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Russell Phillips

@rpbook.bsky.social

400 followers 12 following 380 posts

UK based military history & RPG author. My main social media is https://gts.phillipsuk.org/@rpbook - you can follow that account on BlueSky at @rpbook.gts.phillipsuk.org.ap.brid.gy Most posts from that account are copied here. https://russellphillips.uk

gts.phillipsuk.org

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Russell Phillips @rpbook.bsky.social · Sep 1

My new #TTRPG book, Setting Europe Ablaze: The #SOE Sourcebook, is now available.

The SOE offers the perfect opportunity to play an #RPG set in the #SecondWorldWar where almost anything can happen.

itch.io: russellphillips.itch...

DriveThruRPG: www.drivethrurpg.com...

Tablet, phone, and paperback copies of Setting Europe Ablaze: The SOE Sourcebook by Russell Phillips. The book cover has three French resistance fighters crouching, against a background of a burning urban landscape.

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Russell Phillips @rpbook.bsky.social · 1h

I bought a set of polyhedral dice at a comic con recently. Today was my first chance to use them when my eldest ran a D&D one-shot.

First roll was a natural 20 😀

https://gts.phillipsuk.org/tags/ttrpg https://gts.phillipsuk.org/tags/dnd

A d20 in a wooden dice tower. It has landed on the 20

Russell Phillips @rpbook.bsky.social · 1d

I was listening to the War Movie Theatre podcast talking about Who Dares Wins this morning. They reminded me of this excellent protest banner.

https://gts.phillipsuk.org/tags/movies https://gts.phillipsuk.org/tags/sas

Still from the film Who Dares Wins, showing a bunch of people marching at a protest. There is a big sign being held above their heads which reads "Drop trousers not bombs"

Russell Phillips @rpbook.bsky.social · 3d

How people with unusual facial features face problems with facial recognition technology.
https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2025/10/failures-in-face-recognition.html

Failures in Face Recognition - Schneier on Security

Interesting article on people with nonstandard faces and how facial recognition systems fail for them. Some of those living with facial differences tell WIRED they have undergone multiple surgeries and experienced stigma for their entire lives, which is now being echoed by the technology they are forced to interact with. They say they haven’t been able to access public services due to facial verification services failing, while others have struggled to access financial services. Social media filters and face-unlocking systems on phones often won’t work, they say...

www.schneier.com

Russell Phillips @rpbook.bsky.social · 7d

https://coldwarconversations.com/episode426/ [2/2]

From Racially Segregated Savannah to Nuclear Missile Crew Commander

Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on YouTubeListen on Amazon MusicListen on Podcast AddictBecome a Patron!I had the privilege of speaking with Dennis Greene, a former US Air F

coldwarconversations.com

Russell Phillips @rpbook.bsky.social · 7d

Wow. I got a lot of responses to this, far more than I expected 😀 Gotta love the fediverse.

I will be looking through all the replies, but I might not be able to reply yo them all. But I extend my grateful thanks to everyone that tried to help answer the question.

Russell Phillips @rpbook.bsky.social · 8d

What would locking the column do? Would it prevent someone driving off with the car?

Russell Phillips @rpbook.bsky.social · 8d

It was a large car, owned by Crown Prince Olav of Norway, so was probably a high-end model. It was probably British, but possibly American.

Any ideas?

Boosts appreciated.

https://gts.phillipsuk.org/tags/car https://gts.phillipsuk.org/tags/cars [2/2]

Phillips UK Fediverse Server - GoToSocial

Private fediverse server.

gts.phillipsuk.org

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Russell Phillips @rpbook.bsky.social · 8d

It was a large car, owned by Crown Prince Olav of Norway, so was probably a high-end model. It was probably British, but possibly American.

Any ideas?

https://gts.phillipsuk.org/tags/car https://gts.phillipsuk.org/tags/cars [2/2]

Phillips UK Fediverse Server - GoToSocial

Private fediverse server.

gts.phillipsuk.org

Russell Phillips @rpbook.bsky.social · 8d

Does anyone here know about 1930s cars?

In 1940, some British paratroopers "borrowed" a car. I'm trying to work out if they needed to bypass something like a key, or if they were able to just get in and drive off. [1/2]

Russell Phillips @rpbook.bsky.social · 9d

I've ridden 100 miles on my https://gts.phillipsuk.org/tags/ebike !

