Rolling Dice & Taking Names

Welcome to Tuesday, everyone. I hope your week is going better than mine. Yesterday, while washing dishes, I cut my right thumb fairly badly. With the options of a couple stitches or medical superglue, being a gamer, I went for the superglue. Unfortunately, it means I'm typing all this now without the use of my right thumb. It's... not fun. But the news must go on! And at the moment, that means getting you some podcasts to listen to. This week on the dial we have:

Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 230: EOTN – Egyptian Kings, 300 Earth & Water, Board Game News

Love getting the Empires of the North to the table and when a new expansion comes out, get very excited. Egyptians is the newest expansion and it feels different from all the rest. I also enjoy it when an expansion just flows and both these factions seemed to be easy to play to us. The engine you needed to build was right there and easy to grasp. If you enjoy Empires of the North, then this might be a must add

Two players games that involve strategic war battles are always something I enjoy, but the time to set up and play is sometimes a roadblock to getting a game to the table. But 300: Earth & Water is small footprint game that is fast to play and easy to understand. Based on the battle that most of us know from the movie 300, this game is around can the Greeks hold off the advance of the Persians over five rounds. If they do, they win. If the Persians can beat down the defenses, then they win.

Thanks for listening we do appreciate it

Game Classy Episode 235: Dominion Breakdown

Age of Sigmar Dominion unpacking and 3d printing

The Secret Cabal Episode 232: Monumental and Analysis Paralysis and Downtime

In today's episode the Founders jump into talking about a bunch of great games they’ve been playing and dive into a feature review of Monumental designed by Matthew Dunstan and published by Funforge. Tony T, as always, rounded up a list of the most important tabletop gaming news stories you'll find while the rest of the guys chatter away with their thoughts. Then finally the boys discuss Analysis Paralysis and Downtime and how it affects gameplay.

The D6 Generation Pip Episode 70: Organizing Your Geekary

Russ shares what furniture & techniques he & his oldest daughter chose to use to display his geekery.

Already Tuesday? Geeze. I have to say, yesterday basically felt like it evaporated out from underneath me. I remember looking at the clock and going, "Damn! It's already 4:30! What happened to today?" Ah well, considering we're making our way to a 3-day weekend here in the US, "burning as fast as we can through the week" isn't a bad thing. To continue to help it along, let's listen to some gaming podcasts while we work. This week on the dial we have:

Game Classy Episode 234: The part where we talk about Age of 3rd Ed is at the end.

Cursed City, Cartoons, Age of Sigmar 3rd

40K Radio Episode 65: Warhammer-Fest!

In this episode we talk about all the awesome reveals from Warhammer-Fest! Find out which reveals were out favorite and just how many people JF is willing to fight for a Beast Snagga box set!

Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 229: Vampire: The Masquerade Rivals and Vendetta, Mosaic

We are back into a card game with Vampire: The Masquerade Rivals. Save us now. So much to explore and the joy of deck building is just beginning. There will be more to come in the coming episodes.

If you need a fast area control game around a vampire theme, then Vendetta is worth playing. There was tension and moments of “you got to be kidding me”. Very nice game to end the evening on.

Mosaic is funded and even though we got the preview copy, we enjoyed seeing how this Glenn Drover game would work. It has simple mechanics at its core with fast action playing. It isn’t going to be one of the Civ games that last for hours. If you like Raccoon Tycoon, then go check on the Kickstarter.

The Secret Cabal Episode 231: Nidavellir, Chimera Station and a Short Topic Extravaganza

The Gang is back again for another dose of meshugenah nonsense and gaming chatter. Then Don, Chris and Jamie jump into a full review of Nidavellir designed by Serge Laget and look back at both Chimera Station and Star Trek Ascendency one year later. Tony T is all fired up to give you the most important net stories from round the gaming verse. The Founders round out the episode with a Short Topic Extravaganza.

The D6 Generation Pip 68: DM Academy 2 - What to keep behind the curtain

Raef interviews Russ on more Dungeon Master tips and tricks. We cover a variety of topics from how to keep from waisting prep work to what to keep behind the curtain.

I just got a big assignment, so it's going to be a rather busy week. But that also means it's going to be a fast one (more than likely). I'm going to need something good to listen to while I do all this writing, and some gaming podcasts perfectly fit the bill. This week on the dial we have:

The D6 Generation Pip Episode 66: Player Academy - Leveling

In this pip our band of Roleplay 8 Charisma players level their D&D characters up from level 3 to level 4. Listen to their thought processes and learn a few tips and tricks about leveling via Roll20.net virtual tabletop software.

Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 228: Cryo, Hadrian’s Wall, Rocketmen, The Game Face to Face, Gentle Rain, Bohnanza, Taste Test

Sometime there is just no need to complicate things. Why should you try and jam everything you can into a game, especially when tried and true mechanics work. And that is what we have with the games in this episode

Cryo is a very easy to follow worker placement, engine building game that doesn’t try and get fancy with those mechanics. In order to come out on top, you need to be strategic and pay attention to what others are doing at the table. You need to be thinking about your moves in advance and maybe giving up some efficiencies in order to benefit in later rounds. And while theme doesn’t seem strong in this game, it is there and makes the most of the concept of trying to save your crew before they perish when the sun goes down. It is a fast playing worker placement game

Hadrian’s Wall is not going to be a game where there is going to be interaction between players. You will be doing your thing and it is hard to keep track of what other players are doing. It might be tough to figure out who is ahead until the final round. But there is a feeling of accomplishment when you are able to combo move after move knowing that you have your engine working.

Vanessa is back on to help Marty explain The Game Face to Face, so just like you, can’t wait to hear this discussion. I will admit that I never got into The Game the first time, but very intrigue about a two player version.

Thanks for listening and all that voted for us in the BGG Golden Geeks this year, we really do appreciate the support.

The Secret Cabal Episode 230: Deranged and Returning to Normalcy

It's time for another dose of Secret Cabal Nonsense! Today the gang starts out by talking about their 10th anniversary and promoting their upcoming Kickstarter on June 2nd. Then they dive into the games they've been playing , Don, Steve and Jamie jump into a feature review of Deranged, Tony T gets busy with the biggest and best tabletop gaming news review of all time and the other Founders give their valued thoughts on the topics of the day. And finally, the gang gets into talking about all the great games they're excited to play now that we're all vaccinated up and ready to get back to gaming in person!

40K Radio Episode 64: More Previews

In this episode we catch up on all the latest from GW and speculate about what Warhammer Fest may bring!

Game Classy Episode 233: Stupid Cadian Bits

Stupid Cadian Bits and Stupid Cadian Bits fans

Polyhedron Collider Episode 98: Unlock Star Wars, Canvas and Iwari

Good news, we finally talk about board games on this board games podcast! Now that lockdown procedures in England have been ever so slightly loosened, the Polyhedron Collider boys brave the changeable UK weather to try and get some board games played in person. Steve and Sid play unlock Star Wars and get hustled by a four-year-old, while Andy paints us a picture of Canvas while wearing colourful underpants in Iwari.

Tuesday. The work week is fully underway. As always, I'm looking forward to the weekend. To help speed things along, I've got some gaming podcasts for you. That should do the trick, as should some new Mountain Dew flavors for me to try out. So, as I sip on that, I've got some gaming stuff going on as well. Today on the dial we have:

The D6 Generation Pip Epsidoe 63: DnD Live Session 21, Dwarven Reverse Psychology

Session 21 of our D&D live campaign in which the dwarves discover reverse psychology.

Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 227: After The Empire, Spartacus, Summoner Wars, Ashes Reborn, Warhammer Cursed City, Monster Hunter Rise

After the Empire took us by storm in in recent plays. I was very skeptical of what they were going to try and accomplish with this tower defense type game with worker placement. But it came through for me and did a wonderful job with the theme. Love when a game keeps the theme going through the turns, regardless of the actions you are taking.

