74. Merv The Heart of the Silk Road & Uncovering Games of 2020 in 2021

Pat & Tony return to deliver their top 10 games of 2023. Solo Voidfall app: https://voidfall-33a59.web.app/Thoughts on Ark Nova after 586 solo plays: https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3245967/ranking-ark-novas-maps-after-586-solo-plays00:01:38 Ark Nova00:02:32 Marine Worlds00:03:37 Wyrmspan00:05:56 Artisans of Splendent Vale, Legacy of Dragonholt, Gloomhaven00:08:05 Bloodstones00:11:38 Pirates of Maracaibo, Maracaibo00:27:33 Top 1000:17:52 Faraway00:20:00 Orichalchum, Queenz00:20:14 Fit to Print00:22:32 Nucleum00:25:48 Pirates of Maracaibo00:29:44 Alice's Garden00:32:05 Federation, Calico00:35:01 Junk Drawer00:36:43 Daybreak00:40:43 Forest Shuffle00:45:28 Darwin's Journey... (wax seals, whoops)00:50:00 Nucleum00:52:07 Apiary00:55:14 Evacuation00:58:10 Nova Roma01:02:07 Legacy of Yu01:04:25 Hadrian's Wall01:06:09 Rats of Wistar01:09:44 War of the RIng: The Card Game01:15:02 Life of the Amazonia01:20:39 Voidfall, Imperium: Classics01:27:39 Forest Shuffle, Nova Roma, White Castle, Revive01:29:12 Evacuation01:31:16 World Wonders01:31:41 Age of Innovation, Freelancers01:32:13 Horseless Carraige01:33:49 Art Society01:35:34 Earth01:36:22 Blood on the Clocktower

Tony and Mitch discuss their games played at the 2024 Level Up Con in Woodbridge, NJ. Also, Tony and Mitch discuss their top 10 most antcipated games for 2024.Join us on Discord: https://tinyurl.com/2wood4wheat

Tony and Mitch discuss the games we didn't get to play in 2023. As well as discussion about PAX Unplugged 2023 in Philadelphia. What games did we want to play? Join us on this special episode.

Today is Two Wood for a Wheat's final episode of regularly scheduled programming and we go out with a critical flourish. We review and offer first impressions on eight hot games before diving deep into our understanding of the state of the hobby, and our continued stake in it as shaped by our time as gamers and our time on the podcast. Thank you for listening with us for all these years. We hope to be back with more reviews whenever our passions can't keep us away from the microphone. Join us in the conversation on discord: https://tinyurl.com/2wood4wheatAsk us a question at [email protected]: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwV0sl_H14NfaB8SpL9tg9gLeave us a review on Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-wood-for-a-wheat/id1447901771Read Tony's blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/user/maxlongstreet/blogsThanks to God Street Wine for our intro and outro music: https://www.facebook.com/GodStreetWine/00:00:50 Horror movie discussion (for those who are horror averse!)00:05:05 Dedicating this last episode to Tina and Joyce, our wives00:07:44 Apiary, Federation00:08:14 FEATURE REVIEWS Mini-Review Extravaganza00:08:46 Forest Shuffle00:13:58 Nucleum 00:21:10 Dawn of Ulos 00:27:33 Point City 00:33:31 Bonsai 00:38:19 My Island 00:43:29 Hamburg 00:50:59 Voidfall 00:59:44 FEATURE DISCUSSION State of the Industry and our personal stake in it01:05:11 Golem01:05:46 Voidfall, Ark Nova, Nucleum01:05:54 Point City, Fit to Print, My Island, Forest Shuffle01:07:28 Underwater Cities, Woodcraft, Messina: 134701:07:33 A Feast for Odin, Agricola, Atiwa, Le Havre, Reykholt01:07:37 Great Western Trail, Expedition to Newdale, Maracaibo01:07:48 Pandemic, Pandemic: Fall of Rome, Pandemic: Iberia, Pandemic: Legacy, Daybreak01:07:57 Tekhenu, Tabannusi, Tawantinsuyu01:08:03 Frosthaven, Gloomhaven, Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion01:11:11 Revive, Earth01:11:35 Legacy of Yu, Skymines, Splendor: Duel01:15:43 Eclipse

