@antisanti Thank you for the kind words!

@grayson partly yes! We did work with some students on using games in companies to collect data on decisions made and also participant perceptions. The core work, though, is still in progress, where as a part of a research project on the effects of multi-crisis, we will run games with businesses and policymkers to explore different policy response scenarios for improving business resilience.

Are board games just a low effort activity for spending free time? My answer is no, and I'm very happy that my ISM University of Management and Economics agrees and recognizes it. Games can also be an innovative research method and get you an award!

@docteurslump ah, thanks for catching that! https://pijus.substack.com/p/a-thousand-faces-of-a-counterinsurgent

A review of The British Way by Stephen Rangazas and
@gmtgames focusing how it will can be useful for wargaming classes. And some words on why the whole COIN series from @Volko is very education-friendly too. Link: pijus.substack.com/p/a-thousand...

Zenobia Award 2023 is launching! It is both a competition and (very very importantly) a mentorship programme to help designers from underrepresented groups to develop historical board games. Find out more at: https://zenobiaaward.org/

A review and discussion of educational use of We Are Coming, Nineveh, designed by by Harrison Brewer, Juliette Le Ménahèze, Rex Brynen, Brian Train and released by Nuts! Publishing. It is an immersive exploration of modern urban warfare with focus on civilian costs. https://pijus.substack.com/p/retaking-nineveh

Three quite intense days. A midway paused struggle over Europa Orientalis, a chaotic adventure in a falling space station, a company bankrupt and military blamed, and a US presidency leading to the loss of global influence. Quite a bit.

The semester is over, and so is our simulation development course at ISM university. Students have worked on four different games ranging from nuclear arms race to First Balkan war to Northern Wars to resource curse theory and did really well. You can read more about these student games (and what we played to learn) at: https://pijus.substack.com/p/games-at-the-university

Yesterday, I had an honour to participate in the Final Pitch day for the NATO Innovation Hub wargame design challenge on the topic of multi-domain operations. While my concept wasn't the winner, getting to the finals when 82 solutions were submitted is a big in my book. Looking forward to next challenges in #wargaming!

Saturday morning introducing our masters' alumni to serious games. What could make a weekend better if not the ever so mysterious processes of public procurement? Great engagement in this matrix game from the mysterious Tim Price.

Playtested two of the student games today. The nuclear arms race advanced over the last couple of weeks and we got a full game in. It needs rethinking the map and some mechanics, but... It provided a very smooth gameplay, lots of bluffing and some last minute clashes over weapon deployment. Bluffing was really fun, and in the end the West snatched the victory! Then, it was the First Balkan War with Ottomans trying to stop the advance of the Balkan League. The core concept is there but more specifics need to be worked out and this can be a really good one. And yes, it's thr Syndicate and horses of Rus on the map for now! Today's session was very good to identify the key needs to combat DRMs and other combat related aspects. We got several rounds in and with Ottomans having lost only one fortress, the chances to hold were good.

@Joementum I couldn't agree more at least based on this limited experience. I'm really looking forward to exploring it.

First game of We Are Coming, Nineveh! by Harrison Brewer, Rex Brynen, Juliette Le Ménahèze, and Brian Train, released by Nuts! Publishing. I facilitated several rounds for my students, and the first impression is that the game is really smart, but also smooth. The three metrics (time, casualties, collateral damage), thematic capabilities, and narrative outcomes not only make it work, but put forward very realistic dilemmas for the players, leading to discussion. The visuals are also top, can't wait to take a player's seat.

@antisanti @Joementum no, it's definitely not a solo one. I'll let you know how it goes!

@Joementum still having to agree on a date that would suit the student schedule, as they have a couple of intense courses in parallel... I'll poat impressions once we play, though!

Discussions were then followed by several rounds (including one propaganda) of Cuba Libre by Jeff Grossman and Volko Ruhnke from GMT Games. Unexpectedly found it locally a couple of weeks ago and it's a great intro to COINs and works in the scope of the course.

Finally, an official shelf with games from Fort Circle Games, GMT Games, and RAND for educational wargaming with some transfers from home. In addition to my students, some interested student guests and a professor joined, so I hope games get picked up more and more often.

Intense workgaming today with first sketches of student games. One focuses on the Cold War nuclear arms race from weapon development to strategic deployment. With time, treaties and agreements limit the options, so who manages to get the biggest advantage by the end of the game?

The next one is inspired by Catan but proceeds to explore the natural resource curse theory. Players tread a fine line between democracy and dictatorship, where oil and natural gas provide some incentives to forget the values of freedom…

Another one carries players to the 17th century Northern European wars. Players plan their military campaigns using cards somewhat in the vicinity of Friedrich/Maria, but with some additional uncertainties, deliberate suit choices for sieges, and other twists.

Finally, the First Balkan War pitting an Ottoman player against the Balkan League. The former does not know where exactly the attacks would come from, while the latter would only be able to control a part of the League per turn.

Finally some time to play after a very intense month. Pilgrimage from the shrines of Canterbury to the forts of Verdun. Lost both, but way more than brutally in Pilgrim. I guess I'll need at least some more games to get a grasp of strategy. Both fun games, though.

This week at university saw a couple of plays of Watergate by Matthias Cramer and Root by Cole Wehrle with Riverfolk and the Underwold expansion by Patrick Leder. Otters took a fantastic last turn, getting 8 points needed to secure victory. For the US politics, both Nixon and the editors scored victories. Now, a midterm break and we move on to testing the early prototypes that students are working on!