Spartacus is a classic game that was never high on my list to play because of the Intrigue section. I had heard about how it was around negotiating with people, then maybe doing some backstabbing, so never really seemed like my type of game. However, glad I sat down with the new release and played it. I will say, how the intrigue plays out is definitely dependent on who is at the table. Our group isn’t strong players when it comes to that social mechanic, so the game took a bit to get up to speed, but we did get into it as the game went on. Glad I finally got it to the table.

Then there comes the rebirth of two card games that we had played in the past from Plaid Hat. It was good to see the changes Plaid Hat made and hope these games are successful for them.

Lords of the Dungeon Episode 49: Making Skills More Exciting and Our Favorite RPG Moments

In episode 49, Bender talks about his new Star Trek Adventures Campaign and Jamie and the gang discuss Cyberpunk Red. Then the Lords take a question from a listener regarding making game systems and skills more exciting. Then finally the group tells their favorite gaming stories and discuss why they were fun moments.

40K Radio Episode 63: Ork-Riding Squigs

In this episode we get to hear about Amy and JF’s Adepticon Painting challenge. We then lose Amy in the warp and take a look at the latest GW preview and find out just how many Squigs Riding Orks JF needs.

Have to admit, I have been thinking it's been Wednesday all day. Unfortunately, the week's not going by quite that fast. It's still only Tuesday. In order to help speed things along so that we can actually get to Wednesday and beyond, let's tune in to some gaming podcasts. This week on the dial we have:

Game Classy Podcast Episode 231: In depth review of Cursed City

Not so much in-depth as cursory

The Secret Cabal Episode 228: Res Arcana, Underwater Cities and a Short Topic Extravaganza

In a high tower, an Alchemist prepares potions, using vials filled with otherworldly fluids. In a sacred grove, a Druid grinds herbs for a mystical ritual. In the catacombs, a Necromancer summons a bone dragon... Welcome to the world of Res Arcana! In it, Life, Death, Elan, Calm, and Gold are the essences that fuel the art of magic. Choose your mage, gather essences, craft unique artifacts, and use them to summon dragons, conquer places of power, and achieve victory! Designed by Tom Lehmann and richly illustrated by Julien Delval, Res Arcana offers a unique gaming experience!

Polyhedron Collider Episode 97: Airbrushes, Books, more 5E and mail bag questions

Its been an odd few weeks. Lockdown may be drawing to an end but we still can't meet up to play games so our exploration of all things tabletop gaming is even more reflective and full of random nonsense than usual. We talk about using an airbrush to paint your miniatures, look at books based on our favourite board games, talk about Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) again and answer questions from the mail bag.

Offline Gamer Episode 62: A Year of Lockdown

We've been in lockdown for a year! We chat about what we've been playing, and Matt shares some exciting news about an oft-mentioned Kickstarter...

Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 226: The Initiative, Excavation Earth, Holi, War Chest: Siege The Key: Murder at the Oakdale Club, Heroclix Wonder Woman, Southern Rails, Holi

The Episode after the Award Show is always a tough one. We have to do work and not leave it to others. But we are pros and we put in the effort.

Many great games in this episode but the two we spend the most time on is The Initiative and Excavation Earth.

The Initiative is a coop legacy game that has simple mechanics and relies on the players to work closely together to solve the clue before the “time” runs out. There isn’t a clock to worry about, but the draw deck is the timer and adds a push your luck element to the game. Puzzles are not Escape Room hard, but challenging enough to give the players a sense of accomplishment when solved.

Excavation Earth takes simple mechanics and forces the players to really think ahead on their turn for the entire round. On your turn, if you get out of sequence or someone messes up your plan, you need a good Plan B as well. This may not be the game for people who like a bit more freedom during their turn or you don’t like to pivot once a plan is put in motion

And we're back to Tuesday. The middle section of the work week is here. I hope your Monday went well and your week's rolling along nicely. To help keep things make their way towards the weekend, we've got our regular couple podcasts to share. Note: if you have a favorite podcast you'd like added to the weekly Radio listings, be sure to drop us a line either in a comment or at news@tabletopgamingnews.com. But anyway, this week on the dial we have:

Game Classy Episode 230: A Day Late

Joe has new tech and there are Vampires

The Secret Cabal Express Episode 71: The Cost and Value of Board Games

In episode 71 Tony, Jamie and Don discuss the components, gameplay, designer credit, publisher and many other factors that contribute to the cost of and perceived value of board games.

The Secret Cabal Episode 227: Hallertau, Clinic and The Founders Play Insider

The Hallertau in Bavaria, Germany is the largest continuous hop-producing region in the world. It prides itself upon being the first in Middle Europe to cultivate hops. This game is set around 1850, when the Hallertau became what it is today. As chief of a small Bavarian village in the Hallertau, your objective is to increase its wealth and prestige in the eyes of the world. To achieve this, you will need to supply the local crafts folk with goods from agriculture and sheep breeding.

Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 225: 6th Annual Squirrelly Awards

It’s our 6th Annual Squirrelly Awards! We pick some of our favorite games from 2020 to present the coveted (haha) Squirrelly Award. Our friends from everywhere are coming in to help out. We are challenged this year with all the safety protocols that we must follow, but it will not keep us from having fun and recognizing some incredible games.

Thanks for listening

This week is already literally going by faster than most because Sunday was an hour shorter for us here in the US. Of course, that meant I was shorted an hour of weekend. I'm not a fan of that. But, it'll be the weekend again soon enough, I suppose. And to help it get here quicker, some gaming podcasts should do the trick. This week on the radio we have:

Lords of the Dungeon Episode 48: Where Did It All Go Wrong?

In episode 48, Jamie tries to justify pledging to the Zombicide Undead or Alive Kickstarter by asking the gang if they'd like to play in an old west roleplaying game like Deadlands... so he can use the miniatures. Then the Lords take a question from a listener regarding arguments in the group resulting campaign gridlock. And finally, the gang talks about Where Did It All Go Wrong? When campaigns, players and game masters screw up, make bad choices or just walk the wrong way and it all goes downhill from there.

Game Classy Episode 229: Free Video Games

Steve talks about free games and such

Polyhedron Collider Episode 96: Small World, Exit and Tainted Grail

Within deep rabbit hole distractions of burning kettles and humorously shaped biscuits, we discuss a plethora of board game and tabletop roleplaying gaming (TTRPG) news, as well as Kickstarter funding goals. We also take a deeper look at an old favourite of Smallworld, play some escape rooms at home with the EXIT games from Kosmos and explore Arthurian legends in Tainted Grail from Awaken Realms.

Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 224: Maglev Metro, Rapa Nui, In a Nutshell

Only two games in the episode with a deep review? Well, we spent a bunch of time on them and didn’t want to just cram the episode full and cut out important items we wanted to cover. Plus, there was some news to share with you that you might have missed, needed to make sure we covered those items as well.

Maglev Metro by Bezier Games is a pickup deliver game that enhances the actions you take as you play. You can modify the amount of a specific action you take. For instance, you want to build track, the more robots you put in this action, the more track you can build. And since there are a bunch of actions that all can be modified, you will shift much of your concentration away from building of tracks and stations to how to optimize those actions to help you score the points at the end of the game. So, if you are thinking why do I need another train pickup and deliver game, take a look at how you have to manipulate the actions to be successful in this game.

Rapa Nui is a mystery on how something so simple in mechanics can quickly become very strategic as you play. This game could be considered entry level due to those simple mechanics and easy teach, but as you play, you will start seeing little nuggets of the strategy. Strategies such as claiming key locations on the map to gain resources while benefiting others. Thinking how to use other peoples locations to help you on your turn. Or strategically holding back in hopes that maybe next round you will benefit from someone else’s play during the current round.

