We're back for another of our OnTableTop Content Creator interviews. This time around, we're talking to Pete also known as PanzerKaput who has been a stalwart of this community for a good while! We'll be talking about their painting, YouTube Channel and more.

Check Out PanzerKaput On OTT

You can dive into our past interviews with Content Creators when we discussed the Irregular Magazine with Jason Hubbard and also what SunDancer gets up to with the Unofficial Hobby Hangout and more.

OnTableTop: Could you introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about what you do?

PanzerKaput: I am a manager in the British Civil Service and I also illustrate 1938 A Very British Civil War books as well as an array of Historical Military history books as well. These often cover the 17th Century, 18th Century, the War Of The Three Kingdoms and Cromwell's Lord Protector forces after the war.

I love to wargame, paint and do research. For me, the best part of the hobby is learning something new. I am mainly a Historical wargame and have never really gotten into the Games Workshop hobby. I simply just don't like the rules. They feel so clunky and don't flow but many of my friends like them. So, it's just not my cup of tea. However, I do love Blood Bowl!

I do love Kings Of War and to me, that's what a Fantasy battle and army should feel like on the battlefield. My real love, as I've said, is Historical wargames, alternative history and the Very British Civil War.

OTT: How did you get into tabletop gaming?

PK: I got into tabletop gaming in the distant past by collecting Airfix tanks and plastic soldiers. That developed into getting the Airfix Wargame rule books and then I was introduced to a wargaming club. From there I fell in love with it. I drifted between wargames and roleplaying games before finally settling on roleplaying for a good number of years.

I played all sorts of games like AD&D 2nd Edition, Vampire The Masquerade, Cyberpunk 2020, Mutant Chronicles and SLA Industries. I then made the leap back to wargaming when Flames Of War first started and developed from there.

But, what really started drawing me back was being asked to illustrate the Very British Civil War books and becoming part of the VBCW community. I was there creating forums and Facebook groups for them.

OTT: What kind of tabletop games do you like the most?

PK: It's mainly Historical games. Gangs Of Rome, Mortal Gods and The Barons' War. Yep, I am a Footsore Fanboy! I do also like Went The Day Well, Donnybrook, Test Of Honour and CLASH Of Spears.

As I've mentioned, I also like Blood Bowl, Kings Of War, Star Wars: Legion, Mars Attacks and The Walking Dead. Essentially, if it's a low-figure count skirmish game then I will like it!

OTT: What kinds of content do you create and how long have you been doing it for?

I started blogging about fifteen years ago over on PanzerKaput's Painted Review. This was mainly for my Very British Civil War collection where I was promoting them, my campaigns, VBCW Big Games and the Partizan Show, my illustrations and in general, the world of VBCW. It didn't take long for my other interests to invade the blog. I got very active within the blogger community, and helped organise BlogCon, Bloggers for Charity and Blogger Meets at both Salute and Partizan. This was in the golden days of Blogger but the community is still there and growing.

Besides my illustrations, I was also creating the VBCW Community on the A Very Civil British Forum and helped created the Australian version of it. That meant more Facebook Pages and Groups and the promotion of the Big Games. This was then when I went to creating more Historical content based on the other games I played.

I am a huge fan of Footsore's Gangs Of Rome and enjoy playing and demoing this at shows, clubs and events. I love the feel of the game, the scenery and the overall look of the game on the tabletop. I want to create ROME, the TV series on the tabletop and for people to enjoy an Assassin's Creed-style game!

I am also a fan of Mortal Gods, again from Footsore, as there is just something awesome about Greek-on-Greek action. I love the fighting around the Peloponnesian War and the Greco-Persian Wars. Come on, who doesn't love the 300 Spartans standing against the might of the Persian Empire? I enjoy learning the history and the myth of this time period and this game got me looking more into ancient history and games like CLASH Of Spears.

Currently, I am creating content around my latest crush. The Barons' War. This period of history held no real interest for me to begin with. Don't get me wrong, I love knights in armour but I was a form Inter War, Early Second World War player. But, this game, coupled with the Early Medieval rules that are now moving into the Crusades, has got me interested in producing content for it.

It has been a fascinating journey for me to learn about heraldry and what that all means, the colours of their clothing (I was shocked it wasn't all brown and cream!) and the various battles that influenced today's society ending with the Magna Carta. I have enjoyed organising some big games for Partizan and ChillCon where I got to show off the joys of The Barons' War game. I never got into SAGA though as a game. It just didn't do it for me. But, The Barons' War has opened up the Medieval period for me.

The journey through The Barons' War and other games then led me to create a YouTube channel. PanzerKaput's Painting School For Scoundrels! I have been learning how to create videos, take better pictures and get the most from my small studio space. I like creating stories with the photos that I am taking.

I am loving this journey and every day is something new. Maybe I will strike out into actually creating content with me chatting. Or worse, maybe I'll get in front of a camera! But, steady on there!

OTT: What’s one of your biggest bugbears about the industry that you’d like to see solved?

PK: For me, the biggest bugbear of this hobby and the industry as a whole is the tribalism and dominance of one company and the way most YouTube channels, to get noticed, have to push that company's product. I think that's the worse thing as they are bringing in business practices and more into the hobby that dominates the marketplace. This could get to the point where you would think that this is the only part of the hobby.

Please don't get me wrong. If it wasn't for the likes of Games Workshop, this hobby would still be in the realm of a handful of rich white guys and no one else would be allowed to join the club! It does sadden me though that looking through social media, magazines, YouTube and even OnTableTop, you would they are the only big part of the hobby.

What would I do? I think other companies need to step up their game and say "hey guys, I am here!". If that means producing more games that people are interested in or just being more active than they currently are then that's what they need to do. Most of the wargames companies out there are small and sometimes just single or duo operations. But, we as a community, whether creators or influencers, need to promote these companies so that they get noticed and thrive within the marketplace. I'd hope that content creators will eventually stop chasing the cash cow that is Games Workshop.

OTT: Where do you see the tabletop game industry going in the next few years?

PK: I think that's an interesting question. I think the industry will get smaller and there will be few companies. This is already happening, especially on the Historical side of the hobby. Owners are getting older and want to retire meaning fewer ranges and games. But, saying that, what we will have left will hopefully be the best in terms of sculpts, ranges and rules.

I still see the diversity of gaming being a thing across the genres and larger companies getting larger but it will be difficult. I also see 3D Printing meaning that we will have a smaller niche and boutique games. Maybe one of these will be the next HUGE thing?

I would really love to see Historical games become cool again. Maybe this could be based or themed around a film, book or something else in the public eye. It's a dream but I am working towards it.

OTT: What are you currently working on at the moment?

PK: Oh, it's The Barons' War and Flags Of War's Border Wars at the moment set around the period of the Border Reivers!

OTT: If people want to find out more about you, where should they go?

I have a few places you can find me...

• PanzerKaput's Painted Review
• PanzerKaput's Painting School For Scoundrels
• The Barons' War Project Log On OTT
• The Barons' War Facebook Page
• The Wargames Spot
• 1938: A Very British Civil War Group

We hope you've enjoyed this look at one of the many content creators we have here OnTableTop. Watch out for future articles talking with even more people that you need to check out.

If you're a content creator who would like to be featured, please email OTT Ben - [email protected]...