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! 

  1. 4D AGO

    We Binge So You Don't Have To!

    We swap stories from the fence about parenting phases, shrinking free time, and how we still find room for TV, books, and games. From Stranger Things to a warmer Westeros and a clever mystery book, we share what sticks when life won’t slow down. • juggling kids’ sports with late evenings and less downtime • coping with pre‑toddler meltdowns and shifting expectations • micro‑bingeing Stranger Things and why characters keep us watching • franchise fatigue and losing momentum between long seasons • why A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms feels fresh and hopeful • choosing stories that fit limited time and headspace • a beach‑friendly choose‑your‑own murder mystery recommendation • gaming anniversaries, Resident Evil nostalgia, and slow‑burn playthroughs Jared, we miss you. If you're listening to this podcast and you've made it thus far, like and subscribe, give us some love, comment, you know, go back and listen to some old episodes for us because you know, we appreciate you for tuning in. We appreciate you for supporting this show. We do have a Discord that you can join. Check the link in the show notes and come come talk with us, come play games with us, come interact with us. Let's do all that. Let's do all that. Just do it all. Make that a checklist, print it out, hang it up next to your computer every day. Just go down that checklist. One more video to like and subscribe. We want to hear from our listeners! Send us a text with recommendations, weigh in on discussions, or just say hi! Support the show As always, come interact with us online, let us know if you have any feedback, and leave us a review/comment anywhere you get your favorite podcasts! https://www.instagram.com/operation_game_night_podcast/ Show your support for the OGN Crew by contributing to the OGN War Chest: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2396881/support

    19 min
  2. 6D AGO

    Cozy Stickerville by Unexpected Games

    What if the most satisfying legacy campaign isn’t about winning at all, but about watching a small town come to life one sticker at a time? We dive into Cozy Stickerville from Unexpected Games and explore why this 10-session, 30-minute-per-year story-builder is winning hearts at family tables and weeknight game nights alike. With designer Corey Konieczka pivoting from space operas to small comforts, the result is a gentle, branching experience where your choices shape a shared map, not your stress levels. We break down how it plays: draw an event, choose a path, place a sticker, then visit a location with an hourglass icon to unlock a mini story. The milestones you collect echo forward—sometimes as delightful perks, sometimes as red-flag consequences that resurface with a wink—giving real weight to decisions without punishing anyone. There’s no win or loss state here, just a growing scrapbook of moments: adopting a wolf pup, debating a shady election, chasing the fishing milestone, or planting more trees for a nature-first town. Setup is quick, teardown is nothing, and the tuck boxes keep your progress ready for the next cozy session. We also look at the bigger picture: why cozy board games resonate right now, how this design borrows the best vibes from Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley, and what legacy can feel like when permanence enhances memories instead of anxiety. With two boards for replay and dozens of branching routes, Cozy Stickerville is approachable, cooperative, and surprisingly reflective—perfect for parents seeking meaningful play, partners wanting calm connection, and groups that crave story over spreadsheets. If you’re searching for family board games, cooperative campaign games, or an easy legacy experience you’ll actually finish, this is the one to check out. Enjoy our take, then tell us how you’d shape your town: nature preserve, bustling market, or legendary bakery? Subscribe, share with a friend who loves cozy games, and leave a review to help others find their next favorite game night. We want to hear from our listeners! Send us a text with recommendations, weigh in on discussions, or just say hi! Support the show As always, come interact with us online, let us know if you have any feedback, and leave us a review/comment anywhere you get your favorite podcasts! https://www.instagram.com/operation_game_night_podcast/ Show your support for the OGN Crew by contributing to the OGN War Chest: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2396881/support

    20 min
  3. FEB 12

    Twilight Imperium by Fantasy Flight Games (ft. Vic from Games Y Más)

