Testing

Blogger seems to have lost the ability to pick up my post feed, and the thumbnail widget no longer appears in Blogs Followed widget.

This is a test as I troubleshoot.  My previous post went almost completely unnoticed without the thumbnail "tickler" in the widget.

Big Round Numbers and Reflection

Easter Sunday witnessed the PWJ tick past two mileposts.  One is meaningful, the other not so much.  The first, and less important milepost was that the blog saw over 100,000 page views in one day.  In the early days of blogging, this achievement might be hailed with much fanfare.  Today, with AI dominating search and consumption, 100,000 page views in one day does not carry the same weight.  The other, and more important milestone is that the blog surpassed 60,000 comments.  Yes, I realize that half of the commentary is mine, but reader commentary is an important if not vital aspect of sharing the hobby.

Blogger stats: 06 APR 2026

When I publish a new post, whether a battle report, an analysis, or photos from my latest unit marching out from the painting desk, I never quite know how it will land.  While I write primarily to record my thoughts and achievements, I also write to share the wargaming hobby that has fascinated me for most of my life.  Once I click "publish," there’s a pause and, often, a little apprehension.  Will anyone care enough to read let alone respond with a comment?  When a comment appears, I breathe a sigh of relief.

For a wargamer, blogging is often a solitary pursuit that mirrors the hobby itself. We spend long nights painting miniatures, building terrain, or researching obscure campaigns to create scenarios or rules.  From a personal perspective, these are satisfying efforts.  This type of self-exploration, while satisfying, is shaped by appreciation and dialog.  The byline on my blog bio states that,

It is not enough to accomplish. You must share those accomplishments.

Reader comments help turn this solitary focus outward.  When a reader writes "the figures look great" or "Great battle report," these comments remind me that the hours of effort are not only just mine.  The blog allows these efforts to become something shared.

Besides turning a mostly solitary activity outward, comments deepen a sense of community.  Wargaming may center on fighting battles in miniature, but through blogging, conversations turn toward tactics, history, craftsmanship, and battles won and lost.  The comment section becomes a virtual battlefield of ideas through a mutual respect for the hobby.

To me, every comment is like adding another painted figure into a collection.  The comment may be small and unique, but a single comment is important to the overall goal.  Each comment builds momentum as others weigh-in turning a collection of posts into an ongoing campaign of thought and dialog.  Without these responses and feedback, blogging can start to feel like a battle dispatch sent off into a destination not known.

I suggest that we keep in mind that when a reader takes the time to type a few words in response to a post, that even a simple response can carry more meaning than the reader might realize.  These responses remind me why I write.  I write not only to post battle reports or document progress at the painting desk.  I write to connect with others who find the same joy in miniature armies and tabletop exploits on the field of battle.  In a sense, each comment carries the same power as a post-game handshake across the table after a hard-fought game.  In a comment, you share acknowledgment, camaraderie, and respect.

I mark this occasion as a way to thank everyone who has mustered the courage to leave a comment or two over these first 60,000 comments.

Thank you.

On Wargaming and Blogging: Thinking Aloud

In Norm's 14 JAN 2026 post on his Commanders website, his essay Thinking Aloud and a Reduction in Output may strike a familiar chord with other bloggers.  The post certainly got me to thinking.  In Norm's diary entry linked to above, he offers a reflection on the value and sustainability of blogging within the wargaming community.  For those having followed Commanders and its sister blog, Battlefields & Warriors, these ruminations are not new.  Since neither site offers the ability to comment, I offer my thoughts on Norm's post here.

The recurring theme of Norm's Thinking Aloud post centers on the tension between pouring significant effort into creating thoughtful, detailed blog content and seeing minimal interaction or feedback in return.  This one-way communication leads to questioning whether maintaining a wargaming blog (two in Norm's case) continues to be worthwhile.  When compared against simply enjoying gaming without the increased overhead of writing about gaming, the answer to this question, to some, becomes clear.

