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Feb 01, 2022•8 min
The Secret Cabal Gaming Podcast
Tune in every Wednesday to immerse yourself in The Secret Cabal Gaming Podcast, dedicated to board games, card games, role-playing, and the miniatures hobby. Join The Secret Cabal Founders: Jamie, Chris, Steve, Don, and Tony T, as they present a captivating array of perspectives on board games, all delivered with a generous dose of irreverent nonsense. Explore the world of role-playing games with The Lord of the Dungeon, and accompany the Filthy Casuals as they delve into the miniatures gaming hobby in Battletome. The Founders and Lords are devoted to providing you with irreverent entertainment, thought-provoking commentary, and an enthusiastic experience centered around the hobbies we love.
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Episodes
Express 79: The Island of Misfit Games
Don and Jamie open the show discussing a topic from the forums regarding our favorite Holiday movies and transition into our main topic - The Island of Misfit Games. Just like in Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer in which Rudolph, Hermey and Yukon Cornelius discover the Island of Misfit Toys, Don and Jamie visit a different island at which strange, broken, or unattractive - yet fun to play - games reside. Can we find homes for these misfit games?
Dec 22, 2021•1 hr 3 min
Episode 245: Sleeping Gods and The Newlywed Game Founders Edition
Ho Ho Ho and Happy Holidays Cabalists! It's time for the Secret Cabal's 2021 Christmas Special! Today we start out with the weirdest Chris story you'll ever hear so get ready. And then of course we dive into some games we've been playing including Kokopelli, Ghostbusters Men In Black Ecto-Terrestrial Invasion, Sub Terra, Heads Up, Trophies, Just One Online, Unsettled, Brick and Mortar, Betrayal Legacy and Betrayal Widows Walk. Don, Jamie and Chris slide into a feature review of the amazing Sleep...
Dec 15, 2021•3 hr 18 min
Lords of the Dungeon 57: Heirs to Heresy, Fallout and Our Tabletop RPG Pet Peeves
In episode 57 Bender starts out by talking about his recent game of Heirs to Heresy: The Fall of the Knights Templar from Osprey Games. Then the gang talks about their first foray into the Fallout RPG from Modiphius. Then the Lords round out the episode with a discussion about the things in RPG that they hate - their tabletop roleplaying game pet peeves.
Dec 08, 2021•1 hr 1 min
Episode 244: It's a Wonderful World and Designer Bodies of Work
Awwwww yeah, It's Cabal Time! Today the Founders talk about the Rock Apes and Tony's new career as a Rock Ape Hunter and a bunch of games they've been playing including Cleopatra and the Society of Architects, Savannah Park, Abomination: The Heir of Frankenstein, That Time You Killed Me, Galaxy Hunters and Radlands. Then Don and Jamie jump into a feature review of It's a Wonderful World from designer Frédéric Guérard. Then Tony T wows the crowd with the greatest tabletop gaming news segment in t...
Dec 01, 2021•3 hr 19 min
Express 78: Brilliant Game Mechanisms in Board Games
Chris, Don and Jamie dive into a discussion about games that have a single standout mechanism that elevates its game to something special. Each of the gang lists three games that they feel include one of these brilliant mechanisms.
Nov 24, 2021•1 hr 2 min
Episode 243: Anno 1800 and Second Chance Board Games
Hey Now! It's time for some irreverent Cabal shenanigans! Today the gang chats about some games and hobby junk we've been getting into including Imperial Steam, Deception: Murder in Hong Kong, Mouse Cheese Cat Cucumber, Dinosaur World, Furnace, and Elfenland. Then Jamie and Don get into an overview and review of Anno 1800 from Kosmos and designed by Martin Wallace. After Tony T goes through all the most important news items in the entire world, the Founders get into a discussion about giving pot...
Nov 17, 2021•3 hr 17 min
Lords of the Dungeon 56: Fallout, Story Arc or Character Arc and Video Games That Make Great RPGs
Today the Lords start out episode 56 by discussing their new campaign using the Fallout RPG from Modiphius. Jesko explains the setting and the rest of the gang details the characters they'll be playing. Then the group takes a question from a listener asking which we more value, campaign story arcs or our own personal character's story arc. And finally, the Lords each give one pick of a video game that they think would make a great tabletop RPG.
