iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Becky Annison @beckyannison.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Lunchtime is Dicetime! - 30th September, 12.30pm BST One shots, conventions and campaign ttrpgs - get the pacing right. We are live streaming over lunch talking about pacing your ttrpg game whether it is for a 1 hour demo or a 6 year campaign. #ttrpg #rpg #dnd #gaming #gmtips

youtube.com

Lunchtime is dicetime: One shots, conventions and campaign ttrpgs - get the pacing right Episode 9

YouTube video by Black Armada Games

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Indie Press Revolution @ipr.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

New! Against Time and Death Chiron's Doom Mount Olympus Community College Paragons: The Roleplaying Game Roguelike Tarot Stealing the Throne Veins of Corruption MZ1: The Sebiyan Cenobium www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

America! For the first time, you can now buy my games in print from @ipr.bsky.social! - Steal a giant thousand-year old mech in Stealing the Throne! - Explore a mysterious (and deadly) monument in Chiron’s Doom! - Destroy the multiverse for love in Against Time and Death! You know what to do!

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Lantern Light Explorations | Comms Open @lanternlightexp.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Happy Release Day #ttrpgCommunity! Today we have Ocean Voyage available on Patreon Every adventurer eventually finds their way to setting sail on the high seas, and it isn't always smooth sailing! Find our maps on: Patreon | Insta | Mayhem Market | Reddit #ttrpg #mapmaking #battlemap #dnd

patreon.com

Ocean Voyage [50x30] | Lantern Light Exploration

Every adventurer eventually finds their way to setting sail on the high seas, and it isn't always smooth sailing! For this weeks map release

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Gila RPGs @gilarpgs.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

There will never be a better feeling than someone coming up to you at a con and saying "I played your game and it was so fun" 10/10 experience.

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Hatchlings Games ~ Shop opening soon! @hatchlingdm.itch.io · 04/09/2026

Hatchlings Games has secured a small shop in the heart of Bristol. If you’re a UK-based zine creator/publisher, please sound off below. We may soon have a space to sell your indie RPGs. No AI permitted and please no graphic content.

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

I have a complicated relationship with the Green Lantern, but I keep coming back.

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Ludographies man. Love them. @dgivaca.bsky.social just reminded me that The Dreadful Secrets of Candlewick Manor had emergent mystery mechanics back in 2008! Re-reading, they seemed strikingly similar to modern mechanics. And lo, Apocalypse by Moonlight (the root of CfB) specifically calls it out!

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

I'm watching The Adjustment Bureau, and 90 minutes in Matt Damon says "All you need to know, we're being chased. I need you to trust me." I am telling you right now: I will write the game (or scenario) where that is the opening line.

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Re-watching The Matrix. That’s work, right? The inspiration section for Speed Daemons does begin with the following… The Big Three: The Fast and the Furious franchise; The Matrix by the Wachowskis; COUNTER/Weight by Austin Walker and Friends at the Table.

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Josh Fox 🔜 Kickstarting Black Armada's Advent Adventures @armadajosh.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

There's just over 4 days left to back Advent Adventures! Grab it while you can!

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

I’ve been spending a bit of time in toy soldier YouTube recently, and it’s wild to me just how unhappy everyone is with everything (with only a few exceptions). You know you can just do something else, right?

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Asa Donald | Backwards Tabletop @backwardsttrpg.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

I found this video energizing, as someone very interested in mini-games and pre-gen characters. I loved hearing their thoughts on some particular points of interest for me: (1) game structures w/ mini-games (2) similarity of mini-games & solo games (3) the importance of the game text for mini-games.

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Every now and again, I find my way back to Escape from Dino Island by @stung.art and @thesamroberts.com. What an absolute masterpiece. I may never read a better zine-length game.

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

We're on in 25 minutes! Can you think of a better way to spend your lunch break? 🤔 (The chat is always high quality, too. Worth tuning in for that!)

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Becky Annison @beckyannison.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Going live on this in less than 1 hour! The stream is always worth it for the quality of the chat in the comments. #ttrpg #rpg #gaming #gamedesign

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Did you know I stream lunchtime game design chats with my clever friends @beckyannison.bsky.social and @armadajosh.bsky.social? Lunchtime is Dicetime is on again, 12:30 BST today. We're going to talk about games that are heavy on creative constraints. It'll be fun! www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWww...

youtube.com

Lunchtime is Dicetime! Episode 5

YouTube video by Black Armada

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

New plastic Tartaros when?

