Episode 380: Obsession, Bomb Busters, Lincoln, El Grande and Top 3 Lord of the Rings Games

00:01:00 Intro
00:04:00 Moving the Kids
00:10:15 AI in Board Games
00:16:30 Obsession
00:20:15 Bomb Busters
00:23:30 El Grande
00:25:00 Neuroshima Hex
00:28:30 Miniature Market
00:30:00 Our Top 3 LOTR Games
00:30:00 Lincoln
00:53:30 Portal Games
00:55:00 Guild Wars 3
01:03:30 Outro

Even though our regular game night has been on pause for a few weeks, we still managed to squeeze in some great plays with family and friends. Marty kicked things off with Bomb Busters, a title getting a lot of well‑deserved praise. The way he described it reminded me a bit of Hanabi—that same feeling of relying on your teammates to guide you toward the right moves. There’s something deeply satisfying about working together toward a shared victory, especially when the puzzle finally clicks.

He also finally got Obsession to the table, a game that’s been floating around one his radar for a while. I’ll admit it’s one I wasn’t familiar with, but that’s hardly surprising given how many games slip past me. Marty had some thoughtful pros and cons, but even with those caveats, it still sounds like something I’d love to try on a future game night, there’s a charm to that Victorian engine‑building vibe that’s hard to resist.

And of course, El Grande continues to shine as a perfect introduction to area control, teaching new players the tension and timing that make the genre sing. Every cube, every power card—it all matters. Lincoln, on the other hand, offers a lean, card‑driven take on the American Civil War, capturing momentum, attrition, and asymmetry in a way that feels brisk yet thoughtful. If it weren’t for a few rulebook hiccups, this would’ve been one of those plays that makes you wonder why it took so long to get it to the table in the first place.

Thanks for listening and until next time, keep rolling dice and taking names.

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