We Nearly Broke our Wargame

A few nights ago, Ray and I got together with Paul Brooks from Pazoot for one final chat about our recently published campaign book, 1812: The Retreat from Moscow – A Battle Chronicle Wargame. Rather than discussing the rules themselves, we spent some time reflecting on the journey that took the project from a slightly mad idea to a finished publication. We talked about where the concept came from, how it evolved during development, the challenges we encountered along the way, and the many rounds of playtesting that helped shape the final product.

It was an enjoyable opportunity to look back on a project that has occupied a significant amount of our time over the last few months and to share some of the behind-the-scenes stories that never quite make it into the finished rulebook. 

I appreciate that this is rather different from my usual video content. It's longer, more informal, and much more of a relaxed conversation than a scripted hobby discussion. However, I thought some viewers might find it interesting to hear about the realities of taking a wargaming project from initial concept through to publication.

One final apology: the video and audio quality are a little rough around the edges. The discussion was recorded over Google Meet, so it's not quite up to the usual production standards. Still, hopefully the content makes up for the occasional technical wobble.

If you've ever wondered what goes into creating a wargame publication, or you're interested in the story behind 1812: The Retreat from Moscow, I hope you enjoy the conversation.