Nov 10, 2021•1 hr
Episode 242: Struggle of Empires and a Short Topic Extravaganza
Hey Now Cabalists! Episode 242 starts with an announcement regarding Don playing a game of Europe Divided with the designer of A Gest of Robin Hood and Red Flag over Paris, Fred Serval. The match will also have running commentary by its designer Dave Thompson! The match will be held on November 13th, 11am PST (2pm EST). Check out https://tabletop.events/conventions/sdhist-con-2021 for more details. Then the gang jumps into talking about some great games we've been playing including Isle of Skye,...
Nov 03, 2021•3 hr 8 min
Express 77: The Return of Horror Video Games with Matt Evans of Board Game Replay
Don and Jamie welcome Honorary Founder Matt Evans of Board Game Replay to celebrate Halloween with some spooky, creepy and super fun horror video games! Most of the games discussed in this episode are by indie developers but are inexpensive giving you a good bang for your buck - or scare for your buck in some cases. Please check out https://thesecretcabal.com/episodes/express-77-horror-video-games for a full list of the games discussed. Also check out https://www.youtube.com/boardgamereplay for ...
Oct 27, 2021•1 hr 7 min
Episode 241: Unfathomable and Our Spooky Board Game Rethemes
It's Halloween and the Founders are back to scare your pants off! First the gang talks about their recent trip to Columbus Ohio for Origins Game Fair. Then they get into some games they've been playing including Return to Dark Tower, DC Deck Building Game, Lost Ones, Bitoku, Seasons and Voidfall. Then Chris, Don and Jamie jump into a feature review the Battlestar Galactica retheme, Unfathomable from Fantasy Flight Games. Then Tony T throws runs down all the tabletop gaming news that matters to y...
Oct 20, 2021•3 hr 3 min
Lords of the Dungeon 55: GM Prep, Spooky Adventures and Roleplaying Fear
In episode 55, The gang starts out by having Aaron reveal his purchases at Origins Game Fair 2021 and then jump into a listener submitted question about how the Lords prepare for campaigns as Game Masters. And finally, the Lords discuss roleplaying fear, game mechanisms that promote fear in players and running spooky adventures for the Halloween season.
Oct 13, 2021•1 hr 15 min
Episode 240: Clash of Cultures and The Unwritten Rules
The Cabal is back for another dose of insubordinate nonsense! Today the gang talks about some great games including Magic the Gathering, Khora: Rise of an Empire, Immortals, Scooby Doo: Escape from the Haunted Mansion, Run Cowboy Run and Intrepid. Then Don and Jamie feature review Clash of Cultures Monumental Edition from designer Christian Marcussen and Wiz-Kids. Then Tony T pulls out the news articles if runs down all the most important things happening in the tabletop gaming world. Then final...
Oct 06, 2021•3 hr 8 min
Battletome Vol 4: Star Wars Legion
Enter, Ye Gods of War! In Volume four of Battletome, a podcast about the miniatures gaming hobby, Bender, Aaron and Jamie discuss all the games and hobby project they've been getting into lately including Age of Sigmar, Warhammer 40k, Don't Look Back, Duncan Rhodes Two Thin Coats, Myth and Goal, and Aeronautica Imperialis Wrath of Angels. Then Aaron and Jamie dive into a feature review of Star Wars Legion published by Fantasy Flight Games and Atomic Mass Games!
Sep 29, 2021•1 hr 39 min
Express 76: Are Board Game Conventions Still Relevant? Featuring Rodney Smith and Joel Eddy
Don and Jamie are so happy to be joined by Joel Eddy of Drive Thru Games and Rodney Smith of Watch It Played to talk about gaming conventions. We discuss the question, are Board Game Conventions still as relevant as they once were to the gaming industry - both publishers and convent creators.
