How many players do you play with typically? Does it get bogged down with 4? What expansions would you recommend?
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New Board Gaming |OT2| On Tables, Off Topic
- Thread starter Karkador
- Start date
Ten soloable games in no particular order.
1. Dead men tell no tails.
2. Merchants and Maurauders (fantastic solo variant on BGG) even better if you can get expansion.
3. Thunder bolt Apache leader.
4. At the gates of Loyang, beat your own score type but fantastic solo.
5. Gears of war.
6. Infection humanity's last gasp.
7. The Hunters Germany at war.
8. Days of Ire Budapest.
9. Black Orchestra.
10. Nemos war.
In no particular order but all great games.
@Joelseph great selections too.
1. Dead men tell no tails.
2. Merchants and Maurauders (fantastic solo variant on BGG) even better if you can get expansion.
3. Thunder bolt Apache leader.
4. At the gates of Loyang, beat your own score type but fantastic solo.
5. Gears of war.
6. Infection humanity's last gasp.
7. The Hunters Germany at war.
8. Days of Ire Budapest.
9. Black Orchestra.
10. Nemos war.
In no particular order but all great games.
@Joelseph great selections too.
-tetsuo-
Unlimited Capacity
4 players will be a very long game, ESPECIALLY if it is a learning game. I warn you you to not play a 4 player game with all new players. Just...... don't lol. We played most times with 3 and quite a bit with 4, but at a certain point all the players were 100% clear on basically every rule in the game and knew what was possible to face. In that, after many many many plays, we got 4 players games down to like 3-3 1/2 hours. We took to just having a basketball game or a movie on while we were playing because all of the pertinent stuff for you too see outside of your own turn will happen at the very end of another players turn.
It is my favorite game, but it is not without its problems. The main one being downtime. Every turn is a puzzle that you have to figure out, basically. Some times the answer is clear, sometimes it is a little tricky and sometimes you need to spend 10 minutes replaying your turn 20 times to kill that castle in one attack instead of 2.
The 2nd one being the steep learning curve that extends beyond just the rules. It is a game that is both quite deep and quite complex at the same time. The first 2 or 3 times I played the game I thought it was simply ok. It wasn't until I got a better grasp of everything that was and could happen that I came to appreciate it.
The only expansion you need to get is the Lost Legion, all the others are great to pick up later after you want to try new mages.
If anyone has Tabletop Simulator and is up to try it out or learn before they try and teach, I can setup a game no problem.
It is my favorite game, but it is not without its problems. The main one being downtime. Every turn is a puzzle that you have to figure out, basically. Some times the answer is clear, sometimes it is a little tricky and sometimes you need to spend 10 minutes replaying your turn 20 times to kill that castle in one attack instead of 2.
The 2nd one being the steep learning curve that extends beyond just the rules. It is a game that is both quite deep and quite complex at the same time. The first 2 or 3 times I played the game I thought it was simply ok. It wasn't until I got a better grasp of everything that was and could happen that I came to appreciate it.
The only expansion you need to get is the Lost Legion, all the others are great to pick up later after you want to try new mages.
If anyone has Tabletop Simulator and is up to try it out or learn before they try and teach, I can setup a game no problem.
BassForever
Member
I'd love a tts teaching game of mage knight. What days work for you tetsuo? Friday night or weekend afternoons/nights work for me
CreatureX3
Member
1. Onirim
2. Too Many Bones
3. Deep Space D-6
4. Apex Theropod
5. Star Realms (w/ Gambit expansion)
6. Run, Fight, or Die
7. One Deck Dungeon
8. Nautilion
9. Sagrada
10. The Lost Expedition
EYEL1NER
Member
Pretty bummed. I was really excited for board game night tonight and was ready to take Frag Gold Edition, Formula D, Elder Sign, Endangered Orphans of Condyle Cove, Secret Hitler, and Captain Sonar. Since there has been 6 or more people recently, I grabbed some games that played with higher play counts. I figured Frag would go over really well.
Unfortunately I've been sick for a few days. I slept most of yesterday and just rested on the couch all night with season 4 of Prison Break. I slept all day today too, hoping that is wake up at 5PM and feel up to going. I didn't feel awful but I'm definitely still congested and weak. I was really looking forward to tonight, but no dice.
Unfortunately I've been sick for a few days. I slept most of yesterday and just rested on the couch all night with season 4 of Prison Break. I slept all day today too, hoping that is wake up at 5PM and feel up to going. I didn't feel awful but I'm definitely still congested and weak. I was really looking forward to tonight, but no dice.
Yowsa! My group is relatively new to board gaming, so I might skip this one for now. Our "heaviest" game so far has been Scythe, which seems to be on the easy side of things for sure.
I feel like I'm ready to take that leap, but I'm not sure everyone else is.