Thanks for listening and the next episode is our Squirrely’s

My Monday went by quick and it didn't really feel like a Monday. So, it was kind of strange to be like, "oh, it's Tuesday. Time to make a Podcast Radio post." But Tuesday it is. So, let's make the week go by even faster with some gaming podcasts to listen to while we work.

Game Classy Episode 228: I Tap Marneeoos Coolguy

and 3d printing kickstarters

Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 223: Carpe Diem, Royal Visit, Cloudage, Sagani, Block and Key

The wives come back and bail us out once again. Vanessa discusses her thoughts on the re-release of the game Royal Visit. Donna shares her opinion on the tile laying game Sagani.

We also talk about the game Carpe Diem which is in its third release. Sometimes you just need a game that is simple to play and it’s easy to get to the table. Not saying that the game isn’t strategic or thought provoking it’s just nice to keep things simple on gameplay.

Marty also convinces me that I need spent more money over at Kickstarter by talking about Block and Key. While I am not much on spatial relations, this does sound like a very enjoyable and strategic game. Unfortunately I missed out on the play of Cloudage but Marty definitely shares his thoughts and how that game went.

Thanks for listening and see you in a couple of weeks.

The Secret Cabal Express Episode 70: Mystery Board Games with Dan King the Game Boy Geek

In episode 70 Jamie and Steve welcome Honorary Founder Dan King the Game Boy Geek to talk about Dan's currently running Kickstarter Campaign, his causal game recommendations for Jamie's family, Jamie's top three Dan King recommendations and Mystery Board Games.

The Monday of the year (January), is over. And the Monday of the week is also over. We're into the work week and the year proper now. Can we speed both along with some gaming podcasts? Well, they can't hurt. This week on the dial we have:

Game Classy Episode 226: Roo Elves

Apologies for Steve's audio

Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 221: At the Table with Sara Erickson, Renegade Game’s VP of Sales and Marketing

For this At the Table, we are joined by the incredible, amazing Sara Erickson from Renegade Games. Marty had to keep me on track because this one could have gone on for a very long time. Sara’s background working in a lab was beyond educational and we could have just kept going on about her work. But we do get over the board games and her history in the industry. She has so much knowledge to share and experiences that if you are thinking about getting into the industry, pay attention to her. She also has the vision to keep the industry growing and knowing what it will take to make a game a success. Sara said something very important during the interview that a game is more than a game, it is the community around the game that is so important. Completely agree

Hope you enjoy listening to this very special interview with Sara Erickson, VP Sales and Marketing at Renegade Games

Polyhedron Collider Episode 94: 2021's Most Anticipated Table Top Games

Its the beginning of the year, so its time to look forward to following 12 months and the table top games we are hoping to play in 2021. We'll be running down of the board games and table top roleplaying games we are looking forward to playing over the next year, as well as get our listeners to tell us their most anticipated games.

The Secret Cabal Express Episode 69: Theme, Lore and Backstory in Tabletop Games

In episode 69 Jamie, Steve and Aaron start out by talking about some video games they've been playing lately including, Slay the Spire and Hell Let Loose and transion into a long discussion about how theme, lore and backstory can enrich the gameplay of many tabletop games.

Tuesday. We've made it into the real meat of the work week. Hopefully, yours has gotten off to a good start. Mine's been comfortably busy. So, that should make it go by quickly. You know what will also help? Some gaming podcasts to listen to while proofing. This week on the dial we have:

The Secret Cabal Episode 223: Aliens: Another Glorious Day in the Corps and A Short Topic Extravaganza

Aliens: Another Glorious Day in the Corps! is a co‑operative survival board game in which you and your team of specialist Colonial Marines will gear up with serious firepower and head into Hadley's Hope to find survivors and answers. But you're not alone. To survive, you'll need to work together, keep your cool, and stay frosty to fight off relentless Xenomorph ambushes and get out of there alive. Players can play up to six different missions, taking them into different areas from the Hadley’s Hope terraforming facility to the deep, dark recesses of an xenomorph nest. Aliens also offers an exciting campaign mode to play four of the missions linked together, so players will need to fight relentless xenomorph attacks and keep each other alive all the way to the end of the campaign. The remaining two missions are purely about survival, it’s kill or be killed. The players are dropped into the game with nothing more than a pistol. They will need to scavenge weapons and gear while hordes of Xenomorph aliens are trying to get at them. How long can you survive against the odds?

Exploding Dice Radio Episode 16

For Episode 16 of the EDR Podcast, Andy and Josh dig into all of the juicy Dystopian Wars 3.0 announcements Warcradle has recently made. Later, they discuss how the Firestorm Armada Beta rules are progressing.

The Offline Gamer Episode 60: The Tables Have Turned...

It's interviewer turned interviewee this episode, as for a change Matt is the one in the spotlight as Bez asks all the questions.

Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 220: Hallertau, Seeders from Sereis: Exodus, Renature, Aliens, Redcap Ruckus

An episode that is full of games, family, and Dew. Yeap, we got a taste test for you. It seems Mt. Dew released a new favor called Major Melon and we had to give it a try. I would have thought they would have held off until the summer because it is based on a watermelon flavor, but they didn’t ask our opinion. Hope you get a chance to try it, because it different.

From the game standpoint, we got games we enjoyed to the table, a game that is just silly fun, and one we disagree on. The later is an example where a mechanic, no matter how good the game is, isn’t something you would enjoy. We all have those games and that is what is great about board games. If one doesn’t float your boat, there only a gazillion more out there that might. Face facts, there is a game you really enjoy and others dislike. But that is okay because there is one where everybody likes it. So, find that game and have an fun, relaxing night because you deserve it.

The Connell boys have returned and share their opinions on a game and keep their father straight. What is it about our kids, they just love to torment and make fun of us when they come on the show. I guess that is why people enjoy them participating.

Thank you for listening and please be safe and well

I know. I know. Podcast Radio is usually on Tuesdays. But I wanted to get through the bit of back-log of stories from over the holiday break. I've gotten most of them posted and have started working on the new stuff as companies wake back up from their New Years vacation. So, you get a Podcast Radio on a Wednesday. The week's already half over. Let's make it go by a little quicker by listening in on some gaming podcasts. This week on the dial we have:

Game Classy Episode 224: Slaaneshy

Slaanesh stuff is talked about

Polyhedron Collider Episode 93: The Best Games of 2020

Aliens, bins on fire and memory foam arse prints! It can only be the Polyhedron Collider best game of 2020 podcast! We look back at the last 12 months and pick our favourite games we've played this year as well as some other dubious awards and of course our game of the year.

The D6 Generation Pip Episode 56: 2020 Predictions Episode

Craig, Russ, & Raef "Hollywood" Granger are back with another predictions episode.

We take a look at the predictions we made way back in December 2019 and see how many we got right.  

Then we look ahead to 2021, what will the future bring?

Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 218: Gates of Mara, The King is Dead, Rococo Deluxe, Whistle Mountain, Anniversary Survey

It has been eight years since we started this podcast. Amazing, unreal, really, why are often words we hear when we mention this fact. No matter what the answer is, we are still around and hope to continue for a few more years. But with every anniversary show, we give you, the listener, the opportunity to wins some prizes. So be sure to listen on how you can be a winner. The sure way is to fill out the survey.

Once we get through all the anniversary talk, we have four games to talk about and what is wild is that two of them have area control. But the similarities between games continue. Two games are also remakes of the originals. Funny how that worked out.

Thank you again for taking time to listen to our podcast and hope you are safe and healthy as we go into 2021

The Offline Gamer Episode 59: Is 2020 Over Yet?

