I miss when physical magazines were the norm. I know they're still around in some capacity, but they aren't as wide spread as they used to be.

My grandfather dick Bryant and Leo cronan started the courier and I’ve been gaming sense I was 5 thanks to my grandfather still love the hobby 26 years later

Wow. Just wow. Thanks to Little Wars for interviewing Dick Bryant. Back in the 80's and 90's I used to buy every copy of The Courier I could find (I live in Oz) and particularly loved the letters part where Americans would talk about WRG issues, and an issue or two later, Phil Barker would reply. Magical times in the pre-internet era, that gamers today wouldn't understand. Thank you again for this video!

Nice to hear about it from your side of the pond. Here in the UK I started in 1977 aged 12 with a copy of Donald Featherstones “Wargames”

I met Bryant at an HMGS con and told him I used to wargame with Jack Scruby (considered "Father of wargaming in US, figure maker, publisher. He asked me to write an arcticle about him, but Courier folded before it was finsihed. Dick did publish several of my articles on the War With Mexico, 1846-47.

Wow. The memories. I still have a handful of “Wargamer’s Digest” from the late 70s. Despite also getting so tired of lugging boxes and dumping a lot of more recent mags.

Interesting to see Dick again. I wrote for both Wargamer's Digest and the Courier for several years as well as ran miniature games at various conventions in the States, Canada, and Germany (while in the Army). Started with GenCon when it was in Lake Geneva and kept going. The Courier was a really good magazine. Two other magazines of the period were AFV Magazine by George Bradford and AFV-G2 magazine out of California. Both were limited to subjects on armor and armor gaming.

I played my first with rules war game in 1957. I use to get War Game Digest, Table Top Talk, as well as the Courier (which believed I had to become a member of the New England War Gamers). Attended the first gaming convention at the Essex Hotel in Philadelphia, in 1964 (was actually on the committee for it). After all this time, I still have more unpainted than painted figures😁

As a young man having gotten into the deep end of the miniature hobby, I give my respect and thanks to the old guard having paved a way foreword for more people to enjoy wargaming in America. Thank you guys :) And for the finale note on trends, the 3d printing landscape is perfect and has more then proved its self for wargaming, where your able to print on demand the miniature you want and need for an army. Warhammer being the biggest due to the price gouging we suffer under, but for the historic games its amazing to see more and more stl models being dedicated to those who enjoy them.

Thanks very much for the video. I was one of the magazine cartoonists since 1975 and enjoyed Dick Bryant inputs and suggestions. As a south american wagamer I enjoyed every issue of The Courier.

Reading The Courier and Wargamer's Digest kept the historical wargaming flame burning for me when I graduated, got a job (eventually), started a family and had neither the time, space nor money to indulge my interest in gaming. I'm now retired and FINALLY have the time, space and money to pursue my passion for historical miniatures. It's still a great hobby!!

I remember those gaming tables at various conventions in that era, including the Historicon in Fredericksburg. One of those companies collapsed in spectacular fashion several years ago after years of mismanagement, overpromising and underdelivering.

Really enjoyed this interview as Dick has been a fixture at Huzzah in Portland, ME for several years. Played in many of his excellently presented CoC games over the years.

3d printing has made a huge difference for me, i have both a filament and a resin printer, and as they say if I need an off type vehicle I just print it.

This hobby is so interesting. There's definitely different aspects that appeal to different folks. Some are all about the gaming while others are about the painting. Then there are those into the collecting over time from a host of miniature manufacturers. Then there are the rules addicts that seem to collect rules by the tonne and might only play a couple of them. All these different avenues that allow for paths to cross on the table, at the convention or down at the club. It's analog in a digital world, but no denying, it's still cool AF!

