Rolling Dice & Taking Names Gaming Podcast

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 you will have when you destroy the ring. We also have some slight dissension in the ranks at RDTN where one does like a game as much as someone else and we have a solid discussion on why. This doesn’t mean that the game isn’t good, just that there is a difference of opinion on what some people like versus what others like. The Wondrous Museum is an engine builder that plays very fast and has solid decision making for which cards to play and how to use the runes that activate the cards. Leaders if a two person duel game that shrinks down the board to where players are using special moves by their champions to allow them to capture the other person leaders. Your champions are never removed from the board, so it is all about positioning while maintaining a solid defense for your leader. Thanks for listening and be sure to visit the Discord site to tell us about what type of grass is in your area. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 prestige. The game can be quick playing and therefore making each decision impactful and every turn a strategic duel. Up or Down is a fast-paced card game focused on building ascending or descending sequences, ideal for quick, engaging play. Meanwhile, Twinkle Twinkle offers a peaceful tile-laying experience where players draft transparent tiles to complete star charts and connect constellations. Both games are accessible yet clever, appealing to casual and puzzle-loving players alike. Don’t forget to enter our contest over in the Discord channel for your chance to win a copy of Uninvited Guests at a Wedding Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 help each other out from time to time in order to achieve your own objectives. 12 Rivers is a family weight worker placement game that involves a mechanic which centers around releasing marbles (pearls) down the board, creating a dynamic and tactile experience as players race to gather the most valuable bounties. With alpacas as transport and fairies offering special actions, the game balances whimsy with some light strategic depth. Thanks for listening as always, we really do appreciate it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we catch up with Ignacy from Portal Games. We talk about the latest and upcoming releases including Age of Galaxy and Bohemians. We get a tease of what's coming in 2026 And we finish off the episode with Rank Em! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

00:01:00 Day One 00:01:35 Setting up the Portal Booth 00:03:00 Spill on aisle 2200 00:05:15 Level 99 Kickstarter 00:09:00 Asmodee Press Releases 00:14:15 All Play Releases 00:15:30 Hatchett Releases – Tag Team 00:19:00 Osprey – General Orders Sengoku Jidai 00:24:00 Miniature Market 00:25:15 Day Two 00:27:45 Restoration Games 00:29:45 Thunderworks Games 00:30:15 Asmodee – Did you know this… 00:31:15 Lucky Duck Games 00:33:00 Hatchette Games 00:34:30 UVS Card Games 00:37:30 North Star Games – Nature 00:40:50 Taste Buds – Lime Coke Zero from East Europe 00:44:30 Strike Tournament Results 00:51:00 Portal Games 00:53:20 Day 3 01:00:30 Chip Theory Games 01:02:30 Around the Stump 01:06:30 Dead Alive Games 01:10:30 CGE Meeting 01:16:00 Ares Games 01:23:00 Rift Bound 01:27:00 Capstone – Up or Down 01:28:30 Uninvited Guests at a Wedding 01:31:30 Day 4 01:33:15 Slam Throne – OMG! 01:36:45 Bezier Games 01:41:00 Brotherwise Games 01:41:30 Pandasaurus Games 01:45:15 Devir Games 01:46:30 Luma Imports 01:49:30 Game Toppers LLC 01:51:00 Taste Buds – Jerky Another Gen Con in the books. The crowds were as thick as ever, but the overall energy felt a bit more subdued this year. Still, there were plenty of solid games to discover and enjoy—even if nothing sparked a mad dash to grab the latest release. We spent much of our time connecting with publishers, hoping to gather insights and highlights to help our listeners spend wisely. And of course, Gen Con wouldn’t be complete without a few surprises—Slam Throne and Battle for Hoth definitely caught our attention in the hall. Huge thanks to everyone who helped, donated, and participated in this year’s annual Strike Tournament. Whether you rolled dice, cheered from the sidelines, or chipped in behind the scenes, your energy and generosity made it all possible. The success of this event isn’t about the two old guys running it—it’s about the incredible community that shows up year after year. We’re grateful for every one of you who helped make it another memorable tournament. If you were at Gen Con, love to hear your thoughts over in our Discord channel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

00:02:00 Introduction00:04:30 Superman Thoughts00:11:30 Summer Movie Results00:15:00 Horrified D&D00:18:30 Middle Ages00:21:30 AgricolaHerd Mentality/ MonsDRAWsity00:29:00 Portal Games00:30:30 Celestia00:36:00 Ofrenda00:45:30 Miniature Market00:51:30 Game Toppers LLC00:53:30 Outro Ofrenda and Celestia are on the table for this episode. Each game offers distinct thematic journeys, yet all challenge players to make clever decisions under pressure. Ofrenda is a vibrant card-placement game inspired by Día de los Muertos, where players build altars to honor deceased relatives. The goal is to fulfill each spirit’s wishes by arranging portraits, offerings, candles, and marigolds in just the right configuration—while avoiding family drama from beyond the grave. Celestia shifts gears into a whimsical airborne adventure. Players board a fantastical aircraft and journey through sky cities, collecting treasures while facing hazards like pirates and lightning storms. Each round, a new captain rolls dice to determine challenges, and passengers must decide whether to trust the captain or jump ship to claim their loot. It’s a push-your-luck game with bluffing and risk assessment at its core, wrapped in dreamy artwork and accessible rules. Thanks for listening and hope to see you at Gen Con. And a big thanks to everyone coming to the strike tournament. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