An ebike LCD display. The odometer reads 100.8 miles

Russell Phillips @rpbook.bsky.social · 11d

If you're in the UK, please write to your MP about the bathroom ban. The link below makes that very easy.
https://actionnetwork.org/letters/scrap-the-bathroom-ban

https://gts.phillipsuk.org/tags/uk https://gts.phillipsuk.org/tags/trans

Phillips UK Fediverse Server - GoToSocial

Private fediverse server.

gts.phillipsuk.org

Russell Phillips @rpbook.bsky.social · 12d

Apparently I'm an old enough geek that I still have BNC connectors and terminators in my tool box. Just in case.

Several old BNC ethernet connectors and terminators joined together.

Russell Phillips @rpbook.bsky.social · 15d

This is a very good piece on how the mainstream media is becoming less and less trustworthy.
https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/the-death-of-truth-and-accuracy-in-the-mainstream-media/

The death of truth and accuracy in the mainstream media

Politicians and the media are distorting the truth; how can we avoid being duped?

centralbylines.co.uk

Russell Phillips @rpbook.bsky.social · 20d

I've been playing RPGs on and off since the late 1980s. I have lots of dice, but until today, I'd never bought a set. Today my youngest and I went to the local Comic Con, and I bought a random set of dice.

https://gts.phillipsuk.org/tags/ttrpg https://gts.phillipsuk.org/tags/ttrpgcommunity

A bag labelled "Lightgun Retro Gaming Mystery RPG Dice. Contains 1 full set of RPG gaming dice (7 dice)". To the right of the bag are seven dice (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20, percentage). The dice are translucent and slightly sparkly, with light blue numbers.

Russell Phillips @rpbook.bsky.social · 21d

Feel free to reply with more nuance or to add to your answer.Poll: https://gts.phillipsuk.org/@rpbook/statuses/01K6NEB2XSS2XY2ZK3JN0MZJSR [4/4]

Post by Russell Phillips, @[email protected]

Would it be rude of me to say, "Please don't talk to me" to checkout staff? Context/explanation: I'm #ActuallyAutistic and I hate shopping. By the time I get to a checkout, I'm very stressed and small talk will just make it worse. I use self checkout when I can, but sometimes tha...

gts.phillipsuk.org

Russell Phillips @rpbook.bsky.social · 21d

Context/explanation: I'm https://gts.phillipsuk.org/tags/actuallyautistic and I hate shopping. By the time I get to a checkout, I'm very stressed and small talk will just make it worse. I use self checkout when I can, but sometimes that isn't feasible. [2/4]

Phillips UK Fediverse Server - GoToSocial

Private fediverse server.

gts.phillipsuk.org

Russell Phillips @rpbook.bsky.social · 21d

https://gts.phillipsuk.org/tags/ttrpgcommmunity https://gts.phillipsuk.org/tags/ttrpg [2/2]

Phillips UK Fediverse Server - GoToSocial

Private fediverse server.

gts.phillipsuk.org

Russell Phillips @rpbook.bsky.social · 21d

Ive been thinking about how we used to use IRC and XMPP to play RPGs online. I might see if I can find some players to do it again.
https://phillipsuk.org/robin/posts/2025-10-03-using-real-time-text-chat-for-rpgs/ [1/2]

Using real-time text chat for RPGs

Playing RPGs online using text chat like IRC or XMPP

phillipsuk.org

Russell Phillips @rpbook.bsky.social · 26d

org/tags/transgender https://gts.phillipsuk.org/tags/redbubble [3/3]

Phillips UK Fediverse Server - GoToSocial

Private fediverse server.

gts.phillipsuk.org

Russell Phillips @rpbook.bsky.social · 26d

https://gts.phillipsuk.org/tags/art https://gts.phillipsuk.org/tags/lgbt https://gts.phillipsuk.org/tags/lgbtq https://gts.phillipsuk.org/tags/lgbtqia https://gts.phillipsuk.org/tags/pride https://gts.phillipsuk.org/tags/queer https://gts.phillipsuk.org/tags/trans https://gts.phillipsuk. [2/3]

Phillips UK Fediverse Server - GoToSocial

Private fediverse server.

gts.phillipsuk.org

Russell Phillips @rpbook.bsky.social · 26d

I have a small RedBubble shop. I've just added a new couple of designs. They're probably even more niche than my previous ones, but they might interest some people here.
https://www.redbubble.com/people/rpbook/shop?collections=4367810 [1/3]