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Normale Ansicht

Published — 21. November 2025 ⏭ Homo Ludens

Ion Game Design - MinIon and other updates

✇Homo Ludens
Von: Homo Ludens
21. November 2025 um 16:39

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In this interview I speak with Besim Uyanik and Jon Manker of ION Game Design about their bold 2026 initiative: MinION — a monthly subscription program delivering a compact, standalone board game each month, designed as an entry point into ION’s award-winning strategy universe. We explore the thinking behind making “big game” depth accessible in a smaller format, how MinION bridges into their core titles, and why they’re launching it in early 2026.

We also dive into ION’s production update: how they manage physical game manufacturing, their approach to video game adaptations, and their educational initiatives aimed at bringing strategic gaming to wider audiences.

Timecode:
00:00 Intro
01:30 Essen
06:23 MinIon Games
17:04 Educational Games
24:12 Ion Game Design and Video Games
32:44 Production Pipeline

For more info on the MinION project, see:
https://iongamedesign.com/pages/minion

☕ If you enjoyed the video, please consider supporting the channel via Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/homoludens1871
Published — 20. November 2025 ⏭ Homo Ludens

O/U Discussion with Pierre, Joe, Luke Gearing and Seedling

✇Homo Ludens
Von: Homo Ludens
20. November 2025 um 07:05

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Joe Dewhurst and I recently took part in a massive, month-long, real-time play-by-post, multi-faction sci-fi roleplaying game called OVER/UNDER, based on the Prospero’s Dream Mothership module, which billed itself as a wargame! More than 1,600 players took part, and it was a genuinely unique experience.

A small number of players were assigned as faction “bosses,” and we’ve managed to wrangle a couple of them to come talk about the game and how things looked from their side: indie RPG designers Luke Gearing and Seedling. OVER/UNDER's designer, Sam Sorensen, also created his own wargame called Cataphracts - seemingly built from TTRPG first principles - which is fascinating in its own right so we'll likely chat about that too.

Check out Luke's work at lukegearing.blot.im
Check out Seedling's work at https://seedlinggames.com/
Published — 12. November 2025 ⏭ Homo Ludens

Combat Commander: Vietnam - Preview of the upcoming tactical wargame

✇Homo Ludens
Von: Homo Ludens
12. November 2025 um 10:57

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Developper Joe Dewhurst comes back on Homo Ludens to showcase the upcoming Combat Commander game about Vietnam. This Chad Jensen project has been picked up by Stephen Rangazas & Non-Breaking Space.

Support the show on Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/homoludens1871

Find more info about the game on GMT's website: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-1160-combat-commander-vietnam.aspx

Patrick's channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXfBw670IAUE4VtYayeWqxA

Gene's article about the genealogy of the game: https://insidegmt.com/for-everything-there-is-a-season-the-origin-story-of-combat-commander-vietnam/
Published — 05. November 2025 ⏭ Homo Ludens
Published — 03. November 2025 ⏭ Homo Ludens

A Very Civil Whist - Unboxing

✇Homo Ludens
Von: Homo Ludens
03. November 2025 um 22:50

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It’s finally here! In this video, I unbox my latest design, A Very Civil Whist, freshly released by PHALANX Games. This is my third published game, and one that had a peculiar design process as it started as a convention freebie.

A Very Civil Whist is a fast, strategic, and historically grounded game that reimagines the English Civil War through the elegant mechanics of the classic card game Whist. Players take sides as either the Royalists or the Parliamentarians, battling for political, military, and religious dominance in mid-17th-century England.

As I open the box for the first time, I’ll walk you through the components, share some behind-the-scenes notes about the design process, and reflect on what this project means to me as both a designer and a student of history.

Support the channel on Ko-Fi and join our community on Discord:
👉 https://ko-fi.com/homoludens1871
Published — 30. Oktober 2025 ⏭ Homo Ludens

Old King's Crown - Designer Interview with Pablo Clark

✇Homo Ludens
Von: Homo Ludens
30. Oktober 2025 um 12:51

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In this interview, I sit down with Pablo Clark, the designer and artist behind The Old King’s Crown — one of the most acclaimed indie releases of the year.

Pablo and I first met before his incredibly successful Kickstarter campaign, and now that the game has finally reached players’ tables, it’s already being praised for its stunning visuals and unique design. We talk about what it means to create such an ambitious project as a first-time designer, how his artistic background shaped the world of The Old King’s Crown, and the process of building a passionate online community around his work.

