
The Fug of Silent Approval
From But Why Vikings? by Iain McAllister
May 22, 2026 · 1h 4m · Season 1 · Episode 11
About this episode
The hosts discuss various tabletop gaming topics including a hypothetical university course on games and managing a board game library.
Welcome to “But, Why Vikings?”. Each episode your hosts Tim Clare, Ava Foxfort, and Iain McAllister will answer a variety of tabletop related questions sent in to them by listeners. From tabletop etiquette to historical mysteries there is no question too esoteric for this group of gaming agony aunts. The 3 hosts are back together for the first time since the dawn of this podcast and we have some spicy topics to talk about. We tackle a hypothetical university course on the art of games, and what we would include in the syllabus. We also have a chat about how to manage a board game library and the benefits of doing so. Our show notes links to games and sources we mention in running order. Games will have their BGG entry linked to, though we recognise that is not the only source of information on games. Games mentioned Catan Can’t Stop Acquire El Grande Dominion Puerto Rico Train - Brenda Romero Daybreak Molly House Twilight Struggle Votes for Women The Mind Apocalypse World Blades in the Dark Alice is Missing Bluebeard’s Bride Other things mentioned Games: agency as art The Score The Forge Blackmoor - the pre-D&D setting Iain was trying to remember. When we were Wizards Game…
People in this episode
Hosts: Tim Clare, Ava Foxfort, Iain McAllister
Topics covered
- tabletop games
- board game library
- game design
- game etiquette
- historical mysteries
Keywords
- tabletop games
- board games
- game design
- game etiquette
- gaming history
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Critical Role, Edinburgh Board game library, Ancient Robot Games, Cards or Die
Books & works: Catan, Can’t Stop, Acquire, El Grande, Dominion, Puerto Rico, Train - Brenda Romero, Daybreak, Molly House, Twilight Struggle
More episodes of But Why Vikings?
- Meet people where they are · June 5, 2026 · 54 min
- Weird little squiggles · May 8, 2026 · 1h 2m
- Cone Shaped Dominance · April 10, 2026 · 52 min
- I learnt it from you · March 6, 2026 · 51 min
- Run out of sense · February 20, 2026 · 1h 21m
- The tyranny of structurelessness · January 23, 2026 · 1h 4m
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