The Secret Cabal Gaming Podcast

Hark, and well met, weary travelers! Come, rest thyselves and lend thine ears to the grand tales woven by the Lords of the Dungeon. Lady Jess shall regale thee with the chronicles of thy city upon the bridge, a place of wonder and enigma. Thereafter, the council doth gather to speak on the matter of adventures - those drawn from dusty tomes of old, and those forged anew by the hands of mortal minds. At journey’s end, they delve deep into spirited discourse, weighing the desires of the player 'gainst the will of the character. Sit ye back, and partake in this feast of wisdom and mirth!

Hey now Cabalists and welcome to episode 318! Today don and Jamie lament how well are South County Brewing Company game night is growing and invite all the local caballos to join us. Then the gang dives into a bunch of games they've been playing including Rise and Fall, The Manhattan Project Energy Empire, Expeditions with Gears of Corruption, Massive Darkness 2 Hellscape, Tower Up and feature Beyond the Horizon by Dennis K. Chan. Then after Tony T gives us the best damn news program in the biz, we take some listener questions including how to plan games for a gaming weekend, how do we keep things fresh, and what are some great dad games. Rise and Fall: 00:05:42, The Manhattan Project: Energy Empire: 00:17:06, Expeditions : 00:22:04, Massive Darkness 2 Hellscape: 00:33:47, Tower Up: 00:39:17, Beyond the Horizon: 00:50:43, News with Tony T: 01:25:32, Short Topic Extravaganza: 02:12:01. Check out our sponsors Restoration Games at https://restorationgames.com/. Game Toppers at https://www.gametoppersllc.com/. And CGE at https://czechgames.com/.

Hey Now Cabalists! In this month's Secret Cabal Express, Don and Jamie discuss the Three Bears of board gaming. Everybody knows the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears and how everything in that house was either too big or too small or too hot or too cold... Well, Don and Jamie talk about some of the board games they love that have one weird little flaw. Maybe they're too complex, or too fancy, or maybe just a little too short. And then talk about some that are just right!

Hey now and welcome, Cabalists! Today, Steve gives an awesome movie recommendation based on the popular social deduction game Werewolves of Miller's Hollow! Then we cruise right into some of the great games we've been playing, including Finspan, Guards of Atlantis II, On Mars, Teotihuacan, Bloodstones, and a feature review of Brass Birmingham from the great Martin Wallace. Then, after Tony T's world-famous news segment, the gang talks about what makes an enduring classic. Finspan: 00:05:36, Guards of Atlantis II: 00:14:44, On Mars: 00:24:02, Teotihuacan: 00:36:36, Bloodstones: 00:43:23, Brass Birmingham: 00:53:36, News with Tony T: 01:28:53, Enduring Classics: 02:14:51, Check out our sponsors Restoration Games at https://restorationgames.com/. Game Toppers at https://www.gametoppersllc.com/. And CGE at https://czechgames.com/.

A fell plague hath beset the Cabal, striking hard and laying low good Jesko and noble AC! Yet fear not, for steadfast Jamie, valiant Jess, and bold Bender do take up the mantle, helming Lords of the Dungeon in their absence. These last Lords standing embark upon three grand tales this day: the shifting tides and lengths of campaigns through the ages, the folly of players who craft their own hardships, and the perils and delights that come with joining a fellowship anew. Raise thy tankards, my friends - huzzah!

Good morning and happy Friday Cabalists! Sorry the episodes late but Jamie has been sick as a dog all week long but the show is finally here. Today we dive into a bunch of games we've been playing including Chaosmos, QE, Box One, Revive, Tower Up presented by Dan King the Game Boy Geek and feature Evertstone Discovering Ignis from Sam McDavitt. Then after Tony T's world renown new segment we host another Short Topic Extravaganza with questions including how long is too long? How much does theme matter? And how the hell do you use BoardGameGeek? Chaosmos: 00:05:08, QE: 00:14:52, Box One: 00:22:52, Revive: 00:27:28, Tower Up with Dan King the Game Boy Geek: 00:40:42, Everstone Discovering Ignis: 00:55:31, News with Tony T: 01:27:05, Short Topic Extravaganza: 02:31:43, Check out our sponsors Restoration Games at https://restorationgames.com/. Game Toppers at https://www.gametoppersllc.com/. And CGE at https://czechgames.com/ and don't forget to use the promo code SECRETSETI at checkout. And please support our great friend Dan King the Game Boy Geek on Kickstarter today! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gameboygeek/game-boy-geek-season-13-2025

Board games are getting more expensive! Don, Chris, and Jamie get together to talk about the value of the hobby they've chosen. The group talks about gauging perceived value, the psychology of board game pricing, luxury and upgraded board games, crowdfunding, the fear of missing out, and what really matters to get the most out of your dollar.

