Of Dice And Men
90 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 years ago - ★★★★ - 7 ratingsAdam, Chad and Ryan host Of Dice & Men, a podcast on board games (and the occasional random tangent).
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Episodes
July 15th - Shelf Toads and Settlements
July 16, 2018 02:00 - 1 hour - 68 MB**CONTEST ALERT! Listen to the episode to hear how you can win a copy of Azul from MrDiceGuy.com!** Today we'll be talking about a problem near and dear to all of our hearts - shelf toads. The games that do little more than collect dust on your shelves, but you can't bear to part with. What games are more prone to the "shelf toad" status? How can we get them back to the table? We discuss this and more in our mid-July episode. We take a break to announce our newest sponsorship partnership...
July 1st - Canada Day and Castle Decorations
July 01, 2018 12:00 - 1 hour - 62.5 MBIn our Canada Day episode, Adam, Chad and Ryan discuss summer games and the challenges of playing board games outside. Which games work well and which you may want to avoid when playing on patios. The featured game is Azul, the tile laying abstract game designed by Michael Kiesling, that is the number 1 abstract and the number 1 family game on boardgamegeek.com at the time of recording. We finish off the show talking about Adam's attempts to like Twilight Struggle, Chads first foray into ...
June 17th - Benefits and Blasters
June 18, 2018 03:08 - 1 hour - 72 MBChad, Adam and Ryan discuss the benefits of board gaming - from kids' skills with taking turns and graceful winning to adults' learning to work together and expanding your public speaking there's a number of benefits that board games provide. Your three hosts discuss the great number of ways our active hobby improves the lives of its players. After that we discuss Eclipse, our feature game of the episode. This euro-space-hybrid is soon up for its second edition kickstarter, so we spend som...
June 3rd - Negotiation and Nottingham
June 04, 2018 02:00 - 1 hour - 67.7 MBRyan, Adam and Chad bring you their first off-the-air podcast episode featuring Diplomacy and Negotiation in board games. Negotiation is listed as a mechanic in board game geek's database, but it's a skill that can permeate almost every game. How does being a good negotiator affect the games you play? Do games that rely on negotiation work for all groups? Will your agreement ultimately end in betrayal? All this and more! We move on to our feature game, Sheriff of Nottingham. This game h...
May 20th - Collectibles and Conductors
May 21, 2018 03:00 - 54 minutes - 62.6 MBAdam, Ryan and Chad discuss the compulsion to collect collectible games. From competitive and co-operative card games to miniatures and everything inbetween, what makes this subset of the board game hobby so lucrative for publishers? Why do players enjoy going down the rabbit hole of scheduled releases and random booster packs? We'll discuss all this and more! After the half we talk about one of the newest entries into the collectible game sphere, DropMix. Harmonix's latest money maker, D...
May 6th - Quarterbacks and Quasars
May 08, 2018 14:24 - 53 minutes - 29.6 MBChad and Adam are your hosts this week talking about how co-operative board games take on the "quarterbacking" or "alpha gamer" problem head on through the use of clever mechanics. It's hard(er) to tell someone what to do when there's a timer about to go off or they might be the traitor! We'll list several different mechanics and the games that use them to ensure everyone at the table has a fair shake. After the break we feature Space Alert, another game part of the Vlaada Conspiracy. This...
April 22nd - Dudes and Daimyos
April 24, 2018 03:09 - 55 minutes - 12.7 MBRyan and Chad take on the definitive topic of Dudes on a Map in this episode. Not quite a mechanic, and certainly not a theme, how does this description so clearly classify a category of board game? We discuss the 'requirements' of such a genre, and discuss the several archetypes evolved within. Staying on point, Chad and Ryan feature Rising Sun, the most recent 'dudes on a map' game released by CMON and Eric Lang. Where do we think it fits in the Eric Lang Dudes Trilogy? Listen to find ...
