Line of Sight Gaming Podcast

On Episode 32 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast, the entire gang is here to chat about how Magic: the Gathering has taken design inspiration from Warhammer 40,000 and adapted tabletop game mechanics to Magic: the Gathering cards. It's an incredibly impressive feat of adaption, understanding of design principles, and passion, and we are all incredibly excited to talk about it on the latest episode of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast!

On Episode 31 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast, the entire gang is here to chat about some fascinating design elements from Para Bellum's complete redesign of the First Blood Skirmish game! Come check out the wild scenario designs, the interesting way they've rebranded their full scale rank and file army game into a skirmish ruleset while maintaining similar feeling rules, and more!

On Episode 26 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast, the gang are all here to chat about the unique game design decisions the crew at Para Bellum have made when it comes to list building for Conquest: The Last Argument of Kings! Come have a gander at one of the most innovative army creation processes in the gaming industry, where the heroes you choose literally dictate what your army will contain. The balancing and restrictions gained from this formula are equally fascinating, and all three of the hosts are excited to break them down for you on this latest episode of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast!

On Episode 25 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast, the gang are all here to discuss the most fascinating bit of game design to grace an undead faction in any game - Conquest's Old Dominion! How can a faction that relies on the opponent killing half its army to be good even function? What unique aspects of Conquest's game design play into it? What lessons can other wargames take away from this ruleset? We do our best to answer all of these questions and more on this episode of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast!

After getting some excellent feedback from Patrons on the pre-release of the original Episode 24, Jaden and Bret hit the mics for a re-record of the whole episode with a much better focus on what is amazing from a game design perspective about the format changes to Marvel: Crisis Protocol, and what every single miniatures game out there can learn from Atomic Mass Games' decision in this arena. We've got a breakdown of how monumentally impactful the decision to break MCP into multiple game formats is, as well as a look at the tremendously innovative way that AMG has chosen to do so. It's a great time, and we are tremendously grateful to our Patrons for the opportunity to attack the topic with fresh eyes, so come check out this episode of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast!

On Episode 24 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast, Bret and Jaden are here to chat about the fascinating new direction that Marvel: Crisis Protocol has taken by rotating out a series of Tactic and Crisis cards and promising to continue doing this to keep the game fresh. Bret's got a ton of opinions, Jaden has a ton of questions, and we cover all you need to know about this exciting change on this latest episode of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast!

On Episode 23 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast the gang are all here to discuss a challenge that many gamers know well - how to fit in gaming around the increasing demands of life? We talk about strategies, tricks, and adjustment options to get the most out of free time as well as thoughts on prioritization and balance. If you find yourself overwhelmed by your schedule and want to find more ways to enjoy your hobbies, this episode is for you!

On Episode 22 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast, Bret and Chandler are here to answer a Patreon Donor question about the “bad guy” affiliations from Marvel Crisis Protocol. Bret, as usual, has done a ton of research into the various lists and lists archetypes, so come check them all out on this episode of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast! Please note: this was recorded a week before the recent card shakeup so some specific portions relating to tactics cards may be out of date.

On Episode 21 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast, Bret and Jaden are here to chat about what it's like behind the scenes of making the podcast, how it's been transitioning to a dual-cast setup with multiple topics each week, and a whole bunch of previously unpublished ambitions and plans for the next two years from upcoming article schedules to plans for streaming to YouTube ideas, merchandising and even more! If you were worried we were going anywhere, don't be! We've got so many things we're excited about getting underway, so come hear all about it on this weeks episode of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast!

On Episode 20 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast, the gang are all here to answer a Donor Patron question - what are our favorite board games for 2 players, 3-5 players, and 6+ players? Come listen along as Bret and Chandler grow increasingly bemused by Jaden's lack of exposure to the board game world, pick up some sweet new game recommendations that might be perfect for your group, and more! It's a lovely time to be a board gamer, and you can come get some more ideas on this latest episode of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast!