Hey now Cabalists! Today the game kicks off the show by moaning and complaining about all their problems but get right into the gaming with Ostia Pirates Expansion, Forest Shuffle, Ticket to Ride, Fled, Rebirth, and a feature review of Freedom Five A Sentinels Comics Board Game. Then Stevie S takes over for Tony T to give you all of the most important news from around the tabletop community. Then the Founders finish off the show with a discussion about mastering board games. Ostia Pirates Expansion: 00:04:15, Forest Shuffle: 00:10:51, Ticket to Ride: 00:19:49, Fled: 00:26:47, Rebirth: 00:32:23, Freedom Five: 00:42:10, News with Stevie S: 01:16:32, Mastering A Game Discussion: 02:11:50, Check out our sponsors Restoration Games at https://restorationgames.com/. Game Toppers at https://www.gametoppersllc.com/. And CGE at https://czechgames.com/ and don't forget to use the promo code SECRETSETI at checkout.

Hear ye, hear ye! Gather 'round, good folk, and lend thine ears! This day, the noble fellowship doth embark upon a most curious experiment—a new manner of tale-telling, wherein many a topic shall be pondered under the banner of "Finding the Balance." Let it be known that the Lords shall speak of the casting of fate-bound dice, the perils of adversarial Game Masters, the clash 'twixt combat and roleplay, and much, much more! So steel thy minds, sharpen thine ears, and revel in the wisdom to come! Huzzah!

The episode starts off with a bang as Steve talks about his experience eating at PornHub and Chris scolds Tony for forcing him to buy a Squatty Potty. We then unfortunately move on to the board games we've been playing including River of Gold, Chu Han, Andromeda’s Edge, Creature Caravan, Cthulhu Death May Die Fear of the Unknown, and feature Atlantis Exodus, a new one coming down the pike from Capstone games! Then Tony T gives you the best damn table top gaming News segment in the history of tabletop gaming news segments. And finally, the gang takes questions from the listeners with topics including what are the current go-to gateway Games? How do you guys make all those noises at the beginning of the extravaganza? And what are your irrational biases? Atlantis Exodus Review 01:04:03, News with Tony T 01:34:19, Short Topic Extravaganza 02:34:15. Check out our sponsors Restoration Games at https://restorationgames.com/. Game Toppers at https://www.gametoppersllc.com/. And CGE at https://czechgames.com/ and don't forget to use the promo code SECRETSETI at checkout.

Today, Jamie is joined by Honorary Founder Rodney Smith to chat about their adventures into a variety of exciting new hobbies. They kick things off with a dive into the immersive world of tabletop wargaming, teasing their upcoming trip to Washington, DC, for the highly anticipated Circle DC convention. From there, they segue into their shared love for vinyl collecting, swapping stories about some of their all-time favorite albums. Naturally, no hobby chat would be complete without a detour into the realm of coffee and espresso, a passion both share with great enthusiasm. Finally, they wrap things up with a lively discussion about Rodney’s latest obsession: Gunpla. Rodney's enthusiasm is so contagious that, despite Jamie's resistance, it’s only a matter of time before he’s fully drawn into the world of Gundam model building.

Hey Now Cabalists! In today's Express Don and Jamie present the annual Best of 2024 in which they discuss the games we love from the past year.

