Dave Watson
@balkandave.bsky.social
Think tank director, historian, wargamer, Fulham FC fan. Editor www.balkanhistory.org. Mostly history and wargaming here.
Pinned
Struggle for the Pontic Steppe
This book examines the conflict between the Russian and Ottoman empires for control of the Pontic Steppe region during the second half of the 18th century. The Pontic Steppe stretches from the...
www.balkanhistory.org
My new book, 'The Struggle for the Pontic Steppe:
Russo-Ottoman Wars 1768-1792' is now available. Directly below in the UK, your local bookshop, or Amazon in paperback and Kindle versions worldwide. The link below also has my presentation on YouTube. www.balkanhistory.org/struggle-for...
Russo-Ottoman Wars 1768-1792' is now available. Directly below in the UK, your local bookshop, or Amazon in paperback and Kindle versions worldwide. The link below also has my presentation on YouTube. www.balkanhistory.org/struggle-for...
The Battle of Quatre Bras 1815. My blog on our two day refight of the battle on the grand scale. The outcome was similar, even with a different French plan to Ney’s. Where was d’Erlon when you need him😂. balkandave.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-...
The Battle of Quatre Bras 1815
Last weekend, I was playing a multiplayer game of the Battle of Quatre Bras at the Veterans Hub in Glasgow. We essentially followed the sce...
balkandave.blogspot.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:53 PM
The Battle of Quatre Bras 1815. My blog on our two day refight of the battle on the grand scale. The outcome was similar, even with a different French plan to Ney’s. Where was d’Erlon when you need him😂. balkandave.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-...
Plaque for Scottish Holocaust victim to be unveiled in Edinburgh. Outside St Stephen's Church in Stockbridge, where a service was held for Jane Haining before she travelled to Budapest to work as a matron. Later murdered by the Nazis in Auschwitz in 1944. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Plaque for Scottish Holocaust victim to be unveiled in Edinburgh
The Stolperstein stone has been laid outside St Stephen's Church in Stockbridge in Edinburgh.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 24, 2025 at 7:57 AM
Plaque for Scottish Holocaust victim to be unveiled in Edinburgh. Outside St Stephen's Church in Stockbridge, where a service was held for Jane Haining before she travelled to Budapest to work as a matron. Later murdered by the Nazis in Auschwitz in 1944. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Wargaming: the surprisingly effective tool that can help us prepare for modern crises. We might not be able to predict the future perfectly given the speed of change. But we can test the options. Wargaming is how we start. My Quatre Bras weekend wasn’t wasted😂. theconversation.com/wargaming-th...
Wargaming: the surprisingly effective tool that can help us prepare for modern crises
Wargaming is a centuries-old tool to explore ‘what if’ scenarios by simulating real-world crises.
theconversation.com
November 24, 2025 at 7:51 AM
Wargaming: the surprisingly effective tool that can help us prepare for modern crises. We might not be able to predict the future perfectly given the speed of change. But we can test the options. Wargaming is how we start. My Quatre Bras weekend wasn’t wasted😂. theconversation.com/wargaming-th...
By close of play the French dominate the crossroads but the Allies have plenty in reserve. French cavalry are in the Allied flank. Similar to the historic Quatre Bras. Black Powder and thanks to Veterans Hub for good game.
November 23, 2025 at 3:21 PM
By close of play the French dominate the crossroads but the Allies have plenty in reserve. French cavalry are in the Allied flank. Similar to the historic Quatre Bras. Black Powder and thanks to Veterans Hub for good game.
My grand flank attack with Jerome’s division started well, pinning Alten. However, the dice gods bit back and the attack has ground to a halt. Jerome has probably brought his massive baggage again😂. Quatre Bras.
November 23, 2025 at 11:53 AM
My grand flank attack with Jerome’s division started well, pinning Alten. However, the dice gods bit back and the attack has ground to a halt. Jerome has probably brought his massive baggage again😂. Quatre Bras.
Day2 of the Battle of Quatre Bras 1815 at the Veterans Hub in Glasgow. The French are close to the crossroads but too slow getting there. Allied reinforcements have arrived in large numbers. Black Powder in 28mm.
November 23, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Day2 of the Battle of Quatre Bras 1815 at the Veterans Hub in Glasgow. The French are close to the crossroads but too slow getting there. Allied reinforcements have arrived in large numbers. Black Powder in 28mm.
