Two Wood for a Wheat

Tony and Mitch discuss Tony's trip to Indianapolis for GenCon and talk about Rock Hard 1977 as well as other games player at GenCon 2024.

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-plays

00:01:38 Ark Nova
00:02:32 Marine Worlds
00:03:37 Wyrmspan
00:05:56 Artisans of Splendent Vale, Legacy of Dragonholt, Gloomhaven
00:08:05 Bloodstones
00:11:38 Pirates of Maracaibo, Maracaibo
00:27:33 Top 10
00:17:52 Faraway
00:20:00 Orichalchum, Queenz
00:20:14 Fit to Print
00:22:32 Nucleum
00:25:48 Pirates of Maracaibo
00:29:44 Alice's Garden
00:32:05 Federation, Calico
00:35:01 Junk Drawer
00:36:43 Daybreak
00:40:43 Forest Shuffle
00:45:28 Darwin's Journey... (wax seals, whoops)
00:50:00 Nucleum
00:52:07 Apiary
00:55:14 Evacuation
00:58:10 Nova Roma
01:02:07 Legacy of Yu
01:04:25 Hadrian's Wall
01:06:09 Rats of Wistar
01:09:44 War of the RIng: The Card Game
01:15:02 Life of the Amazonia
01:20:39 Voidfall, Imperium: Classics
01:27:39 Forest Shuffle, Nova Roma, White Castle, Revive
01:29:12 Evacuation
01:31:16 World Wonders
01:31:41 Age of Innovation, Freelancers
01:32:13 Horseless Carraige
01:33:49 Art Society
01:35:34 Earth
01:36:22 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/2wood4wheat
Ask us a question at [email protected]
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwV0sl_H14NfaB8SpL9tg9g
Leave us a review on Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-wood-for-a-wheat/id1447901771
Read Tony's blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/user/maxlongstreet/blogs
Thanks 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 wives
00:07:44 Apiary, Federation
00:08:14 FEATURE REVIEWS Mini-Review Extravaganza
00:08:46 Forest Shuffle
00:13:58 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 it
01:05:11 Golem
01:05:46 Voidfall, Ark Nova, Nucleum
01:05:54 Point City, Fit to Print, My Island, Forest Shuffle
01:07:28 Underwater Cities, Woodcraft, Messina: 1347
01:07:33 A Feast for Odin, Agricola, Atiwa, Le Havre, Reykholt
01:07:37 Great Western Trail, Expedition to Newdale, Maracaibo
01:07:48 Pandemic, Pandemic: Fall of Rome, Pandemic: Iberia, Pandemic: Legacy, Daybreak
01:07:57 Tekhenu, Tabannusi, Tawantinsuyu
01:08:03 Frosthaven, Gloomhaven, Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion
01:11:11 Revive, Earth
01:11:35 Legacy of Yu, Skymines, Splendor: Duel
01:15:43 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/2wood4wheat
Ask us a question at [email protected]
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwV0sl_H14NfaB8SpL9tg9g
Leave us a review on Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-wood-for-a-wheat/id1447901771
Read Tony's blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/user/maxlongstreet/blogs
Thanks to God Street Wine for our intro and outro music: https://www.facebook.com/GodStreetWine/

00:01:34 Forest Shuffle
00:01:49 Pioneer Rails, WIld Tiled West
00:05:01 ESSEN 2023 TOP 10 MOST ANTICIPATED
00:05:34 Tucana: Builders
00:05:49 Santa Maria, The Magnificent, Revive, Trails of Tucana
00:06:59 Karuba
00:27:33 Aldebaran: Duel
00:09:55 Splendor: Duel
00:10:00 Ancient Knowledge
00:11:34 Celtae
00:12:11 Tabannusi
00:12:46 Apiary
00:14:37 Sankore
00:15:53 Teotihuacan, Tekhenu
00:16:15 Rats of Wistar
00:18:00 Apiary
00:18:55 A.R.T. Society
00:19:25 Modern Art, High Society
00:20:35 Pirates of Maracaibo, Orleans: Joan of Arc: Draw and Write,
00:23:13 Evacuation
00:23:29 Woodcraft, Messina: 1347
00:24:41 Kutna Hora
00:26:51 Nucleum
00:27:40 Evacuation
00:29:00 Age of Innovation, Terra Mystica, Gaia Project
00:30:38 Civolution
00:31:51 Planta Nurbo, Planta Nubo
00:32:36 Uh you mean Michael Kiesling? Azul, Heaven & Ale, A Feast for Odin, Agricola, La Granja, Cooper Island
00:33:45 Nucleum, Barrage, Brass
00:35:51 Tangram City
00:36:13 World Wonders
00:38:47 My City
00:40:22 Gaia Project, A Feast for Odin, Carpe Diem
00:42:53 HONORABLE MENTIONS
00:43:10 Patterns: A Mandala Game, Mandala
00:45:00 Arborea, Septima, The White Castle
00:45:13 The Hunt
00:45:58 Forest Shuffle, Three Ring Circus
00:46:10 Weimar: The Fight for Democracy, Watergate, Twilight Struggle
00:46:43 Kutna Hora
00:46:50 Skyteam
00:47:25 Bamboo
00:48:04 Pampero
00:48:25 Books of Time
00:48:35 Tekhenu, Tabannusi
00:48:44 Founders of Teotihuacan
00:49:15 Neotopia
00:50:18 Artemis Project
00:51:18 Nidavellier, Mstery of the Abby
00:51:24 Zoo Tycoon, NY Zoo
00:51:54 Tangram City
00:53:02 Bonsai
00:53:42 Emerge
00:54:29 Evenfall
00:55:38 Kelp
00:56:36 Amristar
00:57:44 Stressbotics
00:58:36 Sea Dragons
00:59:36 Barcelona
01:00:14 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/2wood4wheat
Ask us a question at [email protected]
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwV0sl_H14NfaB8SpL9tg9g
Leave us a review on Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-wood-for-a-wheat/id1447901771
Read Tony's blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/user/maxlongstreet/blogs
Thanks to God Street Wine for our intro and outro music: https://www.facebook.com/GodStreetWine/