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Somebody said ‘heist’ and I swear to god this time it wasn’t me… I’m in, though.

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Camilla Zamboni @czamboni.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Today was an eminently good Monday: I set up my first epistolary game, "Against Time and Death" by @ickbat.bsky.social, to be played via snail mail with the excellent @pdmcdonald.bsky.social. Then I had a lovely chat and some co-working time with the wonderful @tenpenjenn.com on Discord. 1/

A picture of the cover of the game booklet for "Against Time and Death" by Nick Bate, placed on a wooden table in front of the keyboard of a laptop showing a digital game setup document.

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Becky Annison @beckyannison.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Lunctime is Dicetime episode 4 @armadajosh.bsky.social, @ickbat.bsky.social and I are going live tomorrow (22nd July) at 12.30pm BST for a Lunctime is Dicetime livestream. If exploring how to use and write relationship questions to create juicy #rpg drama is your jam... join us

youtube.com

Lunchtime is Dicetime Episode 4

YouTube video by Black Armada

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

One day, I will remember to submit my games for awards.

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RPG Trader @rpgtrader.com · 20/07/2026

Ok folks, only a few hours left to grab this awesome bundle! Don’t miss out ✨

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Lari Assmuth @lariassmuth.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

This looks incredibly cool, and I’m having the most two_cakes.jpg moment ever. lari-assmuth.itch.io/chefs-blades...

lari-assmuth.itch.io

Chef's Blades (playtest) by Lari Assmuth

A Forged in the Dark game about workplace drama in a sci-fi restaurant.

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

I just sneezed 7 times in a row, AMA.

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SoloRPGList @solorpglist.com · 19/07/2026

New to the #SoloRPG List: Against Time and Death by @ickbat.bsky.social A duet game of war, self-discovery, and connection across the multiverse. Science fiction epistolary TTRPG LINKY: solorpglist.com/search.php?i...

Cover for the duet letter writing RPG: Against Time and Death. Sharp boxy silhouettes of two people standing back-to-back and holding guns. Ones has longer hair and wears a red tie, while the other wears a light blue tie

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

Up to 95 five-star ratings now... Can we get those final five, do you think? Maybe I need to think up an incentive... 🤔

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

It's Stealing the Throne's 5th birthday this year, and it's currently sitting on 94 5-star reviews on itch. I would love to get it to 100 to celebrate! If you've had fun on an epic giant robot heist, would you be so kind as to pop over and give it a 5-star rating? ickbat.itch.io/stealing-the...

ickbat.itch.io

Stealing the Throne by Nick Bate

A crew of thieves dare to steal a thousand-year old mecha.

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

Forged in the Dark GMs! Question for you! I'm thinking about rival team goals in Speed Daemons. Which of these two options would you prefer: Option 1: a team gauge like a BitD faction clock. State their goal, and leave it to you to decide what that means in the fiction as you tick the gauge.

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

Late to the party I know, but how about that Mythic Bastionland?

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

You know, I never got around to reading Cortex Prime, but a lot of these Cortex Prime Spotlights seem right up alley. Loved Leverage, back in the day, too. Might be time to (finally!) get it off the shelf?

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

Am I going to make controversial statements about most online character keepers? 🤔 Tune in 12:30pm BST next Wednesday to find out!

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Becky Annison @beckyannison.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

We have a big back catalogue of #ttrpg zines on itch and I am slowly but surely starting to also put them on RPG Trader 2 down and many many more to go... I need a couple of afternoons with a banging playlist and then I'll be done.

rpg-trader.com

Wreck This Deck on RPG Trader

a solo journaling game of demon summoning and deck crafting

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

The big three are now available on RPG Trader: Stealing the Throne, Chiron's Doom, and Against Time and Death! If you love these games, I'd be grateful if you'd hit the 'recommend this product' button. And if you haven't checked them out, now's the perfect time! rpg-trader.com/creator/1035...

rpg-trader.com

ickbat games on RPG Trader

I'm Nick Bate, an Australian tabletop game designer living in the UK. If you fancy games about epic heists, daring sky pirates, doomed expeditions, or multiversal time wars, then you've come to the ri...

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Indie miniatures game designers: concise, opinionated rules writing is a gift to players. Modern Warhammer: a Player is defined as someone who is Playing this Game, whether they have read the Rules or not. Players must agree to Play this Game to be considered Players; otherwise, they are players.

