Welcome, my good Cabalists. This day, the Lords of the Dungeon gather within the Ludus to discuss the rewarding of adventurers. Many a Game Master spends countless hours crafting challenges, encounters, and memorable characters, yet gives little thought to the rewards awaiting those who overcome them. A worthy reward is more than mere coin or treasure, it is the fruit of heroic labor and a force that gives greater meaning to the tale! Join us as we explore how thoughtful rewards can enrich your players' journeys and make their victories all the sweeter. Huzzah!
Rest assured, Mark was subjected to the appropriate onboarding procedures and workplace safety trainings incumbent with his new (old?) role. The HR gibbons are ever-vigilant, and wouldn't dream of letting him skip the mandatory 56 week course. Well, that's the longest one, anyway--the ape sensitivity course is a mere 45 weeks long, despite the gibbons' insistence that it ought to be the most exhaustive.
Games Played Last Week:
02:14 -Crusaders: Thy Will Be Done--Divine Influence (Seth Jaffee, Tasty Minstrel Games, 2022)
08:37 -Regicide Legacy (Paul Abrahams, Luke Badger, and Andy Richdale, Badgers from Mars, 2025)
12:41 -Jekyll vs. Hyde (Geonil, Mandoo Games, 2021)
The people demand takes, so get 'em while they're hot. We're weighing in on some possibly bad, certainly edgy opinions, and deciding where we land (spoiler: we're always right). Before we get heated, we talk about Diplomacy: The Golden Blade, and Cozy Stickerville.
01:46 - Diplomacy: The Golden Blade 12:33 - Cozy Stickerville 25:41 - Hot takes! 26:11 - Co-op games are just single player games with an audience 32:01 - Catch Up mechanics ruin competitive integrity 37:39 - Legacy games are a predatory waste of money 41:22 - If a game takes more than 30 minutes to teach, it's a bad design 45:56 - Player elimination is actually a good mechanism 47:36 - Hidden victory points are a cowardly design choice 51:38 - Gateway games Like Catan or Monopoly should be actively avoided 52:44 - House ruling a game means you bought the wrong game 53:10 - Theme is a myth 54:13 - Kickstarter deluxe editions are actively ruining the hobby
The saga of Chris' yowling companion continues with a story of the broken foster cat! Then the gang gets into the game they've been playing including Dead of Winter, Star Wars The Deck Building Game, Dale of Merchants, Shackleton Base Expansion, Scales of Fate, and a feature review of Chaosmos from designers Matthew Austin, Dani Vigour, and Joey Vigour. Then after Tony T's wild and crazy news segment the Founders talk about the movies and TV shows they're excited about coming out this summer! Dead of Winter: 00:04:39, Star Wars The Deck Building Game: 00:15:13, Dale of Merchants: 00:20:51, Shackleton Base Expansion: 00:29:52, Scales of Fate: 00:35:53, Chaosmos Review: 00:43:35, News with Tony T: 01:22:26, Summer Movie Extravaganza: 02:14:30. Check out our sponsors Restoration Games at https://restorationgames.com/, Game Toppers at https://www.gametoppersllc.com/ and Prester's Painting at https://www.presterspainting.com/
It's been a couple of months and JP introduces a special news bulletin on what is happening on the Whose Turn Is It Anyway Podcast.
It's a good news / bad news situation, starting with the bad news we're sunsetting the Whose Turn Podcast and we want to thank all of our listeners and supporters over the past 4 years, you've been amazing. Now the good news...your board gaming podcast thirst can still be quenched as JP is launching a brand new podcast on his own called "Just Play" and it is now live.
You can find the new podcast on https://www.justplaypod.co.uk/ where Episodes 0 & 1 are there waiting for you. For the first time visually I'll be also podcasting visually on YouTube so you can find the channel right here https://youtu.be/sXBPsw0VMSg
Thank you for listening to the show, from all of us at the Whose Turn Is It Anyway Podcast it has truly meant the world.
Tom is out, so Eric and Julie discuss books that have become games: from public domain classics to the latest multi-million dollar bestseller tie-in. Plus, we approach our latest collection of Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops.
For history fans who enjoy thoughtful, asymmetric challenges, Castelnuovo 1539 offers a compelling take on the “last stand” style of wargame. Blending classic conflict simulation with Euro‑style area control, this two‑player design places you with the Spanish defenders doing everything they can to slow an advancing Ottoman siege. The Spanish side isn’t trying to win outright so much as hold firm and make every step costly, creating a tense, measured experience where each decision carries real weight. With custom card decks and hidden wooden blocks shaping the flow of play, the game builds a steady, immersive pressure without ever feeling overwhelming.
Shifting to a much lighter tone, Rebuilding Chicago and Toy Battle trade battlefield grit for creativity and quick, satisfying play. As the standalone follow‑up to Rebuilding Seattle, Rebuilding Chicago invites up to five players to reshape neighborhoods and guide a growing population after the Great Fire of 1871. It’s a warm, engaging tile‑laying puzzle with plenty of room for clever planning. And if you’re looking for something breezy to wrap up a game night, Paolo Mori’s Toy Battle delivers a delightful 15‑minute burst of abstract strategy. With charming toy‑themed troops and whimsical double‑sided maps like the Volcanic Jungle or City of Clouds, it pairs simple rules with just enough tactical bite to leave everyone smiling.
We’re truly disappointed that we won’t be able to host the Strike tournament at Gen Con this year. It’s always a highlight for us, and we’ll miss the energy, laughter, and chaos that only Gladiators in an Arena, I mean, a bowl of dice can create.
Thanks for listening and a special guest joins us for our next episode, assuming he is on his best behavior.
Hello listeners and welcome to Episode 362 of the Board Game BBQ! This week Dana and Conor join forces to talk about farming, feeding workers and fulfilling contracts as they Sizzle Caverna and Clans of Caledonia.
Both of them have been gaming with frogs as Dana plays around with Pondscape while Conor tries out the new amphibious faction in Root with the Homeland Expansion. Conor tells tales of his new RPG group with members of the BBQ community and Dana see's what's worth delving for in Everdell Emerland!
Don't forget about this week's Question of the Pod, 'What Game Needs No Expansion and Why?' All that and more, tune in to find out!
PPCon 2026 is a wrap and Clef and Tim are talking all about it! All the board games from the great weekend and then some! We are jumping right into the games with this one.
Join the discord at discord.gg/s8hYtWkMS3 to jump into the discussion!
PPCon 2026 is a wrap and Clef and Tim are talking all about it! If you want to hear all about disc golf and food, this is the place. No board games here!
Join the discord at discord.gg/s8hYtWkMS3 to jump into the discussion!
My guest week is the designer of 1837 and 1854, Lonny Orgler. We discuss taking care for handicapped children, 18xx games and publishing your own titles...but which games did he choose?
Anmelden