Hey Now Cabalists! The Founders are back on the day before the day of Steve's birth - so everyone jump over to the Discord and wish him a happy birthday! The gang talks about a bunch of games that they've been playing including Age of Innovation, Unsettled, Divide et Impera, Mille Fiori, How Do you Doodle and feature SETI Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence from Tomas Holek and Czech Games Edition. Then Tony T whips up a whirlwind of wonder with his wonderful news segment. And finally the gang discusses the 2024 Shelf of Shame Challenge and challenges themselves again with a new batch of games. SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Review 00:56:56, News with Stevie S 01:39:42, Short Topic Extravaganza 02:41:55

Hark, noble Cabalists! Gather 'round and lend thine ears, for in this eve's tale of Lords of the Dungeon, our merry fellowship doth wrestle with a query from a distant traveler. How, pray tell, does one steer their quest true when a minor misstep doth send the campaign tumbling into ruin most dire? But lo, that is but the prologue! For anon, the Lords delve into the heart of the matter--a grand discourse on how brave adventurers may rise to meet the zeal and preparation of their most esteemed game master. So, sit ye back, grasp thy tankard, and let the tale unfold.

Hey Now and Happy New Year Cabalists! 2025 kicks off with AC from Lords of the Dungeon sitting in for Tony T as he's traveling for the holiday. We dive into a bunch of games we've been playing including Star Trek Captains Chair, Great Western Trail New Zealand, Clank Catacombs, Fallout, Compile Main 1, and feature Endeavor Deep Sea designed by Carl de Visser and Jarratt Gray and published by Burnt Island Games. Stevie S takes over Tony T's newsman role for the day and gives you all the most important news stories from the tabletop gaming world. Then finally the gang takes questions from listeners including games we cant get to the table but refuse to get rid of, the TV shows we recommend, and how our hobby habits have changed over the years. Endeavor Deep Sea Review 00:52:36, News with Stevie S 01:30:36, Short Topic Extravaganza 02:26:25

Hey Now and Season's Greetings Cabalists! Jamie throws out a message about the holiday season podcast schedule and plugs a bunch of crap. We're taking the week of Christmas off and planning to make the January episdoe of express a big, chonky ordeal. The 2024 fundraiser pledge manager has released. Check your email to get that taken care of. Late Pledges will start by the end of the year. Join the Discord server! It's awesome. (https://thesecretcabal.com/discord) If you really don't dig Discord, the BGG Guild is still up and running. Go use it! (https://boardgamegeek.com/guild/1145). We're also on a newer social media platform that's on the rise - Blue Sky! (https://bsky.app/profile/thesecretcabal.bsky.social) Happy Holidays everyone! See you in 2025.

Hey Now and Season's Greetings Cabalists! It times for the 13th annual Secret Cabal Holiday Special! Today the Founders dive into their stories from PAX Unplugged in Philadelphia and discuss the games they've been playing including Civolution, Dominion, Endeavour Deep Sea, Portmanteau and feature Doggerland from Super Meeple. Then after Tony T throws out the jolliest tabletop gaming news segment in history the gang goes wild with the ever-popular Newlywed Game Founders Edition! Doggerland Review 01:03:47, News with Tony T 01:41:14, Newlywed Game 02:36:26

Hail and well met, noble travelers! Gather 'round, for I bring glad tidings of another tale spun from the annals of Lords of the Dungeon! This day, our bold and intrepid heroes embark upon a new saga, delving into the storied realms of Pathfinder Second Edition. Hearken as they weave tales of the homebrew lands they’ve wrought with their own hands, introduce the stalwart champions who shall brave the trials ahead, and share their first impressions of this novel system of rules and magic. So, lend thy ear, and may thy spirits soar with the telling! Enjoy, one and all!

Hey now Cabalists! For those of you are on your way to Pax Unplugged in Philadelphia today, we're happy to fill your ear holes with another episode of the Cabal while you travel! First off, The Founders dive into a bunch of games we've been playing including Undaunted 2200 Callisto, Wrath of Fire Mountain, Darwin’s Journey, Kelp Shark vs Octopus, Raising Robots, and a feature review of Fromage from Road To Infamy Games. Then Tony T gives you one of the best damned tabletop gaming news segments that's ever been produced. And finally, the gang takes questions from listeners including am I crazy for rebuying the same game multiple times and what do I do about my philistine friends. Enjoy! Fromage 00:55:29, News with Tony T 01:32:59, Peak Froth 02:19:33

Today, Don, Tony, and Jamie dive headfirst into the remarkable world of Ryan Laukat, the visionary game designer, artist, and founder of Red Raven Games. Together, they explore a wide range of his celebrated games, highlighting their unique elements and discuss how Ryan and his his creative partner and wife, Malorie, have evolved and perfected their design philosophy over the years.