Back to normal this month, before our review of the year coming up in our next episode. What we've been playing is unsurprisingly a certain newly released PC game...

40K Radio Episode 60: Battle Forge Beta Banter

In this episode we take a look at the Decadence and Decay preview and speculate over what the Advent Rumor Engine is showing us. We then discuss our first impressions of the Battle Forge army list building tool in the 40K app.

Whoof. You know, it's one thing for it to be Thursday or even Wednesday and you're like, "Woo! It's Friday! ... ... wait..." Yesterday, I had a Monday like that. I guess I'm really ready for this vacation I've got coming up. Ah well. Something that will help us get to that Friday faster will be listening to some gaming podcasts. I'm sure y'all can use a break from the holiday music, anyway. Today on the dial we have:

Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 217 Cthulhu Wars: Duel

We have a special episode releasing today in order to tell you about an unannounced Petersen Games. Many of you are probably aware of their successful kickstarter from 2013 called Cthulhu Wars. Today, Petersen Games released a two player version called Cthulhu Wars: Duel and we were lucky enough to get a chance to play it before the release. This was a fun, quick miniatures style game where you are racing to be the first person to 30 victory points. However, while it is quick to play, there is strategy and tactics on every turn along with the constant thinking ahead on what to do next. The moves made by your opponent could drastically change your plans and even adjust your overall strategy.

This game includes standees, but that is a plus in my opinion. It keeps the cost down and makes it accessible. You can always upgrade the components later, but what a great way to try this out and decide if it is a game for you.

Big thanks to Petersen Games for letting us have a copy and share our thoughts

Lords of the Dungeon Episode 45: Fantasy Grounds, Maturing as Gamers and Collaborative Worldbuilding

In episode 45 the Lords start out by updating their throughs on online gaming during the pandemic and talk about the software they've been using to game - Fantasy Grounds on Steam. Then the gang takes a question from a listener about maturing as a role player - Where as it used to be fun to fight and argue during game, it's not more fun to get along and be cooperative. Then the show is closed with a discussion about Collaborative Worldbuilding and how it might inject some much-needed energy into a group that's showing some lockdown fatigue.

The D6 Generation Pip Episode 55: DM Acadamy

Raef "Hollywood" Granger joins in a special guest appearance to interview Russ on his approach to being a Dungeon Master in 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons.

Polyhedron Collider Episode 92: Battlestar Galactica, Star Wars Rebellion, D&D 5E

Scraping the barrel of what's been played, the boys from the PHC piece together a fresh episode from the ashes of 2020. While talking about the rumoured new Arkham Horror game, we reminisce about the great Battlestar Galactica. Andy and Steve then talk about a recent play of Star Wars Rebellion.

Tuesday. The work week's fully underway. The long-weekend-itis (at least here in the US) is hopefully over with and we can get properly into the rest of the week. But as you finally unbury yourself from an inbox full of emails that loaded up over the long weekend, what will you listen to? How about some gaming podcasts. This week on the dial we have:

Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 215: Dune Imperium, Shores of Tripoli, Lord of the Rings Anniversary Edition, Blue Skies

Dune Imperium from Dire Wolf is the next big Deck Builder that is out for this year. The key difference with this game is you are trying to gain 10 victory points which will trigger the end of the game. You are not just trying gather the most victory points or beat down your opponents. You’re placing agents on the board having them to perform actions that allow you to either gather resources or dispatch troops in your garrison so they can compete in a conflict. The cards in your hands will dictate where you can place your agents on the board and once used, cannot be used to purchase cards from the supplies. Tough decisions will need to be made on how to use your hand of cards. This game can be tense at times and you will have moments where other players will ruin your plans by beating you to get points on the board.

LOTR is a classic cooperative game that is simple to play but is going to beat you more than let you win. The person we played with stated that in all his plays, he has yet to win. I would be surprised if that as you near the end of the game and winning is in your grasp, one miscalculation in card play could be the doom of the fellowship. Probably one item that will turn people off is the player elimination, so be sure you are aware of that.

Shores of Tripoli, touch to find right now, is a solid two player game that provides strategic card play and the luck of the dice. If you wanted a little bit more randomness that what was afford in Watergate, then consider playing this one if you can find a copy. If you think about it, ship battles during that time were kind of random. Shooting canons at moving targets in open water was a challenge.

Blue Skies from Rio Grande is a introductory area control game where you must strategically decide how to adjust victory points of the other players based on the gates you claim at airports and the passenger cards you play. This game can suffer from a runaway leader if not kept in check by the other players, so you need to be aware of how people are managing their gates as well as their control.

Thanks for listening and as the year comes to a close, we will once again be doing a survey to help us make 2021 the best year for background noise.

The Secret Cabal Express Episode 67: Trend Setters and Unique Board Games For Your Collection

In episode 67 Don and Jamie get together to talk about board games that set the trends and revolutionized board game design and some that have stood the test of time and some that have faded into obscurity. Then we list of some of the most unique games we have played that you might want to add to your collection.

The D6 Generation Pip Episode 54: DnD Live Megasode - Zombie Ethics (Sessions 12-14)

It's our first DnD live megasode! 3 sessions in one, long form audio episode. Almost 5 hours of content!  

• What exactly is the trouble at Owl Well?
• Can you morally raise the dead?
• Is there always treasure at the bottom of a well?

40k Radio Episode 59: All the 40K

In this episode we take a look at the latest releases for 40K. We discuss Tactical Deployment, Beyond the Veil, and take a look at some other GW releases we are looking forward to!

Polyhedron Collider Episode 91: The Godfather, Arkham Horror: Final Hour and Alien: Destroyer of Worlds

With lockdown in full swing we've had to go back in time to talk about the some board games. Andy sends Steve to sleep with the fishes in The Godfather: Corleone's Empire and then try and banish the elder gods in Arkham Horror: Final Hour.

We then talk about the latest cinematic module for Alien the Roleplaying Game, Destroyer of Worlds and all agree that its quickly becoming our game of the year.

We round of the episode with a delve into the mailbag and talk about solo games and playing games over video. And by the way the name of the game Steve couldn't remember was Onirim.

Tuesday. The work week's middle section starts now. Well, it started this morning. But we're well into it now. I'm hoping for a quick one, as usual, though beyond just wanting a weekend, I'm excited about next week. So, to help speed things along, lets listen to some gaming podcasts. This week on the dial we have:

Polyhedron Collider Episode 90: Back to the Future, Agemonia and Lost Ruins of Arnak

Andy, Sid and Steve brace themselves for Lockdown 2 with another episode full of tabletop gaming chat. We celebrate our victory at a recent escape room before casting our eye over Agemonia, Back to the Future Dice Through Time and Lost Ruins of Arnak.

A question from our listeners leads to a discussion on the merits of virtual tabletop platforms such as Roll20 and Foundry and we reminisce over are best and worst RPG moments.

Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 213: At the Table with Kim-Joy

For the past few years, Vanessa and I have loved watching the TV Series, Great British Baking Show. This is reality cooking show from the BBC that has some really entertaining judges, hosts and contestants. One of our favorite contestants is Kim-Joy who was a finalist on the show. Not only is she a great baker and author but she is also a board gamer and is in the process of designing a board game with Skybound Games!

Tuesday. We're into the work-week proper. Things are continuing along, hopefully as they should for you. And hopefully not all that stressful. I've got Take Five playing, so that's nice and relaxing. But I'm about to swap over to some gaming podcasts, as I am wont to do on Tuesdays. What am I listening to? Glad you asked. This week, on the dial, we have:

The Secret Cabal Episode 218: Lost Ruins of Arnak, Everdell and A Short Topic Extravaganza

It's time for another wild and crazy episode of The Secret Cabal! And today the gang takes a look at a slew of games including Haunted Mansion Call of the Spirits, Barrage, Curious Cargo, Small World and Black Orchestra. Then Chris and Jamie feature review Lost City of Arnak from CGE and the whole gang looks back at Everdell from Starling Games one year later. Then after Tony T regales us with his informative news segment, the guys take questions from the listeners including our favorite game mechanisms, how to pick a game without wasting time and are app driven games good in the long term.

