So Very Wrong About Games

Don't you know who I amRemember my nameFaiyumI'm gonna live for everI'm gonna learn how to fly-clearly some song about ancient PharaohsGames Played Last Week:00:51 -Aquatica (Ivan Tuzovsky, Cosmodrome Games, 2019)05:06 -Dungeon Petz (Vlaada Chvátil, CGE, 2011)07:46 -Concordia Solitaria (Mac Gerdts, PD-Verlag, 2021) 11:25 -CuBirds (Stefan Alexander, Catch Up Games, 2018)12:01 -Dragonwood (Darren Kisgen, AURUM, Inc., 2015)13:17 -Abyss (Bruno Cathala & Charles CHvallier, Bombyx, 2014)13:57 -Nidavellir (Serge Laget, GRRRE Games, 2020)14:58 -Beyond the Sun (Dennis K. Chan, Rio Grande Games, 2020)15:08 -Lost Ruins of Arnak (Elwen & Mín, CGE, 2020)15:49 -Bullet♥︎ (Joshua Van Laningham, Level 99 Games, 2021)18:18 -Project: ELITE (Konstantinos Kokkinis, Marco Portugal, & Sotirios Tsantilas, CMON, 2020) 19:44 -Warhammer Underworlds: Direchasm (David Sanders, Games Workshop, 2020)23:29 -The Shores of Tripoli (Kevin Bertram, Fort Circle Games, 2020)30:20 -Yura Yura Penguin (Yabuchi Ryoko, Self-Published, 2020)News (and why it doesn't matter): 31:09 Robotech: Reconstruction33:16 More Necromunda and Warhammer Underworlds34:21 Res Arcana: Perlae Imperii34:49 In-person GenCon in September35:35 Lost Cities roll-and-write36:16 As d'or goes to MicroMacro: Crime City36:45 Feature Game: Faiyum (Friedemann Friese, 2F-Spiele, 2020)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

CASSIUS: Did SVWAG say any thing?CASCA: Ay, they spoke Geek.CASSIUS: To what effect?CASCA: Nay, an I tell you that, I'll ne'er look you i' theface again: but those that understood them smiled atone another and shook their heads; but, for mine ownpart, it was Geek to me.01:54 AYURIS: Star Wars: Outer Rim (Corey Konieczka with Tony Fanchi, FFG, 2019) Games Played Last Week:03:30 -Paleo (Peter Rustemeyer, Hans im Glück, 2020)08:56 -MicroMacro: Crime City (Johannes Sich, Pegasus Spiele, 2020) 10:44 -Root: The Underworld Expansion (Patrick Leder & Cole Wehrle, Leder Games, 2020)13:30 -Ra (Reiner Knizia, alea, 1999)15:50 -Dune: Imperium (Paul Dennen, Dire Wolf, 2020)17:45 -Res Arcana: Lux et Tenebrae (Thoman Lehman, Sand Castle Games, 2019)19:23 -Beyond the Sun (Dennis K. Chan, Rio Grande Games, 2020)22:10 -Scape Goat (Jon Perry, Indie Boards & Cards, 2020)24:47 -Aquatica (Ivan Tuzovsky, Cosmodrome Games, 2019)26:42 -Flick of Faith (Paweł Stobiecki, Jan Truchanowicz, & Łukasz Włodarczyk, Awaken Realms Lite, 2019)29:38 -Strike (Dieter Nüßle, Ravensburger, 2012)News (and why it doesn't matter): 30:40 Jack Vasel Memorial Auction on BGG31:02 Parasocial Saturdays: Project: ELITE on March 20th, 10:30 AM EST on Twitch.31:18 Stop appropriating indigenous religious practices, CMON! "Trickster" in Zombicide.32:54 Dominant Species Marine by GMT. 33:59 www.patreon.com/svwag34:52 Topic: Putting Your Best Foot ForwardAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Round structure of Anachrony: I. Jump to the left phase.II. Step to the right phase.III. Bring your knees in tight phase.IV. Pelvic thrust phase.V. Drives you insane phase.Let's play Anachrony again! It's just...Games Played Last Week:01:25 -Barrage (Tommaso Battista & Simone Luciani, Cranio Creations, 2019)07:49 -Argent: Summer Break (Trey Chambers, Level 99 Games, 2014)11:19 -Warhammer Underworlds: Direchasm (David Sanders, Games Workshop, 2020)16:48 -Rum & Bones: Second Tide (Michael Shinall, CMON, 2017)20:55 -Scape Goat (Jon Perry, Indie Boards & Cards, 2020)24:06 -Yura Yura Penguin (Yabuchi Ryoko, Self-Published, 2020)26:18 -Hansa Teutonica: East Expansion (Andreas Steding, Argentum Verlag, 2010)28:33 -Pictures (Christian Stöhr & Daniela Stöhr, PD-Verlag, 2019)32:41 -Project: ELITE – R.O.O.K. Team (Konstantinos Kokkinis, Marco Portugal, & Sotirios Tsantilas, CMON, 2020)35:52 -MicroMacro: Crime City (Johannes Sich, Pegasus Spiele, 2020)38:38 -Pavlov's House (David Thompson, Dan Verssen Games, 2018)News (and why it doesn't matter): 40:50 Robinson Crusoe Collector's Edition on Gamefound March 23rd41:55 Trireme racing AND puns?! Greece Lightning42:46 Level 99 Games' crowdfunding: Launch 9943:59 Should there be moderation on Kickstarter comments? Mark says yes.49:06 Feature Game: Anachrony: Fractures of Time (Richard Amann, Viktor Peter, Dávid Turczi, & Mindclash Games, 2020)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The kids these days, what with their pokemons and their video games. The bleeping and the blooping. Personally I think civilization's gone downhill since Pong. It's all the colours! Pong had one too many colours if you ask me. What with the violence in the games and in the rock music and the hip hop... Hell in a handbasket.Coming soon to PS5: "Hell in a Handbasket" by EA.01:50 AYURIS: Hellboy: The Board Game (James M. Hewitt & Sophie Williams, Mantic Games, 2019)Games Played Last Week:03:22 -Cerebria: The Inside World (Richard Amann, Viktor Peter, István Pócsi, Frigyes Schőberl, Nick Shaw, & Dávid Turczi, Mindclash Games, 2018)05:54 -Shadowrift: Boomtown (Jeremy Anderson, Starling Games, 2020)08:28 -Horizon Wars: Zero Dark (Robey Jenkins, Precinct Omega Publishing, 2020)10:56 -Fuji Koro: Deluxe (Jerome Demeyere, Game Brewer, 2020)13:02 -Kingdom Rush: Rift in Time (Helana Hope, Sen-Foong Lim, & Jessey Wright, Lucky Duck Games, 2020)18:56 -Bloodborne: The Board Game (Eric M. Lang & Michael Shinall, CMON Limited, 2021)25:32 -It’s a Wonderful World: Corruption & Ascension (Frédéric Guérard, La Boîte de Jeu, 2020)28:28 -The Taverns of Tiefenthal (Wolfgang Warsch, Schmidt Spiel, 2019)News (and why it doesn't matter):29:19 Batman: Dark Knight Returns solo only30:01 Bamboo Bash faces accusations of ripping off Toc Toc Woodman34:15 Tiny Turbo Cars on Kickstarter34:58 Tiny Epic Dungeons improves its sexist art36:31 Skyrim: The Boardgame on Gamefound soon37:54 John Company 2nd Edition on Kickstarter March 30th39:06 Ragnarocks on Kickstarter39:41 Patrons eligible for a free copy of Trick Shot40:13 40K Magic: the Gathering?!40:25 Brew from Pandasaurus40:52 Topic: Video Game Adaptations[EDIT: Mark, when discussing the roguelite deckbuilding game "Griftlands," mistakenly refers to it as "Outlands." We apologize for the error.]Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wheel, snipe, celly boys. Crushin' sandos. Superstar power poses? Pfft. I could run a clinic on this, boys. The flow, and the snow. That's it, tarps off boys! You looking for a tilly, buddy? It's time for a donnybrook! Ferda.Games Played Last Week:01:17 -Crystal Palace (Carsten Lauber, Feuerland Spiele, 2019)08:21 -Schotten Totten 2 (Reiner Knizia, IELLO, 2020)11:04 -Blackout: Hong Kong (Alexander Pfister, eggertspiele, 2018)15:20 -Cthulhu: Death May Die (Eric M. Lang & Rob Daviau, CMON, 2019) 17:14 -Anachrony: Fractures of Time (Richard Amann, Viktor Peter, Dávid Turczi, & Mindclash Games, 2020)23:38 -Scape Goat (Jon Perry, Indie Boards & Cards, 2020)26:33 -The Court of Miracles (Vincent Brugeas & Guilhem Gautrand, Lumberjacks Studio, 2019)29:07 -Res Arcana (Thomas Lehmann, Sand Castle Games, 2019)30:03 -Medina (Second Edition) (Stefan Dorra, Stronghold Games, 2014)31:47 -Pandemic Legacy: Season 0 (Rob Daviau & Matt Leacock, Z-Man Games, 2020) News (and why it doesn't matter):31:47 Glorious return of Pandemic Legacy Patreon show The C.U.R.E. Files32:24 Black History Month at Boardgamegeek33:26 Core Worlds: Empires33:58 Metal Gear Solid board game reverts to Matsuuchi, future uncertain34:41 Stroganov by Andread Steding35:14 More Great Western Trail(s)35:58 Let's Role on Kickstarter--online tabletop roleplaying 36:37 Concordia Solitaria37:08 Feature Game: Trick Shot (Nikita Krylov & Artyom Nichipurov, Wolff Designa, 2021)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

So. Many. Games. Could two humans play so many games in a mere week? Well, certainly no humans that aren't preternaturally devoted to their dear listeners. But we are devoted, and your mere idlest of wishes is our most sacrosanct of commands; and so, brutal though taskmasters that you are, you bid us play so. Many. Games.01:19 AYURIS: Asgard's Chosen (Morgan Dontanville, Mayfair Games, 2013)Games Played Last Week:03:43 -Sumatra (Reiner Knizia, Ludonova, 2020)07:34 -Tajuto (Reiner Knizia, Super Meeple, 2019)11:40 -Scape Goat (Jon Perry, Indie Boards & Cards, 2020)15:10 -Agricola (Revised Edition) (Uwe Rosenberg, Lookout Games, 2016)18:08 -Super-Skill Pinball: 4-Cade (Geoff Engelstein, WizKids, 2020)21:10 -Steven Universe: Beach-a-Palooza Card Battling Game (Erica Bouyouris & Andrew Wolf, Cryptozoic Entertainment, 2020)26:13 -Ausonia (Zoltán Simon, Lycan Studio, 2021)28:51 -The Taverns of Tiefenthal (Wolfgang Warsch, Schmidt Spiel, 2019)30:00 -Yura Yura Penguin (Yabuchi Ryoko, Self-Published, 2020)34:04 -Tungaru (Louis Malz & Stefan Malz, Alley Cat Games, 2020)36:11 -Flick of Faith (Paweł Stobiecki, Jan Truchanowicz, & Łukasz Włodarczyk, Awaken Realms Lite, 2019)38:47 -Strike (Dieter Nüßle, Ravensburger, 2012)40:20 -Aquatica (Ivan Tuzovsky, Cosmodrome Games, 2019)43:40 -MegaCity: Oceania (Jordan Draper & Michael Fox, Hub Games, 2019)47:21 -MicroMacro: Crime City (Johannes Sich, Pegasus Spiele, 2020)News (and why it doesn't matter):49:06 Asmodee buys Board Game Arena51:51 Summoner Wars 2nd Edition: March 1st52:17 Warhammer Underworlds keeps evolving53:08 https://tekeli.li/svwag/ is your friend! All episode notes of SVWAG54:05 