Cole Wehrle
@colewehrle.bsky.social
Game designer focusing on strategy games with strong emergent narratives. Half of Wehrlegig Games. Creative director at Leder Games. Voracious reader of just about anything I can get my hands on.
Pinned
Cole Wehrle
@colewehrle.bsky.social
· Oct 21
John Company & Molly House Reprint
Two of the most evocative historical board games are back for a new print run.
www.kickstarter.com
We are now live! If you want to grab a copy of the new printings, now's your best chance.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/col...
This is also a bit of a strange campaign for us. To be honest, I don't even think I've ever been as nervous about a launch. I suppose that needs some explaining 🧵
www.kickstarter.com/projects/col...
This is also a bit of a strange campaign for us. To be honest, I don't even think I've ever been as nervous about a launch. I suppose that needs some explaining 🧵
Heck yes! Amabel is talking about one of my favorite subjects in tabletop production (and, to be honest, even design): boxes and what they say.
Let's talk about board game boxes and their role in selling a game, framing and contextualizing the experience, and creating meaning.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgfV...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgfV...
Boxes: Selling, Framing, Meaning
YouTube video by Hollandspiele
www.youtube.com
November 29, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Heck yes! Amabel is talking about one of my favorite subjects in tabletop production (and, to be honest, even design): boxes and what they say.
Reposted by Cole Wehrle
Getting stuck causes players to explore the world.
Dying causes players to think about what they're doing.
An "impossible" situation causes players to learn how the game works and eventually achieve the impossible.
We need to be able to design *some* games around these fundamental ideas.
Dying causes players to think about what they're doing.
An "impossible" situation causes players to learn how the game works and eventually achieve the impossible.
We need to be able to design *some* games around these fundamental ideas.
November 28, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Getting stuck causes players to explore the world.
Dying causes players to think about what they're doing.
An "impossible" situation causes players to learn how the game works and eventually achieve the impossible.
We need to be able to design *some* games around these fundamental ideas.
Dying causes players to think about what they're doing.
An "impossible" situation causes players to learn how the game works and eventually achieve the impossible.
We need to be able to design *some* games around these fundamental ideas.
Reposted by Cole Wehrle
I don't know how to introduce this one. After three titles about opium peddling, I figured the rest of SDHistCon would be breezy by comparison. I was wrong. The next day, I experienced one of the toughest board games I've ever played. Perhaps *the* toughest. spacebiff.com/2025/11/24/u...
Unnameable
After the first day of SDHistCon, where I played three games about opium peddling, I figured the second would be easier on my stomach. I could not have been more wrong. It has no name. Its designer…
spacebiff.com
November 24, 2025 at 8:01 PM
I don't know how to introduce this one. After three titles about opium peddling, I figured the rest of SDHistCon would be breezy by comparison. I was wrong. The next day, I experienced one of the toughest board games I've ever played. Perhaps *the* toughest. spacebiff.com/2025/11/24/u...
I won't be at Pax Unplugged this year, but, if you make it out to the Indie Night Market, be sure to check out staff developer Nick Brachman's new game, Imps. You can learn more about it here. boardgamegeek.com/thread/36141...
Imps Design Diary - The Whole Enchilada | Imps
Early Days
First of all I want to say thank you to anybody reading this. Games have been a passion of mine my entire life, and that passion has only been able to sustain because of others. Whether it’...
boardgamegeek.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:54 PM
I won't be at Pax Unplugged this year, but, if you make it out to the Indie Night Market, be sure to check out staff developer Nick Brachman's new game, Imps. You can learn more about it here. boardgamegeek.com/thread/36141...
Reposted by Cole Wehrle
This week on the podcast, @colewehrle.bsky.social joins me to discuss his picks for the Rule of Three.
open.spotify.com/episode/7tEl...
open.spotify.com/episode/7tEl...
Cole Wehrle's Rule of Three
open.spotify.com
November 18, 2025 at 9:44 AM
This week on the podcast, @colewehrle.bsky.social joins me to discuss his picks for the Rule of Three.
open.spotify.com/episode/7tEl...
open.spotify.com/episode/7tEl...
Drew and I have been overwhelmed by the support for the reprint campaign. If you've been looking for a copy of John Company or Molly House, this is your best chance to get a copy and the way that most directly supports us and our further efforts.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/col...
www.kickstarter.com/projects/col...
November 14, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Drew and I have been overwhelmed by the support for the reprint campaign. If you've been looking for a copy of John Company or Molly House, this is your best chance to get a copy and the way that most directly supports us and our further efforts.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/col...
www.kickstarter.com/projects/col...
I'm going all early 19th century this year with Prelude to Leipzig and Persuasion. If you want to check out some of the most compelling designs out there, do yourself a favor and check out the Hollandspiele catalog!
November 14, 2025 at 12:54 PM
I'm going all early 19th century this year with Prelude to Leipzig and Persuasion. If you want to check out some of the most compelling designs out there, do yourself a favor and check out the Hollandspiele catalog!