00:02:00 Introduction00:08:30 Vanessa Returns00:13:30 Blackmail Tapes00:15:00 Return of the 80s00:16:30 Emberleaf00:31:00 Portal Games00:33:00 Barony: Royal Addition00:50:30 Game Toppers00:51:30 Positano00:59:00 Miniature Market01:00:00 Citizens of the Spark01:11:30 Star Wars Unlimited Welcome back, fellow board gaming aficionados. Today, we’re diving into titles that embody wildly different flavors of adventure: the dudes on the map chaos of Barony, the whimsical card drafting of Citizens of the Spark and Emberleaf, and the sun-soaked “look what I built” serenity of Positano. All three of these games involve a good bit of strategy, with a good helping of inter-activeness against your fellow players. Well, almost all of them. But most of all, you can tell that we never really get out of second gear in the episode, so you are blessed to have Vanessa back on the mic to help us get moving. Enjoy as always, leave comments on the discord server, and thanks for listening Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

00:02:00 Introduction00:16:30 Taste Buds00:24:00 Portal Games00:26:00 FlipToons00:32:00 DC Forever00:43:00 Game Toppers00:45:00 Wizards & Co.00:49:30 Mythical Dice00:54:00 Miniature Market00:55:00 Tacta00:59:30 Movie Reviews with Vanessa Tony is on vacation, so Vanessa joins more for the classic RDTN intro banter. Plus in the outro, they talk about their favorite movies from the first half of 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

00:02:00 Introduction00:06:00 Banana Ball00:16:00 CMON New00:19:00 Taste Buds00:23:00 Portal Games00:25:00 Slide00:30:00 Rumble Nation00:43:00 Game Toppers00:45:30 Butterfly Garden00:51:00 Huang01:06:00 Miniature Market01:07:00 Timber Town01:13:00 Switch 2 Release In this episode we cover two fun but very different area control games. Plus Marty goes to a Banana Ball game and gets a Switch 2 DiscordSupport the Show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

00:02:30 Introduction00:06:00 Strike Tournament Update00:09:15 Health Update00:13:30 Game night Discussion00:15:30 Game Toppers Kickstarter 5.000:17:30 Line of Fire: Burnt Moon00:24:30 Cretaceous Rails00:41:30 Portal Games00:43:30 Looot00:49:30 Miniature Market00:51:00 Santorini: Riddle of the Sphinx01:00:00 Switch 201:05:00 Clare Obscure: Expedition 33 LoooT, the Spieli des Jahres nominee, made it to the table recently. Now, this is a Viking-themed strategy game where players lead their clan to victory by gathering resources, capturing buildings, and expanding their empire. Just picking and placing a tile will not get you a victory, you have some decisions to make that will have you balancing risk and reward. Cretaceous Rails is not a doomed theme park like so many built with dinosaurs as the main attractions. This medium-weight euro game combines economic strategy with thematic elements, allowing players to take tourists on safari and construct a thriving dino resort where every piece in the game is a resource to be used. With careful planning and resource management, you should out-maneuver the other park operators and come away with a victory and not be eaten by the T-rex. Santorini is a beautifully designed abstract strategy game that brings Greek mythology to life and Roxley has taken the new Pantheon Edition up to new hieghts with the components. Gameplay hasn’t changed, players take on the role of gods and heroes, competing to build a majestic island of Santorini without getting trapped by the competition. And now with the coop version added to the mix, Riddle of the Sphinx, this should dust of those old copies and get the game back to the table. Thanks for listening and appreciate all the support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

