The Daughter and Dad Discuss... Podcast

Dad and daughter review The Witches, a 2013 Martin Wallace game set in Terry Pratchett's Discworld. Players take on trainee witches traveling the map of Lanker to solve easy and hard problems using dice, cards, and thematic actions.

Dad starting reading Discworld books during breaks in rehearsals of an opera he was in in 2003 He's read all of them and virtually all of Terry Pratchett's other work.  Like Brother Oats with Om, h...

Dad and daughter recap a packed Gen Con weekend: learn-to-play struggles with Lord of the Rings: Circle of Conflict, sketching a fantasy map, trying Pin Dragon and Rivers of London RPGs, a triumphant Kingmaker session, quirky Axis & Allies under the sea, and an unexpected tornado warning that turned a panel into shelter company.

Highlights include unique game mechanics, one-shot challenges, strong community spirit, and recommen...

Dad and daughter unpack their Gen Con weekend: correcting a Conan mix-up, debating the John Carter movie, and sharing highlights from panels and games.

They cover the Gen Con ticketing system (electronic vs. paper), a thrilling Star Wars RPG one-shot, the narrative-focused Discworld RPG best suited for campaigns, a writer’s symposium on the story midpoint, and Mom’s con experiences — ending with plans for a future...

In this episode of Daughter and Dad Discuss, the hosts play and unpack Catan: Starfarers — covering the intricate setup, mothership customization (aka the “Mr. Potato Ship”), resource production, encounters with aliens and pirates, and the trade-focused strategies that shape the game.

They discuss how luck and chance (dice rolls and the mothership draw) interact with strategic choices, the social fun of trading, g...

On this episode of Daughter and Dad Discuss, a multi-generational family returns from their annual beach vacation and talks about how they fit games into big-group downtime. They share stories from rainy-day marathons and sun-drained evenings, and why games are a favorite way to connect.

They cover the games they played on this trip—Ticket to Ride: First Journey for younger kids, Trekking the National Parks for a mid-weight f...

In this episode of Daughter and Dad Discuss, we dive into Martin Wallace’s 2011 board game Ankh-Morpork and how it captures Terry Pratchett’s Discworld. We talk characters, guilds, and how the action cards reflect the books — from Death and the Librarian to Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler and the Watch.

Highlights include a quick overview of gameplay (minions, buildings, interrupt cards, green vs. brown decks, and rando...

In this episode of Daughter and Dad Discuss, a father-daughter duo dive into their first playthrough of the War of the Ring board game—setting up the sprawling map, sorting detailed miniatures, and learning the rules through a few turns.

They share first impressions: a beautiful but time-consuming setup, dice-driven action mechanics that introduce strategic uncertainty, a balance between combat and narrative choices, and how ...

In this episode of Daughter and Dad Discuss, the hosts unpack War of the Ring — a strategic Lord of the Rings board game (originally created by Ares Games and distributed in the U.S. by Fantasy Flight). They talk components and artwork by John Howe, 2–4 player setups, ring-based and military victory conditions, and Dad's Gen Con play impressions.

They compare the game to the cooperative game Journeys in Middle-earth, re...

Daughter and Dad Discuss explores Gen Con — the world’s largest tabletop gaming convention. daughter interviews dad about what Gen Con is, the massive scale and venues, the wide range of events (board games, RPGs, LARPs, miniatures, writers’ sessions, and more), and why it’s such a unique gathering for gamers.

Dad shares practical tips for preparing and planning: registering for badges, booking hotels early,...

In this episode of Daughter and Dad Discuss, a father and daughter explore the world of King Arthur, examining how history and myth shape the legends and their presence in modern media. They investigate the basis of the Arthurian legends and how were were shaped and changed by successive periods in western European history. Modern depictions like Excalibur and The Mists of Avalon are bandied about.

They try two Arthurian games &mda...

They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree — in this episode a daughter introduces her Dad to Magic: The Gathering. They play pre-made decks, try different formats, and explore colors, mana, and mechanics while sharing tips for beginners, the usefulness of the MTG app, and why casual play can make great bonding time.

Dad hasn’t done exclusively Deck Building games before, so this is a new experience. Like h...

Daughter and Dad chat about Terry Pratchett's Discworld—from the Hogfather adaptation and favorite novels to the city of Ankh-Morpork.

They focus on the Martin Wallace board game Discworld: Ankh-Morpork, explaining personalities, victory conditions, minions, buildings, and how the cards drive gameplay.

Dad started reading Discworld books during breaks in rehearsals of an opera he was in in 2003. He's read all of them and virt...

Join Daughter and Dad Discuss as we dive into Agricola (Z-Man 2007) including the critical debate over how you pronounce Agricola. The focus is on the core mechanics of this worker-placement medieval-farming game, and how to balance plowing, pastures, family growth, and feeding your household.

We recount a three-hour family playthrough, highlight strategy tips (diversify resources, manage food, pick improvements wisely), discuss th...

Daughter and Dad explore Fantasy Flight Games' Star Wars tabletop RPGs—Edge of the Empire, Force and Destiny, and Age of Rebellion—sharing personal stories of how their family got into role‑playing games during and after COVID.

Dad saw the first Star Wars movie (not yet called A New Hope) in 1977 and has been talking to Daughter about it all her life. She got involved in Star Wars RPGs first and got Dad involved when he...

In this episode of Daughter and Dad Discuss, we explore Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle‑earth (Fantasy Flight Games)—walking through gameplay, campaigns, and how adventure and battle maps shape each session.

We cover the app-driven mechanics, character roles, fear and damage systems, equipment upgrades, and how campaigns branch with choices, plus a look at expansions, miniatures, and why this cooperative game makes grea...

In their debut episode, the Daughter and Dad introduce themselves and discuss their common passion for the life of the mind including books, movies and TV, historic places and, especially, tabletop board games. The focus is on how the games play and how they reflect the worlds on which the games are based. The world for today's discussion is JRR Tolkien's Middle Earth, especially the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Dad ha...