I still have a lot of my Courier Magazine. It was an issue of Courier, with it's cover of a medieval siege that helped me dive deep into historical wargaming

I think I still have a few copies of the Courier somewhere. I can't even remember where I was getting them at the time. I would pour over the articles on strategy & tactics again and again, despite 12 years of military boarding school. Thanks for the memories "Little Wars".😉

One word to sum up Mr. Bryant. Legend

I have had the pleasure of calling Dick a friend since 1998 when he welcomed me into Old Colony Wargamers in Massachusetts. I believe you could say that OCW was the next version of NEWA. I loved the Courier! He even asked me to write a review of some GHQ ships once. My 15 sentences of literary fame. Dick has always been a force in the hobby and is personally responsible for probably hundreds of people getting into the hobby. Also a key figure expanding the hobby itself. It’s great that you guys had insight to sit down with Dick. Thanks Dick for all the good vibes over the years! Hope to roll dice with you soon. Cheers

I started wargaming in the 1980's with some kids from my street. We had a Sci-Fi boardgame and the rules where the base for lots of WW2 games that we made from scratch. I think the only magazine available was Miniatures Wargames and that was a shocker because we didn't know there was a wargaming industry out there.

I was fortunate to have a few articles published in The Courier back in the day. I also got to meet the late Lynn Bodin (of Savage and Soldier) at a convention in Seatle back in 1983. Back when magazines and rules sets focused on words, not pretty pictures. Do that now and you might get a 1 on your Presentation score.

I started reading the Courier in 1984 when I was 18. It was fantastic. I was a subscriber until it ended.

Great to see Dick. I can remember The Courier as I subscribed to it until it folded.

Great interview! I began wargaming in 1975 with Avalon Hill games such as Luftwaffe and Tactics II. In 1976 I discovered miniature wargaming with 1/87 Roco armor and some simple rules. That same year I was turned on to D&D. After my first Army enlistment, I began historical miniature gaming in earnest with 15mm ACW using Johnny Reb 1 rules in the early 80's. My passion for miniatures just grew from there. However, after painting a couple of thousand figures and dozens of armies, I am DONE with painting. I prefer pre-painted figures such as those in Star Trek Attack Wing, Wings of Glory, or just painted miniatures purchased from E-Bay. Times have indeed changed!

I always enjoy seeing Mr. Bryant at Huzzah! He still runs fun games.

The Courier was great! There was another great historical battle magazine out in the US before the Courier.......Little Wars by TSR. Of course, Wargame Digest by Gene McCoy. Concurrent with the Courier - Historical Gamer mag, out of Lexington, KY. One called La Glorie too? (short run as I recall). I've still got my Courier issues. Thanks for the great interview!

MWAN - Midwest Wargamers Association Newsletter wasone that came during/after - Another one Military Digest - I live in middle USA and remember these hobby mags - stiill have some of each too ! :-)

Dick Bryant is the man! When I was a kid I read his magazine. Now a days, I have the pleasure of playing miniatures with the legend himself.

When he said he started out as board gamer and diplomacy player I knew this would be a great video. I love diplomacy and its variants. Idk if I will ever be able to step into historical war gaming but love the channel and the video.

Nice interview. I still have many of the COURIER magazines. Mr Dick Bryant, thank you for your many years of contributions to this great hobby.

Tony, thanks so much for interviewing Dick. I have a collection of Couriers downstairs & they were a great magazine filled with wonderful content & helped shape a number of different periods we jumped into or campaigns we started. On the west coast gaming was a bit different & the Courier was a big help. Another well done for LittlevWars TV

I used to love The Courier, even though- or maybe partly because- it was tough to get hold of in the UK.

What a fascinating interview. Wonderful piece of wargaming history. Thank you so much for sharing it.

Great to hear from Dick Bryant again. Loved the Courier. A true gamer's magazine.

Great conversation. Love hearing about the publication roots of the hobby!

A great interview and an excellent slice of gaming history.

Thanks, Mr Bryant! Loved The Courier magazine, and I wear my HMGS ball caps and t-shirts with pride. I was just sharing a WW2 vehicle painting guide from The Courier this week.

Great episode. Thank you for sharing!

Thanks for this video. I find the history of leisure wargaming fascinating. I still treasure the two copies of The Courier I managed to buy in Glasgow (Scotland) in 1978. I had started wargaming the previous year at the age of 11 on my own. Donald Featherstone and John Sanders 'Introduction to Wargaming' (1975) were my staples. I joined my school's wargames club (The History Club) run by my history teacher in 1978. I love ancient warfare and Napoleonics and the club did World War II (airfix and Matchbox). He introduced me to S&T and Avalon Hill boardgames. The rest .

I loved the Courier.

