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Joe

@wordandtext.bsky.social
82 followers 133 following 150 posts

Work in comms, immersed in boardgames about history, politics and conflict. Proud to live in Wales, land of my children, if not my fathers. Whgcollective.my.canva.site

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Reposted by Joe
Illia Ponomarenko @ioponomarenko.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Just imagine the amount of squealing, hands thrown up to the heavens, and shirts torn open in righteous indignation if Ukraine, even once (!) responded to Russia’s mass killings and barbaric bombardment of historical heritage by striking the Bolshoi Theatre or the Hermitage…
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
The nascent Wales History Games Collective today played Baltic Empires (great power rivalry in 16th / 17th Century northern Europe @gmtgames.bsky.social ). Prussian bureaucracy overcame the initial Swedish behemoth, as Poland & Russia grew distracted by a prolonged war. whgcollective.my.canva.site
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Ukrainian Independence Day is as good a day as any to announce that next April I shall run the London Marathon on behalf of 'Ukraine Charity'. @kyivindependent.com Who'd like to make the first donation to get my fundraising up and running? 2027tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/joe-boyle
u17016396.ct.sendgrid.net
I'm running London for Ukraine
It's quite simple... People are being murdered on a daily basis in their homes and market places and railway stations. I plan to run a few miles in the hope that you could spare just a few pounds, mon
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
My daughter is not a fan of boardgames. With one exception. @downtowntbrown.bsky.social
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Sandanista govt holds on to power despite entrenched unrest close to its borders. Contras threatened to close on Managua, but too hesitant with their sabotage attempts. Not played Peru, but The Guerrilla Generation feels richer and more evocative than The British Way to which I must return.
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
"Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees."
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
A single point victory for the Govt in El Salvador scenario, The Guerrilla Generation @gmtgames. FMLN never cracked the cities, troops locked down pivotal Cuscatlan highlands and air strikes were terrifying in their destructive power. Getting timing and sequencing right is vital for insurgents.
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
The recently formed Wales History Games Collective's next all-day event is in Cardiff on 26.9.26. Just 3/10 spaces left. We play tabletop boardgames about politics, history and war. @enwright.bsky.social @funwithboxes.bsky.social Do join: newcomers especially welcome. whgcollective.my.canva.site
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
This feels right to me as a non Labour voter who hoped Starmer could see out a full term, but will upset the Corbyn mourners and those seeking a short term political sugar high. This is a difficult era and we all err, so this pathetic expectation of political perfection is tiring and damaging.
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
I made a pig's ear of D-Day and got well beaten in our learning scenario of @vucasimulations.bsky.social's Operation Overlord but this is a game that has us excited. The rules get out of the way pretty quickly, allowing the corps / division interaction to pose lots of gritty questions.
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
Getting our head around Vuca's Operation Overlord. Great table presence and rules feel pretty streamlined (despite some gaps / early errata).
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
"Now that the US is de facto on the side of Russia, not just economically but also having high officials in the White House repeat Russian propaganda... there's no excuse for the humiliating defeat in Ukraine." Putin is paying the price for gaining the support of super-loser Trump. Fine analysis.
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
From Wales, UK, we are learning this...
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
"No cards."
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
So Farage makes every single person in Britain poorer, except of course himself. Rewarded for delivering catastrophic national failure. No wonder this country is in such trouble. People vote for him? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Nigel Farage says £5m gift a reward for Brexit campaigning
The Reform UK leader, who is facing a Commons standards probe, said he
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
In my limited political activity over the past 15 years, I've spent much of that time challenging the (Welsh) Labour Party, for whom I have no affection. I enjoy seeing them in trouble, but what they are doing to themselves is the dumbest thing imaginable. www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cw...
bbc.co.uk
Wes Streeting resigns, saying he has lost confidence in Keir Starmer's leadership
Streeting, who is yet to launch a leadership bid, tells Keir Starmer there should be a contest with
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
The Wales History Games Collective got up and running at Rules Con in Cardiif this weekend. An ice-breaking team game of Memoir 44 Operation Overlord was followed by games of SAS Rogue Regiment and Sekigahara. @rulesofplay.bsky.social @funwithboxes.bsky.social. whgcollective.my.canva.site/
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
The Wales History Games Collective holds its first session in Cardiff, Saturday 9th May, as part of Rules Con. An 'introduction to wargaming' will feature a team game of Memoir 44. A wide range of other war and history games will be available. Whgcollective.my.canva.site @funwithboxes.bsky.social
whgcollective.my.canva.site
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 26/04/2026
Ran the official London Marathon My Way around the streets of Cardiff this morning, coming in just under my target with a PB of 4h 29m 49s. Not too bad for these 57-year-old knees and hips. Ran it to raise money for Ukaine Charity... 2026tcslondonmarathonmyway.enthuse.com/pf/joe-boyle...
