The Secret Cabal Gaming Podcast

The Secret Cabal's 2020 Fundraiser is live on Kickstarter right now! Jump over to Kickstarter and search The Secret Cabal 2020 now or head over to www.thesecretcabal.com and click the banner! In today's episode the Founders start out by talking about some games they've been playing including: Star Trek Conflick in the Neutral Zone, Chronicles of Crime: Welcome to Review, On Mars, Chrono-Trek, Star Realms, and Among the Stars. Then Tony, Aaron and Jamie jump right into a feature review of Charterstone, specifically the Steam digital edition designed by Jamey Stegmier and published by Stonemier Games and look back at Fantasy Flight Games' Star Wars Outer Rim. Then Tony T goes ape with some important news from all around the gaming industry while the gang chatters in the background. Then the Founders end the episode with another Short Topic Extravaganza including discussion about Expansions, Dungeon Crawl Games and who would play us in the movies. Charterstone Overview 00:48:18, Charterstone Non-Spoiler Section

In episode 38, the Lords finally return for a new episode! The gang managed to get at least some recording ability at their homes, and we hope that all of you will bear with us as we figure out this new style of recording. We start off the episode by discussing what we've been doing over the past few months and how we've been gaming. We've started a new Star Trek Adventures and are doing it online first the first time. Then we go into our thoughts of Star Trek Adventures from Modiphius.

The Secret Cabal's 2020 Fundraiser is live on Kickstarter right now! Jump over to Kickstarter and search The Secret Cabal 2020 now! In other news, today the founder's welcome Rodney Smith of Watch It Played to talk about some board games including Labyrinth Adventures, Evolution, Oceans, Cloudspire, Codenames, The Grizzled Armistice and Lasers and Feelings! Then Don, Jamie and Aaron give you a feature review of Star Trek Ascendency and a look back at Kingsport Festival. Then after Tony T runs down the most important news in all of the tabletop gaming world, Rodney joins the Founders for the 4th installment of their world famous game show, The Founder's Feud! Star Trek Ascendency Overview 01:02:28, Star Trek Ascendency Review 01:08:30, Kingsport Festival Look Back 01:32:48, News with Tony T 01:36:29, The Founder's Feud 02:15:19

In episode 59, Don and Jamie sit down to talk about a series of essential and influential board game mechanisms that were game changers of our hobby. Mechanisms that, when first arriving on the scene, shook up the way games were designed and added a new tool to the game design toolbox.

Today Steve, Don, Aaron and Jamie sit down with Honorary Founder Matt Evans of Board Game Replay to talk about all the video games they've been playing during the quarentine and go back in time and discuss some of their favorite video games and video game memories of the past.

The gang is back again for another episode of The Secret Cabal Gaming Podcast and today we talk about Steve's encounter with a backyard snake, Tony's standing desk, and take a look at a slew of games we've played including: Brook City, Street Masters, Dinogenics, The Liberation of Rietburg, Archmage, Clinic, Kitchen Rush, Race for the Galaxy and Star Trek Panic. Then we throw down a feature review of Chimera Station from Tasty Minstrel Games and a look back at Wingspan from Stonemaier Games. And finally, After Tony T's award-winning news segment, we host a short topic extravaganza including questions about games with new rounds, if we'd play games even though we're cursed to lose and the awkward moments after a game ends. Chimera Station Overview 01:07:13, Chimera Station Review 01:12:30, Wingspan Look Back 01:36:54, News with Tony T 01:41:19, Short Topic Extravaganza 02:43:10

Today was supposed to be a Lords of the Dungeon day but due to Social Distancing and the lack of remote recording abilities, Jamie, Steve, Don and Chris do an impromptu recording talking about whatever comes to mind. No plan. No notes. We just hit the record button and talked chase the rabbit down it's hole. We hit topics including TV shows, Movies, Grocery Stores, The Lack of Toilet Paper and How They're Handling The Quarantine.

The Founders are sheltered in place, but the Secret Cabal will go on! Today we talk about some awesome games including Everdell Pearlbrook, Doctor Who Time of the Daleks, Europe Divided, Arkham Noir, Funkoverse, Monumental and Chronicles of Crime: Noir. Then we give you a feature review of Viticulture Essentials Edition from Stonemaier Games and look back at Vindication, Shadows of Brimstone and Wendake. Then after Tony T enlightens you with all the most important news items from around the board gaming world, we host a discussion about how to continue gaming even though you're stuck in your house during quarantine. Viticulture Overview 00:57:41, Viticulture Review 01:00:43, Vindication Look Back 01:29:25, Shadows of Brimstone Look Back 01:33:25, Wendake Look Back 01:39:11, News with Tony T 01:44:29, Living without a Game Group 02:29:09

In episode 58, We start out today's episode with a special message to the Cabalists and then right into the episode proper. Today the Chris, Don and Jamie are joined by their very good friend Stephen Buonocore of Stronghold Games to discuss the board game publishing industry. Stephen answers all of our and the Cabalists questions about what it takes to publish a board game in today's industry. If you want to hear more about publishing, check out Stephen's podcast called Board Games Insider at BoardGamesInsider.com and all the wonderful games he publishes at StrongholdGames.com

Hey Now Cabalists! Today we open but announcing the date of our next Kickstarter which will be May 1st, 2020. Then we jump into talking about a bunch of games we've been playing including On Mars, CO2: Second Chance, Feudum, In the Hall of the Mountain King, Fast Sloths, Bruges and Terror in Meeple City. Then we jump into a feature review of Underwater City designed by Vladimír Suchý and published by Rio Grande Games. Then after Tony T gives us his wild and crazy News segment, we discuss Win/Loss Attribution in board gaming. Underwater City Overview 01:14:39, Underwater City Review 01:18:49, News with Tony T 01:42:53, Win/Loss Attribution Discussion 02:31:08

In episode 37, the lords begin by discussing a recent encounter from their own game involving a puzzle that was a bit too hard for them to figure out and how they feel about puzzles as encounters. Then the gang takes a question from a listener regarding how to talk to your dungeon master about a game in which the players aren't having fun. How do you let them down easy? And finally, the Lords jump the main discussion about clerics and other religious characters and the ins and outs of playing a person who believes and service the greater gods.

