Clio's Board Games

Wallenstein was unceremoniously sacked by the emperor in 1630 - just when Gustavus Adolphus landed in Germany (image from #ThirtyYearsWar @gmtgames.bsky.social). Read more: cliosboardgames.wordpress.com/2025/07/27/w...

Military success makes it more likely to enforce a peace. Yet it also breeds political desires... which, in turn, stand in the way for peace. Prime example: The Edict of Restitution in the #ThirtyYearsWar (@gmtgames.bsky.social) cliosboardgames.wordpress.com/2025/07/27/w...

Absolutely! That was a great experience!

New to Me – July 2025 It's funny, but no matter how bad a month might be as far as playing games, I usually get a decent number of "new to me" games played. I thought July would be slow, but it ended up being pretty normal. I also thought, the way it started, that it would be slow on the "new to me" game front, but I actually ended up with six!

New to Me #boardgames - July 2025 @arcanewonders.bsky.social‬ @cmyk.games‬ @ninjastargames.bsky.social‬

The Nuclear Bomb (End of World War II, #3) World War II ended 75 years ago, and so does this miniseries on the matter. The two previous posts on the Great Power conferences and the meeting of Western and Soviet forces have focused on Europe…

#OTD 80 years ago, the United States dropped a nuclear bomb on Hiroshima. Read more: cliosboardgames.wordpress.com/2020/07/26/t...

Wallenstein's campaigns brought imperial power to the Baltic shore. If the emperor was to contend for the dominium Maris Baltici, Wallenstein had to pick off his rivals one by one - Denmark first. Image from #BalticEmpires @gmtgames.bsky.social cliosboardgames.wordpress.com/2025/07/27/w...

Triumph & Desolation: Wallenstein's first year in command was marked by a battle and a march. Guess which was more costly to his army. (Players of #CuiusRegio @fgradaille.bsky.social @gmtgames.bsky.social might have an idea.) Solution to our riddle here: cliosboardgames.wordpress.com/2025/07/27/w...

A prime example of circumvamario and contravamario.

Wallenstein: Zenith (The Life & Games of Wallenstein, #2) Two weeks ago, we had a first look at Wallenstein’s life until its defining event – Wallenstein’s ascension to supreme imperial command. Today, we’ll take it from there, beginning with an assessmen…

ICYMI: Here’s the second post in my Wallenstein mini-series – with games by @gmtgames.bsky.social @fgradaille.bsky.social and others! cliosboardgames.wordpress.com/2025/07/27/w...

We finished GMT’s Downfall last night. The Western Allies won with 10 point victory. We enjoyed the game immensely. It’s now on to Columbia Games’ Alliance. #boardgames #ColumbiaGames @gmtgames.bsky.social

Wallenstein: Zenith (The Life & Games of Wallenstein, #2) Two weeks ago, we had a first look at Wallenstein’s life until its defining event – Wallenstein’s ascension to supreme imperial command. Today, we’ll take it from there, beginning with an assessmen…

The war entrepreneur: Read how Wallenstein ran a one-stop shop of war for the emperor, ranging from manpower over supplies to pay. cliosboardgames.wordpress.com/2025/07/27/w...

Thank you! Much appreciated.

Thank you! I'm glad you liked it.

Wallenstein: Zenith (The Life & Games of Wallenstein, #2) Two weeks ago, we had a first look at Wallenstein’s life until its defining event – Wallenstein’s ascension to supreme imperial command. Today, we’ll take it from there, beginning with an assessmen…

Wallenstein: Zenith (The Life & Games of Wallenstein, #2) – with games by @gmtgames.bsky.social @fgradaille.bsky.social and others! cliosboardgames.wordpress.com/2025/07/27/w...

I had a great time! We should definitely do this again :-)

#OTD 160 years ago, Philipp Scheidemann was born. He would proclaim the German Republic and head it as Prime Minister in 1918/1919. Image from #Weimar @ulible.bsky.social

Glad you enjoyed the article! Part 2 will be published on Sunday.

Good read about the rise of Wallenstein who basically got paid in land for supporting the cash-strapped Emperor. 30 years war is a terrific period of history.

Both the Bohemian rebels and the Habsburg emperor claimed Wallenstein’s loyalty at the outset of the Thirty Years’ War (image from the forthcoming #CuiusRegio @fgradaille.bsky.social @gmtgames.bsky.social). Here’s how he chose. cliosboardgames.wordpress.com/2025/07/13/w...

Absurde Leistung des Teams - kämpferisch, physisch, taktisch.

I died. Coroner has identified the cause of death as watching football.

Sjoeke Nüsken, you monster of mental resilience! #FRAGER

I think the game extrapolates the Wallenstein experience a little too much: He acquired ever more lands during the 1620s, and with all the demand for goods from them to supply his army (paid for by contributions elsewhere), they also prospered (until the Saxon/Swedish invasions in the 1630s).

Wallenstein: Rise (The Life & Games of Wallenstein, #1) We haven’t had a game-assisted biography on this blog for two years! Let’s rectify that with one of the most legendary and mysterious generals of all time – Wallenstein, the emperor’s chief command…

ICYMI: Here’s the first part of my game-assisted biography of Wallenstein, the most mysterious figure of the Thirty Years’ War! cliosboardgames.wordpress.com/2025/07/13/w...

Talking is silver, but scoring is Bronze #SWEENG

Football, bloody hell! #SWEENG

Hannah Hampton is bloody incredible

Quite! I don't think there has ever been a game going down to the level of granularity of the historical HRE. Maybe Europa Universalis (the video game) has come closest.

Chloe Kelly in: Best English substitution when in a tight spot since the Churchill for Chamberlain swap.