The Cult of the Old.
Dedicated to sharing old games with a new audience.

Issue 1
The first proper issue of the 'zine features contributions from Ben Maddox, Tony Boydell, John Webley, Jeremy Tullett (and your hon. editor)

Ben Maddox on Modern Art
I pity those contemplative souls who have to sit next to a table of Modern Art being played

Tony Boydell on The Princes of Florence
An exemplary exercise in optimisation - it is of pioneering importance in the evolution of the modern Euro

Giles Bennett on Puerto Rico
A dark game lurking beneath a seeemingly bucolic surface

John Webley on Medici
So many decisions to make, any one of which could make the difference between winning and losing

Giles Bennett on Scotland Yard
Like 'Letters from Whitechapel' but with fewer dead prostitutes
Episode 10 : Cosmic Encounter
Welcome to the latest episode of Cult of the Old!
Each episode your hosts Iain McAllister, Matt Thrower, and Nate Owens are going to turn back the clock to look at games that are at least 10 years old. They’ll give their own critical impressions, tell you about the history of the game and its impact, and what relevance these games still have in the modern hobby landscape.
For the last game of this season we are venturing once more beyond the stars and further back in time than we ever have before. Cosmic Encounter is a game that has been around before the hobby as we know it today even existed. Having had numerous versions over the years, the team dive into the impact of this game and what lies behind its longevity. Designed by Bill Eberle, Jack Kittredge, Bill Norton, Peter Olotka, and Kevin Wilson over the various versions. There have been artists and publishers too numerous to mention but are all listed on BGG. The most recent version of the game that most people know is from Fantasy Flight Games.
Below are links to the games and anything else that the team mentions during the course of the cast. We will be linking to BGG for games, designers, artists, and publishers as that is a good place to start for raw information about the game in question.
Games Mentioned
Diplomacy | Dungeons & Dragons | Magic: The Gathering | Settlers of Catan | Acquire | Dune | Dune: A game of Conquest and Diplomacy | Borderlands | Gearworld | Arrakis: Dawn of the Fremen | Dominion | Medium | Root | Andean Abyss | Battlestar Galactica | Arkham Horror
Team Links
Websites you can find the cast on : There Will Be Games | The Cult of The Old
Iain : The Giant Brain | Twitter
Matt : Twitter
Nate : Twitter
Support us on Ko-Fi
Email us at cultoftheolduk@gmail.com
Episode 9 : 7 Wonders
Welcome to the latest episode of Cult of the Old!
Each episode your hosts Iain McAllister, Matt Thrower, and Nate Owens are going to turn back the clock to look at games that are at least 10 years old. They’ll give their own critical impressions, tell you about the history of the game and its impact, and what relevance these games still have in the modern hobby landscape.
From time to time a game comes along that captures the zeitgeist. A title that stands like a colossus above the rest of the releases that year, offering a veritable garden of delights to players. Just the sort of game we like to talk about on Cult of the Old. 7 Wonders was such a game, taking the civilisation game and boiling it down to a simpler drafting mechanism. Designed by Antoine Bauza, published by Repos Productions, with art from Dimitri Chappuis, Miguel Coimbra, Etienne Hebinger, and Cyril Nouvel.
Below are links to the games and anything else that the team mentions during the course of the cast. We will be linking to BGG for games, designers, artists, and publishers as that is a good place to start for raw information about the game in question.
Games Mentioned
Magic : The Gathering | Fairy Tale | Mare Nostrum | Innovation | Mottainai | RA | Civilisation, Frances Tresham version | Villagers | Civilisation: New Dawn | Catan | Wingspan | Werewolf | Dominion | Tortuga 1667 | Sushi Go / Party | 7 Wonders Duel | Carta Impera Victoria | Netrunner | Project Nisei/ Null Signal | Res Arcana | Millennium Blades
Other Mentions
Serge Laget passing | Wizards of the Coast controversy
Team Links
Websites you can find the cast on : There Will Be Games | The Cult of The Old
Iain : The Giant Brain | Twitter
Matt : Twitter
Nate : Twitter
Support us on Ko-Fi
Email us at cultoftheolduk@gmail.com
Episode 8 : Galaxy Trucker
Welcome to the latest episode of Cult of the Old!