On Episode 19 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast, Chandler and Jaden are here to give an overview of their incredible time at the 2022 Seattle Open GT for Warhammer 40,000! Come get the scoop on the biggest Warhammer event ever held in the Pacific Northwest as Chandler and Jaden wax melodious about the many things they loved about the event, from their incredibly kind opponents to the overall feel and pace of the event, to the way that the Open was organized. There's a lot to unpack here, so come check it out on the latest episode of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast!

On Episode 18 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast, Bret and Jaden are here to discuss one of the most important, and least discussed, aspects of any miniature wargame - the length of a game! Why does the length of a game matter? We're glad you asked! We think it's one of the most fundamental reasons that a game can or cannot attract new players, one of the most crucial aspects of the new player experience, and a way for games to radically differentiate themselves from their competition. Come check it out on this week's episode of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast!

On Episode 17 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast, the three co-hosts come together to discuss a topic that is very near and dear to all three hearts: painting. All three hosts enjoy painting. All three have fully painted armies. All three recognize that painting can improve mini gaming experiences in general. So why are we so adamant that painting and playing are completely separate hobbies and shouldn't be as fiercely tied together as they often are? Guess you'll have to come listen to this weeks episode of the Line of Sight gaming podcast to find out!

On Episode 16 of the Line of Sight Podcast, the gang are all joined by the incredible, the tremendous, the spectacular William Hungerford! Over the course of the episode, we get an in depth look at the very nearly here game of Rivenstone and Jaden gets constantly reminded that in fact if you want to play models from multiple factions you can play both! It's a great time, and a wonderful chance to listen to the lead developer of the most exciting new Skirmish Game on the market wax melodious about all things game design and most especially Rivenstone! Rivenstone's kickstarter is on April 26, 2022 - don't miss it!

On Episode 15 of the Line of Sight gaming podcast, the gang are all here to talk about one of our favorite games ever made - Dice Throne! Affectionately referred to as "Battle Yahtzee" by many of its proponents, Dice Throne is a unique blend of dice, cards, and resource management with an incredible look and feel. In this episode we break down what makes Dice Throne such a spectacular game and take a close look at how it can be used as an example of brilliant iterative design throughout its multiple editions. If you've never heard of Dice Throne, you won't want to miss this cast, so come check it out on Episode 15 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast!

On Episode 14 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast, Bret and Jaden are here to pontificate about two diametrically opposed topics. First, you shouldn't have to paint your models if you don't want to, and the gang go over many reasons why. Second, if you do DO want to paint your models, Bret has a bunch of questions for Jaden that might be ones you've had in the past as well! Come check out both of our seemingly contradictory viewpoints on this weeks episode of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast!

On Episode 13 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast, the gang are all here to discuss Bret's fantastic time at Adepticon! We talk about a ton of different games in this one, from several excellent (and a few terrible) board games, to the incredible upcoming miniature wargame Rivenstone, as well as Marvel: Crisis Protocol and Warmachine and Hordes! Come find out why we're hyped out of our minds for Rivenstone and get the scoop on the entire convention on this episode of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast!

On Episode 12 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast, Chandler and Jaden are here to talk about a recent interest of theirs - Warhammer 40k. Is this the episode where they sell out and profess their undying love for GW? Have we gone completely off the deep and feel like Warhammer is the best game ever made? Are there some nuggets of excellence in the most recent edition of Warhammer? The answer to at least one of those questions is "yes", so come hear what we think about the biggest mini game in the entire world on this episode of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast!

On Episode 11 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast, the guys are all here to talk about the most popular Magic: the Gathering format in the world - Commander! We've got our favorite bits of the format, the parts that drive us a little crazy, and everything in between. Bret waxes eloquent about his dislike of the required social contract, Chandler talks about his experience with the format from the perspective of a relative outside to MTG, and Jaden...moderates (as per usual). It's a great time, so come check it out on the latest episode of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast!