Yet more Zombicide?!54:43 Editorial: The issue isn't who is a racist, the issue is what we do57:54 Topic: Dead Collectible GamesAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One portentious day, Uwe Rosenberg will design a worker-placement game where polyomino sheep breed by being sown into fields that are also special power cards, and the Great Cycle will be complete. No one knows what happens then, and quite frankly we are too afraid to ask.Games Played Last Week:01:33 -Anachrony: Fractures of Time (Richard Amann, Viktor Peter, Dávid Turczi, & Mindclash Games, 2020)08:15 -Honey Buzz (Paul Salomon, Elf Creek Games, 2020)14:56 -The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine (Thomas Sing, KOSMOS, 2019)16:46 -Flick of Faith (Paweł Stobiecki, Jan Truchanowicz, & Łukasz Włodarczyk, Awaken Realms Lite, 2019)18:54 -Paris (Michael Kiesling & Wolfgang Kramer, Game Brewer, 2020)26:55 -Guards of Atlantis II: Tabletop MOBA (Artyom Nichipurov, Wolff Designa, 2021)29:46 -Dice Hospital (Stan Kordonskiy & Mike Nudd, Alley Cat Games, 2018)News (and why it doesn't matter):31:21 Red Rising from Stonemaier Games32:03 Assault on Doomrock: Ultimate Edition33:26 Oink Games on Kickstarter34:08 Patreon: Free games, Pledge of Indifference, and more34:51 The Dragon Prince Tales of Xadia RPG35:15 We Care: A Grizzled Game36:30 Unity and empathy: on whose terms? Tascini's critics get death threats39:21 Feature Game: Hallertau (Uwe Rosenberg, Lookout Games, 2020)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"My defense, Your Honour, was that I was specifically mandated by the rulebook issued by M. Xavier Georges and Quined Games to violate the lockdown restrictions issued by the Province of Ontario. I would put to you that it is unjust for the government to force me to choose between public heath measures backed by civil sanction on the one hand, and being a dirty dirty cheater on the other. Why are you all looking at me like that?"01:37 AYURIS: Gentes: Deluxified (Stefan Risthaus, Tasty Minstrel, 2018) Games Played Last Week:06:04 -Age of Industry (Martin Wallace, Treefrog Games, 2010)12:20 -Aquatica (Ivan Tuzovsky, Cosmodrome Games, 2019)16:09 -Russian Railroads (Helmut Ohley & Leanhard "Lonny" Orgler, Hans im Gluck, 2013)17:52 -Skytear (Giacomo Neri, Riccardo Neri, & Riccardo Parmeggiani, PvP Geeks, 2020)21:47 -La Granja (Michael Keller & Andreas "ode." Odendahl, Spielworxx, 2014)23:58 -Paris Connection (John Bohrer, Queen Games, 2010)26:23 -Anachrony (Dávid Turczi, Mindclash Games, 2017)30:39 -Carnegie (Xavier Georges, Quined Games, 2021)News (and why it doesn't matter):38:01 Caverna: Frantic Fiends38:44 Sentinels of the Multiverse: Definitive Edition. No.41:33 Abyss on Board Game Arena41:55 Isaac Vega and Lindsey Rode form Rose Gauntlet Entertainment43:41 Daniele Tascini apologizes, Phil Eklund doubles down45:31 Topic: GatekeepingAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Board Game Arena gets more and more of our gaming time, what with its snappy interface and minimal system requirements. The sound effects, though, are controversial. The community seems divided on whether the whooshes are pleasing or distracting, and whether the knock-knock-knock sound is charming or nerve-wracking. We have heard the noise accused of being evocative of imminent swatting, which seems excessive but potentially horrifying.Games Played Last Week:01:07 -The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine (Thomas Sing, KOSMOS, 2019)05:23 -MicroMacro: Crime City (Johannes Sich, Pegasus Spiele, 2020)08:26 -Flick Wars (Shaun Austin & Andrew Tullsen, Breaking Games, 2019)10:46 -No Thanks! (Thorsten Gimmler, AMIGI, 2005)10:52 -Paris Connection (John Bohrer, Queen Games, 2010)11:42 -Nippon (Nuno Bizarro Sentieiro & Paulo Soledade, What's Your Game?, 2015)16:30 -Carnegie (Xavier Georges, Quined Games, 2021)18:43 -A Billion Suns: Interstellar Fleet Battles (Mike Hutchinson, Osprey Games, 2021)24:33 -Hallertau (Uwe Rosenberg, Lookout Games, 2020)31:03 -Guards of Atlantis II: Tabletop MOBA (Artyom Nichipurov, Wolff Designa, 2021)34:00 -Food Chain Magnate (Jeroen Doumen & Joris Wiersinga, Splotter, 2015)35:38 -Yokohama (Hisashi Hayashi, Tasty Minstrel Games, 2016)36:18 -Underwater Cities (Vladimír Suchý, Rio Grande Games, 2018)News (and why it doesn't matter):37:25 Dune: House Secrets--Detective Dune?37:52 Ultimate Railroads: Russian, German, American, and Asian39:10 Sagrada Legacy?!39:42 Equinox from Reiner Knizia40:36 Funagain CEO steps down after sexist harrassment43:07 Feature Game: Tungaru (Louis Malz & Stefan Malz, Alley Cat Games, 2020)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you've been following board games social media recently, you might have noticed that it's been a rough couple of weeks. Incidents like these, albeit difficult, allow us a chance to define our community and underscore our values. Silence can imply consent. We can either choose to silently defend powerful figures use their influence to harm vulnerable people without consequence, or we can choose to try and speak up to become a more welcoming and inclusive community. So Very Wrong About Games chooses to try to do the latter.00:57 Our statement on Phil Eklund and Daniele Tascini04:24 AYURIS: Warpgate (Artyom Nichipurov, Wolff Designa, 2018) Games Played Last Week:06:46 -Darwin’s Journey (Simone Luciani & Nestore Mangone, ThunderGryph Games, 2021)12:20 -Dinosaur Tea Party (Rob Daviau, JR Honeycutt, & Justin D. Jacobson, Restoration Games, 2018)17:00 -Calimala (Fabio Lopiano, ADC Blackfire Entertainment GmbH, 2017)20:11 -Cosmic Frog (Jim Felli, Devious Weasel Games, 2020)23:31 -Yokohama (Hisashi Hayashi, Tasty Minstrel Games, 2016)25:35 -Quantum (Eric Zimmerman, Funforge, 2013)28:03 -City of the Big Shoulders (Raymond Chandler III, Parallel Games, 2019)32:21 -Food Chain Magnate (Jeroen Doumen & Joris Wiersinga, Splotter, 2015)33:28 -A Billion Suns: Interstellar Fleet Battles (Mike Hutchinson, Osprey Games, 2021)News (and why it doesn't matter):39:10 Terraforming Mars: Ares Expedition41:40 Asmodee buys Philibert42:32 Castles of Mad King Ludwig Collector's Edition43:32 Topic: Death of the Rule BookAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Too much news! So much news, in fact, that we had to cut some news. Some news, though news-y, will keep until next week. The key is to wrap the roots of the news in damp paper towel, put the news in a plastic bag, and put the bag in the fridge. The news will keep up to a couple weeks that way, whereas it would have become limp news on the counter in as little as a day. Games Played Last Week:01:11 -By Stealth and Sea (Nicola Saggini & David Thompson, DVG Games, 2020)06:02 -Dinosaur Tea Party (Rob Daviau, JR Honeycutt, & Justin D. Jacobson, Restoration Games, 2018)09:43 -Guards of Atlantis II: Tabletop MOBA (Artyom Nichipurov, Wolff Designa, 2021)14:27 -Iwari: Deluxe Edition (Michael Schacht, ThunderGryph Games, 2020)17:33 -BattleCON: Unleashed (D. Brad Talton, Level 99 Games, 2020)21:01 -Whistle Mountain (Scott Caputo & Luke Laurie, Bézier Games, 2020)24:16 -Charterstone (Jamey Stegmaier, Stonemaier Games, 2017)News (and why it doesn't matter):26:31 Leftover animal mentions: Kabuto Sumo, Crash Octopus, and Scape Goat28:05 Ares Games loses Battlestar Galactica license 29:05 Boardgamegeek Artist Series #530:22 Kolossal Games' Reload30:50 Nidavellir expansion: Thingvellir31:51 More modules for Taverns of Tiefenthal32:24 It's a Wonderful Kingdom33:03 New solo modes for Concordia and AuZtralia33:53 Antoine Bauza's Oltréé34:51 Fantasy Flight Games forums shutting down36:12 Mayhem from CMON36:46 Lizard people for Warhammer Underworlds36:52 Dark Crystal RPG 37:13 Simone Luciani's Darwin's Journey37:58 Feature Game: Dogs of War (Paolo Mori, CMON, 2014) Designer's improvements: https://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/1470285/some-variants-i-didnt-playtest-yetAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In honour of our big, blowout, end-of-year extravaganza spectacular, no expense was spared. Mark put on pants. Walker wore his t-shirt with the fewest holes. The sheep freshly sheared. The palanquin carriers were freshly oiled. Come, thrill to the summary of what was actually a very good year in terms of boardgame releases.Games Played Last Week:02:16 -Guardians (Callin Flores, Plaid Hat Games, 2018)03:46 -Super Fantasy Brawl (Jochen Eisenhuth, Mythic Games, 2020)06:07 -MegaCity: Oceania (Jordan Draper & Michael Fox, Hub Games, 2019)09:55 -Dwellings of Eldervale (Luke Laurie, Breaking Games, 2020)14:59 -Bonfire (Stefan Feld, Hall Games, 2020)19:13 -Caravan (Joe Huber, Rio Grande Games, 2019)22:50 -Dune: Imperium (Paul Dennen, Dire Wolf, 2020)27:42 -Nidavellir (Serge Laget, GRRRE Games, 2020)29:17 -Whistle Mountain (Scott Caputo & Luke Laurie, Bézier Games, 2020)34:09 -Aristocracy (Reiner Knizia, Tasty Minstrel Games, 2019)35:08 -Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion (Isaac Childres, Cephalofair Games, 2020)News (and why it doesn't matter):36:07 The C.U.R.E. Files are now The HOBO Chronicles38:16 2020 Year in Review39:31 Personal Top 10s1:01:56 SVWAG Game of the Year1:05:02 Miscellaneous CategoriesAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