Each episode your hosts Iain McAllister, Matt Thrower, and Nate Owens are going to turn back the clock to look at games that are at least 10 years old. They’ll give their own critical impressions, tell you about the history of the game and its impact, and what relevance these games still have in the modern hobby landscape.
So far this season we’ve been on the farm, battled in tokyo, cured a worldwide pandemic, built an industrial empire, expanded our Citadels, struggled in the cold war, and been the lords of waterdeep. Now it is time to cross the barrier into the unknown as we journey to space for the first sci-fi game of the season. It’s time to put on your cap, yell “10-4, Rubber ducky’ and blow your space horn as we sign up to become Galaxy Truckers. Published by Czech Games Edition and designed by Vlaada Chvatil with art from Tomáš Kučerovský and Radim Pech.
Below are links to the games and anything else that the team mentions during the course of the cast. We will be linking to BGG for games, designers, artists, and publishers as that is a good place to start for raw information about the game in question.
Games Mentioned
Bananagrams | Race for the Galaxy | Agricola - Cult of the Old Episode | Pandemic - Cult of the Old Episode | Prophecy | Through the Ages | Dungeon Lords | Mage Knight | Space Alert | Pictomania | Jungle Speed | Magic Maze | 5 minute dungeon | 5 minute marvel | Millennium Blades | Pendulum | Tash Kalar | Last Will | Codenames | Legacy: The Testament of Duke de Crecy
Other Mentions
Team Links
Websites you can find the cast on : There Will Be Games | The Cult of The Old
Iain : The Giant Brain | Twitter
Matt : Twitter
Nate : Twitter
Support us on Ko-Fi
Email us at cultoftheolduk@gmail.com
Episode 7 : Lords of Waterdeep
Welcome to the latest episode of Cult of the Old!
Each episode your hosts Iain McAllister, Matt Thrower, and Nate Owens are going to turn back the clock to look at games that are at least 10 years old. They’ll give their own critical impressions, tell you about the history of the game and its impact, and what relevance these games still have in the modern hobby landscape.
Dungeons and Dragons has always been the dominant game in the tabletop RPG space. From its early days to the all encompassing 5th edition, there have always been attempts to leverage that name in other ways. T-shirts, mugs, TV shows, and of course board games. Lords of Waterdeep from designers Peter Lee and Rodney Thompson is a game that took many by surprise when it came out. Putting the worker placement mechanism into the world of DnD as you take on the role of one of the Lords of the city, it remains on shelves to this day and we delve into the reasons why.
Below are links to the games and anything else that the team mentions during the course of the cast. We will be linking to BGG for games, designers, artists, and publishers as that is a good place to start for raw information about the game in question.
Games Mentioned
Agricola | Caylus | Kingsburg | Pillars of the Earth | Alien Frontiers | Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition | Old School Essentials | Castle Ravenloft | Wrath of Ashardalon | Conquest of Nerath | Nexus Ops | Argent Consortium | Lords of Vegas | Ra | Risk Legacy | Assault of the GIants | Tyrants of the Underdark | Dune: Imperium | Everdell | Anachrony
Other Mentions
Team Links
Websites you can find the cast on : There Will Be Games | The Cult of The Old
Iain : The Giant Brain | Twitter
Matt : Twitter
Nate : Twitter
Support us on Ko-Fi
Email us at cultoftheolduk@gmail.com
Episode 6 : Twilight Struggle
Welcome to the latest episode of Cult of the Old!
Each episode your hosts Iain McAllister, Matt Thrower, and Nate Owens are going to turn back the clock to look at games that are at least 10 years old. They’ll give their own critical impressions, tell you about the history of the game and its impact, and what relevance these games still have in the modern hobby landscape.
This episode the team find themselves in the midst of the Cold War. Twilight Struggle from designers Ananda Gupta and Jason Matthews, sat atop the BGG rankings for many years. It brought card driven wargames to a wider audience and has influenced the direction of much of the wargames side of the hobby. Originally published by GMT Games with Art from Viktor Csete, Rodger B. MacGowan, Chechu Nieto, Guillaume Ries, and Mark Simonitch.
Below are links to the games and anything else that the team mentions during the course of the cast. We will be linking to BGG for games, designers, artists, and publishers as that is a good place to start for raw information about the game in question.
