Rolling Dice & Taking Names Gaming Podcast

00:01:30 Intro00:05:30 TCG Storage Solutions00:09:30 SWU Progressive Tournament00:13:00 Red Pill or Blue Pill00:16:00 King’s Gambit – Restoration Games00:20:45 The Rant00:29:30 Arkham Horror LCG Demos00:32:00 Taste Buds00:34:45 Portal Games00:35:45 DC Breakout: Arkham Asylum00:43:30 Compania01:03:45 Miniature Market01:05:15 Flip 7 with a Vengeance01:09:00 Ewin Racing Desk01:12:00 Outro Compania, Flip 7 With a Vengeance, and DC Breakout each scratch a very different itch, but together they paint a fun snapshot of where modern tabletop design is heading. Compania leans into the current wave of streamlined games, that incorporate two types of mechanics, worker placement and area majority. It’s the kind of design where every turn feels consequential—don’t plan accordingly and be challenged to catch up to the other players. The game’s charm comes from how accessible it feels despite its core; turns are quick, the iconography is clean, and the tension ramps steadily as players jockey for position on a board that n

00:01:30 Intro00:03:30 Please Sub and Review00:04:30 Granddaddy Stories00:08:30 SWU Update – A Lawless Time00:17:00 TCG News00:21:00 Reality TV – Traitors00:24:30 Firefly Again?00:31:30 Miniature Market00:32:30 Corps of Discovery00:46:00 Portal Games00:47:00 Arkham Horror LCG Chapter 201:13:00 Outro Two cooperative games hit the table this episode, along with a few thoughts on the Star Wars TCG. It’s always refreshing to switch gears and dive into something fully co‑op, where the tension comes from the puzzle instead of the players. And no, your ears aren’t deceiving you—Marty actually convinced Vanessa to join him for a discussion about Arkham. Who knows… maybe this is the start of her becoming an investigator convert. Corps of Discovery invites players to retrace the legendary Lewis and Clark expedition, but with a sharper strategic edge than you might expect from a historical adventure. You’re managing a small but determined team as you push westward, balancing resource scarcity, shifting terrain, and th

00:01:30 Intro00:04:30 What is old is new again00:12:00 One Hour World War II00:20:45 America 250 NC00:26:00 Miniature Market00:27:30 Angel’s Share00:54:30 Portal Games00:56:00 Soothsayers01:05:00 Pokemon Remake Interest01:07:00 Final Fantasy VII01:11:30 Outro Every now and then, three games land on the table that have nothing in common thematically yet feel spiritually linked by the way they create tension and leave players talking long after the last turn. Angel’s Share, Soothsayers, and One Hour World War II each approach strategy from a different angle—one slow and atmospheric, one mystical and tactical, and one brisk and historical—but all three deliver that satisfying “let’s run it back” energy we love to highlight. Angel’s Share wraps its theme around you like koozie around a can your favorite beverage. It’s a game about aging spirits, but more importantly, it’s a game about timing—when to wait, when to bottle, and when to accept that the angels are going to take their cut whether you like it or not.

00:00:30 Intro00:03:30 GMT Camden Game Convention00:11:00 Timeline: Games and Leisure00:13:00 LOTR: Two Towers Trick Taking Game00:15:00 Portal Games00:16:30 Thebai00:41:30 3 Witches00:50:30 Miniature Market00:51:30 WunderWaffen01:11:30 Muppet Show Reimplement01:16:30 Outro We finally got Thebai, the newest release from Boards & Dice, to the table. After seeing it at Gen Con, the production immediately caught our eye, and the designers hinted at the kind of tough, timing‑sensitive decisions players would face. That promise absolutely shows up in play. Turns are wonderfully clean—place your die, resolve the action, then move your Archon for a bonus action—but the simplicity hides a surprising amount of depth. Positioning is everything. The strongest move in the moment can easily create problems down the line, and the board state shifts just enough each round to keep you second‑guessing your priorities. On top of that, the looming battles add a steady undercurrent of tension. You can’t ignore them, even when y