This diary entry argues that blogging has evolved from simply a means of sharing our enthusiasm for wargaming into another hobby of blogging about wargaming. This sub-hobby demands time, energy, and emotional investment often without reciprocal engagement from readers.  This lack of encouragement may lead to a sense of fatigue and a recalibration of priorities.

Norm concludes that disillusionment about the current state is not the major driver of these reflections but one of reorientation.   Perhaps reorientation allows a reclamation of the undistracted joy of gaming, itself?  There may be times in which each of us asks similar questions.   The answers may be different for each of us, but the theme may rhyme.   Responses likely depend upon why we share our wargaming adventures through blogging and what motivates each of us to continue.

In the end, should wargaming be a private pleasure rather than a public performance?  Do you share Norm's concerns and frustrations?

The floor is open for discussion.

The Blogging Effect on Battle Reports

Yes, the Palouse Wargaming Journal reaches "Lucky" 13 years on the blogging front.  For stats, PWJ is up to 335 Followers (a number that rarely changes), 1,809 Posts, and 56,964 Comments.  For me, these anniversaries often bring up a time of reflection on what has passed before.  

The blogging landscape has seen change over these past thirteen years, no doubt.  When PWJ began in late 2012, the wargame blogging community was already in full bloom and quite active.  I likely arrived late to the party and, perhaps, unfashionably so.  Still, I pressed on even as trends began to show a shift from blogging to other forms of social media.  Over these thirteen years, wargaming blogs came and went with the balance tipping in favor of those leaving the platform.  After thirteen years, I continue to press on.  How much longer?  Well, that is a good question to occasionally ask myself.

These reflections often bring up a number of lingering questions that regularly circulate through my mind.  One rumination (of many) on this anniversary brought me back to the post I wrote more than two years ago on how battle reports are read (see Reporting from the Front: How are Battle Reports Read). 

Blogging our individual, wargaming journeys can enrich the hobby by documenting research, painting progress, and battle reports, allowing community feedback and camaraderie.  Battle reporting, while only one facet of wargame blogs, has become a significant weapon in the blogging arsenal.  For the PWJ, battle reporting focus can be quantified by the number (and frequency) of battle reports chronicled here.  Yet, as I remarked in my post in the link above, "Almost always, the chronicling of the battle report takes longer than actually playing the game".  This raises potentially troubling questions about priorities: are we playing games and chronicling them for enjoyment or to create content?  Prioritization takes on added importance when many self-confessing readers simply skim or entirely skip a featured battle report.

When the creation of content becomes more time-consuming than the activity itself, we must question whether the tail is wagging the dog.  For some bloggers, playing may feel more like a chore or performance rather than a rich narrative journey.  On one hand, sharing battle reports and game narratives online expands the hobby’s community and can provide motivation for getting figures to the table.  On the other hand, some might argue this sharing encourages a "sound bite" culture, where quick posts, highlights, and visual snapshots overshadow deep engagement and storytelling.  

Does the desire to chronicle our games diminish the lived experience of playing by encouraging players to focus more on photo-ready moments and quick, digestible content rather than deep, immersive play?  Does the pressure to document and share experiences fundamentally alter how we approach gaming?  Are we optimizing battle reports for easily digestible sound bites and visual moments geared toward online consumption rather than personal enjoyment and narrative development? 

This shift toward brevity may reflect broader changes in human attention patterns.  Blogging and social media have played a role in this evolution.  The desire to frequently post crisp and brief highlights may overshadow the contemplation in immersive play and narrative building.  In effect, the attention span of even committed and engaged readers may be shortened unintentionally.  Nonetheless, a number of blogs I regularly visit emphasize detailed battle reports and nuanced storytelling, suggesting that the value placed on the journey is still alive, at least among certain circles.  Personally, this journey value is especially true for those hosting a game wherein players have the flexibility to concentrate on strategy and tactics while the umpire handles the mechanisms of game play, adjudication, and the writing of an unbiased battle account.  To answer an early question, are we playing games and writing about them for enjoyment or to create content?  Perhaps both factors play a role, but I find chronicling battles as a prose narrative an enjoyable pursuit and a way to preserve history.  Hopefully, players and readers agree.  