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Reposted by Joe
The Guardian @theguardian.com · 18/04/2026
Russian blogger’s fierce critique of Kremlin goes viral: ‘People are afraid of you’
theguardian.com
Russian blogger’s fierce critique of Kremlin goes viral: ‘People are afraid of you’
Victoria Bonya says authorities too scared to raise issues with Vladimir Putin, whose approval ratings are declining The Kremlin is grappling with the fallout from the viral spread of a celebrity blogger’s criticism of Russian authorities, as Vladimir Putin’s approval ratings register their sixth consecutive weekly decline. Victoria Bonya, a household name in Russia who rose to fame in 2006 on Dom-2, the country’s answer to the reality TV show Big Brother, posted a video on Monday warning the Russian president that a string of mounting problems risked spiralling out of control. Continue reading...
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
Good read... This beauty has lost none of its magic for us.
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
Could JD Vance hurry up and give his chum Nigel Farage a pre-election endorsement. www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c2...
bbc.co.uk
Hungary election: Viktor Orbán concedes with opposition on course for landslide election win - follow live
Hungary's prime minister has been ousted after 16 years in power, with Péter Magyar set to be the country's new leader.
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Reposted by Joe
MeidasTouch @meidastouch.com · 10/04/2026
Melania Trump wants these photos and emails to be scrubbed from the Internet. Please stop liking and sharing them. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
I'm running the London Marathon My Way (didn't get a place for the London race, so will slog around Cardiff on my own) to raise money for Ukraine Charity, which supports initiatives for children and vulnerable people affected by the war. 2026tcslondonmarathonmyway.enthuse.com/pf/joe-boyle...
2026tcslondonmarathonmyway.enthuse.com
Joe runs London, in Cardiff, for Ukraine.
Russia, in its war against Ukraine, has systematically attacked civilian targets. They have targeted hospitals, schools, public squares in calculated and callous ways. Extraordinarily, the Ukraine's h
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
I think a game about pre-Enlightenment fanaticism is timely for our age of post-Enlightenment fanaticism. New arrivals today from @soundofdrumsgames.bsky.social and @thenewworldmag.bsky.social
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Reposted by Joe
The Ukrainian Review @theukrainianreview.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
🇬🇧🇺🇦 British actor Ian McKellen read a poem by Ukrainian veteran Artur Dron, “First to the Corinthians,” on the anniversary of the full-scale invasion.
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Reposted by Joe
Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
Ukrainians are daily sacrificing themselves so the rest of us can live in safety and comfort. Today, more than any other day, we should thank them.
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
'We could never have imagined such tolerance of Putin’s criminal war.' So-called "Great Powers" lose wars all the time. Russia is not a great power and will lose this war more quickly than it is if we regain our moral clarity and provide Ukrainians with the military and civilian tools they need.
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Reposted by Joe
Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 22/02/2026
Hi All, Just sent out my free weekend update (#173). It begins with reports of Ukraine liberating a large amount of territory. This could reveal alot of things, in particular that the Russian system continues to lie upwards about the state of the war. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...
open.substack.com
Weekend Update #173: Ukraine Liberates Hundreds Of Square Kilometres, What Might It Mean?
People Stop Taking The Negotiations Seriously. Good.; Flamingos In Action
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Reposted by Joe
MAKS 26 👀🇺🇦 @maks23.bsky.social · 15/02/2026
🇺🇦💡 For the first time in a long time, Kyiv is almost completely powered — 95% of the capital without outages this evening
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 10/02/2026
Castelnuovo 1539 from Draco Ideas has quite the visual appeal. An Ottoman fleet approaches the fortress from the west.
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Reposted by Joe
Bruce Springsteen @brucespringsteen.net · 28/01/2026
I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis. It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Stay free
youtu.be
Bruce Springsteen - Streets Of Minneapolis (Official Audio)
YouTube video by Bruce Springsteen
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
A clear, important and moral statement about the authoritarian move in US politics from one of the best voices within the niche hobby that I love. youtu.be/FwWjbq4tm3o?...
youtu.be
A Statement
YouTube video by Zilla Blitz
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Reposted by Joe
Sven-Erik Volberg @volberg.bsky.social · 18/01/2026
One way anyone one of us, can hit back at Trump is at the wallet. Try to use less US goods and services! Here's a database with European alternatives #EUtogether www.goeuropean.org
goeuropean.org
Go European — Discover European products and services
Go European is a community-driven directory bringing you European products and services from across the continent.
