Hawkdove is about games: card games, war games, board games, video games, table top role playing, and whatever comes next. We're ready to dig into strategy, style, and novelty across these mediums. We are Magic: the Gathering players at heart but we'll play everything or die trying.
Visit our website for articles and more: https://www.hawkdove.io/
Episode 013: Compile - A Lane Battler Deep Dive
In this episode, Steve and Brandon dive into their thoughts about Compile, a lane battler deck mashup card game that has captured their attention. They compare it to Magic the Gathering and discuss its unique mechanics and protocols in detail.
TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Welcome back and introduction
(05:26) Why Compile feels like Magic the Gathering
(14:06) Unpacking protocol names and concepts
(27:27) Mastering drafting strategy for competitive gameplay
(34:28) Building a tier list for top protocols
(46:11) Revealing favorite card combos and strategic insights
(54:07) Planning tournaments and future directions
RESOURCES:
Games Mentioned: Compile, Magic the Gathering, Pillars of Fate, Land Air & Sea, Smash Up, Spirit Island
Publishers/Designers: Michael Yang, IV Studios
NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW:
The hosts plan to discuss their upcoming tournament for Compile, exploring unique combinations of protocols and sharing insights from competitive play.
Thanks for tuning in!
21 Sept 2025TRANSCRIPT
012: Diplomacy - International Intrigue and Board Game Betrayal
Episode 012: Diplomacy - International Intrigue and Board Game Betrayal
Welcome back to the podcast! After a long hiatus since spring 2025, hosts Steve and Brandon dive deep into the classic 1957 strategy game Diplomacy - a seven-player game of international intrigue set in the run up to World War I. Steve shares his firsthand experience playing his first postal game of Diplomacy, complete with alliances, betrayals, and the complex web of negotiations that make this game legendary among strategy gamers.
From Gen Con 2025 discoveries to the brutal realities of playing as England in a game where binding agreements are non-binding, this episode explores what makes Diplomacy both fascinating and frustrating after nearly 70 years.
TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Welcome back and fall vibes
(02:30) Gen Con 2025 recap
(08:45) Gen Con collectibles culture
(12:15) Tournament experiences
(14:30) Introduction to Diplomacy
(17:00) Playing Diplomacy by mail
(22:30) Game mechanics deep dive
(28:15) Communication and press levels
(32:45) Victory conditions and stalemate lines
(38:00) Steve's England campaign
(44:30) Current game state analysis
(50:15) Strategic positioning and predictions
(55:45) Mid-game dynamics
(60:30) Diplomacy's enduring appeal
(65:00) Looking ahead
(67:30) Transition to D&D discussion
RESOURCES:
Follow Steve's Diplomacy game progress: https://www.backstabbr.com/sandbox/Diplomacy-2025/5200348763258880
Games Mentioned: Diplomacy, Hive, Tak, Compile, Spirit Island, Dominion
NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW:
The hosts dive into their ongoing D&D campaign, mini painting, and why tabletop RPGs might represent the ultimate "hearth element" in gaming.
Thanks to our two and a half loyal listeners! We'll catch you next time.
20 Jan 2025TRANSCRIPT
011: Board Game Potpourri 2
Brandon and Steve have a loose, lighthearted chat about that last few months of random gaming experinces including: Magic, leaving Magic, coming back to Magic, Spirit Island, Arcs, Smash Up, Twilight Imperium, Balatro, Baldur's Gate 3, Factorio. All this followed by an introduction to Brandon's latest project.
2 Feb 2024TRANSCRIPT
010: Board Game Potpourri
Brandon and Steve are cookin' up some board game goulash this week! They've got a lot to say about politicking, negotiation, and cooperation. But, of course, they also can't resist the need for speed!
2:30 - King's Dilemma
22:15 - Modern Art
30:47 - Twilight Imperium
39:48 - Mysterium
44:40 - Gloomhaven
50:45 - Spirit Island
1:00:44 - Unfathomable
1:02:00 - Camel Up
1:05:36 - Heat: Pedal to the Metal
1:08:20 - Wrap Up & Teasers
16 Jan 2024TRANSCRIPT
009: Making Big Things
Steve teaches Brandon about software development, and then they speculate about the video game industry.
8:30 - Introduction
17:00 - Climate Change, Big O Notation, & Starfield
33:00 - The Software Development Life Cycle, Henry Ford, & Japanese Auto Manufacturers
39:20 - The Mystery of Unfinished Games: Waterfall vs Agile
16 Dec 2023
008: Anime? Attack on Titan? Sus
Steve and Brandon drift out of their lane with this one, so tighten the velcro on your shoes and strap in.
If you love anime, join us for a breakdown of a great series - and if you don't love anime, then you're welcome - we'll save you 1 day, 11 hours, & 15 minutes.
Spoilers warning at the 8:10 minute mark.
Happy holidays, ya filthy animals!
7 Nov 2023
007: Spooktober Special feat. Mitch
Brandon and Steve host their first guest from the Hawkdove Podcast Universe for the first holiday special! Join us while you pack up your Halloween decorations to reflect on spooky games, social deduction, and Blood on the Clocktower.
6 Oct 2023
006: Metagaming
Steve and Brandon ask one of life's big questions - what is a metagame? And what do you think about the Internet solving your favorite games?
Timestamps:
2:15 - What'd we play while away
15:30 - What's a meta
25:40 - Evolving or becoming stale
19 Sept 2023
005: Post-Apocalypse: Fallout
Brandon and Steve talk about Fallout RPG elements in this installment of their post-apocalypse game breakdown.
8 Aug 2023
004: Root, Storytelling, & the C.I.A.
Steve and Brandon finally talk about a board game! Steve holds Brandon hostage in a bizarre conspiracy about woodland creatures and U.S. national security.
20 Jul 2023
003: Top-Down? Bottom-Up?
Brandon and Steve explore the concepts of top-down and bottom-up design and how the two schools have influenced Magic: The Gathering set flavor and mechanics.
Visit our website if you enjoy written content as well: https://www.hawkdove.io/
13 Jul 2023
002: Post-Apocalypse: Horizon Zero Dawn
Steve digs into the Horizon Zero Dawn storyline and breaks down its depiction as a standout contender in the post-apocalypse genre.
3 Jul 2023
001: The Grandfather of E-Sports
Brandon walks us through the early days of StarCraft and its lasting impact on competitive gaming.
Inside a recent episode
013: Compile - A Lane Battler Deep Dive
Published 28 Feb 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] And that was the intriguing part where land air and sea and smash up kind of fail in terms of their aesthetics. I think compile absolutely excels. It is a gorgeous in the same way that sometimes a magic the gathering card will catch your eye and you're like, wow, that art is awesome. Man, this card is bad. The file is similar in terms of it immediately caught my eye on its art direction. And it they all feel visually distinct, but united in theme. And I really like that. Like fire is visually distinct from water. And they're not just depicting fire and water. They're depicting like abstract art of fire and water. […]
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