All right, sweethearts, what are you waiting for? Breakfast in bed? Another glorious episode of SVWAG! A day with So Very Wrong About Games is like a day on the farm. Every word's a banquet! Every sentence a fortune! Every review a soliloquy! I love SVWAG!Games Played Last Week:01:40 -Aristeia!: Prime Time (Alberto Abal, Jesús Fuster, & David Rosillo, Corvus Belli, 2020)05:05 -Vengeance: Director’s Cut Expansion (Gordon Calleja, Mighty Boards, 2020) 11:03 -For What Remains: Out of the Basement (Paul Low, David Thompson, & Ricardo Manuel Luis Tomas, DVG, 2020)14:42 -Undaunted: North Africa (Trevor Benjamin & David Thompson, Osprey Games, 2020) 18:13 -It's a Wonderful World (Frédéric Guérard, La Boîte de Jeu, 2019)21:20 -Caravan (Joe Huber, Rio Grande Games, 2019)22:41 -Fast Sloths (Friedemann Friese, 2F-SPiele, 2019)27:19 -Cacao (Phil Walker-Harding, ABACUSSPIELE, 2015)28:11 -Aliens: Another Glorious Day in the Corps (Andrew Haught, Gale Force Nine, 2020)32:45 -Aliens (David McKenzie & Barry Nakazono, Leading Edge Games, 1989)News (and why it doesn't matter):34:42 Transmissions35:13 Hansa Teutonica Big Box exists!36:22 Commands & Colors Samurai Battles from GMT37:18 French law enforcement investigate the Confrontation debacle39:35 The Castles of Mad King Ludwig deluxe40:12 SVWAG News: See you in 202141:58 Feature Game: Empyreal: Spells & Steam (Trey Chambers, Level 99 Games, 2020)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"I hit you!" "Nuh-uh, you missed!" "I totally hit you!" "I dodged it!" "I have special homing missiles you can't dodge!" "I have a shield that redirects all your shots back to you!" "I have an invincibility field!" "I can shoot through invincibility!" At this point, Games Workshop would have us roll off, with the person rolling higher getting the title of Most Obnoxious Person.01:49 AYURIS: Cthulhu Wars (Sandy Peterson & Lincoln Petersen, Petersen Games, 2015)Games Played Last Week:05:02 -AuZtralia (Martin Wallace, Stronghold Games, 2018)11:16 -Under Falling Skies (Tomáš Uhlíř, Czech Games Edition, 2020)12:49 -The King Is Dead: Second Edition (Peer Sylvester, Osprey Games, 2020)19:48 -Jetpack Joyride: Deluxe Edition (Michał Gołębiowski, Lucky Duck Games, 2019)22:43 -Apocalypse Road (Jeff Horger & Carla Horger, GMT Games, 2020)29:53 -Marvel United (Andrea Chiarvesio & Eric M. Lang, CMON, 2020)33:06 -Gaia Project (Jens Drögemüller & Helge Ostertag, Feuerland Spiele, 2017)38:52 -Terraforming Mars (Jacob Fryxelius, Stronghold Games, 2016) News (and why it doesn't matter):41:24 Board Game Arena's month of releases mostly old betas42:15 Everdell publisher sending cease & desist orders to Etsy sellers46:04 Topic: Combat SystemsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mark has occasion to quote three different movies in this episode, and miraculously none of them are Pulp Fiction, The Lion in Winter, or even Aliens--despite the latter being related to a game discussed! Perhaps his echolalia is abating, or perhaps merely evolving. One should, after all, take every advantage to quote the well-spoken Ayatollah of Rock-and-Rolla.Games Played Last Week:01:19 -Pax Renaissance (Phil Eklund & Matt Eklund, Sierra Madre Games, 2016)04:14 -Praga Caput Regni (Vladimír Suchý, Delicious Games, 2020)13:20 -Agricola (Revised Edition) (Uwe Rosenberg, Lookout Games, 2016)17:56 -Marvel United (Andrea Chiarvesio & Eric M. Lang, CMON, 2020)21:30 -Under Falling Skies (Tomáš Uhlíř, Czech Games Edition, 2020)24:59 -The Court of Miracles (Vincent Brugeas & Guilhem Gautrand, Lumberjacks Studio, 2019)29:05 -Nidavellir (Serge Laget, GRRRE Games, 2020)32:00 -Last Aurora (Mauro Chiabotto, Pendragon Game Studio, 2020)37:40 -Evolution: Climate (Dominic Crapuchettes, Dmitry Knorre, & Sergey Machin, North Star Games, 2016) News (and why it doesn't matter):43:25 Ginkgopolis (and Hansa Teutonica) reprint soon-ish? Maybe?44:13 Inuit board game: Nunami 45:37 The Transcontinental: Canadian trains46:38 Aliens: Another Glorious Day in the Corps actually exists47:28 Sushi Boat: conveyer tastiness48:10 Fist of the North Star49:15 Warhammer Underworlds continues with Direchasm50:07 Feature Game: Beyond the Sun (Dennis K. Chan, Rio Grande Games, 2020)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One is reminded of those memes that plot definitions on two axes, asking to what degree the reader is a purist or a rebel--the setting purist and the mechanical purist would say "Descent is a dungeon crawler." Perhaps the setting purist and mechanical rebel would say "Dungeon Lords is a dungeon crawler." Invariably these memes revel in the reductio ad absurdum, so I have to imagine the setting rebel and the mechanical rebel would say "Hopscotch is a dungeon crawler."01:43 AYURIS: Batman: Gotham City Chronicles (Frédéric Henry, Monolith, 2019)Games Played Last Week: 03:39 -By Stealth and Sea (Nicola Saggini & David Thompson, DVG Games, 2020)08:26 -Altar Quest (Adam Sadler & Brady Sadler, Blacklist Games, 2020)18:17 -Gods Love Dinosaurs (Kasper Lapp, Pandasaurus Games, 2020)19:34 -Yedo: Deluxe Master Set (Thomas Vande Ginste & Wolf Plancke, Board&Dice, 2020)24:50 -The Court of Miracles (Vincent Brugeas & Guilhem Gautrand, Lumberjacks Studio, 2019)27:15 -Nidavellir (Serge Laget, GRRRE Games, 2020)32:38 -Frenemy Pastry Party (Jesse Li, Mizo Games, 2019)34:52 -Marvel United (Andrea Chiarvesio & Eric M. Lang, CMON, 2020)37:25 -Eminent Domain (Seth Jaffee, Tasty Minstrel Games, 2011) News (and why it doesn't matter):43:59 Board Game Arena Opus Magnus: A new game every day in December 45:11 Topic: Dungeon CrawlersAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It is the nature of the Walker who cries wolf that if he repeats the claim often and consistently enough, it might come true eventually. Despite the unrelenting constancy of Chinese New Year, some games do actually get produced--just only after they have emerged from their purgatorial delay in the never-ending holiday. So it is with Tidal Blades; after claims of "any day now" for years, it finally arrived, like some unwieldy piece of oversized deluxe... well... is it flotsam or jetsam? We must review it to find out. Games Played Last Week: 01:16 -Magic Realm (Richard Hamblen, Avalon Hill, 1979)07:30 -Funkoverse Strategy Game: Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas (Prospero Hall, Funko Games, 2020)11:53 -Hansa Teutonica (Andreas Steding, Argentum Verlag, 2010)13:28 -Beyond the Sun (Dennis K. Chan, Rio Grande Games, 2020)20:00 -Terra Mystica (Jens Drögemüller & Helge Ostertag, Feuerland Spiele, 2012)21:50 -Project: ELITE (Konstantinos Kokkinis, Marco Portugal, & Sotirios Tsantilas, CMON, 2020)24:29 -Trekking the World (Charlie Bink, Underdog Games, 2020)25:26 -Civilization: A New Dawn—Terra Incognita (Tony Fanchi, Fantasy Flight Games, 2020)News (and why it doesn't matter):32:57 The Zenobia Award for underrepresented designers of historical games33:53 Reality Shift! MAGNETS!34:59 No more Star Wars miniatures for Fantasy Flight37:51 The Crew: Mission Deep Sea38:33 Tom Russell's Dual Gauge40:13 Caverna: Frantic Fiends41:50 David Thompson's Soldiers in Postmen's Uniforms43:04 Feature Game: Tidal Blades: Heroes of the Reef (Tim Eisner & Ben Eisner, Druid City Games, 2020)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Clearly the hosts secretly wanted to have a movie podcast, or perhaps just a podcast devoted to the movie Aliens. To their credit, they at least did not devolve into merely parroting quotes from the film, which is a behaviour as obnoxious and it is difficult to avoid. Rest assured they offered their poor paraphrases and hackneyed delivery while actually playing the Aliens game. It was a bad call, listener, it was...Crap. 02:37 AYURIS: Catacombs 3rd ed. (Ryan Amos, Marc Kelsey, & Aron West, Elzra Corp., 2015)Games Played Last Week: 04:34 -Rome & Roll (Nick Shaw & Dávid Turczi, PSC Games, 2020)07:48 -Dice Forge (Régis Bonnessée, Libellud, 2017)09:48 -Martian Dice (Scott Almes, Tasty Minstrel Games, 2011)11:28 -Asgard’s Chosen (Morgan Dontanville, Mayfair Games, 2013)13:57 -Aliens: Bug Hunt (Ryan Miller, Upper Deck Entertainment, 2020)21:12 -Spirit Island: Jagged Earth (R. Eric Reuss, Greater Than Games, 2020)23:38 -FlickFleet (Jackson Pope & Paul Willcox, Eurydice Games, 2018)27:01 -Civilization: A New Dawn—Terra Incognita (Tony Fanchi, Fantasy Flight Games, 2020)30:29 -Hellenica: Story of Greece (Scott DeMers, Mr. B Games, 2019)40:00 -Eminent Domain (Seth Jaffee, Tasty Minstrel Games, 2011)News (and why it doesn't matter):41:37 Brazil: Imperial42:39 Upzone and Immersive Battle Atlas: Cheap terrain for minis and RPGs46:09 burncycle by Chip Theory Games46:52 Four Humours; can Phlogiston be far behind?47:52 Paper Dungeons48:32 No games based on two minutes of a movie49:49 Topic: BoxesAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We have an unwritten constitution here at SVWAG, which we know causes some people from jurisdictions with written constitutions to get a little mystified and/or twitchy. Trust us, it works! We get to claim a rich constitutional history all the way back to 1215 and the Magna Carta, or at least we will, once we figure out what King John had to do with podcasting. It's the kind of arrangement that works until you have a constitutional crisis, which we have about as often as those places with written constitutions; except we tend to settle ours with sidelong glances and lots of utterances along the lines of, "So... how