Joe
@wordandtext.bsky.social
Work in comms, immersed in boardgames about history, politics and conflict. Proud to live in Wales, land of my children, if not my fathers.
We needed some distraction therapy this evening to soothe an anxious mind, so I hauled my wife and daughter through Pax Penning. The beautiful aesthetics were a hit while the game's opaque win conditions had the desired numbing effect. A victory secured without any one knowing quite how.
November 15, 2025 at 10:08 PM
We needed some distraction therapy this evening to soothe an anxious mind, so I hauled my wife and daughter through Pax Penning. The beautiful aesthetics were a hit while the game's opaque win conditions had the desired numbing effect. A victory secured without any one knowing quite how.
Love Battlefields of the Napoleonic Wars so much that getting hold of the expansion kit was a no-brainer.
November 3, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Love Battlefields of the Napoleonic Wars so much that getting hold of the expansion kit was a no-brainer.
Tried The Old King's Crown last night. A slow first turn, then rattled by. Teasing card play decisions, moments of tension, pleasing 'gotcha' opportunities. Keen to play again but unsure what it's trying to model. For all the thematic veneer, it feels unrooted in a geographical or political milieu.
October 29, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Tried The Old King's Crown last night. A slow first turn, then rattled by. Teasing card play decisions, moments of tension, pleasing 'gotcha' opportunities. Keen to play again but unsure what it's trying to model. For all the thematic veneer, it feels unrooted in a geographical or political milieu.
Ignore the homespun components (actually don't: this is climate crisis sensitive publishing), because Battlefields of the Napoleonic Wars is fabulous. I love how the clean base system absorbs small thematic wrinkles, such as damp gunpowder in this Hagelberg scenario, which we played last night.
October 25, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Ignore the homespun components (actually don't: this is climate crisis sensitive publishing), because Battlefields of the Napoleonic Wars is fabulous. I love how the clean base system absorbs small thematic wrinkles, such as damp gunpowder in this Hagelberg scenario, which we played last night.
Battlefields of the Napoleonic Wars is a winner. My gaming partner isn't drawn to Napoleonic and/or hexes, but loved this. Yes, it's light, but don't let that or the homespun production fool you. Timing, combined arms use and risk taking when needed make this a smart challenge. @mropla.bsky.social
September 12, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Battlefields of the Napoleonic Wars is a winner. My gaming partner isn't drawn to Napoleonic and/or hexes, but loved this. Yes, it's light, but don't let that or the homespun production fool you. Timing, combined arms use and risk taking when needed make this a smart challenge. @mropla.bsky.social
Yes, absolutely well deserved. Finally, a 'war' game my wife is asking to play. We're on holiday and have worked through the first two scenarios. The denouement takes place tonight...
August 22, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Yes, absolutely well deserved. Finally, a 'war' game my wife is asking to play. We're on holiday and have worked through the first two scenarios. The denouement takes place tonight...
No finer sporting venue.
July 11, 2025 at 9:35 AM
No finer sporting venue.
Verdun 1916: Steel Inferno. Grimly engrossing.
May 26, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Verdun 1916: Steel Inferno. Grimly engrossing.
We played a first game of the full campaign of Verdun 1916: Steel Inferno. Lots of first timer mistakes (neither of us aggressive enough when circumstances in our favour) but love how it evokes the brutal bombardments and desperate rebuilding of breached defensive lives. Tardi card art is awesome.
May 26, 2025 at 3:53 PM
We played a first game of the full campaign of Verdun 1916: Steel Inferno. Lots of first timer mistakes (neither of us aggressive enough when circumstances in our favour) but love how it evokes the brutal bombardments and desperate rebuilding of breached defensive lives. Tardi card art is awesome.
Just home from a great start to the weekend playing New Cold War from @vucasimulations.bsky.social. This is one we all want to play again. Slick, nice thematic touches, little downtime, good table talk. Perfect Friday night entertainment with a couple of good bottles of red.
May 16, 2025 at 10:22 PM
Just home from a great start to the weekend playing New Cold War from @vucasimulations.bsky.social. This is one we all want to play again. Slick, nice thematic touches, little downtime, good table talk. Perfect Friday night entertainment with a couple of good bottles of red.
How it started and how it's going.
May 9, 2025 at 6:40 PM
How it started and how it's going.
The Battle of Eylau, just getting under way at #PunchedCon. @soundofdrumsgames.bsky.social
May 9, 2025 at 8:33 AM
The Battle of Eylau, just getting under way at #PunchedCon. @soundofdrumsgames.bsky.social
We gave Library or Death a first run-out, with the short learner scenario. All keen to now try a longer one; this only hinted at the possibilities. Smooth playing as are all COIN games, but lots of impediments to hurdle in pursuit of victory.
