We're back from Gen Con with stories to tell! Lots of steps logged, games played, and high fives acquired. What were the big hits of the show, and where were we when the alarms went off? Plus, a completely normal amount of Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops.

00:00 - Introduction

00:47 - Back from Gen Con

01:19 - Dice Tower West

02:07 - Biggest Gen Con Ever? and Construction

05:21 - What Did Gamers Run For?

08:26 - Artist Alley Has Gotten Crowded

09:00 - Dungeon Crawler Carl

11:34 - Games Played at The Booth: Citadels Duel

13:57 - Open Gaming at JW Marriott

15:48 - Geting Our Steps In

16:38 - Dedicated Publisher Rooms

18:18 - The Dice Tower Awards

19:53 - Loud Parties

21:02 - Light Games, CCGs, and RPGs

23:14 - Non-Game Purchases

26:30 - Paizo's New Boardgames

28:00 - Pins, Ribbons, and Trinkets

31:29 - Memorable Fan Interactions

32:52 - Tornado Warning

38:46 - Uh Oh, Dino

42:33 - Le Chocolat

43:37 - Drillers

46:58 - Panic Lab

50:05 - Invincible Season 2

52:01 - Kronologic Babylon 2500

56:39 - Wrap-Up

Questions? Tales of Horror? tom@dicetower.com

The world is changing, what with everything being cozy and (some) crowdfunding projects fulfilling in weeks rather than years. This dizzying pace of evolution can be disorienting, which is why Notebook Nations seeks to comfort and console you by having throwbacks to the design decisions of years past.

Games Played Last Week:

01:55 -Wonderland's War (Tim Eisner, Ben Eisner, and Ian Moss, Druid City Games, 2022)

06:48 -The Quest for El Dorado: Expansion Collection (Reiner Knizia, Lautapelit.fi, 2025)

13:54 -Star Wars: Rebellion (Corey Konieczka, Fantasy Flight, 2016)

23:34 -Container (Franz-Benno Delonge, Thomas Ewert, and Kevin Nesbitt, Allplay, 2026)

30:06 -Tag Team (Gricha German & Corentin Lebrat, Scorpion Masqué, 2025)

35:38 -Chang'an (Carlo Camarotto & Nestore Mangone, Arcane Wonders, 2026)

37:57 -Nokosu Dice (Yusuke Matsumoto, Engames, 2016)

44:12 -Kabuto Sumo: Sakura Slam (John Brieger, Michael Dunsmore, & Tony Miller, Allplay, 2024)

News (and why it doesn't matter):

47:26 Glorious Listener Survey! https://forms.gle/ghqMH9cuiRWCVyZn9

48:26 The Lord of the Rings: King's Gambit price speculation and lamentation

52:21 Feature Game: Notebook Nations (Amy Droz & Dusty Droz, Dux Somnium Games, 2026)

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00:01:00 Intro
00:02:00 SWU Vegas
00:15:00 SFGE
00:20:00 1775: Rebellion
00:25:00 Las Vegas
00:27:30 Ashes Ascendency: Natural Magic Expansion
00:29:30 New Twin Suns Decks
00:32:00 Miniature Market
00:33:00 Hunt for Blackbeard
00:49:30 Gen Con Thoughts
00:56:00 Outro

We kicked things off at the Star Wars Unlimited Galactic Championship in Las Vegas, not as competitors in the main event but as fans soaking in the convention atmosphere and jumping into SWU games with some of the best players in the world during their breaks. The vibe at every table was incredible—full of camaraderie, excitement, and a shared love for a truly outstanding trading card game. No matter your skill level, players were patient, welcoming, and happy to walk you through plays in the side events. Now, the main event, that was all business. One more thing worth noting: the crowd spanned all ages, including families, which was great to see. Next year’s event is heading to Disneyland, so if you’re thinking about going, start planning now!

While we were in Vegas, we also tried a new game from Fort Circle Games: Hunt for Blackbeard. It’s a two‑player hidden‑movement game that really picks up speed once you understand the action flow, and the tension spikes beautifully in the final two rounds. The rules take a bit to settle in, but by the second playthrough we had it down. And if Blackbeard’s history isn’t familiar to you, keep reading below.

Blackbeard, born Edward Teach around 1680 in Bristol, England, became one of the most feared and legendary pirates of the Golden Age of Piracy, terrorizing the Caribbean and the Atlantic coast between 1716 and 1718. Known for his dramatic appearance—most famously his long black beard and the smoldering fuses he tied into it to intimidate enemies—he commanded the formidable Queen Anne’s Revenge, a 40‑gun warship crewed by hundreds of men. Blackbeard’s exploits included blockading Charleston, capturing merchant vessels, and cultivating a fearsome reputation that often allowed him to win without violence. He also operated with a small fleet that included the Adventure, a sloop commanded by his lieutenant Israel Hands, as well as smaller vessels such as the Margaret and the Sea Captain. His pirating career was short-lived, ending in November 1718 when he was killed in a fierce battle at Ocracoke Island, NC by Lieutenant Robert Maynard’s forces, cementing his place as one of history’s most iconic pirates.

Thanks for listening

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Welcome to Episode 367 of the Board Game BBQ Podcast, in this weeks ep, Joe joins Conor and after trading socialising stories the lads chat about the games they've been playing lately.
Joe partners up and tries out The White Castle Duel to see if it packs the same punch as the OG, Conor gets the roll and write itch via digital addiction through the Ganz series.  Does Joe's sizzle of 'Carnuta' get Conor to pick up his purchase pen again? While Conor waxes poetic about Eternal Decks for his while convincing Joe to play his own copy.
Don't forget to let us know about your answer to this week's Question of the Pod too! "What is your favourite digital implementation of a board game and why?'
All that and more when you sit down at the BBQ!