Dictionary

Kellen's father, who listens to the show religiously despite hating board games and only agreeing to play Telestrations, decided that we need a dictionary of terminology. Who are we to deny his needs?

This dictionary contains definitions of Board Game Barrage's own unique vocabulary as well as common board game terms in wider use.

0-9

• 4X game - a game of exploration, expansion, exploitation and extermination

A

• area control

B

• BGB BOB - a Board Game Barrage Battle of the Boards; a competitively ranked list
• blocking

D

• deck building - a game design mechanic: ...
• double crossover - a game that appears on the Top Games of All-Time list of precisely two tanks in a particular year
• drafting - a game design mechanic: ...
• dudes on a map - see area control

E

• engine building

G

• ghost turkey - annual Board Game Barrage gift exchange tradition that takes place between Halloween and Thanksgiving

H

• hate drafting - in a game where cards are selected via drafting, the practice of keeping a card in order to prevent another player from receiving its benefit, rather than to benefit directly from the card itself

K

• klund - to learn a game by playing it, without reading the rules or having it taught to you; best attempted on a digital platform like Board Game Arena that enforces the rules

M

• mechanic

O

• The Only True and Living Doctor - Reiner Knizia, prolific and much BGB-beloved game designer

Q

• quadruple crossover - a game that appears on the Top Games of All-Time list of all four tanks in a particular year

R

• RORI (pronounced, "roary") - an acronym of "Return on Rules Investment" as discussed in Episode 180: The Rules of Investing.

S

• snake - adjective to describe a game design mechanic, typically drafting or turn order in which turns start in a linear fashion starting with the first player and going to the last, but then reversing direction starting with the last player, so they go twice in a row; for example a three player snake turn order would have players go in the following order:
  • p1, p2, p3, (reverse direction)
  • p3, p2, p1, (reverse direction)
  • p1, p2 ... etc.
• social deduction - games in which the goal is to identify the role of other players via social maneuvering, accusation and deduction

T

• top decking - a game design mechanic: taking the top card from a face down deck of cards
• triple crossover - a game that appears on the Top Games of All-Time list of precisely three tanks in a particular year

W

• worker placement - a game design mechanic: ...