Game Classy Episode 220: Trump lost the popular vote twice

I missed the first 30 minutes due to being distracted by the President race being called. Sorry.

The D6 Generation Pip Episode 53: DnD Live Session 11

Wait...how many side quests did we just pick up? Our heroes are overwhelmed with requests from the local villagers now that they have proved their worth. They decide on a course of action and head out to Owl Well on route to Thundertree.

Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 213: Lost Ruins of Arnak, Tawantinsuyu,Tekhenu, Deep State, World of Tanks

Truly believe that the Lost Ruins of Arnak should be added to your shelves if you enjoy Clank. This game requires manipulating card combos that allow for you to gain resources that give the ability to generate end game victory points. You have to have a solid strategy as cards are revealed. You will need to make some hard decisions as you try and figure out what is the best payoff in the limited turns that you have in this game. Hope you get a chance to play this.

Tekhenu and Tawantinsuyu are games that will overwhelm at first and are not ones that after the first play you will feel like you played your best. These games are the ones that make you go back and wonder if you had just done this, would you have done better. If you enjoy games with dice that are meant to control decisions, then Tekhenu is something worth considering but be ready for a involved teach. Tawantinsuyu has a great player aid and while things are right before you, how it all comes together may take some time and multiple plays. Both games are a challenge and we have our favorite between the two, but that is just preference of the mechanics.

I'm tired. Just all the tired. I need to be getting more sleep. But I also have a new roommate in the form of a cat and we're still trying to figure out each-other's schedules and such. I also have a ton of stuff to get done. So, to keep myself awake, I have some Mountain Dew and I also have some podcasts to listen to. Let's see what's on the dial for this week:

The Secret Cabal Episode 217: Paranormal Detectives, Abomination The Heir of Frankenstein and Nightmare Gaming Stories

Muwahahahaha! It's Halloween again and ghoulish Founders are back to give you a spooky episode filled with Halloweeny games for you to enjoy. Today we look at Horrified, Friday the 13th: Horror at Camp Crystal Lake, Name 5, Dire Alliance, Dead Man’s Cabal and Armata Strigoi! Then Don and Jamie give a horrifying review of Paranormal Detectives from Lucky Duck Games and the gang looks back at Abomination The Heir of Frankenstein from Plaid Hat Games. Then after Tony T delivers the frightening news cast the ghoulies retell some nightmare gaming stories!

Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 212: Guild Master, Raiders of Scythia, Seastead, AH – Under Dark Waves, My City, Overlight Puzzle

Every year we are given the opportunity to find a game that just floors us. Last year, we loved City of the Big Shoulders. This year, Guild Master has done the same thing, just taken our breath away. It is simple and elegant in how it plays. It provides tension and interaction without being complicated. And most importantly it has dice. We hope you get a chance to play it, we are looking forward to getting it back on the table.

Seastead is a two player game that isn’t one of those fast table fillers while waiting for a game to finish. It has meat to it and feels like a chess match at times. Here you have to be very strategic in how to claim victory points for the win because you can mess up and give the win to your opponent if not careful.

Raiders of Scythia is a reimplementation of Raiders of the North Sea and as you will hear, one that would we really enjoyed and prefer over the other. While it is a game that is plays very similar, the removal of certain elements really speed the game up and hone in on the important aspects that we enjoy.

And the wives have returned for game reviews and the Puzzle segment is back. Be sure and enter the contest to win the Renegade Puzzle Overlight. You can find the form here.

And we're into Tuesday. I'm still adjusting to life with a cat. It's not bad. I've had pets before. Just learning the personality of Catcat as well as she's learning mine. Meanwhile, I'm still working on all the things. Lots of proofreading. Today some writing. And while I do it, I'll be listening to some gaming podcasts. So, let's see what's on the dial for this week.

Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 210: Honey Buzz, Cartographers Heroes, MTV Party Game, The Few & Cursed, Betrayal at House on the Hill

Two games took what we know about certain mechanics and expect from those mechanics and changed them up on us causing a pause for a moment. Honey Buzz took the standard worker placement/tile placement mechanics and meshed them together into a programming game that looking back, requires more planning than originally done. This game’s core idea of you get to do actions when you complete a honeycomb makes you have to really think ahead toward future moves. It is very deceptive in the play and easy to miss if not careful.

The second game, The Few & Cursed, changed up the deck building concepts for us. When you deck build, you look for getting cards that provide a synergy to your hand. The Few & Cursed doesn’t work that way due to the random draw that you get. You have to work on the synergy by acquiring cards at the store that build up your character and then play/store cards from your hand to help you in your quests. So, it isn’t the same as most deck builders where you just empty your hand, buy cards, discard and draw new ones. You have to put some strategy in how to play cards, how to move and get into position and then unless unholy damage on the Cursed. Once again, a different mindset was needed.

Thanks for listening and come back in a week where the Daviau’s come and join us At The Table or whatever we are going to call the new segment.

Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 211: At the Table with Lindsay and Rob Daviau

We are trying something new with this unexpected release. You would think after eight years, we would learn not to try new things, but sometimes something comes along that is to good not to try. We are going to try and bring our guests on as an independent release and not make them part of the normal show release schedule. This will help us with time management and also provide us not to feel rushed when we are having a great conversation.

We are also going to try and bring on people beyond designers and publishers. We are hoping to bring artists, writers, production people on to give you an inside look at what it takes to bring a game to your table.

We are very lucky to have Lindsay Daviau join us in this inaugural episode. Lindsay is a Graphic artist at Restoration Games and has an amazing background in the board gaming industry that I am bet you were not aware of. She makes the game flow and make sense. We also “let” Rob sit in and discuss Pandemic Legacy 0, so be sure and hang around for that.

Also interested in feedback and hope you enjoy our latest adventure.

The Offline Gamer Episode 57: Raise Your Game

It's been a while since we've done a regular episode, so this month we just have a catchup of what we've been playing since last time. Also, Matt is doing a board game Twitch stream at the end of October for the Raise Your Game event run by Dementia UK. For more information see justgiving.com/fundraising/qbie

Lords of the Dungeon Episode 43: Jess’ Campaign, Warhammer FRP Training and Dealing with the Randomness

In episode 43, we start out talking to Jess about taking over their Dungeons and Dragons Ravenloft campaign and what a Cameltaur is. Then we discuss our first training session using the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th edition game system. And finally, the gang discusses randomness in role playing games and how to handle it when bad luck gets out of hand.

Polyhedron Collider Episode 89: Escape the Dark Sector, Tekhenu and D&D Essentials Kit

Andy, Sid and Steve pour themselves a beer, dry off their socks and sit down for another 90 minutes of tabletop gaming chat.

We review 80s inspired adventure game Escape the Dark Sector, melt our tiny little minds with Tehkenu and go regale you with our spoiler free thoughts of the Dungeons and Dragons Essentials Kit and its Dragon of Icespire Peak adventure for D&D 5th edition.

Tuesday. We've made it into the work week proper. Hopefully, your Monday wasn't overly-Monday-like. Mine was chill. Stuff to work on, but nothing crazy. Just busy enough to make the day go by, which is exactly how I like it. And while I've been continuing to enjoy my Type O Negative station on Pandora, it's time to get some gaming podcasts in your ears. Let's see what's on the dial this week.

Game Classy Episode 217: Toot Toot Heroquest!

boat games, Heroquest, Godtear, and 3d printing.