Hey little wars, I was recently rewatching your 1066 and ravenfeast videos and I got a idea to order the Norman, Saxon, and Viking army packs. My idea is to get all of those minis and make like a campaign kinda like your roman war campaign and make a bunch of 2x2 maps and you can like march your troops around and things like that. That's really my hole idea but maybe like one Norman player, two Saxon players? And one Dane player

I miss the magazines deeply, all the known magazines now are backed by someone so they show mostly their products, and that's a great loss. I miss being able to open a magazine and find some unique scenario for a war I knew nothing about, and then rules to fight out that scenario (how I got into the Franco Prussian period), there also used to be great articles on campaigns or battles that had a fresh look from an amateur historian, but was still, none the less compelling for it. It's a shame nothing like that exists anymore, even as a PDF, because I'd still buy it or subscribe to it

What a remarkable gentleman.

I have 20 plus issues and enjoy them even today. Every so often I buy some on Ebay in hopes to have the total run one day. And I still have my System 7 rules (in a box somewhere but I did see them when I moved last🙂

Back in the day I had a subscription to the Courier. I accidentally let it go after I went into the Navy. Great interview, thank you.

i was subscribed to the Courier in the 90s

I was an ardent fan of The Courier back in the day. Still have a bunch I think.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane!

Oh my I never tried wargamimg in miniature. My Dad had the old Avalon Hill games.

Nice to see Dick still up and around! Hi Dick!

Good to see Dick Bryant out and about.👍🏻

Thanks you guys....for everything you do for us....and have done....well done...Sir Dick Brant.

Amazing magazine. I loved every issue when it arrived!

Started gaming in Ireland with a box of 1/72 Airfix Highlanders and French Infantry in the early 80’s on the wooden floor of the garden shed. We were able to make a few battalions no basing and our homemade rules. Got hooked and discovered Miniature Wargames magazine, 15mm Miniature Figurines Ltd , Newbury Napoleonic and Crimean Wars Fast Play Rules some homemade scenery and a piece of green felt spread on the work bench in the garden shed. Our first attempts at painting were horrendous the bases were made from cereal boxes or beer mats but man we had fun. My only worry is what will happen to all my years of painting and collecting so many happy memories of battles with friends and family recreating history. My kids and wife look at me like I am a lunatic but I tell them it’s what keeps me sane. When I unpack those figures it’s like I am 12 years old again playing on the dusty shed floor knocking over plastic soldiers with marbles.

I don't usually comment before watching But I just got to say I'm so thrilled to see this thumbnail pop up on my feed. I'm in my thirties and when I was younger I did get to see some of the old wargaming magazines around and some of the old books but a lot of it was in the aging collections of my parents and uncles. As someone who's interested in the history of the hobby I've noticed recently that it's easier to discover the UK side of the history than it is the American side and I live here in America. Outside of Gary G and Chainmail, It's not as easy to find out who the big names were. Very glad to see you are making a video that helps fill in those gaps.

Top bloke - carry on regardless matie from UK

I started building my wargame set up in 1976 when I started working full time. I like the box sets they have now. They come with everything you need. Research and flags. I think 3D printing is probably the future. I think there will always be guys who want to open a box do some light prep. then start painting.

Being a stickler for the rules, I was going to try to communicate with you discretely that "Hail to the Chief" is supposed to be played only for the President. Then after thinking about how the dignity of the office has radically diminished in recent years (no names please, the purpose isn't to start an argument I'd be compelled to win), I decided to let it go. Mr Bryant is more deserving of the honor than many of them.

Before I subscribed to The Courier I had a subscription to the Donald Featherstone’s Wargamers Newsletter from Britain, IFW’s International Wargamer, D-Elim, The General and Strategy & Tactics.

I've still got my copy of System 7!

What a wonderful intervju, loved it. Thanks so much for your work.

Great chat, The Courier and HGMS are cornerstones for historical gaming in the US. I think our new model for all-in-one-box will be downloading a bundled PDF of rules with STLs for models & terrain.

The General mags and boardgaming where the thing for me in the 80s - I’d never heard about The Courier nor miniature wargaming……….but nice little video about the good old days.

An absolute legend. Cheers!

Great stuff thanks

I've still got a bunch of the very early issues.

Delightful - thanks!

