Nick Bate
@ickbat.bsky.social
Used to be a galactic archaeologist. Now I design tabletop games about epic heists, illegal mech racing, daring sky pirates, doomed expeditions, and other such nonsense. 🚀
Black Armada Tales cast member.
https://ickbat.itch.io
Black Armada Tales cast member.
https://ickbat.itch.io
Pinned
Nick Bate
@ickbat.bsky.social
· Feb 11
Coming soon: Against Time and Death
A duet storytelling game about a forbidden relationship between two elite operatives on opposite sides of a multiversal time war.
www.kickstarter.com
🚨 The time war has begun! 🚨
Against Time and Death is now live on Kickstarter! Join us if you love:
- intimate stories against the backdrop of epic events
- high-stakes choices
- multiversal time travel stories
- duet games
- This Is How You Lose the Time War
www.kickstarter.com/projects/ick...
Against Time and Death is now live on Kickstarter! Join us if you love:
- intimate stories against the backdrop of epic events
- high-stakes choices
- multiversal time travel stories
- duet games
- This Is How You Lose the Time War
www.kickstarter.com/projects/ick...
Me! Black Armada Games! Dragonmeet! It’s happening!
With a fair wind the Black Armada team and special guest @ickbat.bsky.social will be at Dragonmeet this year with a stall and all our lovely games.
I'll share a map nearer the time, but excited to see how different it is being at the Excel. Where will the Indie Designers go for dinner afterwards?!!
I'll share a map nearer the time, but excited to see how different it is being at the Excel. Where will the Indie Designers go for dinner afterwards?!!
November 12, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Me! Black Armada Games! Dragonmeet! It’s happening!
Reposted by Nick Bate
youtu.be/yHpy7lBsBCk?...
Video about solo journalling games that hit 96k views thanks to the whims of lord algorithm. Comments are great, people discovering then for the first time.
@ickbat.bsky.social, you're on here.
Video about solo journalling games that hit 96k views thanks to the whims of lord algorithm. Comments are great, people discovering then for the first time.
@ickbat.bsky.social, you're on here.
Solo journaling rpgs, writing, and YOU! They're awesome!
YouTube video by Michael Regina
youtu.be
November 10, 2025 at 4:39 AM
youtu.be/yHpy7lBsBCk?...
Video about solo journalling games that hit 96k views thanks to the whims of lord algorithm. Comments are great, people discovering then for the first time.
@ickbat.bsky.social, you're on here.
Video about solo journalling games that hit 96k views thanks to the whims of lord algorithm. Comments are great, people discovering then for the first time.
@ickbat.bsky.social, you're on here.
Reposted by Nick Bate
Pale Dot arrived today and now gets to join my growing collection of physical ttrpg books I did art for.
October 17, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Pale Dot arrived today and now gets to join my growing collection of physical ttrpg books I did art for.
Huh. It’s mid-October and I’ve read just six RPGs this year. All interesting designs, which is ace:
1. Gravity, Chris Longhurst
2. Last Train to Bremen, Caro Asercion
3. Autoloader, Calum Grace
4. Blades ‘68, Tim Denee
5. Ex Tenebris, Josh Fox
6. Wickies, Lari Assmuth
What should I read next?
1. Gravity, Chris Longhurst
2. Last Train to Bremen, Caro Asercion
3. Autoloader, Calum Grace
4. Blades ‘68, Tim Denee
5. Ex Tenebris, Josh Fox
6. Wickies, Lari Assmuth
What should I read next?
October 14, 2025 at 6:33 AM
Huh. It’s mid-October and I’ve read just six RPGs this year. All interesting designs, which is ace:
1. Gravity, Chris Longhurst
2. Last Train to Bremen, Caro Asercion
3. Autoloader, Calum Grace
4. Blades ‘68, Tim Denee
5. Ex Tenebris, Josh Fox
6. Wickies, Lari Assmuth
What should I read next?
1. Gravity, Chris Longhurst
2. Last Train to Bremen, Caro Asercion
3. Autoloader, Calum Grace
4. Blades ‘68, Tim Denee
5. Ex Tenebris, Josh Fox
6. Wickies, Lari Assmuth
What should I read next?
Mark 1xp if you successfully finished a race, or 2xp if it was epic.
October 9, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Mark 1xp if you successfully finished a race, or 2xp if it was epic.
You! 🫵
You want to play a gothic sci-fi investigation game, right? I mean, why wouldn’t you? Uncover conspiracies, fight demons, be space Mulder and space Scully…
Back Ex Tenebris! Only 20 hours left!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/bla...
You want to play a gothic sci-fi investigation game, right? I mean, why wouldn’t you? Uncover conspiracies, fight demons, be space Mulder and space Scully…
Back Ex Tenebris! Only 20 hours left!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/bla...
