Yarkshire Gamer Podcast 77 - Charlie Wesencraft - A Tribute

 

Earlier this year one of the early Wargaming Pioneers Charlie Wesencraft passed away at the age of 97. 

You can listen to the episode via any major Podcast Host, just search for Yarkshire Gamer, or you can tune in on this link

https://kenrtai.podbean.com/e/episode-77-charlie-wesencraft-a-tribute/

I thought it would be a fitting tribute to get some of my former guests together and have them tell Charlies story and there memories of him. 

In between the various interview sections I read passages from his first book, written in 1974, Practical Wargaming. See if you can spot any phrases from those readings that still resonate today.

Charlies first book can still be obtained via amazon

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Charlie-Wesencrafts-Practical-Wargaming-Wesencraft-ebook/dp/B01H2UK96U?ie=UTF8&tag=mh0a9-21&hvadid=&hvpos=&hvexid={aceid}&hvnetw=o&hvrand=&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_7dy1f5hemb_e

Here is a link to Robbie Roddis' piece on his blog about Charlie

https://independentwargamesgroup.blogspot.com/2025/04/charlie-wesencraft-author-wargamer-and.html

And here is the piece about Pete Berry from Baccus6mm and his tribute to Charlie which has a link to the Blenheim Project

https://www.baccus6mm.com/news/28-06-2025/CharlesFWesencraft/

Thanks for listening and as always, please like subscribe and comment wherever you get this podcast to help the listenership grow.

My next guest will hopefully be Mark Strachan from New Zealand who runs the 1866 and all that blog, so I best get the Yarkshire Airline Pidgeon fed up for the trip.

Regards Ken

The Yarkshire Gamer

And of course here's the last episode on the Utubes 

Yarkshire Gamer Podcast 76 - A Question of Brews

 

Hello everyone and here's something for the weekend !

This is the hangover from Episode 74 when in the Brews in the Binyard Episode where we talked rubbish for that long we didn't get chance to cover the listener questions ! So here they are.

As usual the episode is avaliable on all major Podcast hosts or via the link below 

https://kenrtai.podbean.com/e/episode-76-a-question-of-brews/

We spend an hour catching up as one or two things have happened between this episode and the last brews and then its into the questions.

As always for the professionally offended, this is a very loose form Podcast which contains the odd (and even) naughty word, I even mention edible knickers a couple of times (no, I don't know where it came from either) so if its not your ting skip on by and wait for the next episode.

Speaking of which I am putting together a Tribute Episode to the recently departed Charlie Wesencraft whose book Practical Wargaming was an introduction to the hobby for many of us. If you would like to include an audio tribute (minute of so long) to Charlie, send it to me at yarkshiregamer@gmail.com 

Until next time Sithee

Regards Ken

The Yarkshire Gamer

The YouTube version of the previous episode is shown below

Rebellion and Retribution - A Review of the new Ireland 1642-49 Scenario Book

 

Welcome to the latest Yarkshire Gamer Review and today I am looking at a new scenario book written by Bill Linhart, Peter Page and Paul Reynolds specifically for Simon Millers To the Strongest Rules.

Honest Box - Simon sent me this book to review, I think he's a top bloke. I don't play To the Strongest and I'm a Royalist 😁

I do a quick flip through of the book and then concentrate on one of the scenarios (there are 8) so you get a good idea if the book is for you.

Personally I think it's a great book and even includes a mention of my Great, Great Great etc Uncle Myles and his weak bladder.

Recommended 

Avaliable at the Big Red Bat Shop - please mention Yarkshire Gamer when ordering (no you won't get a discount)

https://bigredbatshop.co.uk/collections/all/scenarios

Regards Ken

The Yarkshire Gamer 

Yarkshire Gamer Podcast 75 - Ken Hanning - Wargaming Positivity

 

Hello everyone and welcome to the shows Diamond Jubilee.

Todays guest is Ken Hanning. Ken has a wonderful wargaming shed (its a lot better than a shed !) which is named The Perthshire War Room.

You can listen to the Podcast on all the usual Podcast Hosts or via the link below

https://kenrtai.podbean.com/e/episode-75-ken-hanning-wargaming-positivity/

It is a wonderful spot and the envy of many when he shows the room off on his Big Wargames Website and YouTube Chanel.

Ken has many links with the Leeds Wargaming Scene and it was lovely to chat about old friends some of which are no longer with us, the joys of Yorkshire and the Pie based food of the area.

At the end of the show we try and tackle a difficult subject in a positive manner. Ken was diagnosed with Cancer some time ago and has gone through numerous rounds of treatment and surgery some of which only ended last week. Ken was keen to talk about how the hobby and people in it have been amazingly supportive. Other communities like the We Have Ways Podcast have also been key to Kens wellbeing and it was a joy to hear the positivity in his story. Thanks to Ken for being so open and honest.

Kens Big Wargames Website is here

Big Wargames

The YouTube Channel is here

https://youtube.com/@kenhanning57?si=KhP5Bf1Rf0i1U_eZ

Next episode will be the Brews in the Binyard Questions we missed at the end of episode 74

Until Next Time,

Sithee

Regards Ken 

The Yarkshire Gamer

As always here's a link to the previous episode on the Utubes