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James Buckley

@jsbuckley.bsky.social

Founder of Sapper Studio - a tabletop game design and development studio. https://www.sapperstudio.com/ Interested in all things wargamey - both professional and hobby fields.

692 Followers  |  98 Following  |  460 Posts  |  Joined: 17.09.2023  |  2.0174

Latest posts by jsbuckley.bsky.social on Bluesky

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Professional wargaming on the front page of BGG. A first?

10.02.2026 08:05 β€” πŸ‘ 21    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 1
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It's taken some time to grok but now I have, I'm very much appreciating the risk-reward solitaire mechanics of Operation Bollebank. Original. Good emergent narrative too. Thanks for bringing it to my attention @letsplayhistory.bsky.social

07.02.2026 14:56 β€” πŸ‘ 21    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

That's true, they really seem to have bought into it, and have a very good steward in Major Somerville.

06.02.2026 16:05 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

To be fair so are the British. After Battlegroup Wargame System there's Platoon Wargame System now being designed, and a Brigade level version planned.

06.02.2026 13:47 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

I struggle to see how the human remains in the loop TBH. I know that is the current 'plan' but if your adversary, or your assumption that your adversary, removes the human, which is where China is thought to be going, then a human is a liability timewise in the loop. It's pretty bad...

06.02.2026 06:45 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

James@sapperstudio.com

05.02.2026 12:11 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Battlegroup Clash is my title. I'm the publisher. I also know the publisher of W&P. Who can I contact to discuss?

05.02.2026 07:10 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Any chance you can make some a) for War & Peace 7th Ed, and 2) for my new game Battlegroup Clash Baltics? The latter is being delivered to pre order customers at the moment.

04.02.2026 16:42 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Check out our latest production schedule below. Of particular interest to wargamers is the news that Guerre Eclair will arrive at our warehouse next month, and in May we'll launch the Kickstarter for our new edition of Sword of Rome. More details on that to come.

03.02.2026 10:52 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
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Day 2 & 3 of Napoleonics @ SquareBASH with Congress of Vienna and 1812 Napoleon's Fateful March. French victories in both. Excellent games. It's been a great excursion in the world of Napoleonics, but now it's back to my main interest of modern warfare with these three new purchases.

01.02.2026 17:08 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
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Day one of my Napoleonic all in at SquareBASH. War & Peace, Santa Cruz 1797 and best of all, a very blinded up Coalitions, which was great to finally see and play IRL.

31.01.2026 00:30 β€” πŸ‘ 10    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Deliberately timed to make @armchairdragoons.bsky.social TuesdayNewsday of course Brant 🫑

26.01.2026 13:05 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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NEWS!
Delivery of Battlegroup Clash: Baltics has begun. And now available is a free game supplement with enhanced rules for Orders and Electronic Warfare.
If you want to know more about Battlegroup Clash: Baltics you can check out the product page here -https://www.sapperstudio.com/battlegr

26.01.2026 13:04 β€” πŸ‘ 11    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

I made it to Moscow but with no supply line and only 1 unexhausted infantry πŸ˜„
We figured that the game was realistic! If the greatest general ever failed IRL, what chance does a bloke in a pub have...

20.01.2026 08:38 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I agree it's key. I just wish it was a bit more elegantly implemented. Weather, then force size, then type of location, then distance from depot, then # of D markers, then Forage order. Repeat 8 times or so times, each turn. I know there are some short cuts. But it kills the game flow a bit.

20.01.2026 08:36 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Yeah it's a great mechanic.

20.01.2026 07:07 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Ok interesting. The logistics was part of where I thought it was too ambitious. I liked the supply lines, but the attrition calculation was a bit overblown IMO. I'd have preferred a pared down game in that regard. But only played once, I'll play again in a few weeks so can see.

19.01.2026 22:07 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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1812 from @vucasimulations.bsky.social Napoleon makes it to Moscow! This game has elements of Pericles and Levy & Campaign. The orders mechanic is excellent. Unfortunately it can get a bit lost in other bells and whistles, but it definitely has lots of potential.

19.01.2026 21:50 β€” πŸ‘ 27    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Nuts Publishing We are launching a give away with HUGE prizes, to win some of Devil Pig Games' very last games. Whether you're a long-time fan or a newcomer, you have until Monday, January 26 at 6 p.m. French time...

COMPETITION TIME!
Follow us on Bluesky, like this link, and you'll be entered to win one of 17 Heroes of Normandie bundle prizes (more on the game here en.dpg-final.com).
Read more details on the competition on the Facebook post below (no FB account is required).
www.facebook.com/nutspublishi...

19.01.2026 15:32 β€” πŸ‘ 11    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Warhammer with hexes?

18.01.2026 17:46 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

It's exhausting.

17.01.2026 22:56 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Yes exactly!

14.01.2026 16:36 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Not sure where the wider discussion is on this, but this discussion was about getting KS to ban a board game; an idea I don't agree with or think is remotely practical even if I did.

14.01.2026 15:55 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Yeah but if that was your 'editorial guidelines' requirement then This War Of Mine would also be banned. That may be a much more 'tasteful' game (I have played neither game so can't say), but that's subjective. Would that be an acceptable outcome if it meant this game could be banned?

14.01.2026 12:56 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Yes, it's where the line is drawn. You risk throwing the baby out with the bathwater. I want games to address real world issues, not to close topics down. Maybe some offensive stuff will get thru. But I feel the benefits outweigh the risks. I can't disagree that the accent used is terrible though!

14.01.2026 12:41 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Yeah I'm concerned by the implication that something should be banned because of an accent used in a promotional video; or potentially a poorly researched or framed game topic. Talk about opening a Pandora's Box...

14.01.2026 12:02 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0
Whiskey Charlie - Battlegroup Clash: Baltics Demo
YouTube video by Moe's Game Table Whiskey Charlie - Battlegroup Clash: Baltics Demo

Very grateful to Moe's Gaming Table for the opportunity to do a play through of Battlegroup Clash Baltics, and the great editing job he did here youtu.be/hRg1fDA4wWc?...

12.01.2026 19:23 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I'm loving the old school Pat Patriot helmet imagery they are using for some games. Reminds me of when I started supporting them in the 80s!

12.01.2026 08:03 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Mate, didn't know you were a fellow Pats fan πŸ™Œ

12.01.2026 08:00 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Hmmm. By that rationale ARVN Patronage is a "winning strategy". It clearly wasn't.
As the US I've made a deal with the NVA that they can take Saigon if they don't reduce Support there. That can't be right. But that was the best strategy at the time for me to meet the game's US victory conditions 🀷

10.01.2026 09:34 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

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