Sigh. Such great times putting the magazine together. Just shooting the breeze with your pals and shit talking about the last game. I don't recall beers being present, because if there had been, Dick would have gotten complains about stains. Dick and the late Leo Cronin, as well as the late Jack Scruby, stand tall in the pantheon of American wargame founding fathers. Also a shout out to another NEWA member, Lenny Patt, the father of the system that became D&D.

Excellent!!! Bravo!

Well done

I still have every issue of the Courier. I am now wondering about what will happen to them when I die. They are a treasure even when I reread them today.

Wally SImon is missed.

I started with Steve Jackson games.

Extremely interesting.

Great history !

My wargaming started in 1979 with StarFleet Battles. I had to save my paychecks from bagging groceries while in high school to get it LOL!!!!!!!!

Started wargaming in 1980 when I was 18 still gaming off on to this day.

I started gaming with airfix figures and ROCO tanks. we threw triangular beads and knew the armor thickness and penetration power of the guns thanks to having Avalon hill Panzerblitz. We threw rubber bands for artillery damage against infantry. Being 10 years old was the best. Dumbest thing I ever did was being 13 and giving away all 3,000 figures and over 100 tanks to a kid down the street. Had I only known it wasn't necessary to grow up.

When Dick Bryant talked about how painting figures and making terrain was part of the hobby, I recall once being asked what wargaming is and my answer was 25% research, 25% modelling, 25% playing and 25% talking sht with your mates and sometimes its 50% talking sht with your mates. Be careful that we don't lose what the hobby is about.

I miss getting my super Street magazine in the mail

3D printing has changed everything! Not locked out by big companies anymore. But it sure as hell aint as easy as pushing a button LOL

The AI also becomes kind of a new dimension when creating strategic scenarios, issues, strategic or tactical dillemas etc. It can provide some help in creating kind of custom rules for every single game. That opens a lot of new space for the players.

Was The Courier our before Gene McCoy’s Wargamers Digest?

There's no doubting The Courier's importance to North American wargaming, but it certainly was NOT the only historical miniatures magazine. I have a stack of Wargamer's Digest that proves it. I couldn't get The Courier in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, but Wargamer's Digest was available in the Leisure World chain (imagine a mall store that sold wargames and miniatures!). As historical gamers, getting the history right of our own hobby is important.

Great video. On the cover image for the video, am I mistaken or is that Gary Gygax in the striped shirt?

I disagree with the comment that the Courier was the only wargaming magazine in the USA. In 1973 Wargamer's Digest was in print till the early 80's. I do miss shopping for units and painting my own stuff. Once you had shopped around for the miniatures and painted them. Then see them march on the table. You seem to have a little more emotional skin in the game.

3D printing is definitely the future. It is just way too hard for manufacturing to keep up with all the oddball stuff that people want. It do miss paper magazines . Books I’ll read digitally all day, and magazines too, but I really like paper

Cut the background music during a good interview.

👍🏻

WHO SELLS PAINTED NAPOLEONIC FIGURES?? And how can I get in touch with you?!

What was HMGS called before it became HMGS?

I think, in my humble opinion, prescriptive gaming has really killed the innovation in wargaming. I actually think 3D printing may actually encourage people to start exploring and building their own wargames rather than just purchasing tactical games and miniatures in game company box sets. If we want to see more interesting wargames then I sense we need to look at the past approaches and put a new spin on it. I have advocated there is a difference between a game of war and a wargame and think this is quite relevant now. Best wishes

Did you erase the comment about those mags still be available through wgv?

“Lower generations want everything handed to them” and y’all wonder why the hobby is getting nothing but older.

Wargamers Digest wasn't American?

The 80's is not the early days

People suck in todays world. They want it all and want it NOW. Kills the adventure of the whole lifestyle.

Why are you running music over the voice of your speaker? Disrespectful.

In my opinion Warhammer 40k and Games Workshop represent everything that is WRONG with miniature gaming today. Good rules are timeless and absolutely not in need of flashy production. Games Workshop has shifted the paradigm into the unfortunate space where rules are adjusted to promote miniatures sales and dumbed-down to allow even the greatest simpleton to just know enough to yearn for that $200 chunk of cheap plastic. The Courier represented an era where intellect, great rules and imagination prevailed.