Let's keep it simple. This is the 2023 Essen Top 10 Most Anticipated Games episode, the games that we're most excited for, many of which we'll play in 2024. Join us in the conversation on discord: https://tinyurl.com/2wood4wheatAsk us a question at [email protected]: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwV0sl_H14NfaB8SpL9tg9gLeave us a review on Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-wood-for-a-wheat/id1447901771Read Tony's blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/user/maxlongstreet/blogsThanks to God Street Wine for our intro and outro music: https://www.facebook.com/GodStreetWine/00:01:34 Forest Shuffle00:01:49 Pioneer Rails, WIld Tiled West00:05:01 ESSEN 2023 TOP 10 MOST ANTICIPATED00:05:34 Tucana: Builders00:05:49 Santa Maria, The Magnificent, Revive, Trails of Tucana00:06:59 Karuba00:27:33 Aldebaran: Duel00:09:55 Splendor: Duel00:10:00 Ancient Knowledge00:11:34 Celtae00:12:11 Tabannusi00:12:46 Apiary00:14:37 Sankore00:15:53 Teotihuacan, Tekhenu00:16:15 Rats of Wistar00:18:00 Apiary00:18:55 A.R.T. Society00:19:25 Modern Art, High Society00:20:35 Pirates of Maracaibo, Orleans: Joan of Arc: Draw and Write,00:23:13 Evacuation00:23:29 Woodcraft, Messina: 134700:24:41 Kutna Hora00:26:51 Nucleum00:27:40 Evacuation00:29:00 Age of Innovation, Terra Mystica, Gaia Project00:30:38 Civolution00:31:51 Planta Nurbo, Planta Nubo00:32:36 Uh you mean Michael Kiesling? Azul, Heaven & Ale, A Feast for Odin, Agricola, La Granja, Cooper Island00:33:45 Nucleum, Barrage, Brass00:35:51 Tangram City00:36:13 World Wonders00:38:47 My City00:40:22 Gaia Project, A Feast for Odin, Carpe Diem00:42:53 HONORABLE MENTIONS00:43:10 Patterns: A Mandala Game, Mandala00:45:00 Arborea, Septima, The White Castle00:45:13 The Hunt00:45:58 Forest Shuffle, Three Ring Circus00:46:10 Weimar: The Fight for Democracy, Watergate, Twilight Struggle00:46:43 Kutna Hora00:46:50 Skyteam00:47:25 Bamboo00:48:04 Pampero00:48:25 Books of Time00:48:35 Tekhenu, Tabannusi00:48:44 Founders of Teotihuacan00:49:15 Neotopia00:50:18 Artemis Project00:51:18 Nidavellier, Mstery of the Abby00:51:24 Zoo Tycoon, NY Zoo00:51:54 Tangram City00:53:02 Bonsai00:53:42 Emerge00:54:29 Evenfall00:55:38 Kelp00:56:36 Amristar00:57:44 Stressbotics00:58:36 Sea Dragons00:59:36 Barcelona01:00:14 Lisboa

