RDTN Episode 172: 51st State Allies, Hadara and Shadowrun 6th Edition

Episode 172 ranges from card driven strategy to a fast, noisy cooperative game, with roleplaying and fighting games rounding out the table. The clearest expansion takeaway comes from 51st State: Allies changes how players get buildings and deals into play, and its approach may make it a particularly welcome addition to the base game.

Allies changes the resource rhythm

The host likes both Imperial Settlers and 51st State, but finds 51st State easier to teach. Its single deck gives new players fewer moving parts to learn at the start. Once they have a handle on the core ideas, Imperial Settlers can follow, bringing its multiple races and asymmetric play into the mix.

Allies, the next expansion for 51st State, offers a practical change to the way players develop their position. Its cards can reduce the need to convert resources into the tokens required to play buildings and deals. In the host’s experience, skipping some of that conversion helps the game move faster. That’s a meaningful shift in a game where development choices already ask players to weigh what they can afford against what they want to build.

The host’s recommendation is to play Allies on its own, so its cards don’t get mixed into a larger collection of expansions and become harder to see. Some expansions eventually feel as though they belong in the main game; Allies may be one of those. The episode doesn’t frame it as a replacement for the base game’s identity. Instead, its appeal lies in smoothing one recurring part of play while adding new cards to consider.

Hadara keeps its decisions brisk

Z-Man Games’ Hadara is described as a light civilization style game. That lighter weight is part of the expectation to bring to the table: the host enjoyed its speed, while cautioning players against expecting a complex, weighty strategy experience.

For this reviewer, the most telling choices arrive while drawing cards. In Phase B, players decide which card to keep and which to leave available for others. A seemingly modest choice can carry a risk: take the less appealing of two cards now, and there may be a chance to score both. The tension comes from judging that possibility as the turn unfolds, rather than from a long chain of intricate rules.

That makes Hadara’s pace part of its design appeal. The turns move quickly, but the card choices still give players a reason to pause and think. It looks suited to a group seeking an accessible civilization themed game whose decisions are concentrated into clear moments. Players who want a deep strategy puzzle may want a different kind of evening; those happy with lighter play can enjoy how promptly Hadara gets them into its decisions.

Pandemic Rapid Response thrives on urgency

The group’s energy shifts when Pandemic Rapid Response hits the table. The host describes a game built around rolling dice, taking actions and passing play along quickly. There’s little room to agonize over every choice, and being right about each decision isn’t always possible. The challenge is to keep acting and communicating as the situation changes.

That pressure isn’t to the host’s personal taste, but the session still offered a welcome change of pace. With a group that enjoys the commotion, the simultaneous calls, shouts and attempts to coordinate can make for a lively start to game night. The host also sees a possible use for the game with colleagues, as a way to introduce the importance of coordination through an Incident Command lens. It’s an idea rooted in the game’s demand for clear communication under time pressure.

Shadowrun and Super Punch Fighter round out the episode

Three of the Connell brothers take the microphones to discuss Catalyst Games’ sixth edition of the Shadowrun roleplaying game. Adam and Travis bring their knowledge and experience to the conversation, sharing thoughts on the new edition’s changes. The host admits that he would have had less to contribute on the subject, and says Marty enjoyed the preview and is keen to return to the setting for more adventures.

Adam and Travis also come back to talk about Super Punch Fighter. Their discussion leaves the host curious to try it at game night before settling on a personal verdict. The episode’s table talk therefore spans several kinds of play, with the roleplaying discussion drawing on the brothers’ experience and the fighting game segment building anticipation for a hands on session.

Show notes and listener details

The episode also mentions YouTube reaction videos, Portal Games, Proving Grounds being on hold and The Broken Token. Its closing notes point listeners toward a Smash Up contest and a Game Topper contest, as well as the RDTN Strike Tournament Dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory during Gen Con. The dinner is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday; the host recalls enjoying the previous year’s event and invites listeners who will be there to consider joining in. The event link has the ticket details.

The complete segment list gives listeners a way to jump to the topic they want:

• 00:42 — Intro
• 08:01 — 51st State: Allies
• 18:00 — YouTube Reaction Videos
• 25:25 — RIP Tim Conway
• 28:25 — Portal Games
• 30:04 — Hadara
• 35:43 — Proving Grounds On Hold
• 37:10 — Pandemic Rapid Response
• 42:57 — The Broken Token
• 44:23 — Shadowrun 6th Edition
• 1:12:15 — Super Punch Fighter
• 1:18:00 — Outro
• 1:18:55 — Smash Up Contest
• 1:22:56 — Strike Tournament Gen Con
• 1:27:56 — Game Topper Contest
• 1:31:37 — Miniature Market

The next episode is due in two weeks. For this one, the strongest leads are practical: try Allies if resource conversion slows down your 51st State sessions, and bring the right group temperament to Rapid Response, where quick communication is part of the fun.

RDTN Strike Tournament Dinner event at the Old Spaghetti Factory · Smash Up contest