Boards & Swords

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Every other week, Collin & Cindy (the "Boards", fans of more Euro-style games) and Chris & Philip (the "Swords", more thematic gamers) entertain the world of tabletop gaming with news, jokes, and the ongoing quest to find a game that they all will enjoy.

Chris Renshaw


    • May 30, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 219 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Boards & Swords

    Getting Stabbed in the Back with Will Schoonover from Steve Jackson Games - Boards & Swords #265

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2025


    Come on and SLAM, and welcome to the Jam that is POGs! Meanwhile, I've got new rulebooks to buy, some books maybe I shouldn't buy, and Will Schoonover is here from Steve Jackson Games to talk about what's new in the Munchkin world. I better keep an eye on Philip…

    Digitally Sending Our Characters To Die with Shane from Foundry VTT - Boards & Swords #264

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2025


    Apparently the internet is wrong and people wont quit playing Magic from Universes Beyond? Just switch over to Altered, where you can have print on demand cards in your TCG. That just seems weird to me. Also, we've got Shane from the Foundry VTT team here with us to talk about what makes their software different from the multitudes of options available!

    How Do You Do, Fellow News Peoples with Rowan Zeoli from Rascal News - Boards & Swords #263

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2025


    Someone at Hasbro should stop letting their CEO talk. Also, there's a lot of crappy news out so I decided to talk about some new games announced recently. Speaking of news, we've also got Rowan Zeoli on from Rascal News to talk about what its like as an independent news blog in this dumpster fire of a time.

    The Adepticon Episode We Gave Up On (Free Bonus Bits)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2025


    Remember how I said the adepticon news would be in a separate episode, and then it never came out? That's because a storm knocked out my internet, and the week got so busy we never got around to trying again. There's still some good stuff in the 20 mins that did record.

    The Cutest Apocalypse Ever with Justus & Eric from Doomlings - Boards & Swords #262

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2025


    Chris Perkins isn't at Wizards of the Coast anymore? I might not have to put decals on my minis anymore? I'm just a glass cage of emotions right now. In the meantime, we've got Justus and Eric from the card game Doomlings on to talk about their cute little catastrophe game.

    Stewing On Our Abyssal Fate with Tom Lommel from Evil Hat - Boards & Swords #261

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2025


    Gamestop has decided crypto is the right investment, Stonemaier is investing in Disc Golf, and Battletech is going…Gothic? We've also got on Tom Lommel from Evil Hat Productions (https://evilhat.com/) to talk about all the “Evil” things they have coming up this year.

    Illuminating Our Poor Dice Rolls with Jean Simonet from Pixels - Boards & Swords #260

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2025


    Would you pay $87K for a pokemon shaped cheeto? What about buy a board game based on The Sims or Helldivers 2? Speaking of electronic gaming, we've also got Jean Simonet from Pixels on the show to talk about their electronic dice!

    Our Powers Combined with Breeze Grigas from Zephyr Workshop - Boards & Swords #259

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2025


    Remember Decipher? Pepperidge Farm remembers. Also, that D&D Mr. Potato Head is creepy and Breeze Grigas is here from Zephyr Workshop to talk about his games like A.E.G.I.S.!

    Designing a Mass-ive Effect in Gaming with Calvin Wong Tze Loon - Boards & Swords #258

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2025


    Thank you for being a friend…of the emperor? FFG makes their games more manageable for stores, and Kickstarter makes things more manageable for your wallet. Plus, Calvin Wong Tze Loon is on the show to talk about what it was like designing the Mass Effect Board Game along with Eric Lang!

    An "Infinity" Of Possibilities With Bostria From Corvus Belli - Boards & Swords #257

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2025


    Wingspan's second sequel smells kind of fishy…ubereats now serving Pokemon cards, and you can't make enough noise for the next Warhammer army… Plus, Bostria from Corvus Belli joins us to talk about the wargame Infinity!

    Looting New Games Out Of The New Year With Loot Studios - Boards & Swords #256

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2025


    Not exactly an abundance of news stories this early in the year, but that's okay, because there's one Minis game that will probably stomp all over the rest… Plus! We've got Silvia and Fabio from Loot Studios here to talk about their upcoming game Malediction!