00:00:55 Baldur's Gate 3
00:01:27 Divinity: Original Sin
00:02:01 Diablo, Witcher, Skyrim
00:05:22 Harvest: 2nd Edition
00:09:37 Everdell, Creature Comfort, Root
00:16:18 Twilight Imperium 4
00:27:33 Eclipse
00:20:22 Nucleum
00:21:28 Barrage, Discordia, Hadrian's Wall
00:22:20 interstitial
00:23:26 Knarr
00:26:45 FEATURE REVIEW Fit to Print
00:26:56 Point Salad, Cascadia, Verdant, Calico
00:27:04 Tiny Towns, Wormholes
00:29:59 Galaxy Trucker
00:48:04 FEATURE DISCUSSION Timing Restrictions
00:48:57 Eclipse
00:51:17 War Machine
00:52:32 Gaia Project, Terra Mystica
00:53:32 A Feast for Odin
00:55:53 The Voyages of Marco Polo
00:59:06 Barrage
01:00:03 Orleans
01:01:15 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/2wood4wheat
Ask us a question at [email protected]
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwV0sl_H14NfaB8SpL9tg9g
Leave us a review on Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-wood-for-a-wheat/id1447901771
Read Tony's blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/user/maxlongstreet/blogs
Thanks to God Street Wine for our intro and outro music: https://www.facebook.com/GodStreetWine/

00:00:52 FYFE
00:02:59 Nucleum
00:03:33 Barrage
00:04:49 Brass, Gaia Project
00:06:10 Underwater Cities
00:08:13 Hallertau, Discordia, Hadrian's Wall, Tapestry
00:11:27 Federation
00:17:05 FEATURE REVIEW Forest Shuffle
00:28:51 Race for the Galaxy
00:36:42 Living Forest, Meadow, Ecosystem
00:36:59 Ark Nova, Terraforming Mars
00:38:06 Race for the Galaxy
00:44:54 FEATURE DISCUSSION Card Cost Curves & Power
00:48:19 Ark Nova
00:53:39 Blood Rage
00:54:33 Magic the Gathering
00:58:16 Ark Nova: Marine
00:59:35 Forest Shuffle
01:02:10 Tyrants of the Underdark, Earth
01:02:45 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/2wood4wheat
Ask us a question at [email protected]
Leave us a review on Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-wood-for-a-wheat/id1447901771
Read Tony's blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/user/maxlongstreet/blogs
Thanks 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 PODCAST
00:04:14 Mosaic
00:05:50 Terraforming Mars
00:07:30 Empires of the Void II
00:12:12 Ark Nova, Beyond the Sun, Underwater Cities
00:14:00 2023 GEN CON ROUNDUP
00:14:21 3 Ring Circus, Forest Shuffle
00:27:33 Terraforming Mars, Wingspan
00:20:03 3 Ring Circus
00:25:25 Clank, Dune: Imperium
00:25:39 Wild Tiled West
00:25:53 Barenpark
00:28:25 Horseless Carriage
00:28:38 Betrayal at House on the Hill
00:28:50 Calico, Cascadia
00:28:58 Nocturne
00:30:53 Nidavellir
00:31:40 High Society
00:31:51 Ticket to Ride: Legacy
00:33:06 Point City, Point Salad
00:35:33 Spellbook
00:35:49 Splendor
00:36:29 Lacrimosa
00:38:47 Get on Board
00:40:12 The Fox Experiment
00:41:17 Bonsai
00:43:16 Nucleum
00:43:56 Barrage, Brass
00:44:40 Assault of the Giants
00:45:21 Pampero
00:46:55 Knight Fall
00:48:53 Kutna Hora
00:49:14 Lost Ruins of Arnak: The Missing Expedition
00:50:37 Jerusalem
00:52:39 Barcelona
00:53:07 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/2wood4wheat
Ask us a question at [email protected]
Leave us a review on Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-wood-for-a-wheat/id1447901771
Read Tony's blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/user/maxlongstreet/blogs
Thanks 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 Game
00:11:19 Battleline, Schotten Totten
00:14:23 Twilight Struggle
00:50:30 FEATURE DISCUSSION IP-Based Games
00:51:00 Red Rising, Fantasy Realms
00:51:48 Dune
00:27:33 Wonderland's War
00:54:32 Rex
00:54:54 Dune: Imperium
00:56:43 Game of Thrones: The Board Game
00:58:21 Marvel: United
01:00:11 Dogs of War, Barrage, Scythe
01:02:32 Ryan Laukat Games
01:03:45 Tainted Grail