    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 rewards boldness with points and influence. Vic breaks down how public objectives push players out of their comfort zones, forcing timing plays and map pressure instead of passive turtling. When fleets collide, combat stays clean and quick: resolve defenses, roll hits, sustain damage on the big ships, and decide whether to retreat. The rules aren’t the real barrier; commitment is. Then the table tilts. Once Mecatol is taken, the agenda phase unlocks a political game that steals the show. Influence turns into votes, but the true currency is negotiation. We trade goods for promises, bribe rivals to switch sides, and watch a single law swing two victory points and the entire endgame. Vic spotlights favorite factions like the Mentak Coalition—space pirates who skim trade goods from neighbors—and explains how asymmetry fuels different paths to the same scoreboard without muddying clarity. If you’ve eyed the big box and felt intimidated, we’ve got you. We share first-time lessons, setup traps to avoid, and sanity-saving prep: pre-draft factions and starting spots on Discord, build the map ahead of time, and cap debates with a timer so agendas don’t sprawl. Curious but spread across states? Tabletop Simulator’s mod is excellent for learning, though nothing beats the spectacle of plastic armadas converging at the center. Start with four to five players to learn the rhythm; graduate to six when you’re ready for maximum politics. Our verdict lands with a clear caveat: top shelf for seasoned gamers who love high-interaction strategy and dramatic payoffs; a hard pass for beginners until they’ve leveled up. If Dune Imperium, War of the Ring, or Nemesis live on your table, Twilight Imperium belongs in your rotation. Hit play, tell us your faction, and share how you’d balance firepower versus influence for the win. If you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe, leave a review, and send the episode to your game group—then start drafting your seats around Mecatol Rex. We want to hear from our listeners! Send us a text with recommendations, weigh in on discussions, or just say hi! Support the show As always, come interact with us online, let us know if you have any feedback, and leave us a review/comment anywhere you get your favorite podcasts! https://www.instagram.com/operation_game_night_podcast/ Show your support for the OGN Crew by contributing to the OGN War Chest: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2396881/support

    33 min
  4. FEB 10

    3 Witches from Allplay

    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 bigger punch, elixirs double their partner, and a revealed two plunges the table into hidden-information chaos. We break down why the bidding stakes matter—calling three or four across just five tricks—and how fate tokens reward precision over greed. There’s real rhythm here: quick hands, fast reshuffles, fresh bids, and a sly recursion rule where the winner’s side chooses which of the lead’s two cards returns to hand. That small loop fuels tempo, mind games, and a lot of second-guessing in a tight 20-minute arc. If you’ve dabbled in trick takers like Skull King or crave the tempo planning of small-box hits, this one brings a new edge without burying you in exceptions. Along the way, we talk teaching curves, why player aids matter, and how to onboard family who love traditional trick-taking but want something sharper. We also widen the lens to ask why strict player counts can make games better, trimming bloat and amplifying the exact moments that spark table talk and laughter. If you’re hunting for a travel-friendly title that shines with exactly three, Three Witches is a clever, low-cost bet that rewards planning, reading the table, and a touch of mischief. If you enjoyed this deep dive, subscribe, leave a quick review, and share the episode with your favorite coven of three—then tell us your best three-player-only recommendation. We want to hear from our listeners! Send us a text with recommendations, weigh in on discussions, or just say hi! Support the show As always, come interact with us online, let us know if you have any feedback, and leave us a review/comment anywhere you get your favorite podcasts! https://www.instagram.com/operation_game_night_podcast/ Show your support for the OGN Crew by contributing to the OGN War Chest: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2396881/support

