RDTN Episode 149: First Impressions of Detective, Istanbul the Dice Game and Warhammer Champions

RDTN’s 149th episode ranges across board games and tabletop releases, with guest Chaz joining Marty for a conversation about Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game. The hosts come away intrigued by its approach and by the possibility of introducing it to a lighter gaming group. That’s the episode’s most interesting thread: a game attracting plenty of attention can still sound approachable enough to bring to a mixed table.

The hosts haven’t all played it themselves, so the discussion is best read as an early impression rather than a verdict. Marty and Chaz make a case for what appeals to them, while the speaker’s own interest comes partly from watching videos. For listeners deciding whether to tune in, the conversation offers a look at what has caught the hosts’ attention without pretending to settle how the game will feel in every group.

A short game with an easy teach

Istanbul the Dice Game gets a warmer, more settled recommendation. The speaker likes its quick play, light strategy and straightforward teaching, and sees it as a good fit for a partner who may not want a long rules explanation before sitting down. That combination gives the game a useful place in a collection: it can offer decisions without asking players to commit a whole evening.

The reported play experience also holds up beyond the first round. The game didn’t feel stale on the table, which matters for a brisk design where repeated turns can start to blur together. The episode doesn’t spell out the dice system or the available actions in detail, so listeners looking for a rules explanation will need another source. What it does provide is a clear sense of the qualities that made this group want to play again.

There is one practical caveat: setup took longer than the speaker expected. Individual bags could make the components easier to sort and put out. The speaker also suggests placing just one gem to track progress in each area, instead of laying out all the gems. Those are small table-management ideas, but they address the part of the experience that most clashes with a game praised for its quick pace. A little preparation may help the first few minutes match the lighter feel of the play itself.

Games and table talk across the episode

The episode’s time guide shows how broad the conversation gets. It opens with games played at Dice Tower Con, then moves through an expansion for Clank in Space and a visit from the Parkers. Later segments include Pioneer Days, a mention of The Broken Token and an Esport Convention segment.

Two further board game discussions round out the lineup: Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game and Carthago: Merchants & Guilds. The supplied episode notes don’t give a detailed account of how Carthago plays, so they offer no basis for a rules breakdown or comparison. Its place in the running order, though, makes it one of several distinct stops in a long show rather than the focus of the conversation.

For listeners choosing where to start, the timestamps make it easy to jump straight to a game that interests them. Istanbul begins at 37:40, Detective at 42:50, Carthago at 1:15:05, and the Warhammer discussions later in the episode. With so many topics packed into one recording, that guide is a practical feature in its own right.

Two different Warhammer conversations

The episode also takes up Warhammer 40k: Kill Team before turning to Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Champions TCG. The source notes don’t detail the Kill Team discussion, so they leave its specific points to the episode itself. The Champions remarks are more personal: the speaker enjoyed the game, is eager to play again, and admits it could tempt them back into trading card games.

That hesitation makes the Champions segment especially useful for players weighing whether they want another card game in their lives. The speaker points to two mechanics they found appealing, while acknowledging that anyone who wants to avoid trading card games may prefer to skip this part. The episode notes don’t name those mechanics, so their appeal is something listeners will need to hear described in the conversation.

A long episode with clear entry points

At 2:05:32, Chaz returns for another segment, followed by a mention of Portal Games. The full recording runs well past two hours, and the hosts openly acknowledge that its length comes from fitting in so much game talk. There’s little grousing here: the speaker says both games in the short segments were enjoyable and worth revisiting.

For players browsing the episode, Istanbul looks like the clearest pick for an easy teach and brisk return play, while Detective earns interest through the hosts’ discussion and the speaker’s early look at its approach. The Warhammer Champions conversation offers a more personal account of a game that could draw a lapsed card player back in. Start with the segment that fits your table, then use the timestamps to explore the rest.