Top Content of 2011

New Year’s Eve is fast approaching New England. That means it is time for the obligatory top list that every radio station, podcast, blog, website, book, and person seems to compose at this time of year.

Last year we said Goodbye 2010, Hello 2011. Much of what we said then holds true now. Everything keeps getting better. Listener/fan interaction has increased, Facebook likes have reached 86 people, Twitter followers has blossomed into 82 people, podcast subscribers hold steady in the 40s, and episode downloads routinely break 100.

YOU have made all of this possible. When you write an e-mail, post on Facebook, retweet, tell a publisher/vendor that you’re making a purchase because of us, and when you participate in our contests. That keeps the fire lit under me.

Thank you.

Without further adieu the Top 10 Lists. Please enjoy and don’t hesitate to let me know what you want me to discuss in 2011.

Top Podcast Episodes of 2011

  1. CWF Game Cast Episode 51: Black Powder Explosion – 221 downloads
  2. CWF Game Cast Episode 50: WWPD News From the Front and Steven MacLauchlan – 180 downloads
  3. CWF Game Cast Episode 57: Neil Shuck and Force on Force – 167 downloads
  4. CWF Game Cast Episode 58: Henry Hyde and Battlegames Magazine – 154 downloads
  5. CWF Game Cast Episode 47: 12-7-Games and War at Sea With Bill Dettmers – 149 downloads
  6. CWF Game Cast Episode 61: Bailey Records Music to Game By – 144 downloads TIED FOR 6TH PLACE
  7. CWF Game Cast Episode 59: Wargaming Magazine Extravaganza – 144 downloads TIED FOR 6TH PLACE
  8. CWF Game Cast Episode 52: Neil Shuck & Meeples & Miniatures – 140 downloads
  9. Wargaming Recon Episode 66: Holiday Gift Guide 2011 – 132 downloads
  10. CWF Game Cast Episode 54: Huzzah Con Prep – 126 downloads
  11. CWF Game Cast Episode 55: Deceased Estates 101 – 125 downloads

Top 10 Blog Articles of 2011

  1. Flames of War Bocage Sneak Peeks – 4,785 views
  2. Foray into Tomb Kings w/ Tutankhanut Conversion – 2,908 views
  3. FREE Paper Terrain – 2,785 views
  4. Creating a 40k Apocalypse Army: Giddy-up! – 1,357 views
  5. Miniature Market Review Prompts Company Reply – 1,318 views
  6. The Conversion Vault: 40k Cadian Rough Riders – 990 views
  7. GW Baltimore Games Day 2007 Revisited – 687 views
  8. The Conversion Vault: 40k Chaos Sorcerer – 659 views
  9. Games Workshop Releases (Blood Angels codex, LoTR, White Dwarf 30th) – 549 views
  10. Combat Storm Free Download Terrain Building Pack 2 – 514 views

New Episodes to Resume 2012

Thank you everyone for your kind thoughts and condolences. As you can guess, this has been a very difficult time. Receiving your messages has meant a lot to me. Thank you for your understanding and sympathy.

Losing my grandfather on my dad’s birthday was awful. Taking this time to mourn his passing has helped.

In two days I turn 30. Three days after that is Christmas. Then we’re into New Year’s Eve and day.

New podcast episodes will resume after the holidays.

I hope everyone enjoys the time spent with family and friends during this holiday season.

R.I.P. Joseph Gonsalves (my grandfather)

Yesterday my grandfather passed away suddenly in his sleep. He was surrounded by loved ones. As you can imagine I am grieving his loss.

Until further notice the podcast is on hold. So are new articles.

I apologize for the disruption this causes but hope you will bear with me.

Wargaming Recon Episode 66: Holiday Gift Guide 2011

Wargaming Recon #66: Holiday Gift Guide 2011 Download (786)

Host Jonathan J. Reinhart opens the show with the 2011 Holiday Gift Guide. He discusses the gift guide, congratulates Steven & Lydia MacLauchlan on the birth of baby Isabelle, makes an announcement about Wargames, Soldiers, and Strategy magazine; promotes the TotalCon 2012 Contest, reveals more about the Black Powder scenario Daybreak at Hangman’s Creek running at TotalCon 2012.