    16 min
  5. FEB 5

    Overplayed and Underplayed Board Game Themes

    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 for underrepresented directions that deserve more love: sports built around the emotional arc of being an athlete rather than spreadsheets; healthcare games that blend spatial planning, capacity tradeoffs, and ethical choices; and historically grounded designs that respectfully center minority struggles, from Votes for Women to Molly House. If you enjoy modern systems with real stakes, we also highlight the untapped potential of contemporary commerce and logistics—think Smartphone Inc. meets supply chain resilience, carbon costs, and port delays—where every decision reverberates across a living economy. For IP fans, we go beyond shallow reskins and imagine mechanics that honor the worlds we love. Picture a Pokemon board game focused on exploration, set collection, and campaign growth instead of card duels. Envision Sanderson’s universes as tight, asymmetric strategy with oaths, storms, and faction politics. And don’t miss our sci-fi pitch for Children of Time as a compact 4X where uplifted species evolve unique tech and collide at first contact. Ready to refresh your shelf and spark better table talk? Hit play, then tell us the themes and IPs you want publishers to tackle next. If this conversation got you thinking, tap follow, share with a friend, and leave a quick review—what theme should we explore on a future episode? We want to hear from our listeners! Send us a text with recommendations, weigh in on discussions, or just say hi! Support the show As always, come interact with us online, let us know if you have any feedback, and leave us a review/comment anywhere you get your favorite podcasts! https://www.instagram.com/operation_game_night_podcast/ Show your support for the OGN Crew by contributing to the OGN War Chest: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2396881/support

    24 min
  6. FEB 3

    Hercules The 12 Labors by Envy Born Games

    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 the rhythm that makes this small-box game feel big. Early labors pop quickly, boosting your confidence before the track begins chewing through your health and options. The Hydra stands out as a mechanical story beat—new dice “heads” respawn as the track advances—capturing the legend without rules bloat. We also talk through the spirit track and how it adds a second victory axis, pushing you to play efficiently rather than just survive. Mood cards further remix each attempt, nudging stats up or down so no labor feels identical twice. We balance the love with clear-eyed critique. The art and production are stellar, the iconography is clean, and the price is hard to beat. Still, the late-labor loop can run a bit samey, and a few myth beats—like Cerberus—could use more clever mechanical storytelling. If you enjoy solo strategy that lives and dies on resource tension, unpredictable dice, and meaningful trade-offs, this one’s an easy recommendation, especially for fans of Greek mythology or anyone hunting for a travel-friendly challenge that sets up fast. Give it a listen, then tell us: would you lock a die for a permanent boon or gamble on the next roll? If you enjoy the show, follow, share with a friend who loves myth and solo games, and leave a quick review to help more listeners find us. We want to hear from our listeners! Send us a text with recommendations, weigh in on discussions, or just say hi! Support the show As always, come interact with us online, let us know if you have any feedback, and leave us a review/comment anywhere you get your favorite podcasts! https://www.instagram.com/operation_game_night_podcast/ Show your support for the OGN Crew by contributing to the OGN War Chest: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2396881/support

    19 min
  7. JAN 29

    It's a Quick Games Roundup! (Yeehaw)

    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 two-player-only week planner where dogs pile up points with simple rules and snappy turns. Shedding fans get two flavors: Jungo, a Scout-style experience that keeps fixed card order and juicy set-building while streamlining the teach, and The Yellow House, a thematic duel where inspiration, skill, money, and passion climb a shared ladder as you manage tempo and timing. Craving volatility? Fruit Fight brings push-your-luck fireworks and delayed scoring that changes with player count—thrilling at three, chaotic at six. For strategy in a tiny box, Small Fjords blends tile-laying and area control with Blue Lagoon energy: seed longhouses, flood the map with Vikings, and cut off routes in tense micro-battles. We also try I’m Out, a crisp number-line shedding game that forces higher-or-lower choices and lets you spike difficulty by stacking plays. To close, Take a Seat introduces a “share-and-write” format where you pass ticket stubs, stamp polyomino shapes, trigger one-off powers, and race for goals and local majorities across a crowded auditorium. Along the way, we compare table feel, teach time, best player counts, and who each game suits—date night duels, family fillers, or tactical sprints for seasoned groups. If you’re building a travel kit or want fast options that still reward smart play, this mix has you covered. Enjoyed the roundup? Follow and subscribe, share this episode with your game group, and drop a rating or review. Tell us which quick game you’re playing next and why—it helps others find the show and keeps the conversation rolling. We want to hear from our listeners! Send us a text with recommendations, weigh in on discussions, or just say hi! Support the show As always, come interact with us online, let us know if you have any feedback, and leave us a review/comment anywhere you get your favorite podcasts! https://www.instagram.com/operation_game_night_podcast/ Show your support for the OGN Crew by contributing to the OGN War Chest: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2396881/support

    38 min
4.6
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

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!