Clio's Board Games
@cliosboardgames.bsky.social
Musings about history, board games and history in board games. Blog: http://cliosboardgames.wordpress.com
#OTD 80 years ago, Wilhelm Marx, the Weimar Republic's longest-serving chancellor, died in obscurity. Read more:
Wilhelm Marx (Weimar Chancellor Ratings, #2)
We’ve been assessing the merits of political leaders in (more or less) democratic countries on this blog for a few years now. Today, we’re looking at the longest-serving chancellor of the Weimar Re…
cliosboardgames.wordpress.com
Difficult situation in parliament: Wilhelm Marx led minority cabinets in three of his four terms. Read more: cliosboardgames.wordpress.com/2026/07/26/w...
If you have friends like this, you don't need enemies. The Zentrum's Bavarian sister party BVP at times openly opposed the unity of the nation. Almost as bad was the DVP in and out of national govt. As chancellor, Wilhelm Marx had to contend with both: cliosboardgames.wordpress.com/2026/07/26/w...
Round 3 at the US Diplomacy Championship at GenCon. Strong showings by multiple players, including 3x champion Andrew Shallue, with a 13c board top as England. Andrew has three board tops in three games.
ICYMI: Here's my assessment of Wilhelm Marx as chancellor of the Weimar Republic (through the lens of #Weimar @ulible.bsky.social)!
Wilhelm Marx (Weimar Chancellor Ratings, #2)
We’ve been assessing the merits of political leaders in (more or less) democratic countries on this blog for a few years now. Today, we’re looking at the longest-serving chancellor of the Weimar Re…
cliosboardgames.wordpress.com
Wilhelm Marx's situation at entering the chancellorship would have been great in #Weimar (@ulible.bsky.social) - government leader and both minor parties aligned to his Zentrum. Yet in history, he faced severe difficulties: cliosboardgames.wordpress.com/2026/07/26/w...
Wilhelm Marx was the Weimar Republic's longest-serving chancellor. Here's how he did in his four terms in office - illustrated by #Weimar (@ulible.bsky.social):
Wilhelm Marx (Weimar Chancellor Ratings, #2)
We’ve been assessing the merits of political leaders in (more or less) democratic countries on this blog for a few years now. Today, we’re looking at the longest-serving chancellor of the Weimar Re…
cliosboardgames.wordpress.com
Now that many people are buying my 2017 metrical verse translation of the Odyssey in great numbers (thank you, Mr Nolan!), or at least, gazing at it and wondering whether to buy it, I thought I should share some thoughts on the cover design.
There is a lot to say about the Nolan Odyssey movie. But one point that I think has not been emphasized enough is: this is a film about living in LA, as Nolan, my erstwhile British compatriot and age mate, has done for years. I gather it’s a strange place.
#OTD 70 years ago, Egypt nationalized the Suez Canal. The subsequent Anglo-French invasion's failure marked the end of independent great power politics for the two European countries. Image from #Twilight Struggle @jasondcmatthews.bsky.social @gmtgames.bsky.social
God grant me the confidence of Vincent Thévenard, who surrendered to a British brig without firing a shot, climbed aboard to offer his sword, and on belatedly realising how small his opponent was requested permission to go back to his ship and give it a go anyway. The British politely declined.
After 45 minutes: France hasn't been manhandled this badly by England since 1759. After 67 minutes: Napoléon Mbonapé has entered the chat. #FRAENG
Weird Game Designer Facts #61 Joseph M. Balkoski I worked with Joe Balkoski at SPI, and also shepherded several of his freelance games through the publication process when running the design/art/editorial departments at West End Games.
Same. I appreciate the heavy tension between all three players and Franco, especially since piling on one (as occasionally happens in 3-player games) is usually a death sentence for the game, since they can just refuse to help against the Fascists. Plus, the history on the cards is excellent.
#OTD 90 years ago, right-wing officers couped against the Spanish Republic. What is your favorite Spanish Civil War game? Mine is Land and Freedom.(@alexknight.bsky.social)
In the 1580s, the Armada sailed against England and the Dutch, the Jesuits secured concessions in Japan, the Portuguese and Ottomans fought in India, the Persian Gulf, and the Indies, and King Philip II contemplated an invasion of China---all part of a single, linked struggle for global hegemony.
The Empresa de China & the Hapsburg Bid for World Supremacy
(Source) To the Classical World of Greece and Rome, the edge of the known world was marked by the Straits of Gibraltar–or as they knew it as, the Pillars of Hercules. There were various legen…
nathangoldwag.wordpress.com
@sdhistcon.bsky.social Westphalia this morning. In a vindictive move that only makes sense when history has to wrap up at noon, Spain took on 20 debt from Bavaria in the closing negotiations so the Dutch Republic wouldn't be the sole winner.
Over the years, I've 🎲✂️ many Brumble Games and it has helped my design/developer skills immensely. Most of them will never be played by anybody besides my friends, but I heartily recommend doing small designs without a product in mind.
what i imagine my wife is like when i come home from work one hour later
Every game I put out gets "1" ratings on BGG before it is for sale. For funsies I'm gonna track the 1s on WS Pocket in real time. What are these people up to, who feel so strongly about a game they haven't even played? Game details were announced yesterday, and the first "1" is up. LET'S GO! 🧵
If you're interested in history and a colorful variety of alternative histories, follow @goldwagnathan.bsky.social here and on his blog!
Nathan Goldwag @goldwagnathan.bsky.social · last mo.If people want to do something nice for my birthday, I would really appreciate subscribing or sharing my blog; I put a lot of time and effort into this thing, and it's gotten me some actual writing work lately, which I never expected. Thanks for being part of it. 🥰🥰🥰🥰
Happy 250th birthday, America! Remember your commitment to free people in a free republic – like the founders envisioned:
“Give Me Liberty, or Give Me Death!” (American Revolution, #2)
Why did the American colonists of the 1770s rebel against their British motherland? As we’ve seen in the first post of this series, they did not suffer from particularly bad material circumstances …
cliosboardgames.wordpress.com
ICYMI: I went to the Spiel doch! fair in Friedrichshafen. Here's my convention report:
Spiel doch! Friedrichshafen 2026
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: Small local board game fairs and conventions are great. You get board gaming fun in a manageable dose of one day, without long trips and expensive accommodat…
cliosboardgames.wordpress.com
Some impressions from Spiel doch! in Friedrichshafen. Read more: cliosboardgames.wordpress.com/2026/06/28/s...
I went to the Spiel doch! fair in Friedrichshafen. Here's how it went:
Spiel doch! Friedrichshafen 2026
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: Small local board game fairs and conventions are great. You get board gaming fun in a manageable dose of one day, without long trips and expensive accommodat…
cliosboardgames.wordpress.com
New York's Statue of Liberty is so iconic it even made it into an ancients game! (Promo card for 7 Wonders: Duel by @toinito.bsky.social @brunocathala.bsky.social @reposproduction.bluesky.social) Read more:
New York in History and Board Games, #2
Back to the history and board games of New York City! Last time, we’ve looked at the city’s humble beginnings all the way to the destruction wrought on the city by the Revolutionary War. Today, we’…
cliosboardgames.wordpress.com
New York City, America's financial hub, raised and distributed the capital for the ground-breaking infrastructure of the 19th century - the railway. (Image from #1846 @tomlehmann.bsky.social @gmtgames.bsky.social) Read more: cliosboardgames.wordpress.com/2026/06/14/n...
