New podcast episode. I’m learning about Operation Torch, the real payoff was starting to understand more about what Vichy France was.

boardgamegeek.com/blog/2623/bl...

I love China/Web of Power, but am sad to say I’m giving up on Ride The Rails. Hasn’t worked with my group. How was the France map?

Ha ha, I found through JustWatch.com that it’s not available in my country right now. Rather than mess around with some complicated VPN spoofers to watch a Scandinavian streamer I’ll just mark my calendar for the April 9 anniversary.

The sinking of Blücher - The Battle of Oslo (2025) YouTube video by ashton

Wow, a second Norwegian film was released last year about the invasion in 1940 and key decision of the Oscarsborg Fortress commander to fire. I need to watch this! Haven’t yet found a place to stream it.

youtu.be/ccz0EXDYg9E?...

Next is going to be the Americans entering the war in North Africa, 1942

New podcast episode posted. It’s got my impressions from SDHistCon as well as a wrap up of the Invasion of Norway topic. WargamesToGo.com

Happy to back this one. A great subject, and I trust the team behind it (Liz, David, and Salt & Pepper). Hey @beyondsolitaire.bsky.social , what book would you recommend for more context?

Guess what? Besides the cool seminars/talks and seeing the local sights I also played some GAMES at @sdhistcon.bsky.social . As befits this unique event, the titles reflect new directions in “wargaming,” as well as older precursors of the same. History Games!

Age yourself with tabletop gaming

TBC rights and reprint | The Barbarossa Campaign I'd like to announce that I have purchased the rights to The Barbarossa Campaign (both editions) from Gary Graber. I did this specifically in order to facilitate a new edition. I have been trying to g...

Hey @volko.bsky.social , after I recommended The Barbarossa Campaign to you (for its chit-pull), and name-dropped Bruce Geryk to emphasize the point, I learned that Bruce is actually trying to bring it back into print. boardgamegeek.com/thread/34235...

Plus a nice lunch at Liberty Station with @djackthompson.bsky.social , @beyondsolitaire.bsky.social , and @zillablitz.bsky.social .

Sunset Cliffs (Point Loma)

Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery on a foggy morning

Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery commemorative plaque

Solo Wargame designer seminar with John Butterfield, David Thompson, Jerry (Jeremy) White, and moderated by Dan Bullock

As much as I liked the games I played (to be described on my next podcast), I also liked the other opportunities at @sdhistcon.bsky.social . I went to the nearby Sunset Cliffs, saw the impressive Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, and listened to more seminar panels.

A Few Acres of Snow played by Mark Johnson & David Thompson

Guerre Eclair (Blitzkrieg), another innovative small wargame by Yasushi Nakaguro, published by Nuts!

Seminar about wargame design tools, parameters & constraints. L to R that’s Volko Ruhnke, Cole Wehrle, and Dan Bullock

Axis & Allies North Africa

A rare treat to get back into some smaller/lighter wargames & history games at @sdhistcon.bsky.social .

What was your first tabletop wargame?

Now some wonderful nautical history at the Connecticut River museum. The successful British raid on Essex in 1814, the AWI’s Turtle, and a replica of the Onrust that first brought European explorers to the interior in 1614.

A bit of FIW tourism today. Drove down the Lake Champlain/Lake George corridor, then visited Fort William Henry. A little cheesy (1950s reconstruction & museum mannequins), but still good to see & understand. And yes—I’m also playing AFAoS right now on Yucata.

I love me a good (shorter) hex & counter game, too. ;-)

We play HotW at GamesByEmail.com. An unofficial version, I think. Have been played nine games in a couple months.

These were the “history games” I played in August. Arguably HotW is more euro and M44 is more wargame, but I think they both count. I love this in-between category.

Thanks again, Jan. She just got married, so less inclined for a WG, but I get what you mean. She is working with the international student office. They’re some help.

Thanks, Jan. I meant finding a German apartment, then signing a contract as an American still in the USA…before going over there. All of the credit check, identity verification, and other docs asked for on ImmoScout24 are only possible when already living in Germany, with a German bank account.

I’ve got an adult kid moving to Germany for grad school soon. Figuring out how to find & sign a contract for an apartment is tricky. DM me if you’ve got experience or tips with this.

ATO “minigame” Assault on Narvik getting set up. Not sure about that fatigue tracking for each unit…

THE FRENCH ARMY IN THE NORWEGIAN CAMPAIGN, 1940 The landings at Bjerkvik during the battle of Narvik after fierce bombardment by British ships. French troops massed in boats under machine gun fire from the rocks and shore.

Also liked seeing the accurate French uniforms (Chausseurs Alpins?)

www.iwm.org.uk/collections/...

That’s fair (about Narvik), though I thought it showed the horrible vise that civilians were caught in.

Now I’m looking forward to Konvoi and Krigsseileren (on Hulu and Netflix, respectively).

Yes! Volko, what did you think of the ending, or the young mother’s entire plotline?

This is a good companion film. Streaming on Prime.

I’d been setting up to try ATO’s mini game Assault
On Narvik when I learned a fan made map redone “in SPI style.” It looks so much better that I’m waiting to play until I can print it out. (I wish it had snowy mountains, but the green tones are an improvement over the original’s inexplicable reds).

Five years ago I used some bonus money to treat myself to a 5year subscription to S&T Quartely, now almost up. No games in these, but an entire journal devoted to a specific topic, with a foldout map. Truthfully, they pile up at home, but I love the chance to dive into these when there’s time. 🌍🌏🌎📖

There’s so much in @cfarrell317.bsky.social latest blog entry that I had to go past the Purple Haze and Pandemic-LotR stuff to get to what wanted—a critical look at the “history” in Pax Hispanica. Worth it.

open.substack.com/pub/chrisfar...