The Secret Cabal Gaming Podcast

Hey Now Cabalists! The 2025 Secret Cabal fundraiser is live on Kickstarter now! Jump over and snag volume 2 of the zine, some Secret Cabal swag, the new Steve-Boy, and support the show while you're doing it. Today the gang dives into some of the great games they've been playing, including Atlas Lost Rise of the New Sovereigns, Slay the Spire, Leaders, Magical Athlete, Dice Miners, and feature Phoenix New Horizon from Jorge J. Barroso and Devir. Then after Tony T lays down his award-winning tabletop gaming news segment, the gang discusses the importance of player interaction in board gaming. Atlas Lost: Rise of the New Sovereigns: 00:09:26, Slay the Spire: 00:20:11, Dice Miners: 00:36:58, Leaders: 00:46:10, Magical Athlete: 00:56:03, Phoenix New Horizon Review: 01:03:23, News with Tony T: 01:38:23, Player Interaction: 02:33:07. Check out our sponsors Restoration Games at https://restorationgames.com/ and Game Toppers at https://www.gametoppersllc.com/. Support the Cabal on Kickstarter now! https://www.thesecretcabal.com/kickstarter

Greetings and salutations, noble travelers! Gather ye close and lend thine ears. Lord Bender doth regale us with tales of his grand Spelljammer campaign and the valorous exploits of his gallant Giff sailor. Thereafter, we entertain inquiries from our loyal listeners pondering such matters as what Dungeon Masters desire most from their adventurers, whether our hearts favor the grand houses of mass-market tomes or the humble artistry of indie works, and how much tomfoolery may be endured before patience wears thin. Enjoy the merriment of the hour!

Hey Now Cabalists! Welcome to another jam-packed episode of The Cabal! Today we talk about our brand-new gaming haunt — Franklin Street Social. Then we dive into some games we’ve been playing, including Galactic Cruise, XCOM, Claustrophobia 1643, Sweet Lands, Magical Athlete, and Chicken! Then Don and Jamie give you a feature review of Tabriz, designed by Randy Flynn. After Tony T hooks you up with the greatest damn news segment in the history of news segments, the gang takes on a bunch of listener questions with topics including narrating your turn, board game movies, and when table talk starts to look like cheating. Galactic Cruise: 00:10:51, XCOM: 00:19:51, Claustrophobia 1643: 00:29:36, Sweet Lands: 00:37:44, Magical Athlete and Chicken: 00:47:59 Tabriz Review: 01:01:26, News with Tony T: 01:28:53, Short Topic Extravaganza: 02:27:04. Check out our sponsors Restoration Games at https://restorationgames.com/ and Game Toppers at https://www.gametoppersllc.com/.

Greetings Cabalists and happy Halloween! Tonight the Mysteries of the Unknown dares to uncover The Van Meter Visitor! Was it a monster from another world? A beast born of science gone mad? Or something far more terrifying… lurking in the skies above small-town America?! Join Tony, Don, Steve, Bender, and Jamie as they descend into the chilling depths of High Strangeness! So bolt your doors… dim the lights… and pour yourself a brimming cup of courage - for tonight, you’ll hear the unbelievable true tale of American Horror! The Van Meter Visitor 00:32:22

Welcome Ye Gods of War! After a long and silent campaign upon the ashes of hiatus, the Filthy Casuals return to the field to speak of sacred miniatures and the art of battle! Jamie discusses his grand campaign of WWII miniatures, Mike confesses his love of G.I. Joe, and together they revel in the primal glory of painting apes wielding instruments of death. But soon, the vox crackles with the true call to arms - Adeptus Titanicus! AC reveals the saga of his three-year endeavor, Bender delivers the lore-rites of the God-Engines, and together we debate the might, majesty, and madness of this massively complex, ruinously expensive, and gloriously indulgent game of Titan warfare. For the Machine God, for the Omnissiah, - the Filthy Casuals march once more!

Good evening, worms, and welcome to the annual Halloween celebration! Tonight, the pitiful gang dares to summon Wolfman Steve and me, The Gatekeeper! They shall present the games they’ve played, including Mansions of Madness, Storyfold Wildwoods, The Stifling Dark, Nyctophobia and deliver a feature review of that wretched classic, Betrayal at House on the Hill! Then, the mortal known as Tony T will drag forth the Tabletop Gaming News, followed by a rousing discussion about role-playing and storytelling in board games. Now… sit still, keep silent and let the horror begin! Mansions of Madness: 00:05:53, Storyfold Wildwoods: 00:13:10, The Stifling Dark: 00:27:20, Nyctophobia: 00:39:17, Betrayal at House on the Hill Review: 00:52:46, News with Tony T: 01:26:53, Role-playing and Storytelling: 02:38:07. Check out our sponsors Restoration Games at https://restorationgames.com/ and Game Toppers at https://www.gametoppersllc.com/.