D6 Generation Pip Episode 50: DnD Live Session 8

Our DnD live session 8 finds our heroes working through the red brand hideout. Will they survive it or will it survive them?

Polyhedron Collider Episode 88: Tellstones, Star Scrappers Orbital, and Heart RPG

Join us in welcoming the newest member of the PHC family, Sid, as he joins us to discuss the new Heroquest, Canadian board game cafes and not being able to hold our alcohol anymore.

He then into some in depth chat about Tellstones, the latest game from Mechs vs Minions studio Riot games; Star Scrapper Orbital the upcoming Kickstarter from Hexy Studio; and Heart: The City Beneath, a crazy game about going deeper underground.

The Offline Gamer Podcast Episode 56: We're 5 Years Old!

Who'd have thought it, we've been doing this for five years! In this episode we look back over the past five years, as well as borrow a format from another podcast and discuss our top ten board games in our collection.

Lords of the Dungeon Episode 42: Star Trek Adventures Post Mortem and Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Pre-Game

In episode 42, The Lords start out by discussing their Star Trek adventures 3 part campaign and decide whether they enjoyed the system or not and why, take a question from a listener regarding tracing their origins of when they got into roleplaying games and finish off by discussing their next campaign in the Old World using Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th edition.

Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 209: Tammany Hall, EOTN-Barbarians, Warp’s Edge, Ohanami, Yukon Airways, Silver Dagger, Tellstones, Yukon Airways, Rise of Red Skull

We had a penalty on this episode, False start. So be sure to pay attention at the end if you can make it that long. According to Marty, there was a bunch of stuff going on about review of Tellstones and how some reviews are negative and some are positive and how people are saying that the negative reviews have integrity over the positive reviews. Whatever. It is a memory game and if you like those types of games, especially if they are quick and simple, then you might like this. If you are like me and short term memory is being challenged, then you might really need to consider this game. Weigh the good with the bad and see if it is worth your time. And both the wives enjoy this type of game.

Now Tammany Hall is an old game and one we never got to play until the re-release. Game with simple actions wrapped in warm, soft strategy, no wonder it is a favorite of so many. However, we didn’t experience the backstabbing because I believe the player count (3 people) kept that from happening. If you like the area control style games, you might want to give this a play but be warned, you will have to remember what the actions are so memory is involved

Empires of the North Barbarians was a good expansion to get on the table. Love the interaction that these clans provided to the game versus the head down do your own thing. Silver Dagger expansion gets back to the roots in Silver line and thankfully it does. We can see where bringing some of these cards over to the original set would create more mayhem than already exists with this memory game.

Well, after a short week last week, we've got a regular-sized one this time around. I hope yours is starting off alright. I've got all sorts of shipments of hot sauce coming in and had a chance to try Voo-Dew 2020 the other day. So, that's fun. I'm hoping to get back to the weekend quickly, despite not having any games lined up. It'll be alright, though. But, in the meantime, let's get you some podcasts to listen to.

The Secret Cabal Express Episode 64: The Impact of Artwork, Graphic Design and Components on the Gaming Experience

In episode 64 Tony, Chris and Jamie discuss the impact that great artwork, stellar graphic design elements, components and the entire cohesive production of a tabletop game has on the experience of the players. We go into the emotions they trigger and the immersion generated.

Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 208: Nevada City, Yedo Deluxe, Crypt Hunters, Tournament at Avalon, Mercado de Lisboa, Meeple Towers

Another episode of games where we talk about the remake of some great ones and a couple of new ones. It seems that we were on Worker Placement kick. Yedo has been a favorite of mine, so was very happy to get this classic game to the table. The Deluxe version is amazing with the upgraded player boards, meeples, artwork and so forth. The revamp of 7 Wonders lives up to what was shared in the press release. It is easier to explain and help people understand the ability to build for free. 7 Wonders is still a favorite and appreciate the upgrade.

Trick taking games are what Marty and I started playing in college. So when a game with that mechanic hits the table, takes us back. When Marty put Tournament at Avalon on the table and said it is an anti-trick game, had my doubts. Luckily for him, it lived up to the excitement as he taught the rules. Not sure all the special powers, but that is just part of the game.

Nevada City is another worker placement with the theme of building a town in the Old West. The game is different enough that it should not be overlooked if you get a chance to play it. It was one of those games that when done, you ask yourself, how could I have done that different so that I could have had more points. Given the opportunity, I would put this back on the table because it is not a hard game to teach, got some timing tricks that might be hard for people to grasp, but still worth the effort to play.

Game Classy Episode 216: Return to the Old World

space marines, and fantasy battles tactica

Jumping straight into Tuesday this week. I hope those of you that had Monday off had a good day (I basically slept all damn day). And to those that had to work, I at least hope it was a relatively easy day. But, seeing as it's already Tuesday, that means we need to get some gaming podcasts on the speakers so we can make the rest of the week go by quickly. So, let's get to it.

Polyhedron Collider Episode 87: Raiders of the North Sea, Under Falling Skies, Streets

Jon claws his way out of his baby-induced sleep-deprived fog to join Andy and Steve for another hour and a bit of top board game banter. In the news we explore Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything and the UK Games Expo Awards.

We then take a deep look at Viking themed Raiders of the North Sea, protect the world from invading aliens in Under Falling Skies and become property moguls in Streets, the new game from the developers of Villagers.

Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 207: Alma Mater, Small World of Warcraft, Detective Season One, Mariposas, Rome & Roll, Truffle Shuffle, Blinks

Having been players of Warcraft, Marty and I looked forward to the reskin of Small World with the World of Warcraft theme. Marty was never a big fan of Small World and I could never get people to play because they just didn’t enjoy trying to learn the powers and races and then they would change around the next time we played. So, will Small World of Warcraft be something different or more of the same. One thing was clear after our plays, we enjoyed the reskin for sure. If anything, it took us back to our days of playing the MMORPG and what we experienced. And if a game can create that, than congrats.

Alma Mater is one of those games where you hope the expectations that you have are not dashed against the rocks. It has the pedigree and we enjoy those games before it. The short of it, we will play it anytime. The economy in this game is the big selling point for me. Love how it adjusts and changes and how the players seem to have a lot of control over it. Might be not as much as I imagine, but still, very enjoyable.

Detective Season One is a nice quick version of the award winning game Detective. Here is 90 minutes of a cooperative game that moves quickly and makes sure everyone is involved. Another example of a great way to reskin a game and make it accessible for everyone.

Appreciate the listen and hope you are still safe and healthy

The Secret Cabal Episode 214: Ride the Rails, Era The Medieval Age and A Short Topic Extravaganza

Alrighty Cabalists, Wednesday is back and it's time for some wild Cabal action! today we start out with a review of the documentary film called World of Darkness about White Wolf Games and then jump into some games we're playing including: Expedition to Newdale, Modern Art The Card Game, Unspeakable Words, The Voyages of Marco Polo, Mysterium, and Five Tribes. Then we dive into a feature review of Capstone Game's Ride the Rails and a lookback at Era The Medieval Age from Eggertspiele. Tony T goes bananas with the best damn tabletop gaming news segment ever put to MP3. And finally, the gang tackles from questions from listeners including: do you attack the guy can screw you out of winning? Do you get agitated when stuff you like becomes popular? and unique game recommendations?

The D6 Generation Pip Episode 48: DnD Live Session 7

Our DnD live play sessions continue. Two more players join as we all find out what rhythms with "Minotaur down!"

Tuesday. We're into the meat of the work-week. Hopefully, your Monday went well. Mine seemed to drag on. But it did, eventually, come to an end. At least I had a good lunch. I made slow-cooked pork shoulder and have some amazing leftovers that I'll be munching on all week. And what will I be listening to as I enjoy my meals? Some gaming podcasts, of course.

