Brush Wielders Union

My guest this month was legendary game designer, Tuomas Pirinen! Tuomas was the creator of Mordheim, the lead developer of Warhammer Fantasy Battle 6th Edition, Warhammer Siege, and countless other miniatures games as well as video games, having worked at EA, Ubisoft and other companies. Most recently, Tuomas has signed on to create the rules for the upcoming Trench Crusade miniatures game and he was kind enough to talk to me about all of the above, including why he thinks Mordheim's popularity has endured for a quarter of a century, and most of that time unofficially supported! We also talked at length about the gameplay of Trench Crusade and what he loves most of all about this upcoming gritty and bleak skirmish game.  Follow Tuomas on Facebook and learn more about Trench Crusade, take part in their open playtest, and join their community on Facebook. As usual, this podcast was exclusive to Brush Wielders Union members for a few days before being released to general audiences. brushwieldersunion.com

Sean Sutter, creator of Relicblade, might just be the hardest working man in miniatures gaming but he took the time out of his busy day to talk about his latest project, Cursebreaker! Cursebreaker is a stand alone minis game set in the same universe as his ongoing skirmish game, Relicblade, but offers a unique play experience. Sean spoke with me about what went into this new project, the joys of game design, and what he's most excited about with this latest foray into the world of Relicblade and the Shattered Lands. Find Cursebreaker now on Kickstarter and follow Sean and his company Metal King Studios on Facebook and Instagram. As usual, this podcast was exclusive to Brush Wielders Union members for a few days before being released to general audiences. brushwieldersunion.com

This month BWU member and longtime friend, Greg De Stefano, co-owner of Turbo Dork, returns to the podcast to talk about their big Remix! Turbo Dork has reformulated all of its paints, moved to a new type of paint bottle, and launched some cool peripheral items like silicone paint pallets and mixing sticks. Greg has lots to say about the company's growth, the science behind making paint, helping color blind painters, and his favorite purple colors! Follow Turbo Dork on Instagram and Facebook. And don't forget; Brush Wielders Union members get a 10% discount at the Turbo Dork webstore (check your messages for the code or ask on the BWU Discord). As usual, this podcast is exclusive to Brush Wielders Union members for a few days before being released to general audiences. brushwieldersunion.com

The first BWU podcast of 2024 is here and features games writer, Andy Hobday returning alongside first-time guest, sculptor, Paul Hicks! Andy and Paul have been long time collaborators on miniatures products and they're here to talk about their upcoming line of fantasy miniatures alongside to be utilized with Andy's Baron's War rules set. I've been a long-time supporter of The Baron's War (and their other endeavours) so I was delighted to speak with them about what they have planned for this year. Paul talked about his journey as as traditional medium sculptor and what went into the visual inspirations of their upcoming fantasy figures while Andy discussed world building, rules writing, and their plans for Kickstarter. We also discussed their collaboration with iconic painter, Peter Dennis, and his work as a concept artist on these upcoming models. Stay up to date on what's coming from Hobday and Hicks on Andy's website and the Baron's War Facebook group! As usual, this podcast is exclusive to Brush Wielders Union members for a few days before being released to general audiences. brushwieldersunion.com

Em Durrant took time out of her busy painting schedule to talk to me in our final podcast of 2023! You may know her as Electriceve from her online painting work on Patreon or from her time as an official painter on Warhammer TV's Youtube channel a few years back! Eve was kind enough to talk to me about the trials and travails of being a streaming painter and getting up the nerve to enter the competitive painting world. Follow Em on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and of course, Patreon! As usual, this podcast is exclusive to Brush Wielders Union members for a few days before being released to general audiences. brushwieldersunion.com

This month my guest was Merritt K, a writer whose work I've admired for some time! Merritt's work isn't in tabletop games but recently I saw that she'd gotten back into miniatures painting after a couple of decades away. I invited her to chat about what it's like getting back into the hobby after so long away from it, why she and other creatives love the Warhammer 40k universe. Follow Merritt K on Bluesky and support her writing on Patreon! You can also preorder her upcoming coffee table book, LAN Party. As usual, this podcast is exclusive to Brush Wielders Union members for a few days before being released to general audiences. brushwieldersunion.com

or this month's podcast I was joined by my friend and fellow Union Member, Jamie Daggers! Jamie is a professional painter whose work as an instructor took up most of our discussion but she's also a competitive painter, and of course, paints for pleasure. We had a great chat about how she approaches teaching new painters, what tools she recommends, identifying as an artist (or not), and her thoughts on brush size utility. Jamie Daggers (@jamiedaggers) • Instagram photos and videos JamieDaggers Mini Studio | creating painting minis, doing commissions, videos, tips, and tr | Patreon (138) Jamie Daggers - YouTube As usual, this podcast is exclusive to Brush Wielders Union members for a few days before being released to general audiences. brushwieldersunion.com