00:01:00 Intro00:08:30 Cyberpunk Trading Card Game00:16:30 Taste Buds00:19:30 Portal Games00:21:30 Arkwright00:48:30 Miniature Market00:49:30 Arkham Horror: Film Fatale00:59:00 Plum Island: More of a Bad Thing01:07:30 Pondscape01:13:30 Outro Arkwright is an economic engine-builder that revels in its own weight. It drops players into the heart of the Industrial Revolution and asks them to run competing factories—managing workers, improving machinery, manipulating prices, and navigating the volatile tides of supply and demand. What makes it so gripping is the way every lever you pull affects the entire market. Lowering prices might boost sales but crush profits; upgrading machines cuts labor costs but risks unemployment penalties. It’s a game where efficiency is power, foresight is everything, and every decision feels like it echoes across an entire industrial landscape. We’re heading back to Plum Island to talk about the desperate scramble to evacuate civilians from an infected coastline—and how the new expa

00:00:40 Intro00:15:30 Portal Games00:17:00 Cthulhu: Dark Providence00:38:30 Campy Creatures00:44:15 The Gilded Realms01:13::00 Miniature Market01:14:00 Fantasy Realms: Greek Legends01:20:00 Outro A long time ago, we got to play the game A Study in Emerald, so we were very interested in the reimplementation. Cthulhu Dark Providence plunges players into a tense, investigative struggle against cosmic dread, blending noir‑style mystery with the creeping inevitability of Lovecraftian horror. The game uses the combination of tight resource decisions, escalating threats, and growing insanity that make every choice feel like a step deeper into the abyss. But is it better than what we remember, take a listen to find out. Campy Creatures and Fantasy Realms: Greek Legends offer a wildly different moods, each with its own charm. Campy Creatures is a fast, clever bluffing game where you command classic movie monsters to outwit rival mad scientists. Fantasy Realms: Greek Legends adds mythic flair to the beloved combo‑bu

00:00:40 Intro00:05:50 Movie Talk00:08:15 Holiday Games00:12:30 Things in Rings00:15:30 Blood on the Rails00:16:45 Ichor00:19:00 PSA Time00:23:00 Miniature Market00:25:00 Night Soil00:41:00 Tulip Bubble00:57:30 Portal Games00:58:30 Mini Express01:11:00 Outro Every so often, a set of games lands on the table that feels like a curated journey through time and that is what we got in this episode. First up is Night Soil where we are basically poop pushers through the streets of London in the 15th century. This game cleverly challenges players with a worker placement style of game that can fill both rewarding and frustrating at the same time. Then comes Tulip Bubble, which flips the tone entirely. Gone is the damp, stinky sewers—now you’re in the bustling markets of 17th‑century Holland, chasing fortunes in the most famous economic bubble in history. The game thrives on timing, speculation, and reading your opponents as much as the market itself. Prices rise, collapse, and ricochet with emotional volatility, and

In this special end of the year episode, Marty and Vanessa talk about their favorite movies of 2025. Plus movies they are looking forward to in 2026. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

00:01:40 Happy Anniversary00:06:30 Miniature Market Contest00:11:15 AI makes RDTN better00:12:30 Passing of a Legend00:16:30 Toy Hall of Fame Revisit00:17:45 Family Games00:27:30 Taste Buds00:32:45 Miniature Market00:33:45 Operation Barclay00:40:00 Sanctuary00:58:30 Portal Games00:59:30 Scope Panzer01:05:00 Neko Syndicate01:09:30 Outro This year marks our 13th anniversary in the world of play, as board games continue to cement their place in our lives. Anniversaries often invite reflection, and it’s remarkable to see how games that once felt like simple pastimes have evolved into celebrated traditions like gaming with friends, family members asking “So, what are we playing?”, or a gateway to conversation with people you meet. These moments remind us that board games are more than cardboard and dice—they’re shared memories that endure across generations. Board games themselves have become a bridge between nostalgia and innovation, and their recognition in the National Toy Hall of Fame underscores their cultu

We got into the tabletop hobby through TCGs (trading card games). For ten years we invested and played many card games. But when the TCG bubble popped, we got out. However, in the past 5 years, there has a resurgence in TCGs with an influx of new cards games. To discuss they reasons of why this happening and where will it end up, we have two special guests. Dan Green of Main Deck Games and the owner of To The Table Game Store, Mike Benson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

