Today we're going to look at the best of web 2.0 - Podcasts, and blogs. This kind of media I feel is sometimes looked over by wargaming nerds as they don't have easy access to it, however it is the best place to find inspiration and commute material!
Podcasts
I've done a few podcast reviews here before. Android makes it really easy to collect the podcasts you want to listen to in the car or work, and the quality of podcasting out there has become 100% better in the last few years. I'll go over my current gaming related podcast list here and give a mini-review of each - check them out!
Garagehammer: Still the best WHFB podcast out there. They run long (3+ hours) but their book reviews and summaries are amazing. Chris and Dave have kept the quality great and really help me keep my foot in the door of WHFB, a game I love but don't get to play often.
Chain-Attack: I have a subscription to their 'Dojo' which is their paid-podcast type thing. I really like their in-depth reviews and caster matchups. Their content can be a little daunting for newbies, but when I go to play a new caster I always listen to the review of that caster three or four times.
The Independent Characters: TIC is still the bar by which any gaming podcast is measured. Carl has kept the quality up with a clear agenda for each episode. Despite the fact that I am not into Horus Heresy gaming (well, I would be if I had a Scrooge McDuck vault of cash) I still like hearing about it on TIC. He has brought on many great co-hosts and having them rotate is perfect. I miss Geoff as he was always a bar which I could measure my hobby progress against and say 'Could be worse!'.
Check out our interview with TIC that we did over two years ago! Pretty crazy to think it has been that long.
Really though, Geoff was a great podcaster and added a ton to the show. He should start his own East coast based podcast and have a feud with TIC.
WWPD News From the Front: I listen to this podcast feed only to get BoltActionRadio and The LRDG. Judson and Dano have done a great job producing a high quality podcast with great content. Quality is always important to me; I may drive 45 mins one way to work but I don't want to waste my listening time. A clear agenda and great sound quality are always needed or else feeds get deleted, and they've done a great job.
They also released the BoltAction.Net format for BA tournaments. There are a few things that are 'wonky' with Bolt Action 1.0 and this format helps to fix those without going too overboard. If you had asked me what I wanted changed just to make the game more fun every single thing is on their list. Check it out.
LRDG is out of Australia and Brad keeps them on target with awesome discussions. I will say that both LRDG and BAR get a little too far into the 'crunch' sometimes for me - I love BA more for the fun and the history and less for trying to destroy fools, but they don't get there too often. Super huge props to the LRDG crew for coming out with the Ghost Army Podcast that delves deep into historical topics in words gamers can understand.
Muse on Minis: Not much needs to be said about this podcast. They are the gold standard for WMH podcasts with plenty of strategy and list talk. I don't know if this one is great for newbies because they do use a lot of jargon that I sometimes don't get.
Warmans: Our buddies Bill, Brian, and Jason do this cast on a seasonal basis. They do a great job of staying on topic and bringing content to the table that others don't already bring. I can't wait to hear the 2015 season of Warmans.
AdeptiCon Talks: Our friend Mark Dieter is part of this podcast. They interview key members of the AdeptiCon community, including vendors, teachers, gamers, etc. I would definitely check it out if you're going to get an idea of what you'll see, and if you're on the fence, give it a listen as well.
The Adventure Zone: I am a superfan of the My Brother, My Brother, and Me podcast. They take Yahoo! Answers and give fake advice and it is always hilarious. The three brothers jumped in with their dad and are currently doing a 5.0 campaign in D&D and it is pretty great.
The Meeples and Miniatures Podcast: I was recommended this one by a goon and I can't stop listening. He covers many different topics and has many different co-hosts (kinda like Carl and TIC in that respect). They talk about a ton of historical games which helps me get that fix! They've had key episodes about SAGA, Bolt Action, DZC, and Chain of Command that I've enjoyed.
Blogs
I was pretty devastated when Google took away Google Reader. It was a great way to read my blog roll on my PC or my phone. I currently use Feedly which does the same thing. Check it out.
I'm only going to list a few blogs that I read here as the list is pretty long. These are sci-fi, modelling, historicals, fantasy, etc. all lumped together, though I separate them out in Feedly.
Dave Taylor Miniatures: Dave sent us a sweet lictor and carnifex for Foodhammer this year. While that is pretty great, I don't want to downplay how awesome his blog is. He's done a ton of work in the industry and seeing his amazing conversions and painted models is an injection of inspiration every time.
Warhammer 39,999: Tons of awesome tutorials, how-tos, step-by-steps, bat-reps and general thoughts about 40k. I really enjoyed this Tyranid post in 2014.
The Dice Abide: These guys play a few games and I really like their style. Always plenty of Tyranid posts and I feel like their group is similar to ours - not overly WAAC or anything and love to make sweet models and conversions.
You Magnificent Bastards: Rodge and the crew always bring 1000% amazing modeling advice and tutorials here. I can't believe sometimes the quality they put into their minis; lots of sweet old-school stuff too.
A Tale of Bearded Gamers: a few of the regulars on the Bolt Action FB group have started up this blog. There is a lot of promise to it with some great talent.
BoltAction.Net: The best 'channel' out there for Bolt Action content. Tons of bat-reps, how-tos, model sourcing, and amazing paint. I used their guide to do my USMC for BA.
Jay's Wargaming Madness: I was actually recommended this blog at AdeptiCon by Geoff. Jay puts up a ton of really amazing battle reports and other content with downright dirty-good terrain. When I need to get my enthusiasm up I just head over there to see what Jay is doing.
The Guns of April: There is a group of bros who put on a scenario game at AdeptiCon each year where they have painted up a whole new army and terrain. Last year they did Gettysburg and this year they're doing a battle in Egypt. This type of project is great because it lets gamers see what fun and amazing modelling opportunities historical games present.
The Tapestry: Another site linked to WWPD, This site is mainly focused on SAGA and provides a wealth of information regarding that game with tons of pictures.
Thanks for checking us out! Next we'll be taking a look at Facebook, Twitter, and forums. Keep an eye out!
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