Ardvrek Castle wall 'ripped down' for use as stepping stones. "Some special individuals decided when the water was over the beach area, rather than get their little tootsies wet, they would rip down a 500-year-old wall to make a path for themselves.” Unbelievable! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Ardvrek Castle wall 'ripped down' for use as stepping stones
Ardvrek Castle in Assynt is a 500-year-old former clan seat, and reputed to be haunted.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 23, 2025 at 7:32 AM
Ardvrek Castle wall 'ripped down' for use as stepping stones. "Some special individuals decided when the water was over the beach area, rather than get their little tootsies wet, they would rip down a 500-year-old wall to make a path for themselves.” Unbelievable! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
I’m taking Jerome’s division on a big flanking move, while the French centre is closing on the crossroads, although at a heavy cost. Quatre Bras in 28mm using Black Powder.
November 22, 2025 at 3:50 PM
I’m taking Jerome’s division on a big flanking move, while the French centre is closing on the crossroads, although at a heavy cost. Quatre Bras in 28mm using Black Powder.
The French are within a stone’s throw of the crossroads, but not with enough troops or guns. and the British are arriving in numbers. Quatre Bras at the Glasgow Veterans Hub this weekend.
November 22, 2025 at 1:40 PM
The French are within a stone’s throw of the crossroads, but not with enough troops or guns. and the British are arriving in numbers. Quatre Bras at the Glasgow Veterans Hub this weekend.
A few French have arrived! The Dutch are getting worried. Quatre Bras.
November 22, 2025 at 11:49 AM
A few French have arrived! The Dutch are getting worried. Quatre Bras.
We are refighting the Battle of Quatre Bras 1815 at the Veterans Hub in Glasgow over both days this weekend. Multi -Player 12x6 table. All quiet at the crossroads and Gemioncourt for Bylandt’s Dutch/Belgium brigade. It won’t be for long!
November 22, 2025 at 10:13 AM
We are refighting the Battle of Quatre Bras 1815 at the Veterans Hub in Glasgow over both days this weekend. Multi -Player 12x6 table. All quiet at the crossroads and Gemioncourt for Bylandt’s Dutch/Belgium brigade. It won’t be for long!
Giles Tremlett: Spain has too rosy a view of Franco’s regime. Let’s remind ourselves of its horrors. Little is taught about the murderous, incompetent dictatorship – and now almost one in five young people say Franco was good for the country. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Spain has too rosy a view of Franco’s regime. Let’s remind ourselves of its horrors | Giles Tremlett
Little is taught about the murderous, incompetent dictatorship – and now almost one in five young people say Franco was good for the country, says historian Giles Tremlett
www.theguardian.com
November 21, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Giles Tremlett: Spain has too rosy a view of Franco’s regime. Let’s remind ourselves of its horrors. Little is taught about the murderous, incompetent dictatorship – and now almost one in five young people say Franco was good for the country. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The Holodomor on screen: how cinema shapes memory of Ukraine’s famine. One factor preventing wider recognition of the Holodomor as a central moment in 20th century history is the lack of compelling treatment in film. theconversation.com/the-holodomo...
The Holodomor on screen: how cinema shapes memory of Ukraine’s famine
One factor preventing wider recognition of the Holodomor as a central moment in 20th century history is the lack of compelling treatment in film.
theconversation.com
November 21, 2025 at 7:06 AM
The Holodomor on screen: how cinema shapes memory of Ukraine’s famine. One factor preventing wider recognition of the Holodomor as a central moment in 20th century history is the lack of compelling treatment in film. theconversation.com/the-holodomo...
At nightfall, neither the Russians or the Persians have made much progress. My mother told me not to play cards. She wasn’t wrong! Lust for Glory in 15mm.
November 20, 2025 at 10:03 PM
At nightfall, neither the Russians or the Persians have made much progress. My mother told me not to play cards. She wasn’t wrong! Lust for Glory in 15mm.
Lust for Glory playtesting game this evening. Listening to the Napoleonic Quarterly this morning on the 1804 Russo-Persian War. So, we are fighting in the Caucasus this evening.
November 20, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Lust for Glory playtesting game this evening. Listening to the Napoleonic Quarterly this morning on the 1804 Russo-Persian War. So, we are fighting in the Caucasus this evening.
Book reviews: Korean War - US forces. Two newish Ospreys, one examines the army and marine uniforms in enough detail for modellers. The other looks at the Seventh Fleet, primarily used for air and naval bombardment.
balkandave.blogspot.com/2025/11/kore...
balkandave.blogspot.com/2025/11/kore...
Korean War - US forces
I got interested in the Korean War when researching the Turkish units that fought there for my books on the Cyprus conflict. Two new Ospreys...
balkandave.blogspot.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Book reviews: Korean War - US forces. Two newish Ospreys, one examines the army and marine uniforms in enough detail for modellers. The other looks at the Seventh Fleet, primarily used for air and naval bombardment.
balkandave.blogspot.com/2025/11/kore...
balkandave.blogspot.com/2025/11/kore...
Latest off the painting bench is another fill in project from the lead (resin in this case) pile. Some government dragoons for Jacobite skirmish games in 28mm. 3D prints from British Miniatures.