Alrighty Cabalists! It's time for another jam-packed episode of The Secret Cabal starting off with a new Chris Movie Review this time featuring the new Lovecraft adaptation of Color Out of Space. Then we jump into the games we've been playing including: Undaunted, Charterstone, Aftershock San Francisco and Venice, Cooper Island, Terraforming Mars, Ettin, Last Will and Castles of Burgundy. Then the gang gets into a feature review of Clinic: Deluxe Edition designed by Alban Viard, published by AVStudioGames and featuring artwork by the great Ian O'Toole. Tony T gives us his ever-popular news segment filled with gaming related nonsense and the rest of the gang gives their valuable commentary. And finally, the Founders talk about buzzkill gamers, making noises during the game, are mats better than boards and the annoying things about Kickstarter projects in our Short Topic Extravaganza. Clinic Overview 01:23:27, Clinic Review 01:28:47, News with Tony T 01:57:10, Short Topic Extravaganza 02:49:38

In episode 57, Jamie, Steve and Don welcome longtime friend and Honorary Founder, Dan King, The Game Boy Geek. Dan starts out by giving Jamie some recommendations for great casual games to take back to his family and then we talk about Dan's currently running Kickstarter to fun his YouTube review channel. Then the gang goes deep into a discussion about replayability and lists some games that they feel are extremely replayable.

Hey Now Cabalists! In episode 201 the gang gets back to basics after our raucous 200th episode celebration. Today we talk about all sorts of great games including Empires of the Void 2, Barrage, Sorcerer City, Underwater Cities, Bunny Kingdom, Backgammon, Celestia, Blood Rage and Caylus 1303. Then Don, Steve and Jamie throw a feature review of Chronicles of Crime from Lucky Duck Games at you, followed up by a look back at DinoGenics from Ninth Haven Games. Then after Tony T's legendary news segment featuring many off the rails conversations, the guys discuss the effect of complexity on your fun when playing board games. Chronicles of Crime Overview 01:03:30, Chronicles of Crime Review 01:08:00, Dinogenics Look Back 01:33:13, News with Tony T 01:37:10, The Effect of Complexity on Your Fun 02:11:20

In episode 36, the Lords start out by talking about trying a new game for a few months and discuss the new Altered Carbon RPG raising funds on Kickstarter now. Then the gang takes a question from a listener regarding if magic were real. Then finally the Lords talks about playing in high and low level campaigns and how to make them fun.

Today the Founders celebrate their 200th episode anniversary by going over the past 8 years and each giving two of their favorite games they've ever reviewed - think of it like a giant-sized Games of Yesteryear mixed with 10 Look Back segments. Then Don, Tony and Jamie go back to review a legendary board game that defined a genre, Puerto Rico. Then after Tony T's news segment, the guys take a look back at the past 8 years of The Secret Cabal Gaming Podcast and discuss what they've build and retell some of their favorite moments throughout the life of the show. AND the Founders are visited by some old friends throughout the show too! Puerto Rico Overview 01:24:05, Puerto Rico Review 01:27:12, News with Tony T 01:52:04, A Look Back of the Past 8 Years 02:48:52

In episode 56, Chris and Jamie start out by talking about their early days of gaming. The games and friends they experienced that made them hobbyists. Then they list the top 5 board games that shaped them and turned them into the serious hobby board games they are today.

The Founders are back for a another game packed episode starting out with Chris and his grasshopper taco and a bunch of games we've been playing including; Taverns of Tiefenthal, Wavelength, Cryptid, Blitzkrieg!, The Grizzled, Crystal Palace, Caverna: The Cave Farmers and Dream Phone. Then after we review Flotilla and look back at Nemesis and Professor Eveil, Tony T, as always, gives us the greatest tabletop gaming news in the entire world of gaming while the rest of us quack in the background. Then we wrap up the episode with discussion about the state of the industry, the state of came consumers and ask the question, is the Acquisition Disorder a thing of the past. Flotilla Overview 01:22:23, Flotilla Review 01:25:06, Professor Evil and the Citadel of Time Look back 01:55:28, Nemesis Look Back 01:57:57, News with Tony T 02:01:14, The Death of the Acquisition Disorder Discussion 02:50:49

In episode 35, Jesko talks about his first time Dungeon Mastering a game of Dungeons and Dragons, Jamie talks about his Christmas Presents, we take questions from listeners regarding Eberron and campaign settings from the past they would like to see make a return and finish the episode by talking about Wizards and magic, roleplaying wizards and their favorite magic users from movies, TV, comics and books.

Hey Now Cabalists and Happy New Year! First, we start off with a challenge from a Cabalist on our forums and then get busy with some games we've been playing including: Flotilla, Era: Medieval Age, Fast Sloths, Tapestry, Istanbul The Dice Game, The Others and Cthulhu Death May Die! Then we announce a new series of T-Shirts featuring Steve's artwork. Then we get busy with a feature review of Maracaibo from Alexander Pfister and Capstone Games. Then after Tony T throws some tabletop gaming news at us, we host another Short Topic Extravaganza featuring Steve's Jokes, how games have changed over the years and dealing with a gaming group with varying tastes. Maracaibo Overview 01:00:19, Maracaibo Review 01:04:36, News with Tony T 01:30:30, Short Topic Extravaganza 02:22:00