The 2011 Holiday Gift Guide is revealed! This annual tradition is explained, items are mentioned and briefly reviewed. Listeners are extolled for items they want to see in the gift guide.

BIG congratulations are given to Steven MacLauchlan, and his wife Lydia, from WWPD: News From the Front. His wife recently gave birth to their first child, daughter Isabelle Solo. She is an adorable baby. Send your congratulations to Steven on the WWPD Facebook page. Wargames, Soldiers, and Strategy magazine is finally in Barnes & Noble book stores. Jonathan explains why you should be interested in that news. Please note that single print issues of WSS cost $7.99 USD. NOT $9.99.

TotalCon 2012 gets its own contest. Listeners are encouraged to e-mail cwfgamecast@wargamingforums.com with their favorite American Civil War game, and reason why, for a chance to win FREE passes to TotalCon 2012. Full details can be found at WIN FREE TotalCon 2012 Passes.

Jonathan updates listeners on changes to the Daybreak at Hangman’s Creek American Civil War scenario that uses the Black Powder rules. He will be running the scenario with Cort N. and Adrian B. at TotalCon 2012!

As always we conclude with a message from our sponsor, 12-7-Games.com, contest sponsor Battlegames Magazine, our Creative Commons license and contact information (find us on Facebook and Twitter).

We hope you enjoy this episode of Wargaming Recon and are eager for your feedback (both positive remarks and constructive criticism). Send it all to cwfgamecast at wargamingforums dot com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, or Xbox Live with gamertag cwfgamecast.

Our intro song is “Downtown” by Matthew Ebel. Please give his other music a listen at www.matthewebel.com.

Wargaming Recon Holiday Gift Guide 2011

We’ve recovered from the large turkey dinner complete with stuffing and pie. Black Friday has been followed by Cyber Monday. It must be time to release the annual holiday gift guide.

Shopping for others is never easy and even more difficult when shopping for gamers. Perhaps you don’t play the game(s) they do. Perhaps you don’t even understand gaming. Or perhaps you can’t keep track of what the gamer in your life does and does not own. We hope to remove the mystery with our annual Holiday Gift Guide. Picking anything from this guide is sure to make any gamer happy.

Jonathan’s List
Under $15

  1. Zombie Dice. This is last year’s #1 overall pick. FLGS, online vendors.
  2. CCG Boosters. World of Warcraft and War at Sea. FLGS, online vendors.
  3. Grass Tufts. Army Painter Battlefield Tufts or look for Silflor. FLGS, online vendors
  4. Chessex 16mm D6 . You can never have enough dice. Chessex makes aesthetically pleasing sets and you can also use them to play Farkle. FLGS, online vendors.
  5. GW Metallic Paint. FLGS, online vendors.

Under $50

  1. Black Powder rulebook. Our new #1 overall pick!  FLGS, BN.com, Architects of War
  2. JR Miniatures Terrain.  Any scale, low prices, pre-painted, pre-assembled.  FLGS, Warstore.com.
  3. Perry Miniatures. American War of Indepence is highlighted but ACW and Napoleonics are in plastic kits.  Warstore.com, Perry-Miniatures.com
  4. Battlegames Magazine Digital Subscription. Bi-monthly color magazine release.  Digital sub gives you PDF format viewable on iPad, etc.
  5. Pandemic (and expansion) board game. FLGS, online vendors.

$100 and Up

  1. SAGA Army Deal.  Includes starter war band, rulebook, and dice. GrippigBeast.com
  2. eReader or iPad. The easiest way to carry electronic formats of sourcebooks, FAQs, rules updates, and light reading. I use my iPad to look up rules, blog, share pictures, and much more. The Barnes & Noble Nook (Color if possible) is our choice for eReader. Apple stores/online, Best Buy, Barnes & Noble.
  3. Xbox 360 with Kinect/Game Consoles. Best Buy, Toys R Us, Amazon, etc.
  4. Professional Paint Job – Price varies. Have your army professionally painted. Check out Blue Table Painting for an example.