ISM University's wargaming in 2025 ended with four sessions on Lithuania's development over 25 coming years. Each involved 12 players from business, legal, academia, culture, other sectors. They played as national and municipal government, business, labour, culture and education, and hostile forces.

And here's a personal After Action Report for Connections UK at Armchair Dragoons. It was a great event, and my only regret is that my flight was early afternoon on the last day. Available here: armchairdragoons.com/cnxuk25-aar/

Last semester we had a Churchill day in the class, and here's the write up of why it works in the educational context.

We visited the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, and now I think we had a vampire infestation in Vilnius sometime before late 17th century...

Please please please everyone (pls reskeet) who is involved with a uni/college academic program (broadly speaking) conected to games Could you write a quick comment + links if any apply to what you and your institution are doing in that sphere? I need to show what's out there. 1/ #AncientBluesky 🗃️

I've met @icurtiss.bsky.social at Connections UK last year, where we talked about wargaming as a modelling method, risk gaming and his scenarios for Lux Capital. A couple of weeks ago, we sat down online to talk about these topics, students' games, and other war/riskgaming matters. Enjoy!

“the story of the #crossbronxexpressway is a lens through which we can better understand our modern world.” pre-orders charging means the game ships soon. i recorded a podcast called endnotes to hold folk over while they wait for it to arrive. @gmtgames.bsky.social [ link below]

Previous week was spent at Connections UK, representing the Wargaming Lab of ISM. Some takeaways. First, it's always great to meet old friends and find new ones! Wargaming community is very welcoming, and I'm glad that Connections UK continue to hold sessions specifically dedicated to newcomers.

When you want to quickly search for something about the rules, and Google LLM decides to help.

University wargaming in the new academic started! La Coruña scenario from Battlefields of the Napoleonic Wars by @mropla.bsky.social The French struggles for most of the time, but managed to deal fatal blows just before the night descended.

String puppet X-rays are best X-rays. Pre-WW2 marionettes by Stasis Ušinskas, a Lithuanian artist who worked with animation, string puppets, stained glass, theatre productions, paintings, and other forms of art.

Yesterday, participants of the Students to Government project ran by the Office of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania got a chance to play a tabletop game on interest management, agenda setting, and coalition building. How do interest groups form coalitions when considering potential laws?

I'm very much looking forward to this game. It has a platoon level system with drone and EW. It accounts for planning using Sync Matrices. It has huge educational value. Finally, it's set in the Baltics, making the game very relevant for our context. So, yes, I'm definitely pre-ordering.

Latin. I had free credits at the end of my undergrad studies and spent them on two semesters of Latin, one full hour everyday. It was amazing and now helps at pub quizzes.

I fully agree with @letsplayhistory.bsky.social The support in the wargaming community is amazing and we can do still more to get people into wargaming and connect them. Without Jan bringing the people together this project wouldn't have happened, people like Jan make this community so welcoming.

When we started Wargaming Lab at ISM last September, one of the aims was to build and foster international collaboration with our Allies. I'm extremely happy that last week we saw the first German-Lithuanian wargaming summer school organized together with The German Wargaming Center.

This story of language colonialism is an important one, and I'm glad that @fluxogames.bsky.social chose to explore it in a video game format. Looking forward to the release.

If you are interested, you can order my book now at www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Castillon-Ha... It should be available from other online shops soon and in the US in September.

Wargaming helps to meet the most interesting people,wherever you go. In Osaka, I had a pleasure to meet wargame designer, publisher and Banzai magazine editor Yasushi Nakaguro and learn so much about topics as broad as wargaming and board gaming in Japan to language and economics.

Hunt for Blackbeard by @volko.bsky.social was the first game I playtested ever, both on a homemade physical copy and Vassal. Before the physical release, kindly thanks to @fortcircle.bsky.social and @ccxvii.bsky.social, this gem of a game is now available on Rally the Troops!

Second play of Winter Rabbit by @willmthompson.bsky.social The Wolf and the Deer tried to prepare the village for winter, but the Rabbit outsmarted everyone. Now it's getting personal, Mr. Rabbit.

This year I taught my ISM University of Management and Economics masters' students well at the very least two things: dominant strategies in game theory and the importance of attending lectures. I managed to sneak in a Frank Herbert's Dune quote to my graduation speech, quite a good day, I'd say.

First thing I learned when starting to learn @sebastianbae.bsky.social Littoral Commander: The Baltic is that I need a larger table for work purposes 😅 And yes, you can count on that Baltic resistance.

A very special « Arrivage du jour » today, with my advance copy of my very own Hubris - Twilight of the Hellenistic World by @gmtgames.bsky.social ! And if I may say so myself, it is simply stunning! 🤩

Cross Bronx Expressway is getting closer. So looking forward to it.

We had a final student game prototype day yesterday at ISM University of Management and Economics. Some guests from the game development industry and the faculty joined, which was a great opportunity for students to show what they did. What was that more specifically?