November 20, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Latest off the painting bench is another fill in project from the lead (resin in this case) pile. Some government dragoons for Jacobite skirmish games in 28mm. 3D prints from British Miniatures.
Book review: Russia and the Golden Horde - Charles Halperin's study of the Mongol impact on medieval Russian History. He raises the curtain on the ideology of silence that pervades traditional Russian history to show extensive Mongol influence on Russia. balkandave.blogspot.com/2025/11/russ...
Russia and the Golden Horde
This is Charles Halperin's study of the Mongol impact on medieval Russian History. When I was researching my latest book, which includes th...
balkandave.blogspot.com
November 19, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Book review: Russia and the Golden Horde - Charles Halperin's study of the Mongol impact on medieval Russian History. He raises the curtain on the ideology of silence that pervades traditional Russian history to show extensive Mongol influence on Russia. balkandave.blogspot.com/2025/11/russ...
A water system that works for people and nature. While Scotland has avoided the worst aspects of privatisation in E&W, many challenges remain for Scottish Water. Dave Watson from the Reid Foundation will discuss on Monday 24 Nov. At 7pm. Register👇 www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-water-sy...
A water system which will work for people and nature.
What are the socialist solutions for today’s challenges for Scottish Water?
www.eventbrite.co.uk
November 19, 2025 at 10:22 AM
A water system that works for people and nature. While Scotland has avoided the worst aspects of privatisation in E&W, many challenges remain for Scottish Water. Dave Watson from the Reid Foundation will discuss on Monday 24 Nov. At 7pm. Register👇 www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-water-sy...
The five best TV shows about the Tudors – recommended by a historian. We seem to have an endless appetite for Tudor history. A mix of old and new here. theconversation.com/the-five-bes...
The five best TV shows about the Tudors – recommended by a historian
We seem to have an endless appetite for Tudor history.
theconversation.com
November 18, 2025 at 8:36 AM
The five best TV shows about the Tudors – recommended by a historian. We seem to have an endless appetite for Tudor history. A mix of old and new here. theconversation.com/the-five-bes...
The truth about Vikings and mead might disappoint modern enthusiasts. Ale was the main drink. Honey’s scarcity made mead expensive. By the Viking age, wine, Odin’s drink in the Grímnismál, may have begun to replace mead as the elite’s preferred choice. theconversation.com/the-truth-ab...
The truth about Vikings and mead might disappoint modern enthusiasts
The standard drink was far more likely to be ale.
theconversation.com
November 17, 2025 at 8:29 AM
The truth about Vikings and mead might disappoint modern enthusiasts. Ale was the main drink. Honey’s scarcity made mead expensive. By the Viking age, wine, Odin’s drink in the Grímnismál, may have begun to replace mead as the elite’s preferred choice. theconversation.com/the-truth-ab...
The Austrians won the cavalry battle but my French infantry brigades smashed through the centre before they could reorganise. Victory to Marmont. Black Powder at the club today.
November 16, 2025 at 3:27 PM
The Austrians won the cavalry battle but my French infantry brigades smashed through the centre before they could reorganise. Victory to Marmont. Black Powder at the club today.
Appropriately, given my online talk on the Napoleonic Wars in the Adriatic this evening, I am leading Marmont against the Austrians. The first division has made a bold attack on the Austrian flank.
November 16, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Appropriately, given my online talk on the Napoleonic Wars in the Adriatic this evening, I am leading Marmont against the Austrians. The first division has made a bold attack on the Austrian flank.
Who needs Netflix when you can discover the Napoleonic Wars in the Adriatic this evening. And you can’t ask questions on Netflix! www.tickettailor.com/events/napol...
Buy tickets for Napoleonic Wars in the Adriatic – The Napoleonic Wars in the Adriatic – Zoom
The Napoleonic Wars in the Adriatic – Zoom, Sun 16 Nov 2025 - Most of the great powers contested the lands around the Adriatic Sea during the Napoleonic wars. While never a major theatre of operations...
www.tickettailor.com
November 16, 2025 at 10:05 AM
Who needs Netflix when you can discover the Napoleonic Wars in the Adriatic this evening. And you can’t ask questions on Netflix! www.tickettailor.com/events/napol...
OTD in 1885, Serbia declared war on Bulgaria. They suffered a decisive defeat and were only saved by Austria-Hungary's demand that Bulgaria halt its counter-invasion. The decisive Battle of Slivnitsa is just inside the modern Bulgarian border.
November 14, 2025 at 12:02 PM
OTD in 1885, Serbia declared war on Bulgaria. They suffered a decisive defeat and were only saved by Austria-Hungary's demand that Bulgaria halt its counter-invasion. The decisive Battle of Slivnitsa is just inside the modern Bulgarian border.