Podcast - The GROGNARD Files

The Price of Freedom RPG (with Malcolm Craig)

In this episode, we head for the bunker once again and talk about RPGs and the Cold War.

In this episode we are joined by Games designer Malcolm Craig, to look at the role-playing game (RPG) The Price of Freedom, by West End Games. This is a game that created a great deal of controversy when it was released. We look at the flame war that took place in White Dwarf.

Malcolm and I met at the Rolling in the Ruins convention. The event was organised by our friends at The Breakfast in the Ruins podcast.

He has a brand new release. Hot War, Cold City available now from Handiwork Games.

Also in this episode, I am joined in the Room of Role-Playing rambling by Judge Blythy, our resident rules lawyer. We are contributing to #RPGaDay.

You can purchase Nevermind The Dice Rolls from this link.

Enjoy!

More RPG Zines (with Nick Edwards)

We are back, talking to RPG zine editor from back in the day and today, Nick Edwards

We are back … we’ve been on our holidays! July was International Zine Month and we have got into the spirit by returning to the topic. RPGzines is our focus in this episode!

Nick Edwards was a ‘zine editor in the 80s and he’s come back with a new ‘zine looking at the old and new. Torchbound is his new ‘zine where he looks backwards as well as the state of the art.

Here in the UK we have a healthy zine scene which Nick is part of, as well as Wyrd Science and Never Mind The Dice Rolls.

Dirk and Blythy are talking in the Zoom of role-playing rambling, looking back at their Starburst Memories of July 1983 and answering questions from the GROGSQUAD.

There are some off-cuts from this episode that will be released as a Dirk’s Dossier – exclusive to Patreon supporters.

UK Games Expo 2026 Report (with Laurence Phillips)

In this episode Dirk and Blythy give their account of UK Games Expo 2026 and talk to Laurence Phillips about his new game, Il Fantasma del Giallo.

At the end of May 2026, we went to UK Games Expo and enjoyed the delights of gaming, shopping and chatting. In this episode we give you a blow by blow account of the event, if you want it or not.

A Prefab Sprout game is played using the contents of Pookie’s convention sack, you can see more of his un-bagging over at the Nook.

We want to give a big thanks to Orlanth Rex for organising the Shadow Con. Dirk also appeared on a recent panel talking about ‘difficult’ settings. You can find it here.

Our guest in this episode is Laurence Phillips talking about his game Il Fantasma del Giallo – a magical realist game taking inspiration from the Giallo cinema from Italy and other, related horror, weird fiction.

Why not consider supporting the podcast on Patreon.

RPG ‘zines (with Wyrd Science)

In this episode, we return to the world of RPG zines and speak to John Power of Wyrd Science magazine.

Thistime on The GROGNARD Files, we’re joined by Wyrd Science editor John Power to talk about his vision for modern RPG magazines, the return of tabletop print culture, and why zines still matter in the age of PDFs and podcasts.

Dirk and Blythy then travel back to 1983 to create their own fantasy RPG fanzine packed with the kind of content they would have loved as teenage gamers.

We also feature an advert for Orlanth Rexes Gaming Vexes podcast

In the discussion, we mention Nevermind the Dice Rolls zine, and ACFM podcast talking about hobbies.

Wyrd Science is an award-winning tabletop gaming magazine covering RPGs, wargames, board games and gaming culture, available in print and PDF direct from the official store and itch.io.

Please consider supporting us on Patreon.

The Pirates of Drinax, Traveller RPG (with Matthew Sprange)

After three and a half years play, we are ready to discuss a fantastic Traveller campaign.

In this episode, we talk about The Pirates of Drinax, the epic sandbox campaign created by Gareth Hanrahan, developed and published by Mongoose Publishing.

Matthew Sprange from Mongoose talks about the project and Traveller in general.

Judge Blythy reflects on running the campaign with some recommendations and highlights.

Nevermind the Dice Rolls is a fantastic zine that you can get from Patreon and Drivethru RPG.

It is virtual GROGMEET soon. There are still slots available over on Warhorn.