00:00:00 Intro00:02:30 Discord Debate00:08:30 50 Years Ago00:13:30 Gen Con Strike Tournament00:18:30 They listen??00:21:30 Arkham Horror Adventures RPG00:23:30 D&D Dungeon Software – it is gone00:25:30 Portal Games00:27:30 Pathfinder Dice Conquest00:31:30 Calimala00:46:00 Miniature Market00:48:00 Skyjo00:53:30 The Floor01:00:00 Outro We revisited a game from back in the early days of RDTN called Calimala thanks to the reprint by Alley Cat Games. Using a unique action-selection system, players produce and deliver cloth while contributing to the construction and decoration of the city’s buildings. The game features dynamic scoring phases and strategic planning as you carefully plan out every turn. We enjoyed it then, but how about now? Sometimes we will find those games that are just so basic and fun that we wonder how we missed them back in the day. That is the case for Skyjo, where players aim to have the lowest score by the end of the game. Each player starts with a grid of face-down cards and must carefully swap, reveal, and discard cards to minimize their total points. This is the game wish I had as my daughter aged to replace Rat-a-tat Cat. Thanks for listening and be sure to grab your Strike Gen Con Tickets if you are headed to Gen Con this year. Head over to Buy Me a Moon Pie to purchase Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

00:00:00 Intro00:04:30 Music Talk00:06:30 Appliance Malfunctions00:10:00 Discord Conversations00:12:00 Miniature Market Discussion00:16:15 Taste Buds00:22:30 Portal Games00:24:00 Strawberry Shortcake: Berry Besties Bakeoff Card Game00:30:30 Cyclades: Legendary Edition00:46:00 Gametoppers LLC00:48:15 Rajas of the Ganges: Cards & Karma00:54:15 SWU Update00:57:00 Switch 2 Attempts01:03:15 Hubworld: Aidalon We’ve been on an absolute whirlwind of recording episodes, and I can practically hear y’all shouting, “What the heck, make it stop!” Trust me, I get it—it feels like we’re popping up in your podcast queue nonstop. But here’s the deal: we’ve had some special releases in between our regular shows, so while it may seem like we’re flooding your feed, it’s all in the name of keeping things exciting. Or so we tell ourselves. This time, we dove into a true classic that recently got a well-deserved facelift—Cyclades. Originally released in 2009, it was one of those gems we missed before board games became a staple in our lives. And wow, the production quality is nothing short of stunning. For those who picked up the deluxe components, I bet you weren’t disappointed. Now, let me be honest—this game exposed my weaknesses in a way I didn’t see coming. It wasn’t the game’s fault; it was mine. But hey, maybe that’s a sign of a solid strategy game—one that lays bare where you struggle and pushes you to improve. If you were a fan of the classic and have a well-loved, slightly worn-out copy sitting on your shelf, it might be time to snag this refreshed edition and bring Cyclades back to the table in all its glory. Thanks for listening and appreciate all the support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of our favorite traditions—and guilty pleasures—is diving into upcoming movie reviews with our good friends Dan and Chris. Let’s be honest, Marty needs some insightful voices on the show, or else it’d just be me listening to him ramble about movies (and trust me, that’s a whole experience on its own). After all the fun banter, we move on to the real competition—drafting our predictions for which films will dominate the box office. If you’ve got the time, we’d love to hear your thoughts over on our Discord channel! Thanks for tuning in, and we’ll be back to gaming in the next episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

00:00:00 Intro – it is a long one 00:11:30 Technology in Sports 00:16:30 Health Discussion 00:20:30 Coyote vs ACME 00:22:00 Video Game Hall of Fame 00:29:45 Game Toppers LLC 00:31:30 Great Western Trail: El Paso 00:48:00 Solstis 00:54:00 Portal Games 00:57:00 Kraftwagen: Age of Engineering 01:14:30 Miniature Market 01:16:30 Arkham Horror Lovecraft Letter 01:21:00 SWU Update 01:28:30 E-Win Racing Chairs Board games have a magical way of transporting us to different worlds—whether we’re managing cattle in the American frontier, navigating mountains, or engineering automobiles. Today, let’s dive into three fascinating board games that offer unique themes and strategic gameplay: Great Western Trail: El Paso, Solstice, and Kraftwagen: Age of Engineering The new GWT is a streamlined version that, in our opinion, is a good way to get people into the game. Solstice allows for two players to battle it out in a heavy luck driven game. Kraftwagen is a redesign of the original that is a historical economic game that places players in the shoes of automobile pioneers, balancing technological progress with financial strategy. Each of these games offers something distinct—Great Western Trail is a immersive ranching journey in El Paso, Solstice is a luck-balanced strategic battle, and Kraftwagen takes players into the exciting world of automotive innovation. Whether you’re an experienced gamer looking for your next challenge or a newcomer exploring different themes, these three titles showcase the beauty and variety of board game design Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

00:00:00 Intro to Rank’em 00:01:30 Question 1 – Bread 00:11:50 Restoration Games Updates 00:11:30 Starcraft Miniature Games 00:19:45 Question 2 – Sports Ball 00:32:00 Restoration Convention News 00:36:00 Question 3 – Monsters 00:41:30 Restoration – Battle Monsters 01:01:00 Question 4 – Conquerors 01:08:15 Outro Join us as we chat with Rob and Justin from Restoration Games to dive into the exciting world of reviving classic board games. But that’s not all—there’s a twist! We challenge them to a lively game of Rank’em, where we present three items, and they rank them in any order they choose. The fun doesn’t stop there—together, we’ll debate, defend, and dissect whether their rankings hit the mark or missed the mark entirely. We also get to hear all about their new game coming to Kickstarter called Battle Monsters. This is a reimplement of Battle Masters from 1992. Battle Masters was originally themed as an army of Good battling again an army of evil. The game had a huge footprint and miniatures and we hear how Restoration is bringing it back. If you liked this version of Rank’em, please leave comments over in our Discord Channel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