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Reposted by Joe
Dave - Need a Con Soon! @whovian223.bsky.social · 19/01/2026
Fascinating (and chilling) article about what will happen as the US retreats from its global allies. www.theatlantic.com/magazine/202...
theatlantic.com
America vs. the World
President Trump wants to return to the 19th century’s international order. He will leave America less prosperous—and the whole world less secure.
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Reposted by Joe
MAKS 26 👀🇺🇦 @maks23.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
🇵🇱💯💯💯
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leoskyview.bsky.social @leoskyview.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
1\ Cities across Ukraine are now without power for most of the day in temperatures as low as -20 C. The civilian terror and suffering is immense. The Republicans pro-Putin aid package blockade began in late 2023. Their cuts to air defences finally helped get enough missiles through.
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
This is America. www.nytimes.com/video/us/100...
nytimes.com
Video: Videos Contradict Trump Administration Account of ICE Shooting in Minneapolis
An analysis of footage from three camera angles show that the vehicle appears to be turning away from a federal officer as he opened fire.
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Reposted by Joe
Michael @cascadilla.bsky.social · 04/01/2026
All those hours-long meetings with Putin recently that were supposedly about Ukraine but got nowhere? Those were actually about preparing for our invasion and occupation of Venezuela. The US is Putin's biggest client state, bought and now paid for.
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 26/12/2025
M. showed me his new games: World in Flames, which we'll probably take 10 years to learn, and Assault: Gela Beachhead, which needed about 10 minutes before we dove into the first training scenario. Love this pastime's range.
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 21/12/2025
Good discussion from @phillipspobrien.bsky.social and @timothysnyder.bsky.social on how war is, in some ways, fought in the imagination and not on the battlefield. Leads to the interesting debunking of the concept of 'great powers'. (#Constructivism > #realism.) open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p...
open.substack.com
How wars are won
Part one of a conversation with Prof Phillips O'Brien
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Reposted by Joe
The Guardian @theguardian.com · 17/12/2025
Putin thinks democracy is the west’s weakness. We have to prove him wrong | Rafael Behr
theguardian.com
Putin thinks democracy is the west’s weakness. We have to prove him wrong | Rafael Behr
The Russian strategy of exporting chaos to provoke extremism only works if liberals succumb to cynicism and despair, says Guardian columnist Rafael Behr
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Lawrence Freedman @ldfreedman.bsky.social · 16/12/2025
Instead of too many people coming into the UK we will soon have too few. In his latest post Sam highlights how sharp the fall in numbers will be and how this will effect economic growth and key sectors such as social care. samf.substack.com/p/the-oversh...
samf.substack.com
The Overshoot
What happens to politics, and the country, as net migration collapses?
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Adrian Monck @amonck.bsky.social · 07/12/2025
From the @wsj.com chief foreign correspondent
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 29/11/2025
Important lessons from one of the UK's best thinkers. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
My guide to populist-proofing your democracy – before it’s too late | Timothy Garton Ash
From public service broadcasting to an independent judiciary, these are the things that we must fight to keep, says Guardian columnist Timothy Garton Ash
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Timothy Snyder @timothysnyder.bsky.social · 20/11/2025
We should get serious about sanctions. Russian missiles that kill Ukrainian civilians contain parts made in the West. And this repeated mass murder of civilians by Moscow should bring total boycotts on Russian gas and oil. And the Ukrainians should get everything they need to defend themselves
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 15/11/2025
We needed some distraction therapy this evening to soothe an anxious mind, so I hauled my wife and daughter through Pax Penning. The beautiful aesthetics were a hit while the game's opaque win conditions had the desired numbing effect. A victory secured without any one knowing quite how.
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 11/11/2025
Important investigative reporting on what I think is the real story in the current BBC furore. The BBC is magnificent. Yes, it errs, and should react much better when it does. However, we must do all we can to protect it from the snakes who would destroy it. bylinetimes.com/2025/11/11/b...
bylinetimes.com
'BBC Bias' Memo Was Authored by Lobbyist Tied to Pro-Trump Tech Giants
The leaked memo that fuelled Trump’s attack on the BBC was written by a lobbyist at a firm paid by US tech giants tied to the President
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 03/11/2025
Love Battlefields of the Napoleonic Wars so much that getting hold of the expansion kit was a no-brainer.
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
Tried The Old King's Crown last night. A slow first turn, then rattled by. Teasing card play decisions, moments of tension, pleasing 'gotcha' opportunities. Keen to play again but unsure what it's trying to model. For all the thematic veneer, it feels unrooted in a geographical or political milieu.
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