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

Just making a little stack of ttrpg books ahead of today’s Lunchtime is Dicetime stream with @beckyannison.bsky.social and @armadajosh.bsky.social… Come join us at 12:30pm BST! www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AKP...

A photo of a stack of four ttrpg rulebooks: Ultraviolet Grasslands 2E, Blades in the Dark, Ironsworn: Starforged, and Apocalypse Keys.

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Becky Annison @beckyannison.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

Lunchtime is Dicetime! Join me, @armadajosh.bsky.social and @ickbat.bsky.social for a livestream on June 10th 12.30pm BST for a 30 min chat about gaming, game design and probably food and books. This session is all about world building in games. Sign up to be notified at the link! #ttrpg #rpg

youtube.com

Lunchtime is dicetime!

YouTube video by Black Armada

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proxy hue @proxy-hue.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

just recently picked up the updated edition of Chiron's Doom (ickbat.itch.io/chirons-doom) by @ickbat.bsky.social, and dang this is exactly the sort of thing i've been looking for in a journaling rpg

ickbat.itch.io

Chiron's Doom by Nick Bate

A mysterious monument. An ill-fated expedition. A storytelling game for 1-3 explorers.

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

You should watch the @euphoriaap.bsky.social folks recap their UKGE experience... ... but as Michelle says, there's some yelling about mech racing at about 14 minutes that I'm particularly excited about. The world-first Speed Daemons demo, including some sneaky shots of playsheets!

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

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JC Darcy @jcdarcy.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

When this game comes out, literally everyone who knows me should think to themselves 'oh shit Darcy would love this' and guess what you're fucking right it is my hole, it was made for me and it SLAPS

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

Important update: my 1-hour demo of Speed Daemons at UKGE 2026 fucken rocked. Great players bringing exactly the noise I was designing for.

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Sarah Cole @irny.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

My unconference for tabletop game-makers is happening soon! If you make tabletop games, come along to meet folks, swap ideas, and solve problems together. Sat 20th June Near St Pancras, London Tickets are £1+ ti.to/tabletop-unc... The vibe is 'post-it notes & packed lunches in a village hall'.

ti.to

Tabletop Unconference 2026

An unconference-style gathering for tabletop game-makers to meet and chat with each other about projects, problems, and ideas. See further down the page for more information!

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

The last 4 ttrpgs you played, huh? - Speed Daemons (my home playtest game, and a 1-hour demo at UKGE) - Ex Tenebris - The King is Dead - Wolves Upon the Coast Bit of a mix of styles there!

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Becky Annison @beckyannison.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

Last day of UKGE in Hall 3A, Stall 407!! @armadajosh.bsky.social and @ickbat.bsky.social are on the stall all day running 1 hour demos and selling games. Assisted by Seeds also running demo games. Lets clean @ickbat.bsky.social out of stock for Against Time and Death. #UKGE2026 #ttrpg

Picture of the Black Armada UKGE stall with Lovecraftesque display and banner and Against Time and Death display and banner. Hall 3A Stall 407

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UK Tabletop Industry Network (UK TIN) @UKGE: 3-510 @uktin.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

Josh at Black Armada Games (3A-407) looks suspiciously cheery near those eldritch tentacles! Feels like a conspiracy to me. But they were very happy to stamp my Stamp Quest leaflet!

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

So, final day of #UKGE 2026! If you haven’t dropped by to pick up your copy of Against Time and Death, look for the red and blue! (If you look real close you’ll see the mechs from yesterday’s world-first Speed Daemons demo…)

A photo of the Black Armada Games / ickbat games stall at UKGE 2026, with Against Time and Death in the front of the frame.

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

@jinnhermiston.bsky.social I hope you know that I 100% saw you today, and it 100% made my day better!

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

Are you at #UKGE? Come and find the tentacles and let me tell you about a multiversal time war and a forbidden relationship… It’s Against Time and Death’s convention debut!

The Black Armada Games / ickbat games stall at UKGE 3A-407.

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Nick Bate @ickbat.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

Hey you! Want to race a mech? It's powered by your darkest emotions and totally illegal, but that's half the fun, right? I'm running two 1-hour demos of Speed Daemons at UKGE. Sign up at the link below! docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

static.klipy.com

Seraphim Saber Striker Eureka in Flight

Alt: Striker Eureka breaks into a run.

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