Wargaming Recon

In this episode of Wargaming Recon, I reflect deeply on my journey as the host, sharing both personal milestones and pivotal life events that have influenced the creation and sustainability of this podcast. After a hiatus beginning in Fall 2025, I am back to engage with the community that has supported me through numerous challenges and joys. I take this moment to express my gratitude for Robert D...

In this episode of Wargaming Recon, Peter Bryant takes the helm and is joined by Robert Dunn as a guest host to tackle listener-submitted questions from our Facebook page while our usual host, Jonathan, is on break. We engage in vibrant discussions sparked by questions from contributors like Brian Butler, debating the merits of different dice types, particularly the classic D6 compared to the D10....

In this episode Jonathan and Peter Bryant discuss a budget gaming makeover for Peter.  They also talk about the recent New England Tabletop Gaming Flea Market in Uxbridge, Massachusetts. The pair start talking about how Peter would spend $20 on a budget gaming makeover. Yes indeed a $20 budget. They then move onto the New England Tabletop Gaming Flea Market. This event was held on Saturday Septemb...

In this episode Jonathan is joined by Robert Dunn and they discuss everything about conventions besides the games you can play. The pair talk about what to look for when deciding if they are going to attend a convention. There is some great advice to be had for first timers to conventions, or those thinking about new conventions to attend. They talk about everything from cost and location to the v...

In this episode of Wargaming Recon, host Jonathan J. Reinhart welcomes Brian Butler, president of the Maine Historical Wargamers Association and chief organizer of the Huzzah convention. They discuss Brian's experiences organizing Huzzah, which drew over 300 attendees this year with its theme "The Crossing." Highlights include unique gaming events and family-friendly activities that promote commun...

In this episode of Wargaming Recon, host Jonathan J. Reinhart is joined by co-host Peter Bryant, who returns to share their experiences from the recent Rising Phoenix convention. They reminisce about their excitement to reconnect, albeit briefly, amidst the busy convention activities. Peter recounts his taxing nine-hour journey from Maryland, while Peter shares his involvement in running games and...

In this episode of Wargaming Recon, host Jonathan J. Reinhart is joined by co-host Peter Bryant and special guest Nathan, who brings a wealth of experience and perspective on classic war gaming to the discussion. They delve into a variety of topics, from the intricacies of war gaming conventions to the deep-rooted history of games that have shaped the genre. The conversation kicks off with Nathan...

In this episode of Wargaming Recon, hosts Jonathan J. Reinhart and Pete Bryant dive into an exciting discussion about potential travel destinations that cater specifically to war gamers. As April 2025 approaches, they recognize that many within the gaming community are beginning to plan trips, and this episode serves as a perfect guide for adventurous souls looking to combine their passion for his...

Screenshot In this episode Jonathan is joined by Peter Bryant. They recently attended TotalCon 39 in Marlborough, Ma over the weekend of February 20-23 2025. The pair talk about the games they played in and the games they ran.  Then they talk about all the shopping they did and vendors that were onsite. There was also a new set of awards that Solarian Games began this year as a tribute to the late...

In this episode Jonathan is joined by Robert Dunn and the pair goes through recent questions from social media.  The questions range from food to wargames.  You will be amazed by all of our insights on many topics and our lack of knowledge when it comes to the War of 1812. You can contact Wargaming Recon using the following: Facebook Instagram Join our Patreon community and provide support to Warg...

In this episode of Wargaming Recon, host Jonathan J. Reinhart and co-host Peter Bryant unveil the Golden Fez Awards, created to honor their late friend James Carpio. They discuss the awards’ origins, whimsical categories like the "Holy Hand Grenade Award," and the focus on indie games to promote accessibility. Peter shares insights on community collaboration and outreach efforts, including a partn...

In this episode of Wargaming Recon, host Jonathan J. Reinhart and co-host Peter Bryant share practical tips for newcomers to the wargaming hobby. They discuss community connections, cost-effective strategies like using paper miniatures, and offer advice on miniature preparation and painting. Emphasizing inclusivity, they encourage listeners to engage with others, assuring that the journey into war...

[1:02] Welcome to Wargaming Recon. I am your host, Jonathan J. Reinhart. I am so excited to welcome you back to a new episode of the podcast. It is 2025, everybody. Here we are, you, me, our friends, and everybody else here for another calendar year of the podcast. I know we've been away for a while, and we'll talk about that a little bit later in the episode, but I want to dive right in to today'...

