrain. Frostgrave and Stargrave in particular benefit from their tables being extremely busy. But does this create a barrier for players with no existing terrain collection or no budget? Joe tells us about many players using simple wooden blocks or polystyrene packaging to build their frozen cities and intergalactic outposts, and why it doesn’t need to look “real” to capture the imagination.

You can keep up with Joe on his blog The Renaissance Troll where he posts updates on his games, his hobby, his painting, and his thoughts in general. You’ll find the official range of Frostgrave miniatures over at North Star Military Figures, if you want to go down that route, as well as a raft of other games and supplements on DriveThruRPG.

If the world were about to end, but we could pack a big indestructible box full of the stuff that said "this was our hobby", what would you put in there?

Domien De Groot is one half of Audio Epics, a company specialising in fantasy audio storytelling. They've published a number of richly designed and immersive tales that will be of interest to listeners of this podcast, not least of all, the Witch Hunter series. Each story is available on YouTube or the audio podcast feed. I would also highly recommend sticking on a pair of headphones and listening to this introduction to The Fairy Tree, a 3D audio production written by Domien and produced by Owl Field.

The Bedroom Battlefields Discord community has spawned several "marquee" games in the past few years. The latest big game was somewhere in between a 28mm game of Man O'War and a giant Warhammer skirmish with moving terrain. Mark and Jason join me for a chat about the planning, prepping, and playing.

May's question of the month was a call to tell us about the games and rulesets you always find yourself coming back to, time and time again. And as for next month's question - here it is.

I'm joined by Lewis of the Oldhammer Fiction Podcast. On this episode, we chat about the show's origins and its role in the hobby. We also get into the topic of Oldhammer more broadly, as well as the brilliant annual Bring Out Your Lead event.

Question of the Month regular Dave joins me for a chat about hobbying with his sons, his legendary Necromunda campaign, and the pain of sitting on a D4.

A recent episode with Mantic's Ronnie Renton got into licensing IPs for tabletop miniature games. That prompted our question of the month for April, which was:

What classic, popular, or obscure IPs would you most like to see adapted into a miniatures game?

So, here are our answers. And if you want to get involved in this month's QotM, here's the link.

I wanted to find out more about Blood Bowl, so who better to speak to than Ben from The Bonehead Podcast?

Our question of the month in March was, "What's the coolest bit of terrain you've ever made?". On this episode we'll hear the many great answers, as well as reveal the QotM for April. I also talk about a solo/coop ruleset I've been working on, and the knee-jerk decision to buy and play Blood Bowl!

• April Question of the Month
• Bedroom Battlefields Patreon

Dan of Paint All The Minis returns for a hobby chat about various things, including what we're playing, how much we're playing, and keeping up with the hobby in general.

Ronnie Renton, the founder of Mantic Games, joins the podcast to discuss the world of tabletop miniatures, game design, and the company’s evolution.

Ronnie shares his journey from working at Games Workshop to starting his own company, his thoughts on the state of the hobby, and how Mantic has carved its own niche with games like Kings of War, Dungeon Saga, and their latest licensed projects, including Halo.

We discuss the challenges of creating accessible wargames, the importance of growing the hobby, and how Mantic is embracing new technologies like 3D printing. Plus, Ronnie teases some exciting upcoming releases!

I'm joined by Casey, writer of the cult classic Space Weirdos. We talk about the game's origins, its popularity, and a few of his other titles.

What were your last three hobby purchases? That was our question of the month in February, and the response was great.

Our question of the month for March is to tell us about a terrain piece you built that you're particularly proud of. Here's where and how to submit!

Michael Lovejoy is co-creator of the cult anthropomorphic animal skirmish game Burrows & Badgers. On this episode, he joins me for a chat about the history of the game and miniature range, running a company in the hobby, and the upcoming second edition. Also mentioned was this written interview with Michael on Goonhammer.com.

I'm joined by Curtis of Ramshackle Games, who talks about an eventful couple of weeks at the venerable indie miniature company!

On the latest episode of the podcast, Glenn Ford and Mike Hutchinson discuss their new book, The Fundamentals of Tabletop Miniatures Game Design: A Designer’s Handbook.

The pair need little introduction in our corner of the hobby, and their show, The Rule of Carnage, was frequently mentioned in our episode last year about the best hobby content channels on the web.

Mike was also on the show last year, talking about some of his games, including Gaslands, A Billion Suns, Chess 28, and Hobgoblin. The latter is one that I recently got hold of and played for the first time, too – it’s a cracker.

Essential Links

• Rule of Carnage on YouTube
• Space Gits Kickstarter
• Boarders and Black Flags Kickstarter
• The Crawling Chaos Kickstarter
• Pukeapocalypse
• Pukeapocalypse on Exalted Funeral
• The Rule of Carnage Discord Server
• Mike’s Patreon
• Glenn’s Patreon

Our question of the month throughout January 2025 was for you to tell us about your named characters and their (mis)adventures on the tabletop. As always, we got a great mix of answers, and it was a pleasure to hear all of these fun anecdotes.

Also Mentioned

• February Question of the Month
• Hobgoblin in 15mm
• Bad Internet Friends Podcast

The tabletop miniature hobby has no shortage of sub-hobbies, most popular of which are collecting, painting, and gaming. Less discussed but no less important is the artwork that forms the backdrop of the worlds we play in. In this episode, we talk about art and its delivery in analogue formats such as coffee table books and magazines.

Mark joins me for a hobby catchup. He recently picked up Midguard Heroic Battles and offers some early thoughts on how it might compare to similar 'rank and flank' games such as Warhammer, Dragon Rampant, and Kings of War.

Be sure to join our Discord community, which was mentioned a few times for various reasons. And here is the latest Question of the Month, too!

Ben AKA Kharnation from the Discord joins me for a chat about his hobby origins, coming out of "the deep freeze" to eventually play in 40k tournaments, and his involvement in Dragon's Lair, a friendly local gaming store in Adelaide, South Australia.

Throughout the month of December we asked for your hobby highlights from the past 12 months. Here are the responses!

Our question of the month for January is: Tell us about your named characters on the tabletop!

Maybe it’s the overconfident warrior who always charges headfirst into danger, or the sneaky rogue who somehow always survives by the skin of their teeth. Perhaps you’ve got a hero with a legendary backstory, or a character whose misfortune has become a running joke.

We’d love to hear about your named characters, where you got the miniatures, how you came up with their names, and any funny or memorable moments you’ve had with them!

Submit your January clip

Being motivated to paint is great, but riding on motivation alone can be unreliable. On the other hand, if your painting becomes a habit, then you turn up no matter what. So how do you get there? And should painting always be enjoyable because it is a hobby?

Why does naming characters and telling stories appeal to some gamers, but not others? And are we missing out when we see our exquisitely crafted and painstakingly painted miniatures simply as gaming pieces? I enjoy another in-depth conversation with Dan, offering up our own opinions and anecdotes on the subject.

Also Mentioned

• £1 Space Ranger miniatures
• Star Squabble beta rules
• Digital photo frame for miniature display
• Question of the Month
• Chicago Skirmish Mini-Con
• Josh (Crown of Command) Painting Lessons

Everyone's favourite "yesterday's man" of hobby podcasting joins me to chat about ways to store and transport your little guys. We also pitch three non-violent miniature game ideas at each other, all of which will likely be picked up by major publishers for some eye-watering sums of money.

Some seek mastery and recognition; others seek zen and the opportunity to unwind. Your relationship with miniature painting is the subject of our November Question of the Month.

Also Mentioned:

• Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast YouTube Channel
• December Question of the Month

Star Squabble gets another wee run out on the table and some rules tweaks.

Several listeners enthusiastically took up the opportunity to tell us about their local hobby store or wargaming club. And here is next month's QotM.

We explore what makes the gaming experience enjoyable for everyone, talking about everything from the art of respecting the miniatures to handling wins and losses gracefully, and even the subtle vibe checks that keep the game fun. Plus, we muse on the rising popularity of quickplay miniature games: Is this a temporary trend, or something that's hear to stay?

A mighty warband has assembled to celebrate a centenary of Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast episodes. On this episode, you'll hear from Jervis Johnson, Andy Chambers, Trish Carden, Gav Thorpe, Joe McCullough, Tuomas Pirinen, Mike Hutchinson, Alessio Cavatore, and Rick Priestley!

Dan of Paint All The Minis fame joins me for a chat about going deeper on fewer games, podcasting, and turning 40.

Mentioned: my sci-fi undead warband

Necromunda with Napolien? Frostgrave with Florence Nightingale? Battlemasters with Barry Gibb?

Our question of the month for September 2024 was: Which person (dead or alive) would you love to play a miniatures game with, and why? Also, what game would you play?

Also Mentioned

• The new Question of the Month
• Podcast Discovery Survey
• Bedroom Battlefields Patreon

Dungeons & Dragons at Work is a blog by this week's guest, Tom.

"I’ve been playing roleplaying games since the 80’s and love the freeform storytelling that results. There is real joy to be found sitting round a table with your friends rolling dice and creating adventure. Over time I’ve observed that the skills I practice, running and playing these games port well into the real world."

Mark and I sat down to chat (that's not even true—I was standing up) about wet palettes, manticores, and Wetherspoons toilets.

