"She counts as an object...yeah...they've made that quite clear..." LMAO

I can't take Matt seriously with a sensible hair-cut, how long has he had one of those?? How am I supposed to tell if he's panicking if I can't see his hair-cloud?

13:28 No please don't do it no! Don't let that spoon hit the card... 13:31 NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

the lack of an overarching campaign seems very true to the stories.

"Brutes & Glutes" is what I shall now call Dungeons & Dragons

The 'Conan on the ship and surrounded by evil' situation you illustrated is EXACTLY what happened to my friend when he played for the first time yesterday. Same scenario, same outcome. Hilarious!

"Tavern a good time" will be stuck in my head for a good couple of weeks, I reckon.

Sword and Sorcery should be the genre to overly sexualize both men and women, of the bodybuilding kind of course. I don't want anyone covered up, I wanna see dem abs god damnit. It should be a crime to try and change that tradition.

First I've heard of this channel: this is an exceptional video, it's obviously you put a lot of time and effort into it, genuinely funny. You deserve many more views. Subbed.

UPDATE: went ahead and got this game for Xmas. My bf and I (and friends) love this game! Bit of a learning curve at first with all the gem management. He plans on getting the expansions.

Just gonna throw this out: Picts were proto-Scottish peoples from the iron age, and Robert E Howard was OBSESSED with them. I highly recommend Bran Mak Morn to anyone who loves Howardian fantasy.

Came to this video from the Batman Chronicles review. Love the DJ sequence

god, i love every single one of those bits in the Conan costumes lol

What happened to Matt's glorious hair? He now looks like he came from dinner with his significant others parents.

I just want to say how much I have come to enjoy SU&SD. At first, I wasn't overly sure about the humour, but you guys have totally won me over. This review was great and had me chuckling at several points. Keep up the good work.

This might just be my favorite review you guys have ever done. Love the Conan attack scenes.

I stumbled back on this video looking for where I'd heard that Idiotape song before and was struck by how far you guys have come as filmmakers? Like I went and watched the Railroad Ink video to compare (same time of year, but two years later) and the lighting, colour grading, sound, shot composition, even the performances and camera focus has just improved so much. This old Conan review looked a lot better in my memory.

I bery rarely watch a board game review from start to finish. This is has been one of them. Usually I see the intro then skip the gameplay stuff because I find it boring and just see the final thoughts. I really like the way you edit your videos and I find the extra stuff you include to be very interesting. There's never a dull moment and you use camera angles that help me understand the gameplay while keeping me engaged. I truly appreciate your efforts. Kudos and keep up the good work!

This is one of my most favorite SUSD reviews! Too funny! Top notch special effects! Great work boys - keep er going!

Awww yeah, The Genius! Just finished watching the first season, and I am forever grateful that you introduced me to that show, Quinns.

Honestly one of the best reviews you guys have done. Ticks all the SUSD boxes!

I realy like their reviews. They are so good at telling why the games are fun, what kind of feel they have and showing the narratives they see.

What’s so interesting about the backlash against depiction of women is that it was actually a woman who drew all of the illustrations for Howard’s (and many other pulp stories). People in the 30’s new what sells and Conan is incredible. Bravo for the designers staying true to the source material. Also, Howard depicted many woman as strong warrior types and not just damsel’s in distress. There just wasn’t an equal number as the men because the Hyborian Age is about a gritty, realist take on fantasy.

When Quinns falls while attacking.... thank you, I needed that this week.

I've just found a copy of the base game on sale for 40 euros. Needless to say that I bought it on the spot. Plus, "Brutes & Glutes" is how I'm going to refer to Conan in his every iteration from this moment onward

You're off a bit on your Hyboria. Khitai was never visited explicitly in R E Howard stories; I reckon your "quite a bit of research" was 2 minutes on the Wiki page. It was mentioned a few times as "far off Khitai", and it was hinted that he may have raided the borders when he was a Hyrkanian (Turkish, perhaps, although Mongolia is possible) mercenary; Khitai may have been China, but it could also be Tibet and part of Korea/Viet Nam. The Picts were not necessarily native Americans, however...they were the descendants of the fall of Atlantis, or predecessors of the Celts. Finally, Conan fought "dark wizards," but if you were to give him one primary enemy, it'd be the dark wizard Thoth-Amon, a wizard from Stygia (Africa, possibly Egypt...but was always depicted as very dark skinned, a prince of wizards)...totally not Khitai.

60% Conan is nan.

"He's like a Roomba, only for mortality instead of Fluff!" LOL

I just love the little touch how the crystal bar as arrows. And there's only one arrow going to the 'dead health' pool. Mm, such a tasty detail, reminding of the grim reality of being too big for your britches!