    Seeking Wrath and Glory with Chris Colston from Cubicle 7 - Boards & Swords #255

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2025


    Wrath and Gloooooria……in exterminius deo? We get into the Christmas spirit talking with Chris Colston about the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop RPG “Wrath and Glory”. Also, we go through the top 10 news stories of 2024 and remember what a crazy year it's been!

    Pax Unplugged 2024 Recap: Tons of Virtual RPG Tools At A "Unplugged" Con? - Boards & Swords #254

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2024


    Unlike my electric car, I like my Pax'es “Unplugged”. Both of us went this year, so what did we see & do? Also, Wyrmwood is still a crappy company, somehow Funko took down itch.io, and Vallejo workers are on strike? All this and more!

    Linking Together Our RPGs with Mark Della-Croce from Lore Link - Boards & Swords #253

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2024


    Hopefully it wont be “Lore”-ded over me, but we're talking about a new website to keep track of your tabletop roleplaying games: Lore Link (https://lorelink.com). Mark Della-Croce, one of the founders is on the show to show off this resource and how you can utilize it in your games. Plus, apparently no more Hasbro movies, and some UPS drivers made off with some MTG cards. All that and much more!

    Snapping Together Fun with Scott Pease from Snap Ships Tactics - Boards & Swords #252

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2024


    I feel like I should write something snap-py here, because we've got Scott Pease from Snap Ship Tactics here. Want to play an X-Wing style game with ships you build yourself? Then you're going to want to listen up! Plus, Funko is worried about some trends, there's some fancy baggage to carry around your board games here, and did anyone need poolside versions of board games?

    Making Our Own D&D with Wolfgang Baur from Kobold Press - Boards & Swords #251

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2024


    Torn between playing D&D and not supporting a company that's constantly in the news for its bad business ideas? We've got Wolfgang Baur on from Kobold Press to talk about “Tales of the Valiant”, a D&D5e alternative game that's still compatible with all the books you already have. Plus, we've got MTG news for 2025, super cool squat models for Necromunda, and a 2 player version of Azul??

    Halo: Flashpoint, Heroes of Barcadia and A News-a-palooza! - Boards & Swords #250

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2024


    It was mentioned briefly last time, but that MTG Commander Committee fired itself? Between that, Essen, Warhammer Day, there's a ton of News to go around and we are guest-less so we take these stories on. Plus, Philip's got a review of Heroes of Barcadia and Chris talks about Halo: Flashpoint.

    Coloring Minis Without Paint with Sam Nolton from Eldritch Foundry - Boards & Swords #249

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2024


    A Lord of the Rings trick taking game? A Gundam TCG - has someone been listening to our bonus bits?? Regardless, we've got Sam Nolton here from Eldritch Foundry to talk about printing custom miniatures…in COLOR!

    Mystically Charting The Great Sea with Whistler from the Rapscallion RPG - Boards & Swords #248

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2024


    Hasbro doesn't know when to read the room, Netflix is “gathering” a new animated show, and Slimer is coming to Magic the Gathering. Plus, we've got Whistler, creator of the Rapscallion RPG here to talk rowdy pirates, ghost ships, and running away from “The Law”

    Nova Open 2024 Recap: Was Games Workshop Even Trying? - Boards & Swords #247

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2024


    Chris went to the GW reveal and all he got was COVID-19! There was also this little con called Nova Open 2024 happening too. Also, there's too many Cyberpunk games, Wizards messed up again with D&D, and Warhammer decided to try out this rotation thing Magic The Gathering keeps talking about.

    Gen Con 2024 Recap: Me And 71,000 Of My Best Friends - Boards & Swords #246

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2024


    What were the ups & downs of Gen Con? Pretty standard, but I doubt you really want to hear about Chris' elevator rides. Instead, we go through the highlights of Gen Con 2024 and all the cool stuff that was there.

    Why Are We Like This with Carol Mertz from Exploding Kittens - Boards & Swords #245

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2024


    Wizards of the Coast now has a video game centric CEO - I'm sure that will fix all of their problems . Also, play D&D in a Victorian era, and the Mistborn book series gets a new deckbuilding game. Then, we've got Carol Mertz, one of the lead game designers for Exploding Kittens on the show!

