iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Stuart Ellis-Gorman @drcrossbows.bsky.social · 7h

My past week went: wife's grandfather died*, my daughter's birthday, grandfather's wake, funeral, daughter's birthday party. I'm ready to lie face down for a week pls. *he had turned 100 a week before, so while sad it's not unexpected.

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Stuart Ellis-Gorman @drcrossbows.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Vimms Lair has a decent archive of old games, I would recommend checking out what's on there.

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Stuart Ellis-Gorman @drcrossbows.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

1/1 space colony in Dublin. (The high of "hey I live there!" to "uh oh" watching ZZ for the first time was rough)

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Stuart Ellis-Gorman @drcrossbows.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

The USA one happens to host a major medieval history conference so I knew exactly where it was. Messed up the second (!) Canada one.. www.maptap.gg October 3 98🔥 72🙂 98🔥 98🔥 94🏅 Final score: 942

maptap.gg

🎯MapTap Daily Geography Game

Play MapTap - the daily geography game! Find 5 world locations on a 3D globe with historical stories. Free browser-based daily game for geography lovers.

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Stuart Ellis-Gorman @drcrossbows.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

I haven't read it yet, but a copy should be making its way to me now and I am looking forward to reading it!

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Dónal Hassett @donalh.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Another illustration that the new hardline immigration policies are completely vibes led and all about vice signalling, not evidence led in any way.

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Stuart Ellis-Gorman @drcrossbows.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Not even sure I deserve that much credit - without borders drawn on it turns out I forget where the Himalayan countries are. I think I picked part of India..

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Amabel Holland @amabel.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

did end-of-quarter royalty payments this morning, and I'm proud to confirm that our bestseller City of Six Moons has surpassed over 6,000 copies sold. I decided to mark the occasion with a little data crunching - here's a look at the top 15 games from a small POD publisher.

Top 15 titles, correlated with player count and duration. City of Six Moons (1200 min, solo), Table Battles (20 min, 2P), Agricola (60 min, solo), Wars of Marcus Aurelius (90 min, solo, OOP), Charlemagne (180 min, solo), An Infamous Traffic (60 min, multi, OOP), Supply Lines of American Revolution (180 min, 2P), Field of the Cloth of Gold (30 min, 2P), Stilicho (90 min, solo), Horse & Musket (60 min, 2P), NATO Air Commander (90 min, solo), This Guilty Land (60 min, 2P), Meltwater (60 min, 2P), Nicaea (90 min, multi)

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Stuart Ellis-Gorman @drcrossbows.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I played an almost final playtest version of the first scenario and was really impressed. Excited to dig into the full experience once I've finished moving.

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Stuart Ellis-Gorman @drcrossbows.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

There are several that I really want to (re)play before the stream, but life keeps getting in the way :(

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newtonianasspoundr.bsky.social @newtonianasspoundr.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

*sigh*… a TikTok was explaining the history behind the current the Drumcree crisis but started off claiming the Penal Laws, Plantations, and Potato Famine were methods used by the British to weaken the Irish population and replace them with British settlers.

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Stuart Ellis-Gorman @drcrossbows.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

(This is not meant to detract from your wider point tho, that these conflicts are barely covered and often by obscure and/or very expensive games)

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Stuart Ellis-Gorman @drcrossbows.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

There's also a pnp post card game. boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/13... I have played none of these, so no idea if they're any good!

boardgamegeek.com

King Billy's War

Catholics and Protestants battle for control of 17th century Ireland.

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Stuart Ellis-Gorman @drcrossbows.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

There's a game about the Nine Years War in the No Peace Without series. I've never played it and I dont really trust Compass Games, but I've heard people praise the system.

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Stuart Ellis-Gorman @drcrossbows.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

I've had decent luck with Vimm's Lair. I haven't dug too deep into the PS2 stuff tho, as the Mangmi kinda struggles at that point.

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Stuart Ellis-Gorman @drcrossbows.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Yesterday was kiddos birthday so I totally forgot to play, but I'm reasonably happy with today's score. I knew roughly the regions for each one, but not the exact spot www.maptap.gg September 29 92🏆 92👑 89🎉 87🎓 86🎓 Final score: 881

maptap.gg

🎯MapTap Daily Geography Game

Play MapTap - the daily geography game! Find 5 world locations on a 3D globe with historical stories. Free browser-based daily game for geography lovers.

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Dan Howlett @dhowlett1692.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Today Peter Eisenstadt joins us on @askhistorians.bsky.social to discuss his new boon Integration at Second Base: Jackie Robinson and the Quest for Black Citizenship, new from @uvapress.bsky.social. Come check it out! www.reddit.com/r/AskHistori...

reddit.com

From the AskHistorians community on Reddit

Explore this post and more from the AskHistorians community

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Liz Davidson @beyondsolitaire.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

For the 250th episode of the podcast, @edbeach23.bsky.social came on to chat about historical board game design, designing for series, and his work on Civ. Also, if you want to know who the best Here I Stand player in the world is... this episode reveals all. youtu.be/9PyhJ7FGxEw?...

youtu.be

Beyond Solitaire Podcast 250: Ed Beach on Historical Series Design

YouTube video by Beyond Solitaire

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Stuart Ellis-Gorman @drcrossbows.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

I played it endlessly with my dad and older brother. One of the few games we could play all together. Played a ton of Warlords II and III as well.

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Stuart Ellis-Gorman @drcrossbows.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

I can't believe I didn't pick Warlords! A formative game and series from my youth.