The Sam Raimi axe at 5:18 gets me EVERY. TIME.

wow, I really thought I'd see most of your work. but re-releasing all these old videos is showing me how many I'd missed.

The game looks amazing. Perhaps the lack of a campaign is an homage to the fact that the original RE Howard Conan tales weren't technically chronological, nor did it really link together, but instead were self- contained, short stories?

That's a friggin' good point about the kickstarter extras and community content. I hit the wall with that on a few occasions and it was frustrating to have to go ask what I could go about replacing the scenario with (often creating copies of that exclusive work and resorting to use stand-in pieces to fill in the scenario. less cool, but thats the post kickstarter world we live in.) On the other side of that same coin however that same community is usually REALLY helpful in that regard too. But it is indeed friction. Sometimes that exclusive content is provided in digital btw. Don't hesitate to ask the source (Legit PnP.) and I don't think that belittles the original exclusivity of the printed pieces (imo)

It's good to see darilng Matt again! Also great review, glad you didn't shy away from addressing the depiction of women. You chaps are the best, as per.

your reviews are great and help me to decide which new games to buy..thanks much for your work

Robert E. Howard explicitly said in the short stories the Picts were "white men." He did look at the ancestors of the native Americans of his home of Texas as his inspiration for what a more primal society would resemble and to add details but people assume this means he intended them to be RACIALLY non-white and his story centring them most explicitly states they are white. I suspect he drew from the culture, lifestyle and dress of the native Americans with only a very thin veneer laid over that but did not intend them to BE native Americans.

Played this game for the first time, with a couple good friends of mine, last night, and had a GREAT time. We only played the first scenario, about an hour and a half maybe, so good

Death DJ pumping up the Genius soundtrack is hilarious :D

Love the shout-out for WMA! In that vein, you guys should review Audatia.

DJ skit made me laugh. I was drunk. But that's still rare for youtube.

Ah, what a cool surprise that you did a little feature about Valkyrie!

Nice to see you fell in with the Vancouver HEMA club Paul!

I swear, I haven't thought about or heard from the Vengabus song in at least 10 years; woke up this morning with it stuck on a loop in my head; and now my favorite reviewers used it in one of their review. What are the odds... ._.

That picture of Belit looks very accurate.

Occasionally I watch this video just to see their Swords and Sandals Shenanigans in London parks.

5:20 I will always come back for this

i love the commitment to the action sequences.

I was convinced one of you was going to say 'dot biz'

I could swear I heard Matt say "Wrestle a princess..." I'm in!

one of your best reviews guys

Welcome back Matt!

An entertaining review as always gents. The one thing I feel you failed to mention is how unclear the rules can be. They've been translated from French and often leave things out or are just plain wrong. I've been researching forum threads on BoardGameGeek.com to prepare for a big game today. Listening to your "How to play" section sent up some immediate red flags. (1:41) You still get your free movement if you take an action like attack first. The rules wording is trying to explain that you can't mix up that free movement with any action without losing the rest of it. From that point on you need to pay crystals for additional movement. (3:34) You can't chill and attack. When you take a cautious stance, you can only defend and reroll. (5:59) The example you give for how Hindering works is fine for moving from one space to another. Leaping from a ship is an action this specific scenario states isn't affected by hindering. Conan can make that jump without any aid from Shevatas. He wouldn't pay an additional cost for the leap. And this is a bit of a quibble, but "Everything" isn't harder with enemies in the same space. Melee attacks and defense rolls are 2 examples of actions that aren't affected by Hindering, just to be clear. (7:33) Conan breaking through a wall should cost 3 crystals. The proper translation from the French rules is that it costs 2 additional movement. This is what I've pieced together doing work I shouldn't need to do after playing over $100 and waiting an additional year. They say a 2.0 manual is being worked on and will be released soon. I understand you aren't a "How to Play" show and are giving a us a quick taste of the rules. But pointing out how poor a translation job Monolith provided is at least as important as the sexism points you make. I also appreciate you focused on just the retail package. (But crack open that King's Pledge box and you'll find more playable females. Two are fully clothed and one even has PANTS!) Keep up the great work. Forever grateful for the job you did making Mech vs. Minions better.

The comic book picture of Conan is sexier than the plastic model? Whatever floats your boat guys.

Ya just can't get that Genius theme out of your head can you. I've been enjoying it a lot. Halfway into the second season and the games in season two are a lot cooler than those in season one.

Hey, good on you guys for giving a shoutout to classical medieval martial arts lessons! I don't think those sorts of activities get nearly as much attention as they deserve.

"He's sort of like a Roomba but for mortality instead of fluff" Best description of Conan I've heard

LOL Conan the Barbarian, who in his later years was able to secure employment as the Kool-Aid Man.

"...or stop this homicidal spinning top of a protagonist."

Not being used to seeing Matt's hair this short he looks like he's been abruptly sent to an internment camp, completed a 3 month conditioning program and has now come back as docile, compliant and exemplary member of our great and powerful nation.

Wait but Picts are British, not American.

"The Conan Intellectual Property" - that's an oxymoron. I am so happy I pre-ordered this and the 3 expansions .. only 65 days to go.

Conan bashing though walls just makes me picture him acting as the Kool-Aid from Family Guy. *SMASH* "OH YEAAAAH!!"

This game looks like it would be awesome to 'create' your own Campaign. It's like D&D in that the players are Hero's. THIS game is like D&D on steroids.

Personally, (as a female) I much prefer the original Conan.

this was amazing. the dressed up interaction, everything. now if you try this with a different board game where you have more like/interest

I finally played my first game a few weeks ago and everyone enjoyed it. I own about $350 worth of content for this game and I want even more.

I am surprised that they have not done a review for Project ELITE that really seems like a game they would like

"First" - that's what people say isn't it? Seriously though, nice to see you guys reviewing this and to see Matt again - it feels like it's been a while!

Now championing both boardgames AND HEMA!

Speaking as someone who has been doing Filipino martial arts for ~12 years...I think I might be able to take on THREE orcs! Maybe. If they didn't know what they were doing. And one was kinda groggy. (Seriously: many-on-one fighting is HARD.)

Have you guys ever looked into reviewing Wrath of Ashardalon D&D Board game? If not, you totally should! would love to see you guys do it!

5:14 I smell an Evil Dead reference. Nice! :)

Someone's been watching The Genius!

Fantastic episode guys.

ooohhhh I was really hoping Quins would smash those games at the intro.... missed opportunity!

Well _that_ was action packed! And in the game.

What is good in life ? "Crush all enemies ? see them driven before you and witness the lamentation of their vimmen !"

Great review! Fella's most people can figure out new scenarios... easy to do. Don't worry about running out of cubes.... as Monty Python's "Holy Grail" once put it so tastefully... "I'm getting better"... or would "Bring out your dead" be more appropriate?

I feel like you might be overreaching a bit with an Ork tbh Paul. Just looking out for you.

Will you be doing a Gloomhaven review once it's out?

Belit looks how she should. She was also tough as nails and didn't take any shit. Awesome.

I missed the handlers for loonie on the grass in Vancouver. You did not let him lose did you?

How do I get that Standard Reference Pear T-shirt? 😭

Read some Robert E Howard. They are being faithful to the stories which were written in the 30's and they were of their time. Conan spends a lot of his time near naked too.

You know what wild if you read the story it base on you realized how fragile he his both physical spirituality against the monster he fights. The very first Conan story he all ready King he older man and goes up against some straight terrors that truly fuck with him.

Anyone recognize the music at 9:26? I'd like to know the name, I feel like I've heard it somewhere before.

Genius use of techno music in this review!

I'd have to argue that the original art for Conan, which that kind of art and style used in this game perfectly mimicks....is perfect and absolutely breathtaking. And using someone you pick up in a miniatures game as an object isn't something new or sexist. It's a simple game mechanic that allows smooth ease of play.

I'm curious, I am a classical fencer as well, what lineage are you learning from?

Sooooo....New Kickstarter is live for a big Conan expansion and you can get the original game with the original stretch goals etc for a princely sum of wonga. Any soul left on those magic shoes or is it better left to sail on by? SU&SD updates / thoughts?

There's four different Belit's alone guys.

I lost my shit when I heard the techno Genius Theme, Quinns' obsession runs deep

Still wondering when you guys are going to give Kingdom Death: Monster a try.

So, like many a thing, needs more Grace Jones. Overall, sounds a lot like HeroQuest, but with less missions and campaigns. But the similarities being that using the materials for your own quests might be more rewarding than just using the ones in the box.

Hi. Conan and Cyclades+Titans costs almost the same money, which would you suggest?

Interesting that the "spend effort gems" mechanics actually comes from older tabletop RPGs that were trying to break the D&D mold. The 2003 Marvel RPG is one of them.

does anyone sell those colored plastic bits that you put around the bases of those miniatures?

"Less defensible than a fortress made of cake" - favorite line in a review ever. Tackling the representation of women in the game and its world was a welcome perspective

Best of Review EVER!

love your reviews but cant help thinking quinn looks like a young Graeme Garden can you do next review in the style of the goodies please