00:01:40 Intro 00:05:30 Cost how much?! 00:10:15 SWU Local Tourny 00:15:15 Codenames Live 00:16:45 Taste Buds 00:20:45 Miniature Market 00:22:40 Ayar: Children of the Sun 00:53:15 Temple Code 00:58:45 Portal Games 00:59:45 Bretwalda 01:15:30 Baseball Card GM 01:23:00 Guild Wars Reforged Balancing everyday responsibilities with hobbies can be tricky, especially when medical appointments come into play. Dermatology visits, for example, often feel like interruptions in a busy schedule, but they’re essential for maintaining long-term health. Whether it’s a routine skin check or addressing a specific concern, these visits provide peace of mind and ensure that small issues don’t become larger ones. But sometimes, as you will hear, we often are confused by the charges we receive during our visits. Don’t get us wrong, these things are needed, but it is surprising just how things are billed. Recently, we played Ayar, a game that has some very enjoyable mechanics, some challenging choices to make, and straigh

00:01:30 Intro00:04:00 Home Repair Hints00:09:00 Arkham Horror LCG Spoiler00:13:30 Star Wars Store Event00:15:00 Finding Mr. Christmas00:17:00 Secret Squirrel00:19:30 Just a Deck of Cards00:22:30 The Grinch Flip 700:23:30 Taste Buds00:31:30 Enthrone00:39:00 Portal Games00:40:00 Beasts00:47:30 Covenant01:10:30 Dungeons & Dragons: Edge of the Realms01:15:00 Miniature Market01:16:30 The Isle of Cats Duel01:22:00 Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles We’ve got a fresh lineup of reviews in this episode, plus a few handy home repair tips sprinkled in. While board games are our bread and butter, we love showing off our other skills too—because this podcast is about more than meeples and dice. First up is Covenant, a new strategic euro game from Devir. The premise is straightforward: rebuild the dwarves’ ancestral mountain of Karrak-sur-Kazar. The mechanics are easy to grasp, but the real joy comes from chaining together clever combos that feel deeply satisfying when they click. Beasts shifts gears into c

00:01:30 Intro00:04:30 BooBQ Event00:07:00 Snake Charmers00:15:00 Magical Athlete00:22:45 Star Wars Tournament00:28:30 Guests at BoooBQ00:31:30 Taste Buds00:36:30 Portal Games00:38:00 Dirt & Dust00:51:00 Railroad Tiles00:57:00 Miniature Market00:58:30 Hood01:10:00 Umami01:16:30 Outro Another year and another BooBQ is in the books. It was a great time and we had the opportunity to play a bunch of group games, eat a ton of food, and test our Halloween knowledge through Wits and Wagers, what a classic. We even got the chance to do a local constructed deck Star Wars Unlimited tournament that sucked in a bunch of new players. So, in a way, we were like a bunch of vampires and brought them into the fold Magical Athlete is a riotous racing game where fantasy characters with wildly asymmetric powers compete in unpredictable sprints. It’s light, fast, dice rolling game that will have hilarious moments throughout the game—perfect for groups who love a bit of chaos. Dirt & Dust, by contrast, is a deck builder that lea

Marty and Vanessa love the Arkham Horror universe. They play boardgames, card games and read the Arkham Horror novels from Aconyte Books. In this bonus episode, they get the chance to interview one of their favorite authors, Rosemary Jones. She discusses how she got into writing Arkham Horror novels, the process and talks about her latest book, The Arcane Gamble of Harvey Walters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

00:01:30 Intro00:03:30 Sports ball Topics00:14:00 A Carnivore Did It00:17:00 This Game is Killer00:22:00 Why did you play that?00:26:30 Rules Lawyer Time00:30:30 Taste Buds00:39:30 Miniature Market00:40:30 Bohemians00:59:00 Punica: Rome vs. Carthage01:07:30 Portal Games01:08:30 Fountains01:15:30 Everdell Duo01:23:00 Cookie Run Braverse01:29:00 Outro Halloween is creeping ever closer, ushering in a surge of spooky décor, costume scheming, and sugar-fueled anticipation. Soon, neighborhoods will flicker with jack-o’-lantern grins and haunted house setups, casting eerie shadows perfect for mischief, mayhem, and board games. And yes—Marty’s legendary BooBQ is just around the corner. Before the festivities kick off, we squeezed in a few two-player gems that pack a punch without hogging the table. Everdell Duo reimagines the beloved woodland world for two, offering competitive, cooperative, and campaign modes that layer strategy with charm. Cookie Run: Braverse transforms the digital Cookie Run universe into a phy

