#307: Halloween and The Secret Cabal Twilight Zone
Happy All Hallows' Eve, Cabalists! This week, Wolfman Steve and The Gatekeeper take over with ghoulish jokes and spooky banishments. The Founders dive into the horror board games they've been playing including Mansions of Madness, Cthulhu: Death May Die, A Touch of Evil, Texas Chainsaw Massacre Slaughterhouse, and feature Halloween by Emerson Matsuuchi. Tony T returns with the latest board game industry news, delivering updates from beyond the grave. Finally, we journey into The Secret Cabal Twilight Zone to discuss their ideas for twisted and terrifying themed games perfect for Halloween night. It’s a spooky, fun-filled episode you won’t want to miss! Enjoy!
#306: Andromeda's Edge and a Short Topic Extravaganza
Albatwitch Day is coming up and the Founders are go hunting for our local cryptid! Then the gang gets into the games they've been playing including Eldritch Horror, AI Space Puzzle, River Valley Glassworks, Obsession, Flip 7, and feature Andromeda's Edge designed by Luke and Maximus Laurie. Then Tony T dives right into his award-winning news segment giving us all the most important news from around the tabletop gaming world. And finally, the Founders take questions from the listeners regarding what we'd do if we had to pair our collection down to only 10 games, what Secret Cabal Monopoly tokens would be, and how pure should hidden movement games be?
#305: Wonderous Creatures and The Cabalists Court with Judge Topper
It's Chris appreciation time over on the Cabal Discord! We give Chris a few pats on the back and move onto the games we've been playing including Fateforge Chronicles of Kaan, Arkham Horror 3rd Edition, The White Castle, Expedition Northwest Passage and a feature review of Wonderous Creatures from Bad Comet Games. Then after Tony T informs us all of the most important goings-ons around the board game industry he puts on his judge robes to preside over The Cabalists Court.
#304: Rise and Fall and a Short Topic Extravaganza
Hey now Cabalists and welcome back to another jam packed episode of The Secret Cabal Gaming Podcast! Today the game flies right into the games that they've been playing including Harvest, Tainted Grail Kings of Ruin, Clank Catacombs, Cape May, Tapestry Arts & Architecture. Then Don, Chris, and Jamie hook you up with a feature review of Rise and Fall from Christophe Boelinger and published by Ludically. And then, after Tony T's news, the boys finish off the episode with a slew of questions from listeners including games we regret recommending, our acquisition disorder triggers, and why do the rest of the founders not play role playing game?
#303: Windmill Valley and The Social Game
Hey Now all you amazing Cabalists out there and welcome to episode 303 of The Secret Cabal! Today the game dives into the games they've been playing including Tír na nOg, War Story Occupied France, Pagan Fate of Roanoke, The Mandalorian Adventures, Trench Club Legacy and a feature review of Windmill Valley by Dani Garcia and Board and Dice. Then after Tony T feeds the holes on the sides of your head with all the most important tabletop gaming news information the gang talks about games with a social aspect to them.
#302: Intent to Kill and A Short Topic Extravaganza
Awww Yeah Cabalists! The Founders are back at it with another episode filled with gaming nonsense including The White Castle, Evenfall, Fallout, Scythe on BGA, Barcelona, and a feature review of the murder mystery game Intent to Kill from Artur Khodzhikov and Hobby World. Then Tony T makes sure the Cabalists are up to date on all the most important tabletop gaming news. And finally, the gang takes questions from the listeners including the perfect game night lineup, our favorite music albums, and a moral quandary to ponder.
#301: Forges of Ravenshire and The Derivation of Fun
Hey Now, Cabalists! In 301 episode, Chris opens with his anthropological trip to Anthrocon. Then the gang dives into the games they've been playing including A Message from the Stars, Lacrimosa, Automobile, and Kingsburg. Chris and Jamie feature Forges of Ravenshire from Sam Stockton and B.A. Games. Then, Tony T. delivers his world-renowned tabletop gaming news segment, followed by a deep dive into "The Derivation of Joy" in gaming.
#300: Sea of Legends and The Episode 300 Retrospective
Hey Now Cabalists and welcome to Episode 300! We kick off this milestone episode with a look back at our trip to Origins Game Fair in Columbus Ohio and the games we played there. Then Don and Jamie look at Sea of Legends from Guildhall Studios. Then after Tony T hooks us all up with the best damned tabletop gaming news segment in the entire world, the gang takes a look back at the past 13 years and 300 episodes and answers questions from the listeners about our show and the goofy shit we got up to over the years.
299: Fractured Sky and a Short Topic Extravaganza
Hey Now and welcome to episode 299 of The Secret Cabal in which the gang gets deep into a bunch of the games they’ve been playing including Skyrise, Cascadero, Tigris and Euphrates, Zoo Vadis, Masters of the Universe Clash for Eternia, and feature Fractured Sky by Max Anderson, Zac Dixon, and Austin Harrison. Then Tony T gives us his world-renowned tabletop gaming new segments followed by a short topic extravaganza including oversaturation, exclusives, and our favorite games that we rarely play.
#298: Age of Comics and The Cabalists Court of Fairness
Today the Founders kick off the episode talking about their upcoming Origins Meetup - the first meet up they've 5 years! Then get into some of the games they've been playing including Beyond the Sun, Golem, Now or Never, Slay the Spire, Tinner’s Trail and a feature review of Age of Comics: The Golden Years. Then Tony T shakes the world with the most important news stories from the tabletop gaming universe. Then court is in session with Judge Topper presiding!