Thank you for your informative post! I really appreciate it - I was about to jump in blind, but I will shelve this one until we are a bit more advanced.
SapphiCine
Member
I am interested in this and some other solo wargames but so many of them have poor graphic design. :|
BassForever
Member
I get out of work 4pm est 3pm central so I can probably play after dinner like 6pm est 5pm central
Also catan was an amazon lightning deal. Never played never own purchased.
antiquegamer
Member
For me 3 is the most I would go with Mage Knight and only if they know the rules already otherwise it will be a long session. I really enjoy 2 player game of Mage Knight but most of the time I just play it solo.
RelentlessRolento
Member
Thanks for the solo lists... keep em coming please. Already finding some stuff I will probably grab.
TerminalDogma
Member
After looking through every game listed in everyones top 10's, I went ahead and cracked out a bit and ordered 4 games off Cool Stuff (and added about 60 games to my wish list on there). Specifically I ordered Scythe, Hanabi, Not Alone (it was on sale yesterday when I placed the order) and Race for the Galaxy. Figured I'd order a big one that everyone seems to be pretty crazy about (Scythe), Hanabi as a smaller game and Race for the Galaxy since it was on a LOT of lists in some way and Not Alone since it was on sale and seems pretty fun. Also still have an unopened Pandemic Legacy to bring out, and Cthulu Wars. Might have went a bit overboard, but man the bug bit me and I just went for it.
I've tried it with the first 2 expansions, and it's simple enough. Never tried it with the 3rd.
BassForever
Member
From what I understand race for the galaxy has 5000 expansions and 90% of them are garbage
EYEL1NER
Member
Some of the DVG games have some bad CGI imagery of soldiers and stuff, but I don't think most of the "Leader" games look all that bad. Phantom Leader and Hornet Leader look great once fully setup.
The ones from the first set all add interesting ideas & cards. It's just that Race + Gathering hits that perfect height before tipping over into too many mechanics - the card pool is deep, with tons of different strategies/directions, the mechanics are teachable without there being too many oddness, and there's no direct 'take that' element, giving new players time to grow. The extra currency type, the takeover mechanic are interesting, but totally for fans. I stuck with Race + Gathering for hundreds of games & I'm still not bored.
SapphiCine
Member
It's not flat out bad but it just looks amateurish. I have yet to see one with appealing chit design.
BattleMonkey
Member
It's not flat out bad but it just looks amateurish. I have yet to see one with appealing chit design.
You can get minis to replace chits, thats what some do. But the chits work fine for that type of game, and not much to do with generic military stuff.... stylized artwork would set off its target market
RelentlessRolento
Member
Has anyone played Vast? More specifically, Vast on solo?
It looks awesome, but I can't justify getting it if it is meh
It looks awesome, but I can't justify getting it if it is meh
SapphiCine
Member
For the chits, its the number soup that is very unappealing to me. Artwork can be utilitarian while still be appealing.
as far as I know there are the original trilogy of expansions and then two other stand alone expansions and that is it.
The only sologame that truly managed to hold my interest is Liberty or Death: The American Insurrection. I love it very much.
Doomtown: Reloaded has a Kickstarter for a new expansion and I must admit I am so goddamn tempted to go for that mother lode bundle of everything.
I have only tutorial played the core box with myself but it is such a cool game and concept, it would be a shame to loose the chance to get it all again if the game gets dropped once more as it did when AEG stopped publishing it.
That price though is not easy to swallow.
I have only tutorial played the core box with myself but it is such a cool game and concept, it would be a shame to loose the chance to get it all again if the game gets dropped once more as it did when AEG stopped publishing it.
That price though is not easy to swallow.
Oh man .... my friend has this game and I always wanted it. I may have to do the $75.
I feel you, I just bought an empty box for the game...
Polioliolio
Member
I picked this up, and am looking forward to playing it, but it's going to take an evening to figure out how the game generally plays. Each character has their own unique gameplay, so it's like learning several games at once. I don't think it's too complicated, but I'd hate to bring this to the table for the first time without a firm grasp on how to play it. My friends are impatient and tend to butcher rules if someone can't explain the rules with confidence.
I don't expect it to be a great solo experience, but again, I haven't played it yet. Seems like something that becomes more interesting the more players you have.
It's not flat out bad but it just looks amateurish. I have yet to see one with appealing chit design.
I prefer function over form. Thunderbolt Apache leader has functional chits which are easily read across a table. Most war gamers are concerned with the narrative the numbers generate in there heads.
However for a nice looking solo game try Nemo's war by VPG. The chits used for chits are individually drawn and based on real ships (a couple of fantasy ones thrown in) all cards are drawn individually with art reminiscent of the time period with quotes from 20,000 leagues under the sea added for flavour.