In this episode Jonathan is joined by co-host Peter Bryant of Solarian Games. The pair discuss how someone can game on the cheap. Normally this can be an expensive hobby, but there are many ways that you can make it much cheaper. This will not be an exhaustive list, but hopefully it can give you some good ideas on where to start. The first place to look is your local library. This is a free resour...

Game designers Peter Bryant of Solarian Games and Peter Saloom of Pear Tree Studio join Jonathan to discuss designing an adventure for roleplaying games (RPGs).  This is done by examining The Iselion Hybrid sci-fi adventure using the Savage Worlds system.  The adventure was created by Peter Saloom and Jonathan was one of the editors. You can buy The Iselion Hybrid (AFFILIATE LINK) on DriveThruRPG....

In this episode, I, Jonathan, share my live recording from Huzzah! 2024 in South Portland, Maine, post-pandemic. I'm joined by Joerg Bender of Things from the Basement.  The convention was a huge success with increased attendance, thanks to vendors like WeeWolf Miniatures, Bloody Scotsmen Games, and Trilaterum, who showcased top-notch products. Other vendors such as MSD Games, Day of Battle Games,...

Jonathan and Peter discuss Jonathan's journey from adversity to podcasting, highlighting community, collaboration, and sustainability. They express gratitude to listeners and encourage creativity with perseverance and joy.

Today on Wargaming Recon, we are joined by Andrea Morton, who represents Boston Gaymers, an organization founded by Matt in 2017 with a mission to provide inclusive gaming spaces for the LGBTQ+ community. Boston Gaymers, boasting nearly 3,000 members on Discord, focuses on fostering relationships and inclusivity within the gaming world. They host a variety of events, from video game tournaments to...

Peter Saloom and Jonathan share their experiences at Rising Phoenix Game Convention 2024.  Peter spent all three days in the gaming halls running RPGs (roleplaying games).  Jonathan explored the convention for the very first time.  Rising Phoenix Game Convention is a friendly, inclusive, and fun tabletop gaming convention focused on RPGs.  It provides a safe space for all to gather and play games...

Jay Parker and Jonathan recorded this episode LIVE in the seminar room at TotalCon 2024.  Jay Parker was on Episode 291 where they talked about AI Art. This time the pair discuss Jay's new cyperpunk themed RPG called Katana-Ra. Jay explains how his game mechanics are different from others on the market.  He gives an example of a sample turn for us to better understand how the system works. Jay als...

Peter Saloom and Jonathan recorded this episode LIVE in the seminar room at TotalCon 2024.  The two of them have over 50 combined years of gaming experience & decades of running games at conventions. Peter published his first licensed adventure.  It is Shadows of the Sacred Hills for the RPG system Savage Worlds.  Buy Shadows of the Sacred Hills (affiliate link). Tips Be prepared Be welcoming Enga...

This contains the fixed podcast episode.  Use THIS one, and not the old one.  Apologies for the error and inconvenience.   Peter Saloom kicks off the episode with his 2024 goals for tabletop gaming.  Jonathan discusses using the SMART criteria.  SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-based.  Jonathan's goals serve as starting points to engage with larger change. Pete...

In this episode Jonathan is joined by Peter Saloom to talk about Carnage 26. Carnage was held Oct 27-29, 2023 at Killington Grand resort in Killington Vt. Jonathan, Robert Dunn, and Peter Saloom all attended Carnage on behalf of Wargaming Recon.  Jonathan & Peter discuss the games played by all three people. Robert: Fri 1:00 PM: Learn to Play Star Wars Shatterpoint Sat 1:00 PM: Alpha Strike, Battl...

This episode was recorded LIVE at Carnage 2023 in Killington, Vermont.  Jonathan is joined by co-hosts Robert Dunn and Peter Saloom. The trio sit down and talk about miniatures agnostic gaming. Peter and Robert begin by defining what minis agnostic gaming is.  We talk about our thoughts about this type of game and what sort of pros and cons you might have trying out games of this type. Peter's gam...

In this episode Jonathan is joined by co-host Robert Dunn. Robert writes the show notes.  He has been on the podcast before and travels with Jonathan to conventions. Jonathan and Robert get into a very long talk about what they think about the multitude of eras available in our wargame hobby. They use the list that from the Wargaming, Soldiers and Strategy magazine's Great Wargaming Survey 2023. ...