
#76: Are Board Game Conventions Still Relevant? Featuring Rodney Smith and Joel Eddy
Don and Jamie are so happy to be joined by Joel Eddy of Drive Thru Games and Rodney Smith of Watch It Played to talk about gaming conventions. We discuss the question, are Board Game Conventions still as relevant as they once were to the gaming industry - both publishers and convent creators.
#239: Through The Ages and a Short Topic Extravaganza
Awww yeah, the gang is back in action for another bananas episode of The Secret Cabal! Don and Jamie dive into a feature review of the classic Vlaada Chvátil game, Through The Ages: A New Story of Civilization and the gang hosts another Short Topic Extravaganza with topics including is it okay to turn down designers when they ask you to playtest? Do you like long turns with few rounds or fast turns with tons of rounds? And do we believe in bigfoot and UFOs?
#54: Creating and Running Villains and Gaming Group Styles
In episode 54, The gang starts out by talking about their recent roleplaying game battery recharging hiatus and their meeting to discuss what we're going to play next included - Fallout, Shadowrun, Pulp Cthulhu and Star Wars. Then the Lords take a question from Cabalist Brett regarding creating and running dastardly villains and how to do it without feeling like a dirtbag. Then finally the group talks about all kinds of gaming group styles, look at their own gaming style and discuss the impact style has on enjoyment.
#238: Descent Legends of the Dark and Does Size Matter
Oh Yeah! Tony and Chris are back in action in episode 238 of The Secret Cabal! Today we start off by hearing a little about Tony's journey across the country and then dive into the games we've been playing over the past 2 weeks. Then Don and Jamie dive into an in-depth review of Descent Legends of the Dark. Then finally the gang discusses whether size matters in board gaming - box size, card size, table presence, etc.
#75: Challenges in Board Games
Hey Now Cabalists! In today's episode of The Secret Cabal Express, Don and Jamie start out by talking about the new Descent Legends of the Dark and transition into talking about the challenges that make up the board games we love and why those challenges enhance the enjoyment.
#237: SpaceCorp 2025-2300AD and The Shelf of Shame
Hey Now Cabalists! It’s time for another wild, crazy, bananas, brilliant, bombastic, and meshugenah episode of The Secret Cabal Today it's only Don, Steve and Jamie as the others are off doing whatever they do and the gang dives into the games they've been playing. Then Don and Jamie review SpaceCorp 2025-2300AD Then finally Don and Jamie talk about their shelves of shame.
#236: Beyond the Sun, Lookback at 2020 Part 1 and Its Not My Jam
The Cabal is back for another jam-packed episode! Don and Jamie feature Beyond the Sun and look back at the games reviewed in the first 6 months of 2020. Then Tony T hooks us up with this news segment and the Founders finish off the show by discussing games and game styles they just don’t enjoy.
#235: Mind MGMT and Nailing a Board Game Theme
Hey Now Gang and welcome back to another wild and crazy episode of The Secret Cabal! Today the gang flies into action talking about a bunch of great games they've been playing. Then Don and Steve take a look at Mind MGMT: The Psychic Espionage Game. The, because Tony T is galivanting across the United States on a month-long road trip, Steve takes control of the news desk and gives us every bit of great tabletop gaming news he can. Then the gang talks about board games that really nail their theme!
#52: High vs Low Complexity Roleplaying Games
In episode 52, the gang starts out be discussing what they're going to do during the summer months with vacations and other travel interferes with the gaming schedule. Then the Lords take a couple of questions from listeners including running games with little knowledge of the setting and what RPGs would NOT like to run or play in. Then the group rounds out the episode by talking about high vs low complexity role playing game systems.
#234: Oath Chronicles of Empire and Exile and a Short Topic Extravaganza
The gang talks about some of the games they've been playing, dive deep into a feature review of Oath Chronicles of Empire and Exile by Cole Wehrle, Tony T collects and presents the best of the best tabletop gaming news you'll ever heard finally hosts a Short Topic Extravaganza including questions from listeners regarding using chess clocks, getting deeper into the theme of a game and losing your cook at the table.
Battletome Vol 3: Age of Sigmar 3rd Edition with Joel Eddy of Drive Thru Games
Enter, Ye Gods of War! In Volume Three of Battletome, a podcast about the miniatures gaming hobby, Bender, Aaron and Jamie discuss all the games and hobby project they've been getting into lately including Warcry, Oak and Iron and Reign of Hell. Then Aaron and Jamie are joined by our great friend Joel Eddy of Drive Thru Games to dig deep into Age of Sigmar 3rd Edition. We discuss the brand new Domination boxed set and all the changes coming to this new edition of Game Workshop’s fantasy version of Warhammer!
#74: The Psychology of a Gaming Junkie
In episode 74 Tony, Don and Jamie pull out our armchair psychologist cards and talk about the psychology of a gaming junkie and what tricks and tactics marketers use to suck us in and part with our money.
#233: Titans and Is Kickstarter Killing Board Game Expansions Reaction
Today the founder jump into discussion about Tony returning home to PA for a visit and some games we might play with him, Steve and Jamie review of Titans from Go On Board, Tony T gives us his tabletop gaming news roundup and the gang discusses a recent opinion article on Polygon.com entitled Is Kickstarter killing board game expansions?
#51: Three Pillars of a Strong Party
In episode 51, the Lords start out with Bender raving about his Star Trek Adventures campaign and then the game discusses three pillars of building a strong role-playing adventuring party - building strong relationships, discussing player character ideals and developing sharing long and short term goals.
#232: Monumental and Analysis Paralysis and Downtime
In today's episode the Founders jump into talking about a bunch of great games we've been playing, then Jamie, Chris, Steve and Don dive into a feature review of Monumental. 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.
#73: Tabletop Trends and Gaming Guts
In episode 73 Tony, Don and Jamie jump into a discussion about the Pokemon and Trading Card frenzy going on at Wal-Mart. They discuss a video featuring a swarm of savages descending upon the trading card section and causing a scene. Then the gang discusses Tabletop Trends and Gaming Guts - when a good thing because a fad in the gaming community and when that fad turns into an all-out gut.
#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 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.
#50: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay and Our Game Group Reboot
In episode 50, The Lords celebrate because they're finally getting back together to game in person after more than a year of online gaming! Then they take a question from a listener asking them what they like about the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay RPG setting. And finally, they discuss when they do get back together for in-person gaming, what things can they do to enhance the experience so that its more fun than it has ever been?
#230: Deranged and Returning to Normalcy
Awwww yeah! It's time for another dose of Secret Cabal Insubordinate Nonsense! Today the gang starts out by talking about 2021 being the 10th anniversary year and promoting their upcoming Kickstarter on June 2nd. Then they dive into the games they've been playing including Red Rising, Stacadia Quest, SpellTable, 50 Clues The Pendulum of the Dead, Cavemen: Quest for Fire and Mr. Jack. Then Don, Steve and Jamie jump into a feature review of Deranged from designer German Tikhomirov and published by Hobby World. Then, of course, 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!