On Episode 10 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast the gang are all here to discuss one of the most fascinating game types to emerge in the last twenty years. The Dark Souls franchise has earned a (well deserved) reputation for brutal difficulty, rewarding practice and perseverance, and forcing players to grow and adapt to challenges from the environment, enemies, and even the system itself. What was once a somewhat niche fandom has exploded recently with the release of Elden Ring, and we are here to unpack what makes the Souls games and others like them so excellent.

On Episode 9 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast, the gang are all here to talk about Star Wars Armada, the incredibly fun full fleet battle system from Atomic Mass Games. If you've ever wondered what the game is like, we've got an overview! If you want to know why we (okay Jaden and Chandler) think it's one of the best designed games on the market, we've got a deep dive into that too! Which host loves which faction? Why does Bret hate defense tokens? All this and more on Episode 9 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast!

On Episode 8 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast, Bret and Jaden are joined by Peyton, a wonderful friend of the cast and excellent Marvel: Crisis Protocol player, to discuss our Donor Patrons topic of the month. That topic? Go through every single affiliation in Marvel: Crisis Protocol, talk about the models we like in them, models that splash well from outside affiliation, the tactics cards and crisis styles they like, and also how much we recommend them for new players. As you can imagine, this is a long episode, so buckle in while we do our best to answer all of those questions on Episode 8 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast!

On Episode 7 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast, Chandler and Bret come together to discuss one of the most difficult genres of game to describe - Unfolding Games. Unfolding games are games that dramatically change the genre, mechanics, or more within a single game, sometimes telling multiple stories or exploring entirely unrelated ways to play. They're fascinating, complex, and infuriating to try and parse without spoilers, so come listen to Bret and Chandler break them down on Episode 7 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast!

On Episode 6 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast, the entire gang is here to discuss a game system near and dear to both Bret and Chandler - Autobattlers! Autobattlers have a rich history with a bunch of surprising twists and turns culminating in the most exciting entry into the genre - Storybook Brawl! Come listen as the pair attempt to win Jaden - and listeners - over and dive deep into the game mode on Episode 6 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast!

On Episode 5 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast, Bret and Jaden tackle a particularly difficult concept - what makes a game Casual? What makes it Competitive? Are the two mutually exclusive? There are a lot of stereotypes and hyperbolized ideas about these two sides of the gaming coin, and we attempt to present a much more nuanced look at them on this episode of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast!

On Episode 4 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast, we dive into the absurdly deep topic of how to start DMing or GMing an RPG game. Come listen to the multitude of points that we all agree on, come cringe in horror at some of the DM practices that Jaden and Chandler have, and come have a glimpse behind the DM screen at the tips and tricks we use to make RPG sessions a blast for our players!

On Episode 3 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast, Chandler takes center stage to chat about his new love in the world of miniature games - Conquest! This seemingly normal rank and file miniature game is actually a brilliantly designed ruleset full of subtle choices, excellent list customizability, and some strong parallels to a very unexpected style of miniature game. Plus? The models are incredible. We're quickly falling in love with Conquest, and we think you should give it a shot! Come find out why on the third episode of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast!

On Episode 2 of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast, Bret and Jaden wax eloquent about all there is to love about Marvel: Crisis Protocol from Atomic Mass Games in the hopes of convincing Chandler to give the game a shot! Come listen to our thoughts on MCPs incredible scenario system, its brilliant use of modular point levels and fluid list building, and the incredible depth to its simple yet tight ruleset. All of this, and much more, on Episode 2 of the Gamecast!

Welcome to the very first episode of the Line of Sight Gaming Podcast! On this cast, our hosts get on to talk about various topics in game design, miniature gaming, recent events, and many other exciting topics within the tabletop and video gaming industry. In our inaugural episode, Bret and Chandler team up to convince Jaden of the fascinating game design concepts behind the recently blossomed genre of video games known as deckbuilding roguelikes. We talk Slay the Spire, Monster Train, and others as we go over a bit about what makes the design of these types of games so interesting and, most importantly, fun!