    Exceeding Our Level Cap with D. Brad Talton, Jr. from Level 99 Games - Boards & Swords #244

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2024


    Are we past the COVID boom of Board Games? People say Magic is dying, yet the sales numbers claim otherwise, and if apocalypses are your thing, we've got a wargame for you! Plus, Brad Talton from Level 99 Games joins us to talk about these things and show off Spooktacular, their upcoming horror Kickstarter!

    No More X-Wing! What's Up With 40K, Free RPG Day 2024 Review - Boards & Swords #243

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2024


    X-Wing flies off into the sunset, we get a look at the new books for D&D, and apparently you all are buying a lot of toys. No guest this week, so we take a look at all the stuff that released during Free RPG Day! Also, apparently there's a Renshaw Rant about 40K.

    Freelancers, White Plume Mountain, Dirtbags Invitational 2024 (Free Bonus Bits!)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 19, 2024


    We had a lot of stuff to talk about at the end of Episode 242 of Boards & Swords, and we decided to keep streaming live and make our "Bonus Bits" free to non-patrons as well! Enjoy this? Then check out our Patreon below!

    Cutting Through The Shrink Wrap with Andrew Fischer from Earthborne Games - Boards & Swords #242

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2024


    Privateer Press sold the Warmachine IP? Adepticon is changing cities? And there's a Final Fantasy 14 TTRPG coming? Plus, Andrew Fischer from Earthborne Games (https://earthbornegames.com/) is here to talk about making board games with as little environmental impact as possible. We don't need no stinking shrink wrap here!

    Root-ing Out Character Arcs with Patrick Leder from Leder Games - Boards & Swords #241

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2024


    There's a game on Kickstarter called “Toothead”? Warhammer is coming after your wallet more, and someone's wallet is $3 million lighter after buying a magic card. Plus, we've got Patrick Leder from Leder Games ( https://ledergames.com/) here to talk about what they've got coming up in 4 letter-titled games!

    Building Dungeons with Keith Matejka from Thunderworks Games - Boards & Swords #240

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2024


    Now you can buy Asmodee instead of them buying things? Or, use Roll20 in your discord server? Or play the tabletop game of the video game of a tabletop game? Sounds like it's been a busy news cycle - plus Keith from Thunderworks Games (https://thunderworksgames.com) is here to talk about the new games they have got coming soon!

    Envying These Painting Accessories with Kit Peteranecz from Game Envy - Boards & Swords #239

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2024


    Now your epic political fantasy games can be tiny, the Monopoly movie we all saw coming is actually happening, and of course there's a DC version of Marvel United coming. Also, Kit from Game Envy stops by to talk about their latest kickstarter and all the other cool painting accessories they have at Game Envy (https://gameenvy.net/)

    Gloom-having a Good RPG with Danielle Lauzon from Cephalofair Games - Boards & Swords #238

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2024


    Apparently there were a lot of minis sold in 2023...I had no idea *cough* bought tons of 40k tenth edition stuff *cough*. Also, someone saw a familiar looking coyote in a magic card and Danielle Lauzon from Cephalofair Games is here to talk about the Gloomhaven RPG!

    I Need a Weapon for Halo: Flashpoint with Ronnie Renton from Mantic Games - Boards & Swords #237

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2024


    What's that? Sorry I can't hear you over the sound of the Halo theme song playing in my head. Ronnie Renton from Mantic Games is back on the show to talk about Halo: Flashpoint, coming later this year from Mantic Games. Also, Heroscape is coming back, there's going to be an Arkham Horror RPG and NASA made a D&D adventure?Join us on Discord! https://boardsandswords.com/discordLiked our Monument Hobbies interview? You can now save by using our affiliate code "boardsandswords" at their checkout: https://monumenthobbies.com/NewsBalance Cats on Electrical Wires?https://www.dicebreaker.com/games/nekojima/news/nekojima-dexterity-board-game-cat-electrical-poles-japanArkham Horror RPG!https://www.dicebreaker.com/games/arkham-horror-the-roleplaying-game/news/arkham-horror-rpg-beginner-friendly-cosmic-terror-announcement-release-dateLearn the Marvel RPG with Deadpool!https://www.dicebreaker.com/games/marvel-multiverse-role-playing-game/news/deadpool-roleplays-the-marvel-universe-comic-book-rpg-adventureHeroscape is coming!https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/56406/heroscape-2024-product-release-calendarD&D & NASA?https://www.dicebreaker.com/games/dungeons-and-dragons-5e/news/nasa-dnd-compatible-adventure-the-lost-universe-hubble-telescopeEmail us your comments and questions at feedback@boardsandswords.com. We're on social media! Facebook.com/boardsandswordspod is our official Facebook page. Chris is @boardsandswordschris on instagram, while Philip is @PhilTheDirtbag on X/Twitter. Thank you for listening to the show. Until next time, remember that every gamer has a story…..what's yours?