00:02:00 Intro 00:06:30 Thoughts on Feast of Hemlock Vale 00:09:30 Dice Driven Euros 00:11:30 Starcraft Miniature Games 00:17:00 Pickleball Elbow 00:21:00 Taste Buds 00:25:30 Portal Games 00:28:00 Nova Era 00:51:30 Top Tier 00:57:00 Miniature Market 00:58:00 Bebop 01:10:00 Architects of Amytis 01:18:00 Game Toppers LLC 01:2100 Star Wars Unlimited Update We are back again for another riveting episode of RDTN. But there is a surprise in this episode, there is somewhat a theme with the games we played. We are going to be talking about dice driven euros, meaning a euro with dice. Okay, that could have gone without saying. Not all games we talk about are euro dice, so don’t miss those discussions as well. When you get a chance after listening to the episode, we would appreciate taking the time over at Boardgamegeek and giving us a vote for best podcast. Thank you in advance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

00:02:00 Intro 00:11:00 Forbidden Visions of Lucious Galloway 00:14:00 Tony’s Travels 00:17:30 East India Companies Giveaway 00:19:30 Pencil Fights 00:23:30 Risky Play 00:27:00 Taste Buds 00:32:00 Miniature Market Ad 00:33:30 Tales of Arthurian Knights 00:47:00 Pyramido Forgotten Treasures 00:53:30 Game Toppers Ad 00:55:00 Video Game Champion 01:10:30 Portal Games Ad 01:12:00 Outro Tony’s back from his and it’s been a while since we’ve been the mics, so we are a little rough around the edges. Ok, so that’s not different that usual. We got some to tell you about plus a new Taste Buds. And don’t forget to enter our contest! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

00:02:00 Intro 00:15:30 Comic Hunters with the McRee’s 00:17:30 General Orders Giveaway 00:19:00 Portal Games Ad 00:20:30 East India Companies 00:47:00 Emerald Skulls 00:53:00 Game Toppers Ad 00:57:00 Black Forest 01:15:30 Miniature Market Ad 01:17:00 Azul Duel 01:27:00 Outro We’re back a hot new Rosenburg game, a new flavor of Azul, a dice betting game and surprise market game that no one is talking about. Plus we are giving away a copy of General Orders! To enter join our Discord channel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

00:05:30 Intro 00:05:30 It’s in the Cards 00:08:00 Best Family Game 00:11:30 Best coop 00:15:00 Historical Game 00:18:00 “It’s Alive!” (New edition, re-release) 00:23:00 Commercials 00:27:00 This Game has Bling (top production) 00:30:00 The Ignacy Award 00:33:00 Just the two of us 00:37:30 Pass the Advil 00:41:30 Game of the Year – Tony 00:44:30 Game of the Year – Marty It’s time for our 10th Annual Squirrelly awards! We look at our top games of 2024. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, this year is a little different. Let us know what your favorite games are over in our Discord Channel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

00:03:00 Intro 00:03:00 Tantrum Con 00:15:00 Game Toppers 00:16:00 Altay: Dawn of Civilization 00:32:00 Hispania 00:38:30 Miniature Market 00:40:00 Seti 00:53:30 Portal Games 00:55:00 Rainbow 01:04:00 Ewin Chairs 01:18:00 Outro We are talking about so really big thinking games in this episode with Seti and Altay. Seti has been on the hot list for awhile and during a convention where we had no interruptions in our play time, we got it to the table. Up front, this is one of those games where the actions are easy to understand on a players turn, but all the little stuff takes the time to explain. Then when playing the game, you have to concentrate on how it will all go together based on the cards you have acquired. Lots to plan out, time crunch to beat other players to certain goals and you can’t do it all which is a common theme in this game. Altay was fresh when it came to a deck building game and one that we all enjoyed when it was on the table. It can promote a little pile on during the game, but that is when other players need to come to the rescue of the player that is getting beat upon. If you are not a friend of strong conflict in deck builders, then this may not be the game for you. We have been fortunate enough to have the chance to play Prey and now Rainbow card games from All Play. Love this well thought out games and different takes on proper trick-taking games. With Rainbow, playing up to six is what sold me on this game because tough to find games that do trick taking well with six. Thanks for listening and be ready for our annual award show that is coming up soon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices