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PODCAST

Operation Game Night

Travis, Clay, & Jared

Travis Smith, Jared Erickson, and Clay Gable get together to discuss the latest and greatest in board games in this weekly podcast. What"s hot, what"s hitting the table, featured discussions about board games and the board gaming culture, and the primary mission objective- to play more board games!

leisure games

All Episodes

33:24

Twilight Imperium by Fantasy Flight Games (ft. Vic...

Operation Game Night ·

2026/02/12

Ten hours. Six players. One planet daring everyone to blink first. We sat down with our friend Vic Diaz from the Games EMoss podcast to unpack why Twilight Imperium turns a day-long session into a story you’ll retell for years—equal parts senate brawl, star-spanning war, and social chess. We start with the core loop that makes this galaxy tick: strategy cards that set initiative and shape your round, streamlined actions that keep turns moving, and a center gravity well—Mecatol Rex—that rewar...

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15:38

3 Witches from Allplay

Operation Game Night ·

2026/02/10

A three-player card game that dares to say “only three” and actually earns it. We sat down with Three Witches from Allplay and found a lean, tense trick taker that turns familiar rules into a focused 2v1 puzzle. One player steps into the role of lead witch, laying two cards each trick—one face up to set pressure, one face down to hold power—while the two lesser witches coordinate to beat the total with carefully timed responses. The twist? Matching rank or suit lets you add values for a bigge...

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23:32

Overplayed and Underplayed Board Game Themes

Operation Game Night ·

2026/02/05

Tired of yet another cozy mushroom harvest or another horde of shambling minis? We take a scalpel to today’s most overused board game themes—nature deluges, zombie burnout, Cthulhu overload, space saturation, and farm fatigue—and talk about why they once worked, why they’re stale now, and what could replace them without losing the fun. Along the way, we dig into how theme shapes mechanics, who feels welcome at the table, and which stories actually stick after the box closes. We make the case...

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19:18

Hercules The 12 Labors by Envy Born Games

Operation Game Night ·

2026/02/03

The moment the Hydra spawns a second die, you realize this isn’t just another solo dice chucker. We dive into Hercules and the 12 Labors, a compact, gold-trimmed card-and-dice battler that turns Greek myth into a tight sequence of allocation puzzles, track pressure, and mood-driven twists. We unpack how the design forces smart choices: spend a die permanently to power a life-saving boon, or keep your pool healthy to meet the labor’s exacting conditions next turn. Across the journey, we chart...

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37:37

It's a Quick Games Roundup! (Yeehaw)

Operation Game Night ·

2026/01/29

Eight games. One wild ride. We corral a posse of quick, high-impact titles you can teach in minutes and replay all night, from clever card shedders to a pocket-sized area control gem and a fresh twist on roll-and-writes. If your game night needs fast starts, tight decisions, and big table moments, this roundup delivers. We kick off with Trio, a compact deduction game that turns “show me your lowest or highest” into a satisfying hunt for perfect information. Then we slide into Wolf Days, a tw...

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22:15

Donuts & Downsizing

Operation Game Night ·

2026/01/27

A friendly debate about donut etiquette spirals into a funny, honest look at indulgence, shame, and small comforts. We pivot to downsizing a board game collection, handheld story games, coaching youth wrestling, and the media that keeps our spirits up. • donut orders and the unspoken dozen rule • cost, value, and the myth of donut shame • using background audio to calm pets • moving logistics and cutting 150 board games • criteria for keep, sell, or gift in collections • Dispatch on Switch a...

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22:33

Gazebo by Reiner Knizia & Bitewing Games

Operation Game Night ·

2026/01/22

A calm garden on the table, a knife fight under the hood. We’re diving into Gazebo, the newly tuned abstract from Reiner Knizia and Bitewing Games, to unpack how a simple one-tile turn creates tempo races, bold steals, and those delicious patio flips. We lay out the core loop—build nooks, deploy gazebos, protect with large nooks—and show how merges can rip control away in a single, perfectly timed placement. We also compare Gazebo to Qin, spotlighting the rebalance that trims luck without lo...

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21:56

Star Wars: Battle of Hoth from Days of Wonder

Operation Game Night ·

2026/01/20

We put Star Wars: Battle of Hoth on the table, compare it to Memoir ’44, and test how well the Hoth theme holds up under fast, card-driven tactics. Quick scenarios, clean rules, and cinematic moments make this a strong gateway war game with a few thematic misses. • how command cards drive three-lane tactics • why snowspeeders vs AT-ATs feel iconic • where leader cards underdeliver on theme • scenario length, pace, and teaching new players • campaign structure vs deeper narrative systems • te...

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21:13

Regicide Legacy by Badgers From Mars

Operation Game Night ·

2026/01/15

A classic card battler grows fangs when you turn it into a legacy campaign. We unpack how Regicide Legacy transforms a tight solo-friendly system into twelve tough chapters with mercenaries, sleeves, and exact-damage recruits that make every decision feel earned. The best part: you don’t need the original to jump in. The first chapter onboards fast, the mat and iconography remove bookkeeping, and the art swaps plain suits for readable fantasy symbols so tactics come first. We trade notes on ...

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31:02

Do Stats Make Games Better?

Operation Game Night ·

2026/01/13

We break down a year of board gaming through data, stories, and the people who make play matter. From family tables to BGA marathons, we share what 564 plays reveal about habits, favorites, and how tracking changes the way we choose games. • why logging plays reduces recency bias • BG Stats features, costs and BGA syncing • weekend bursts and Wine Wednesday rhythm • top playing partners led by family • most-played titles and what they teach • co-op trick-taking as a learning tool • digital d...