Please consider supporting us on Patreon.

Chaos in RPGs and beyond (with Tomas Rawlings)

In the latest episode of the podcast, we look at the use of chaos in RPGs.

In this episode, we are in Manchester Central Library talking to GROGSQUAD member Tomas Rawlings. He has a long history of working in video games, but he also has many interesting thoughts on role-playing games and he’s currently writing a book about the evolution of Warhammer 40k.

In our discussions we talk about how developments within Games Workshop shaped the nature of chaos and its popularity as an aesthetic.

Judge Blythy get’s into the pub to face a chaotic Games Master’s Screen to talk about how chaos manifests in role-playing games.

Dirk has been on the Smart Party talking about Blades 68.

Please consider supporting us on Patreon.

The GROGGIES Review of 2025 (with Kalum)

Kalum shows a card from the Magic of Inventorying Game

In this episode, Kalum from the Rolistes Podcast is in the zoom of role-playing rambling to talk about French speaking RPGs. He has spoken about Nephilim elsewhere and he tells us more in this episode.

He’s also Kickstarting his game The Magic of Inventorying which will be familiar to attendees of virtual GROGMEET.

Blythy and Dirk review their year in role-playing and give out GROGGIE awards.

Caroline Munro has revised her memoir.

Please consider supporting our Patreon.

Five Items that Made Chaosium (with Rick Meints)

Rick Meints, President of Chaosium, joins us in the room of role-playing rambling to find five items from the history of the company.

Chaosium is celebrating 50 years since the company was founded by Greg Stafford. Their games have always been at the core of what we play, so it was great to have more time with returning guest, Rick Meints.

Rick is the president of Chaosium, perhaps more importantly, he is the Head of the Department of Nostalgia, the custodian to the extensive, if chaotic, archive of the company. He started as a collector, and ended up heading the company.

We set him the challenge of finding five items from the archive that represent the development of the company over fifty years. What products are the milestones of progress in the history of Chaosium?

There are some unexpected items in there. Let us know what you think.

The interview was recorded in front of an audience as part of GROGMEETish in November. In the room of role-playing rambling, I’m joined by resident rules-lawyer Judge Blythy to review GROGMEETish. We also talk about NPCs or Games Master Characters and how to handle a ‘cast of 1000s’.

The advert is for Eldritch Stories from Mason and Fricker.

Why not support us on Patreon? Offers are now available apparently.

Dirk

Dirk’s Dossier – More Gladiator Chat and more

This is a collection of off-cuts from recent episodes, normally for Patreons, but a festive gift for you.

Do you need a companion as you wash up after a big day of festivities? Here you go. What do YOU do with your left overs? Here at the GROGNARD files, we don’t like them going to waste. We like to splice them together to create a treat for Patreons.

Given it is the season to be jolly, we are giving this edition Dirk’s Dossier in the main feed for you to enjoy. You’re welcome.

In here Judge Blythy talks about Into the Dungeon Revived, Graham Bottley talks about Savage Gladiators while we reflect on running our fantasy, mass-participation online game of Gladiators before more from Magnus Seter.

If you would like to hear more of this bobbins in the future, follow the Patreon

The GROGNARD files episode is coming soon.

Swedish RPGs (with Magnus Seter)

This time we talk to Magnus Seter about Swedish RPG games

In this episode Dirk talks to Magnus Seter about Outside the Box, How Sweden Conquered The World of Role-Playing Games. Learn the fascinating story of how RPGs reached Sweden and were transformed by the play culture.

Thanks to Fandrake, the publisher of Outside the Box, we have books to giveaway. Share this episode and make a comment below to be in with a chance of being drawn from the hat (finishes on 31st December 2025).

Judge Blythy is in the Room of Role-Playing Rambling talking about Mutant: Year Zero RPG.

Make sure you keep it Eldritch by listening to Mason and Fricker’s Eldritch Stories.

The play out music is Mumble One by Aidan

Support the podcast and the stuff we do by joining Patreon.