Ian TB
@iantb
Retired #Marine, scribbler, #wargame analyst, podcast co-host, geek. Author of “A New Conception of War” on #USMC reading list. All views my own.
Ooo I wanna play. I responded to some work colleagues on two essays at 19fortyfive.com about whether Epic Fury “proved” air power, but get into why we can’t close out wars. TL;DR—it’s you, the voter, b/c you can’t be bothered to put people into congress or the White House who have strategic thinking
The flyovers will continue until this happens. Because there is a long history of military aviation mishaps where the causal thread is someone thinking that the rules—always written in someone else’s blood—don’t apply to them, and they push the rules until someone new bleeds.
I see “maneuver/manoeuvre” warfare discussion is in the headlines today. If you don’t understand the difference b/w “maneuver warfare” and “maneuver” you’re not alone, but I’ve got a few hundred pages on the topic to help you out: www.usmcu.edu/Outreach/Mar... www.usmcu.edu/Outreach/Mar...
Tinnitus and the sound of freedom are often conflated, but whatever you call it, this is awesome ‘Murica 🇺🇸
It’s been an exhausting 2 weeks but b/w @originsgamefair.bsky.social and #Connections2026, also a very rewarding time spreading the gospel of #wargaming. My thanks to all who came to either my game tables or my presentations! @armchairdragoons.bsky.social @thedietzfoundation.bsky.social
What’s a #wargaming get-together without walking away with a new game? I’m taking home a copy of shogi generously donated and raffled off by the delegation from Japan at #Connections2026. Arigato gozaimasu and I can’t wait to play it when I get home!
Talking about incorporating lessons learned from #Ukraine in military educational #wargames at #Connections2026 #wargaming
Well it ain’t pretty, but the first full prototype for “Where There’s Foo, There’s Fire” is on the table at #Connections2026 #wargaming
Rounds complete on the last playtest session of Littoral Commander #Ukraine at @originsgamefair.bsky.social. Lots of long hours but lots of good feedback to help develop this module. Who knows how it’ll look at Origins 2027! #wargaming @armchairdragoons.bsky.social @thedietzfoundation.bsky.social
@originsgamefair.bsky.social day 4, PM: another session of Littoral Commander #Ukraine about to kick off #wargaming @thedietzfoundation.bsky.social @armchairdragoons.bsky.social
@originsgamefair.bsky.social day 4, AM: some Falklands action with Tim Barrick’s “At Storm’s Edge” #wargaming @armchairdragoons.bsky.social
Each playtest of Littoral Commander #Ukraine at @originsgamefair.bsky.social has been useful in testing different new mechanics. Today we got some intense cauldron battles along w/ destroyed towns creating a refugee problem #wargaming @armchairdragoons.bsky.social @thedietzfoundation.bsky.social
@originsgamefair.bsky.social day 3, AM: deep into mission planning for Littoral Commander: #Ukraine #wargaming @thedietzfoundation.bsky.social @armchairdragoons.bsky.social
@originsgamefair.bsky.social day two, evening session: Littoral Commander #Ukraine getting another play-test #wargaming @thedietzfoundation.bsky.social @armchairdragoons.bsky.social
@originsgamefair.bsky.social day two, AM session: #ManeuverWarfare from @thedietzfoundation.bsky.social on the table. Red hypersonics once again plied their deadly trade, knocking Blue back early and not letting up #wargaming @armchairdragoons.bsky.social
There’s still a long, long road to travel in developing this module, but every journey starts somewhere—today was the public debut of the future Littoral Commander: #Ukraine module at @originsgamefair.bsky.social: @thedietzfoundation.bsky.social #wargaming
Putting the final touches on the “Ammunition, Not a Ride” scenario for LC #Ukraine that will debut at @originsgamefair.bsky.social next week! Russian military “efficiency” is among the unique mechanics this scenario includes #wargaming
FWIW I designed a deck construction #wargame for the @thedietzfoundation.bsky.social that uses the OODA loop as the fulcrum of player action: theplayersaid.com/2025/10/27/i...
@originsgamefair.bsky.social prep—this prototype hasn’t been on the table for a few years but it’s gonna get lots of play-testing next week. It’s OG #LittoralCommander but at a much larger scale. See you there! #wargaming @armchairdragoons.bsky.social @thedietzfoundation.bsky.social
Chowder II can be infuriating but some days you just feel sad for them. Case in point: “no, we’re not out of touch old men!” but then they say rituals like “calls made/returned” and the “Silver Tray” are what bind #Marines together. My brother in Christ: that “ritual” didn’t exist when I first
It’s been a day of painful prototyping, but necessary to have a viable 2.0 version of my foo fighter-hunting #wargame ready for #Connections2026. Anyway, bigger map, new airplanes w/ to new sensors, SAM threats, & of course that mysterious glowing ball in the midst of it all…