This week the Martin Wallace game Brass Birmingham overtook the number 1 spot on Board Game Geek's ranking, and it sparked a feud between the Brass lovers and the Gloomhaven Lovers. Don, Jamie, and Tony discuss this controversy and go into some detail about Board Game Geek, how they use it and what makes it a special place for the board game community.

💾

Hey Now Cabalists and welcome to another game stuffed episode of The Secret Cabal. Today, after the gang theorizes about Bigfoot's ecology we get into a list of games we've been playing including The Yawning Portal, Zombicide Undead or Alive, Boon Lake, Chronicles of Crime: 2400, Lost Ruins of Arnak Expedition Leaders, and a feature review of Autobahn by Fabio Lopiano and Nestore Mangone. Then after Tony T kick off another tabletop gaming news segment the gang jumps into some listener submitted questions discussing murder mystery party games, board game inspired video games and Bullshit or Believe it ala The Bigfoot Collector's Club. Autobahn Review 00:55:27, News with Tony T 01:21:05, Short Topic Extravaganza 02:17:02

💾

The Founders are back for another jam-packed episode starting out with a bit of tv show talk and leading into and a bunch of games we've been playing including The Thing: The Boardgame, QE, Wonderland’s War, Heroes of Land Air and Sea, Scout and a feature review of Encyclopedia. Then Tony T gives us the greatest tabletop gaming news in the world of tabletop gaming as the rest of the gang quacks in the background. And finally, the boys discuss that special magic that games certain board games explode in popularity. Encyclopedia Review 01:01:22, Founders Update 01:29:03, News with Tony T 01:33:12, X-Factor of Popular Board Games 02:46:21

💾

Welcome Cabalists to the first annual Best of 2022 and Lookback Special in which we look back at the past year and discuss the games played and reviewed. The gang will list their individual top 5 games that The Cabal reviewed in 2022, the top 5 games the guys individually played but did not review and the top 5 games they missed in 2022.

💾

Hey Now Cabalists! It's time for your weekly dose of Cabal nonsense! Today the gang takes a look at a bunch of awesome games including The Shivers, Autobahn, Raiders of the North Sea Digital, Fall of the Mountain King, Cat in the Box and Don and Jamie feature Starship Captains designed by Peter B. Hoffgaard and published by CGE. Then Tony T gives you all the relevant news from around the gaming verse. And finally, the Founders host another Short Topic Extravaganza with topics like how factors game for a great game session, who are some of our favorite content creators and do you think it's okay to have multiple game with the same style or theme. Starship Captains Review 00:49:11, Founders Update 01:20:21, News with Tony T 01:23:32, Short Topic Extravaganza 02:30:45

💾

Oh baby, it's the first show of the year and after a little holiday break the Founders are back for some crazy Cabal antics! Today the gang gets into some of the games they've been playing including Forest of Radgost, Creature Comforts, Merchants of the Dark Road, Marvel Snap, Mindbug and features Lacrimosa designed by Gerard Ascensi and Ferran Renalias and published by Devir. After Tony T knocks your socks off with another bombastic tabletop gaming news segment the boys get into a discussion about keeping their gaming lives fresh. Lacrimosa Review 00:53:02, Founders Update 01:15:08, News with Tony T 01:18:23, Keeping Your Gaming Life Fresh 02:07:04

💾

Ho Ho Ho Cabalists! It's the 2022 Secret Cabal Holiday Special! Today the Don and Jamie talk about their time at PAX Unplugged and a bunch of games they've played including Obsession, Fire and Stone Siege of Vienna 1683, Clank! Catacombs, Wicked and Wise and Ready, Set Bet and a feature review of Ahoy by Greg Loring-Albright and Leder Games. Then between all the Secret Cabal Christmas tunes, Tony T kicks out the best damned tabletop gaming news segment in the history of tabletop gaming podcasts and the gang talks about games from the past, present and future that bring them joy. Ahoy Review 00:51:33, Founders Update 01:19:44, News with Tony T 01:25:56, Games of Christmas Past Present and Future 02:13:04

💾

In this, the first Express Episode in a full year, Don, Chris and Jamie are joined by their very good friend The Secret Cabal Christmas Elf to help Santa out with gifting games to gamers. The boys go through a series of categories including games for game enthusiasts, party games, stocking stuffers, budget games and more.