#297: Rats of Wistar and an Ameritrash Extravaganza
HEYOH CABALISTS! The 2024 KICKSTARTER IS LIVE! Stop the podcast now and go support all The Secret Cabal Shows right now. The gang kicks off episode 297 with a little bit about the fundraiser including the Secret Cabal Zine and other rewards. Then the gang gets into the games they've been playing including Terra Mystica, Fortune and Glory, Small World, Golem, Armello, and a feature review of Rats of Wistar from Simone Luciani and Danilo Sabia and published by Capstone Games. Then Tony T gets down and dirty into all the most important news from around the tabletop gaming world for the 297th time (he didn't quit after 12). And finally, the Founders dive into the world of Ameritrash games - the most wild, crazy, and thematic games out there and celebrate what they love about them.
#296: Nova Roma and a Short Topic Extravaganza
Hey Cabalists! In today's episode we talk about our new public game nights at South County Brewing here in York! Then we get into a bunch of games we've been playing including An Age Contrived, Merchant of Venus, Agricola, Trickerion, Defenders of the Last Stand and feature Nova Roma from Stan Kordonskiy. Then Tony T goes bananas giving us a rundown of all the awesome news from around the board gaming world. Then finally we host another short topic extravaganza in which we discuss our favorite player colors, do you expect your guests to pre-learn the games, and are there any games we repurchased.
#295: Aquatica and Randomness vs Determinism
Kaboom! It's time for another chock-a-block episode of the Secret Cabal! Today Tony and Jamie start out by talking about their experiences delving into Board Game Arena. Then the gang gets into all the games they've been playing, both digital and analog, including Castles of Burgundy, Robinson Crusoe Adventures on the Cursed Island, Altar Quest, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Slaughterhouse, and Junk Drawer. Then after Tony T proves his merit as the best damned tabletop gaming newsman in history, the gang gets into a discussion about Randomness vs Determinism in board gaming.
#294: The Fox Experiment and Exemplary Mechanisms
Heyooooooo! The Founders start the show fired up because they've locked in a venue for this year's Origins Meetup! It'll be the first time the Cabal has had a Cabalist Meetup in 5 years and they're ready to rock and roll! Then the gang gets into some of the games they've been playing including Age of Comics The Golden Age, Dune Imperium, Wyrmspan, Beast and a feature review of The Fox Experiment from Jeff Fraser and Elizabeth Hargrave. Then, as usual, Tony T kicks out the best damn tabletop gaming news that you're ever going to hear. And finally, the gang gets into a discussion about exemplary mechanisms - mechanisms that make good games great.
#293: Obsession and a Short Topic Extravaganza
Hey now Cabalists! Today the gang dives into some of the great games they've been playing including Sunrise Lane, Vale of Eternity, Lost Ruins of Arnak, Sanctum, Harrow County and go deep with a feature review of Obsession by Dan Hallagan. Then after Tony T gives us one whopper of a tabletop gaming news segment, the Founders go through a series of listener submitted questions including when do mistakes become cheating and how to get better at eurogames.
#292: Wonderland's War and Improving Upon Perfection
Everyone knows that we talk about Tony taking long turns but today we got actual data! After we pick on T for his slow play, we jump into the games we've been playing including Tony's BGA games, Glass Road, Terrorscape, Bloodstones, and our great friend Dan King the Game Boy Geek joins us to talk about Aqua Biodiversity in the Oceans. Then Tony and Don give a feature review of Wonderland's War. Tony T gives us one of the single greatest news segments ever delivered in the history of board game media. And finally, Don leads a conversation about perfect games, if they're perfect and improving upon perfection.
#291: Djinn and A Short Topic Extravaganza
Hey now and Happy Wednesday wonderful Cabalists! Today the gang gets down to business talking about all the awesome games they've been playing including Last Light, Wyrmspan, Luna, Studies in Sorcery, Her Story, and a feature review of Djinn by Benjamin Schwer and Pegasus Spiele. Then Tony T kicks out the best damned tabletop gaming news segment in the entire universe. And finally, the Founders get down to business with some listener submitted questions with topics including are semi-cooperative games inherently broken? And what are some of your personal neuroses?
#290: Witchcraft and The 10 Worst Games of All Time
Well alright Cabalists, you know it's time for another wild and crazy episode of The Secret Cabal Gaming Podcast. Today we pick on Tony T for mispronouncing everything before diving into all the great games we've been playing including Clash of Cultures Monumental Edition, Dune War for Arrakis, Frostpunk, Obsession, Go, and Arkham Horror The Road to Innsmouth followed by a feature review of Witchcraft by our great friends David Thompson, Trevor Benjamin, and Roger Tankersley. Then after Tony T gives you history's greatest tabletop gaming news segment, the gang discusses the 10 worst games rated on Board Game Geek. Is it a fair ranking? We'll find out.
#289: After Us and Irksome Irritants
Hey now! Episode 289 kicks off with Chris taking over the show to leading us down the path his mind walks. Then the gang talks about some games they've been playing including The Fox Experiment, Plum Island Horror, Speakeasy Blues, Crusaders Thy Will be Done, and Everdell Digital. Then Chris, Don and Jamie feature After Us from Florian Sirieix and Pandasaurus Games. Then Tony T gives you the best Damned tabletop gaming news programing that your ears ever beheld. And finally the founders discussed their irksome irritants, the things they find annoying about board games and the hobby, and how they would fix them.
#288: Raising Robots and The Shelf of Shame Challenge
Happy New Year Cabalists! We're sorry the show is a few days behind schedule but better late than never! Today the gang talks about some of the crap they got for Christmas and a bunch of the games they've been playing including The Thing: The Boardgame, Stationfall, Kutna Hora City of Silver, The Stifling Dark, Go, and a feature review of Raising Robots from Nauvoo Games. Then Tony T makes sure you're up to date on all the most important chess anal bead news. Then finally the Founders present some of their most shameful shelf of shame games and the others vote on which ones they commit to playing!