Also mentioned:

GoFundMe Page Supporting Paul Sawyer & Family

Our Question of the Month episode for August. Find the September question here, and the latest from the website right here.

Robert's back, and we're rolling some dice to playtest a game. The aim is to have a go-to ruleset that supports any future scenarios we play.

This is a whirlwind report of Bring Out Your Lead 2024, the world's finest celebration of Oldhammer. Check out the pictures here, as well as an interview with organizer Garth about the event's roots.

The question of the month for July 2024 was about your favourite hobby content channels. The response was initially slow, but we got a lot of feedback and recommendations in the end. There are many podcasts, YouTube channels, and blogs mentioned here, and you'll never be stuck for a hobby content fix again!

And here's the link for next month's QotM while we're at it.

A bit of a solo ramble around various recent topics:

• Bedroom Battlefields Patreon
• Wayland Games
• Miniature Wargames Magazine
• Podcast chat with Tom Holden
• Podcast chat with Conrad Kinch
• Podcast chat with John Treadaway
• White Dwarf 166
• Solo Wargaming Book
• Question of the Month

Ryan, AKA Donjuandon, from our Discord community, joins me to chat about a wide range of topics, including collaborative solo campaigns, 3D printing, and the importance of physical analogue hobbies. Find Ryan's 3D models on his Cults3D page.

The question of the month for June 2024 was: What hobby-related thing did you once own that you most wish you could get back? And also, what became of it?

And, you can now send in your answers for our July QotM right here.

Talking through a few of my latest projects, including:

• A portable miniature wargame in a tin
• Random event cards for solo/co-op mass battle games
• Playing the 'Data Drip' scenario on Titan
• Question of the Month

From Partizan 2024 to Warhammer World, Mark went on an adventure recently, and he's here to tell us all about it.

Also mentioned: A massive game of Warhammer

Our question of the month for May 2024 was, "What rules have you created or adapted to improve your favourite gaming system?"

"This might be a homebrew rule or something you’ve ported over from another game. The point is, you tried it, it worked well, and you kept on using it."

It’s embarrassing to think that the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast has hit 80+ episodes without having Mike Hutchinson on. That said, it was well worth the wait, and the timing was definitely right, with lots of cool new projects in the pipeline.

Mike’s hobby origin story, as well as his thoughts on Gaslands and A Billion Suns, have been well-covered elsewhere. For an excellent fix on that front, I’ll point you to two episodes of the Paint All The Minis podcast (here and here).

And, speaking of podcasts, Mike co-hosts a superb show of his own with game designer pal Glenn Ford. Rule of Carnage is essential listening (or viewing!) for anyone in this hobby. It’s a true masterclass on games design, and has led to the pair writing an academic textbook on the subject, too!

Mike’s rank-and-flank fantasy battle game Hobgoblin is the Box Office topic right now, and I took the opportunity to learn more about it before my inevitable purchase. He’s also been tinkering with Chess under the “Chess 28” banner and has created a new open-source ruleset called Flagstone.

Mike runs a Patreon to help support his income now that he’s gone full-time into game design. It’s brilliant news for our hobby that Mike’s brain can be put to work around the clock now, so be sure to help keep the jar topped up with fluid.

Paul, aka Gribbles Miniatures, from our Discord community, joins me to discuss the development of his Our Town zombie survival ruleset.

Also mentioned on this episode:

• 15mm project update
• 'Goblin Green Bases' merch on TeePublic
• Question of the Month for May 2024

The question of the month for April 2024 was around introducing Warhammer 40k or Age of Sigmar players to non-Games Workshop games. How did you do it, what did you play, and what was the response?

And, the question of the month for May 2024 is: What rules have you created or adapted to improve your favourite gaming system?

This might be a homebrew rule or something you’ve ported over from another game. The point is, you tried it, it worked well, and you kept on using it.

Submit your answer here

Also mentioned on this episode:

• The Royal Orce with Mark (Crown of Command podcast)
• A Massive Game of Warhammer

Father and son duo Rob and Norman join me for a chat about wargaming in the family, their local wargaming club, and their imagi-nations campaign.

• HAWKS wargaming club
• Rob's blog
• Norman's blog

If you’ve come across 28 Magazine before, you’ll know about its striking aesthetic, stunning artwork, and incredible photography. On this episode of the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast, I’m joined by editor Sampsa Nylund to find out more about 28, not just as a magazine, but as a community.

There’s also an audio battle report of a slightly homebrewed version of Song of Blades & Heroes. I set the scene for this scenario a few weeks ago, and it was time to get down to it and roll some dice.

Our guest this week is Kevin from our Discord community, who talks about his hobby origins going up in smoke and then returning years later via his young son. He also enjoyed a career sculpting for TV sets and designing costumes, and we talk about the overlap between this and the tabletop miniature hobby.

Let's hear your answers to the question of the month for March 2024.

Also, you can now get your answers in for the April QotM.

Have you ever introduced a Warhammer 40k or Age of Sigmar player to a non-GW game?

How did you go about it? What game did you suggest or play? And what was the response?

Record your answer

An audio battle report from a recent game of Planet 28, followed by a plea for voice feedback, a plan for a new game, and some random setting ideas. Here's all the photos and other such links.

Josh—a former Eavy Metal painter from the Goblin Green bases/Red period—started the Crown of Command podcast early on in the pandemic. It has since become one of the best podcasts for the HeroQuest generation, and he's also grown a brilliant YouTube channel around it.

The Crown of Command has also enabled Josh to run a thriving Patreon where he delivers painting lessons and has gone full-time as a commission painter.

Open Combat is one of my original and favourite miniature agnostic skirmish games. On this episode, I'm joined by Carl Brown who created it along with a cool little medieval strategy board game called Lucrum. You can find all of Carl's games on his website secondthunder.com

It's vox populi time, our question of the month for February 2024 was: Warhammer: The Old World - Will you be playing it? (If so, why? If not, why not?)

Thank you so much to everyone who submitted.

The new question of the month (March 2024) is: What hobby-related thing have you recently changed your mind about?

Submit your voice feedback here.

And a massive thanks to Alternative Armies for sponsoring this episode. Here are the 15mm fantasy buildings I was talking about. 

I'm joined by Ed from our Discord community, who drinks a staggering 17 pints during the course of this episode and lambasts me for my anti-competitive views.

There's much to catch up on after so many great conversations on the podcast, recently. Here's an attempt to do just that:

• Voice question of the month - will you be playing Warhammer: The Old World?
• A game of Brutal Quest in Mordheim, ships for Armada
• Basing miniatures before undercoating them (15mm trolls)
• Best miniature game mechanics
• Painting Jareth/David Bowie the Goblin King (and a Kev Adams demon)
• Review of the Sci-fi Skirmish Scenarios book
• The Slow Hobbyist Manifesto
• Single miniature and arena combat game ideas

With the obvious exception of Games Workshop stuff from the mid-90s, Joe McCullough’s games probably get more coverage on the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast than any other. Fortunately, Joe’s a lovely guy as well as a brilliant games designer, and has been gracious enough to guest on the show not once, not twice, but three times!

• Joe McCullough on creativity, inspiration, and gnolls (March 2022)
• Frostgrave, Stargrave, Silver Bayonet, and the Worlds of Joe McCullough (Sept 2021)

In our January 2024 round, we’ve some new releases to catch up on, including Frostgrave: Fireheart, Old Bones, and Rangers of Shadow Deep: Tenebrous Citadel. On top of that, there are some listener questions and a few of the recurring ones I’ve been asking other rules writers.

On that last note, I’ve also started to compile answers to the “favourite game mechanics” question into one blog post, too. You’ll also find answers there from Gav Thorpe, Andy Chambers, Tuomas Pirinen, Jervis Johnson, and Alessio Cavatore.

Chris Snyder joins me to talk about his two favourite topics - Man O' War and remote gaming. Special thanks to Warbases for sponsoring this episode.

I'm joined by another lovely member of our Discord community, David of the 5thHammer Youtube channel. On this episode, we discuss his hobby origin story, opening old blister packs, and the art of having patience.

Cam's another positive member of the Bedroom Battlefields Discord Community, and he joins me for a chat about his hobby origins, being a good steward of the hobby, and his love of Man'O'War.

Also mentioned on this episode:

• The Slow Hobbyist Manifesto
• Usborne World of the Unknown books
• The Lambton Worm

Jamie, AKA Kazdok from our Discord community joins us to talk about his hobby origin story, writing his game Of Knights & Quests, and the simple tactic of painting one miniature a week.

Mark's back for a wee chat about various hobby topics, including:

• Survey: What's been your game of 2023?
• Hobby goals, resolutions, and hopes for 2024
• Collecting more scenarios, as opposed to more rulesets
• Sci-fi Skirmish Scenarios - great book by John Lamshead
• Stargrave: Dead or Alive
• Labyrinth
• The Argos Catalogue

Mark and I chat over a range of hobby topics, including ImagiNations, painting 15mm, Space Weirdos, and getting into Mantic's naval combat game Armada. I also talked about a recent narrative scenario I've been planning for Song of Blades & Heroes.

We recently published written Q&As with Jervis Johnson and Rick Priestley on BedroomBattlefields.com. Lewis from the excellent Oldhammer Fiction Podcast was kind enough to record them for me, meaning you can now enjoy them in audio form.