This month sees the return of Shoshie Bauer to the BWU podcast! Shoshie has been a guest twice in the past, but this time she's here to talk about the release of the newest miniature in her very own line, Cat Daddy. The fourth in what will eventually be a line of 7 limited edition model conceived, conceptualized, and sculpted entirely by women, Cat Daddy will be available for pre-order starting Thursday, October 28th. Shoshie was kind enough to send me an advance copy of this very cool miniature and we had a great conversation about what goes into the creation of this very special line of figures. We also talked about the trials and travails of sculpting for the female gaze and just why she loves Kingdom Death so much. Pre-order Cat Daddy on 09/28 or purchase the previously created sculpts at Shoshie's webstore. Follow Shoshie on Patreon, Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky. As usual, this podcast is exclusive to Brush Wielders Union members for a few days before being released to general audiences. brushwieldersunion.com

Scalable Skirmish. Kinetic Action. Big Armor Suits.  That's the tagline for the upcoming miniatures game Zeogenesis, from wargaming luminaries Danny Block, Andy Chambers, and Gav Thorpe! This stellar team was kind enough to talk to me this month about their game with Danny talking logistics and production of the hard plastic minis they'll be manufacturing in North Carolina, Andy discussed the core game mechanics and dynamic terrain rules, and Gav had lots to say about the narrative and setting he's crafting for this far future science fiction setting! You may have gotten a glimpse of Zeogenesis at Adepticon this spring but the team had lots more to say, including some really exciting info about the terrain kits they'll be releasing both in hard plastic and as downloadable STL printer files. If you're attending the 2023 NOVA Open in just a few days be sure to check out their presence and say hi to Danny and Gav! Follow Zeogensis on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date and take part in their playtest. As usual, this podcast is exclusive to Brush Wielders Union members for a few days before being released to general audiences. brushwieldersunion.com

For July's podcast I had the pleasure of speaking with fellow Union Member, Adam Loper! If you've been wargaming for any amount of time you're probably familiar with his Youtube channel, Tabletop Minions, currently celebrating its 10th year! Adam and I spoke about how he got started with Beasts of War (now On Tabletop), what goes into producing regular wargaming content, the challenges of helping new hobbyists, his favorite types of games, and his own forays into wargaming development as part of Snarling Badger Studios, working on games like Space Station Zero, Majestic 13, their upcoming zines, and more. Be sure to follow Tabletop Minions on Youtube and Instagram. As usual, this podcast is exclusive to Brush Wielders Union members for a few days before being released to general audiences. brushwieldersunion.com

My guest this month is Chris Kohler, owner of Slow Death Games and creator of the miniatures skirmish game, Wild in the Streets! Chris and I talked about his history as a gamer, as a punk, and how those two interests combined to create Wild in the Streets. We also discussed the game Star Breach for which Slow Death is the publisher and some hints about upcoming projects. Listen now, posers! Chris was also kind enough to offer a discount for Brush Wielders Union members, keep an eye on your email soon for your code. And of course, if you're a Full Union Member your letter this month will be accompanied by a very cool over-sized sticker courtesy of Chris and Slow Death! Follow Slow Death Games on Instagram and Facebook. As usual, this episode was exclusive to Brush Wielders Union members for a few days before being released to the general public. brushwieldersunion.com

We're very proud to release episode 50 of the Brush Wielders Union podcast! It's hard to believe, but we've been doing our monthly interview podcast for over four years now, but for episode fifty I've shaken up the format. This month features our first ever "roundtable" format in which I invited four of my favorite hobby professionals to take part in an open discussion on some broad questions about miniatures painting and hobbying. The guests are: Shoshie Bauer, professional painter and owner/operator of Shoshie's Minis Matt DiPietro, professional painter and instructor of Contrast Miniatures Byron Orde, professional painter of Artis Opus Dave Taylor, professional painter, terrain maker, & publisher at Dave Taylor Miniatures This almost two hour episode featured some freewheeling and spirited discussion between these experts, spurred on by answers to the same hobby questions I posed to Brush Wielders Union members. Follow Shoshie Bauer on Instagram and Patreon Matt DiPietro can be found on Instagram and as part of the Miniature Monthly Patreon Byron Orde's work can be found on the Artis Opus YouTube and Instagram Find Dave Taylor on Instagram and as part of Build! Paint! Play! on Youtube. Thanks to everyone listening to the BWU for 50 episodes. Here's to 50 more! As usual, this episode was exclusive to Brush Wielders Union members for a few days before being released to the general public. brushwieldersunion.com

If you've been anywhere near the indie minis gaming scene this spring you've probably heard about Demon Ship, the micro minis game by Malev. Well, Malev was kind enough to talk with me this month and we got into the nitty gritty of developing Demon Ship, painting for Metal King Studios, and some philosophical chat about the future of minis gaming beyond the traditional player-vs-player world. As an aside, Demon Ship is one of the most exciting and innovating games I've seen in a long time, and is well worth taking a look at. You can preorder Demon Ship now. Support Malev on his own Patreon, and follow him on Twitter and Instagram. You can also listen to his music on Bandcamp! As usual, this episode was exclusive to Brush Wielders Union members for a few days before being released to the general public. Union Strong! —Simon Berman General President, Brush Wielders Union brushwieldersunion.com