Sep 22, 2021•1 hr 9 min
Episode 239: Through The Ages and a Short Topic Extravaganza
Awww yeah, the gang is back in action for another bananas episode of The Secret Cabal! Today the Founders chat about the games they've been playing including DinoGenics: Controlled Chaos, Paleo, Soldiers in Postmen’s Uniforms, Ankh: Gods of Egypt, Seastead and Chronicles of Crime 1400. Then Don and Jamie dive into a feature review of the classic Vlaada Chvátil game, Through The Ages: A New Story of Civilization from CGE. Then Tony T, as always, wows us with the best gaming news there is to hear,...
Sep 15, 2021•3 hr 29 min
Lords of the Dungeon 54: Creating and Running Villains and Gaming Group Styles
In episode 54, The gang starts out by talking about their recent roleplaying game battery recharging hiatus and their meeting to discuss what we're going to play next included - Fallout, Shadowrun, Pulp Cthulhu and Star Wars. Then the Lords take a question from Cabalist Brett regarding creating and running dastardly villains and how to do it without feeling like a dirtbag. Then finally the group talks about all kinds of gaming group styles, look at their own gaming style and discuss the impact s...
Sep 08, 2021•1 hr 5 min
Episode 238: Descent Legends of the Dark and Does Size Matter
Oh Yeah! Tony and Chris are back in action in episode 238 of The Secret Cabal! Today we start off by hearing a little about Tony's journey across the country and then dive into the games we've been playing over the past 2 weeks including The Shores of Tripoli, Vanuatu, Dark Domains, Meadow, Karuba, Steve's mobile escape rooms experience, and Coyote. Then Don and Jamie dive into an in-depth review of Descent Legends of the Dark from Fantasy Flight Games. Tony T takes back the reigns of the news s...
Sep 01, 2021•3 hr 13 min
Express 75: Challenges in Board Games
Hey Now Cabalists! In today's episode of The Secret Cabal Express, Don and Jamie start out by talking about the new Descent Legends of the Dark and transition into talking about the challenges that make up the board games we love and why those challenges enhance the enjoyment.
Aug 25, 2021•58 min
Episode 237: SpaceCorp 2025-2300AD and The Shelf of Shame
Hey Now Cabalists! It’s time for another wild, crazy, bananas, brilliant, bombastic, and meshugenah episode of The Secret Cabal Today it's only Don, Steve and Jamie as the others are off doing whatever they do and the gang dives into the games they've been playing including Ankh, Robinhood and his Merry Men, Descent: Legends of the Dark, Vast Mysterious Manor, Terraforming Mars: Ares Expedition, Terraforming Mars with upgrades and Kill Team Octarius. Then Don and Jamie hook the Cabalists up with...
Aug 18, 2021•3 hr 26 min
Lords of the Dungeon 53: Alien RPG, Cyberpunk Red vs Shadowrun and The Tone of the Campaign
In episode 53, The Lords begin by talking about their recent cinematic Alien Role Playing Game session and discuss the system and boxed adventure structure. Then the gang takes a question from a listener asking which we like better, pure Cyberpunk like Cyberpunk Red or Shadowrun with magic and fantasy races in the mix. Finally, Jamie, Bender, Jess and Jesko discuss the tone of a campaign and how that can affect the mood and enjoyment of the players.
Aug 11, 2021•1 hr 3 min
Episode 236: Beyond the Sun, Lookback at 2020 Part 1 and Its Not My Jam
The Cabal is back for another jam-packed episode! Today the gang welcomes Tony to the Cabal studios and we hear a little bit about his trip across the country. Then the gang goes into some of the games they've been playing including Underwater Cities, Lords of Vegas, Chinatown, Torres, Oath and Nanty Narking. Then Don and Jamie feature Beyond the Sun and look back at the games reviewed in the first 6 months of 2020. Then Tony T hooks us up with this news segment and the Founders finish off the s...
Aug 04, 2021•3 hr 16 min
Episode 235: Mind MGMT and Nailing a Board Game Theme
Hey Now Gang and welcome back to another wild and crazy episode of The Secret Cabal! Today the gang flies into action talking about a bunch of great games they've been playing including The Goonies: Never Say Die, Paranormal Detectives, Crimes in History: H.H. Holmes Murder Castle, Juicy Fruits, Azul and Zoinx! Then For the first time in 235 episodes, Jamie IS NOT included in the review segment, and we get Don and Steve taking a look at Mind MGMT: The Psychic Espionage Game by Jay Cormier and Se...
