On this episode, Tom, Julie and Eric are live at Dice Tower West in Las Vegas taking questions from the audience and talking about the games they've played (with a brief Tom-less interlude from Eric and Julie).

01:01 - Dice Tower West Library and Most Played

03:59 - Julie in Demoville and Escape Rooms

06:06 - Julie Came With a List

08:24 - Star Wars: Battle of Hoth

09:28 - Tea Garden

11:01 - Orloj: The Prague Astronomical Clock

12:55 - Feierabend

15:21 - Merchant of Venus #100

16:47 - Fathom

18:38 - Shapely

21:03 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror

28:28 - Eric and Julie Interlude

29:10 - E&J: Stuff on Tables

31:39 - E&J: Strange Things to Carry

34:05 - E&J: What Shouldn't Stay in Vegas

36:51 - E&J: Drawing a Crowd

39:34 - Question: Game Opening Disasters

44:42 - Question: Escaping Jail

46:44 - Question: Comprehensive Rulebooks

52:01 - Minor Tom Rant: Authority to Answer Questions

52:58 - Question: Art for Prototypes

56:31 - Question: Deluxe Editions

58:37 - Question: Less or More of a Genre

Questions? Tales of Horror? tom@dicetower.com

Telling ME Calimala is good the nerve

00:00 Intro

00:58 Calimala (Fabio Lopiano Alley Cat Games2017)

04:59 Railroad Tiles (Hjalmar Hach, Lorenzo Silva Horrible Guild 2025)

08:15 Regicide Legacy (Paul Abrahams, Luke Badger, Andy Richdale Badgers from Mars 2025)

12:04 Movie Tricks (Vegard Eliassen Stillerud, Eilif Svensson, Åsmund Svensson Chilifox Games 2025)

15:35 SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (Tomáš Holek Czech Games Edition 2024)

18:34 Robo Rally Dice (Kane Klenko Renegade Game Studios 2026)

21:27 Gùgōng (Andreas Steding Game Brewer 2018)

25:20 Night Soil (Jon Moffat Grail Games 2025)

29:08 News

36:51 WROTH

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00:01:30 Intro
00:03:30 Please Sub and Review
00:04:30 Granddaddy Stories
00:08:30 SWU Update – A Lawless Time
00:17:00 TCG News
00:21:00 Reality TV – Traitors
00:24:30 Firefly Again?
00:31:30 Miniature Market
00:32:30 Corps of Discovery
00:46:00 Portal Games
00:47:00 Arkham Horror LCG Chapter 2
01:13:00 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 the constant pressure of the unknown. The game thrives on its tension: every decision feels like a trade‑off between speed and sustainability, and the modular map keeps each journey fresh. It’s a thoughtful blend of exploration and logistics, capturing both the wonder and the hardship of charting unmapped territory.

Arkham Horror: The Card Game, by contrast, plunges you into a very different kind of expedition—one into cosmic dread and psychological unraveling. Its living‑card‑game structure turns every campaign into a branching narrative where your deck evolves alongside your investigator’s triumphs, traumas, and terrible choices. Scenarios twist the rules, warp the environment, and force you to improvise under pressure, making each session feel like a bespoke horror story. Where Corps of Discovery celebrates discovery and perseverance, Arkham Horror LCG revels in uncertainty and creeping doom, offering a deeply immersive experience that rewards clever deckbuilding and narrative investment.

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Happy Oceania month! This week join Joe and Lauren, along with special guests Jonathan Calleja and Keith Franks as we discuss all things design and Australian tabletop. Jonathan and Keith offer great insights into what it's like as a professional or first time designer, and some of the barriers that new designers encounter. We also dive into what has been hitting our tables and our hearts, as well as QOTP and our regular antics.

Check out their stuff!
Where you can buy Keith's games:  https://thequestsuppliers.com.au/
Tabletop Games Designers Australia - www.tgda.org.au
Facebook group for TGDA: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TGDAus
Incubator Melbourne: https://www.facebook.com/groups/IncubatorMelbourne
Sydney Megagamers: https://www.sydneymegagamers.com/

New Question of the Pod: What game have you played where the look of the game was drastically different to how it played?

Check out our Eventbrite page for all of our upcoming Game Days: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/o/board-game-bbq-32833304483

SPONSORS

Our podcast is proudly sponsored by Advent Games and More Than Meeples.

Advent Games is an Australian online board game store based in Sydney, NSW.  http://www.adventgames.com.au/

More Than Meeples is an Australian retail and online game store based in Brisbane, QLD.

https://morethanmeeples.com.au/

PATREON

Hey there, BBQ fans! Guess what? We’ve got a Patreon! By joining, you’ll unlock exclusive content, gain access to a members-only section of our Discord where you can help shape the show, and so much more. Plus, your support will help us grow and bring some awesome new projects to life in 2025.

At the Board Game BBQ Podcast, we’re passionate about what we do and promise to keep the fun and shenanigans rolling. We’re so grateful for your support! Joining our Patreon is totally optional, and we ask that you don’t contribute if it’ll cause financial stress. But if you’d like to chip in from just USD$5 a month, click the link to check out our Patreon page.

Thanks a million for being amazing! We’re committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive community, and you all make it special. See you at the BBQ!! https://www.patreon.com/BoardGameBBQ

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