April 8th - Geometric Randomizers and Gojira
April 09, 2018 20:33 - 55 minutes - 12.8 MBAdam, Ryan, and Chad discuss one of the most diverse components in modern board games - Dice! Starting with the history and spilling over onto modern design, we discuss the ways that little plastic geometric shapes are used in the design and play of games, and some stand out examples of clever dice usage. After the break we stick with the dice theme and discuss King of Tokyo and King of New York - two games that take the dice-rolling set-collection aspect of Yahtzee and turn it into a slug ...
March 25th - Abstractions and Atmospheres
March 27, 2018 03:25 - 55 minutes - 12.8 MBChad, Adam and Ryan discuss the different ways that board games take complicated real-life situations and boil them down to the roll of a die or the flip of a card. How can board games capture the feeling of being the leader of a nation during a cold war, a starving farmer in 1600's Europe, or a fire fighter saving a cat from a burning apartment building? Through abstraction, of course! At the half way point we transition to Terraforming Mars, our feature game for this episode. Terraformi...
March 11th - Second Editions and Shoguns
March 13, 2018 19:32 - 55 minutes - 12.6 MBRyan and Chad deliberate over the various enumerations of editions that permeate the board game landscape. Beyond simple reprints, we chat about re-theming, retooling, re-imagining, and repackaging of games that already existed, and which ones are worth your time and money. Afterwards we feature a game that has been both rethemed AND repackaged, Shogun - the area control game where attacks are few and far between and battles are resolved with a cube tower. Listen to why this game from 13 y...
February 25th - Mechanics and Machinations
February 27, 2018 02:18 - 55 minutes - 12.8 MBDisclaimer: the board game talk starts at about 8m10s :) Adam, Ryan, and Chad do their best to get you up to speed with some of the latest trends in board game design as we play "Make Up a Game"! Chad, with the help of boardgamizer.com, comes up with some goofy board game constraints, Ryan describes the mechanic in more detail, and Adam comes up with an entirely off-the-cuff idea for a game! Not only is it a fun way of learning more about some trendy game mechanics, but also a source of in...
February 11th - Expansions and Space Empires
February 13, 2018 13:32 - 55 minutes - 12.8 MBChad, Adam and Ryan discuss exactly where expansions fit into the board game ecosystem. Are they honest attempts by the designer to extend the longevity of their creations? Or evil corporate plans to milk the last nickels from your wallets? Why not both? :) We discuss why you as a gamer might be interested in an expansion, and examples of the best and worst kind of board game expansions. In the second half, we finally have a serious talk about Twilight Imperium 3rd Edition, two of the th...
January 28th - Collection Curating and Chvátil's Creatures
January 30, 2018 00:53 - 55 minutes - 30.8 MBRyan and Chad do their best to justify their purchase history as we talk about curating the perfect board game collection. Is it okay to own more than you can play? How much research goes into your purchasing decisions? When do you trade or sell your games? All this and more in our first episode of our new season. After we're finished feeling better about ourselves, we discuss the 2011 release Dungeon Petz by Vlaada Chvátil (or at least a member of the conspiracy). Listen how using imps...
January 14th - Happy Birthday To Us!
January 15, 2018 01:50 - 55 minutes - 64.9 MBIt's our one year anniversary! Adam, Chad, and Ryan spend the episode talking about our favs and not-so-favs, our highs and lows, and our last year of board games, the people who play them, and the culture surrounding the hobby. We also answer a few questions from the audience, and Adam does his best to give each of them his own personal touch. The questions, not the audience. Of Dice and Men is broadcast live on 91.3 FM CJTR, Regina Community Radio - our next broadcast will be January 28h...
December 31st - 2017 In Review!
January 02, 2018 20:39 - 53 minutes - 12.1 MBChad, Adam, and Ryan review the year in board games, highlighting the top games released in 2017 and then focusing on our own picks for best and worst board games of 2017. Of Dice and Men is broadcast live on 91.3 FM CJTR, Regina Community Radio - our next broadcast will be January 14th at 8 PM CST.