Also mentioned on this episode:

• Warbases - a brilliant company making terrain, movement trays, and more
• Send us a voicemail - What hobby-related thing have you recently changed your mind about?

Stuart from Great Escape Games joins us to talk about his journey from Games Workshop store manager to Wild West gunslinger. As well as running the Cardiff store, Stuart also had a couple of his armies featured in White Dwarf and even won a WFB staff tournament whilst working at GW.

These days, Stuart has traded in his red jersey for a Stetson, as one of the big focuses of Great Escape Games is Dead Man's Hand. For the past decade, DMH has given players the opportunity to fight out gun battles in the Old West, and it'll be given some TLC in 2024 with its new edition Dead Man's Hand Redux - coming to Kickstarter at the end of the month!

The main focus of this episode is to talk through my recent blog post of the same title: Solo, Co-op, & Narrative Wargaming Campaigns

Also Mentioned

• Interview with Rick Priestley
• Feedly and Instapaper
• Realm of Chaos, Cosmic Horror, & Lovecraftian Random Events
• Echoes of the Abyss: Planet 28 Battle Report
• Recent Goblin paintjobs
• 15mm stuff
• Patreon
• My First White Dwarf

There are few names as respected and influential in this hobby as Alessio Cavatore. Known for his work on iconic games like Warhammer 40k, Bolt Action, and Kings of War, Cavatore has left an indelible mark on the hobby. However, what sets him apart isn’t just the games he’s worked on, but his philosophy that rulesets can be smaller and simpler, and that big, heavy rulebooks don’t necessarily make for better games.

Just like our episodes with fellow industry legends Gav Thorpe, Andy Chambers, and Tuomas Pirinen, Alessio will be asking the same lineup of recurring questions. These throw up some interesting angles, including:

• The fact that he doesn’t paint miniatures
• His surprise at GW blowing up The Old World
• His new-found appreciation for K-Pop

Solo wargaming has countless benefits, but many hobbyists are put off because they feel it'll be too predictable without an opponent on the other side of the table. In this episode, William of the William's Wargames YouTube channel digs into some of the reasons why these assumptions are way off the mark. He also points to some great resources, too, including a book called the The Solo Wargaming Guide.

It was a real pleasure to chat with Calum AKA Doctor Spork who's an active member of our Discord Community. You can also find and follow him on Mastodon.

Battle Systems terrain has been on my radar for a few years now. It appealed to me when I first heard about it, and I’d always planned to pick up a box or two at some point.

Having recently got into Planet 28, the timing felt right. My sci-fi terrain has, until now, been pretty non-existent, and my skirmish terrain, in general, has lacked depth, levels, and floors.

Like most hobbyists, I don’t have much room for storing terrain (and certainly not for leaving it set up), so the idea of Battle Systems’ “flat-packed” cardboard offerings was quite irresistible.

There’s also a strange nostalgic appeal of cardboard terrain, from those classic Warhammer 40k ruins and Epic Space Marine skyscrapers to the little cottages White Dwarf would teach you to make out of old Cornflakes boxes.

So I reached out to the good folks at Battle Systems and enquired about reviewing two kits that caught my eye, and they very kindly agreed to send them out to me. The kits are the Frontier Core Set, and the Art Deco High Rise.

I should clarify that I don’t do this often, if ever. Not that there’s anything wrong with the strategy, but I only want to spend my limited hobby time with stuff that I really like, or, like the look of. And like the look of Battle Systems, I do. So, let’s see what to make of it all…

Battle Systems Terrain

The first thing I noticed upon opening the boxes was just how much terrain is packed into them. I mean, it’s pretty obvious from looking at the box covers, but it’s worth reaffirming that you get a lot of stuff, here.

I actually found it quite intimidating at first, looking at everything in its flat-packed form. I watched a couple of YouTube videos to see examples of other folks putting Battle Systems terrain together, but it is pretty self-explanatory. Once I got started and stuck a couple of walls together, I quickly lost myself in the task. I found it quite therapeutic, actually. Like building a big 3D jigsaw.

Taking a break for a bit, I rolled out the neoprene mat from the Frontier Core Set. Whilst the detail on it is excellent, the overall quality I’d describe as “fine”. I have a few neoprene mats from GameMat.eu, and they’re of superior quality. But it’s possible that Battle Systems make them this way as it’s easier to fold them in boxes.

Back to the cardboard terrain, the attention to detail in the artwork design is second to none. It’s almost telling you a story of its own as you pop bits out and join them together. They’re double-sided too, so you don’t need to pay too much attention when you’re building it.

I’m curious as to how others put their Battle Systems terrain together. I imagine it’s a bit like fiction writers: You have the meticulous planners who know every tiny detail before they get to work. Then, you have the “seat of the pants-ers” who just start and see where it takes them. I think I identify more with the latter, though maybe the more experienced you get with the kits, the more likely you are to dream up some grand designs.

Battle Systems terrain is almost the polar opposite of the 2D neoprene terrain I talked about recently, and yet, I like these 3D cardboard structures just as much. As ever with this hobby, there are no right or wrong ways to do things. Everything is an option, and everything has its place.

I’ll admit that I don’t see me getting much use from the scatter terrain in these kits. I found them a bit fiddly to put together and didn’t do a great job with some of the smaller parts. This wasn’t a major selling point for me anyway. I was really after the big stuff – walls, stairs, walkways, etc.

I’m excited to bring more of a multi-layered, multi-platformed experience to my skirmish games. I do own a lot of cool terrain, but my miniatures are almost always fighting out their battles on the ground floor. Now, they’ll have the opportunity to climb, jump, and fall from two or three-storey structures. That adds so much to the narrative, the scenario objectives, and the potential for a good tale at the end of it all.

So, in summary, these kits get two big thumbs up from me. I can see myself getting a lot of use out of them, and the potential for variety is limitless. I often joke about our terrain collections having us fighting over the same three farmhouses on the tabletop. With Battle Systems terrain, there’s no danger of that.

It’s worth noting, too, that although I’ve got sci-fi and apocalypse settings here, Battle Systems also has an excellent-looking fantasy range on their website.

Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed this whirlwind review, and it has answered some of the questions you might’ve had. Here’s a quick recap:

Pros

• Flat-pack storage takes up very little room.
• Limitless variety of build options.
• Beautifully illustrated card.

Cons

• Increased setup time – This is definitely not a time-saving tool.
• Relatively fragile – you’ll need to take very good care of it.

Now, who wants to get some meatballs?

The Frontier Core Set is available for £84.99, whilst the Art Deco High Rise costs £37.99. Thank you very much to Battle Systems for sponsoring this content!

Being a proactive fellow, I've been on the hunt for a dungeon crawler I can eventually play with my daughter. She's only two at the moment, and I don't fancy waiting another ten years, so I'd been Googling "dungeon crawlers for kids". I'll admit it was a somewhat half-hearted search, but it didn't throw up anything that caught my attention.

Anyway, it turns out that all I needed to do was attend this year's Tabletop Scotland to find what I was after. I hadn't been through the doors two minutes when I spotted a lovely wee game called CoraQuest. I had a chat with the nice chap from Bright Eye Games, got shown the basics, and did the old "take my money" routine.

When I got a look in the box that evening, I learned more about the game's origins, and it turns out there's a heartwarming tale of a Dad (Dan) and daughter (Cora) creating it as a lockdown-era project in 2020.

Anyway, the next natural step in this sequence of events was, of course, to have a chat about it on the podcast. In this episode, you'll hear from CoraQuest co-creator Dan about the game's background, how it plays, and the media frenzy that followed its release!

Links

• CoraQuest on Amazon (affiliate link)
• CoraQuest official website
• Bright Eye Games

Everyone's favourite demolisher of walls, Jason, took his van to Bring Out Your Lead earlier this month. On this episode, he'll talk you through it whilst you quietly weep because you missed out.

Then, fellow TMHP Discord community legend Mark will ask you your opinion on potential hobby events in 2024, and you'll gladly fill out his survey right away. You will!

No serious hobby podcast could run for a couple of years without having Andy Chambers on it. And although isn't a serious podcast, Andy was kind enough to dedicate some of his time to working his way through my list of questions. So, what's he not very good at? What myths and misconceptions would he like to dispel? And what's he working on right now? I'll answer that last one up-front - it's called Zeo Genesis and you should definitely sign up for playtesting access!

Following my recent Q&A with Gav Thorpe, I had the pleasure of talking to another of my heroes: Tuomas Pirinen.

Famed for (but certainly not limited to) masterminding the cult game Mordheim, Tuomas has a wealth of experience and insights we can draw from. And though he now earns a living in video games, we certainly haven’t lost him from the hobby. I was excited to learn about Trench Crusade – a 32mm scale grimdark miniatures game he has designed.

"We don’t stop playing because we get old, we get old because we stop playing." – George Bernard Shaw

On this episode, I cover a diverse (and hopefully, interesting enough) range of topics, starting off with how I'm moving from 6mm to 15mm as my mass battle scale. I also dip into the White Dwarf Highlights section of our Discord Community, give my thoughts on Planet 28, and talk books (including Deathwing, Game Wizards, Talking Miniatures, and Grim Dark: A Very British Hell).

Finally, I'm asking for support in a fundraising venture in memory of my wee brother - you can find the full details at backonside.co.uk/ross

I’ve spoken to many great people in this hobby since I launched the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast. But, until now, I’d never sought out any of the household names from White Dwarf/Games Workshop. There were a few reasons for this, but the main one was that I didn’t want to recreate the “talk me through your career” conversations available on many other channels.

Don’t get me wrong, I love listening to these, and have heard more than a few. But I’m always keen to explore alternative angles and seek out new insights. With that in mind, I came up with a list of recurring questions I could ask each of my hobby heroes – the plan being to edit them together in “themes” to create a type of audio documentary, as well as release them as individual podcast episodes (like this one).

I tentatively started to reach out to the people I had in mind, and was absolutely thrilled when Gav Thorpe agreed to have a chat. I’m sure Gav needs no introduction to any listener of this podcast, but you’ll find his website at gavthorpe.co.uk, and he runs a Patreon, too.

On this episode, I ask Gav questions about budget hobby purchases, common myths, and when he last changed his mind.

If you’re new to the podcast, thanks so much for giving it a shot. Here’s where you can follow, subscribe, and find a full list of episodes.

I took one of those notions recently to get myself a copy of Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader, leading me to this post on the Tales From Farpoint blog. Aside from learning that GW was employing a somewhat absurd "just pop into the shop" policy, I started to browse through all the other great content here. Fast forward a few weeks, and I managed to grab a chat with Richard, the fine fellow who runs it. As always, I learned many new things, including the existence of a couple of cool-sounding games called Planet 28 and Brutal Quest.

Famed in our Discord community for his ingenious DIY travel wargame boards, Alex of therecouldhavebeensnakes.com joins me to talk about the wonders of 15mm scale miniatures, as well as the aforementioned travel gaming.

Following our episode with Mayhem creator Brent Spivey it was time to give the game a wee playthrough. We really enjoyed it and it's certainly one we'll be adding to our regular rotation.

Roving report Mark drove his Empire Steam Tank to the Partizan Wargames Show, got absolutely tanked up on Bugman's XXXXXX, and attempted to start fights with several gamers and traders. On this episode, we hear his apology in full.

Warhammer (in its various iterations) turns 40 this year. We're told the game is coming back... but will it be released by 2063? On this episode, I chat all things fantasy with GJ. He's someone you've likely heard before, talking passionately and knowledgeably about the game on shows such as The Wargames Orchard, The Crown of Command, and now, his new show, Forces of Fantasy.

I was leafing through the latest edition of Miniature Wargames magazine when I came across an advert for a new game called The Doomed, scheduled for release in early August 2023 by Osprey Publishing.

The Doomed immediately jumped out to me, and I wanted to learn more. It looks like another exciting miniature agnostic title to add to my collection. I tracked down author Chris McDowall (Into the Odd, Electric Bastionland), and he was kind enough to spend some time with me talking about the game, as well as his hobby history.

Oh, and we also briefly touched upon reading toothpaste ingredients whilst sitting on the toilet in the mid-90s. Halcyon days...

If you liked the Fighting Fantasy books, you'll love Escape the Dark Castle. On this episode, we play through a full game, exploring sinister chambers, fighting weird and wonderful creatures, and eating an awful lot of bread.

Karl of Chicago Skirmish Wargames joins me to discuss the history and ethos of the club, as well as how they defend their fruit. We also talk about "cheapskate hobbying" - particularly the art of "toybashing" miniatures and terrain.

Podcasts are long-form content that enables us to really dig into a topic and spend some time with it. Whilst some folks enjoy Instagram and short videos, they can't deliver that same level of depth and engagement. But is the podcasting market already too saturated to jump in? Or worse still, are podcasts dying out?

I'm joined by Jason, who's a valued member of our Discord Community. We chat about the goal setting and project management of painting big blocks of troops, as well as the long-term patience and planning required to eventually get them on the tabletop.

Award-winning game designer Brent Spivey joins me for a chat about two of his cult games, Mayhem and Rogue Planet.

You can keep up with future updates from Brent by visiting his website Bombshell Games.

We make a return to playing Song of Blades & Heroes, one of the most simple and accessible skirmish games on the market. And, in this battle, we’re focusing on storytelling over points, fairness, and balance. The defenders can’t possibly win. But how well can they hold out against a huge Chaos force?

View the pictures from our game.

Warhammer 40,000 Kill Team isn't a game that gets much (any!) airtime on this humble podcast. But listeners might be interested to hear about a cool homebrew solo ruleset heavily influenced by Rangers of Shadow Deep and Rogue Trader. On this episode, I'm joined by Rob who pulled it all together in the form of Acolyte.

Episode Resources

• Acolyte - Solo Play Kill Team Ruleset
• Acolyte Reddit thread
• Wargamer: Warhammer 40k Kill Team gets fanmade solo mode in ACOLYTE
• Five Games for Doomsday: Podcast with Rick Priestley
• The Worst Patreon Ever

Friend of the show Mark Smith returns to discuss what's new in his own hobby life. One big topic of discussion here is that of 're-skinning' established scenarios in games, so that the mechanical framework is already tried and tested.

Talented writer Conrad Kinch joins me on this episode of the Tabletop Miniature Podcast to talk about his Rangers of Shadow Deep scenario To Heal the Sick. It’s available in the Star of Alladore supplement.

On top of that, we chat about a great piece he wrote for Miniature Wargames Magazine (issue 475) on his adventures in gaming with six-year-old twins.

Conrad is also the author of the novel, The Fox Wife’s Tail.

It's time to right the wrongs of our Rangers of Shadow Deep: Blood Moon (mis)adventure. And also, to chat about the potential benefits of AI in our hobby.

Take it away, OpenAI...

The potential benefits of AI in the tabletop miniature hobby are numerous. AI can be used to generate a more immersive and dynamic experience for players. It can also provide an extra layer of complexity and challenge to the game.

AI can be used to generate unique scenarios and objectives for players to complete. This could include customizing the battlefield, terrain, objectives, and enemies. AI can also be used to generate units for players to command. This could include customizing the units’ stats, equipment, and abilities.

AI-controlled enemies can be used to make the game more unpredictable and challenging. AI can also be used to generate strategies for players to follow. This could include customizing the tactics, objectives, and resources available. Finally, AI can be used to control various events on the battlefield, such as weather, terrain, and random events.

Ryan from the Adventure Build Gaming YouTube channel joins us to talk about his hobby life. A big part of that is building terrain, in particular, for skirmish games like Mordheim, Frostgrave, Rangers of Shadow Deep, and Stargrave.

Ryan's YouTube channel has some absolute masterclass videos on scratch-building terrain and is well worth checking out.

Blood Moon is the first micro-supplement for Rangers of Shadow Deep. Having enjoyed The Deserted Village, The Infected Trees, and The Bridge Guards scenarios, we were excited to get to grips with this one.

Unfortunately, after a positive start, we misinterpreted a vital rule and botched the entire thing. We were keeping investigation scores for each auxiliary companion as opposed to one single collective score. Now that we know what we did wrong, it makes perfect sense. It isn’t the clearest when you read it in the book, though, and we aren’t the brightest of chaps, so it was the perfect storm.

Here is the full range of pictures and miniatures from our Blood Moon game, too.

And be sure to subscribe to or follow the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast on your listening app of choice.

I've been subscribed to Miniature Wargames Magazine for a few months now, and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. On this episode, I'm joined by editor John Treadaway to talk about print publication in the hobby, as well as his own projects and interests.

Also mentioned

• Dice Men: The Origin Story of Games Workshop
• Grimdark: A Very British Hell
• October 2022 Paint Challenge - the finished miniatures
• Hungry Like the Wolf - miniatures completed for RoSD Blood Moon
• Our Community on Discord

I knew very little about Warhammer World beforehand, so wasn't sure what to expect. The building is split into different areas, you have the exhibition, the shop, the gaming area, and Bugman's Bar for your refreshment needs.

See my full gallery of pics from Warhammer World.

My main aims here were to see the exhibition and to get a couple of pints. I still had a wee look around the gaming area though, and it had some pretty impressive tables.

Tickets to the exhibition were a very reasonable £7.50, and you could go round it as many times as you wanted.

It's a place packed with vast, world-class dioramas. Seriously impressive stuff on that front. There was the odd classic on show, too. Mike McVey's Emperor Vs Horus from 1994, and John Blanche's 1982 masterpiece March of the Undead.

My one small gripe (if you could call it that) was that I was hoping for more of a museum or "through the ages" experience. There were some great wee 80s and 90s bits and pieces here and there, but they can get lost amongst the epic sprawling warzones of the modern era. It's almost as if the company want to pull you back to the present day as quickly and as regularly as possible. I suppose that is how they make their money, after all.

In any case, this didn't spoil my experience, and I had a great time. We finished up with a few beers, a walk around the shop, and then back off to Nottingham town centre via the excellent Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem (England's oldest Inn, apparently!).

Also on this episode of the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast:

• Miniature hobbyist magazines - I had a lot of feedback and recommendations from my previous episode, and have since subscribed to Miniature Wargames
• The Minimum Effective Painting Method
• mtgcardsmith.com - see them in action in my Dungeons & Badgers post
• The October painting challenge in our Discord channel
• Monster in my Pocket

What are my favourite miniature companies? What do I think of 3D printing? And what's my opinion on historical wargaming? Those are just three topics on a jam-packed episode of the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast.