Jul 21, 2021•2 hr 55 min
Lords of the Dungeon 52: High vs Low Complexity Roleplaying Games
In episode 52, the gang starts out be discussing what they're going to do during the summer months with vacations and other travel interferes with the gaming schedule. Then the Lords take a couple of questions from listeners including running games with little knowledge of the setting and what RPGs would NOT like to run or play in. Then the group rounds out the episode by talking about high vs low complexity role playing game systems.
Jul 14, 2021•1 hr 8 min
Episode 234: Oath Chronicles of Empire and Exile and a Short Topic Extravaganza
Awwww yeah, the Founders are back and celebrating the success of their 2021 Kickstarter campaign! The gang starts the show by talking about some of the games they've been playing including Canvas, Marvel Champions, Cryo, Tapestry, Unmatched, Labyrinthos and Cartographers. Then Don and Jamie get deep into a feature review of Oath Chronicles of Empire and Exile by Cole Wehrle. Then, as usual, Tony T collects and presents the best of the best tabletop gaming news you'll ever heard. Then the gang en...
Jul 07, 2021•3 hr 4 min
Battletome Vol 3: Age of Sigmar 3rd Edition with Joel Eddy of Drive Thru Games
Enter, Ye Gods of War! In Volume Three of Battletome, a podcast about the miniatures gaming hobby, Bender, Aaron and Jamie discuss all the games and hobby project they've been getting into lately including Warcry, Oak and Iron and Reign of Hell. Then Aaron and Jamie are joined by our great friend Joel Eddy of Drive Thru Games to dig deep into Age of Sigmar 3rd Edition. We discuss the brand new Domination boxed set and all the changes coming to this new edition of Game Workshop’s fantasy version ...
Jun 30, 2021•1 hr 43 min
Express 74: The Psychology of a Gaming Junkie
The Secret Cabal Gaming Podcast's 2021 Fundraiser currently running on Kickstarter is in its final week! The campaign ends on Friday, June 25th at 5pm ET. If you would like to support our 100 hours of yearly podcast content and other additional event programs and videos, please considering donating to the Cabal and getting some awesome rewards to boot. You can find us on Kickstarter at: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/secretcabaljamie/the-secret-cabal-gaming-podcast-2021-10th-year-extravaga...
Jun 23, 2021•58 min
Episode 233: Titans and Is Kickstarter Killing Board Game Expansions Reaction
Hey Now Cabalists! Remember, our Fundraiser is live on Kickstarter right now and ends on Friday, June 25th at 5pm Eastern time. If you would like to support our content, please check it out on Kickstarter! Today the founder jump into discussion about Tony returning home to Pennsylvania for a visit and then we discuss some games we might play with him including Hadrian’s Wall, Shiver Me Timbers, 7 Wonders, Knit Wit, Donning the Purple and Blood Rage. Then Steve and Jamie go wild with a feature re...
Jun 16, 2021•2 hr 52 min
Lords of the Dungeon 51: Three Pillars of a Strong Party
In episode 51, the Lords start out with Bender raving about his Star Trek Adventures campaign and then the gang discusses three pillars of building a strong role-playing adventuring party - building strong relationships, discussing player character ideals and developing shared long and short term goals.
Jun 09, 2021•58 min
Episode 232: Monumental and Analysis Paralysis and Downtime
The Secret Cabal's 2021 Fundraiser is live on Kickstarter right now! In today's episode the Founders jump into talking about a bunch of great games we've been playing including Imperium: Classics, Destinies, Stay Cool, The Initiative, Sagrada, and Dungeon Twister. Then Jamie, Chris, Steve and Don dive into a feature review of Monumental designed by Matthew Dunstan and published by Funforge. Tony T, as always, rounded up a list of the most important tabletop gaming news stories you'll find while ...
Jun 02, 2021•3 hr 10 min
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