Greetings, travelers! Gather close, for the Lords convene to recount the end of AC’s mighty Planescape saga. Yet as one tale closes, another dawns, Jesko’s long-awaited Dark Sun campaign rises upon the horizon! The fellowship then answers a listener’s query on what board games stir their adventuring hearts, before delving into a most curious matter indeed: the use of artificial intelligences in the realm of tabletop role-playing. Attend well, and enjoy the discourse, my friends!

Hey Now Cabalists! Today Don and Jamie share their time at one of the best game stores they've ever experienced - Games and Stuff in Glen Burnie, Maryland. Then the gang dives into a bunch of games they've been playing, including The Presence, Mythwind, Etherstone, Shackleton Base, and Age of Galaxy. Don, Chris, and Jamie throw down a feature review of Tea Garden from Tomas Holek and Capstone Games. And after Tony T’s legendary news segment, the gang tackles a slew of listener questions like what types of players we most enjoy gaming with, whether Kickstarting board games has become too volatile, and how to handle the dreaded phrase: We got it, let’s just play. The Presence: 00:08:42, Mythwind: 00:17:16, Etherstone: 00:28:33, Shackleton Base: 00:36:06, Age of Galaxy: 00:46:26, Tea Garden Review: 00:59:59, News with Tony T: 01:32:18, Short Topic Extravaganza: 02:27:30. Check out our sponsors Restoration Games at https://restorationgames.com/ and Game Toppers at https://www.gametoppersllc.com/.

Guten Tag Cabalists! Don, Jamie, and Tony T are raising their steins high for Oktoberfest and running down their top picks for the hottest games releasing at Essen Spiel 2025! It’s a full-on beer hall bash here at The Secret Cabal, and the excitement is flowing like a fresh keg. All we need now is a heaping plate of wienerschnitzel, spaetzle, and sauerkraut to make it complete. So grab a brew, settle in, and join the Founders for the festivities. PROST!

Welcome back, Cabalists, to another jam-packed episode of The Cabal! Today, the gang dives into a stack of games they’ve been playing, including Unsettled, Agricola, Blood Rage, Tony’s take on Blood Rage: Valhalla, Endangered, and Regicide Legacy. After that, Don and Jamie feature Luthier from Paverson Games. Then Tony T reclaims the reins from Stevie S and brings you one hell of a news segment. And finally, the Founders dig into the big topic of the past few episodes - increasing complexity - are games becoming too complex and where should the line be drawn? Unsettled: 00:01:30, Agricola: 00:12:16, Blood Rage: 00:21:26, Endangered: 00:32:41, Regicide Legacy: 00:41:52, Luthier Review: 00:54:36, News with Tony T: 01:32:57, The Complexity Issue: 02:32:53. Check out our sponsors Restoration Games at https://restorationgames.com/ and Game Toppers at https://www.gametoppersllc.com/.

Hearken, ye Cabalists! Gather round, for this day the Lords convene in discourse. They speak first of Jamie and AC’s newest chronicle of dread and mystery, wrought in the Call of Cthulhu. Thereafter, a query from a faithful listener shall be pondered, touching upon the use of relics and tokens within the gaming hall. Lastly, the Roundtable shall be set, where wisdom is shared on the keeping of momentum and the weariness that oft befalls the Game Master. Raise thy voices in mirth! Huzzah!

Welcome, Cabalists, to another Wednesday packed with games and shenanigans with the Founders! Today we dive into Raising Robots, Here Lies, Flock Together, Everdell Silverfrost, Hot Streak, and feature Jamey Stegmaier’s newest creation, Vantage! Then, after Steve steps in to fill Tony T’s big shoes for the news segment, we tackle a couple of listener questions including what to do when you know you’re going to lose, and which games we’d choose to guarantee victory over our fellow Founders. Raising Robots: 00:05:48, Here Lies: 00:14:22, Flock Together: 00:24:12, Everdell Silverfrost: 00:39:40, Hot Streak: 00:51:16, Vantage: 01:06:59, News with Stevie S: 01:44:33, Short Topic Extravaganza: 02:36:16. Check out our sponsors Restoration Games at https://restorationgames.com/. Game Toppers at https://www.gametoppersllc.com/. And Game Night Picks at http://gamenightpicks.com/cabal.

In Express episode 111, Don, Tony, and Jamie are inspired by a listener question and discuss patterns and fads in game design and try and answer the question - is there truly anything original out there?