Resources Mentioned

• Rum & Resin Fungi Terrain
• Best Miniature Companies
• 3D Printing Episodes - PATM, Precinct Omega 1, & Precinct Omega 2
• Em4 Miniatures
• Discord
• Poetry Podcast

Do you ever think to yourself "if I owned a Warhammer-themed cafe, what would be on the menu?".

No?

Well, strap yourself in. You're about to.

In this episode, I also ask the question "do Games Workshop's paints have an accessibility issue?", and persistently get the names of miniature companies mixed up.

• Check out my latest paint job pics at bedroombattlefields.com
• Join us on Discord

This isn't a direct comparison of Frostgrave Vs Rangers of Shadow Deep. We've covered the ins and outs of the latter quite a bit on this podcast, already. Instead, we're going to turn our attention to the frozen city, and delve into the Frostgrave rules (and spells) to see the similarities and differences between these two excellent games.

On this episode of the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast, I'm joined by George, a returned hobbyist and fiction podcaster. George is the writer and creator of The Tales of Hobgob & Mulch. This is a show that draws some inspiration from the Warhammer world, though perhaps through a somewhat lighter lens.

We talk a bit about storytelling and fiction podcasting. I also mention The Witch Hunter Chronicles, and, if you're in the mood for some high-fantasy audio fiction with a (very) NSFW twist, check out The Lords of the Ring Piece. 

George is the writer and creator of The Tales of Hobgob & Mulch. This is a show that draws some inspiration from the Warhammer world, though perhaps through a somewhat lighter lens.

We talk a bit about storytelling and fiction podcasting. I also mention The Witch Hunter Chronicles, and, if you're in the mood for some high-fantasy audio fiction with a (very) NSFW twist, check out The Lords of the Ring Piece. 

Elsewhere on the episode, a big thanks to our sponsor Midlam Miniatures, and I talk about my recent completion of a band of their junior townsfolk range – see my pictures in the link, there.

Then it’s on to the serious matter of stripping paint. We spend all that time talking about unpainted miniatures building up, so what do we also like to do? Remove the paint from those we’ve actually finished.

As I mention on the episode, though, there were a few minis from both childhood and early on in my “return” that I thought looked terrible. I really wanted to use these guys in various future projects. After some failed attempts with methylated spirits and Dettol, Biostrip 20 took that paint off faster than the guy in the takeaway shop shaves a stick of doner meat. A big thanks to the folks on Discord who helped me see the light (and the shiny metal), here!

By the way, that red grout brush is really good too. That said, after a bath in the Biostrip you could probably dab the paint off with cotton wool.

Finally, I talked about the pros and cons of 2D terrain. I recently got my hands on this wee kit, and, in the main, I love it.

Thanks as always for listening to the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast, and please remember to follow or subscribe on your listening app of choice!

Isn't administration fascinating? But seriously, what are the logistics of getting a team of Chaos daemons into Altdorf for a sporting event? On this episode, I'm joined by Josh of the Crown of Command podcast for general hobby catchup, with the usual nostalgic twist.

We’re no strangers to Rangers of Shadow Deep on the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast. If you’ve followed along so far, you’ll have heard our campaign progress as we played through the Deserted Village and Infected Trees scenarios that made up Mission One.

Now it was time to kick off Mission Two (The Beacon Tower) with its first scenario, The Bridge Guards. Here, we see the introduction of the Gnolls, and those were a mixture of beastmen and goblins on our tabletop.

The gnolls were guarding a bridge (hence the aptly named scenario) over a fast-flowing and very cold river, which we needed to get across on our way to Tor Varden.

I took Joe McCullough’s “wooden blocks” advice on this scenario. The table had to be strewn with rocks, boulders, and general cover – the idea being that the Rangers have the element of surprise (at least, until one of my guys manages to blow our cover pretty early on!).

I even used these blocks to build the bridge itself. Sure, it doesn’t look ultra-realistic, but suspension of disbelief quickly kicks in the minute the first dice is rolled.

We upped the challenge level by adding in a “Gnoll Lord”, who basically took the stat line of an ogre. We also gave ourselves some extra backup with the addition of ‘Goatsy’ – and he had a very interesting afternoon indeed!

Keeping the Joe McCulloch theme of this episode, I also wanted to chat about a book I recently bought and read through – Frostgrave supplement Perilous Dark. This excellent solo/co-op guide combines pre-written scenarios with a lot of how-to advice on creating your own scenarios and campaigns of this nature. Big thanks to friend of the show Mark on our Discord channel for the heads up about it!

This episode is sponsored by Midlam Miniatures. Three of the miniatures used in this scenario were bought from Midlam – Goatsy, Boarus, and the big lizardy lad playing the role of the Gnoll Sergeant on the bridge. You can see pics of the Kraken Cult, Grim Reaper, and Headless Lady miniatures mentioned in my post about Populating a Lovecraftian Dungeon.

Remember, we have similar reports from the Deserted Village and Infected Trees scenarios on the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast, too.

I placed a few orders recently, in order to play Blood Moon (Rangers of Shadow Deep) in the near future. But do you need a reason to buy new miniatures, paints, or even, games?

Other topics in this episode include the new Citadel contrast paints, season four of Stranger Things, and Discord. A big thanks to Midlam Miniatures for sponsoring this episode, too.

Tabletop Scotland 2022 is an event that takes place over the weekend of the 27th and 28th of August 2022. The venue is Dewars Centre in Perth.

The show promises something for everyone, whether you’re a hobby veteran or completely new to it all. You’ll find card games, board games, and roleplaying games all represented, and there are plenty of opportunities to pick up some new miniatures and terrain for your collection.

On this episode, I’m joined by John who’s one of the organisers of Tabletop Scotland. We talk about the birth of the event, its history, and what’s in store for 2022.

If you’re not based in Scotland though, or simply can’t make it along to the event, then this episode is still worth your while. We also talk about the importance of “real life” and in-person hobby stuff. Podcasts, online communities, and remote gaming are all brilliant in their own ways. But the hobby is a tangible one, and, as John puts it, we are social beings. So no matter where you are in the world, remember there are always opportunities to find local gamers to play against.

We also had a chat about John’s hobby background. He’s the first guest on the show that’s openly said he hates painting miniatures and will do anything to avoid it (whilst still managing to field fully painted armies). This shines a light on the depth and value of the tabletop miniature hobby, and gives an example that you don’t need to do everything. Just pick out the bits you like, and enjoy them.

Horus Heresy was also on the agenda, because, why wouldn’t it be? John’s the proud owner of the old card game version and has played it regularly for the past 30 years. He sounds excited to dive into the new one, too.

If this is your first time listening to the podcast, then thanks for giving it a shot. Remember to check out our full list of episodes right here.

Finally, we have a new Discord channel for the show. It’d be great to see you in there, if you’re so inclined.

Is there a bunch of hidden Warhammer players in your neighbourhood? That's just one of the topics Jason and I cover on this episode of the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast. We also talk about our shared love for Mantic's Dungeon Saga, reminisce about getting free miniatures on the front of White Dwarf, and explore the world of DIY terrain.

Terrain is an essential part of the tabletop hobby. What kind you use and how you get it can throw up a few dilemmas, though. Do you make or buy your buildings and scenery? And do you go ultra-realistic but limited, or for a "wooden blocks" approach that can become literally anything you need it to?

As we're usually limited in our terrain collections for any one genre, I'm talking on this episode about the idea of cross-game campaigns. This gives us the opportunity to tell a sweeping and cinematic story, as opposed to hanging around outside the same three farmhouses for all eternity.

It's time for another eclectic wander around the hobby, and this time, I'm joined by Grant. He's a fan of miniature board games and we talk about their appeal when compared to some of the more open "tape measure" games. We also talk Fighting Fantasy (with a nod to Escape the Dark Castle), and the trials and tribulations of painting miniatures.

Be sure to check out BedroomBattlefields.com for recent posts and paintjobs. And, nice reviews of the show are always welcome on Podchaser, too!

A wee solo episode covering a range of topics.

• What I've been painting recently, including a range from CP Models
• Space Crusade for the Commodore 64
• Four Thousand Weeks - an excellent book I just finished
• Using 6mm scale to create a "travel Warhammer"

I'm also giving away copies of the Hordes of Chaos and Beasts of Chaos (6th edition) books - just rate and review on your listening app of choice (or on Podchaser) to enter the prize draw. UK only, sorry!

"How to find local gamers" is probably the biggest problem facing the modern-day miniature hobby enthusiast. Very few of us are looking for a game every night, or even every week. But let's face it, we'd all probably like to play at least a handful more games each year. 

On this episode of the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast, I'm teaming up with Dan of Paint All The Minis to try and help you get more games in.  

How to Find Local Gamers

Dan and I found there to be six ways to find local gamers to play miniature games against (and with). We go into depth on each in this episode, but at a glance, here they are:

Convert a Friend: Is there someone you already know who might enjoy a game of something. Dan likes to test the water with an out-the-box game like Space Hulk. I think Song of Blades & Heroes works well for this.