    Jumping into Star Wars Unlimited with Xander Tabler from FFG - Boards & Swords #236

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2024


    Want to pretend to clean your Warhammer 40k minis? Yeah, I didn't realize people wanted that either. Plus, some good news about the former Prospero Hall studio employees and FanRoll is rolling into Dungeons & Dragons. Also, Xander from FFG stops by to talk about the upcoming Star Wars Unlimited TCG! (https://starwarsunlimited.com/)

    Crafting A Bra Full of Sawdust with Gabby Carder - Boards & Swords #235

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2024


    CMON is no longer doing Kickstarters, use IKEA instructions in a new rpg, and apparently crossover sets make MTG loads of cash. Also, Gabby from Bra Full of Sawdust (https://www.brafullofsawdust.com) is here to showcase all the custom wooden creations she makes for tabletop gamers (among others!)

    Adopting Misfit Dice with Neal Hoffman from FanRoll Dice - Boards & Swords #234

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2024


    Another video game becomes a board game, Guild Ball is coming back - for free? And is Hasbro selling D&D? We talk about all of these news stories along with Neal Hoffman from FanRoll Dice! Because you can never have enough dice....right?

    The World of Darkness with Kevin Schluter from Renegade Game Studios - Boards & Swords #233

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2024


    Chick-fil-a wants to make board games? Funko is done with board games, and the number one game on Board Game Geek is getting a sequel (shocker!)? We talk about these stories and more as we delve into the World of Darkness with Kevin Schluter, RPG producer from Renegade Game Studios!

    Magical RPG Artifacts with Paul Shapiro from Beadle & Grimm's - Boards & Swords #232

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2024


    Ready to immerse your RPG players in your game world? We've got Jon Ciccolini & Paul Shapiro from Beadle & Grimm's Pandemonium Warehouse to talk about all the "artifacts" you can get for your favorite Roleplaying Games. Also in this episode: Wingspan with Dragons? Clean Energy Catan? And Chris drools over the idea that a Halo Miniatures Game is back in the works.

    Alone Against the Static with Brian Holland from Chaosium - Boards & Swords #231

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 28, 2023


    What D&D books are coming out next year? Another much loved board game is getting a roll and write version, and you can now get your Geralt on in Unmatched. Plus, we have Brian Holland on from Chaosium to talk about Alone Against the Static: a solo adventure using the Call of Cthulhu ruleset!

    What the heck is Newsh? With Jason Craze from Monument Hobbies - Boards & Swords #230

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2023


    A couple of Kickstarters, Asmodee picks a terrible time to do layoffs, and a Magic/Clue crossover that sounds....good? Plus we've got Jason Craze from Monument Hobbies with us to talk about their Pro Acryl paint line!

    Boldly Rolling with Jim Johnson from Star Trek Adventures - Boards & Swords #229

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2023


    Saw and Diablo are getting board games, AI wants to teach you board games, and Murder Mystery magic cards?? Plus, we have Jim Johnson on the show, project manager and line editor of the Star Trek Adventures RPG from Modiphius!

    Toys R Us Returns, Mr. Beast plays Dune Imperium with Ian from Floodgate Games - Boards & Swords #228

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2023


    Never would have thought I'd hear "MrBeast" and "Dune Imperium" in the same sentence. Or that I'd hear about Toys R Us returning, or that a TCG website would stop carrying Magic: The Gathering? Is it the end times? We find out while also talking to Ian from Floodgate Games about their board games.

    Game Toppers 4.0 Kickstarter Preview (Premium Game Mats!) with Burky - Boards & Swords 227

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2023


    An RPG maker is suing Netflix? Could you handle 24 people playing Twilight Inscription at one time? And what's this about combining Barbie with Warhammer 40k? Plus, we've got Burky from GameToppers LLC to talk about his latest Kickstarter, featuring a TON of cool new playmats!

    Affordable Dice For All Minis Games with Steven from Baron of Dice - Boards & Swords 226

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2023


    Rhino Hero to Rhino Zero…money? You'll never guess, but Terraforming Mars has used AI art before, and Weta Workshop is wetting our appetites for some new 40k action figures. Plus, we've got Steven from The Baron of Dice on the show to talk about what else but DICE!

    Nova Open 2023 with Adam and Vince from Snarling Badger Studios - Boards & Swords 225

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2023


    We are live at Nova Open 2023! Will Chris get the chance to insta-kill Philip AGAIN in D&D? Want a eco-friendly card game with more “bark” in it? Plus, we talk with Adam and Vince from Snarling Badger Studios about their various tabletop miniatures games and going from tabletop players to making a tabletop company.

    Cyberpunk RED Combat Zone with Dan from Monster Fight Club - Boards & Swords 224

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2023


    Castle Assault gets popular for the wrong reasons, get dice everyday for a month, and a new card game based on a show based on a card game? We talk about this and more with Dan Scillieri from Monster Fight Club, makers of great terrain and the Cyberpunk RED Combat Zone minis game.

    Gen Con 2023 Recap: Over 70,000 Nerds Trying To Get Lorcana - Boards & Swords 223

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2023


    Chris is back from Gen Con, and Shawn and him did a lot and saw a lot of things. Also, $300,000 worth of magic cards stolen, people were crazy for Lorcana, and Transformers are coming to Robo Rally! The best part - you wont have to shove through 70,000 other nerds to find out everything that happened!

    Worms: The Board Game with Ronnie Renton from Mantic Games - Boards & Swords 222

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2023


    They actually made a way for you to play as the Blob in the Arkham Horror LCG, a popular Call of Cthulhu adventure is getting turned into a board game, and “Allons-y”: we've got Doctor Who magic cards to talk about now. Then, we talk with Ronnie from Mantic Games about the upcoming Worms: The Board Game.

    Dice Theme Park, Tiny Epic Gloomhaven, Um Actually the Board Game - Boards & Swords 221

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 13, 2023


    One of these days I will stop putting Lord of the Rings MTG stories in the news…I'm sorry but today is not that day. Also: a tabletop minis game set in a trailer park, Gloomhaven: just smaller, and massacre your friends (but only in Texas with a Chainsaw!). And Cory and Jimmy join us to talk about Dice Theme Park from Alley Cat Games and we play the “Um, Actually” card game.

    Cocaine Bear: The RPG, Warhammer 40k 10th edition, Dragonlance 5e - Boards & Swords 220

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 7, 2023


    The one ring is found, Cocaine Bear: the RPG, and defend Waffle House from Zombies! Also, you know we are going to talk about 10th edition Warhammer 40K and we take a look at the Dragonlance D&D5e adventure that released earlier this year.

    Too Many Marvel Games to Count with Brian Ibbott from The Morning Stream - Boards & Swords 219

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2023


    A couple of games being brought back from the dead, one that might be dead in the water, and Worms the Board Game? Then we talk to Brian Ibbott from The Morning Stream and find out what kind of games he enjoys playing.

    Metal Gear Solid Returns, Ticket to Ride Legacy, Historical Wargames - Boards & Swords 218

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 9, 2023


    Are movies based on tabletop games the next trend? (I hope not). Ticket to ride is hoping on the legacy train (hehe), and the Metal Gear Solid game is back! Also, we celebrate Memorial Day by talking about games based on historical wars.

    A New Star Wars TCG, BattleTech in Target with Mike from Nova Open - Boards & Swords 217

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2023


    Nerf gun RPGs, Doctor Who & Magic, and of course: a new Warhammer 40k box set!! Then, we get our Nova on as we talk with Mike from the Nova Open Committee as he tells us about all the new changes coming to the Nova Open this year - including A LIVE BOARDS & SWORDS! Come join us!

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