December 17th - RPGs and Zombies
December 20, 2017 03:42 - 55 minutes - 12.8 MBChad, Adam, and Ryan discuss one of their favourite topics - role playing games! We also welcome a guest, Chad Boudreau, proprietor of our local gaming store and Game / Dungeon master with 20 years experience. What is an RPG? Where do you start? Why do you care? We answer all this and more! Our featured game is the End of the World RPG published by Fantasy Flight Games, where the three of us played ourselves doing our best to survive a zombie apocalypse (which our guest Chad GM'd). We also...
December 3rd - Our Holiday Special!
December 06, 2017 05:38 - 55 minutes - 12.7 MBStuck on ideas on what to get your loved ones this holiday season? Adam and Ryan have the answer! We take the whole hour to make a few suggestions for stocking stuffers, gateway gamers, serious strategists, and everything inbetween in this, our 2017 Holiday Special! Image By Levente Fulop from Brno, Czech Republic (The King's Game) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
November 19th - Gaming Groups and Cold Wars
November 20, 2017 20:05 - 55 minutes - 12.7 MBAdam and Ryan discuss the real reason you see your friends nowadays, gaming groups. Is it easier to turn gamers into friends, or friends into gamers? What do you do with the tag-alongs that just wanted to drink beer and talk about the last episode of Glee? How do you avoid fistfights while trying to pick a game that pleases everyone? All this and more! Afterwards, Ryan and Adam regale us with stories of the cold war with our feature game, Twilight Struggle. Hear why this one time BGG ju...
November 5th - Campaigns and Crystals
November 06, 2017 19:53 - 55 minutes - 12.8 MBRyan, Adam and Chad set themselves up for a slog through some long-form games, namely campaigns and legacy games. What does it mean to commit to a campaign? Why is Adam chewing on those cards? Find out this and more! After the break, _we played so many games these last few weeks_! Ryan and Adam feature Unearth, the dice-chucking light strategy game by Brotherwise Games. Adam focuses on his 14-hour game of Twilight Imperium, Chad ruminates over his custom Dread RPG/Psycho Raiders hybrid, a...
October 22nd - Gaming Marathons and Galaxy Racing
October 23, 2017 20:15 - 53 minutes - 66.3 MBAdam and Chad discuss what they're doing to get ready for an upcoming "gaming marathon" session - 24 hours of gaming takes a bit of prep! How to pick your games, what to pack, when to eat - we'll tell you exactly how to survive & thrive in a gaming environment. Race for the Galaxy is our feature game for this episode, after which we discuss Adam's nihilistic view of Candyland, Ryan and Chad rolled their own civilizations, and Chad likes 80% of Vast: The Crystal Caverns. Of Dice and Men is b...
October 9th - Spoooooky Games and Survivors
October 09, 2017 00:00 - 54 minutes - 72.6 MBChad, Ryan and Adam try to figure out if board games can truly be "spoooooky", or at least which ones come closest. We then break down some recommendations for the upcoming Halloween season, including a few gateway game recommendations and a few for the more seasoned gamer. Our feature game for this episode is Psycho Raiders - Ryan was betrayed by a mechanic and Chad lit someone on fire with a blow torch. Ryan turns some tricks in the forest, Chad one up's The Martian by growing plants with...
September 24th - Public Gaming & Purple Aliens
September 24, 2017 00:00 - 53 minutes - 29.7 MBRyan, Chad and Adam welcome our first-ever guest host, Roxanne Stankievech from SaskGames as we talk about both running and attending public gaming events, and how public gaming helps society at large! (or at least we think so). Shortly following, Roxanne blasts us through Galaxy Trucker as our feature game, Ryan wonders why no one cheats at NMBR 9, Chad takes little solace in a recent Game of Thrones "win", and Roxanne highlights her experiences with Unlock! Of Dice and Men is broadcaste...
