Yes, it’s here (and at least one clever patron guessed who it would be)!
In collaboration with Partizan Press/Caliver Books, this is the first of an occasional series of podcasts highlighting the work of Partizan Press authors, some of whom, like Charles, are very well known, others of whom might be less so.
But for me, this is the podcast that I have been yearning to record for many years, certainly since I started Battlechat. As many of you know, it was Charles’ father, the late Charles Grant and author of The War Game (1971) whose work brought me into the hobby ‘proper’ when I was a mere lad of 10, and I have remained a fan of both father and son ever since, as well as being the fortunate owner of some of the very figures and buildings that appeared in that iconic book. However, Charles has shunned the limelight despite repeated requests until his publisher Dave Ryan did some strategic arm-twisting (or perhaps it was a bribe!) behind the scenes!
Our discussion here ranges far and wide, opening with a glimpse into the wonderfully nostalgic A Wargaming Retrospective, which covers no less than 80 years of the hobby. Starting with Charles’ father’s involvement with the BMSS in the early days before the Second World War. It’s fascinating to hear about the gestatory period of the hobby when there were so few wargamers, not just here in the UK but overseas too, and how they coped without the plethora of wargame-related teasers available to us today. Many of the key figures of the hobby appear in the pages of Charles’ book and it’s clear that the author has a positive and joyful outlook on the hobby which comes across in his warm reminiscences.
Many of you will also remember Charles fils being introduced to the wargaming world* via his Table Top Teasers that started in Battle for Wargamers in 1978, and which continued later in Practical Wargamer, edited by Charles’ great friend Stuart Asquith. After the disappearance of that magazine, I managed to pick up the baton and persuaded Charles to create new scenarios for 24 issues of my own Battlegames, plus a Table Top Teasers special. There then followed a very long interlude, but it is a sheer delight to see that Charles is back with more, new teasers, now published by Partizan Press – and there are two editions out already!
As if this wasn’t enough, we take a look at another of Charles’ remarkable achievements (and as an ex-magazine editor, I know that of which I speak): the production of a total of eighteen (yes, 18!) Wargamers Annuals that have been produce by Partizan under Charles’ editorial control, packed full of articles contributed by enthusiastic gamers (including myself, though it’s been a while since I last had the time to do so). They really are a marvellous pick & mix of wargaming happiness, with writers from around the globe covering every conceivable era of history and more besides.
And finally, a dip into something completely different – a highly academic project, no less, the beautifully-produced The Campaigns of Prince Henry in Saxony 1761 and 1762, inspired by the research of Artur Brabant And grounded in The Old General Staff History. Phew! That may be a bit of a mouthful, but Charles took on the daunting task of creating a host of maps for the book, an effort requiring more than a year of research and mapmaking. The result is that his contribution has made clear what might otherwise have been rather opaque, as the armies commanded by Frederick the Great’s brother and Prussia’s enemies manouevred their way around central Europe. This is a limited edition project, so if you’re a keen student of the Seven Years War in Europe, order your copy now!
It was a real delight to have this opportunity to catch up with Charles. We’ve known each other a long time – slightly more than 20 years now, as it was late 2005 that I first contacted him to moot the idea of having the teasers in Battlegames – but we live at opposite ends of the country so, as with so many of my wargaming chums, there have only been snatched conversations at wargame shows and occasional phone calls and emails over the years. But I’m certain that you will all be rapt by Charles’ infectious enthusiasm for the hobby that has been his companion since he was allowed (standing on a stool) to make his first tentative moves on his father’s enormous gaming table, an enthusiasm that this podcast reveals is utterly undimmed.
Thank you, Charles, and to Dave Ryan for making this happen.
Henry
*In fact, as I discovered, this was not actually the first time. Listen to find out when Charles really did first get his name in print. I bet you’ll be as surprised as I was!
Charles is not active online – too busy writing!
The Partizan Press web page can be accessed via the Caliver Books website
Caliver Books/Partizan Press on Facebook
Caliver Books/Partizan Press on Instagram
Be the first to comment