do you, uh... think this works?" Games Played Last Week: 01:51 -Welcome To New Las Vegas (Alexis Allard & Benoit Turpin, Blue Cocker Games, 2020)03:50 -Escape the Dark Sector (Alex Crispin, Thomas Pike, & James Shelton, Themeborne Ltd., 2020)07:06 -Via Magica (Paolo Mori, Hurrican, 2020)08:59 -Cthulhu: Death May Die (Rob Daviau & Eric Lang, CMON, 2019)12:16 -Gods Love Dinosaurs (Kasper Lapp, Pandasaurus Games, 2020)19:18 -Pandemic Legacy: Season 0 (Rob Daviau & Matt Leacock, Z-Man Games, 2020)19:50 -Letter Tycoon (Brad Brooks, Breaking Games, 2015)21:33 -Terror in Meeple City aka Rampage (Antoine Bauza & Ludovic Maublanc, Repos Production, 2013)25:23 -Sakura Arms (BakaFire, BakaFire Party, 2018)29:18 -BattleCON: Unleashed (D. Brad Talton, Level 99 Games, 2020)33:42 -Exceed Fighting System (D. Brad Talton, Level 99 Games, 2016)News (and why it doesn't matter):36:40 Arcade1Up's Infinity Game Table37:19 Feature Game: The Castles of Tuscany (Stefan Feld, alea, 2020)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's the daylight savings, it's got to be. You give us an extra hour in the week--through the magic of time travel--and we'll take it to play eleventy new games. The geniuses (Canadians, for what it's worth) who invented standard time probably didn't take into account the havoc it might wreak on our podcasting. So many new games! Not enough time for the topic! We will endure.01:08 AYURIS: Calimala (Fabio Lopiano, ADC Blackfire Entertainment GmbH, 2017)Games Played Last Week: 02:29 -High Rise (Gil Hova, Formal Ferret Games, 2020)07:02 -Cthulhu: Death May Die (Rob Daviau & Eric Lang, CMON, 2019)08:00 -Keyflower (Sebastien Bleasdale & Richard Breese, R&D Games, 2012)10:23 -Civilization: A New Dawn—Terra Incognita (Tony Fanchi, Fantasy Flight Games, 2020)16:50 -Feierabend aka Finishing Time (Friedemann Friese, 2F-Spiele, 2020)22:37 -Gatefall (Jack Dire, Jack Dire Studios, 2020)28:07 -The Castles of Tuscany (Stefan Feld, alea, 2020)32:09 -Cosmic Colonies (Scott Almes, Floodgate Games, 2020)36:37 -Seastead (Ian Cooper & Jan M. Gonzalez, WizKids, 2020)42:20 -Wingspan (Elizabeth Hargrave, Stonemaier Games, 2019)43:21 -Pandemic Legacy: Season 0 (Rob Daviau & Matt Leacock, Z-Man Games, 2020)News (and why it doesn't matter):45:58 Announcing new bonus show: The C.U.R.E. Files46:45 Ex-Blizzard employees founding Warchief Gaming47:49 Horizon Wars: Zero Dark expands with Operation: Nemesis49:29 Walker hates d20s50:18 Frostgrave becomes Stargrave, uses d20s50:59 Chinese New Year has begun51:33 Topic: Lifetime GamesAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The unofficial motto of SVWAG has always been, "stop trying to make fetch happen." Similarly, you can't just make up words out of thin air--it's not like they're holidays or anything that can be conjured ex nihilo (Happy Arkhipov Day!). What's an Arnak, anyway? Can you lose ruins of something that never existed? I suppose a fantasy is a good pretext to give us an arm's length distance from generations of pith-decked looters and graverobbers. Relatedly, Walker desperately wants to coin the term "Azteckian," but Mark's not having it.Games Played Last Week: 01:32 -Quantum (Eric Zimmerman, Funforge, 2013)04:15 -Infinity Gauntlet: A Love Letter Game (Seiji Kanai & Alexander Ortloff, Zman Games, 2020)07:34 -BattleCON: Unleashed (D. Brad Talton, Level 99 Games, 2020)12:52 -Sakura Arms (BakaFire, AEG, 2017)15:05 -Race for the Galaxy: The Brink of War (Thomas Lehmann, Rio Grande Games, 2010)16:52 -Carcassonne: Hunters and Gatherers (Klaus-Jürgen Wrede & Bernd Brunnhofer, Hans im Glück, 2002)18:27 -Alhambra (Dirk Henn, Queen Games, 2003)20:12 -Pavlov's House (David Thompson, Dan Verssen Games, 2018)27:17 -Luxor (Rudiger Dorn, Queen Games, 2018)29:25 -Quetzal (Alexandre Garcia, Gigamic, 2020)News (and why it doesn't matter):32:24 Descent: Legends of the Dark34:28 Dragonlance digression36:38 More Knizia from Grail Games37:59 Too many Kickstarters! Yedo, Freedom Five, Frostpunk, Darkest Dungeon, Grand Austria Hotel, Crash Octopus, Kabuto Sumo, Sakura Arms38:51 Arkhipov Day: Ocotber 27th39:01 Feature Game: Lost Ruins of Arnak (Elwen & Mín, CGE, 2020)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In honour of Arkhipov Day (October 27th--he saved your life or that of your forebears, he deserves a day), we turn to reflections of how games model war. Even themeless euros often include war as a convenient backdrop for the processing of cubes, so it is hardly restricted to one genre of gaming or another. That said, gaming is not unique--pretty much any medium can boast of a plethora of war narratives. 01:17 AYURIS: HATE (Raphaël Guiton, Jean-Baptiste Lullien, Alexandru Olteanu, & Nicolas Raoult, CMON, 2019) Games Played Last Week: 04:41 -Darkest Night (Second Edition) (Jeremy Lennert, Victory Point Games, 2018)10:40 -Quantum (Eric Zimmerman, Funforge, 2013)14:58 -7 Wonders Duel (Antoine Bauza & Bruno Cathala, Repos Production, 2015)15:58 -Lucky Numbers (Michael Schacht, Ravensburger, 2012)16:47 -Keyflower (Sebastian Bleasdale & Richard Breese, R&D Games, 2012)17:03 -The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine (Thomas Sing, KOSMOS, 2019)17:58 -For What Remains (Paul Low, David Thompson, & Ricardo Manuel Luis Tomas, DVG, 2020)22:27 -Black Rose Wars (Marco Montanaro, Ludus Magnus Studio, 2019) 28:05 -Horizon Wars: Zero Dark (Robey Jenkins, Self-published, 2020)31:53 -Underwater Cities (Vladimír Suchý, Rio Grande Games, 2018)News (and why it doesn't matter):39:35 Finishing Time not ready for prime time41:32 Patreon: sign up for a year and get two months free42:24 October 27th is Arkhipov Day42:29 Topic: Reckoning with WarAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I never knew a kid who had any kind of fort. In grade school I heard of a kid who could form Voltron, but that may have been an extravagant lie. My mom's friend's kids had a Sega Genesis, and that was pretty rad. I keep acquiring more games in the vain hope that it will make me popular, but it hasn't worked yet. Maybe one or two more Street Masters expansions will do the trick. I am told to be popular you have to wash your hair at least once every two weeks.Games Played Last Week:02:21 -Black Rose Wars (Marco Montanaro, Ludus Magnus Studio, 2019) 14:07 -ELO Darkness (Tommaso Mondadori & Alberto Parisi, Reggie Games, 2018)17:33 -Sakura Arms (Baka Fire, AEG, 2017)20:23 -Wits & Wagers (Dominic Crapuchettes, North Star Games, 2005)22:06 -Too Many Bones (Adam & Josh Carlson, Chip Theory Games, 2017)27:43 -Nanga Parbat (Steve Finn, Dr. Finn's Games, 2021)30:17 -Scythe (Jamey Stegmaier, Stonemaier Games, 2016)32:19 -Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization (Vlaada Chvátil, CGE, 2015)34:59 -A Feast for Odin (Uwe Rosenberg, Feuerland Spiele, 2016)37:09 -Pandoria (Jeffrey D. Allers & Bernd Eisenstein, Irongames, 2018)News (and why it doesn't matter):39:42 Street Masters: Tide of the Dragon on Indiegogo41:03 Core Worlds: Empires and new solo mode42:38 Neuroshima Hex! 3.0: Troglodytes jumping the shark?44:11 Horseless Carriage from Splotter44:45 Does Mega-Gargant mean nothing?!?46:06 October 27th is Arkhipov Day46:52 Feature Game: Fort (Grant Rodiek, Leder Games, 2020)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The mere framing of a question can subtly or overtly determine the answer. There's an old joke about a monk who asks his superior, "Can I smoke while I meditate?" He is told no, as that would be sullying an act that is meant to be free from worldly concerns. The clever monk decides instead to ask another superior, "While I smoke, can I meditate?" So it is with boardgames! Framing can have tremendous consequences.01:55 AYURIS: XenoShyft: Onslaught (Keren Philosophales & Michael Shinall, CMON, 2015) and Dreadmire (Michael Shinall, CMON, 2017) Games Played Last Week:04:35 -Assault on Doomrock: Doompocalypse (Christopher Niewiadomski & Tom Stasiak, Beautiful Disaster Games, 2017)06:47 -Alma Mater (Acchittocca, Flaminia Brasini, Virginio Gigli, Stefano Luperto, & Antonio Tinto, eggertspiele, 2020)11:50 -Spirit Island: Jagged Earth (R. Eric Reuss, Greater Than Games, 2020)15:13 -Marco Polo II: In the Service of the Khan (Simone Luciani & Daniele Tascini, Hans im Gluck, 2019)17:36 -Inhuman Conditions (Tommy Maranges & Cory O'Brien, Web published, 2018)23:43 -First Class (Helmut Ohley, Hans im Gluck, 2016)26:35 -Argent: Summer Break (Trey Chambers, Level 99 Games, 2014)35:55 -On the Edge (John Nephew & Johnathan Tweet, Atlas Games, 1994)News (and why it doesn't matter):40:23 Sakura Arms from Level 99 Games42:27 Armada by Mantic43:27 Groundhog Day by Prospero Hall44:10 Renegade and Hasbro monetize your childhood: G.I. Joe, Transformers, and My Little Pony44:53 Nerd Alert: First Monday in October46:57 Topic: Subliminal BrainwashAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Social standards of behaviour are often subtle and variable, but we can all agree that children are often blind to their subtle nuances. Like, don't be a massive jerk--that's one of those tricky nuances that often escape the notice of your average child, what with many of them being borderline sociopaths kept in check only by their relative powerlessness and incompetence. Then again, perhaps Mark is the sociopath for not being able to tolerate the annoyances of child behaviour. Then again, perhaps