12 Years and Still Here!

The Palouse Wargaming Journal (PWJ) sees another annual milepost crossed.  The milepost on my path today reads, 12 Years Blogging.

This experiment began twelve years ago with my first post here.  Times have changed in the intervening dozen years but much remains the same.  While the early years saw many posts on figures painted and few on games played, recent years have seen a shift to gaming and reporting on those games.  

Writing about wargaming and reading about the wargaming exploits of others remain a constant place in my daily routine.  On the writing front, I still manage to hammer out about ten posts per month.  At my current rate of publication, the total post count may not reach what has become a standard 120 posts per year but the ending count will be close.  Looking back to January, a reduction in frequency was foretold.  Still, my pace remains consistent and steady.  I have yet to run out of topics to consider and chronicle within these pages.  Hard to believe that even after a dozen years pounding away at the keyboard, I have neither lost inspiration nor motivation. A bit surprising really since having sufficient content was one of my concerns when I first began all of those years ago.  As mentioned in last year's marking of time, I am convinced that I actually could spend all of my time simply writing scenarios, hosting games, and writing battle reports.  There are times when I wonder if the results justify the efforts.

My gaming schedule continues on a robust pace but there has been a switch to hosting more games than I attend.  New gamers continue to find themselves seated at the remote gaming table often with one or two games per week.  I am even seeing a pick-up in F2F gaming.  There remain several distinct groups that regularly take up my offers for a game.  So far, they are all willing to keep returning for more.  Remote gaming opens up my connection to many more likeminded wargamers than I thought possible even a few years ago.  I always look forward to our games.  All are considered close friends and solid gaming companions.

What about blogging statistics?

Well, wargaming blogs have come and gone but I remain still standing.  The PWJ is up to 1,698 posts (1,579 posts at this time last year), 51,551 comments (45,318 last year), and 331 Followers (322 last year).  The number of followers does not move much but I have seen a few new names joining in lately.

As I wrap up this brief commemoration, I am grateful to anyone who stops by for a quick read or a long linger and doubly grateful for those readers who regularly offer up a comment or two.

Thank you for your patronage and friendship.

Another remote game is on today's docket and a return to regular programming soon.

Commentary Milestone

Last week, the blog ticked over, what for me, was a significant milestone.  That milestone?  PWJ reached 50,000 comments since September 2012.  Ed, from Ed M's Wargames Meanderings blog offered the comment that pushed the count to 50,000.  Thank you, Ed! 

Now, of course, half of those are mine but still, that is a hefty number of comments, right?  Maybe not since I have no other comparative gauge with which to measure. 

Nevertheless, I am very pleased with the level of reader interaction brought up through the commentary section of each post.  As always, comments provide encouragement, a show of support, advance the discussion with personal insights and critiques, and help in creating a bond and sense of camaraderie through these correspondences.  I am happy to receive each comment whether positive, negative, or somewhere in between.  I learn a lot from reader commentary.

One other facet of tracking comment statistics is the Top 10 Commentators widget that adorns the right sidebar.

Over the years, these Top 10 Contributors move up and down the rankings and come and go from the list.  Always a pleasure to see a new name pop up onto the list and a bit sad when a contributor falls out of the Top 10.  Still, the bulk of these Top 10 remain fairly stable with many of the same names on the list as seemingly permanent (and welcome!) fixtures.  These dedicated readers deserve a special thanks.

As one example, Stew attained #1 Ranking late last year and then slowly drifted down and out of the Top 10 only to re-engage after the first of the year to make a steady march back to currently sit at #2.  Impressive comeback, my friend!  

Anyway, I want to mark this occasion to thank everyone who has mustered the courage to leave a comment or two over these first 50,000 comments.

Thank you and keep those comments coming!  