We are joined by Chris and Dan to discuss the summer movies of 2025. We find out who won the draft and recap all the movies that we saw. For Tony, that didn't take long. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

00:01:40 Intro00:06:45 Dream Theater: Music Video00:13:22 Arkham Horror: The Nightmare Quest of April May00:16:00 MegaMoose Con00:17:00 SWU Intro Battle Hoth – Starter Box00:25:30 Taste Buds00:32:30 Game Toppers LLC00:34:00 Neuroshima Hex: Battle00:40:00 Tianxia01:00:00 Portal Games01:01:30 White Castle Duel01:09:30 Aeterna01:28:45 Miniature Market01:29:45 Wroth01:37:15 Toy Hall of Fame As the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, fall arrives with its pumpkin spice, lawn maintenance, and Halloween decorations. The season invites cozy gatherings, a time when board games find their way to kitchen tables and living rooms, bringing people together in shared strategy and laughter. It’s the perfect backdrop for diving into rich, immersive games that stretch the imagination and challenge the mind. This fall, three standout titles offer distinct flavors of strategic depth. Aeterna spans eras, asking players to draft cards and manage resources across shifting historical landscapes, testing tactical foresight. 

00:01:40 Intro00:06:00 Sport Ball Stuff00:12:30 El Grande with the family00:15:00 Lawn Care00:18:00 Game Toppers LLC00:20:00 LOTR: Fate of the Fellowship00:52:00 The Wondrous Museum00:59:45 Miniature Market01:00:45 Builders of Baldur’s Gate01:30:45 Portal Games01:32:00 Leaders01:38:00 Outro A quick search of the word Pandemic as it relates to the board game mentions on this site, you will find a bunch of them. However, back in Episode 5 is when we do this first mention and where our mission on the podcast was to bring awareness to board games beyond those found at big box stores. That was on February 12, 2013. Time marches on and we find ourselves with a new entry using the Pandemic system with the LOTR: Fate of the Fellowship. Mr. Leacock has done an incredible job with this one. In my opinion, this brings the base goodness of the Pandemic series to the LOTR world and then ramps it up a few notches. To be honest, it might be a little too hard at times. But who cares, play it again and think of the feeling

00:00:40 Intro00:05:30 Foot Update00:09:30 Arkham Horror RPG – Terra Antarctic00:14:30 Perfect Mismatch00:19:30 Monster Pit00:24:00 On the horizon00:27:00 Miniature Market00:28:00 Yokohama Duel00:37:30 Up or Down00:43:00 Portal Games00:44:30 Rival Cities00:54:30 Twinkle Twinkle00:59:00 Game Toppers LLC01:01:00 Uninvited Guests at a Wedding01:08:30 Gwent01:15:00 Outro Yokohama Duel is a two-player strategy game set in Meiji-era Japan, where players compete as merchants navigating trade routes and foreign relations. It condenses the original Yokohama into a tighter format, emphasizing tactical movement, resource collection, and contract fulfillment. With modular setup and multiple scoring paths, it offers deep replayability in a compact package that many still trying to find the best way to victory. Rival Cities pits two players against each other in a historical rivalry between Hamburg and Altona. Through lawsuits, trade, and political maneuvering, players vie for dominance in a tug-of-war of influence and p

00:00:00 In Memoriam00:07:45 Pickle Ball00:12:30 Plantar Fasciitis00:20:00 Game Toppers00:22:10 Battle of Hoth00:33:15 12 Rivers00:41:00 Miniature Market00:42:15 Lightning Train01:00:00 Portal Games01:01:00 General Orders: Sengoku Jidai01:08:00 Outro Set during one of the most iconic confrontations in the Star Wars universe, Battle of Hoth is a fast-paced miniatures strategy game that plunges players into the icy terrain of Hoth. We are fans of Memoir ’44, so we hoped things hadn’t changed that much in this reimplement. There are 17 scenarios and multi-stage campaigns, so plenty of replayability. From the designer of Clank! and Dune: Imperium, Lightning Train is a bag-building economic game that reimagines classic train games with a modern twist. This game is definitely one that will be in our annual Squirrely Awards show. It does a lot right, but there are some elements that don’t cause the train to go off the tracks, but do need a little help. I think this is one of those games that will require you to he