This week on the dial we have: Lords of the Dungeon Episode 41: A Potpourri of Roleplaying Topics; Exploding Dice Radio Episode 14; Anonymous Tabletop Episode 44: Not Even “Remotely” Interesting; The Offline Gamer Episode 55: UKGE Virtually Expo 2020 Preview; and Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 206: Tekhenu, Pop-Tarts, Marvel Villainous, Yacht Rock, Last Defense, King & Assassins, Top 5 Card Games, Interview with David Thompson.

Lords of the Dungeon Episode 41: A Potpourri of Roleplaying Topics

In episode 41, The Lords dig into an entire hour of short topics all about role playing games. Discussion includes session duration, mundane encounters, the balance of roleplaying and combat, when players get bored, and more.

Exploding Dice Radio Episode 14

For Episode 14 of the EDR Podcast, Andy is joined once again by Josh! They discuss some newly announced information about Dystopian Wars 3.0, and then move on to discussing some of the concept art, background, and rules that have been revealed for Firestorm Armada ahead of the beta test later this year.

Anonymous Tabletop Episode 44: Not Even “Remotely” Interesting

Welcome to Anonymous Tabletop Episode 44.

In this shoot from the hip episode we find ourselves still isolated and once again have to Skype in the Crew, Patrick misplaces his moose hat when he sits in for a sick Tim, and Lathan buys some new toys to go with his brand new 3-D printing podcast.

Then, we discuss the perils of pre-ordering the new 40k, Katie turns up the volume on Pat when we talk podcast merchandising, and we prove that you get what you pay for when it comes to the quality of our show.

And finally, Katie starts a virtual garage sale to sell Dave’s stuff, we revisit Star Wars Mad Libs to see if the sequel proves worthy of the original, and we outsource Patrick’s job to Lathan when he finds it too hard to dig into Tim’s Sack. I don’t blame you Patrick, that thing makes me sick just thinking of it…

The Offline Gamer Episode 55: UKGE Virtually Expo 2020 Preview

It's almost here, the first ever virtual UK Games Expo! We take a look at what we can expect over the weekend of the 21st to 23rd August!

Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 206: Tekhenu, Pop-Tarts, Marvel Villainous, Yacht Rock, Last Defense, King & Assassins, Top 5 Card Games, Interview with David Thompson

Another long episode. Good thing we are not playing a bunch of games or this would be six hours. We get a visit for David Thompson, a Squirrelly Award winner, and he talks about his new game on Kickstarter called Sniper Elite. So, if you are wondering about backing this game, give him a listen and bypass the rest of the show. However, if you thought about picking up the games Yacht Rock, Pop-tarts, or Last Defense, then Vanessa and Marty talk about their likes and dislikes.

Marty and I also talk about other games we played this past week, just hate it wasn’t together. I got to play Marvel Villainous with my wife and while it may not been her game, I really like where Ravensburger went with this series. Time to get some strategy on while keeping the simple core mechanics. Then Marty talks about two games he know I would enjoy, King & Assassins and Tekhenu. Both I hope to get to play very soon.

Heck, I hope to get to play them all in the future.

Finally, we discuss our top 5 collectible card games. Sadly, most our out of print or will be out of print soon. We need something new. Oh wait, that leads to the discussion of Vampire: The Masquerade Rivals and Ashes 1.5

I hope everyone's Monday went well. Mine was busy, as I expected it to be. But that also meant it went by quick. I looked up and was like, "Oh, hey, it's already time to clock out." Always nice when that happens. Felt like a productive day, too. And to help you continue to be productive and make your days go by fast, let's get to some podcasts.

This week on the dial we have: The Secret Cabal Express Episode 62: The Three Amigos Play The This or That Game; The Offline Gamer Episode 54: A Chat with James Cook; Tabletop Talk Episode 84: Insider Insight Through the Breach RPG with Dead Aussie Gamer; Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 204: Warhammer 40k 9th Edition, WarCry Campaigns, Age of Sigmar RPG; and The D6 Generation Pip Episode 45: Warcaster Unboxing.

The Secret Cabal Express Episode 62: The Three Amigos Play The This or That Game

In episode 62 Jamie welcomes Honorary Founders Rodney Smith of Watch It Played and Marty Connell of Rolling Dice and Taking Names to bring back play the This or That Game! We talk about conventions, gaming awards, Project Winter and in the game, we go into movies, board games, miniatures games and more.

The Offline Gamer Episode 54: A Chat with James Cook

In this episode Matt has a chat with comedian James Cook, probably best known amongst the board game community for his Always Be Rolling, Pandemic Live and Board Game Smackdown shows.

Tabletop Talk Episode 84: Insider Insight Through the Breach RPG with Dead Aussie Gamer

Join Craig as he talks to Micheal Kesavan (Dead Aussie Gamer) about Wyrd's Through the Breach roleplaying system. They discuss what makes it great and unique, how to be a better player (and GM1), and what the plans are for the 2020 Gencon events.

Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 204: Warhammer 40k 9th Edition, WarCry Campaigns, Age of Sigmar RPG

In this special off-week episode of RDTN, Marty looks at various Game Workshop games he’s been playing. To help keep him straight his son, Adam, and Joel Eddy from Drive Thru Games join in on the discussion.

The D6 Generation Pip Episode 45: Warcaster Unboxing

Russ just received the two Warcaster starter faction boxes from Privateer Press's "Warcasater Kickstarter." He shares initial impressions of the product and why he got into this game as he unboxes it for the first time!

Tuesday. The work week's second step. We're all hopefully back up to speed and ready to keep on truckin'. At least, I am. My Monday was busy, but productive (we've all had busy days where it seems like we got nowhere. Yesterday wasn't one of them). Plus, I had a second Loco Moco for lunch. Those are really good and I've got enough to make 2 more if I want. But, this isn't a cooking show. It's a "get you some podcasts" post. Let's get to it.

Today on the dial we have: Game Classy Episode 213: Point costs; Tabletop Talk Episode 83: Gaming Round Table: Parenting, Kids and Gaming; The Offline Gamer Episode 53: June/July Meeple Mail; The Secret Cabal Episode 211: Newton, Pipeline and Games That Fired Other Games; and Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 203: Scooby Doo Betrayal at Mystery Mansion, Succulent, HABA Games, Top 5 Portal Games.

Game Classy Episode 213: Point costs

The world’s best worst gaming podcast. Covering the tabletop spectrum, the classy hosts have a ton of cool interesting information that they usually never get to.

Tabletop Talk Episode 83: Gaming Round Table: Parenting, Kids and Gaming

Join Craig and his guests, Keith Suderman and Sarah-Anne Lahaie, as they discuss being parents that game, introducing and raising kids who game, and how to introduce gaming to kids.

The Offline Gamer Episode 53: June/July Meeple Mail

It's time for another episode of Meeple Mail, where we take a dive into our inbox to see what we've been sent over the past few weeks.

The Secret Cabal Episode 211: Newton, Pipeline and Games That Fired Other Games

Hey Now Cabalists! Today we get right down to business talking about some great games including In Too Deep, Marvel Champions, Castles of Burgundy: The Dice Game, Jungle Cruise, Dead Reckoning, Stockpile, The Dwarves, and Project Winter. Then we dive in deep with an overview and review of Newton from Cranio Creations and give a Look Back of Pipeline from Capstone Games. Then finally we discuss games that fired other games.

Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 203: Scooby Doo Betrayal at Mystery Mansion, Succulent, HABA Games, Top 5 Portal Games

The virus has once again hurt our opportunity to get together and vacation. It is hard to find a location to sit down and play a game during the week. Most places close early and you hate to take up a seat at a place to eat when they need the business. Some places are even limiting the time so they can turn customers over.

