Join us this week in a monolithic battle for supremacy in the Avalon Hill Classic, Nexus Ops! Nexus Ops, designed by Charlie Catino & Steven Kimball, was first published by Avalon Hill in 2005. In 2006 it was nominated for a Golden Geek Award for Best Wargame. Episode Summary: The panel explores the world of Nexus Ops, a game that combines the excitement of territorial conquest with the strategy of area control. Listen in as we discuss the different units available, how to score points,...

Join us as we put on our thinking caps and take on the Reiner Knizia classic, Ingenious. Ingenious, designed by Reiner Knizia, was first published by KOSMOS and Fantasy Flight Games in 2004. Ingenious was nominated for the Spiel des Jahres in 2004 and won a Golden Geek Award for Best Family Game in 2006. Episode Summary Discover the magic of Ingenious, the ultimate family strategy game, as we explore its abstract gameplay, colorful design, and exciting twists and turns. Designed by Reiner...

Come roll the dice with us as we play Roll Through the Ages! Roll Through the Ages, designed by Matt Leacock, was first published by Eagle-Gryphon Games in 2008. It was nominated for the Spiel des Jahres in 2010. Episode Summary: Are you ready to roll into a timeless classic? In this episode, the panel examines Roll Through the Ages from Eagle-Gryphon Games and its Late Bronze Age expansion, highlighting the differences between the original and the expansion. Discover the appeal of...

This week, the panel takes a much-needed break. Stephen, however, takes the opportunity to say 'Thank you' to everyone. Please join the conversation! Discord: Games from the Cellar Don't forget to vote on May's Pick-Our-Play! You have until April 30. We will feature the winning game in the third week of May. Survive: Escape from Atlantis Fleet Carcassonne Nexus Ops Through the Desert --- on Social Media Twitter | John on Twitter | Stephen on Twitter Instagram Reddit: John on Reddit | Stephen...

Join us this week as we clash together in battle with Unmatched. Unmatched, designed by Rob Daviau and Justin D. Jacobson, was first published by Restoration Games and Mondo Games in 2019. There are several expansions, and tonight the panel played Unmatched: Battle of Legends, Volume One, … Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Jurrasic Park - Dr. Sattler Vs. T-Rex. Episode Summary: In this episode, the panel dives into the board game Unmatched, where we explore its mechanics, characters, and unique...

Join us this week, as we battle our way through Heroscape! Heroscape, designed by Stephen Baker, Rob Daviau & Craig Van Ness, was first published by Hasbro in 2004. Episode Summary: In this episode, the panel dives into the world of HeroScape, the ultimate toy/game that offers a unique and engaging experience for players of all ages and interests. We discuss the variety of factions, subgroups, and synergies within the game, as well as the importance (sometimes) of thematic consistency in...

Join us this week as we explore one of the Classics, Merchant of Venus. Merchant of Venus, designed by Richard Hamblin, was first published by Avalon Hill in 1988. The Second Edition was a joint effort by Fantasy Flight Games and Stronghold Games and was published in 2012 Episode Summary: In this episode, we dive deep into the Fantasy Flight Edition of Merchant of Venus, the classic pick-up-and-deliver game set in outer space. We explore its fascinating history, including the collaboration...

This week, the panel lays it all out on Spiel des Jahres nominee, Marrakech. Marrakech, designed by Dominique Ehrhard, was published by Fundex in 2007.   Episode Summary: In this fun and lighthearted episode, the panel explores the simple yet enjoyable area control game, Marrakesh. With its unique cloth carpets, strategic placement, and competitive nature, it's perfect for a quick and entertaining play session. We dive into the nitty-gritty of gameplay, discussing strategies, challenges, and...

This week, the panel accelerates into a game of Heat: Pedal to the Metal, designed by Asger Harding Granerud and Daniel Skjold Pedersen, and published by Days of Wonder in 2023. Episode Summary: Heat: Pedal to the Metal is the new racing game from Days of Wonder. In this episode, we briefly outline the rules and basic running gear for Heat: Pedal to the Metal. We go on to discuss the different strategies used during our play and expand on the rules of the game. We take a detour to discuss...

