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 TwoWoodForAWheat@gmail.com 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 TwoWoodForAWheat@gmail.com 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 TwoWoodForAWheat@gmail.com 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 TwoWoodForAWheat@gmail.com 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 TwoWoodForAWheat@gmail.com 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 TwoWoodForAWheat@gmail.com 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

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/2wood4wheat Ask us a question at TwoWoodForAWheat@gmail.com 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/ 00:05:44 Daybreak 00:09:22 City of Heroes 00:10:06 Guild Wars, Guild Wars 2, World of Warcraft 00:11:53 Catan Junior, CATAN 00:14:05 War of the Ring: The Card Game 00:16:19 Calico, Creature Comforts 00:27:33 Ticket to Ride, Splendor: Duel 00:18:55 FEATURE REVIEW After Us 00:21:16 Furnace, Tainted Grail 00:32:52 FEATURE DISCUSSION Apocalyptic Games and the Exorcism of Anxieties 00:36:02 Revive 00:37:00 Exodus Fleet 00:39:30 Daybreak, Pandemic 00:41:00 Cloudage, Radlands, Resurgence, Fallout 00:41:51 Ryan Laukat 00:42:46 Anachrony 00:43:19 Hit Z Road 00:43:34 Barrage 00:45:37 Bitoku, Arborea 00:46:01 Gloomhaven, Spirit Island

Shake Box. Shakey Boy Box. Randomness Plunger. Infinite Input Randomness Generator. What the hell do we call this thing? Today we're reviewing Shake that City, the new city building game published by AEG with a box like no other. Nearly without fail, it produces a three-by-three grid of colored cubes to lay onto your city board. Does this box make a game? Come find out. Along those lines, we discuss different design elements that engender input randomness. Join us in the conversation on discord: https://tinyurl.com/2wood4wheat Ask us a question at TwoWoodForAWheat@gmail.com 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/ 00:04:26 Frosthaven 00:05:29 War of the Ring: The Card Game 00:07:46 Just One 00:08:19 Concept 00:09:36 FEATURE REVIEW Shake that City 00:15:04 Tiny Towns 00:27:33 Calico 00:23:19 Tiny Towns 00:24:24 Planet Unknown 00:26:39 FEATURE DISCUSSION Design Elements that Engender Input Randomness 00:30:09 Amerigo 00:30:50 Race for the Galaxy 00:31:14 7 Wonders, It's a Wonderful World 00:33:28 War of the Ring: The Card Game 00:35:34 Underwater Cities, Woodcraft 00:36:15 Agricola 00:40:59 Tyrants of the Underdark, Dominion 00:41:16 Shakespeare 00:42:52 Lorenzo il Magnifico 00:43:37 Race for the Galaxy, Ark Nova 00:44:49 Terraforming Mars 00:46:00 Quacks of Quedlinberg, Orleans, Wonderland's War 00:47:51 7 Wonders: Duel 00:51:21 Argent the Consortium, It's a Wonderful Kingdom, Acquire

Today we answer the question, can a euro be too euro-y? Also, we're discussing games that could have been an email AKA heavies that could have been mediums. Looser edit today, folks. Pat's running on 8 total hours of sleep over two days and is aiming for a a base level functioning. Join us in the conversation on discord: https://tinyurl.com/2wood4wheat Ask us a question at TwoWoodForAWheat@gmail.com 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/ 00:02:39 Just One 00:02:47 Shake that City 00:04:22 War of the Ring: The Card Game 00:04:47 Quartermaster General (Dyslexia's a pain) 00:07:21 Bridge 00:09:42 It's a Wonderful World, Bunny Kingdom, A Feast for Odin 00:12:33 Ark Nova, Race for the Galaxy 00:13:29 Woodcraft 00:13:53 Kites 00:14:20 Frosthaven (new character spoilers) 00:16:35 FEATURE REVIEW Sabika 00:30:12 Grand Austria Hotel 00:30:15 Lorenzo il Magnico 00:37:05 Perseverance 00:43:20 FEATURE DISCUSSION Heavy games that could have been medium games 00:43:48 Perseverance: The Castaway Chronicles 00:44:31 Vital Lacerda 00:46:13 Woodcraft, Tekhenu 00:48:39 Woodcraft 00:50:12 Golem 00:51:27 Barrage 00:52:22 A Feast for Odin 00:52:58 Horseless Carriage 00:55:03 Ready Set Bet 00:57:13 Shake that City

The Rococo period, which emerged in the early 18th century in Europe, was a highly ornamental and elegant artistic and architectural style that replaced the grandeur and formality of the Baroque era. Characterized by delicate and asymmetrical designs, pastel colors, and a focus on frivolity and pleasure, Rococo art sought to create a sense of lightness and enchantment. It celebrated the aristocratic lifestyle, depicting scenes of leisure, love, and nature, often incorporating elements of fantasy and mythology. The period's intricate decoration was seen in lavish interiors, furniture, sculpture, and painting, reflecting the tastes of the ruling elite. However, Rococo's emphasis on opulence and superficiality also drew criticism for its lack of substance and excessive indulgence, leading to its eventual decline in favor of more restrained Neoclassical styles. Unlike this description, the game of Rococo is no more superficial and is incredibly full of substance. It is, however, an absolutely excessive indulgence, especially the overtly lavish deluxe edition. Listen to our love letter to Rococo. 00:04:29 Bunny Kingdom 00:04:52 Carnival of Monsters 00:05:04 King of Tokyo 00:06:41 Kites 00:12:08 Project L 00:12:56 FEATURE REVIEW Rococo 00:27:33 Lancaster, Glen More II 00:33:48 Sabika, Bitoku Join us in the conversation on discord: https://tinyurl.com/2wood4wheat Ask us a question at TwoWoodForAWheat@gmail.com 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/