The Secret Cabal Gaming Podcast

In episode 184 the gang is back for a jam packed episode! Today we review Fantasy Flight's newest app driven board game, Lord of the Rings Journeys in Middle Earth and look back at Big Trouble in Little China one year later. Then Tony T gets down and dirty with the best damn tabletop gaming news segment in all of gaming media while the rest of us quack in the background. Then finally we have an in depth discussion about replayability in board games and what it means to us. Lord of the Rings Journeys in Middle Earth Overview 00:55:51, Lord of the Rings Journeys in Middle Earth Odyssey Review 01:00:27, Big Trouble in Little China Look Back 01:26:25, News with Tony T 01:36:40, Replayability Discussion 02:23:20

In episode 49 of the Secret Cabal Express, Jamie welcomes Honorary Founders Rodnedy Smith of Watch It Played and Marty Connell of Rolling Dice and Taking Names to talk about Origins Game Fair 2019 in Columbus Ohio, the shenanigans they plan to get into and the food and games they're looking forward to. Then The Three Amigos discuss fandom (spoiler free) including Game Conventions, board games, Game of Thrones, Star Wars, Twin Peaks, Lord of the Rings, Games Workshop, Privateer Press and more. Please check out Rodney's channel, Watch It Played at https://www.youtube.com/watchitplayed and Marty's podcast at https://www.rolldicetakenames.com/ and also the Rolling Dice and Taking Names fundraiser at https://www.podpledge.com/project/458/Rolling-Dice-Taking-Names-19-20/home.

In episode 183 the Founders start out by announcing the dates of the Origins and Gen Con meetups, Chris talks about his trip to Michigan and a wardrobe mishap and then we chat about a bunch of the games they've been playing. Then the gang jumps into an overview and review of Space Gate Odyssey from Ludonaute and a look back at Lords of Helas from Awaken Realms with the Cabalists thoughts thrown in. Then Tony T joins the party to give us the best damn tabletop gaming new segment of all time while the rest of the founders chatter in the background. Then finally Steve, Chris and Jamie host a Short Topic Extravaganza featuring games still in shrink, our favorite dragons, gaming with our wives and the music and bands we love and the history of Steve and Jamie's punk rock band, Slow Andy. Then after the episode ends, Jamie gives us a bonus segment playing some Slow Andy tunes with a little talk up between each. Space Gate Odyssey Overview 01:05:44, Space Gate Odyssey Review 01:10:43, Lords of Helas Look Back 01:3

We start the episode by talking about Jesko's first game of the End of the World roleplaying game published by Fantasy Flight Games and transition into talking about Aaron's continuing bad luck with rolling dice. Then we talk about a couple of announcements from this week including Alien The Roleplaying Game and Shadowrun 6th Edition. Then finally we have a discussion about what we want out of roleplaying games and the importance of communicating with your group so that everyone's needs are addressed.

You have 3 more days to get in on our 2019 Kickstarter to help the Cabal continue for another year! Jump over the Kickstarter now to support! First off we talk about the Great Chicken Wing Scandal, cow manure interrupting a game day and the $160 miniature presentation. Then we give a feature review of Fantasy Flights newest game, Star Wars Outer Rim and look back at Thanos Rising one year later. After Tony T blasts the tabletop gaming news all over us, we get down and dirty with That Junkie Feeling We Feel including why we love games, what makes us back Kickstarters, collectible card games, miniatures games, and all sorts of wacky junkie rituals we do. Star Wars Outer Rim Overview 01:02:37, Star Wars Outer Rim Review 01:07:35, Thanos Rising Look Back 01:32:35, News with Tony T 01:41:02, That Junkie Feeling We Feel 02:26:21

In episode 48 of the Secret Cabal Express, Tony and Jamie dig into Quantic Foundry's new Board Game Motivation Profile tool meant to collect market research data on the motivations of board gamers found at https://apps.quanticfoundry.com.

Alrighty Cabalists, Wednesday is back with another episode of The Secret Cabal and today we go back 5 years to take a look at a reimplimentation of the classic dice allocation game in H.P. Lovecraft's Kingsport Festival from Passport Game Studios. Then we take a look back at Civilization A New Dawn, the streamlined tabletop port of the popular Civilization video game series from Fantasy Flight Games. After Tony T hooks us up with a damn fine tabletop gaming news segment, the gang hosts a short topic extravaganza including discussion on gaming awards, games we'd love to explore deeper and popular YouTuber hand hygiene. Kingsport Festival Overview 01:00:06, Kingsport Festival Review 01:04:03, Civilization A New Dawn Look Back 01:27:15, News with Tony T 01:31:07, Short Topic Extravaganza 02:16:47

Bender is starting a new campaign with some friends using the Mutants and Masterminds ruleset and he talks about his character and learning the new system. Then the gang discuses the new Fallout roleplaying game based on the popular video game franchise. Finally we discuss using the voice and text chat software, Discord, as a supplement to their role playing campaigns. The group us split on how we should be using it and we come to an agreement that works for everyone.

Hey Now Cabalists! Today is the big day, our 2019 Kickstarter is live! First, stop the podcast, jump over to Kickstarter and support the Cabal for another year of podcasts and video goodies. Now that you did that, press play again. Today the gang talks about Wingspan and how crazy expensive this game is right now. Then after we go though a bunch of the games we've been playing we take a deep dive look at Wingspan and look back at The Pursuit of Happiness one year later. Tony T picks all the best news stories and presents them to you as the rest of the Founders chirp in the background. Then finally the guys talk about each of their favorite game designers, why they like them and some of their favorite games by the designer. Wingspan Overview 01:01:26, Wingspan Review 01:06:05, The Pursuit of Happiness Look Back 01:27:45, News with Tony T 01:33:38, Our Favorite Game Designers 02:26:37

In episode 47 of the Secret Cabal Express, Jamie, Chris and Steve start off by talking about making Top 50 list videos and our upcoming Kickstarter. Then we jump into a story about a game we recently played that wasn't so good but how we managed to have fun anyway. We discuss some other games that even though they aren't the best designed games of all time, we still manage to like them.

Hey Now Cabalists! Today we dive right in with some conversation about Shadows of Brimstone, Funko Pops and get into some the games we've been playing over the past couple of weeks. Then we hook you up with a feature review of a game everyone is going bananas for, Vindication and look back at Rising Sun one year later. After Tony T brings you his award winning news segment with the gang chirping in the background, we host another short topic extravaganza featuring topics about which one of us wins and loses the most, sore winners and losers, mechanisms we're tired of and which games we'd gamble our lives playing. Vindication Overview 01:06:12, Vindication Review 01:11:03, Rising Sun Look Back 01:34:26, Founders Update 01:44:14, News with Tony T 01:46:45, Short Topic Extravaganza 02:43:40

Today the Lords start the episode by revealing the winners of the Art and Arcana books and then go into a campaign update for their current Dungeons and Dragons game. Then we announce a new contest for two cabalists who entered the Art and Arcana contest, we play the Opening Announce Game Show in which Jamie sees if the other Lords can figure out what settings the locations from the previous 24 episode's announces come from.

Alrighty Cabalists, the Founders are back for another wild and crazy episode of The Cabal! Today the gang talks about Chris' Top 50 games of all time and runs down a bunch of games they've been playing. Then we have a feature overview and review of Shadows of Brimstone from Flying Frog and a look back at Empires of the Void 2 from Red Raven Games. Then Tony T goes ape delivering the best damn gaming news segment of all time while the peanut gallery quack in the background. Then finally the gang hosts another short topic extravaganza featuring the golden age of entertainment and what would a Secret Cabal board game be like. Shadows of Brimstone Overview 00:46:46, Shadows of Brimstone Review 00:52:17, Empires of the Void 2 Look Back 01:18:43, News with Tony T 01:21:35, Short Topic Extravaganza 02:04:42

In episode 46 of the Secret Cabal Express, Jamie welcomes Honorary Founder Dan King, The Game Boy Geek, to discuss what traits and qualities games can have that will get us fired up, frothing at the mouth, jumpin out of our pants and wild to buy, play and keep a game in our collections - We're discussing what makes up a board game's X-Factor.

Hey Now! It's time for some more Secret Cabal Nonsense! Today we chat about some games and hobby junk we've been getting into including: Shadows of Brimstone, Nemesis, Discover Lands Unknown, Hand of Fate Ordeals, Hand of Fate on Steam, Architects of the West Kingdom, Auztralia, Chronicles of Crime, Villainous, Magic the Gathering: Arena, and Evolution Digital on Steam. Then we get into an overview and review of Wendake from Renegade Games and a look back at Gaslands from Osprey Publishing. After Tony T goes through all the most important news items in the entire world, we get into a discussion about player interaction and goes off the rails as usual. Wendake Overview 01:14:14, Wendake Review 01:18:56, Gaslands Look Back 01:47:30, News with Tony T 01:50:50, Player Interaction Discussion 02:28:10

Hey Now Cabalists! Today the lords start out by reviewing the recently released book called Dungeons and Dragons Art and Arcana: A Visual History and present a contest to win a copy of the book. Then the gang takes a question from a listener wondering how we manage getting in gaming while life continues to get in the way which transitions into playing role playing games online via video conferencing. Then the main topic of the show regards playing characters with humanity and understanding the ramifications of your actions and how your characters would actually feel doing what they're doing.

Today the founders go bananas with a feature review of the newest dinosaur park management game, Dinogenics from Ninth Haven Games and designed by Richard Keene. Then the gang takes a look back at Stefan Feld's Merlin on year later. Since Tony T is traveling this week, Steve fills in as the news host giving a rundown of all the happenings around the tabletop gaming world. Then finally the founders host another Short Topic Extravaganza including games we used to love but don't want to play, pirate themed games, asymmetry in games and what characters we would be in games. Dinogenics Overview 01:04:52, Dinogenics Review 01:09:46, Merlin Look Back 01:32:50, News with Steve S 01:39:15, Short Topic Extravaganza 02:23:05

It's the fifth Wednesday of the month and the normal podcasts have a week off so Jamie takes the opportunity to give The State of the Cabal Address. In this podcast Jamie discusses the podcasts, the video production, side projects, fundraising and how the money is used, sponsorship, reviewing and other behind the scenes aspects of The Secret Cabal Gaming Podcast.

In episode 45 of the Secret Cabal, Steve and Jamie take a break from talking about games to discuss some of the movies and TV shows they're excited about coming up in 2019!

Today the founders get busy with a review of the newest game from Awaken Realms, Nemesis and talk a look back at The Expanse one year later. After Tony T busts out the greatest news roundup in the history of tabletop gaming media the gang talks about their hopes and predictions for the new year. Nemesis Overview 01:07:53, Nemesis Review 01:13:24, The Expanse Look Back 01:43:33, News with Tony T 01:49:30, Hopes and Predictions for 2019 02:19:10