Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
🎙️Welcome to the Lens and Veil podcast, join Shem, Sam and Zach as they discuss games they've played together, specifically focusing on game design elements.
In this special episode they discuss the nominees for the Kennerspiel Des Jahres 2026: Rebirth by Reiner Knizia, Boss Fighters QR by Michael Palm and Lukas Zach, and Moon Colony Bloodbath by Donald X. Vaccarino.
📜Chapters:
0:00:00 - Which would you prefer?
0:07:24 - Intro
0:07:42 - Discussion of Rebirth
0:33:26 - Discussion of the Kennerspiel
0:42:29 - Discussion of Boss Fighters QR
0:57:42 - Discussion of Moon Colony Bloodbath
1:00:13 - Questions for the audience
1:00:29 - Prediction and our winners
⭐About the Cast
Shem Phillips is the owner of Garphill Games and has designed a fair few board games, notably Raiders of the North Sea (Kennerspiel des Jahres Nominee) and Legacy of Yu (Golden Geek, Dice Tower Award, Origins Award for Best Solo Game of 2023).
Sam Macdonald is a Game Designer and Developer at Garphill Games, bursting onto the scene with his co-design together with Shem, Architects of the West Kingdom. He has gone on to design a number of other games, most notable among them is Paladins of the West Kingdom which is currently in the top 100 games on BGG.
Zach Smith works for Garphill Games as Marketing and Media Manager, but is also a credited designer, having co-designed Circadians: Chaos Order together with Sam. They also have another game together under development.
🎵 Music licenced from Jessy Ribordy Studios (jessyribordystudios.com/)
🎙️Welcome to the Lens and Veil podcast, join Shem, Sam and Zach as they discuss games they've played together, specifically focusing on game design elements.
In this special episode they discuss the nominees for the Kennerspiel Des Jahres 2026: Rebirth by Reiner Knizia, Boss Fighters QR by Michael Palm and Lukas Zach, and Moon Colony Bloodbath by Donald X. Vaccarino.
📜Chapters:
0:00:00 - Which would you prefer?
0:07:24 - Intro
0:07:42 - Discussion of Rebirth
0:33:26 - Discussion of the Kennerspiel
0:42:29 - Discussion of Boss Fighters QR
0:57:42 - Discussion of Moon Colony Bloodbath
1:00:13 - Questions for the audience
1:00:29 - Prediction and our winners
⭐About the Cast
Shem Phillips is the owner of Garphill Games and has designed a fair few board games, notably Raiders of the North Sea (Kennerspiel des Jahres Nominee) and Legacy of Yu (Golden Geek, Dice Tower Award, Origins Award for Best Solo Game of 2023).
Sam Macdonald is a Game Designer and Developer at Garphill Games, bursting onto the scene with his co-design together with Shem, Architects of the West Kingdom. He has gone on to design a number of other games, most notable among them is Paladins of the West Kingdom which is currently in the top 100 games on BGG.
Zach Smith works for Garphill Games as Marketing and Media Manager, but is also a credited designer, having co-designed Circadians: Chaos Order together with Sam. They also have another game together under development.
🎵 Music licenced from Jessy Ribordy Studios (jessyribordystudios.com/)
![Lens and Veil | EP #10: Era of Experts [Inventors expansion]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/eChK6xo6kXk/mqdefault.jpg "Lens and Veil | EP #10: Era of Experts [Inventors expansion]
🎙️Welcome to the Lens and Veil podcast, join Shem, Sam and Zach as they discuss games theyve played together, specifically focusing on game design elements.
In this episode they discuss Era of Experts by Shem Phillips and S J Macdonald. Era of Experts is an expansion to Inventors of the South Tigris which provides 12 unique playable characters to the game. Each character comes with its own special abilities, starting bonuses, and motivations.
📜Chapters:
0:00:00 - Which would you prefer?
0:09:15 - Intro
0:09:32 - Overview of Era of Experts
0:09:42 - Discussion of Body of Books
0:53:11 - Questions for audience
0:53:30 - For which game would you like to either see an expansion or another expansion?
⭐About the Cast
Shem Phillips is the owner of Garphill Games and has designed a fair few board games, notably Raiders of the North Sea (Kennerspiel des Jahres Nominee) and Legacy of Yu (Golden Geek, Dice Tower Award, Origins Award for Best Solo Game of 2023).
Sam Macdonald is a Game Designer and Developer at Garphill Games, bursting onto the scene with his co-design together with Shem, Architects of the West Kingdom. He has gone on to design a number of other games, most notable among them is Paladins of the West Kingdom which is currently in the top 100 games on BGG.
Zach Smith works for Garphill Games as Marketing and Media Manager, but is also a credited designer, having co-designed Circadians: Chaos Order together with Sam. They also have another game together under development.
🎵 Music licenced from Jessy Ribordy Studios")
