BigLee

When Smoke Hid the Battlefield: Black powder muskets filled battlefields with smoke so thick soldiers sometimes fought nearly blind. Discover how this strange reality shaped Napoleonic combat and how tabletop wargames recreate the same visibility… youtube.com/shorts/l1TpW_Q…

On Bloody Ground Rules Review: In this video, I take a closer look at two historical tabletop wargaming rulebooks from the On Bloody Ground series by WIP Games and Miniatures: The Wars of the Roses and The Punic Wars. Written by David and Daniel Toone,… youtube.com/watch?v=UZHdBp…

Can one ruleset cover 2,000 years of warfare?: Historical tabletop wargamers are always on the lookout for rule systems that strike the right balance between accessibility, historical flavour, and tactical depth. In my latest video, I take a closer look… blmablog.com/2026/03/can-on…

Fluff vs Cruch in Rulebooks: How much fluff should a wargame rulebook really contain? In this video I explore the delicate balance between lore, history, and background material versus clear rules mechanics in tabletop wargaming rulebooks. Fantasy and… youtube.com/watch?v=hpAmxH…

The Rulebook Trap: Fluff vs Substance: One of the interesting quirks of the tabletop wargaming hobby is that our rulebooks often serve two very different purposes at the same time. On the one hand, they’re instruction manuals that explain the mechanics… blmablog.com/2026/03/the-ru…

Battle Chronicle Chat about Playtesting: I chat with Ray Rousell (Fellow 'Reject' and blogger) about the Playtesting process for the Battle Chronicle: Retreat from Moscow project. Join the Battle Chronicle Mailing List for regular updates, release news,… youtube.com/watch?v=yHTEIg…

Automated Enemy rules: A quick bit from a longer chat between Ray and me discussing the enemy automation rules in the Battle Chronicle rules we are developing with Paul from Pazoot.com youtube.com/shorts/L8hrvoZ…

Battle Chronicle Playtesting Chat: This evening’s video is a bit of a behind-the-scenes chat, as I sit down with Ray Rousell, fellow “Reject”, and the man behind Don’t Throw a One, to talk about the playtesting process for our upcoming skirmish campaign… blmablog.com/2026/03/battle…

The Quiet Rules Arms Race of the 1970's #WargameOrigins #1970sGaming #TabletopHistory: The 1970s weren’t peaceful for wargame design. This video traces how competing philosophies from Featherstone, Grant, Barker, and Young created the diverse rules… youtube.com/shorts/iYcbvjJ…

Legacy or Landfill?: For most tabletop wargamers, a collection of miniatures is far more than a pile of painted figures or boxes of unbuilt kits. It represents years, sometimes decades, of enthusiasm for history, gaming, modelling, and creativity. Every… blmablog.com/2026/03/legacy…

Legacy or Landfill: Who gets your minis when you are gone?: What happens to your tabletop wargaming collection when you’re gone? For many historical wargamers and miniature painters, decades of collecting, painting, and gaming can result in shelves… youtube.com/watch?v=nZnt6G…

Featherstone & the Open-Source Attitude #HouseRules #Featherstone #OpenDesign: Donald Featherstone wanted players to break his rules. This video explores how his open, experimental attitude shaped today’s house-rule culture, community-driven systems, and… youtube.com/shorts/eJYBLQW…

Are you Laughing Enough?: One of the fascinating things about tabletop gaming is that while we spend plenty of time discussing rules, tactics, painting, and history, we rarely talk about something that appears at almost every gaming table: humour.… blmablog.com/2026/03/are-yo…

Are you Laughing Enough?: How much humour belongs at the tabletop gaming table? In this video I explore the role laughter plays in our hobby, from chaotic Dungeons & Dragons sessions full of movie quotes and ridiculous dice rolls to the friendly… youtube.com/watch?v=tCnoFR…

Peter Young and the Moral Weight of Play #WargameEthics #PeterYoung #HistoricalGaming: Peter Young believed wargames should make players uncomfortable—in a thoughtful way. This video examines how his moral concerns influenced modern campaign systems,… youtube.com/shorts/xpmCvkR…

Why my YouTube Channel is a no politics zone: Why is my YouTube channel a “no politics zone”? And what does that choice have to do with the mental and physical health benefits of tabletop wargaming? In my latest video, I discuss a subject I’ve… blmablog.com/2026/03/why-my…

Why this Channel is a Politics Free Zone: Why is this channel a strict “no politics zone” — and what does that decision have to do with miniature painting, tabletop wargaming, and even lowering blood pressure? In this hobby discussion, I explore the… youtube.com/watch?v=7s4nOF…

Battle Chronicle: Playthrough: This week’s video is a full playthrough of The Barn at Dawn, the introductory scenario from Battle Chronicle: Retreat from Moscow, which is a cooperative Napoleonic skirmish game focused on survival, isolation, and hard… blmablog.com/2026/02/battle…

Battle Chronicle Playthrough Scenario One: In this video I play through The Barn at Dawn, the first scenario from Battle Chronicle: Retreat from Moscow — a cooperative Napoleonic skirmish wargame set during the brutal 1812 retreat. Designed for 28mm… youtube.com/watch?v=bfrOtg…

Phil Barker’s Rejection of Decorative Complexity #MinimalistRules #PhilBarker #GameDesign: Phil Barker cut the flavour to find clarity. This video explores how his minimalist design philosophy influenced modern streamlined rulesets, competitive play, and… youtube.com/shorts/Nswixbp…