💾

Hey now! It's time for another healthy dose of Cabal nonsense! Today the gang gets into some of the games they've been playing including Star Trek Ascendency, Weather Machine, Mechs vs Minions, Paperback Adventures, San Francisco, and features Sabotage by Tim Fowers. Then Tony T gives the most wonderful tabletop gaming roundup any newsman has every provided. Finally, the Founders take a look at crowdfunding and how their habits have changed over the years and how they may be changing in the future. Sabotage Review 00:47:54, Founders Update 01:09:01, News with Tony T 01:14:31, Revisiting Crowdfunding 01:55:02

💾

Gobble Gobble Gobble, Cabalists! It's coming up on that holiday where we eat way too much take naps on the couch (or that would be a typical day at my house). The gang dives in with some games they've been playing including Planted, Horrified Universal Monsters, Monster Slaughter, Oak, Ark Nova and our feature review Alma Mater from Eggertspiele. Tony Topper does what a Tony Topper does best and enlightens us with all the best tabletop gaming news out there. And finally, the founders list some things that really stick in their craw and what games they're thankful for that fix those issues. Alma Mater Review 00:50:44, News with Tony T 01:19:33, What We're Thankful For In Gaming 02:08:29

💾

Hey Now Cabalists! Alabama White Thing? Alabama Booger Monster? Turkey Man Steve? The mysterious primates are everywhere! Today the gang talks about a bunch of great games they’ve been getting into including Valaria: Card, Mosaic, Don't Go In There, Flamecraft, Campaign Trail and a feature review of Endless Winter: Paleoamericans from Stan Kordonskiy Fantasia Games. Then after Tony T gives you an on fleek tabletop gaming news roundup the gang gets into some short topics including rare and out of print games, the complexity to fun ratio and what game could you beat Death at to not go to hell? Endless Winter Paleoamericans Review 00:54:27, News with Tony T 01:13:00, Short Topic Extravaganza 02:19:22

💾

Happy Halloween Cabalists! It's that time of year when the Founders are visited by Wolfman Steve and The Gatekeeper for some spooky fun and games! First the gang talks about their very own cryptid that lives in the forests near their home. Then the gaming ghoulies jump into some games they've been playing including Finding Sasquatch, Cult of the Deep, Bloody Inn, Feed the Kraken, Campy Creatures, and our feature review, Night of the Living Dead A Zombicide Game. Then Tony T gives us the creepiest, most hair-raising haunted new segments in all of Halloween Town. Then finally the Founders give board games a break and talk about the TV shows and movies we're watching this October! Night of the Living Dead Review 00:54:27, News with Tony T 01:13:00, What To Watch This Halloween 02:19:22

💾

The Founders are back with another jam-packed episode and this one has some crazy stuff going on so BEWARE! The gang starts out by talking about some awesome games including Oathsworn: Into the Deepwood, Glow, Exit: The Sinister Mansion, Lunar Rush, Cry Havoc, Agricola and My Father’s Work. Then Don, Steve and Jamie jump into a feature review of Witchstone. Tony T goes bananas with his news segment, and this is where all the insanity starts due to a controversy in the Chess world. Then finally the gang talks about beer and pretzel games, games we would have loved when we were in 7th grade, and things that turn us off about games in our Short Topic Extravaganza. Witchstone Overview 01:13:47, Witchstone Review 01:17:19, News with Tony T 01:40:01, Short Topic Extravaganza 02:33:42

💾

Hey Now Cabalists! In episode 257 the gang gets back to talk about some great games including Resist!, City of Iron, Thunderstone Quest, Trudvang Legends, Cat in the Box and Get on Board. Then Don and Jamie throw a feature review of Furnace from AEG at you, followed by the great Tony T and his legendary news segment featuring many off the rails conversations. And finally, the Founders get busy with a discussion called Matters of Complexity! Furnace Overview 01:13:47, Furnace Review 01:17:19, News with Tony T 01:40:01, Matters of Complexity 02:33:42