Extra! Extra! Step right up to the latest scoop on Two Wood for a Wheat!Join us in the rollicking rumpus of the gaming parlors as we bring you the skinny on "Fit to Print," the real deal in real-time tile-laying amusements. It's a hootin' good time where you'll be puttin' together the front page of your weekend newspaper, not by the book, but with cunning and swiftness, the cat's pajamas of newspaper layout, if you will!But hold on to your fedoras, folks, for that's not all she wrote! In the back pages, we're dishing on the bee's knees of gaming: time restrictions! We'll spill the beans on how these time tickers can turn your game on its head, and what it means for all you gaming jitterbugs out there.So, gather 'round, you fine folks of leisure and strategy, and take a gander at "Fit to Print" and the time's-a-tickin' twist it brings to the table. This here edition's gonna be a real humdinger, packed with the lowdown on gaming antics and more!Join us in the conversation on discord: https://tinyurl.com/2wood4wheatAsk us a question at [email protected]: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwV0sl_H14NfaB8SpL9tg9gLeave us a review on Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-wood-for-a-wheat/id1447901771Read Tony's blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/user/maxlongstreet/blogsThanks to God Street Wine for our intro and outro music: https://www.facebook.com/GodStreetWine/00:00:55 Baldur's Gate 300:01:27 Divinity: Original Sin00:02:01 Diablo, Witcher, Skyrim00:05:22 Harvest: 2nd Edition00:09:37 Everdell, Creature Comfort, Root00:16:18 Twilight Imperium 400:27:33 Eclipse00:20:22 Nucleum00:21:28 Barrage, Discordia, Hadrian's Wall00:22:20 interstitial00:23:26 Knarr00:26:45 FEATURE REVIEW Fit to Print00:26:56 Point Salad, Cascadia, Verdant, Calico00:27:04 Tiny Towns, Wormholes00:29:59 Galaxy Trucker00:48:04 FEATURE DISCUSSION Timing Restrictions00:48:57 Eclipse00:51:17 War Machine00:52:32 Gaia Project, Terra Mystica00:53:32 A Feast for Odin00:55:53 The Voyages of Marco Polo00:59:06 Barrage01:00:03 Orleans01:01:15 Federation, Mosaic, Point City, Deep Dive

Today we're reviewing Tony's favorite game of GenCon, Forest Shuffle, a small box game card game with a big deck and an even bigger depth of play. Then, we're discussing Card Cost Curves, how games with large decks structure the costs and benefits of their cards. Join us in the conversation on discord: https://tinyurl.com/2wood4wheatAsk us a question at [email protected]: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwV0sl_H14NfaB8SpL9tg9gLeave us a review on Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-wood-for-a-wheat/id1447901771Read Tony's blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/user/maxlongstreet/blogsThanks to God Street Wine for our intro and outro music: https://www.facebook.com/GodStreetWine/00:00:52 FYFE00:02:59 Nucleum00:03:33 Barrage00:04:49 Brass, Gaia Project00:06:10 Underwater Cities00:08:13 Hallertau, Discordia, Hadrian's Wall, Tapestry00:11:27 Federation00:17:05 FEATURE REVIEW Forest Shuffle00:28:51 Race for the Galaxy00:36:42 Living Forest, Meadow, Ecosystem00:36:59 Ark Nova, Terraforming Mars00:38:06 Race for the Galaxy00:44:54 FEATURE DISCUSSION Card Cost Curves & Power00:48:19 Ark Nova00:53:39 Blood Rage00:54:33 Magic the Gathering00:58:16 Ark Nova: Marine00:59:35 Forest Shuffle01:02:10 Tyrants of the Underdark, Earth01:02:45 Fit to Print, Point City, Deep Dive

Today's a special episode of Two Wood for a Wheat where we're joined by Jon Gortat, a great friend of the podcast.Tony and Jon had a wonderful time at Gen Con and have so many games to tell us about. Join us in the conversation on discord: https://tinyurl.com/2wood4wheatAsk us a question at [email protected] us a review on Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-wood-for-a-wheat/id1447901771Read Tony's blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/user/maxlongstreet/blogsThanks to God Street Wine for our intro and outro music: https://www.facebook.com/GodStreetWine/00:02:04 SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT ON TWO WOOD FOR A WHEAT PODCAST00:04:14 Mosaic00:05:50 Terraforming Mars00:07:30 Empires of the Void II00:12:12 Ark Nova, Beyond the Sun, Underwater Cities00:14:00 2023 GEN CON ROUNDUP00:14:21 3 Ring Circus, Forest Shuffle00:27:33 Terraforming Mars, Wingspan00:20:03 3 Ring Circus00:25:25 Clank, Dune: Imperium00:25:39 Wild Tiled West00:25:53 Barenpark00:28:25 Horseless Carriage00:28:38 Betrayal at House on the Hill00:28:50 Calico, Cascadia00:28:58 Nocturne00:30:53 Nidavellir00:31:40 High Society00:31:51 Ticket to Ride: Legacy00:33:06 Point City, Point Salad00:35:33 Spellbook00:35:49 Splendor00:36:29 Lacrimosa00:38:47 Get on Board00:40:12 The Fox Experiment00:41:17 Bonsai00:43:16 Nucleum00:43:56 Barrage, Brass00:44:40 Assault of the Giants00:45:21 Pampero00:46:55 Knight Fall00:48:53 Kutna Hora00:49:14 Lost Ruins of Arnak: The Missing Expedition00:50:37 Jerusalem00:52:39 Barcelona00:53:07 Lisboa