We also dive into the lore of the game’s universe, how Pablo handled feedback and iteration during development, and what’s next for his studio, Eerie Idol Games.

If you haven’t yet secured your copy, make sure to check out the Hop On Board channel, we’ll soon be doing a livestream of the game featuring Pablo and myself, with a giveaway for The Old King’s Crown!
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@HopOnBoardChris

Support the channel on Ko-Fi and join our community on Discord:
👉 https://ko-fi.com/homoludens1871
Published — 24. Oktober 2025 ⏭ Homo Ludens

Convention du Roi de Rome – La nouvelle rencontre des passionnés de wargames à Rambouillet

✇Homo Ludens
Von: Homo Ludens
24. Oktober 2025 um 13:35

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Dans cette vidéo, je vous emmène à Rambouillet pour découvrir la toute première Convention du Roi de Rome, un nouvel événement consacré aux jeux d’histoire et aux wargames.

J’y rencontre les organisateurs ainsi que plusieurs auteurs emblématiques du jeu d’histoire francophone :

- Yves Roig, créateur de Gettysburg, Keep ’Em Rolling et Brandywine — dont la campagne Gamefound est en cours : https://gamefound.com/en/projects/les-3-zouaves/brandywine-1777-a-time-for-heroes
- Clem’, auteur de Heroes of Normandie
- Hervé, concepteur de Marches & Batailles — actuellement en late pledge sur : https://gamefound.com/en/projects/sapper--fifer/marches--batailles

On parle de la genèse de cette convention, de la scène wargame francophone, et de la passion qui anime cette communauté toujours plus active.

Pour plus d’informations sur la convention :
https://rambouillet.fr/evenements/convention-du-roi-de-rome/

Soutenez Homo Ludens sur Ko-Fi :
https://ko-fi.com/homoludens1871
Published — 20. Oktober 2025 ⏭ Homo Ludens

Wargame Archaeology: Digging Into the History of Miniature Wargaming with Matthew Kirschenbaum

✇Homo Ludens
Von: Homo Ludens
20. Oktober 2025 um 10:16

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In this new episode of Wargame Archaeology, I’m joined by Liz Davidson from Beyond Solitaire and special guest Matthew Kirschenbaum, one of the authors of Zones of Control: Perspectives on Wargaming, for a deep dive into the origins and evolution of miniature wargaming.

While Liz and I come from the world of board wargames, Matthew will guide us through the fascinating history of figurine wargaming from its 19th-century roots to its modern tabletop communities. Together, we’ll look at how miniature wargaming and board wargaming grew into two parallel traditions, what the miniatures scene looks like today, and how it grapples with questions of accessibility, tradition, and renewal. We’ll also discuss how the creative energy and design innovations of recent years have reshaped both sides of the hobby, and how the conversations sparked by Zones of Control continue to echo through today’s wargame design culture.

Links to Beyond Solitaire podcasts mentioned on the show:
- Liz & Matthew talking about Kriegsspiel https://youtu.be/IlzIGaQdGPs
- Liz & Pat Harrigan talking about Zones of Control https://youtu.be/cIyAb-Cnypw

Support Homo Ludens on Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/homoludens1871
Published — 10. Oktober 2025 ⏭ Homo Ludens

8K Special! Ask Me Anything (feat. Pierre Vagneur-Jones) — Woke Wargaming and other nonsense

✇Homo Ludens
Von: Homo Ludens
10. Oktober 2025 um 10:22

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To celebrate reaching 8,000 subscribers, I’m doing a totally serious, absolutely professional Ask Me Anything co-hosted by my partner in crime Pierre Vagneur-Jones.

Expect hard-hitting journalism like:
- “What are your next design projects?”
- “When will you finally take your turn in our async game?”
- “What makes a wargame woke?”

Thank you all for the support, questions, and general chaos that makes this channel what it is. Come hang out, laugh with (or at) us, and help us toast 8 k!