The panel plays and discusses Dinosaur Table Battles, designed by Amabel Holland and illustrated by Wil Alambre, which was first published by Hollandspiel in 2020.  Episode Summary: Dinosaur Table Battles is a unique head-to-head battling board game from Hollandspiel. Players draft dinosaurs, use dice to power up their units, and then attack their opponents in head-to-head dinosaur combat. Strategy and attrition in conflict games are discussed, along with the potential for team play. The game...

The panel drops in on El Grande, the 1996 Spiel des Jahres Winner. El Grande was designed by Wolfgang Kramer and Richard Ulrich and was first published by Rio Grande Games in the US in 1995.  Episode Summary: In this episode, we discussed the 1995 board game El Grande, which has been popular for almost 30 years. We discussed our experiences with the game, both online on Board Game Arena and in person, the latter we agreed is vastly superior. We then discussed the appeal of El Grande, noting...

This week, the panel tackles Blood Bowl Team Manager: the Card Game. Blood Bowl Team Manager, designed by Jay Little and Corey Konieczka, was first published by Fantasy Flight Games in 2011. In 2012, Blood Bowl Team Manager was nominated for two BoardGameGeek Golden Geek Awards, Best Card Game, and Best Thematic Board Game. Episode Summary: In this episode, we explore Blood Bowl Team Manager: the Card Game, a two to four-player light-weight game. We discuss the strategy of the game and how to...

The panel rolls the dice on a game of Lords of Vegas. Lords of Vegas, designed by James Ernest & Mike Selinker, was first published by Mayfair Games in 2010. Episode Summary: In this episode, we discuss Lords of Vegas, a two to four-player, light-complexity game first published by Mayfair Games in 2010. The panel focuses on the concept of calculated risk and its integral role in Lords of Vegas. We discuss the importance of taking risks and the value of recognizing when risk-taking is no...

The panel settles in to play Imperial Settlers. Imperial Settlers, designed by Ignacy Trzewiczek, was first published by Portal Games in 2014. Join the conversion: Games from the Cellar Discord

The panel discusses the very unique card game, Illimat. Illimat, designed by Keith Baker and Jennifer Ellis, was first published by Twogether Studios and Wyrmwood Gaming in 2017.

The panel digs into one of the most awarded games that we've played so far, Splendor. Splendor, designed by Marc Andre, was first published by Space Cowboys in 2014. Later editions were co-published with Asmodee

The panel engages with the classic aero-table combat game, Wings of Glory. Designed by Andrea Angiolino and Pier Giorgio Paglia, it was first published as Wings of War in 2004 by Fantasy Flight Games & Nexus Games. Wings of War was rebooted as Wings of Glory in 2012 by Ares Games.

The panel discusses Kingsburg, an old reliable from 2007, designed by Andrea Chiarvesio and Luca Iennaco and published by Fantasy Flight Games.

The panel discusses Thunder Alley, a unique, card-driven NASCAR themed Racing Game. Thunder Alley was designed by Jeff and Carla Horger, and was first published by GMT Games in 2014.

The panel discusses a group favorite, Wings for the Baron, the most underrated game of 2015. Wings for the Baron was designed by Dave Townsend, who originally designed and self-published in 2007. The version we played, Wings for the Baron (Second Edition), was developed and published by Victory Point Games in 2015.

The panel discusses Alien Frontiers, one of the first great games to come from Kickstarter. Alien Frontiers was designed by Troy Niemann, and was published by Clever Mojo Games in 2010. It was nominated for many Golden Geek awards in 2011.  

The panel pulls out Biblios, a classic light weight card from 2007. Biblios was designed by Steve Finn, and was originally published as Scripts and Scribes, through Dr. Finn’s Games. It is currently published as Biblios by IELLO

The panel takes on the hot new Civ Game, Mosaic: A Story of Civilization. Mosaic: A Story of Civilization was designed by Glenn Drover and was published by Forbidden Games in the US.

The panel plays and discusses Acquire, a 1979 Spiel des Jahres nominated game designed by Sid Sackson and published by 3M in 1964

The panel tackles Ark Nova, the hottest game of 2022. Designed by Mathias Wigge, Ark Nova was published by Capstone Games in the US.