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22:27

We Bought Too Many Games & a Pizza Oven...No Regrets

Operation Game Night ·

2026/01/08

Holiday chaos meets game night comfort, and it turns out that’s the perfect combo. We swap stories from six Christmases, a last-minute MC gig, and a road trip wedding that turned into a used-game treasure hunt—then zero in on the party games and house rules that kept friends and family engaged without a heavy teach. If your living room is full and attention spans are short, this playbook is for you. Clay breaks down why Challengers shines with big groups and how a quick demo can transform fi...

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27:02

Why We Keep Playing Board Games

Operation Game Night ·

2026/01/06

Ever wonder why some hobbies fade while others become part of your identity? We open the door to our game closets and our calendars to unpack why board gaming keeps its grip—through job changes, parenting, and a hundred other distractions—when so many pursuits don’t. We start with the quiet truth: unstructured hangouts can be hard. A board game solves for that by giving the room a shared focus, a fair set of rules, and a rhythm that makes conversation easier. From party nights with sizzling ...

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32:49

The Best Reiner Knizia Game for Every Table (Chosen...

Operation Game Night ·

2026/01/01

What if you could choose the perfect board game for any table, every time? We sit down with Dr. Reiner Knizia and put his legendary catalog to the test—throwing real game-night scenarios at him and asking for exact recommendations. From quick pre-dinner games like Money, to onboarding video-game players with My City, to big holiday tables where LAMA shines, Knizia explains why simple rules create the best decisions. He shares go-to picks for teens (The Quest for El Dorado), competitive famili...

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26:58

OTF: Holiday Fun with Mike & Tiff

Operation Game Night ·

2025/12/30

The plan was simple: hop the fence and talk about life beyond the table. What followed was a tour of real projects, real rest, and the stories that keep us curious. Mike is in the final stretch of transforming a 1950s metal trailer into a cozy home, complete with a shipping container for laundry now and a dream board game room later. That sparks a candid moment about trimming a 375-game collection to something that fits the life we want, not the shelves we have. Holidays feel different this ...

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48:54

Special Ops: Holiday Grab Bag of Games!

Operation Game Night ·

2025/12/25

Looking for fresh games that actually hit the table? We dig into a stack of recent plays that span fast fillers, tight two-player duels, a chewy co-op, a welcoming auction classic, and even a solo RPG you can toss in your bag. The throughline is simple: clear rules, meaningful choices, and sessions short enough to replay right away. We start with Bohemians, a sleeper deckbuilder that remixes After Us’ symbol-chaining puzzle with a bohemian artist theme that finally makes the mechanisms sing....

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16:52

Debrief: Tag Team from Scorpion Masqué

Operation Game Night ·

2025/12/23

A duel that teaches itself, bites fast, and still makes you sweat—Tag Team brings auto-battler energy to the tabletop without the bloat. We break down how two fighters per side, a locked deck order, and a single placement choice each round can produce real drama in under fifteen minutes. With 12 asymmetric fighters—tanks that soak, glass cannons that spike, and a rage-fueled shapeshifter chasing a late-game flip—the game rewards timing, foresight, and a little nerve. We walk through the core...

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26:58

Special Ops: Publishers On A Hot Streak

Operation Game Night ·

2025/12/18

What makes a board game leap off the shelf and onto the table, again and again? We dig into the publishers whose choices—production quality, component feel, rule clarity, art direction, and smart release strategies—turned solid designs into go-to weeknight plays and all-day favorites. From lavish dice trays and neoprene to tight, small-box curation, this conversation unpacks how labels build trust, reduce friction, and create onramps that welcome newcomers without alienating veterans. We sta...

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53:57

Special Ops: 2025's Noteworthy "New-to-Us" Games (ft....

Operation Game Night ·

2025/12/16

We swap stories with Tiffany from Tiffs Board Games and share the best “new to us” plays that defined our year, from gentle family co-ops to solo epics and evergreen euros. The thread that ties them together is clean design, strong arc, and table moments that stick. • Victorian engine-building and gossip in Obsession • Family laughs and tension in First Orchard • Trinket Trove’s turn-order bidding and quick teach • Rebirth as a clean, scalable Knizia tile-layer • Cast...

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79:27

Special Ops: The Knizia Mount Rushmore (ft. Nick...

Operation Game Night ·

2025/12/10

What if you had to carve Reiner Knizia’s legacy into stone—just four games to represent a career that spans genres, decades, and thousands of tables? We are pumped to be joined by Bitewing Games’ Nick Murray to help us do exactly that, starting wide with party‑ready card games, heavyweight strategy, and auction masterclasses, then narrowing to a final four that balance impact, accessibility, and pure design brilliance. We revisit Essen stories and the reality of publishing while putting big ...

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22:15

Special Ops: A Rookie’s Ride Through PAX Unplugged

Operation Game Night ·

2025/12/04

A first-timer’s crash course at PAX Unplugged turns from chaos to clarity after a late badge pickup, an impulse buying spree, and an anchor meetup with designer Paul Solomon at the Game Head booth. We share hard-won tips on planning, scheduling, demoing smart, and making the most of crowded play spaces and overwhelming choices. • arriving late on Friday and missing badge pickup • early Saturday push, exploring vendors outside the expo hall • expo hall overload, impulse spending, ...

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112 results

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