Games Mentioned
We the People (Washington’s War) | Hannibal: Rome vs Carthage | Paths of Glory | Here I Stand | El Grande | Turn Zero Expansion | Hammer of the Scots | A Victory Lost | Dominant Species | Sekigahara | Pandemic: Legacy | Root | Dawn of Freedom | 1960: The Making of a President | 13 Days | Watergate | Red Flag Over Paris | Fire in the Lake | A Distant Plain | People Power | Labyrinth: War On Terror | The Troubles
Other Mentions
ACTS - Automatic card tracking system | Dispatches, vietnam book | Wargameroom.com
Team Links
Websites you can find the cast on : There Will Be Games | The Cult of The Old
Iain : The Giant Brain | Twitter
Matt : Twitter
Nate : Twitter
Support us on Ko-Fi
Email us at cultoftheolduk@gmail.com
Episode 5 : Citadels
Welcome to the latest episode of Cult of the Old!
Each episode your hosts Iain McAllister, Matt Thrower, and Nate Owens are going to turn back the clock to look at games that are at least 10 years old. They’ll give their own critical impressions, tell you about the history of the game and its impact, and what relevance these games still have in the modern hobby landscape.
This episode the team is turning to their first small box game of the season. A game with a mean streak that brought the mechanism of role selection to the modern hobby audience and made a name for its designer. Citadels from designer Bruno Faidutti and publisher Hans im Glück was a staple of every backpack. Across the various versions it has art from Cyrille Daujean, Julien Delval, Jesper Ejsing, Bruno Faidutti, Didier Graffet, Bjarne Hansen, Darrell Hardy, Florence Magnin, Jean-Louis Mourier, Scott Nicely, Hassan Nozadian, Christian T. Petersen, Brian Schomburg, and Richard Spicer.
Below are links to the games and anything else that the team mentions during the course of the cast. We will be linking to BGG for games, designers, artists, and publishers as that is a good place to start for raw information about the game in question.
Games Mentioned
Castle (Castel) | Verräter | Meuterer | Werewolf | Five Tribes | 7 Wonders Duel | Lords of Vegas | Blood on the Clocktower | Puerto Rico | Mission: Red Planet | El Grande | Mascarade | Survive/ Escape from Atlantis | Cockroach Poker | Carta Impera Victoria
Other Mentions
Faiduttis perfect game library | Complexity and Depth article from Iain | Iain’s Collection
Team Links
Websites you can find the cast on : There Will Be Games | The Cult of The Old
Iain : The Giant Brain | Twitter
Matt : Twitter
Nate : Twitter
Support us on Ko-Fi
Email us at cultoftheolduk@gmail.com
Episode 4 : Brass
Welcome to the latest episode of Cult of the Old!
Each episode your hosts Iain McAllister, Matt Thrower, and Nate Owens are going to turn back the clock to look at games that are at least 10 years old. They’ll give their own critical impressions, tell you about the history of the game and its impact, and what relevance these games still have in the modern hobby landscape.
In this episode of Cult of the Old we visit the industrial revolution in England through the game Brass. With a new edition, called Brass: Lancashire, released through Roxley Games in the not too distant past, this game has caught the limelight again and reminded everyone what a powerhouse designer Martin Wallace is. The original release was through Warfrog Games. Artists who have worked on the game are Gavan Brown, Lina Cossette, Peter Dennis, David Forest, Eckhard Freytag, and Damien Mammoliti.
Below are links to the games and anything else that the team mentions during the course of the cast. We will be linking to BGG for games, designers, artists, and publishers as that is a good place to start for raw information about the game in question.
Games Mentioned
Age of Steam | Steam | Railrood Tycoon/Railways of the World | Ankh Morpork | Power Grid/Funkenschlag | Struggle of Empires | A Few Acres of Snow | A study in emerald | Auztralia | Age of Industry | Brass: Birmingham | Twilight Struggle | Through the Ages | Tinner’s Trail | Barrage | Kanban | Indonesia | Greed Incorporated | Food Chain Magnate
Team Links
Websites you can find the cast on : There Will Be Games | The Cult of The Old
Iain : The Giant Brain | Twitter
Matt : Twitter
Nate : Twitter
Support us on Ko-Fi
Email us at cultoftheolduk@gmail.com
Episode 3 : Pandemic
Welcome to the latest episode of Cult of the Old!
