Rephonic
Artwork for The GROGNARD Files

The GROGNARD Files

Dirk the Dice
White Dwarf
Tabletop Rpgs
Dungeons and Dragons
Call Of Cthulhu
ZX Spectrum
1984
Role-Playing Games
Monsters
Fighting Fantasy
Bestiaries
Doctor Who
Dungeon Crawl Classics
Rpgs
Magic In Rpgs
Games Workshop
Traveller
Philips Video Pack G7000
Artwork
Magic Systems
Powers and Perils

The GROGNARD RPG files is a podcast that looks at RPGs from 'back in the day and today'. Each episode concentrates on the original rules of a featured game, our experiences of playing the game, PLUS excellent contributions from @dailydwarf selecting highlights from the halcyon days of White Dwarf magazine.

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes148Founded11 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
GamesLeisure

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The GROGNARD Files

Latest Episodes

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... more

YouTube

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... more

YouTube

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 In... more

YouTube

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, perhap... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Matthew Sprange
Guest, founder of Mongoose Publishing
Mongoose Publishing
Episode: The Pirates of Drinax, Traveller RPG (with Matthew Sprange)
Tomas Rawlings
Guest speaker; writer and game designer with deep involvement in Warhammer and RPG history
Independent researcher/author; GROGNARD participant
Episode: Chaos in RPGs and beyond (with Tomas Rawlings)
Rick Meints
President of Chaosium and head of the nostalgia department
Chaosium
Episode: Five Items that Made Chaosium (with Rick Meints)
Magnus Sita
An experienced RPG writer and expert on the history of RPGs in Sweden
Episode: Dirk’s Dossier – More Gladiator Chat and more
Graham Botley
Creator and innovator behind RPG supplements
Episode: Dirk’s Dossier – More Gladiator Chat and more
Magnus Seter
RPG historian, game designer, and author
Episode: Swedish RPGs (with Magnus Seter)
Graham Bottley
Game designer and publisher at Arion Games
Arion Games
Episode: Arion Games and other RPGs (with Graham Bottley)
Dave Patterson
Host of the Frankenstein's RPG podcast
Frankenstein's RPG
Episode: Dungeon Crawl Classics Continued (Ep.85)
Brendan LaSalle
DCC GM at large and designer of XCrawl Classics
Goodman Games
Episode: Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG (with Brendan LaSalle)

Host

Dirk the Dice
Host of The GROGNARD Files Podcast; co-host and organizer of the GROGGIE/ GROGMEAT community events.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 389 ratings
  • Too many interviews

    Podcasts already have enough ads stuffed into them, and now all the RPG podcasts I listen to are turning into interview shows where they invite industry people on to talk about products their companies put out. These are just hour-long ads. I have, like, audiobooks I can listen to. I don’t need to listen to hour-long ads of industry people being pleasant about their own products.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Teem Dodger
    United Statesa month ago
  • Exceptional

    Just a great well laid out well spoken, entertaining, nostalgic, educated, exceptional podcast

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Scottbigdaddy46
    United States3 months ago
  • Cheaper than Therapy

    Graduated school at the same time as these two, so their memories of society, culture and world events (not to mention RPGs) largely mirror my own. Just filling a glass and closing my eyes to listen is better than any meditation. Hugely inspiring and always nostalgic, this podcast keeps my gaming juices serenely flowing.

    Required listening.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Rob in Albuquerque
    United States8 months ago
  • A Warm Blanket of RPG Love

    A warm and enjoyable discussion of the glory of RPGs that is always a highlight. Highly recommended, especially for those of us who started gaming back in the 70s and 80s

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Mullets4Ever
    Canadaa year ago
  • A Rambling Guide Around The Underbelly Of RPGS

    Listening to Dirk and Judge Blithy (The Sarah Lancashire and Frazier Crane of wargaming) is the acoustic equivalent of sitting in a high backed Churchill chair dead centre in the day room of an RPG care home - and I mean that in the most positive sense. Rambling and discussing everything RPG old and new with a brew and hob nobs whilst wearing your comfiest slippers. Thanks guys🙏

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    A-Judd
    United Kingdoma year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Excellent depth and community feel; the hosts' voices are comforting and knowledgeable.
Great balance of history, interviews, and current hobby discourse.
Warm, nostalgic, and welcoming for long-time RPG fans.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#193
United States/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#117
United Kingdom/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#162
Canada/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#57
Finland/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#116
Ireland/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#123
Belgium/Leisure/Games

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Pirates of Drinax, Traveller RPG (with Matthew Sprange)
Q: So let's talk about Pirates of Drinax, and how did that come about, and what was the idea behind it?
The idea was to create an Adventure Path released in 10 parts as a promotional exercise, which then became a full edition with massed color artwork, a heavy slipcase, and an emphasis on an open-world, sandbox feel that lets players drift between pirates, diplomacy, and exploration while keeping the core Traveller rules intact.
Dirk’s Dossier – More Gladiator Chat and more
Q: What would you do differently in a future gladiator campaign?
I would lean into subsystems within Savage Worlds for more narrative-driven mechanics and a stronger emphasis on role-playing elements.
Dirk’s Dossier – More Gladiator Chat and more
Q: What challenges did you encounter while managing the gladiatorial campaign?
There were scheduling issues with meetings, and a lack of coordination hampered some of the engagement activities planned around the fights.
Dirk’s Dossier – More Gladiator Chat and more
Q: How did the players bring creativity to the fights in your gladiatorial campaign?
Players showcased creativity through clever character actions and narrative setups, enhancing the overall gaming experience.
Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG (with Brendan LaSalle)
Q: What makes Dungeon Crawl Classics distinctive?
It creates a rollercoaster experience with unpredictable magic and unique character funnels that engage players.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The GROGNARD Files

What is The GROGNARD Files about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A warmly nostalgic deep-dive into tabletop RPGs, with conversations that span classic systems, design history, and the hobby's evolving community. Frequent topics include vintage rules sets, memorable campaigns, and the enduring influence of iconic magazines and eras (notably White Dwarf). The show blends host banter, long-form interviews, and guest insights from designers, historians, and fans, creating a welcoming space for both longtime grognards and newer players curious about the hobby's roots and its modern iterations. A standout is the shared emphasis on community, conventions, and the hobby's culture, making it feel like a friendly pub discussion among knowledgeable peers.

Noteworthy aspects include a strong UK-centric perspective,... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The GROGNARD Files?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The GROGNARD Files. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The GROGNARD Files and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The GROGNARD Files get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The GROGNARD Files, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The GROGNARD Files?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The GROGNARD Files, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The GROGNARD Files have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The GROGNARD Files has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The GROGNARD Files?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The GROGNARD Files:

1. What Would The Smart Party Do?
2. Orlanth Rex’s Gaming Vexes
3. The Vintage RPG Podcast
4. Save for Half podcast
5. What Would The Smart Party Do?

How many episodes of The GROGNARD Files are there?

The GROGNARD Files launched 11 years ago and published 148 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The GROGNARD Files?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The GROGNARD Files?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The GROGNARD Files from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The GROGNARD Files?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The GROGNARD Files. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The GROGNARD Files?

Recent guests on The GROGNARD Files include:

1. Matthew Sprange
2. Tomas Rawlings
3. Rick Meints
4. Magnus Sita
5. Graham Botley
6. Magnus Seter
7. Graham Bottley
8. Dave Patterson

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days