This month I was lucky enough to pick the brain of Graham Davey, owner of Grey For Now Games, co-creator of one of my favorite skirmish games, Test of Honour, and a former editor at Games Workshop. Graham was kind enough to share his time and tell me about his journey as a hobbyist and professional, from his first encounters with wargames, to his time working on White Dwarf magazine, and his current days as the publisher of Test of Honour and his most recent game, 0200 Hours. I haven't played 0200' yet myself, but I've heard some great things about this game dedicated to WWII night fighting raids and covert missions. Be sure to follow Grey For Now Games on Facebook. As usual, this episode was exclusive to Brush Wielders Union members for a few days before being released to the general public. Union Strong! —Simon Berman General President, Brush Wielders Union brushwieldersunion.com

My guest this month was the owner and founder of Huge Miniatures, one of my favorite basing material manufacturers. Huge Minis makes an awesome and ever-growing range of texture paints, flocks, tufts, paints, and more. BWU members already get a discount through their webstore but I was excited to finally speak with Brinton about the history of his company and what the future might hold. We talked about what goes into actually manufacturing materials like flock and foliage, how they choose paint hues, and what it's been like expanding into their first dedicated workspace. BWU members can find their discount code here. Be sure to follow Huge Miniatures on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Union Strong! —Simon Berman General President, Brush Wielders Union brushwieldersunion.com

For the first podcast of 2023 I was joined by Kit Peteranecz, founder of Game Envy Creations (and new Union Member). Kit shared the story of his journey from painting a D&D character to having multiple hugely successful Kickstarters for a whole line of hobby products! We talked about paint holders, paint brushes, manufacturing, and he even shared some exclusive news about their next Kickstarter coming next month for a hugely expanded line of paint brushes! Follow Game Envy Creations on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to stay up to date on their upcoming Kickstarter. And finally, Kit was kind enough to offer a 10% discount on all their products for Full Union Members! Keep an eye out later this afternoon for another members-only post with that code. Union Strong! —Simon Berman General President, Brush Wielders Union brushwieldersunion.com

My guest this month was the one and only Hank Edley, a member of Adepticon's board of directors! It is without exaggeration or hyperbole when I say that Adepticon is the best miniatures gaming convention in the entire world, bar none, and I was thrilled to get to pick Hank's brain about what goes into the show. Hank and I chatted about the show's history, the incredible community of hobbyists that make it so great, why Adepticon's fully painted policy has been such a success, and what it was like to get the event through the interruptions of the pandemic. We also talked a little about the future of Adepticon and Hank had some hints about what that might entail! I hope to see you all at Adepticon 2023, just a few short months away! Union Strong! —Simon Berman General President, Brush Wielders Union. brushwieldersunion.com

This month I was joined by Mark Henry, owner and founder of Goblin's Hut, the exclusive North American distributor of the Dirty Down liquid effects paints! Dirty Down's set of rust, moss, and verdigris effects paints have been taking the hobby by storm this year and I was excited to talk with Mark about how they work and what the future holds for this line of unique effects. Mark shared all about the paints origins as special effects paints for TV and movies including Game of Thrones and many other famous productions, as well as some exclusive news about their upcoming expanded line of colors and sprays! Mark was also kind enough to share a 15% discount on most products avaialble only to full Brush Wielders Union members. Check out the upcoming member's only post for details! You can buy Dirty Down products right now at goblinshut.com and be sure to follow them on Instagram. As usual, this episode was exclusive to Brush Wielders Union members for a few days before being released to general audience. Union Strong! —Simon Berman General President, Brush Wielders Union. brushwieldersunion.com

This month I was joined by Byron Ord, founder of Artis Opus, a company making some of the best miniatures painting brushes on the market! They've just launched a Kicsktarter for a new kind of product: hand-crafted, wall-mounted, self-lighted miniatures display cases! They funded in just 5 minutes as of our interview and are skyrocketing past 10x their goal! Byron took the time to speak with me about what makes these displays unique, the years of R&D that went into their creation, and also a little about their Series D (not so) drybrushes. Check out the Artis Opus display cabinets now on Kickstarter. Follow Artis Opus on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. As usual, this episode was exclusive to Brush Wielders Union members for a few days before being released to the general public. Union Strong! —Simon Berman General President, Brush Wielders Union

My guest this month was Jon Cleaves, CEO of DGS Games, and Lead Designer of the exciting fantasy skirmish game, Freeblades! Jon was kind enough to tell me all about the history of Freeblades, it's related RPG, Brightsword, and their upcoming mass combat game, all three of which share core mechanics and can be played separately or woven together to tell the most epic stories in the world of Faelon. Jon's enthusiasm was contagious, and we talked a little about not just the games but what DGS Games is doing to help make tabletop gaming a more inclusive and diverse world. Learn about the world of Faelon on World Anvil Support DGS Games and unlock exclusive content on their Patreon As usual, this episode was exclusive to Brush Wielders Union members for a few days before being released to the general public. Union Strong! —Simon Berman General President, Brush Wielders Union