September 10th - Strategy and Saruman
September 10, 2017 00:00 - 56 minutes - 12.8 MBAdam, Ryan and Chad discuss the dichotomy of Strategy and Tactics within the hobby of board gaming, where certain games may fit on the strategy-tactic spectrum, and why players may prefer one over the other. War of the Ring is our featured game for this episode, Chad gushes over getting lost in The 7th Continent, Ryan gets tired biking uphill in Flamme Rouge, and Chad & Ryan reflect on Ryan's near victory in Blood Rage. Of Dice and Men is broadcasted live on 91.3 FM CJTR, Regina Community R...
August 27th - Randomness and Remodels
August 26, 2017 00:00 - 57 minutes - 13.2 MBChad, Adam, and Ryan discuss the pros and cons of randomness in board games - where it intersects with player choice, how dice are the ultimate simulation engine, and why drawing a card can be tense. Adam also celebrates his recent playing of games by setting a new record for saying Fascist the most on public radio, Ryan stomps on grapes in Italy, and Chad robs the train from Back to the Future 3. Oh, also Dominion is our featured game. Forgot about that one.
August 13th - Nostalgia and Nosferatu
August 13, 2017 00:00 - 56 minutes - 12.9 MBRyan and Adam take a stroll down memory lane, recounting their favourite board game stories and bathing in a large pool of nostalgia. Speaking of which, the two take on Dracula in Fury of Dracula, and Adam reflects on recent announcements to bring back Twilight Imperium and Necromunda.
July 30th - Complexity and Corridors
July 30, 2017 00:00 - 55 minutes - 12.7 MBAdam, Chad and Ryan peel back the layers of board game complexity in this episode, discussing component, strategic, rule, and social complexity in gaming. We then get lost in the randomness of Betrayal at House on Haunted Hill, Ryan gets into a fight in Yomi, and Chad plays some space checkers in Battle Beyond Space
July 16th - Licenses and Locusts
July 16, 2017 00:00 - 55 minutes - 12.7 MBAdam, Chad and Ryan highlight some of their favourite licensed games (games based on existing TV, Movie, Book, or Video Game franchises) and highlight the pros and cons of piggybacking on an existing IP. Speaking of which, we talk about Gears of War, Chad does his best to defend Xia: Legends of a Drift System from Ryan and loses, and then Chad hunts down Adam in Escape from the Aliens in Outer Space
July 2nd - Rulebooks and Ant Colonies
July 02, 2017 00:00 - 55 minutes - 12.6 MBWhat's the best rulebook you've ever read? Chad, Adam, and Ryan discuss the best and worst examples of board game rulebooks in the industry, and then battle each other for control of the Great Meadow in their review of March of the Ants. Also mentioned: Canada's Birthday (with our favourite games designed/illustrated by a Canadian), Ryan's first experience with Dread RPG, Adam's over-optimization of Boss Monster, and Chad's unfair experience with, well, Unfair.
June 18th - Kickstarters and Escape Plans
June 18, 2017 00:00 - 55 minutes - 12.6 MBRyan, Chad and Adam discuss the pros and cons of Kickstarter and how it has shaped our boardgaming hobby in the last 5 years. We then lock Adam in a metaphorical room as Chad and Ryan discuss the recent Exit: The Game and Unlock! boardgames modeled after escape rooms and talk about our recent plays.
June 4th - Boardgaming Through the Ages
June 04, 2017 00:00 - 54 minutes - 12.6 MBHold our hand as Adam, Ryan and Chad escourt you thought the last few epochs from boardgaming history; Pre-Catan (before 1995), the European Invasion (1995 - 2005), and the Thematic Renessance (2005 - 2012). Chad also practices some real-life pandemic while trying describe Ethnos and Adam celebrates his recent playing of Between Two Cities
May 21st - Fantastic Storytelling and Frakking Toasters
May 21, 2017 00:00 - 54 minutes - 12.5 MBChad, Adam and Ryan discuss the successes and failures of storytelling in board games, and feature Battlestar Galactica - I'm pretty sure Adam's the cylon. Ryan also delivers his diatribe against modern euro board game design and Great Western Trail in particular.
