What is a “grog”? “Grog” is short for grognard meaning “grumbler”, Napoleon’s affectionate term for the soldiers and NCOs of his Imperial Old Guard. Their honest complaints informed him what was going wrong throughout his Grande Armee. The term has since passed through the sense of “old soldier” of any kind, to its present meaning of an experienced player of commercial board wargames.
“Grog” is short for grognard meaning “grumbler,” Napoleon’s affectionate term for the soldiers and NCOs of his Imperial Old Guard. Their honest complaints informed him what was going wrong throughout his Grande Armee. The term has since passed through the sense of “old soldier” of any kind, to its present meaning of an experienced player of war games.
