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Joe

@wordandtext.bsky.social
82 followers 133 following 153 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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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 2h
Couple of spare hours this afternoon, so popped into Moseley Old Hall, where Charles II hid from Cromwell ahead of flight to France. As with all @nationaltrust.org.uk properties, delicious curry & scone, informed room guides, and a second-hand bookshop full of surprises. This haul come to just £11.
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 23h
Who knew when Russia launched its three week conquest of Ukraine, almost five years ago, that it would need the treachery of the United States of America to give it a leg up? The stain of this cowardice will be smeared on America's reputation for years.
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Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Maybe the most amazing aspect of the Russo-Ukraine War is that Russia is getting backing from both China and the USA, the two largest powers of the moment--and Ukraine could still emerge triumphant as long as Europe backs it stoutly.
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
1812: Napoleon's Fateful March. I'm sure someone has suggested this.
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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 · 05/08/2026
In fact, I spend half my days trying to disable the bloody thing from devices, browsers, apps.
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
After considerable study, much of it pleasurable, BCS is starting to fall into place, with Danger Forward my Intoduction to the system.
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Do we place different expectations on a game than a film or book? Reviewers, professional or amateur, often watch or read those once and feel ok reviewing them. Must we read War and Peace multiple times before reviewing it? Is there something in a game that means it should meet a different standard?
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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 · 17/05/2026
Govt. forced to call in the army to quash uprising but, with political leaders' popularity in the mud, a military coup was inevitable. Coup mechanic is inspired: tips ground war towards the authorities, but sows the seeds of its own defeat. Superb. @joedewhurst.bsky.social @gmtgames.bsky.social
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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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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 · 13/04/2026
Glad to hear this was enjoyable; hope to get mine to the table soon. But, how did you guys decide which regions some of the centres belong to? Some of the centres sit across two regions: weird graphic design IMHO.
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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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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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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
"Things are quickly spiralling..." - The world, watching Trump (2026) ... or why Labyrinth remains a masterful International Relations study guide.
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 10/03/2026
What on earth was going on in the US education system 50 odd years ago?
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
Intrigued to get your thoughts. I backed this, as part of efforts to support new European game companies, while wondering whether its systems were almost too pared back.
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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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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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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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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
Super game; probably my favourite COIN. Love how cleverly it models the formation of Pakistan (and the seeds for Bangladesh.)
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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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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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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
As a runner (and at the risk of being over-literal), I'm not sure the metaphor in this Green Party ad is a great one. Running is a source of mental, physical and social succour for many people. However, it's indisputable that Polanski is a smart communicator.
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
Broadly speaking, those who were of a religious temperament turned to Orphism, while rationalists despised it. A History of Western Philosophy Bertrand Russell Not sure what that proves or who it helps.
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Joe @wordandtext.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
Sir Andras Schiff BBC National Orchestra of Wales London Philharmonic Orchestra Trio Concept Bruce Springsteen
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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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