The 45th Panzer Brigade (or the Lithuania Brigade) was officially activated in Vilnius today. Got to stand right beneath the helicopter path. A great day, and vielen Dank to our German friends.

It was a very @markherman54.bsky.social and @gmtgames.bsky.social day yesterday. From Churchill during the class to Pericles in the evening. It was a great day.

A few snippets from a very unexpected commission to work on a COIN game. Total freedom to come up with a map for the next volume in the COIN Series: The Ōnin War, Muromachi Japan. A game by Joe Dewhurst. A tribute to Kisai Risshō (Hiroshige II). @volko.bsky.social @joedewhurst.bsky.social

At @cnx-onl.bsky.social I had an opportunity to discuss the use of wargaming in civic education, based on our experience at ISM University. I am very happy that Héloïse Vantorre joined the session to discuss her game on the resource politics in the Republic of Niger. Now, the recording is available.

The follow-on volume to Coast Watchers - this one set on the Western Front in World War I - has hit GMT's P500. www.gmtgames.com/p-1162-drach...

A fourteen hour IRL version of wingspan in the great outdoors this last weekend, with a birdwatching trip to a biosphere reserve in Southern Lithuania. From white-tailed eagles to northern shovelers, 81 species in total. And now I need more.

after a wonderful introduction from Gene about the history of Combat Commander: Vietnam (insidegmt.com/for-everythi...), last week kicked off our series for InsideGMT on the design. Stephen and I did a lot of research on both CC and Vietnam to bring the two together. RSG is the glue.

Light games can punch above their weight and they are incredibly useful in achieving learning objectives. From modelling to teaching mechanics to telling stories, they can help students taking their first steps in wargaming and wargame design.

Another game-focused class today. We talked about business wargaming and then played Powering Up by @icurtiss.bsky.social at Lux Capital. The game focuses on the electric vehicle market in China, putting players in the role of automakers, regional policymakers, and consultants.

First playtests of the students' prototypes for this semester's class! It's always great fun to see the first ideas and how they develop and change over time. First, we have a game on defending Lithuania - a hex and counter game of modern warfare.

Arete 15% launch discount on Steam ends tomorrow. Don't get caught out there without your sarissa. Download your copy now!

Currently, at Dulles, waiting for the flight back to Europe from the excellent CircleDC by the excellent @fortcircle.bsky.social. Three days of people and games. And some blossoms.

Introduced @danbullock.bsky.social gameThe Gods Will Have Blood in classroom for the first time. Put the board on PPT and then read each card aloud, and asked students to vote on each of the accused and discuss their views and strategies (to come to a 'joint decision' to imitate the solo player).

Among many interesting seminars, I will be joining on 11th April to discuss wargaming in civilian environment based on our experience at ISM. I am also very happy that Héloïse Vantorre will join the session to present her game on the Republic of Niger, designed for the course we had last Spring.

Got to talk about wargaming with one of the main media channels in Lithuania. And then we played Next War: Poland from Mitchell Land and @gmtgames.bsky.social to add an AAR to the article. This certainly was an interesting collaboration. In LT: www.15min.lt/m/id/gyvenim...

Connections Online registration will open MON 3/24 approx 9am US Eastern time tabletop.events/conv... We've got a great program of over 25 events planned for the week, including some games that'll get added to the program in a few days

COIN series works great for discussing how models can help translate dynamics into mechanics. We explored The British Way by Stephen Rangazas and @gmtgames.bsky.social. It works well as an introduction to the system and the first play fits perfectly in class time.

Weekend of wargaming in Brussels followed by a wargaming Wednesday at NATO CCOE with WISE-AEGIS game on resilience. Even got to play the part of EU Emergency Response Coordination Centre to help the Baltics, Poland, and Germany deal with crises. Plus, catching up with @letsplayhistory.bsky.social!

The Homo Ludens mini-con was beaucoup cool. From the large Baltic Empires and La Révolution française games to light trick takers through Pax Penning and Inis, it was good for games and it was even better to meet people from the community.

One more group of bachelor students got their diplomas today. Not a student anymore, but I did get one too.

Learning game of Unhappy King Charles from @charlesvasey.bsky.social and @phalanxgames.bsky.social. I can say that Charles was quite happy with three major victories in two years. Full proper game next week, till then I'll spend time enjoying the gorgeous visual design by @domhnallh.bsky.social

Saturday morning at work with students - got a full house for John Company from @colewehrle.bsky.social and @wehrlegig.games First, a quick rolling teach, then some retirements, some trade, some deployments, and lots of crises. Bankruptcy with industry blamed, and me going negative in points...

Saturday morning at the university with Pericles from @markherman54.bsky.social and @gmtgames.bsky.social. Unexpected company guarding the windows.

One victory for the Tripolitan corsairs and one for the Americans in The Shores of Tripoli by @fortcircle.bsky.social. That how the Spring semester wargaming course started in the morning. This year we have participants from three different programmes, so the focus will also be a bit more varied.