both are true, and Mark is merely a giant, sociopathic man-baby. All that said, no human deserves to be subjected to Monopoly.Games Played Last Week:01:20 -Monopoly (Charles Darrow & Elizabeth J. Magie Phillips, Hasbro, 1933)06:55 -Pendulum (Travis P Jones, Stonemaier Games, 2020)16:53 -The Crew: The Quest for Planet 9 (Thomas Sing, KOSMOS, 2019)17:48 -My City (Reiner Knizia, KOSMOS, 2020)19:35 -Flick ‘Em Up: Dead of Winter (Gaëtan Beaujannot, Jonathan Gilmour, Jean Yves Monpertuis, & Isaac Vega, Pretzel Games, 2017)21:51 -Cthulhu Wars (Sandy Petersen & Lincoln Petersen, Petersen Games, 2015)24:25 -Pandoria (Jeffrey D. Allers & Bernd Eisenstein, Irongames, 2018)28:06 -For What Remains (Paul Low, David Thompson, & Ricardo Manuel Luis Tomas, DVG Games, 2020)News (and why it doesn't matter):30:48 HeroQuest, and much history of Hasbro38:14 Quartermaster General: Total War expansion38:42 The Last of Us39:55 GMT makes good on recent errata40:49 Grand Austria Hotel gets grander?41:21 For Sale expansion and Autorama43:14 Dragonland reprint44:15 Feature Game: Flotilla (J.B. Howell & Michael Mihealsick, WizKids, 2019)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hwaet! The second installment of our much-ignored segment, SVWAG Poetry Corner, takes a turn for the epic. First we did haiku, and now we discuss Old English epic poetry. Sure the noble limerick can't be far behind? We also discuss the most excellent lifestyle habits of our new idol, Kane Tanaka, who seems to be living her best life on her own terms. You go, Kane Tanaka! Rip off some monster's arm or something.01:07 AYRUIS: Concordia (Mac Gerdts, PD-Verlag, 2013) and Concordia Venus (2018) Games Played Last Week:02:27 -For What Remains (Paul Low, David Thompson, & Ricardo Manuel Luis Tomas, DVG Games, 2020)03:36 -Bärenpark (Phil Walker-Harding, Lookout, 2017)05:08 -My City (Reiner Knizia, KOSMOS, 2020)06:16 -Forgotten Waters (Mr. Bistro, J. Arthur Ellis, & Isaac Vega, Plaid Hat Games, 2020)12:54 -Sorcerer (Peter Scholtz, White Wizard Games, 2019)15:50 -Cerebria: The Inside World (Richard Amann, & Viktor Peter, Mindclash Games, 2018)18:24 -Alma Mater (Acchittocca, Flaminia Brasini, Virginio Gigli, Stefano Luperto, & Antonio Tinto, eggertspiele, 2020)23:11 -Reykholt (Uwe Rosenberg, Frosted Games, 2018)24:08 -Anachrony (Dávid Turczi, Mindclash Games, 2017)28:18 -Europe Divided (Chris Marling & David Thompson, PHALANX, 2020)News (and why it doesn't matter):31:38 More Street Masters and more Aftershock woes33:37 Tobago gets a volcano34:56 Do board games make you immortal? The story of Kane Tanaka36:23 Zoch goodness: Kurtz vor Knapp36:58 Topic: Games Based on IPsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our cup runneth over, if the cup in question is being filled by tiles laid there by Reiner Knizia. Three Knizia tile-laying games were sampled by SVWAG, which of course made it a good week. One feels that if someone proposed a topic of "Reiner Knizia tile-laying games", the appropriate editorial response would be "narrow the scope, please." Games Played Last Week:01:12 -Spirit Island: Jagged Earth (R. Eric Reuss, Greater Than Games, 2020)02:27 -Mariposas (Elizabeth Hargrave, AEG, 2020)07:07 -Tekhenu: Obelisk of the Sun (Daniele Tascini & Dávid Turczi, Board&Dice, 2020)14:37 -Carolus Magnus (Leo Colovini, Rio Grande, 2000)20:04 -My City (Reiner Knizia, KOSMOS, 2020)21:48 -Indigo (Reiner Knizia, Ravensburger, 2012)25:27 -Starlink (Markus Slawitscheck & Arno Steinwender, Blue Orange Games, 2020)News (and why it doesn't matter):29:36 The possible returns of things called HeroQuest and Avalon Hill31:17 Dungeon Fighter returns32:26 Ludonova: Sumatra by Knizia and Polynesia by Peer Sylvester33:36 Where's Waldo the Murderer? MicroMacro: Crime Cityhttps://www.micromacro-game.com/en/index.html36:07 Roll and write claims another victim--Troyes: Dice36:38 Our Patreon: Boss us around! Exclusive content! Get games! etc.37:24 Feature Game: Babylonia (Reiner Knizia, Ludonova, 2019)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In remembrance of things past, we bite hard into the madeleine that is large player count gaming. The recollection of not being sequestered into small basements, where... actually, scratch that, we were often in basements in the Before Times. At least I think so. Time is now an illusion.01:57 AYURIS: A Feast for Odin: The Norwegians (Gernot Köpke & Uwe Rosenberg, Feuerland Spiele, 2018)Games Played Last Week:03:44 -Time of Legends: Joan of Arc (Pascal Bernard, Mythic Games, 2019)11:32 -Spirit Island: Jagged Earth (R. Eric Reuss, Greater Than Games, 2020)12:32 -My City (Reiner Knizia, KOSMOS, 2020)13:19 -Thor (Reiner Knizia, Heidelberger Spieleverlag, 2002)16:42 -For What Remains (Paul Low, David Thompson, & Ricardo Manuel Luis Tomas, DVG, 2020)19:45 -Small Islands (Alexis Allard, MushrooM Games, 2018)22:04 -Iwari: Deluxe Edition (Michael Schacht, ThunderGryph Games, 2020)News (and why it doesn't matter):28:20 Moar Assault on Doomrock? Maybe!29:49 Satire no more: Dinosaur "Rawr 'n Write" from Pandasaurus30:29 Neuroshima Hex! limited edition big box34:03 "Borrowed" intellectual property: Fire Emblem and Anna's Roundtable37:53 Topic: Games for 6+ PlayersAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"Cosmic Frog: World Eaters from Dimension Zero--A Game of Strategic Gluttony." I mean, what could I or anyone else possibly say that could add to that? Games Played Last Week:01:46 -Spirit Island: Jagged Earth (R. Eric Reuss, Greater Than Games, 2020)03:34 -Shards of Infinity: Shadow of Salvation (Justin Gary & Ryan Sutherland, Stone Blade Entertainment, 2019)07:19 -Castle Itter (David Thompson, DVG, 2019)12:44 -Kingdom Builder (Donald X. Vaccarino, Queen Games, 2011)14:24 -Las Vegas Royale (Rudiger Dorn, alea, 2019) 16:40 -Barrage: The Leeghwater Project (Tommaso Battista & Simone Luciani, Cranio Creations, 2019)22:17 -My City (Reiner Knizia, KOSMOS, 2020)25:46 -For What Remains (Paul Low, David Thompson, & Ricardo Manuel Luis Tomas, DVG, 2020)News (and why it doesn't matter):32:17 Riot Games' Tellstones34:48 Meeple Towers (sadly not dexterity)35:59 More Civ-as-card-game: Imperium36:54 BGG covering digital gaming again, and Neuroshima: Convoy37:32 Eric Lang leaving CMON to become freelance again38:45 Feature Game: Cosmic Frog (Jim Felli, Devious Weasel, 2020)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I mean, maybe, possibly, hopefully, with luck, theoretically, given the right group, hypothetically, in time, conceivably, eventually, if I push hard enough, imaginably, as a favour, I could imagine, someday, perchance, play this again. Weather permitting.01:36 AYURIS: Cerebria: The Inside World (Richard Amann, Viktor Peter, István Pócsi, Frigyes Schőberl, Nick Shaw, & Dávid Turczi, Mindclash Games, 2018)Games Played Last Week:04:34 -Istanbul (Rudiger Dorn, Pegasus Spiele, 2014)06:06 -Blue Moon (Reiner Knizia, KOSMOS, 2004)09:23 -Saint Petersburg (Bernd Brunnhofer, Hans im Glück, 2004)12:08 -Spirit Island: Jagged Earth (R. Eric Reuss, Greater Than Games, 2020)16:52 -Undaunted: North Africa (Trevor Benjamin & David Thompson, Osprey Games, 2020)23:17 -The Crew: The Quest for Planet 9 (Thomas Sing, KOSMOS, 2019)25:10 -Rome & Roll (Nick Shaw & Dávid Turczi, PSC Games, 2020)News (and why it doesn't matter):34:30 Lookout for more Uwe Rosenberg: Hallertau35:15 More Stories for Orleans35:39 Multiple He-Mans? Hes-Men? Archon and CMON37:35 David Thompson's Switch and Signal38:21 Dinosaur World39:00 Root digital42:30 Topic: Why Is That Still on My Shelf?Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Old conflicts are put to bed, taxonomies are shelved, and instead we take refuge in sweeping declarations. Walker focuses on the ad hominem, trying to dissuade people from game design because they are insufficiently hardcore; Mark focuses on games, declaring that you can't base games on random spat out tiles. Nuance is for the weak, and qualifications are for those lacking character. Mostly.Games Played Last Week:02:04 -Too Many Bones: Dart (Adam Carlson & Josh J. Carlson, Chip Theory Games, 2020)06:28 -Tzolk'in: The Mayan Calendar (Simone Luciani & Daniele Tascini, CGE, 2012)09:19 -Russian Railroads (Helmut Ohley & Leanhard "Lonny" Orgler, Hans im Gluck, 2013)13:23 -Through the Desert (Reiner Knizia, KOSMOS, 1998)16:36 -The Fox in the Forest Duet (Foxtrot Games, Renegade Game Studios, 2020)18:13 -Shards of Infinity: Shadow of Salvation (Justin Gary & Ryan Sutherland, Stone Blade Entertainment, 2019)20:44 -Terraforming Mars (Jacob Fryxelius, Stronghold, 2016)21:37 -Cthulhu: Death May Die (Rob Daviau & Eric Lang, CMON, 2019) News (and why it doesn't matter):25:09 The Princess Bride Adventure Book Game26:26 Capstone's Iron Rails: Iberian Gauge27:35 Feld's Castles of Tuscany28:32 Pfister's CloudAge29:17 Another Teotihuacan expansion30:00 Correction: Plaid Hat still owns Ashes30:22 Sniper Elite31:12 Walker complains about the Board Game Design Starter Kit32:39 Mark loves the USPS34:14 Feature Game: Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy (Touko Tahkokallio, Lautapelit.fl, 2020)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We take a break from heady issues this week; so we instead touch on what constitutes a trick, what friends are good for, and colonialism. You know, light discussion. 