May 7th - Clever Components and Time Travel
May 06, 2017 00:00 - 55 minutes - 30.1 MBRyan talks to himself for a few minutes and then Chad joins him to chat about clever board game components and what they add to the tabletop experience. We also go back in time to two weeks ago when we played Anachrony, and discuss how Bret Hart almost threw a chair at Chad
April 23rd - Technologically Assisted Board Games
April 23, 2017 00:00 - 55 minutes - 12.8 MBAdam, Ryan, and Chad discuss how technology has enhanced and improved board games in the last few years. We also discuss this episode's feature game Mage Knight, and chat about Vast: The Crystal Caverns and Terraforming Mars
April 9th - Worker Placements, Caballeros and Castillos
April 09, 2017 00:00 - 55 minutes - 29.8 MBChad, Adam and Ryan drop their meeples on the Worker Placement genre and discuss how badly Ryan destroyed them at El Grande. Also a shout out to Millennium Blades, Argent: The Consortium, and Clank!
March 26th - Board Gamer Etiquette
March 27, 2017 20:53 - 56 minutes - 12.9 MBRyan and Chad passive-aggressively make fun of all their friends while discussing all the social nuances of playing board games with other humans. Also included is a review of Clank!, Gloomhaven, the newest TIME Stories expansion, 7 Wonders, Cosmic Encounter and more! Of Dice and Men is broadcasted live on 91.3 CJTR, Regina Community Radio - our next broadcast will be April 9th at 8 PM CST.
March 12th - How to Host a Board Game Party
March 13, 2017 21:10 - 55 minutes - 12.7 MBRyan, Adam, and Chad discuss various concerns when coercing your friends to come over and play games. Also, Chad self-identifies as a muppet, Ryan divulges his plans for a Degrassi hidden traitor game, and Adam runs our first glitch-free episode.
February 26th - Solo Gaming
March 02, 2017 15:34 - 54 minutes - 29.2 MBRyan and Chad lament over the absence of Adam, and console themselves by playing and talking about playing board games solo. Also we discuss the BoardGameGeek 2016 People's Choice Solo Games results, and give a quick overview of Adrenaline. Of Dice And Men is broadcasted live on 91.3 CJTR, Regina Community Radio - our next broadcast will be March 11th at 8 PM CST
February 12th - Dripping With Theme
February 13, 2017 20:21 - 56 minutes - 13 MBRyan, Adam and Chad discuss how themes play into the design and enjoyment (or don't at all?) of board games. Also discussed; how on the fence we are with Mansions of Madness 2nd Edition. Of Dice and Men is broadcasted live on 91.3 FM CJTR, Regina Community Radio - our next broadcast will be February 26th at 8 PM CST
January 30th - Gateway Games & Other Addictions
January 30, 2017 20:31 - 55 minutes - 12.6 MBAdam, Chad, and Ryan discuss gateway boardgames and the tie to meth addiction. We also discuss Runewars (a game we've all played recently) as well as some local community events. Of Dice and Men is broadcasted live on 91.3 FM CJTR, Regina Community Radio - our next broadcast will be February 12th at 8 PM CST
January 15th - Boardgames in the 21st Century
January 17, 2017 04:07 - 54 minutes - 12.5 MBOur first episode ever! Listen to Chad, Ryan and Adam flub their way through their first live broadcast, where we discuss why we think board games are seeing a resurgence in this digital age, and recount some recent games we’ve played. Also Adam makes for an excellent buzzer. Of Dice and Men is broadcasted live on 91.3 FM CJTR, Regina Community Radio - our next broadcast will be January 29th at 8 PM CST