
#250: Golem and a Short Off-Topic Extravaganza
Today the legendary board and miniatures game reviewer, Joel Eddy of Drive Thru Games, opens the show with a guest announce and we couldn’t ask for better! Jamie and Don dive into a feature review of Golem from Cranio Creations. Tony T, wows the audience with his new man prowess in his world famous tabletop gaming news segment. And finally, the gang closes out the show with a Short Off-Topic Extravaganza in which they DO NOT talk about tabletop gaming but rather random off topic questions submitted by listeners
#249: Boonlake and The Evolution of Game Designs
Today Jamie and Don crack open Boonlake from Alexander Pfister and Capstone Games for a feature review. Tony T, once again, wows the people with his fine upstanding journalism skill and news delivery skills. Then finally the gang talks about games designs that have gone through an evolutionary period over time.
#248: Ark Nova and a Short Topic Extravaganza
Dan King The Game Boy Geek stars as our guest announcer today and goes the extra mile to give us some saxophone serenading. Don and Jamie throw down a feature review of Ark Nova from Capstone Games, Tony T delivers the hottest gaming news segment this side of the Mississippi and finally the gang takes questions from the listeners.
#247: The Hunger and Games We Would Add to the BGG Top 100
Tony McRee of Rolling Dice and Taking Names blasts us into a new episode of The Secret Cabal Gaming Podcast! Today Don, Steve and Jamie throw down a review of Richard Garfield's The Hunger from Renegade Games. Tony T, as always, wows the audience with this vast knowledge of all things gaming industry in his award-winning news segment. And finally, the Founders dive into a discussion about what games they would like to see in the BoardGameGeek top 100 ranking.
#246: We're Back and Catching Up with the Founders!
Hey Now Cabalists! After a 3-month hiatus, the Secret Cabal Founders are back in action. Today we jump right back into the swing of things bustin’ balls, crackin' wise and yammering on about the games they love to play. Then Tony T doesn’t even miss a beat jumping back into this newsman shoes and gives us the best damned tabletop gaming news roundup you've ever seen. Then finally the gang talks about what they've been up to for the past 3 months while Jamie was "laying around" as Steve puts it.
Health Update and What’s Next?
Hey Now Cabalists! This audio is an update regarding my (Jamie) health and recovery, when the podcasts may return, the 2021 Kickstarter pledge manager, and a few stories of great things that happened during the past few months. Enjoy!
Important Announcement Regarding The Secret Cabal
Important Message from the Founders of The Secret Cabal. Why has the feed gone silent?
#79: The Island of Misfit Games
Don and Jamie open the show discussing a topic from the forums regarding our favorite Holiday movies and transition into our main topic - The Island of Misfit Games. Just like in Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer in which Rudolph, Hermey and Yukon Cornelius discover the Island of Misfit Toys, Don and Jamie visit a different island at which strange, broken, or unattractive - yet fun to play - games reside. Can we find homes for these misfit games?
#245: Sleeping Gods and The Newlywed Game Founders Edition
Ho Ho Ho and Happy Holidays Cabalists! It's time for the Secret Cabal's 2021 Christmas Special! Today we start out with the weirdest Chris story you'll ever hear so get ready. Then we review Sleeping Gods from Red Raven Games, Tony T crushes it with the last gaming new segment for 2021 while the rest of us yammer on in the background and finally we roll into an irreverent version of The Newlywed Game where the founders find out how well they know each other. And of course, like all Christmas special you'll get a bunch of great Cabal Christmas songs and our annual Secret Santa tradition.
#57: Heirs to Heresy, Fallout and Our Tabletop RPG Pet Peeves
In episode 57 Bender starts out by talking about his recent game of Heirs to Heresy: The Fall of the Knights Templar from Osprey Games. Then the gang talks about their first foray into the Fallout RPG from Modiphius. Then the Lords round out the episode with a discussion about the things in RPG that they hate - their tabletop roleplaying game pet peeves.