☕ If you want to keep the nonsense going, you can support the channel here: https://ko-fi.com/homoludens1871
Published — 04. Oktober 2025 ⏭ Homo Ludens

Battlegroup Clash Baltics - Interview and Game Preview with designer James Buckley

✇Homo Ludens
Von: Homo Ludens
04. Oktober 2025 um 12:31

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I’m joined by designer (and friend of the show) James Buckley for an interview and live demo of Battlegroup Clash: Baltics—a 2–6 player tactical land warfare game adapted from a training tool used by the British Army for junior officers. Set in Estonia amid a near-future Russian invasion, the game pits reinforced-battalion-sized forces (units at platoon/section scale) across six scenarios and multiple play modes (Basic, Standard, Advanced) for 2–3 hours of modern combined-arms decision-making.

We’ll talk design goals and then jump into play, highlighting the system’s distinctive features: pre-game Orders drafting that shapes tempo and initiative; drones and electronic warfare (UAS recon, FPV strikes, jamming, SIGINT); and real-world maps derived from satellite imagery (no hexes—read the ground like a real ops map). If you’re curious how contemporary tactics translate to the tabletop, this is a great entry point.

You can pre-order it here: https://www.sapperstudio.com/battlegr

☕ Support the channel and the Homo Ludens community: https://ko-fi.com/homoludens1871
Published — 23. September 2025 ⏭ Homo Ludens

Quartermaster General East Front - A Historical game review

✇Homo Ludens
Von: Homo Ludens
23. September 2025 um 15:14

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In this video I take a closer look at Quartermaster General: East Front, the latest entry in the Quartermaster General series. It’s a clever new design that brings fresh mechanics to the system, but it also raises some questions about historical content and how the game portrays the Eastern Front of WWII.

This is also my first attempt at returning to proper game reviews on the channel, so let me know in the comments if you’d like to see more of these in the future!

Support the channel and keep Homo Ludens independent: https://ko-fi.com/homoludens1871

Videos mentioned:
Clean Wehrmacht panel: https://youtube.com/live/fiwf2f5pb7U?feature=share
When Titans Clashed panel: https://youtube.com/live/6oCtflbaxvs?feature=share
Published — 31. August 2025 ⏭ Homo Ludens

Mark Herman Teaches Army of the Potomac

✇Homo Ludens
Von: Homo Ludens
31. August 2025 um 22:26

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Join me for a very special stream with legendary designer Mark Herman, as he demos his latest design, Army of the Potomac: Campaigns of 1862 and 1864, the upcoming release in GMT Games’ Civil War Heritage series.

Following on from the acclaimed Rebel Fury, this volume brings players into the shoes of Union and Confederate commanders across some of the most pivotal battles of the Civil War, including the Seven Days, Spotsylvania II, North Anna River, and Cold Harbor. With streamlined setup, low counter density, and a clever Zone of Influence mechanic, Army of the Potomac delivers fast-playing scenarios that still capture the drama of division-level Civil War combat — from artillery duels to desperate multi-wave assaults.

Mark will walk us through the design, show how the system builds on Rebel Fury, and give us a taste of the operational and tactical decisions that shaped these campaigns. If you’re curious about what makes this new entry stand out, or just want to see a master at work, you won’t want to miss this session.

Support the channel and keep independent historical board game content alive: https://ko-fi.com/homoludens1871
Published — 18. August 2025 ⏭ Homo Ludens

Assault Sicily '43 - Design Chat & Game Demo

✇Homo Ludens
Von: Homo Ludens
18. August 2025 um 18:27

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Join me for an exciting hybrid stream where I sit down with designer Wolfgang Klein to talk about Assault Sicily ’43: Gela Beachhead, and then jump straight into a fast-paced demo of the game!

Set during the 1943 Allied landings at Gela, this tactical wargame puts you in charge of combined arms across 40 gripping scenarios—ranging from isolated beach assaults to a sprawling dynamic campaign. With modular geomorphic maps, a unique formation–card driven system, and a bespoke dice mechanic, every battle unfolds with high tension, deep decision-making, and cinematic flair.

We’ll explore the game’s design principles, its storytelling ambitions, and then showcase how the systems work in practice— from landing waves to firing squad engagements. Whether you're new to tactical ops or a seasoned grognard hunting for jewel-like gameplay, don’t miss this revealing and action-packed session.

Support the channel and help keep us independent: https://ko-fi.com/homoludens1871
Published — 10. August 2025 ⏭ Homo Ludens

Playing Waterloo on CC Napoleonics Grande Battle - Punched Con 25 AAR

✇Homo Ludens
Von: Homo Ludens
10. August 2025 um 14:19

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At PunchedCon earlier this year, Pierre Vagneur-Jones and I sat down with Mark Benson and Alan Hardy for an After Action Report of an epic Commands & Colors: Napoleonics Grande Battles game. A fully customised game on the battle of Waterloo, complete with hand-built terrain and beautifully upgraded components!