Ex Tenebris: A star-spanning gothic investigation TTRPG
Unravel mysteries, battle horrors, protect the stars
www.kickstarter.com
October 8, 2025 at 6:32 PM
You! 🫵
You want to play a gothic sci-fi investigation game, right? I mean, why wouldn’t you? Uncover conspiracies, fight demons, be space Mulder and space Scully…
Back Ex Tenebris! Only 20 hours left!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/bla...
You want to play a gothic sci-fi investigation game, right? I mean, why wouldn’t you? Uncover conspiracies, fight demons, be space Mulder and space Scully…
Back Ex Tenebris! Only 20 hours left!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/bla...
Hot damn, it’s good to be thinking about Forged in the Dark design again.
October 7, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Hot damn, it’s good to be thinking about Forged in the Dark design again.
I’m a pretty earnest and enthusiastic guy, particularly in emails, and I’m starting to worry people will think my words were written by an AI.
October 7, 2025 at 6:41 AM
I’m a pretty earnest and enthusiastic guy, particularly in emails, and I’m starting to worry people will think my words were written by an AI.
Reposted by Nick Bate
Huge thanks to @ickbat.bsky.social for creating Against Time and Death. Currently somewhere around the middle of a multi-month game (admittedly, we're playing slowly) and having a delightful time with it.
October 6, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Huge thanks to @ickbat.bsky.social for creating Against Time and Death. Currently somewhere around the middle of a multi-month game (admittedly, we're playing slowly) and having a delightful time with it.
It’s been a little while since I asked…
Which Forged in the Dark game(s) are you most excited about right now?
What’s your current state of the art?
Which Forged in the Dark game(s) are you most excited about right now?
What’s your current state of the art?
October 5, 2025 at 8:25 AM
It’s been a little while since I asked…
Which Forged in the Dark game(s) are you most excited about right now?
What’s your current state of the art?
Which Forged in the Dark game(s) are you most excited about right now?
What’s your current state of the art?
Geez, Girl by Moonlight is good.
But I feel like I don’t hear about it so much these days. Are people playing it?
But I feel like I don’t hear about it so much these days. Are people playing it?
October 3, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Geez, Girl by Moonlight is good.
But I feel like I don’t hear about it so much these days. Are people playing it?
But I feel like I don’t hear about it so much these days. Are people playing it?
Family, Speed Daemons playtesting is going so good.
Mech racing, yo. Recommended.
Mech racing, yo. Recommended.
October 3, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Family, Speed Daemons playtesting is going so good.
Mech racing, yo. Recommended.
Mech racing, yo. Recommended.
Reposted by Nick Bate
Read this, #ttrpg folks!
Interview feature with @armadajosh.bsky.social and @beckyannison.bsky.social about EX TENEBRIS, currently in the last week of their crowdfunder, where we talk influences, mystery games, systems and their future.
"I just didn’t want my friends to have to play fascist enforcers."
"I just didn’t want my friends to have to play fascist enforcers."
A Bright Dark Future: Ex Tenebris Interview - Old Men Running The World
If you're a British game designer, you work beneath a cloud - both literally and figuratively. For the former, it's really cloudy here, For the latter, it's a
oldmenrunningtheworld.com
October 3, 2025 at 6:41 AM
Read this, #ttrpg folks!
Team, help me out by dreaming up cool conceptual opposites for Against Time and Death!
I'm after paired concepts that define opposing factions in the Time War. Both should sound intriguing, and neither should be unambiguously bad. Bonus points if they're a lyrical rather than literal.
🔴 🔵
I'm after paired concepts that define opposing factions in the Time War. Both should sound intriguing, and neither should be unambiguously bad. Bonus points if they're a lyrical rather than literal.
🔴 🔵
October 3, 2025 at 7:10 AM
Team, help me out by dreaming up cool conceptual opposites for Against Time and Death!
I'm after paired concepts that define opposing factions in the Time War. Both should sound intriguing, and neither should be unambiguously bad. Bonus points if they're a lyrical rather than literal.
🔴 🔵
I'm after paired concepts that define opposing factions in the Time War. Both should sound intriguing, and neither should be unambiguously bad. Bonus points if they're a lyrical rather than literal.
🔴 🔵
Reposted by Nick Bate
Can't overstate this! It feels wonderful to know that someone had a good time with your game. It's not just that they appreciate your work. Someone's day, maybe a day with their friends, got better because of something you put into the world. It's a special feeling.
If you enjoyed a game on Itch, leave a comment!
Honestly, it really brightens a creator's day. And it's a big encouragement for others who may be interested in getting that game.
Itch hides reviews from the game page, so I find comments more useful in the long run.
Like a game? Comment away!
Honestly, it really brightens a creator's day. And it's a big encouragement for others who may be interested in getting that game.
Itch hides reviews from the game page, so I find comments more useful in the long run.
Like a game? Comment away!
September 28, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Can't overstate this! It feels wonderful to know that someone had a good time with your game. It's not just that they appreciate your work. Someone's day, maybe a day with their friends, got better because of something you put into the world. It's a special feeling.