💾

In episode 256, Steve digs into his mail bag and definitely is NOT paid by Cabalists to provide shout outs on the air. Then the Founders get busy talking about the games they've been playing including Dead Reckoning, USPS The Great American Mail Race, Dorf Romantik, Conquest of Planet Earth, My Father’s Work, Suburbia Collector’s Edition and Everdell Digital. Then, of course, Tony T give the audience with the best damned tabletop gaming news segment that has ever been provided to a podcast audience. And finally, the gang hosts a Short Topic Extravaganza with topics including the Founder's superpowers, what Dungeons and Dragons characters would the Founders be, how many plays does it take to say a game is bad and are there any Kickstarter the founders regret backing and not backing. Sniper Elite Overview 01:07:43, Sniper Elite Review 01:10:20, The News with Tony T 01:38:19, Short Topic Extravaganza 02:42:50

💾

Enter, Ye Gods of War! In Volume five of Battletome, a podcast about the miniatures gaming hobby, Bender, Aaron and Jamie welcomes a new filthy casual to the roster of Cabal hosts, Mike! The gang talks about their hobby projects including Warcry, Frostgrave, Marvel Crisis Protocol, Star Wars Legion, Warhammer 40,000 and Moonbreaker. Then the guys get down and dirty with the classic miniatures wargame Battletech from Catalyst Game Labs.

💾

In episode 255, The gang starts out with a story from back in high school and dive right into the games we've been playing including Catan Starfarers, Age of Atlantis, The Crew: Mission Deep Sea, Nidavellir, Marvel Dice Throne, Kitty Paw and Star Trek Missions. Then the Founders jump into a deep dive review of The Great Wall from Awaken Realms. Then after Tony T gives us a rundown of all the most important news items from around the tabletop gaming world, the game returns to a discussion topic from the past regarding Replaybility and how it impacts our enjoyment, our perception of value and how it affects our reviews. The Great Wall Overview 01:09:15, The Great Wall Review 01:13:42, The News with Tony T 01:46:17, Revisiting Replaybility 02:42:53

💾

In episode 254 the Founders start the show by talking about Tony's trip back to Pennsylvania and move into the games we've been playing including Tapestry with the Plots and Ploys expansion and the Arts and Architecture expansion, Shogun, A.D.E.L.E., Murder of Crows and Bumuntu. Then Tony T pins the wild meter in the red with his tabletop gaming news segment. And finally, we give you another Short Topic Extravaganza including Ghosts and hauntings, the player who hosts and preps the game night and is it okay to meta-game a board game. Final Girl Overview 01:04:07, Final Girl Review 01:09:02, The News with Tony T 01:38:57, Short Topic Extravaganza 02:38:50

💾

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 Rising Sun, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Ashes Reborn: Rise of the Phoenixborn, Thunderstone Quest, Massive Darkness 2: Hellscape, and Star Wars Outer Rim Unfinished Business. Don, Jamie and Steve hook you up with a feature review of Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window from the Prospero Hall design team and Funko Games. Then Tony T managed to pique our interests with a bunch of great news stories and Kickstarters from across the gaming verse. And finally, court is in session and Judge Topper presides over The Cabalist's Court! Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window Overview 01:02:00, Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window Review 01:06:57, The News with Tony T 01:33:09, The Cabalists Court with Judge Topper 02:13:57

💾

Alrighty Cabalists, it’s time for yet another major dose of Secret Cabal insubordinate, irreverence and meshugenah nonsense! Today the gang dives into the games they’ve been getting into including Circadians: First Light, Buck Rogers Battle for 25th Century, Lost Ruins of Arnak, Bretwalda, Wild Serengeti, Dutch Blitz and Rising Sun. Then Don, Jamie and Chris get busy with a review of Renegade Games’ The Snallygaster Situation: Kids on Bikes Board Game. And of course, as usual, Tony T gives us what hell of a roller coaster ride through the world of tabletop gaming in his bananas news segment. The show is then closed out with the discussion about board game production and how that may affect the fun positively and negatively. The Snallygaster Situation Overview 00:58:17, The Snallygaster Situation Review 01:03:18, News with Tony T 01:28:44, The Production, Gameplay and Cost of Board Games 02:13:03

💾