April 11, 2025 at 9:54 PM
We gave Library or Death a first run-out, with the short learner scenario. All keen to now try a longer one; this only hinted at the possibilities. Smooth playing as are all COIN games, but lots of impediments to hurdle in pursuit of victory.
Exciting new arrival from @vucasimulations.bsky.social. Good to see this era being explored. Will be interesting to compare it with the forthcoming Order and Opportunity from @vpjarponen.bsky.social @gmtgames.bsky.social which, from my testing of it, is evocative, fast-playing and tense.
April 3, 2025 at 7:55 AM
Exciting new arrival from @vucasimulations.bsky.social. Good to see this era being explored. Will be interesting to compare it with the forthcoming Order and Opportunity from @vpjarponen.bsky.social @gmtgames.bsky.social which, from my testing of it, is evocative, fast-playing and tense.
Finally got Downfall: Conquest of the 3rd Reich on the table. Simple rules, looks stunning, is immersive and cinematic. However... we play games at a good clip, more interested in fun than winning, but seven hours to get just a quarter way through is too long. Wish I knew what we're doing wrong.
March 29, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Finally got Downfall: Conquest of the 3rd Reich on the table. Simple rules, looks stunning, is immersive and cinematic. However... we play games at a good clip, more interested in fun than winning, but seven hours to get just a quarter way through is too long. Wish I knew what we're doing wrong.
A first learning (solo) game of In the Shadows from @gmtgames.bsky.social. The resistance fell just short of victory: they'd bumped off enough Germans but failed to recruit the final resistance cell needed. I got rather pinned in the hills of southern France.
March 28, 2025 at 11:26 AM
A first learning (solo) game of In the Shadows from @gmtgames.bsky.social. The resistance fell just short of victory: they'd bumped off enough Germans but failed to recruit the final resistance cell needed. I got rather pinned in the hills of southern France.
Hearing the news about Rodger B. McGowan, I had to go and have a root around in the loft. His artwork shaped an important part of my teenage years. Anzio and Storm over Arnhem were my favourites of his box covers and the games I loved most.
February 24, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Hearing the news about Rodger B. McGowan, I had to go and have a root around in the loft. His artwork shaped an important part of my teenage years. Anzio and Storm over Arnhem were my favourites of his box covers and the games I loved most.
The British Way Malaya scenario is a superb iteration of @gmtgames.bsky.social COIN series. There is a grubbiness in how British imposition of resettlement into new villages raises opposition in a province, but the very presence of those villages prevents that opposition from scoring victory points.
February 21, 2025 at 10:23 PM
The British Way Malaya scenario is a superb iteration of @gmtgames.bsky.social COIN series. There is a grubbiness in how British imposition of resettlement into new villages raises opposition in a province, but the very presence of those villages prevents that opposition from scoring victory points.
The Sunderland Echo's breaking news bar is once again doing its best to cheer up the north-east of England...
February 13, 2025 at 8:22 PM
The Sunderland Echo's breaking news bar is once again doing its best to cheer up the north-east of England...
Yokohama was a Christmas present, a style of game I never buy, but we played it last night and it's tremendous. 4 players, 90 minutes, zips along, with that perfect balance of enough room to plan a few steps ahead, while always needing to be flexible in the moment as the board state changes.
January 16, 2025 at 9:13 AM
Yokohama was a Christmas present, a style of game I never buy, but we played it last night and it's tremendous. 4 players, 90 minutes, zips along, with that perfect balance of enough room to plan a few steps ahead, while always needing to be flexible in the moment as the board state changes.
Ha. I received the same. Just getting a first test run.
December 26, 2024 at 10:30 AM
Ha. I received the same. Just getting a first test run.
All been there, mate, all been there.
14 Locks Canal walk, Newport.
14 Locks Canal walk, Newport.
November 24, 2024 at 3:41 PM
All been there, mate, all been there.
14 Locks Canal walk, Newport.
14 Locks Canal walk, Newport.
Superb piano recital by Katya Apekisheva at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama this morning. Autumnal colours to a lot of the music and a wonderful way to spend Sunday morning.
Shame the hall was only half full. It was a brilliant performance.
www.rwcmd.ac.uk/whats-on/our...
Shame the hall was only half full. It was a brilliant performance.
www.rwcmd.ac.uk/whats-on/our...
November 3, 2024 at 7:10 PM
Superb piano recital by Katya Apekisheva at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama this morning. Autumnal colours to a lot of the music and a wonderful way to spend Sunday morning.
Shame the hall was only half full. It was a brilliant performance.
www.rwcmd.ac.uk/whats-on/our...
Shame the hall was only half full. It was a brilliant performance.
www.rwcmd.ac.uk/whats-on/our...