Play Solo: Do you need to find local gamers to play against? Not necessarily. Solo wargaming exploded in popularity during the pandemic, and Rangers of Shadow Deep is one of the best games around.

Your Local Club or Store: Sounds like a no-brainer, but here's a place where you'll definitely find local gamers.

Apps & Tech: GameFor was a handy app where you could find gamers in your area. It isn't available at the moment, but it's apparently on its way back. Dan also recommends Tabletop Simulator which is the best online substitute for an in-person game.

Posters or Flyers: Is there a local community centre or library in your area? Then why not stick something up on their noticeboard. Better yet, order a few thousand leaflets and pop them through every door in your neighbourhood!

Social Media: The low-hanging fruit option. The games you like probably have communities on platforms like Facebook and Reddit. So why not just ask if there's anyone nearby? 

We talk about Joe McCullough's games a lot on this podcast. Sometimes, we even talk to him. This episode is one of those times. Join us as we explore the inspiration and creative process behind games like Frostgrave, Stargrave, and Rangers of Shadow Deep.

I also asked Joe the question "why all those gnolls?"

Also mentioned on this episode:

• Star of Alladore
• Blood Moon
• Deathship One (Blaster: Volume 4)
• The Worst Patreon Ever

Rangers of Shadow Deep gets a lot of love on the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast. We've previously done episodes looking through the main rulebook, speaking to creator Joe McCullough, and playing the very first scenario The Deserted Village. Now it's time to take on the next one - The Infected Trees. Except I've actually no tree terrain in my collection, so let's just go with "infected ruins" instead! 

Plus, there's a bonus audio drama titled Roll to Hit.

Here's a link to our photos from the game, and here's a link to the worst Patreon ever, too. Enjoy!

Hobby-enthusiast Mark Smith joins me on the latest episode of the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast. This week, we're talking about how to get more kids into the hobby. Did we peak in the 90s? Are there simply too many other "immediate" distractions out there now for miniature painting and gaming to compete with? This was a really interesting conversation to have and, though the title might sound pessimistic, there are still lots of things to be positive about. 

By the way - as a bit of a nostalgia trip, be sure to check out my childhood Space Wolves, Lizardmen, and Undead armies. 

We cover a lot of ground on this episode, but some of the topics of discussion include:

The impact of that HeroQuest advert

We ponder whether Games Workshop is still serious about marketing towards young people? And if they are or were - are they the right people to be championing the hobby to da yoof?

Would it be better if young folks were introduced to the hobby via clubs, groups, or mentors? After all, a company like Games Workshop's ultimate aim is to make money, and most kids have little or none of that.

We pose the question of why there seems to be so many world-class miniature painters posting work online these days, and if this could potentially be offputting to beginners.

We also talk about the benefits and appeals of analogue hobbies, the rise of video games, and the wonders of monopose miniatures.

For anyone looking to introduce their kids to an accessible miniatures game too, I thoroughly recommend Song of Blades & Heroes. And bonus points if you make your warband out of Monster in My Pocket figures!

I also hawk the usual links for the Miniature Hobbyist Survey and the Worst Patreon Ever. 

"You're looking through the wrong end of the telescope", says Peter Berry of Baccus 6mm - "6mm figures aren't tiny, 28mm figures are very very big".

On this episode of the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast, we're exploring the world of wargaming in the 6mm scale. This is a great conversation highlighting the many joys of six. Peter is keen to point out that this isn't a case of one scale OR another (most of us love 28mm first and foremost, after all), but using the right tool for the right job. 

It almost goes without saying, but, the smaller the scale of your troops, the bigger a battle you can have. I'll bet many listeners to this show will have first-hand experience of that, too. Do you remember navigating multi-based squads of Eldar and Orks through the cardboard skyscrapers of Space Marine in your youth?

There are other practical appeals of 6mm. You can buy an entire army for less than £50, paint it up in a day or two, and store it in a shoebox. People might find the thought of painting these miniatures intimidating but as Peter advises, you should try to "paint the unit, not the man". He has some painting guides on the Baccus 6mm website, too.

Also on this episode

• We talk about the solo and co-op game that is Pony Wars.
• 6mm is popular with historical wargamers, but Perfect Six, Microworld, and Rapier have great fantasy ranges.
• The Joys of Six is a 6mm wargaming event that takes place in Sheffield each summer.

Bonus resource: Want to make your own 6mm-scale trees?

Oh and I talk about the worst Patreon campaign in podcasting, too. This won't be used to improve the show, nor will it include any rewards. Don't worry though, I won't bang on about it all the time, either! 

We all try our best to look after our brushes, our paints, and our miniatures. But what about ourselves?

Though talking about health in the hobby might not seem as interesting and escapist as chatting Chaos Dwarves and Snotling Pump Waggons, it's something that we ignore at our peril. There are a few reasons why we're going to cover it in this 2-part episode.

1. This is a sedentary hobby where we remain in the same position for long periods of time - and indoors, too.
2. Most of us have also been stuck working from home these past two years.
3. The beginning of a new year often gets us thinking about our physical and mental health, and, at least toying with the idea of making improvements.

So I'm joined by Dan of the Paint All The Minis Podcast. Dan is as heroic-looking as a modern-day GW sculpt. He wouldn't look out of place on the cover of Men's Health magazine, and he's here to lecture you and make you feel bad about yourself.

I'm being tongue-in-cheek of course. This definitely isn't a lecture, a "how-to", or an exercise in body shaming. It's merely a chat where we talk about the health-based things that have worked for us (or haven't!) over the years.

The aim is simply to get you thinking about your own health in the hobby. Either to start exploring avenues of improvements you might be able to make. Or, to laugh heartily at two puny weaklings attempting to talk about things like weights and fitness.

Because we are far from experts in these fields, and absolutely none of this is "advice", we're linking to some handy follow-up resources too. Always do your own research, and don't take our word for anything we say here.

Health in the Hobby: Follow-Up Resources

• Sleep Smarter (book)
• Eat Smarter (book)
• The Obesity Code (book)
• Fast This Way (book)
• Move Your DNA (book)
• Why We Get Sick (book)
• The Pleasure Trap (book)
• The Model Health Show (podcast)
• How to Not Get Sick & Die (podcast)
• Wim Hof (YouTube)
• Fat Fiction (YouTube)
• Jason Fung (YouTube)
• Dr. Sten Ekberg (YouTube)
• High-Intensity Interval Training (study)

We all try our best to look after our brushes, our paints, and our miniatures. But what about ourselves?

Though talking about health in the hobby might not seem as interesting and escapist as chatting Chaos Dwarves and Snotling Pump Waggons, it's something that we ignore at our peril. There are a few reasons why we're going to cover it in this 2-part episode.

1. This is a sedentary hobby where we remain in the same position for long periods of time - and indoors, too.
2. Most of us have also been stuck working from home these past two years.
3. The beginning of a new year often gets us thinking about our physical and mental health, and, at least toying with the idea of making improvements.

So I'm joined by Dan of the Paint All The Minis Podcast. Dan is as heroic-looking as a modern-day GW sculpt. He wouldn't look out of place on the cover of Men's Health magazine, and he's here to lecture you and make you feel bad about yourself.

I'm being tongue-in-cheek of course. This definitely isn't a lecture, a "how-to", or an exercise in body shaming. It's merely a chat where we talk about the health-based things that have worked for us (or haven't!) over the years.

The aim is simply to get you thinking about your own health in the hobby. Either to start exploring avenues of improvements you might be able to make. Or, to laugh heartily at two puny weaklings attempting to talk about things like weights and fitness.

Because we are far from experts in these fields, and absolutely none of this is "advice", we're linking to some handy follow-up resources too. Always do your own research, and don't take our word for anything we say here.

Health in the Hobby: Follow-Up Resources

• Sleep Smarter (book)
• Eat Smarter (book)
• The Obesity Code (book)
• Fast This Way (book)
• Move Your DNA (book)
• Why We Get Sick (book)
• The Pleasure Trap (book)
• The Model Health Show (podcast)
• How to Not Get Sick & Die (podcast)
• Wim Hof (YouTube)
• Fat Fiction (YouTube)
• Jason Fung (YouTube)
• Dr. Sten Ekberg (YouTube)
• High-Intensity Interval Training (study)

On a recent episode of the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast, we took a look through the rulebook of Rangers of Shadow Deep.

RoSD is a popular and exciting solo/cooperative game. There's a lot of adventuring to be done with the core rulebook containing more than a few missions and scenarios. On top of that, there are various expansions available too which build out the story world and develop your rangers.

That said, we thought we'd start at the start, and that was a scenario that tasked us to venture out and look for one of our companions, a chap by the name of Aventine.

Aventine has been missing for a few days, and on top of that, there have been reports of an attack on a nearby village. It's up to our party to take a look around and get to the bottom of things. 

To see pictures of the game, our rangers, and their companions, check out this link.

Also, please take the Miniature Hobbyist Survey if you haven't done so already!

Warhammer: The Old World is coming. We don't know when. But Games Workshop has assured us that it's on the way. 

The sandbox that many of us grew up with and immersed ourselves in was "blown up" by GW back in 2015. They replaced it with Warhammer Age of Sigmar which has struggled to appeal to many of the veteran wargamers and Old World enthusiasts.