Reposted by Cole Wehrle
Next week! We'll be at PAX Unplugged, booth 2457. Swing by and say hi! Also don't miss our Arcs and Ahoy expansion demos in the demo area. See you there!
November 13, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Next week! We'll be at PAX Unplugged, booth 2457. Swing by and say hi! Also don't miss our Arcs and Ahoy expansion demos in the demo area. See you there!
Come see us fumble through Infamous Traffic 2e!
Celebrating the end of an INCREDIBLE Kickstarter campaign with a playtest of An Infamous Traffic: Second Edition. Come join! @colewehrle.bsky.social
WehrlegigGames - Twitch
Publishing beautiful history board games. New projects coming soon and sporadic streams every once in a while. Pax Pamir ✧ John Company ✧ Molly House
www.twitch.tv
November 13, 2025 at 2:02 AM
Come see us fumble through Infamous Traffic 2e!
Reposted by Cole Wehrle
STUDIO CHAT DELAY! Cole and Liz are at SDHistCon this weekend, so we're pushing this month's Studio Chat one day to WEDNESDAY! Join us November 12th at 2PM CDT for some fresh Oath news and other studio happenings. www.twitch.tv/ledergamesmedia
November 9, 2025 at 6:00 PM
STUDIO CHAT DELAY! Cole and Liz are at SDHistCon this weekend, so we're pushing this month's Studio Chat one day to WEDNESDAY! Join us November 12th at 2PM CDT for some fresh Oath news and other studio happenings. www.twitch.tv/ledergamesmedia
Reposted by Cole Wehrle
Here's Part Two of my recent interview with the ever-thoughtful @colewehrle.bsky.social . Expect rich ruminations on historical board games, the violation of player agency, and games that are meant to feel bad on the first playthrough: www.wargamer.com/molly-house/...
Board game auteur Cole Wehrle says "Molly House is the most controversial game I've worked on"
"A lot of the core board game audience is playing to master a system or demonstrate some kind of skill - that's not how I play games."
www.wargamer.com
November 7, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Here's Part Two of my recent interview with the ever-thoughtful @colewehrle.bsky.social . Expect rich ruminations on historical board games, the violation of player agency, and games that are meant to feel bad on the first playthrough: www.wargamer.com/molly-house/...
Reposted by Cole Wehrle
Apocalypse World: Burned Over
The 3rd edition of the groundbreaking original.
www.kickstarter.com
November 6, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Reposted by Cole Wehrle
Had a delightful chat with @colewehrle.bsky.social recently about the practical and artistic aspects of board game design, and the meaning it creates.
There were so many thoughtful threads of conversation to follow that I had to split the interview into two parts. www.wargamer.com/board-games/...
There were so many thoughtful threads of conversation to follow that I had to split the interview into two parts. www.wargamer.com/board-games/...
Modern board game maestro Cole Wehrle on getting mad, metaphor in game design, and future projects that are "Big with a capital B"
For Cole Wehrle, the designer behind Arcs, Root, and John Company, "games are not just their pieces" - they are an ongoing conversation.
www.wargamer.com
November 3, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Had a delightful chat with @colewehrle.bsky.social recently about the practical and artistic aspects of board game design, and the meaning it creates.
There were so many thoughtful threads of conversation to follow that I had to split the interview into two parts. www.wargamer.com/board-games/...
There were so many thoughtful threads of conversation to follow that I had to split the interview into two parts. www.wargamer.com/board-games/...
Reposted by Cole Wehrle
We're streaming tonight! Hang with the brothers Wehrle as we show off some dreams and schemes for the John Company Companion web app we're working on. Starting soon!
WehrlegigGames - Twitch
Publishing beautiful history board games. New projects coming soon and sporadic streams every once in a while. Pax Pamir ✧ John Company ✧ Molly House
www.twitch.tv
November 4, 2025 at 1:55 AM
We're streaming tonight! Hang with the brothers Wehrle as we show off some dreams and schemes for the John Company Companion web app we're working on. Starting soon!
It's the most magical time of the year. Outside the skies are gray and the air is cool. Meanwhile I'm cozied up in the office laying out punchboard for Oath: New Foundations while listening to true crime podcasts.
October 30, 2025 at 8:30 PM
It's the most magical time of the year. Outside the skies are gray and the air is cool. Meanwhile I'm cozied up in the office laying out punchboard for Oath: New Foundations while listening to true crime podcasts.
Come join Drew and Jo, and I for a mid-day game of MH on the lovely new BGA mod. www.twitch.tv/wehrlegiggames
@miasmacorp.bsky.social @wehrlegig.games
@miasmacorp.bsky.social @wehrlegig.games
October 29, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Come join Drew and Jo, and I for a mid-day game of MH on the lovely new BGA mod. www.twitch.tv/wehrlegiggames
@miasmacorp.bsky.social @wehrlegig.games
@miasmacorp.bsky.social @wehrlegig.games
That feeling when you're rushing to finish a complex project, helping run a Kickstarter, are midway through another design, and think that you might have time to learn a new game...