Mark and Alan share how they created this incredible setup, why they tour UK conventions with it, and how it’s helping to bring new players into the world of wargaming. We also recount the key moments of our battle, from daring cavalry charges to the final desperate stands.

Support the channel on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/homoludens1871
Published — 23. Juni 2025 ⏭ Homo Ludens

In The Shadows - Teach & Play with Dan Bullock

✇Homo Ludens
Von: Homo Ludens
23. Juni 2025 um 10:55

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Join me for a teach and play of In the Shadows, GMT’s 2024 card-driven wargame exploring the clandestine battle between the French Resistance and the Nazi Occupation in the final years of World War II. I’ll be joined by one of the game’s designers, Dan Bullock, as we dive into the asymmetric mechanics, historical nuance, and moral complexity of this tense two-player duel. From covert sabotage to brutal repression, In the Shadows captures the struggle for France’s soul—on the board and in the shadows.

Support the channel on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/homoludens1871
Published — 14. Juni 2025 ⏭ Homo Ludens

Stalingrad Roads - Wargame Teach & Play

✇Homo Ludens
Von: Homo Ludens
14. Juni 2025 um 19:21

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In this teach and play session, I’m joined by friend of the show James Buckley to dive into Stalingrad Roads, the 2024 hex-and-counter wargame from French publisher Nuts! Publishing. Covering the Soviet counteroffensive that encircled and shattered the Axis forces around Stalingrad, this title offers both classic operational gameplay and fresh twists on momentum, command, and attrition. Whether you're curious about the 'Roads' system or just love a good Eastern Front slugfest, this one’s for you.

☕ Support the channel on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/homoludens1871
Published — 12. Juni 2025 ⏭ Homo Ludens

Mastering A Gest of Robin Hood – Strategy Panel with BGA Top Players

✇Homo Ludens
Von: Homo Ludens
12. Juni 2025 um 10:18

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In this special strategy stream, I’m joined by a panel of top-ranked players from BoardGameArena to explore the tactics, nuances, and advanced play of A Gest of Robin Hood, the game I designed and released with GMT Games in 2024.

Together, we’ll break down the game’s asymmetry, key decision points, and strategic arcs from the perspective of both the outlaw Robin Hood and the law-and-order Sheriff of Nottingham. Expect deep dives into tempo control, plot synergy, and so much more.

We'll also try to answer the eternal question: which faction is OP?

☕ Support the channel and help keep this kind of independent historical board game content alive: https://ko-fi.com/homoludens1871
Published — 08. Juni 2025 ⏭ Homo Ludens

Battlefields Of The Napoleonic Wars - Teach & Play with Paolo Mori

✇Homo Ludens
Von: Homo Ludens
08. Juni 2025 um 06:53

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Join us for a special SDHistCon Online event as I sit down with acclaimed designer Paolo Mori (Blitzkrieg!, Pandemic: Fall of Rome) to learn and play his self-published system: Battlefields of the Napoleonic Wars.

In this elegant and fast-paced take on Napoleonic warfare, Paolo distills grand battles into sharp tactical showdowns across a series of small, scenario-driven maps. Stripping things down to bold maneuvers, timing, and bluffing, this minimalist system captures the tension and drama of Napoleonic command without the usual overhead. It’s wargaming through Paolo’s signature design lens — clever, streamlined, and full of surprises.

Support the channel on Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/homoludens1871

Rebels Against Rebellion - Historical Discussion with David Thompson (SD Histcon)

✇Homo Ludens
Von: Homo Ludens
08. Juni 2025 um 05:05

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Tireless designer David Thompson (the Undaunted series, War Story, Night Witches, and countless more) is joined by questionable historian Stuart Ellis-Gorman to discuss the historical background to David’s latest (and first ever American Civil War) game: Rebels Against Rebellion, to be published by Flying Pig Games. They will discuss how David came to pick this topic, Southern loyalism in the American Civil War, the challenges in representing nineteenth-century guerilla warfare, and when David is finally going to design that Gettysburg game everyone wants him to do, among other topics.

Support the show on Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/homoludens1871
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