02:35 AYURIS: Core Worlds (Andrew Parks, Stronghold, 2011)Games Played Last Week:04:09 -Fort (Grant Rodiek, Leder Games, 2020)09:15 -Ascension Tactics: Miniatures Deckbuilding Game (Justin Gary & Ryan Sutherland, Stone Blade Entertainment, 2021)12:09 -The Voyages of Marco Polo (Simone Luciani & Daniele Tascini, Hans im Gluck, 2015)13:16 -Endeavor: Age of Expansion (Jarratt Gray, Burnt Island Games, 2020)15:51 -Turn the Tide (Stefan Dorra, AMIGO, 1997)20:22 -6 nimmt! (Wolfgang Kramer, AMIGO, 1994)21:45 -Spirit Island (R. Eric Reuss, Greater Than Games, 2017)23:45 -Yokohama (Hisashi Hayashi, Tasty Minstrel Games, 2016)25:42 -Sonora (Rob Newton, Pandasaurus Games, 2020)28:36 -Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy (Touko Tahkokallio, Lautapelit.fi, 2020)News (and why it doesn't matter):29:12 Dune: Imperium30:24 "Everyone's waiting for Tidal Blades"31:25 More Assault on Doomrock, but only in Polish32:44 Yet another edition of Blood Bowl, no more Guild Ball35:02 Gods Love Dinosaurs (as do everyone else)36:04 Ashes: Reborn[Editor's note: Plaid Hat has not sold Ashes to Team Covenant; the latter will merely be handling the distribution. We apologize for the error.]37:10 Topic: Restrictive Player CountsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"Put down your chainsaw and listen to meIt's time for us to join in the fightIt's time to let your babies grow up to be cowboysIt's time to let the bedbugs bite...Talk with your mouth fullBite the hand that feeds youBite on more than you chewWhat can you doDare to be stupid"-"Weird Al" Yankovic, noted Lovecraft scholar, "Dare to Be Stupid"Games Played Last Week:01:07 -Project: ELITE (Konstantinos Kokkinis, Marco Portugal, & Sotirios Tsantilas, CMON, 2020)03:57 -Imperial Struggle (Ananda Gupta & Jason Matthews, GMT Games, 2020)08:38 -Downforce (Rob Daviau, Justin D. Jacobson, & Wolfgang Kramer, Restoration Games, 2017)12:03 -Albedo: Yggdrasil (Kai Herbertz, Herbertz Entertainment UG, 2019)16:25 -Off the Rails (Andrew Platt & Stuart Platt, Rotten Games, 2018)18:34 -Planet Apocalypse (Sandy Petersen, Sandy Petersen Games, 2020)23:54 -Madeira (Nuno Bizarro Sentieiro & Paulo Soledade, What's Your Game?, 2013)26:30 -Gaslands: Refuelled (Mike Hutchinson, Osprey Publishing, 2019)News (and why it doesn't matter):31:27 FFG News... except not32:05 Mythic Games' Darkest Dungeon32:46 Mythic will do right by its Reichbusters backers?34:21 TI4: Prophecy of Kings35:20 X-Men: Mutant Insurrection36:43 Dire Alliance from Blacklist Games38:23 Santorini: New York39:00 Knizia's Tutankhamun39:15 Street Masters Digital40:40 All the Games You Like Are Bad is back. Sorry.41:12 Feature Game: Cthulhu: Death May Die (Rob Daviau & Eric Lang, CMON, 2019)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Walker is a force of nature, a pent-up human-shaped mass of pure rage. The only outlet that can sate his furious destructive impulses is the ecstasy of the uninhibited flick--the catharsis of venting all of his power on a disc and then watching it careen around the board (then off the table, off someone's skull, off the floor, under the bookshelf, and then embedded in the drywall). He ten thunders with laughter, even as Huey informs him he missed his target and Dewey calls an ambulance. Is it a wonder, then, that Mark favours flicking games that encourage a modicum of restraint?01:18 AYURIS: Quartermaster General: The Cold War (Ian Brody, PSC Games, 2018)Games Played Last Week:03:00 -Menara: Rituals and Ruins (Oliver Richtberg, Zoch Verlag, 2019)08:08 -Rangers of Shadow Deep (Joseph McCullough, Self-published, 2019)10:20 -Alone (Andrea Crespi & Lorenzo Silva, Horrible Guild, 2018)15:48 -Pax Renaissance 2nd Edition (Phil Eklund & Matt Eklund, Ion Game Design, 2020)18:06 -Albedo (Kai Herbertz, Herbertz Entertainment UG, 2017)23:08 -FlickFleet (Jackson Pope & Paul Wilcox, Eurydice Games, 2018)25:33 -Blitzkrieg!: Nippon Expansion (Paolo Mori, PSC Games, 2019)29:33 -Qwixx (Steffen Benndorf, Gamewright, 2012)News (and why it doesn't matter):31:13 The team behind Wavelength gives us Fuzzies32:25 Everyone can relax: Steven Universe Beach-a-Palooza funded33:48 Mobile painting studio for the post-plague world35:08 Return of All the Games You Like Are Bad: video reviews to follow36:22 Topic: Communication RestrictionsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“The game which our enemies have laid before us is, in so far as the French dictated it, is a monument of pathological fear and pathological hatred; and in so far as the Anglo-Saxons dictated it, it is the work of a capitalistic policy of the most brutal and cleverest kind.” –A deliberate misquote of Count von Brockdorff-Rantzau reviewing Versailles 1919Games Played Last Week:01:40 -Nippon (Nuno Bizarro Sentieiro & Paulo Soledade, What's Your Game?, 2015)05:24 -Space Cadets: Away Missions (Dan Raspler & Al Rose, Stronghold, 2015)09:10 -Sonora (Rob Newton, Pandasaurus Games, 2020)14:51 -Godzilla: Tokyo Clash (Prospero Hall, Funko Games, 2020)19:41 -Flaming Pyramids (Norbert Abel, Cheeky Parrot Games, 2018)21:27 -FlickFleet (Jackson Pope & Paul Wilcox, Eurydice Games, 2018)23:17 -Can't Stop (Sid Sackson, Parker Brothers, 1980)24:24 -Alone (Andrea Crespi & Lorenzo Silva, Horrible Guild, 2018)News (and why it doesn't matter):31:00 Spiel des Jahres (Pictures) and Kennerspiel des Jahres (The Crew) winners32:06 Daimyo: Rebirth of an Empire by laboitedejeu33:03 Steven Universe: Beach-a-Palooza is in trouble?35:30 Walker watches Pendulum36:15 Spielworxx's Die Macher on BGG Store37:22 Feature Game: Versailles 1919 (Geoff Engelstein & Mark Herman, GMT Games, 2020)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Walker feels he has missed his calling, and tries out his tight five as an insult comic this week. He directs his barbs at the typical targets--Mark, board game covers, games no one asked for, Mark, media he finds unengaging, and Mark. The latter (and former) does his level best at being supportive in the classic tradition of Ed McMahon, but one remembers why Don Rickles and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog are solo acts.02:03 AYURIS: Talon (Jim Krohn, GMT, 2016) and Talon 1000 (Jim Krohn, GMT, 2018)Games Played Last Week:03:45 -The Voyages of Marco Polo (Simone Luciani & Daniele Tascini, Hans im Gluck, 2015)06:20 -The Crew: The Quest for Planet 9 (Thomas Sing, KOSMOS, 2019)07:29 -Versailles 1919 (Geoff Engelstein & Mark Herman, GMT Games, 2020)16:10 -The Taverns of Tiefenthal (Wolfgang Warsch, Schmidt Spiel, 2019)17:38 -Cosmic Frog (Jim Felli, Devious Weasel Games, 2020)21:02 -Reichbusters: Project Vril (Jake Thornton, Mythic Games, 2020)26:20 -That's Pretty Clever (Wolfgang Warsch, Schmidt Spiele, 2018)30:04 -The Hunted: Twilight of the U-Boats, 1943-1945 (Gregory M. Smith, GMT Games, 2020)News (and why it doesn't matter):36:14 Aliens: Another Glorious Day in the Corps at last?!37:20 Dim possibility of Descent Third Edition?39:50 Not Alone expands on Kickstarter40:26 Tammany Hall reprint41:03 Rita Modl and King of 1242:04 Mindclash's Perserverence: Castaway Chronicles43:39 Catapult Kingdoms43:48 Walker dunks on Escape the Night45:41 Topic: I'm 90% Sure: Rules you Forget or IgnoreAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"From the discovery of New France to the 1981 Referendum, all of Quebec history is based on a single fallacy: that the British actually wanted to own Quebec. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. The British already had a surplus of colonies in the sunny Caribbean and took little interest in the Canadian icebox later dismissed by Voltaire as nothing more than 'quelques arpents de neige'... In 1759, with war raging everywhere between France and England, the British knew if would look suspicious if they didn't engage the French in North America. They placed the expedition in the hands of a thirty-two-year-old, inexperienced general, James Wolfe, and gave him strict orders: 'Put up a good fight... but lose.' Wolfe devised a clever theatrical strategy. He would choose an impossible attack-route: Arriving by boat on the St. Lawrence river then scaling the unassailable walls of the fortress of Quebec, thus guaranteeing defeat and dumping Quebec with France for good. But Wolfe's glorious defeat was snapped from the jaws of victory by Montcalm who brilliantly out-manoeuvred Wolfe and surrendered--a stroke of genius that got the colony off France's hands once and for all."-Nick Auf der Mar, "La Petite Histoire du Québec (Version Anglaise)"Games Played Last Week:01:09 -SEAL Team Flix (Pete Ruth & Mark Thomas, WizKids, 2018) 02:37 -Teotihuacan: City of Gods (Daniele Tascini & Dávid Turczi, NSKN Games, 2018)04:04 -Yokohama (Hisashi Hayashi, Tasty Minstrel Games, 2016)04:48 -Sprawlopolis (Steven Aramini, Danny Devine, & Paul Kluka, Button Shy, 2018)08:26 -Mezo (John Clowdus, Kolossal Games, 2019)13:25 -The Crew: The Quest for Planet 9 (Thomas Sing, KOSMOS, 2019)15:02 -Qwixx (Steffen Benndorf, Gamewright, 2012)16:41 -That's Pretty Clever (Wolfgang Warsch, Schmidt Spiele, 2018)17:30 -Coloretto (Michael Schacht, ABACUSSPIELE, 2003)19:32 -Orléans: Invasion (Inka Brand, Markus Brand, & Reiner Stockhausen, dlp Games, 2015)20:59 -Scythe (Jamey Stegmaier, Stonemaier Games, 2016)News (and why it doesn't matter):25:55 Expansion to Twilight Imperium 4th ed.26:44 Pandemic Legacy Season 027:20 Undaunted: Reinforcements28:39 DeepMind: An AI for Diplomacy?29:35 Lord of the Rings: Anniversary Edition31:01 Steven Universe Beach-a-Palooza on Kickstarter July 14th31:29 Pendulum by Stonemaier31:39 Lost Ruins of Arnak by CGE31:59 Documentary: Gamemaster32:42 Feature Game: Imperial Struggle (Ananda Gupta & Jason Matthews, GMT Games, 2020)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We return, ill-advisedly, to the heavily-mined waters of classification and taxonomy. Mark will put up with it because of his love of Mac Gerdts, and Walker will put up with it because he gets to troll Mark with contrived classifications. 