Each episode your hosts Iain McAllister, Matt Thrower, and Nate Owens are going to turn back the clock to look at games that are at least 10 years old. They’ll give their own critical impressions, tell you about the history of the game and its impact, and what relevance these games still have in the modern hobby landscape.
In this episode of Cult of the Old the team look at a game that couldn’t be more appropriate for our times. The game that introduced the idea of co-operation to modern boardgame audience, Pandemic. Designed by Matt Leacock with art from Josh Cappel, Christian Hanisch, Régis Moulun, Chris Quilliams, and Tom Thiel. Originally published by Z-Man Games.
Below are links to the games and anything else that the team mentions during the course of the cast. We will be linking to BGG for games, designers, artists, and publishers as that is a good place to start for raw information about the game in question.
Games Mentioned
Reiner Knizia’s Lord of the Rings | Red November | Witch of Salem | Arkham Horror 1st edition - Chaosium edition | Arkham Horror 2nd Edition - FFG | Eldritch Horror | Defenders of the Realm | Dungeons and Dragons Adventure series : Castle Ravenloft | Wrath of Ashardalon | Legend of Drizzt | Arkham Horror: The Card Game | Settlers of Catan | Hanabi | Spirit Island | The Crew | Gloomhaven
Team Links
Websites you can find the cast on : There Will Be Games | The Cult of The Old
Iain : The Giant Brain | Twitter
Matt : Twitter
Nate : Twitter
Support us on Ko-Fi
Email us at cultoftheolduk@gmail.com
Episode 2 : King of Toyko
Welcome to the latest episode of Cult of the Old!
Each episode your hosts Iain McAllister, Matt Thrower, and Nate Owens are going to turn back the clock to look at games that are at least 10 years old. They’ll give their own critical impressions, tell you about the history of the game and its impact, and what relevance these games still have in the modern hobby landscape.
In this episode of Cult of the Old the team turn their attention to that most monstrous of dice games, King of Tokyo. Designed by Richard Garfield with art by Gabriel Butik, Romain Gaschet, Paul Mafayon, Igor Polouchine, Benjamin Raynal, Jean-Baptiste Reynaud, Jonathan Silvestre, Régis Torres, and Anthony Wolff. Originally published by Iello.
Below are links to the games and anything else that the team mentions during the course of the cast. We will be linking to BGG for games, designers, artists, and publishers as that is a good place to start for raw information about the game in question.
Games Mentioned
Magic: The Gathering | Netrunner | Robo Rally | Android: Netrunner | Yahtzee | Poker Dice | Roll through the Ages | Dice Town | King of Monster Island | Wallenstein | Carcassonne Big Box | Kingsburg | Alien Frontiers | Smash Up | Ganz Schon Clever Bohnanza | Caylus | Bus | Keydom | Lords of Waterdeep | Lancaster | Feast for Odin | Dominion | Power Grid | Le Havre | Teotihuacan | Puerto Rico | Terra Mystica | Spirit Island | Caverna | At the Gates of Loyang | Ore et Labora
Team Links
Websites you can find the cast on : There Will Be Games | The Cult of The Old
Iain : The Giant Brain | Twitter
Matt : Twitter
Nate : Twitter
Support us on Ko-Fi
Email us at cultoftheolduk@gmail.com
Episode 1 : Agricola
Welcome to the inaugural episode of Cult of the Old!
Each episode your hosts Iain McAllister, Matt Thrower, and Nate Owens are going to turn back the clock to look at games that are at least 10 years old. They’ll give their own critical impressions, tell you about the history of the game and its impact, and what relevance these games still have in the modern hobby landscape.
The team are starting this journey with the most pastoral of worker placement games, Agricola. Designed by Uwe Rosenburg with art by Klemens Franz. Originally published by Lookout Games.
Games Mentioned
Bohnanza | Caylus | Bus | Keydom | Lords of Waterdeep | Lancaster | Feast for Odin | Dominion | Power Grid | Le Havre | Teotihuacan | Puerto Rico | Terra Mystica | Spirit Island | Caverna | At the Gates of Loyang | Ore et Labora
Other Mentions
Z-Man Games | Dale Yu - Opinionated Gamers | Playagricola.com
Team Links
Websites you can find the cast on : There Will Be Games | The Cult of The Old
Iain : The Giant Brain | Twitter
Matt : Twitter
Nate : Twitter
Support us on Ko-Fi
Email us at cultoftheolduk@gmail.com