Sumerian Straddle Cars

When I was assessing my goals for 2024 back in January (see The Road Ahead in 2024), the desire to cut back painting output in the New Year was noted.  At that time, I offered up a painting goal of 750 figures with modest shift to seeing more 25mm figures move across the painting desk.  Well, it is mid-May and I appear to be surprisingly on track to reach that goal.  Painting has slowed down, for sure, but a total of 750 figures painted seems doable.  At current counts, the Painting Log shows 303 figures painted, thus far.  That works out to an average of about 60 per month.  With the number of games played and the increased workload of designing scenarios and hosting games, I figured counts may be even less.  Still, I may be on track to reach the 750 goal by year end.

Back to today's topic, two Sumerian straddle cars roll out from the painting desk.  Not quite sure how I will incorporate these two stands into Basic Impetvs games but I am sure I will put them to work somehow and somewhere.  Figures are Newline Designs.  Nice models!

Piedmontese light infantry hold the bridge!

Thursday saw a four-player remote game of the WAS Battle of Bassignana fight out.  We lost two players due to illness but the game carried on in fine fashion with the Stalwart Four.  Another interesting battle developed with tension at every twist and turn.  Who came out the victor?  I guess you must wait for the reports to filter in.  I hope to see a few more games on this battlefield.

Finally, I received an email from Norm earlier in the week stating that his blog, Battlefields and Warriors was going into hibernation and comments would be turned off.  This is not the first time that Norm has drawn a line in the sand on his blog updates so we may see a return at some point.  While the reason for abandonment is understandable, I will miss his insightful posts and commentary.  In the meantime, Norm still offers diary updates on his goings-on at his Commanders website.  

A Peek Through the Looking Glass with AI

Having spent considerable time exploring machine learning and developing business applications using such techniques during my career, the broadening application of artificial intelligence to search engines and expert systems is fascinating.  General-use applications such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and CoPilot have taken the techniques of natural large language processing (nllp) models and offered them to the masses.

Intrigued by recent AI experiments by two wargaming bloggers,

An AI Take on my Blog

Limitations of Artificial Intelligence  

I buckled in, fired up the search engine, and posed the following question to perplexity.ai:

I asked, What is the focus of the Palouse Wargaming Journal? 

 

After only a few seconds wait, the algorithm returned the following summary:

Based on the search results, the focus of the Palouse Wargaming Journal blog appears to be:

1. Wargaming and miniature wargaming, covering a variety of historical periods and conflicts such as the Italian Wars, Napoleonic Wars, American Civil War, etc. 
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2. Providing battle reports and game recaps of wargaming sessions played by the blog author and his gaming group. The blog frequently features posts about specific wargames played, such as the "Battle of Sanguetta 1497" series. 
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3. Discussing the author's painting and modeling projects related to his wargaming hobby, including updates on figures and terrain he is working on. 
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4. Sharing the author's thoughts and reflections on wargaming, game design, and the broader wargaming community. For example, the post "Thoughts on Re-Fighting History: War in the East" discusses the evolution of wargaming mechanisms and content. 
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5. Engaging with the wargaming community, as evidenced by the blog's participation in book giveaways and discussions. 
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In summary, the Palouse Wargaming Journal appears to be a blog focused on the author's personal wargaming activities, battle reports, painting projects, and commentary on the broader wargaming hobby. 

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The results are not too bad for a general assessment of the content and focus of this blog.  In fact, the results are quite good.

Notice that the emphasis on Italian Wars content seems to score higher than older content especially when the recent series of battle reports on Sanguetta are singled out. Since the battle reports on Sanguetta have only been published in March, search currency suggests that these nllp models are being retrained frequently.  The Thoughts on Re-Fighting History scored highly too.  Could this result be driven by reader commentary and discussion as (5) suggests?  Are these models devouring content as well as commentary?

Is Google actively vacuuming up Blogger content (without permission) to train its large language models?  Would this activity lead to an increase in pageview traffic or remain unseen in Blogger statistics?

This experiment raises a number of questions, hopefully, without making me out as a conspiracy theorist.  I may re-run this experiment later and see if results change as content evolves.

Have you tested these waters with your own blog?  What are your results?