#244: It's a Wonderful World and Designer Bodies of Work
Today the Founders talk about a bunch of games they've been playing, Don and Jamie jump into a feature review of It's a Wonderful World from designer Frédéric Guérard, Tony T wows the crowd with the greatest tabletop gaming news segment in the known universe and finally, the gang takes a look at 5 game designers including Ryan Laukat, Uwe Rosenberg, Corey Konieczka, Martin Wallace and Stefan Feld and discusses their body of work.
#78: Brilliant Game Mechanisms in Board Games
Chris, Don and Jamie dive into a discussion about games that have a single standout mechanism that elevates its game to something special. Each of the gang lists three games that they feel include one of these brilliant mechanisms.
#243: Anno 1800 and Second Chance Board Games
Hey Now! It's time for some irreverent Cabal shenanigans! Today Jamie and Don get into an overview and review of Anno 1800 from Kosmos and designed by Martin Wallace. After Tony T goes through all the most important news items in the entire world, the Founders get into a discussion about giving potentially great board games a second chance.
#56: Fallout, Story Arc or Character Arc and Video Games That Make Great RPGs
Today the Lords start out episode 56 by discussing their new campaign using the Fallout RPG from Modiphius. Jesko explains the setting and the rest of the gang details the characters they'll be playing. Then the group takes a question from a listener asking which we more value, campaign story arcs or our own personal character's story arc. And finally, the Lords each give one pick of a video game that they think would make a great tabletop RPG.
#242: Struggle of Empires and a Short Topic Extravaganza
Episode 242 starts with an announcement regarding Don playing a game of Europe Divided with the designer of A Gest of Robin Hood and Red Flag over Paris, Fred Serval. 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 jump into a Short Topic Extravaganza including discussion about too many Kicsktarters, how hard should a co-op game be and do the BGG rankings really reflect how good games are.
#77: The Return of Horror Video Games with Matt Evans of Board Game Replay
Don and Jamie welcome Honorary Founder Matt Evans of Board Game Replay to celebrate Halloween with some spooky, creepy and super fun horror video games! Most of the games discussed in this episode are by indie developers but are inexpensive giving you a good bang for your buck - or scare for your buck in some cases. Please check out https://www.thesecretcabal.com/express-77-horror-video-games for a full list of the games discussed. Also check out https://www.youtube.com/boardgamereplay for all of Matt's amazing videos.
#241: Unfathomable and Our Spooky Board Game Rethemes
It's Halloween and the Founders are back to scare your pants off! The gang talks about Origins Game Fair, feature review Unfathomable from Fantasy Flight Games and Spooky Board Game Rethemes. AND throughout the episode the gang is visited by the Gatekeeper from the old Nightmare board game to give us some Halloween pop quizzes.
#55: GM Prep, Spooky Adventures and Roleplaying Fear
In episode 55, The gang starts out by having Aaron reveal his purchases at Origins Game Fair 2021 and then jump into a listener submitted question about how the Lords prepare for campaigns as Game Masters. And finally, the Lords discuss roleplaying fear, game mechanisms that promote fear in players and running spooky adventures for the Halloween season.
#240: CLASH OF CULTURES AND THE UNWRITTEN RULES
The Cabal is back for another dose of insubordinate nonsense! Today the gang talks about some great games including Magic the Gathering, Khora: Rise of an Empire, Immortals, Scooby Doo: Escape from the Haunted Mansion, Run Cowboy Run and Intrepid. Then Don and Jamie feature review Clash of Cultures Monumental Edition from designer Christian Marcussen and Wiz-Kids. Then Tony T pulls out the news articles if runs down all the most important things happening in the tabletop gaming world. Then finally the Founders discuss Unwritten Rules in board gaming.
Battletome Vol 4: Star Wars Legion
Enter, Ye Gods of War! In Volume four 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 Age of Sigmar, Warhammer 40k, Don't Look Back, Duncan Rhodes Two Thin Coats, Myth and Goal, and Aeronautica Imperialis Wrath of Angels. Then Aaron and Jamie dive into a feature review of Star Wars Legion published by Fantasy Flight Games and Atomic Mass Games!