The world is changed.I feel it in the water.I feel it in the earth.I smell it in the air.The opening words to the Lord of the Rings movies are a lot better than the opening words to the books. They prepare us for the changes brought on by a new age, to the rise of men and the fall of elves, and the shifting and forgetting of history, of great battles and small acts of bravery. It's all very Lord of the Rings. The book's opening lines are about Hobbiton getting excited for Bilbo's birthday party. Although they do introduce the "eleventy-first" to the english language, which makes it all a lot better. So this is Pat and I am sort of a Lord of the RIngs fan (see the shirt I wore during my bachelor party on our Discord, and the shape of my wedding ring). So I am incredibly excited to review the War of the Ring: The Card Game, a chrome-riddled card game by Ian Brody about the Free Peoples and Shadow Forces battling for the fate of Middle Earth. There's tableau building, deck destruction, hard trade-offs in the multi-use cards, and fitful moments of bluffing and bluster. It's quite a thing. We're looking at IP-based games, too, and the tension that they create against the design of the game. Fall too far into theme and you hit idiosyncracy and imbalance. Wade too shallowly and you risk plastering theme on for sales. Anyways, listen in, and let us know your thoughts about it all below. Join us in the conversation on discord: https://tinyurl.com/2wood4wheatAsk us a question at [email protected] us a review on Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-wood-for-a-wheat/id1447901771Read Tony's blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/user/maxlongstreet/blogsThanks to God Street Wine for our intro and outro music: https://www.facebook.com/GodStreetWine/00:03:53 FEATURE REVIEW War of the Ring: The Card Game00:11:19 Battleline, Schotten Totten00:14:23 Twilight Struggle00:50:30 FEATURE DISCUSSION IP-Based Games00:51:00 Red Rising, Fantasy Realms00:51:48 Dune00:27:33 Wonderland's War00:54:32 Rex00:54:54 Dune: Imperium00:56:43 Game of Thrones: The Board Game00:58:21 Marvel: United01:00:11 Dogs of War, Barrage, Scythe01:02:32 Ryan Laukat Games01:03:45 Tainted Grail

Well, this somehow became the climate change episode, which now seems inevitable. We review After Us, a post-apocalyptic deck builder with monkeys! Then, we discuss the evolution of apocalyptic themes in board games and how they serve to exorcise our anxieties about the present and near-future. Join us in the conversation on discord: https://tinyurl.com/2wood4wheatAsk us a question at [email protected] us a review on Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-wood-for-a-wheat/id1447901771Read Tony's blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/user/maxlongstreet/blogsThanks to God Street Wine for our intro and outro music: https://www.facebook.com/GodStreetWine/00:05:44 Daybreak00:09:22 City of Heroes00:10:06 Guild Wars, Guild Wars 2, World of Warcraft00:11:53 Catan Junior, CATAN00:14:05 War of the Ring: The Card Game00:16:19 Calico, Creature Comforts00:27:33 Ticket to Ride, Splendor: Duel00:18:55 FEATURE REVIEW After Us00:21:16 Furnace, Tainted Grail00:32:52 FEATURE DISCUSSION Apocalyptic Games and the Exorcism of Anxieties00:36:02 Revive00:37:00 Exodus Fleet00:39:30 Daybreak, Pandemic00:41:00 Cloudage, Radlands, Resurgence, Fallout00:41:51 Ryan Laukat00:42:46 Anachrony00:43:19 Hit Z Road00:43:34 Barrage00:45:37 Bitoku, Arborea00:46:01 Gloomhaven, Spirit Island