I've Been Diced!

Adam Starkweather tells us about his collaborations with Japanese designers on A Victory Lost, Warriors Of God, Fire In The Sky, and A Most Dangerous Time. Adam also tells us about the origins of his two mega-tactical games, Devil’s Cauldron and Where Eagles Dare, and his upcoming wargames, including a Normandy version of Cauldron/Eagles. Plus, […]

Ed Beach discusses his boardgames, including Here I Stand, Virgin Queen, and the Great Campaigns of the American Civil War series. We also talk about Ed’s work on the Civilization V computer game, including the new Gods & Kings expansion. How similar or different are board games and computer games, from a design perspective? Plus, […]

Carl Paradis talks about the genesis of the No Retreat! series of wargames, and where they’re headed. We also journey into Carl’s secret Napoleonic room, and we find out about the challenges designing a simpler, faster wargame that’s true to the history. (c) 2012 Tom Grant

Ben Hull stops by for an in-depth discussion of his wargames, including Fields of Fire, the Musket & Pike series, and his upcoming operational game of the Thirty Years War. Plus, Ben throws in a recommendation for historical fiction buffs at the end. (c) 2012 Tom Grant

Tom’s trek across the continental United States is done, so we’re back to blab about boardgames. In this episode, we catch up about the games we’ve been playing, from fishing fleets in the Atlantic (Upon A Salty Sea) to battling Brits in North Africa (Battle Academy). We find interesting parallels between FFG’s A Game Of […]

We heard that Mage Knight: The Boardgame was mildly popular, so we’re providing an introduction to the game. What are the core rules, and how do they work together? What are some tips for beginning players? But first, we bemoan the frequency with which many recent games become unavailable. And later, Tom outlines his theory […]

Three gamers walk into a bar. So what do they play? We discuss three player boardgames: which ones are good, and what makes them work. Plus, a quick historical overview of Eastern Front wargames. Which is a history of history, really. (c) 2012 Tom Grant

What are the boardgames we regret not buying, when we had the chance? Which ones do we regret selling? In this episode, we discover how light of heart Dave is, and what a great burden of remorse Tom carries with him. Plus, since we’ve frequently discussed Martin Wallace’s Princes of the Renaissance, Tom gives a […]

Our obligatory but spirited take on 2011. What we liked and hated, what surprised us, what disappointed us. Plus, why Pursuit of Glory is both a great game and a great history lesson. (c) 2011 Tom Grant

Our game designer interviews continue with Eric Lee Smith. Aside from designing classic wargames like Across 5 Aprils, Panzer Command, Ambush!, and The Civil War, Eric is also the founder of Shenandoah Studio, which is bringing wargames like these to the iPad. Plus, a review of both Titan the beloved boardgame and its iPad version. […]

Tom, Scott, and Paul discuss expansions. When is a game worth expanding? What kind of value should expansions provide — More complexity? More of the same? A fix for a core game that didn’t work? Plus, Tom reviews Elder Sign and two iOS board games, Loot And Scoot and Legion Of The Damned. (c) Tom […]

Colby Dauch of Plaid Hat Games stops by to discuss Summoner Wars, his upcoming game Dungeon Run, the iOS version of Summoner Wars, Heroscape, and more. Plus, a Star Trek/Tales of the Arabian Nights hybrid is this week’s Game Off The Beaten Track. (c) 2011 Tom Grant

Summer blockbusters based on comic books are now the norm. Publishers release hundreds of new mystery novels every year. Westerns are still iconic parts of American popular culture. So why are there so few good games based on these genres, and so many better games based on medieval merchants, farmers, and castle builders? Plus, Tom […]

Jim Krohn, designer of the just-published Space Empires: 4X, talks about the history of this game, plus some of the key design decisions that went into it. What started as a two-player monster game became something playable in a few hours. Plus, a new iPad game, King Of Dragon Pass, makes Tom nostalgic for one […]

Paul, Dave, and Tom discuss the distinct appeal of wargames. We play them for different reasons than other boardgames, and we judge them according to different standards. Plus, three classic wargames off the beaten track, and we discuss how Origins: How We Became Human can break your brain. (c) 2011 Tom Grant

Alan Emrich drops by to talk about designing games, publishing games, and teaching game design. What’s his company, Victory Point Games, working on next? How do you teach game design? Is it harder to design a small game than a big one? What’s the plan for getting VPG’s titles onto mobile devices? Plus, the strange […]

The stars are right for summoning our opinions about Arkham Horror. Why do we keep coming back to it, in spite of the insane amount of setup? Which expansions are worth getting? How should new players dive into Arkham Horror’s murky depths? Plus, during our discussion of games we’ve played recently, Tom and Paul recount […]

Brian Train, wargame designer, joins us to discuss simulations of irregular warfare. How do insurgencies differ from conventional wars, and what’s different about how you simulate them in wargames? We talk about many of Brian’s published games on these topics, such as ¡Arriba España!, Battle for China, Shining Path, and Algeria, as well as his […]

We love Magic Realm, so why not spread the love? This episode, we give an overview of the game for new players, and we talk about what makes Magic Realm both unique and great. Later, Tom has Spain on the brain, so he gives a quick overview of wargames about the Spanish Civil War. Plus, […]

Ever wanted to play Twilight Imperium? We dedicate this episode to you. Tom, Paul, and Scott give an overview of the game for beginners, with a summary of the core mechanics, tips for beginners, and even a few strategy suggestions. We’ve finished sessions of Twilight Imperium on a weeknight (really!), so why not you? Plus, […]