October 27, 2025 at 5:58 PM
That feeling when you're rushing to finish a complex project, helping run a Kickstarter, are midway through another design, and think that you might have time to learn a new game...
Reposted by Cole Wehrle
That's a wrap on the 10th Roguelike Celebration! Thanks for spreading the word and joining us! There's still time to check out our reprinting of ALL the roguelike celebration shirts, and to browse the Steam sale!
www.redbubble.com/people/rogue...
store.steampowered.com/curator/4122...
www.redbubble.com/people/rogue...
store.steampowered.com/curator/4122...
Roguelike Celebration Shop | Redbubble
Roguelike Celebration is an independent artist creating amazing designs for great products such as t-shirts, stickers, posters, and phone cases.
www.redbubble.com
October 27, 2025 at 1:47 AM
That's a wrap on the 10th Roguelike Celebration! Thanks for spreading the word and joining us! There's still time to check out our reprinting of ALL the roguelike celebration shirts, and to browse the Steam sale!
www.redbubble.com/people/rogue...
store.steampowered.com/curator/4122...
www.redbubble.com/people/rogue...
store.steampowered.com/curator/4122...
Reposted by Cole Wehrle
roguelike celebration is a good conference
October 26, 2025 at 9:34 PM
roguelike celebration is a good conference
It's time for the Roguelike Celebration! You'll find me wandering around the MUD and catching talks today. I'll be giving my presentation on Oath at 3:30 pm Central US Time. @roguelike.club
You can still get tickets. Come hang out!
You can still get tickets. Come hang out!
October 25, 2025 at 4:28 PM
It's time for the Roguelike Celebration! You'll find me wandering around the MUD and catching talks today. I'll be giving my presentation on Oath at 3:30 pm Central US Time. @roguelike.club
You can still get tickets. Come hang out!
You can still get tickets. Come hang out!
Come join Drew and I for a chat about the Company Archives!
www.twitch.tv/wehrlegiggames
www.twitch.tv/wehrlegiggames
WehrlegigGames - Twitch
Wehrlegig Year Ahead 2025
www.twitch.tv
October 24, 2025 at 1:06 AM
Come join Drew and I for a chat about the Company Archives!
www.twitch.tv/wehrlegiggames
www.twitch.tv/wehrlegiggames
We are now live! If you want to grab a copy of the new printings, now's your best chance.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/col...
This is also a bit of a strange campaign for us. To be honest, I don't even think I've ever been as nervous about a launch. I suppose that needs some explaining 🧵
www.kickstarter.com/projects/col...
This is also a bit of a strange campaign for us. To be honest, I don't even think I've ever been as nervous about a launch. I suppose that needs some explaining 🧵
John Company & Molly House Reprint
Two of the most evocative historical board games are back for a new print run.
www.kickstarter.com
October 21, 2025 at 2:39 PM
We are now live! If you want to grab a copy of the new printings, now's your best chance.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/col...
This is also a bit of a strange campaign for us. To be honest, I don't even think I've ever been as nervous about a launch. I suppose that needs some explaining 🧵
www.kickstarter.com/projects/col...
This is also a bit of a strange campaign for us. To be honest, I don't even think I've ever been as nervous about a launch. I suppose that needs some explaining 🧵
Reposted by Cole Wehrle
Hi all. A little clarification: the Purdue student journalists did OFFER to do this but "Unfortunately and understandably, the IDS declined the offer, fearing expulsion of its student leaders and more firings of its professional staff." They printed and delivered a statement of solidarity instead
Purdue to the rescue of IU student newspaper, whose institution was attempting censorship. Details in alt!
October 19, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Hi all. A little clarification: the Purdue student journalists did OFFER to do this but "Unfortunately and understandably, the IDS declined the offer, fearing expulsion of its student leaders and more firings of its professional staff." They printed and delivered a statement of solidarity instead
Reposted by Cole Wehrle
this rocks. when indiana edu killed the student newspaper, Purdue stepped up, printed the forbidden issue, drove it to Bloomington and stocked the boxes.
October 18, 2025 at 6:27 PM
this rocks. when indiana edu killed the student newspaper, Purdue stepped up, printed the forbidden issue, drove it to Bloomington and stocked the boxes.
I'm a proud IU alum of both COAS and what was once the Ernie Pyle School of Journalism. Every year it feels like it gets a little harder to recommend the school to prospective undergrads. I hope this decision is reversed before any further damage is done.
After years spent there learning the craft of journalism, I could not imagine a world where officials at the Indiana University Media School ordered the school newspaper, the Indiana Daily Student, not to print any news. Yet another sad development at a diminishing program. READ: loom.ly/kVhquyk
LETTER FROM THE EDITORS: IU fires student media director after he refused to censor the IDS
Indiana University directed the IDS to stop printing news.
loom.ly
October 15, 2025 at 8:31 PM
I'm a proud IU alum of both COAS and what was once the Ernie Pyle School of Journalism. Every year it feels like it gets a little harder to recommend the school to prospective undergrads. I hope this decision is reversed before any further damage is done.