The Secret Cabal Gaming Podcast

Chris and Jamie get together to talk about all of their collections today and what they collected when they are kids. They go from Funko Pops, to model cars, guitars, toys, statues and more.

In episode 189 we start out with a big announcement that will take the show to a new level of awesome! Then we go through our Gen Con 2019 retrospective featuring Steve's first impressions, scooters, sunlight killing mold and bacteria, and more. Then we dive deep into Matt Leacock's newest design, Era: Medieval Age. Then we have a double feature look back of both Thunderstone Quest and The Reckoners. Then Tony T gives us a tour through all of the board game media news while we chirp in the background. And finally, we host another Short Topic Extravaganza featuring the waning of our gaming enthusiasm, gaming with fictional and historical characters and gaming with designer commentary. Era Medieval Age Overview 01:34:43, Era Medieval Age Review 01:39:09, Thunderstone Quest Look Back 01:59:58, The Reckoners Look Back 02:07:30, News with Tony T 02:11:36, Short Topic Extravaganza 02:45:49

The summer flu strikes again and Jesko is out of commission but the rest of the game sallies forth! First we talk about out first attempt at going back to a campaign we played 3 years ago. Then we take a question from a listener asking us what new Dungeons and Dragons class we would create. And finally in our discuss first time game masters and some tips that will help get you started on the right foot!

Hey Now Everyone! In today's episode Chris has some family things to take care of but we have Don sitting in for the show! We talk about some great games we've been playing and give you a feature review of Carnival of Monsters from the legendary designer Richard Garfield. Then Tony T takes over the mics to give you all the most important tabletop gaming news stories out there while the rest of us chirp in the background. And finally we discuss emergent narratives in board games. Carnival of Monsters Overview 01:07:31, Carnival of Monsters Review 01:12:22, Founders Update 01:39:03, News with Tony T 01:40:38, Emergent Narrative in Board Games Discussion 02:41:46

In the 50th episode of The Secret Cabal Express, the whole gang, Jamie, Tony, Chris, Steve and Don, who are rolling out to Gen Con 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana get together to discuss the shenanigans they plan on getting into at the convention, talk about Steve's first time going to Gen Con and what to expect, some advice to new convention attendees and then talk about a giant list of games releasing that they're excited about.

It's Wednesday again and the gang is back for more Cabal nonsense. Unfortunately, Jamie is still under the weather with a not so great voice but that doesn't stop the Cabal from rolling. Steve takes over the announcer role today so I hope you enjoy the temporary change. In today's episode we give feature review to Heroes of Land Air and Sea from Gamelyn Games featuring two special guest reviewer, Don and AC. Then we look back at one of our favorite games, Gaia Project from Z-Man games. After Tony T finally gets his audio equipment back up and running, give throws some wild news your way followed by another Short Topic Extravaganza including Kickstarter projects with flaws, teaching your kids to game and Love, Death + Robots. Heroes of Land Air and Sea Overview 00:55:55, Heroes of Land Air and Sea Review 01:01:01, Gaia Project Look Back 01:34:07, News with Tony T 01:43:43, Short Topic Extravaganza 02:21:25

The gang starts out by talking about the brand new announcement of Cyberpunk Red, the companion tabletop RPG top the hot upcoming video game Cyberpunk 2077 that will be coming out at Gen Con. Then AC tells us all about his purchases at Origins and how they're going to turn his life around. The Lords take a question from a listener regarding the need to create balanced adventuring parties and finally do a roundtable discussion about the need for player goals in your campaigns to keep players motivated.

The Founders are back in full force with a new episode of The Secret Cabal! Today the Chris, Jamie and Don take a look at Capstone Games' new economic euro, Pipeline. Then the gang gives you a double feature look back of Dinosaur Island and A Feast for Odin one year later. The latter half of the show is Tony T solid with his wildly popular tabletop gaming news segment and then Tony puts on his robes and breaks out his gavel see justice done in the Cabalist's Court where we hear the complains, argue the points and Tony T passes judgment. Pipeline Overview 01:01:00, Pipeline Review 01:5:27, Dinosaur Island 01:33:36, A Feast for Odin 01:42:06, A Message from Chris and Jamie 01:45:38, News with Tony T 01:58:44, The Cabalist's Court 02:37:55

The plague patients are joined by Aaron from Lords of the Dungeon and our good buddy Don to about Origins Game Fair froggy voices and all. Then we go back in time two weeks to join the rest of the founders and discuss what games we've been playing. The Origins gang then returns to do a feature review of Clans of Caledonia from Karma Games. Tony T storms back onto the show to give us the best damn tabletop gaming news segment of all time and the show ends with another Short Topic Extravaganza including game recommendations for high theme, high depth and low complexity, what board games would make blockbuster movies and finally what are some of the hidden gem board games we've discovered. The Founders Games Played: 00:41:32, Clans of Caledonia Overview 01:26:45, Clans of Caledonia Review 01:30:20, Founders Update 01:56:30, News with Tony T 01:59:23, Short Topic Extravaganza 02:53:09

In today's episode the Lords start out by talking about the Dungeons and Dragons cartoon and the Brazilian car commercial recreating it in live action. Then the gang talks about the new Alien role playing game and the trend of RPGs being board gamifyied with cards, tokens and player boards. Then the Lords take a question from a listener asking if we prefer preexisting published campaign settings or homebrewing. Then finally the group lists many of the campaign settings that they would like to try one of these days.

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.