Hey now, Cabalists! The gang is back and fired up for another episode of The Cabal! Tony’s dealing with his dog’s unfortunate bout of diarrhea, Chris went out to see Weird Al, and the crew hit the table with a pile of great new games including Above and Below Haunted, Ark Nova: Marine Worlds, El Burro, Heat Pedal to the Metal, Moon Colony Bloodbath, and feature Shackleton Base by Fabio Lopiano and Nestore Mangone, published by Sorry We Are French. After Tony T delivers his always-popular News segment, the gang dives into a discussion on the vital connection between theme and mechanisms in board games. Above and Below Haunted: 00:09:41, Ark Nova: Marine Worlds: 00:18:15, El Burro: 00:27:16, Heat: 00:37:35, Moon Colony Bloodbath: 00:46:319, Shackleton Base: 01:04:09, News with Tony T: 01:38:04, Theme and Mechanism Alignment: 02:31:41. Check out our sponsors Restoration Games at https://restorationgames.com/. Game Toppers at https://www.gametoppersllc.com/. And Game Night Picks at http://gamenightpicks.com/cabal.

Greetings, noble Cabalists! This day, the Lords do commence their grand convocation by heeding a missive from a most inquisitive listener, who doth inquire how they divine their next realm of adventure, be it by the singular vision of a lone Game Master, or by the council and clamor of the whole round table. Thereafter, the fellowship embarks upon a most profound discourse concerning the art of embodying one’s hero, weaving a soul and spirit into the character, and bringing them to life through word and deed. Hark, and be entertained!

The Cabal is back in action, and we dive into a conversation about Chris’ adventures at Anthrocon! One day, we’ll get him to dress up as the red panda. After that, we get into some of the games we’ve been playing, including Cities, Vantage, City of Horror, Creature Caravan, Monsters Menace the World, and a feature review of Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship from Matt Leacock. Then, after Tony T gives us all the most important news from the board gaming world, we answer a series of listener questions covering gimmicks and innovations, design trends that annoy us, and our least favorite gamer traits. Cities: 00:09:53, Vantage: 00:22:26, City of Horror: 00:34:21, Creature Caravan: 00:44:30, Monsters Menace the World: 00:51:19, The Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship: 00:58:56, News with Tony T: 01:35:01, Short Topic Extravaganza: 02:22:50. Check out our sponsors Restoration Games at https://restorationgames.com/. Game Toppers at https://www.gametoppersllc.com/. And Game Night Picks at http://gamenightpicks.com/cabal.

In Express Episode 110, Don, Chris, and Jamie get together to talk about the end game - goals, objectives, and victory in board games. They discuss competitiveness, process-oriented players, winning and losing streaks, imperative and contingent goals, and what it really means to feel like you’ve won a game. Enjoy!

Hey Now Cabalists! In episode 109 of The Secret Cabal Express Don and Jamie put together all of the games that they're frothing at the mouth and jumping outta their pants to get at from Gen Con 2025 coming up in a few weeks. Head over to TheSecretCabal.com and click on the link to this episode to get links to all the games we discussed on the show today. Enjoy!

Tony's back from Ireland and Steve's shot out of a cannon! Get ready for a wild ride. Today the gang runs down a bunch of games they've been playing including Transgalactica, Sekigahara The Unification of Japan, The White Castle, Steam Power, Shackleton Base, and a feature review of Galileo Galilei by new designer Tomas Holek. Then after Tony T wrestles the News hosting duties away from Steve, the gang reads and discusses some spicy hot takes submitted by Cabalists! Transgalactica: 00:04:31, Sekigahara: 00:14:35, The White Castle: 00:21:38, Steam Power: 00:32:26, Shackleton Base: 00:42:12, Galileo Galilei: 00:56:08, News with Tony T: 01:27:01, Cabalist Spicy Hot Takes: 02:16:49. Check out our sponsors Restoration Games at https://restorationgames.com/. Game Toppers at https://www.gametoppersllc.com/. And CGE at https://czechgames.com/.

Hark, noble Cabalists, and well met! Gather ye ‘round, for thou art most welcome to yet another enchanted convening of the Lords of the Dungeon! This day, our bold and steadfast adventurers doth recount the wondrous tales of their voyage through the strange and many-layer’d realms of Planescape, with the wise and venerable Archmage AC guiding their path. Thereafter, the Lords dost heed the call of the arcane scrolls sent forth by our loyal listeners - speaking on their most cherished villains, the sacred handling of canon lore, the art of imparting wisdom unto fledgling Game Masters, and the campaign settings they wouldst most desire to conjure for their fellowship. So attend, brave souls, for much knowledge and mirth await within!