The Old World may have no longer been officially supported, but it has lived on in many different forms. Communities were formed around the Oldhammer and Herohammer ethos and aesthetics. Miniature agnostic rulesets were also born out of the ashes of Warhammer Fantasy Battles. The Ninth Age is a popular example, and there are other mass fantasy rank and flank alternatives out there too.

Subscribe on your podcast listening app of choice. Recent episodes include Warhammer Fantasy Battle Alternatives, The Ninth Age, and What is Oldhammer?

The Return of Warhammer: The Old World

It seems like a lifetime ago that this announcement was made. Back in November 2019, details were extremely vague. Naturally, this led to waves of speculation. A number of predictions were made by the hobby community, including the claim that Warhammer: The Old World wouldn't even be in the 28mm scale of its predecessor.

It took Games Workshop a couple of years to come out and clarify a few key details about the game. The company assured fans that it would take on all the best aspects of the classic Warhammer Fantasy editions and that old miniatures and armies could be dusted down and redeployed on the field of battle.

With that all said, there's still a huge lack of information or hype coming out of Games Workshop about Warhammer: The Old World. This has led to feelings of frustration, annoyance, and even disillusionment amongst the community.

Setting the Old World to Rights

So what can we do about it? To be honest, not a lot. Warhammer: The Old World is very much in the lap of the Dark Gods, and I suppose what will be will be.

One of the few things we can do, however, is talk. And what better person to talk to on this episode of the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast than Nathan Stone from the Wargames Orchard?

Nathan was the very first guest on this show back in August 2021 when we discussed Herohammer and shopping in a mid-90s Games Workshop store. He knows his Old World onions and has a lot of thoughts and opinions about this brand new Warhammer game.

In this conversation, I take the liberty of appointing Nathan as Grand Overlord of the entire project. He explains why he feels Warhammer: The Old World needs to be "immersive, accessible, and authentic". On top of that, he makes the case for the return of boxes of monopose "unit filler" miniatures and gets absolutely no disagreement from me on that front.

Also mentioned on this episode: Please spare a couple of minutes to take the tabletop miniature hobbyist survey. I'd massively appreciate it. 

Thanks very much for listening, and please take a moment to subscribe to this show on your listening app of choice – that way you’ll never miss a future episode!

Rangers of Shadow Deep is a solo and co-operative tabletop miniatures game from the creator of Frostrgrave and Stargrave, Joe McCullough. Joe was a recent guest on the podcast and you can listen to the episode with him right here. 

One game we didn't spend much time talking about on that episode was Rangers of Shadow Deep. Fear not though, because we give it our full and undivided attention this time around. I'm joined once again by Robert who helped me talk through the Song of Blades & Heroes rulebook on a previous episode. 

Firstly, we delve into the lore and fluff of Rangers of Shadow Deep. Like any of Joe McCullough's games, there is a loose setting, but no attempt to micro-manage the storyworld. A lot is left up to your own imagination, creativity, and miniature collection.

Then we take a look at the turn sequence, before moving on to the ins and outs of creating your Ranger. This is the character that represents you on the tabletop, and there are many ways to customise them via their stats, skills, heroic abilities, weapons and equipment, and range of spells.

Your Ranger doesn't need to venture into the Shadow Deep alone either. You'll find a list of potential companions who can join you on your quests and missions. These range from naive recruits and enthusiastic hounds, to ferocious barbarians, knights, and templars.

Next, we have a peek at the opening scenario in Rangers of Shadow Deep. "Deserted Village" sees us investigating the disappearance of one of our comrades. Do we find him alive, or are we confronted with a gang of zombies, rats, and giant spiders instead? You'll need to pick up the game and find out for yourself!

Finally, we look over a handful of minis that'll act as potential Rangers in our first campaign. The Knight, Druid, Assassin, and Half-Orc Assassin were purchased from Otherworld Miniatures.

Thanks very much for listening, and please take a moment to subscribe to this show on your listening app of choice – that way you’ll never miss a future episode!

Song of Blades and Heroes is a cult classic miniature agnostic fantasy skirmish ruleset. It's an incredibly simple game to pick and up learn, with a low barrier to entry (you only need a handful of miniatures). Despite its simplicity though it isn't a game that quickly feels limiting or boring. There's a lot you can do with it, from the varied warbands you can build to the scenarios and campaigns you can play through. 

On this episode of the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast, we take a deep dive into the Song of Blades and Heroes rules. We talk through the Quality and Combat stats, before covering all the core mechanics around moving, fighting, shooting, magic, and, of course, running away. 

Games typically last 30-45 minutes and there's no bookkeeping either. This makes SBH a great game for beginners to start having fun with right away. 

We talk a bit about a game we played recently where a classic Chaos alliance (the Oldhammer type where Orcs and Goblins got in on the act) took on an undead "force". The undead were actually far from what you might call a force and generally hung about in their deployment zone doing not very much at all. In any case, it was a fun afternoon and lessons were learned. 

In our next game of Song of Blades and Heroes, we'll be finding out if one Ancient Dragon can come out on top against 85 zombies. The answer is probably yes. 

Elsewhere on the podcast, we talked about the return of HeroQuest and why we might just opt to play Dungeon Saga instead. 

Here are some follow-up resources for you, too:

• Miniature Agnostic Rulesets
• Simple Tabletop Wargames
• Song of Chaos & Vengeance: A Solo Campaign

Thanks very much for listening, and please take a moment to subscribe to this show on your listening app of choice – that way you’ll never miss a future episode!

The Ninth Age is a mass fantasy battle miniature game designed and maintained by teams of collaborators across the globe. One of those collaborators is Rik Newman who joins us on this episode of the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast. 

Rik comes to the show with a background that many will relate to. He grew up with the hobby in the 80s and 90s, only to fall away from it before returning later on in adult life.

Here, we talk about that return to the hobby, his initial thoughts about how gaming and miniatures had changed, and the omnipresent question of "what did they do to Warhammer Fantasy Battles?".

It wasn't long before Rik found himself discovering, drawn towards, and then involved in The Ninth Age. This was a game that was undoubtedly born out of the ashes of WFB, but it has since grown into its own independent entity with its own lore.  

The Ninth Age has a certain ethos about it. It's designed with balance in mind, and caters to "slow hobbyists" who want to collect armies over a long period of time, rather than quickly putting together the latest greatest list in order to win a few games.

With this slower approach, hobbyists can immerse themselves in the background and lore of a particular faction, exploring all of its avenues and possibilities.

On this episode, we also touch on 3D printing, and I recommend checking out the Precinct Omega podcast for some great insights down that particular rabbit hole. Precinct Omega is run by a previous guest on this show Robey Jenkins.

Also mentioned on this episode: the Collecting Green blog (which focuses on collecting orcs, goblins, and other greenskins), Rik's Agoners gaming blog, and the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast Podchaser page.

Please also take a moment to subscribe to this show on your listening app of choice – that way you’ll never miss a future episode!

I fancied a nostalgic trip through the pages of my first ever copy of White Dwarf, and who better to enlist for assistance on this journey than Josh from The Crown of Command Podcast. 

The Crown of Command is a popular podcast dedicated to the games produced by Games Workshop during the 1990’s, and Josh himself is a former 'Eavy Metal painter. 

battle reports of all your favourite games (from Epic Space Marine to Man O War), interviews with cool and interesting people, painting tutorials, and readthroughs of classic Citadel Miniatures catalogues. 

In this episode of the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast, we're taking a wander through White Dwarf issue 166, from October 1993. The magazine cost £2.25 and came with a free plastic Space Marine. This was to celebrate and promote the release of the brand new Warhammer 40,000 2nd edition. 

There's a lot of classic material in the pages of this magazine, and you can view the entire thing in glorious PDF-form right here. There's one of those prize winner features with some smug kid sitting in £500,000s worth of boxed sets, a load of John Blanche sketches, and some 25% money off tokens for Games Workshop in Shrewsbury.

On top of that, we muse over what happened to Space Marine legions like the Whitescars, Silver Skulls, Iron Hands, and Mentor Legion, as well as what exactly was on that Snotling's plans in the catalogue pages.

Big thanks to Josh for spending some time with us, and be sure to check out The Crown of Command Podcast. Please also take a moment to subscribe to this show on your listening app of choice – that way you’ll never miss a future episode!

The term "Oldhammer" means different things to different people. On this episode of the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast, we're in conversation with Garth James, who's one of the organisers behind the annual Bring Out Your Lead event. 

Bring Out Your Lead

Founded in 2013, the latest Bring Out Your Lead gathering took place in early October 2021 after taking an enforced year out in 2020, just like the rest of the world. One of the many great things about this event is its venue. BOYL is hosted by Foundry Miniatures - a company whose roots can be traced all the way back to the origins of Citadel Miniatures.

Garth is keen to point out that Bring Out Your Lead is not a tournament. Rather, he likens it to a classic car meetup. In these types of meets, people will admire and drive the cars, but they won't necessarily race them. 

Going back to the question of "what is Oldhammer?", Garth feels this is purely down to each individual. Oldhammer may be seen as the nostalgic period where a person found and fell in love with the hobby. The ethos of Bring Out Your Lead seems to encapsulate this and doesn't try to dictate what "is" and "isn't" Oldhammer to anyone.