01:10 AYURIS: Gloomhaven (Isaac Childres, Cephalofair Games, 2017)Games Played Last Week:03:24 -Reichbusters: Project Vril (Jake Thornton, Mythic Games, 2020)07:56 -Hanamikoji (Kota Nakayama, EmperorS4, 2013)10:59 -Lords of Waterdeep (Peter Lee & Rodney Thompson, Wizards of the Coast, 2012)14:44 -Cartographers: A Roll Player Game (Jordy Adan, Thunderworks Games, 2019)20:50 -Barrage (Tommaso Battista & Simone Luciani, Cranio Creations, 2019)25:18 -Thunderbolt Apache Leader (Dan Verssen, Dan Verssen Games, 2012)News (and why it doesn't matter):29:48 Frostpunk Board Game 30:43 The Field of the Cloth of Goldhttps://www.boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/105690/designer-diary-story-making-field-cloth-gold 32:08 Yura Yura Penguin33:12 Max Temkin and Cards Against Humanity’s Toxicity35:06 Paranoia: The Infinite Hole36:15 Topic: RondelsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Editorial standards are constantly evolving here at SVWAG, and they lately proceed largely from Walker's unilateral declarations. Things get to be pronounced however he wills them. Prior utterances by anyone are rendered immediately obsolete if and when he deigns to acknowledge something. Comparisons are now his exclusive purview. Walker has spoken.Games Played Last Week:01:52 -Hour of Need (Adam Sadler & Brady Sadler, Blacklist Games, 2020)04:21 -Inhuman Conditions (Tommy Maranges & Cory O'Brien, Web published, 2018)08:59 -Crazy Tower: Contruction/Sabotage (Alexis Harvey, Félix Leblanc, Manuel-Lucas Bergeron Duhamel, & Mathieu Auger, Synapses Games, 2020)12:15 -Fantastic Factories (Joseph Z Chen & Justin Faulkner, Metafactory Games, 2019)14:51 -Fuji Koro: Deluxe (Jerome Demeyere, Game Brewer, 2020)17:04 -Flick Wars (Shaun Austin & Andrew Tullsen, Breaking Games, 2019)20:59 -Big City: 20th Anniversary Jumbo Edition! (Franz-Benno Delonge, Mercury Games, 2019)News (and why it doesn't matter):24:52 Pipeline 2P? Curious Cargo 25:31 Pandemic: Hot Zone PnP26:28 Starfinder pre-painted minis27:09 Gloomhaven hits Target28:33 Sonora: "Flick and Write", again29:41 More Battleground: Fantasy Warfare31:13 Games are political: ConsimWorld's myopia[NB: An earlier version of this episode falsely claimed that Cool Mini or Not has been silent on Black Lives Matter. CMON issued a statement of support on June 5th, 2020. We apologize sincerely for the error.]35:29 Feature Game: Project: ELITE (Konstantinos Kokkinis, Marco Portugal, & Sotirios Tsantilas, CMON, 2020)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Change is exactly like a starving polar bear, in that it is a frightening beast that will bite your face off. Despite that, we have changed the format of our episode notes in a startling act of courage. That said, as Robert Browning wrote, "One taste of the old time sets all to rights." It is in that spirit that we began, with the blessing of the Government of Ontario's health guidelines, to actually play games in meatspace again. We express our sincere condolences to those unfortunates living in situations where that is not safely feasible.03:22 AYURIS: New Frontiers (Thomas Lehmann, Rio Grande, 2018)Games Played Last Week:05:17 -Street Masters (Adam Sadler & Brady Sadler, Blacklist Games, 2018)10:47 -Monolith Arena (Michał Oracz, Portal Games, 2018)14:05 -Tank Duel: Enemy in the Crosshairs (Mike Bertucelli, GMT Games, 2019)17:34 -Flick Wars (Shaun Austin & Andrew Tullsen, Breaking Games, 2019)22:23 -Spirit Island (R. Eric Reuss, Greater Than Games, 2017)24:45 -Hyperborea (Andrea Chiarvesio & Pierluca Zizzi, Asterion, 2014)26:49 -Asgard’s Chosen (Morgan Dontanville, Mayfair Games, 2013)29:16 -Fuji Koro: Deluxe (Jerome Demeyere, Game Brewer, 2020)News (and why it doesn't matter):37:33 Biblios Roll & Write37:53 Freedom Five: More Sentinels39:19 Monumental Cost40:00 Charles S. Roberts Wargame Awards40:45 Domination41:21 Topic: Multiple Paths to VictoryAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"Please note that there are only two references to sports in this book... and both are appropriately dismissive. If you wish for sports information, might I kindly refer you to every other aspect of our culture?"-John Hodgman, "The Areas of My Expertise"Games Played Last Week:-Commands and Colors: Napoleonics 1m40s (Richard Borg, GMT Games, 2010) -Wingspan 3m08s (Elizabeth Hargrave, Stonemaier Games, 2019)-Flick ‘Em Up: Dead of Winter 6m05s (Gaëtan Beaujannot, Jonathan Gilmour, Jean Yves Monpertuis, & Isaac Vega, Pretzel Games, 2017)-The Taverns of Tiefenthal 12m47s (Wolfgang Warsch, Schmidt Spiel, 2019)-Legacy of Dragonholt 20m17s (Nikki Valens with Daniel Clark, Tim Flanders, Annie VanderMeer Mitsoda, & Greg Spyridis, FFG, 2017)-Tank Duel: Enemy in the Crosshairs 22m48s (Mike Bertucelli, GMT Games, 2019)News (and why it doesn't matter):-Terraforming Mars Big Box 26m40s-Awaken Realms Makes Walker Whole 29m01s-Dragon Gyas 29m36s -Massive Darkness 2 31m53s-Merchants of the Dark Road 34m28s-Kemet: Blood and Sand--Matagot's Responsiveness 35m56sFeature Game: Aristeia! 37m41s (Alberto Abal, Jesús Fuster, & David Rosillo, Corvus Belli, 2017)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To be clear, we're not giving or receiving any awards this week--rather we're discussing their use, possible abuse, and impact on the hobby. Were we to deserve an award for this episode, though, clearly it would be for the quality and quantity of top-notch segues. Play style leads to play style, mechanism to mechanism, all flowing as naturally and as smoothly as a natural and smooth thing. Note that while our segues are stellar, are metaphors are often less so.AYURIS: Pandemic: Fall of Rome 1m28s (Matt Leacock & Paolo Mori, Z-Man, 2018)Games Played Last Week:-Commands and Colors: Napoleonics 4m00s (Richard Borg, GMT Games, 2010) -Kemet 6m37s (Jacques Bariot & Guillaume Montiage, Matagot, 2012)-Twilight Struggle 11m13s (Ananda Gupta & Jason Matthews, GMT Games, 2005)-Blood Rage 15m00s (Eric Lang, CMON, 2015)-Teotihuacan: City of Gods 15m57s (Daniele Tascini, NSKN Games, 2018)-Gaslands: Refuelled 20m58s (Mike Hutchinson, Osprey Publishing, 2019)-Maharaja 24m53s (Michael Kiesling & Wolfgang Kramer, Cranio Creations, 2020)News (and why it doesn't matter):-Reiner Knizia's Whale Riders 30m53s-Infinity CodeOne and 4th Edition 31m35s-Warhammer 40,000 9th Edtiion 33m43s[EDIT] Early reports indicate that 9th Edition will not, in point of fact, obsolete codices. We apologize for the error.-X-Wing Solo Rules 34m33s-Pokémon Battle Academy 34m44s-CMON's Masters of the Universe 35m23s-Hope for the world: rubber ducks in dice 36m40s -BGG selling more games 37m20s-Upcoming GMT Games 37m54sTopic: Awards 39m07sAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We sometimes don't understand the appeal of food-based games, friends and neighbours. To be sure, we adore Food Chain Magnate, but that is not parasitic upon our sincere appreciation of (say) lemonade and pizza. There seem to be many games based on enthusiasm for beer, coffee, whiskey, spicy food, wine... Wait, I'm noticing a trend. Is our indifference to alcohol poisoning yet another area of life?!Games Played Last Week:-Gaia Project 1m01s (Jens Drögemüller & Helge Ostertag, Feuerland Spiele, 2017)-Legacy of Dragonholt 2m55s (Nikki Valens with Daniel Clark, Tim Flanders, Annie VanderMeer Mitsoda, & Greg Spyridis, FFG, 2017)-Race for the Galaxy 6m37s (Thomas Lehmann, Rio Grande Games, 2007)-Star Wars: X-Wing Second Edition 11m30s(Jason Little & Frank Brooks, Fantasy Flight, 2018)-Guards of Atlantis II: Tabletop MOBA 15m13s (Artyom Nichipurov, Wolff Designa, 2020)-A War of Whispers 19m55s (Jeremy Stoltzfus, Starling Games, 2019)-Tobago 24m49s (Bruce Allen, Zoch Verlag, 2009)-TINYforming Mars 27m3s (Michael Bevilacqua, Web published, 2019)News (and why it doesn't matter):-Gen Con 2020 Cancelled 30m04s-Schotten Totten 2 30m31s-Wingspan App Beta 31m17s-Kemet and Tribune Reprints on Kickstarter 31m52sFeature Game: Clans of Caledonia 33m44s (Juma Al-JouJou, Karma Games, 2017)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Podcasts are often a discursive medium, and so naturally we find ourselves touching on many and diverse topics. This week, we delve into poetry and Star Trek, just in case you were under the illusion that we were anything other than unreconstructed nerds. Walker, being part jock, had to be restrained so as to not spontaneously give himself a wedgie.AYURIS: Crusaders: Thy Will Be Done 2m06s (Seth Jaffee, Tasty Minstrel, 2018) Games Played Last Week:-Bullet♥︎ 3m22s (Joshua Van Laningham, Level 99 Games, 2021)-Sapiens 7m10s (Cyrille Leroy, IELLO, 2015)-Legacy of Dragonholt 10m12s (Nikki Valens with Daniel Clark, Tim Flanders, Annie VanderMeer Mitsoda, & Greg Spyridis, FFG, 2017)-Can't