Therefore, Vanessa is back and she is sitting down with Marty to talk about the games you see in the image. Amazing what people will do when locked away in a cabin in the mountains of NC and want to get out. That is right, Marty was on vacation and had the family playing games. What a bunch of troopers.

We also rank our favorite Portal games, curious what yours might be. So head over to our BGG guild and let us know. Also, if you want to check out our stupidity, go watch our attempt to host during Portal Con on youTube.

Tuesday. We're into the meaty center part of the work week. I hope your Monday back after the weekend was alright. Hopefully your pets, if you have them, are calming down from all the explosions going on outside. Hopefully the rest of your week looks like it might be just busy enough to keep time going along quickly while not being overwhelming. And to help with that last part, let's get you some gaming podcasts to listen to.

This week on the dial we have: Plaid Hat Games Podcast Episode 10: Cocktail Hour; Game Classy Podcast Episode 212: Steve likes Necrons; The Secret Cabal Episode 210: Spirit Island and Gaming Etiquette and The Social Contract; Tabletop Talk Episode 81: Insider Insight with Jay Little (designer of X-Wing and Star Wars RPG); and Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 202: Justin Gary, Ascension Tactics, Cosmic Encounter Duels, Rise of the Empire.

Plaid Hat Games Podcast Episode 10: Cocktail Hour

This episode we taste test the Forgotten Waters custom cocktails. Find out how good Niki did creating these beauties, or if she failed miserably. Plus Jerry provides some satisfying drink ASMR.

Game Classy Podcast Episode 212: Steve likes Necrons

Almost to a unhealthy degree. Also Loch Ness Monster.

The Secret Cabal Episode 210: Spirit Island and Gaming Etiquette and The Social Contract

Hey Now Cabalists! Episode 210 starts out with a little bit of a bummer as we discuss how sad we are the Origins Game Fair won’t be happening this year but before too long, we jump into talking about some great games we've been playing including; Wingspan, Bumuntu, Fields of Green, Tapestry, Lockup: A Roll Player Tale, Claustrophobia 1643 and Small World. Then Don and Jamie jump into a feature review of Spirit Island from Greater Than Games and designed by R. Eric Reuss. Tony T collects and delivers a bonkers series of news articles and currently running Kickstarter projects while the gang chirps in the background. Then finally the Founders discuss various elements of gaming etiquette and the social contract with playing board games.

Tabletop Talk Episode 81: Insider Insight with Jay Little (designer of X-Wing and Star Wars RPG)

Join Craig and his guest, Jay Little, as they discuss the games Jay has designed including the X-Wing Miniature game, Edge of Empire RPG, and many more. Learn how Jay approaches designing for blockbuster licenses like Star Wars and Warhammer. His enthusiasm for gaming is infectious and you will learn a lot about how he approaches game design.

Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 202: Justin Gary, Ascension Tactics, Cosmic Encounter Duels, Rise of the Empire

This episode is full of stuff. We have a discussion with Justin Gary about his career and the new Kickstarter from Stone Blade Entertainment: Ascension Tactics. Tony is a big old fan boy during this, but rightly so with over 1000+ games of Ascension played. But we learn some very interesting facts about Justin that just floors us. If you have the time, be sure to listen to the full episode because there are nuggets about the elements the lead up to Ascension Tactics. However, the hard cord discussion begins around the 55:00 mark. This episode comes out on the day the Ascension Tactics Kickstarter starts, so if you want to back it, do it in the first 24 hours to get your name in the book.

We have a ton of games to talk about in this episode as well. We are going to talk about Cosmic Encounter Duel which really caught Marty by surprise. You know of your expectations are kind of down there and you get blown away. That is what this game did to Marty. When it is just the two of us sitting down to play a game, this and Undaunted are going to be fighting for table time.

Then we have Portal’s new add on for Imperial Settlers, Rise of the Empire. This is only a preview because we need to get Imperial Settlers on the table some more to remember how to play that game well. We had both forgotten strategies, nuisances and the best way to play the factions we picked. If you enjoyed Imperial Settlers before, this add on is something you should consider.

Ravensburger Jungle Cruise and Back to the Future: Dice Through Time find their way to the table. Jungle Cruise is a very light, family game. It is really nothing more than a roll and move game with set collection. However, Back to the Future is a challenging co-op game that will be a tough one to beat. If you like Elder Sign, you should check this one out if you like the IP that the game is based on.

And we discuss the new Unmatched release Cobble & Fog which brings to the table some of the best Universal Monsters and the lovable crime fighter Sherlock Holmes. Finally, Dice Masters has campaign boxes and we got to try one out that let us take a trip down memory lane. We hate that they ran into issues when it was released, such a fun, quick game to play.

Tuesday. The work week is well underway. Oh, and I've forgotten to mention that we recently made it into a new season as well. Yes, it's officially summertime here in the north and wintertime down in the south. This year sure is going by quickly. And if there's something else I'd like to go by quickly, it's the work week. So, let's listen to some gaming podcasts to help it along.

This week on the dial we have: Podcast Episode 9: Hot Topic - The Habanero; The Secret Cabal Episode 209: Escape Plan, Lord of the Rings Journeys In Middle-Earth and A Short Topic Extravaganza; The Secret Cabal Express Episode 61: Euro Games vs Ameritrash Games; Tabletop Talk Episode 79: Ulix (Bayou) Malifaux Deep Dive with Reice Chaudhry; The Offline Gamer Episode 52: Itching To Play...; and Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 201: Isaac Childres Interview, Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion.

Podcast Episode 9: Hot Topic - The Habanero

The Hot Topic Challenge continues as Colby, Joe, Bistro and special guest Chad Hoverter take on the spicy habanero!

The Secret Cabal Episode 209: Escape Plan, Lord of the Rings Journeys In Middle-Earth and A Short Topic Extravaganza

Hey Now Cabalists! Today the gang starts out with a bit of celebration as we achieved all three of our Kickstarter Goals and The Cabal will go on! The the Founders get into some of the games they've been playing including The Shining, Pan Am The Game, Escape Room: The Game, Healthy Heart Hospital, Ghost Stories, and Arcadia Quest. Then the gang features Vital Lacerda's Escape Plan and look back at Lord of the Rings Journeys In Middle-Earth from Fantasy Flight Games. Tony T goes overboard with some crazy news stories (including the weirdest sex themed board game you've ever seen) and finally a short topic extravaganza including topics about Cthulhu in Kemet, our other hobbies and underrated game designers.

The Secret Cabal Express Episode 61: Euro Games vs Ameritrash Games

In episode 61 Jamie, Steve, Don and Aaron from Lords of the Dungeon start off by talking about retail therapy and their growing collection of video games. Then the gang jumps into a discussion about Euro Games and Ameritrash games and what we like and dislike about both.

Tabletop Talk Episode 79: Ulix (Bayou) Malifaux Deep Dive with Reice Chaudhry

Join Craig and his guest, Reice, as they discuss Ulix for Bayou. What makes the crew work? What are the key hires? What pools do they excel in? How do you counter them?

The Offline Gamer Episode 52: Itching To Play...

Matt's gone a bit crazy backing Kickstarters, and also has around 1700 games to play from the Bundle for Justice and Racial Equality. He's itching to play them... (See what we did there?)

Rolling Dice & Taking Names Episode 201: Isaac Childres Interview, Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion

After 200 episodes, you would think that word would get around to designers warning them of coming onto our show. Well, if it did, Isaac Childres ignored it and took his chances with us.

We have a great time talking video games, board games, and his new creation Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion. You can find this game at Target right now, and sometime next month at your local stores or online. If you go to Miniature Market, you can go ahead and pre-order. Click on the this link

And just when Isaac thought he had escaped, we drop Rank’em on him. If only had listened to the warnings. You would think a guy who writes scenarios would have picked up on those tales of foreboding.