Elsewhere in the episode, we discuss things like Citadel Combat Cards, monopose miniatures, modern Oldhammer miniature companies, and using contrast paints on old models. There's also some serious discussion over which vehicle from the Warhammer Old World would make the best car, and which creature the best pet.

Garth's blog is called Warhammer for Adults, and he also speaks highly of an Oldhammer-focused blog called Somewhere the Tea's Getting Cold.

Be sure to check out the Bring Out Your Lead website to find out more about future events, and, as always, please subscribe to this show on your listening app of choice - that way you'll never miss a future episode! 

Big units of troops marching across a scenery packed 6 by 4 table – there’s no aesthetic quite like it. For most of us growing up, there was only one option when it came to fighting out mass fantasy battles and that was Warhammer. And whilst the Old World is returning at some point in the future, there really is no need to hang around waiting on that day, whenever it might be. There are plenty of good Warhammer alternatives you can pick up and start playing today.

For starters, there’s absolutely nothing to stop you from playing whatever edition of the game you own or liked the best. There are also projects like The 9th Age and Warhammer Orchard Edition which remain lovingly supported by their own respected communities.

Then there’s Kings of War by Mantic games. This is perhaps the most famous and popular of the Warhammer alternatives out there on the market today. You can use your old and existing miniatures to play this game, or buy from Mantic’s ever-increasing range of original units and figures.

On a previous episode of the Tabletop Miniaure Hobby Podcast we heard from Joe McCullough who’s most famous for games like Frostgrave, Stargrave, and Rangers of Shadowdeep. Joe has also created one of the big Warhammer alternatives out there though, in the form of Oathmark. Have a listen to our episode with Joe to find out more, or, check out our roundup of miniature agnostic games.

A lesser-known (but still definitely worth checking out) game is Mayhem by award-winning game designer Brent Spivey. Brent is known for a popular sci-fi skirmish game called Rogue Planet. Mayhem is his mass fantasy battles contribution and lends itself particularly well to dropping down to 10mm or even 6mm scale wargaming.

Warpack – A Diceless Mass Fantasy Battle Game

On this episode, we’re adding another option to the ever-growing list of Warhammer alternatives. It’s called Warpack, and we’re going to hear all about it from the game’s creator, Joe Prince of Prince of Darkness Games.

Here, we’ll learn about the game’s mechanics and structure. This includes its use of a deck of playing cards rather than dice to work our way through the tactics and turns. We’ll also find out a bit about the motivations and inspirations that lead Joe to create Warpack, and, naturally, we’ll chat a bit about Games Workshop.

You can get a copy of Warpack by supporting Joe on his Patreon, and you can also follow him on Twitter at @JoeJPrince.

As always, please subscribe to the show on your listening app of choice, and we’re always keen to hear your feedback and opinions!

Frostgrave is one of the most recognisable games in the tabletop miniature wargame hobby. It's also one of the most popular outwith the Games Workshop Empire.

On this episode, we're joined by the architect of the frozen city himself - Joe McCullough. We're going to talk about the lay of the land when this miniature agnostic fantasy skirmish game was released back in 2015, and speculate on the key factors behind its success.

Joe's no one-trick pony though, and his scope extends well beyond Frostgrave. Stargrave may sound similar in name (and certainly shares a few core mechanics), but this sci-fi skirmish game is much more than just "Frostgrave in space".

Then there's Rangers of Shadow Deep - a solo and cooperative game that became a firm favourite during the year of global lockdowns that was 2020.

More often than not, Joe has appeared to release games in the right place and at the right time. One notable exception, however, is Oathmark. This mass fantasy battle rank and flank game was undoubtedly subdued by its Spring 2020 release date - a point in time where very few people could actually play it. Joe offers his thoughts on that as well as how the game might recover from this setback going forward.

One of the reoccurring themes of this conversation was that of miniature wargame terrain. Frostgrave and Stargrave in particular benefit from their tables being extremely busy. But does this create a barrier for players with no existing terrain collection or no budget? Joe tells us about many players using simple wooden blocks or polystyrene packaging to build their frozen cities and intergalactic outposts, and why it doesn’t need to look “real” to capture the imagination.

You can keep up with Joe on his blog The Renaissance Troll where he posts updates on his games, his hobby, his painting, and his thoughts in general. You’ll find the official range of Frostgrave miniatures over at North Star Military Figures, if you want to go down that route, as well as a raft of other games and supplements on DriveThruRPG.

We’re also looking for future guests or co-hosts for this podcast and if you’re interested in coming on, we’d love to hear from you. Head on over to the podcast section of the website, fill out the short form, and we can get the ball rolling from there! 

Is this hobby the one remaining place we can still escape from digital technology and leave the phones, tablets, etc at the door? Or, are there benefits to be had by implementing certain tech to run "hybrid" style gaming experiences? That's just one of the topics we touch on in this episode of the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast.

This time around, we're joined by Robey Jenkins of Precinct Omega. Robey is the creator of the Horizon Wars games series, as well as the Precinct Omega News & Game Design Podcast. You can find his games (as well as a whole trove of others) on Wargame Vault.

We talking about storytelling, and worldbuilding in miniature agnostic games, referencing some of our own favourites like Open Combat, Song of Blades & Heroes, and Rogue Planet. Does providing a universe or setting limit players, or does it help them to build their forces and play out more meaningful encounters?

We couldn't have a chat with Robey without dipping into game mechanics. What are some of the most innovative ones he's come across? What are the mechanics he's most proud of creating himself? Are there only so many different variations of miniature wargame rules out there? And while we're at it, what makes a hobbyist gamer want to start writing their own rules in the first place anyway?

Robey also offers his thoughts on how he'd go about adapting a popular miniature game into a solo or co-op ruleset, and whether or not you could make a "tiny" game with only 2 minis.

No conversation on this podcast would be complete without touching on Games Workshop either. Does GW have more or less of an influence and hold over this industry than it did, say, 25 years ago? 

As always, please subscribe to the podcast on your listening app of choice, and we're always keen to hear your feedback and opinions!

Should you buy miniature wargaming terrain or make your own? That's just one of the points of discussion in this chat with Tom Holden of the 2 Shelves of Gaming podcast. We also talk about the appeal of miniature agnostic games that let you use any minis, tree and castle terrain, basing miniatures, movement trays, Warbases, HeroQuest, Dungeon Saga, and Oldhammer-esque miniature companies.

Do you need to paint every day? Do you need to play every week? Is a “seasonal hobbying” approach the answer to navigating busy or unexpected life events?

In this episode we bring you a conversation with Dan Adam. Dan is the founder of the essential and long-running Paint All The Minis Podcast, where he chats with “a wide-ranging set of individuals from both inside and on the outside of the Tabletop/RPG/Boardgame industry about their experience, insight, & motivations.”

We cover a lot of ground in this chat. The starting point is a discussion around new and early parenthood. Babies and young kids demand a lot of your time and attention. Can we really justify painting and playing with toy soldiers during such a period? And if we can, how do we even begin to carve out the time for such things? Is a seasonal hobbying approach the answer here? Or do you just need to get the finger out and find a spare ten minutes each day?

There’s also a deeper aspect of, not just this hobby, but any type of hobby or passion. We listen to a clip from The Surprising Science of Stress with Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, which is episode 376 of The Model Health Show.

We muse over whether the time you have available should dictate the types of games you’re into. If you’re strapped for time, is there any point in getting into a mass-battle game like Kings of War? Would you be better off playing smaller warband-based skirmish games like Stargrave? Or even trying out solo wargaming?

Finally, we talk about the content tightrope. Listening to podcasts, watching YouTube vids, and following social media groups and pages can be great for inspiration and motivation. On the flip side though, you can easily get bombarded with all the latest “must-have” miniatures and games. How can we navigate this so we can be more mindful about the new things we buy into, whilst still getting all of the benefits of hobby content consumption?

Be sure to subscribe to this podcast on your listening app of choice so you never miss a future episode. Also, if you’d like to be a guest on the podcast in the future, here’s how you can get involved.

On this episode, we’re joined by Wargames Orchard presenter Nathan Stone – someone with an encyclopaedic knowledge of Warhammer lore. We talk about the Herohammer era and why it’s so compelling. Where did regiments of skeletons find nice matching shields and shiny red-handled spears? Why did Space Marines fight Orks and Genestealers on lush green grass under stunning blue skies? Couldn’t they have enjoyed a picnic together instead, basking in the idyllic scenery? And why did the Herohammer era gradually fade to be replaced by a much more grimdark alternative?

We also talk about Games Workshop alternatives, from the rank and flank mass fantasy battle title Kings of War, to Knightmare Miniatures and other manufacturers with a classic Citadel aesthetic.

We also talk about what every sane and normal person would do if they had access to a time machine – travel back to shop in a Games Workshop store in the mid-90s. If Nathan had $100 in his wallet, what would be on his shopping list, and why?

This is the first episode of the Bedroom Battlefields Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast, and it’s the aim to push out new episodes on at least a semi-regular basis. Just like this episode, we’ll be covering various aspects of the hobby, often with a nostalgic twist. Be sure to subscribe on your podcast listening app of choice so you never miss an episode.

The free blister pack on the magazine cover.