Stop 17m38s (Sid Sackson, Parker Brothers, 1980)-Gaslands: Refuelled 19m36s (Mike Hutchinson, Osprey Publishing, 2019)-Kingdomino 24m58s (Bruno Cathala, Blue Orange Games, 2016)-TINYforming Mars 27m11s (Michael Bevilacqua, Web published, 2019)-Innovation (Carl Chudyk, Asmadi Games, 2010)-Hour of Need 35m48s (Adam Sadler & Brady Sadler, Blacklist Games, 2020)News (and why it doesn't matter):-Spiel des Jahres nominees announced 39m20s-Spiel at Essen canceled 39m25s-Small World of Warcraft 42m14s-Embarrassing Kemet Sphinx mini inspires new SVWAG Poetry Corner 42m38s-New Maharaja 44m45s-Frenemy Pastry Party 45m35s-Who Asked for These? (TM): Battle of the Boy Bands 46m10sTopic: Digital Life After COVID 47m02sAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There are so many life lessons to be learned from the presidency of Richard Milhous Nixon. For one, shave before debates. For another, hire limber secretaries with flexible standards on truth. Always be sure to hire expert lockpickers. Make sure your vice president will have your back (Nixon at least got a mulligan on that one). I mean, he's not a role model of mine--I wouldn't get his face tattooed on my back, to pick something at random--but he does serve as a potent set of object lessons. Games Played Last Week:-Warfighter: The Tactical Special Forces Card Game 3m31s (Dan Verssen, DVG, 2014)-Splendor 5m48s (Marc André, SPace Cowboys, 2014)-Bullet♥︎ 8m28s (Joshua Van Laningham, Level 99 Games, 2021)-Castles of Burgundy 12m36s (Stefan Feld, alea, 2011)-Horizon Wars: Zero Dark 15m34s (Robey Jenkins, Precinct Omega Publishing, 2020)-Patchwork 20m57s (Uwe Rosenberg, Lookout Games, 2014)-Potion Explosion 21m55s (Stefano Castelli, Andrea Crespi, & Lorenzo Silva, Horrible Guild, 2015)-Glory to Rome 24m48s (Ed Carter & Carl Chudyk, Cambridge Games Factory, 2005)-Mottainai 25m47s (Carl Chudyk, Asmadi Games, 2015)-Mini Express 29m16s (Mark Gerrits, Moaideas Game Design, 2020)News (and why it doesn't matter):-Who Asked for These? (TM) Headlock, Paper, Scissors 32m57s-Who Asked for These? (TM) Clank! for 6 players 34m40s-Kickstarter lays off 40% of workforce 35m24s-Who Asked for These? (TM) Marvel Splendor 36m32s-Who Asked for These? (TM) Star Wars: Talisman 37m18s-A Billion Suns extended beta 37m39s-Rodney Smith and Watch It Played expand 40m36sFeature Game: Watergate 41m37s (Matthias Cramer, Capstone Games, 2019)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Subtitles are to be used with discretion. Some people can't be trusted with them, and most of those people seem to work in Hollywood and non-fiction publishing. We resist the urge much of the time, but every once in a while the dam bursts and we must find an outlet for our pent-up subtitling impulses. We have over twenty this time. We're sorry.AYURIS: Teotihuacan: City of Gods 3m53s (Daniele Tascini, NSKN Games, 2018) Games Played Last Week:-Vanguard: Dawn of War 6m45s (Uncredited, Archon Studio, 2017)-Trieste 11m11s (Matthew Ma, Victory Point Games, 2013)-Warfighter: The Tactical Special Forces Card Game 15m46s (Dan Verssen, DVG, 2014)-Innovation 23m07s (Carl Chudyk, Asmadi Games, 2010)-Twilight Struggle 27m39s (Ananda Gupta & Jason Matthews, GMT Games, 2005)-Coralia 31m20s (Michael Rieneck, HUCH!, 2019)-Under Falling Skies 33m02s (Tomáš Uhlíř, Web-published, 2019)News (and why it doesn't matter):-More Walker! Walker a guest on Board Game Barrage 34m59s-Fantasy Flight pulls down Tabletop Simulator mods 35m29s-Seastead: 2P Flotilla 38m20s-New expansion and Kickstarter for Rise of Tribes 38m36s-Guards of Atlantis II is awesome, its depiction of women less so 38m59s-New expansion and Kickstarter for Steampunk Rally 42m57s-UK Games Expo cancelled 43m57sTopic: Analysis Paralysis and the Need to Win 44m13sAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A rulebook generates expectations, and whether and how those expectations are met or frustrated is an interesting phenomenon. Sometimes you get exactly what you want and that's a good thing--and sometimes the rules promise a set of experiences that never manifest. Over time, you start to get a better feel for what a game might be like by virtue of its rulebook, but even experienced gamers can be thrown for a loop by an unexpected mismatch. To summarize, what I'm saying here is that Nemesis is bad.Games Played Last Week:-Cosmic Frog 1m15s (Jim Felli, Devious Weasel Games, 2020)-Traintopia 8m41s (Przemek Wojtkowiak, Board&Dice, 2020)-Carolus Magnus 14m54s (Leo Colovini, Rio Grande Games, 2000)-Wingspan 17m24s (Elizabeth Hargrave, Stonemaier Games, 2019)-Successors 3rd ed 18m23s (Richard H. Berg, John B. Firer, & Mark Simonitch, GMT Games, 2008)-Scythe 21m25s (Jamey Stegmaier, Stonemaier Games, 2016)-Pax Renaissance 2nd Edition 24m58s (Phil Eklund & Matt Eklund, Ion Game Design, 2020)-Fantastic Factories 29m49s (Joseph Z Chen & Justin Faulkner, Metafactory Games, 2019)-Crazy Tower: Contruction/Sabotage 32m10s (Alexis Harvey, Félix Leblanc, Manuel-Lucas Bergeron Duhamel, & Mathieu Auger, Synapses Games, 2020)News (and why it doesn't matter):-Blokus Puzzle 34m46s-Guards of Atlantis II 35m43s-Your games are invalid: 40K Risk 36m48s-Defence of Procyon III 37m47s-Canvas 39m28s-More on Knizia's My City 40m22s Feature Game: Nemesis 41m27s (Adam Kwapiński, Awaken Realms, 2018)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Imagine that you are creating a fabric of human destiny with the object of making men happy in the end, giving them peace and rest at last. Imagine that you are doing this but that it is essential and inevitable to torture to death only one tiny creature...in order to found that edifice on its unavenged tears. Would you consent to be the architect on those conditions? Tell me. Tell the truth.”― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers KaramazovAYURIS: Gùgōng 1m22s (Andreas Steding, Game Brewer, 2018) Games Played Last Week:-Radiant: Offline Battle Arena 3m50s (Jack Murray, Heel Turn Games, 2019)-Cosmic Frog 5m00s (Jim Felli, Devious Weasel Games, 2020)-Blitzkrieg! 17m07s (Paolo Mori, PSC Games, 2019)-World of Warcraft Miniatures Game 18m35s (Edward Fear, John Fiorillo, Justin Gary, Matt Hyra, Anthony Shaheen, & Patrick Sullivan, Upper Deck Entertainment, 2008)-Manoeuvre 23m54s (Jeff Horger, GMT Games, 2008)-Spyrium 26m07s (William Attia, Ystari Games, 2013)-Innovation 31m19s (Carl Chudyk, Asmadi Games, 2010)-Carcassonne 33m54s (Klaus-Jürgen Wrede, Hans im Gluck, 2000)News (and why it doesn't matter):-Shadows over (Camelot) Brooklyn 35m28s-SVWAG Policy: Unlicensed Digital Implementations 36m28s-Hasbro Mashups 38m44s-Golden Geek Award Nomination 41m01s-More Cloudspire 42m35s-Reichbusters and Wolfenstein 42m55sTopic: Getting Tears Stains out of Games: What to Do About Unplayed Games 44m16sAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

No daunts are asked and no daunts are given this week. "I don't give a daunt" is tattooed on Walker's back, no doubt an homage to Rhett Butler's famous ending line. We needed a little breather this time--a break from two-hour epic experiences. A little palate cleanser to ease us into a purely digital gaming life; because, to be frank, in this stage of isolation, we felt a little daunted.We will plead for your indulgence, as our audio setup is once again in a state of flux as we transition to a two-studio setup. Games Played Last Week:-Orleans 2m28s (Reiner Stockhausen, dlp Games, 2014)-The Quiet Year 3m03s (Avery Alder, Buried Without Ceremony, 2013)-Shadowrift 6m14s (Jeremy Anderson, Game Night Productions, 2012)-Spirit Island 8m17s (Eric R. Reuss, Greater Than Games, 2017)-Carolus Magnus 11m42s (Leo Colovini, Rio Grande Games, 2000) -Race for the Galaxy 17m25s (Thomas Lehmann, Rio Grande Games, 2007)-BattleCON: War of Indines 19m40s (D. Brad Talton, Jr., Level 99 Games, 2010)News (and why it doesn't matter):-For Science! on Kickstarter now 23m29s-CMON audit woes? 25m34sFeature Game: Undaunted: Normandy 28m20s (Trevor Benjamin & David Thompson, Osprey Games, 2019)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Isolation gaming continues, so we turn our lonely eyes to gaming alone--an endeavour that predates plague-induced solitude, but is certainly thriving now. Many a gamer is experimenting with those (increasingly frequent) variants for the first time. We understand--any port in a storm. Let us game alone together. AYURIS: Coimbra 1m48s (Flaminia Brasini & Virginio Gigli, eggertspiele, 2018)Games Played Last Week:-Imperial Settlers: Empires of the North 3m32s (Joanna Kijanka & Ignacy Trzewiczek, Portal Games, 2019)-The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine 8m43s (Thomas Sing, KOSMOS, 2019) -The Fox in the Forest Duet 16m52s (Foxtrot Games, Foxtrot Games, 2020)-The Quiet Year 18m20s (Avery Alder, Buried Without Ceremony, 2013)-Radiant: Offline Battle Arena 22m57s (Jack Murray, Heel Turn Games, 2019) -Hansa Teutonica 24m23s (Andreas Steding, Argentum Verlag, 2009)-Warhammer Underworlds: Shadespire 26m51s (David Sanders, Games Workshop, 2017)-The Quest for El Dorado: The Golden Temples 30m31s (Reiner Knizia, Ravensburger, 2019)News (and why it doesn't matter):-My Little Scythe: Pie in the Sky 33m18s-Ascension Tactics 34m14s-Frosthaven 36m52s-Ankh: Gods of Egypt 40m24s-They Live 41m41sTopic: Solo Gaming 43m05sAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices