Hey Now Cabalists! The gang is back for another nonsense filled episode of The Secret Cabal Gaming Podcast. Today we start out hearing Tony's complaints about Kickstarter and discuss some games we've been playing including Altar Quest, Dune Imperium, Smartphone, Inc, Charterstone, Unmatched, and King’s Dilemma. Then the crew jumps into our feature review of Viscounts of the West Kingdom designed by Shem Phillips and published by Renegade Games. Tony T, as always, throws down the best damned news segment in all of tabletop gaming media and the rest of the boys quack in the background. And finally, the Founder's host a discussion about rulebooks. Do we like them? Hate them? And the traits of good and bad rulebooks. Viscounts of the West Kingdom Overview 01:07:25, Viscounts of the West Kingdom Review 01:12:09, News with Tony T 01:38:56, The Sins of the Rulebook 02:38:38

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In episode 67 Don and Jamie get together to talk about board games that set the trends and revolutionized board game design and some that have stood the test of time and some that have faded into obscurity. Then we list of some of the most unique games we have played that you might want to add to your collection.

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Good morning and happy Wednesday to all of you wonderful Cabalists out there! Today we dive into talking about the games we've been playing including: Whistle Mountain, Lorenzo il Magnifico, Beyond the Sun, Pan Am, Gloom Digital and Raiders of the North Sea Digital. Don, Jamie and Chris hook you up with a feature review of Stefan Feld's newest creation, The Castles of Tuscany from Ravensburger and we take a look back at Coloma by Jonny Pac and published by Final Frontier Games. Then Tony T managed to pique our interests with a bunch of great news stories and Kickstarters from across the gaming verse. Then the gang finishes off the show with a discussion about Overuse and Outdated mechanisms and if they're worn out or can innovative designers bring them back in a fresh and new way. The Castles of Tuscany Overview 00:58:48, The Castles of Tuscany Review 01:03:47, Lookback of Coloma 01:33:21, News with Tony T 01:28:47, Outdated and Innovative Mechanisms in Game Design 02:42:25

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In episode 44, Jamie starts out by talking a little bit about Baldur's Gate 3 now in early access on Steam and the gang reminisces about some old Dungeons and Dragons video games they've played in the past. Then the Lords take a question from a listener regarding dealing with a player character that is lovingly known as "Cheat Code" because he is so overpowered. Then the group gives into a discussion about playing Rogues in roleplaying games and the various archetypes they enjoy playing.

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It's time for another wild and crazy episode of The Secret Cabal! And today the gang takes a look at a slew of games including Haunted Mansion Call of the Spirits, Barrage, Curious Cargo, Small World and Black Orchestra. Then Chris and Jamie feature review Lost City of Arnak from CGE and the whole gang looks back at Everdell from Starling Games one year later. Then after Tony T regales us with his informative news segment, the guys take questions from the listeners including our favorite game mechanisms, how to pick a game without wasting time and are app driven games good in the long term. Lost Ruins of Arnak Overview 00:47:16, Lost Ruins of Arnak Review 00:51:41, Lookback of Everdell 01:20:27, News with Tony T 01:25:42, Short Topic Extravaganza 02:15:22

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In episode 66 The gang celebrates Halloween by talking with Matt Evans of Board Game Replay to talk about some of the video games they've all been playing - particularly horror themed games! All of these games are great options for your Halloween video game time!

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Muwahahahaha! It's Halloween again and ghoulish Founders are back to give you a spooky episode filled with Halloweeny games for you to enjoy. Today we look at Horrified, Friday the 13th: Horror at Camp Crystal Lake, Name 5, Dire Alliance, Dead Man’s Cabal and Armata Strigoi! Then Don and Jamie give a horrifying review of Paranormal Detectives from Lucky Duck Games and the gang looks back at Abomination The Heir of Frankenstein from Plaid Hat Games. Then after Tony T delivers the frightening news cast the ghoulies retell some nightmare gaming stories! Paranormal Detectives Overview 00:57:39, Paranormal Detectives Review 01:01:39, Lookback of Abomination The Heir of Frankenstein 01:24:05, News with Tony T 01:31:35, Nightmare Gaming Stories 02:40:46

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In episode 43, we start out talking to Jess about taking over their Dungeons and Dragons Ravenloft campaign and what a Cameltaur is. Then we discuss our first training session using the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th edition game system. And finally, the gang discusses randomness in role playing games and how to handle it when bad luck gets out of hand.

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Oh yeah! The Founders are back with another jam-packed episode of The Secret Cabal featuring: Fort, Bios Genesis, Titanic, Just One, Mercado de Lisboa, The Search for Planet X, Living Planet and Root Digital. Then Don and Jamie take a deeper dive into Marvel United from CMON and look back at Tzolk'in The Mayan Calendar from CGE. After Tony T pins the wild meter to the red with his wonderful news segment, we jump into a Short Topic Extravaganza including board game bloat, the best games with the worst components and board games for miniatures gamers. Marvel United Overview 01:07:23, Marvel United Review 01:10:24, Lookback of Tzolk'in The Mayan Calendar 01:27:27, News with Tony T 01:30:23, Short Topic Extravaganza 02:29:04

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In episode 65 Jamie and Don welcome Honorary Founder, Rodney Smith of Watch It Played, to discuss reviewing board games including the perceptions of viewers, the integrity of the reviewer, what makes good reviews and more.

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In episode 42, The Lords start out by discussing their Star Trek adventures 3 part campaign and decide whether they enjoyed the system or not and why, take a question from a listener regarding tracing their origins of when they got into roleplaying games and finish off by discussing their next campaign in the Old World using Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th edition.

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Hey Now Cabalists! Today the gang is back to talk about a ton of board gaming stuff including Crystal Palace, Mariposas, Dinogenics, Spicy, Smartphone, Inc and Among Us. Then we dive into a feature review of Undaunted Normandy and Undaunted North Africa from our good friend Dave Thompson and Trevor Benjamin published by Osprey Games and we look back at Cthulhu A Deck Building Game from Wyvern Gaming one year later. Then after Tony T hooks us up with a batch of awesome tabletop gaming news, the Founder jump into a discussion about the things that annoys us, our pet peeves and generally the things that we hate in tabletop gaming. Undaunted Normandy and North Africa Overview 01:02:04, Undaunted Normandy and North Africa Review 01:07:27, Lookback of Cthulhu A Deck Building Game 01:36:06, News with Tony T 01:42:51, You Know What I Hate? 02:29:27

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In episode 64 Tony, Chris and Jamie discuss the impact that great artwork, stellar graphic design elements, components and the entire cohesive production of a tabletop game has on the experience of the players. We go into the emotions they trigger and the immersion generated.

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Alrighty Cabalists, Wednesday is back and it's time for some wild Cabal action! today we start out with a review of the documentary film called World of Darkness about White Wolf Games and then jump into some games we're playing including: Expedition to Newdale, Modern Art The Card Game, Unspeakable Words, The Voyages of Marco Polo, Mysterium, and Five Tribes. Then we dive into a feature review of Capstone Game's Ride the Rails and a lookback at Era The Medieval Age from Eggertspiele. Tony T goes bananas with the best damn tabletop gaming news segment ever put to MP3. And finally, the gang tackles from questions from listeners including: do you attack the guy can screw you out of winning? Do you get agitated when stuff you like becomes popular? and unique game recommendations? Ride the Rails Overview 01:01:21, Ride the Rails Review 01:05:25, Lookback of Era The Medieval Age 01:36:31, News with Tony T 01:40:36, A Short Topic Extravaganza 02:36:29

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In episode 63 Tony, Don and Jamie sit down and talk about a topic that's been on our minds lately, when is it right to get back to gaming in person? And when we do, what precautions are we going to have to take to ensure the comfort and safety of ourselves and our friends. Then, we talk about the awesome games that have come out in 2020 that are piling up around out feet that we're so excited to play when we finally do get back to gaming in-person.

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Hey Now Cabalists! It's another Cabal Wednesday and we jump right in talking about the new Documentary called The Game Masters about hobby board games. Then we get into the games we've been playing including Cosmic Encounter: Duel, Clank!, Back to the Future: Back In Time, Newton, Deckscape, Colosseum and Legendary Encounters Alien: Covenant and Queen Expansions. Then we throw down a feature review of Forgotten Waters from Plaid Hat Games. Then after Tony Topper gets busy with his award winning news segment, Judge Topper dons his robes and powdered wig to call the Cabalist Court into session including cases involving an old gaming friend not coming around anymore, AEG purging Kickstarter pledges and a gaming friend who gets upset when people attack him in games. Forgotten Waters Overview 01:00:11, Forgotten Waters Review 01:06:30, News with Tony T 01:39:47, The Cabalists Court with Judge Topper 02:29:38

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In episode 41, The Lords dig into an entire hour of short topics all about role playing games. Discussion includes session duration, mundane encounters, the balance of roleplaying and combat, when players get bored, and more.

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Hey Now all you wonderful Cabalists! Today the gang is back in action to break balls, talk about awesome board games and provide some series low buffoonery. Today we start out by chatting up games including Altiplano, Spirit Island: Branch and Claw, Sonora, Set A Watch, Tapestry and Stick’em. Then we jump into a feature review of Nevada City designed by Alan D. Ernstein and published by Rio Grande Games. Then Tony T provides a comprehensive look into the board game industry with his top-notch news segment. And finally the Founders go into some more listener submitted questions including crossovers in board games, unique mechanisms and with special guest question answerers, Bender and Aaron from Lords of the Dungeon, we discuss which Warhammer 40k armies we play and which ones we're looking to start next. Nevada City Overview 00:53:42, Nevada City Review 00:58:06, News with Tony T 01:26:57, Short Topic Extravaganza 02:12:58

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In episode 62 Jamie welcomes Honorary Founders Rodney Smith of Watch It Played and Marty Connell of Rolling Dice and Taking Names to bring back play the This or That Game! We talk about conventions, gaming awards, Project Winter and in the game, we go into movies, board games, miniatures games and more.

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Hey Now Cabalists! Today we get right down to business talking about some great games including In Too Deep, Marvel Champions, Castles of Burgundy: The Dice Game, Jungle Cruise, Dead Reckoning, Stockpile, The Dwarves, and Project Winter. Then we dive in deep with an overview and review of Newton from Cranio Creations and give a Look Back of Pipeline from Capstone Games. Then finally we discuss games that fired other games. Newton Overview 00:57:26, Newton Review 01:03:00, Pipeline Look Back 01:03:00, News with Tony T 01:31:53, Games That Fired Other Games 02:13:45

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