It's real strange re-watching Babylon 5 at this moment in time.
September 28, 2025 at 3:13 PM
It's real strange re-watching Babylon 5 at this moment in time.
Reposted by Nick Bate
Indie ttrpg folks, where did we come down on GPSR now that the dust has settled a bit?
Any leads on good value EU Responsible Persons?
Any leads on good value EU Responsible Persons?
September 26, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Indie ttrpg folks, where did we come down on GPSR now that the dust has settled a bit?
Any leads on good value EU Responsible Persons?
Any leads on good value EU Responsible Persons?
Reposted by Nick Bate
Today is my birthday! I treated myself to covid & flu vaccines this morning and now I'm doing high level edits on all the writing I've been doing all week.
If you want to help me celebrate 46 years around the sun then please share the Ex Tenebris kickstarter!
If you want to help me celebrate 46 years around the sun then please share the Ex Tenebris kickstarter!
Ex Tenebris: A star-spanning gothic investigation TTRPG
Unravel mysteries, battle horrors, protect the stars
www.kickstarter.com
September 26, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Today is my birthday! I treated myself to covid & flu vaccines this morning and now I'm doing high level edits on all the writing I've been doing all week.
If you want to help me celebrate 46 years around the sun then please share the Ex Tenebris kickstarter!
If you want to help me celebrate 46 years around the sun then please share the Ex Tenebris kickstarter!
Indie ttrpg folks, where did we come down on GPSR now that the dust has settled a bit?
Any leads on good value EU Responsible Persons?
Any leads on good value EU Responsible Persons?
September 26, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Indie ttrpg folks, where did we come down on GPSR now that the dust has settled a bit?
Any leads on good value EU Responsible Persons?
Any leads on good value EU Responsible Persons?
I gotta say, I'm pretty proud of this table for helping players in Against Time and Death decide when to set their scenes. It was fun figuring out what sorts of things define each of the six eras I chose.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/ick...
www.kickstarter.com/projects/ick...
September 24, 2025 at 8:33 AM
I gotta say, I'm pretty proud of this table for helping players in Against Time and Death decide when to set their scenes. It was fun figuring out what sorts of things define each of the six eras I chose.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/ick...
www.kickstarter.com/projects/ick...
It me…
… in our current campaign of Ex Tenebris which you can hear on the Black Armada Tales actual play podcast!
… in our current campaign of Ex Tenebris which you can hear on the Black Armada Tales actual play podcast!
The TECHNARCOLOGIST is an expert in dark technology and the occult. They might be an academic, explorer or a tomb robber, but they'll definitely be an obsessive investigator and, perhaps, collector of the weird artifacts found in Ex Tenebris.
⤵️
⤵️
September 24, 2025 at 6:46 AM
It me…
… in our current campaign of Ex Tenebris which you can hear on the Black Armada Tales actual play podcast!
… in our current campaign of Ex Tenebris which you can hear on the Black Armada Tales actual play podcast!
It’s still happening. I still don’t know why.
Really wish I knew what was driving this extra traffic to Chiron's Doom over the last week! Most of the referrals are coming from YouTube...
ickbat.itch.io/chirons-doom
ickbat.itch.io/chirons-doom
September 24, 2025 at 5:38 AM
It’s still happening. I still don’t know why.
Really wish I knew what was driving this extra traffic to Chiron's Doom over the last week! Most of the referrals are coming from YouTube...
ickbat.itch.io/chirons-doom
ickbat.itch.io/chirons-doom
September 23, 2025 at 10:29 AM
Really wish I knew what was driving this extra traffic to Chiron's Doom over the last week! Most of the referrals are coming from YouTube...
ickbat.itch.io/chirons-doom
ickbat.itch.io/chirons-doom
And we are back at it! Team TBD are in the middle of a race against Fortuna. The team's Reliquary has just taken over control of the mech from the team's Daemontech - a smooth transfer from one speed daemon to the next - and we're ready for the second clash!
It's good to be back...
It's good to be back...
Just 15 minutes from re-launching our latest Speed Daemons playtest and I am so ready.
a man with blue hair is driving a car
Alt: Sweet JP from Redline sits in his car, facing the screen. His fingers fidget on the steering wheel.
media.tenor.com
September 22, 2025 at 9:10 PM
And we are back at it! Team TBD are in the middle of a race against Fortuna. The team's Reliquary has just taken over control of the mech from the team's Daemontech - a smooth transfer from one speed daemon to the next - and we're ready for the second clash!
It's good to be back...
It's good to be back...
Just 15 minutes from re-launching our latest Speed Daemons playtest and I am so ready.
a man with blue hair is driving a car
Alt: Sweet JP from Redline sits in his car, facing the screen. His fingers fidget on the steering wheel.
media.tenor.com
September 22, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Just 15 minutes from re-launching our latest Speed Daemons playtest and I am so ready.