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Dr. Erika Graham-Goering @jeanneologist.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

It's frustrating how much time we spend searching for solutions to problems like student engagement, cheating, skill development, and so on, when really the best solution is (even beyond the specific scenario discussed above) is: throw more money at your faculty!

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Stuart Ellis-Gorman @drcrossbows.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Planescape: Torment, what a game. I went with original Baldur's Gate because I played it first, but Torment is definitely the better game.

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Stuart Ellis-Gorman @drcrossbows.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Trying once again to commit to actually sending out a semi-regular newsletter (aiming for quarterly, which seems achievable). Currently available on Patreon, including free tier. Hoping to send it out to subscribers on my website if I can make it work... www.patreon.com/DrCrossbows/...

patreon.com

Autumn Update | DrCrossbows

Hello dear subscribers! I have been terrible when it comes to sending out newsletters - my website promised monthly updates but I think I h

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ProPublica @propublica.org · 26/09/2026

Hey, ProPublica reporter Jake Pearson here. I’m taking over the account to tell you about my new story. For months, I posed as a problem gambler on DraftKings to test the company's "responsible gaming" safeguards. Spoiler alert: They made me a VIP — and I lost $10K. Here's how it all went down. 🧵

Selfie taken by ProPublica reporter Jake Pearson, a man wearing a backwards baseball cap and an orange T-shirt.

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Stuart Ellis-Gorman @drcrossbows.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Hell yeah - pie is the best. What did you use for the crust?

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Stuart Ellis-Gorman @drcrossbows.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

patreon.com

Autumn Update | DrCrossbows

Hello dear subscribers! I have been terrible when it comes to sending out newsletters - my website promised monthly updates but I think I h

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Hawk and Dove Games @hawkanddovegames.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Two demos of Painkillers at OFJH so far. Both went well. This game is a difficult experience for players, but it delivers the argument I want very effectively. I’m very excited to show its full visual presentation soon.

Painkillers at the end of a play. We stopped before the end but are on a trajectory to lose collectively due to overdoses getting out of control.

Another demo of Painkillers after a full play. The players did not lose collectively. One player achieved his goal of keeping the overdoses below a certain level. Another achieved his goal of amassing the most personal wealth.

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Stuart Ellis-Gorman @drcrossbows.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Making this made me feel like an incredibly out of touch old guy, but in most cases I picked the earlier game that inspired my interest in other entries in the series/genre.

3x3 grid, from top left: Baldur's Gate, Chrono Trigger, Civilization II, Dark Souls, Diablo, Warcraft II, Final Fantasy Tactics, Realmz, and Ogre Battle 64

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Stuart Ellis-Gorman @drcrossbows.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Now that I'm back in Ireland I'm job hunting again. The jobs that fit my skills and situation best are all those writing to train AI models positions, and I cannot express how bleak this feels. The offer of greater stability would require me to betray my fellow writers to enrich shitheads.

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Stuart Ellis-Gorman @drcrossbows.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

I'm bad at self promotion, but did you know that I'm also an editor and that you can hire me? I have edited history books (most recently for Osprey) and TTRPGs (for Modiphius and Exalted Funeral among others). Full list: www.stuartellisgorman.com/editor Can contact me via website or here!

stuartellisgorman.com

Editor — Stuart Ellis-Gorman

I am a historian, writer, and editor specialising in tabletop RPGs and board games. This page lists the projects I have worked on as both a writer and an editor.

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Stuart Ellis-Gorman @drcrossbows.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Speaking of other firsts, I finally played a Jerry White game (this one co-designed with Ed Ostermeyer). I (mostly) managed to avoid losing any of my death traps underwater, but my Infernal Machines hardly impressed the navy. The game is interesting though. www.stuartellisgorman.com/blog/inferna...

stuartellisgorman.com

Infernal Machines by Ed Ostermeyer and Jeremy White — Stuart Ellis-Gorman

As part of my journey through the American Civil War in tabletop games , I have spent a non-zero amount of my life playing solitaire games set in America during the years 1861-1865. This has been one...

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Jeremy Salkeld @enclavedmicrostate.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Every once in a while I am reminded of the hill I absolutely will die on, possibly literally: The word 'dragoon' does not mean 'mounted infantry' in any kind of unambiguous way. Someone only familiar with 19th century history will not understand 'dragoon' as a synonym of 'mounted infantry'.

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Stuart Ellis-Gorman @drcrossbows.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

stuartellisgorman.com

Infernal Machines by Ed Ostermeyer and Jeremy White — Stuart Ellis-Gorman

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Stuart Ellis-Gorman @drcrossbows.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Got close on quite a few of them, but didn't manage to nail them. Also, just blindly picked middle of India and that kind of paid off. www.maptap.gg September 23 93🏆 94🏅 92👑 87🎓 86🎓 Final score: 890

maptap.gg

🎯MapTap Daily Geography Game

Play MapTap - the daily geography game! Find 5 world locations on a 3D globe with historical stories. Free browser-based daily game for geography lovers.

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Stuart Ellis-Gorman @drcrossbows.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Late to the party, but finally seeing what all the fuss is about with this Undaunted game. I hear that @djackthompson.bsky.social guy has designed a few of these, but we're starting with the first one.

The first scenario from Undaunted: Normandy, set up on my kitchen table.

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AskHistorians @askhistorians.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Don't miss this exciting #AMA #Skystorians!

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Dr Chris Smith @spyhistorian.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

"The British historians wrote almost as if Britain had introduced Negro slavery solely for the satisfaction of abolishing it." Eric Williams, still on point all these decades on. All is changed while everything has stayed the same.

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