4 ways to victory, Explore, Science, War and Imperial. Which alter the way you play each time. They even through in a mini Nautilus for those who like toys (joke).
Having fun with this one but it's costly.
joeyjoejoeshabadoo
Member
Nemo's War is great. I would warn to stay away from the co-op mode. I did demo the co-op mode at GenCon but thought it was pretty bad. I see it as a pure solo game. The co-op just spits up the "busy" work between players. Like one player is responsible for putting out the gems and reading the cards. Big whoop.
Yeah Alan Emerich conceded it was only added as a challenge from a backer. A token gesture if you will.
A good point to mention though.
I really wish they would have added some extra Act I Act II Act III cards instead for variability. There's 10 finale cards though and the mixture of event deck and adventure deck gives replay value.
The only solo games I enjoy are story-driven ones like Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective and gamebooks (TotAN comes close, but is too unwieldy and random). Well, Age of Steam's single-player puzzle(s) are fun, too.
I don't like playing against an "AI", even one as simple as Pandemic's or that of the D&D Adventure Games'. If it's fiddly, it's even worse.
There have been five expansions in 10 years, the last two of which are stand-alone (w/ base game). All are widely regarded as excellent, although the additional optional mechanics/modes that some bring in are a bit divisive (takeover option in RvI, prestige in BoW, alien orb mode in AA, invasion mode in XI; everyone seems to like goals from TGS).
I don't like playing against an "AI", even one as simple as Pandemic's or that of the D&D Adventure Games'. If it's fiddly, it's even worse.
There have been five expansions in 10 years, the last two of which are stand-alone (w/ base game). All are widely regarded as excellent, although the additional optional mechanics/modes that some bring in are a bit divisive (takeover option in RvI, prestige in BoW, alien orb mode in AA, invasion mode in XI; everyone seems to like goals from TGS).
https://hollandspiele.com/products/agricola-master-of-britain
is a great solo game and better looking than a lot victory point games. GMT does a good check out the Enemy Coast Head series, though most of their games play well solo if you are willing to play both sides.
-tetsuo-
Unlimited Capacity
I have been hosting games teaching Aeon's End the last few days on TTS. On Monday, a guy joins in sits down and is like oh man this seems complicated. I ask if he has ever played a deckbuilding game before, and he says no. I ask if he has played coop games, he says no. I ask him what he plays on TTS and he tells me usually Uno, Candyland and Chess. So I offer to teach him.
Next day another guy comes in, bought TTS to play Cards Against Humanity because it is all he has ever played. After both games, both guys were trying to figure out where they could buy the game so they could play at home lol
Next day another guy comes in, bought TTS to play Cards Against Humanity because it is all he has ever played. After both games, both guys were trying to figure out where they could buy the game so they could play at home lol
I am also trying to figure that out 
Heh... On the plus side board games tends to hold their value well so odds are when you tire of scythe you will be able to get most of that price back
joeyjoejoeshabadoo
Member
The COIN games play great solo. You can use the AI flowchart or just play all sides. Since there is no hidden information it's pretty easy to do so. My favorite and easiest to get into is Cuba Libre, but the series features many different conflicts.
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamefamily/18749/gmt-coin-series
i haven't punched it yet, but i assume the new COIN game, colonial twilight will be even easier since you just have 2 players. I find the COIN flowcharts pretty simple, though tedious. Playing 4 sides kinda wrecks my brain after awhile.
That is so true, and for a game like Scythe I think it will hold. I haven't dumped a bunch of games on ebay in a few years (though I'm due), so I'm wondering if that will continue to be the case generally for modern games now that we have so many new titles coming out every week, and especially Kickstarter sort of diluting the market.
I've played vast four times now each with a different character. It has been enjoyable even though i keep losing. I kind of treat it as a mostly two player game even with five. Not sure how it would be solo though as i only recently got my own copy when it was in sale for like thirty.
BattleMonkey
Member
Game kinda needs that number soup to function. Their games are pretty big, ton of stuff, and if they had to remove that stuff from the chits and such, they would be doubling up one content having to print everything on separate chits and cards for references.
Merlin is only 60. 90 is for Merlin AND Pioneer
Yeah.
the only games I really see tanking are ones commonly sold at places like target and what not. most of the others as long as you buy them on a sale at like CSI likely won't drop to much from what you pay.
excluding odd exceptions like Seafall which obviously was expected to sell way more than it did.
SapphiCine
Member
I can see that the artist/designer did their best to work within the limitations. I'd like to think there is still some room to better convey that information.
From all the fire sales I've seen for their games, they must not be doing too well
They're clearly not.
When you have to put this up on your shiny new KS campaign, you've got quite the history:
$98 includes shipping to Canada. I have no idea how a game like this is costing them $38 to ship.
Is there a reason to kickstart it? Is going to go on sale anyway right?