Best Solitaire Games

[Nefaro]

I've been playing some video games again lately, but at a modest pace.

Planning on another attempt at winning a solitaire Conquest scenario in the Mage Knight boardgame with the Lost Legion expansion.  My last attempt ended in failure, which is a good thing because it's not a cakewalk.  I plan to sleeve the cards before my next play, however, so that will require some extra time being set aside.

How did you find the learning curve with that game? I'm somewhat interested in it, but also somewhat terrified by the rules.  ;D

It's only daunting because it's so unique.  I found the Beginner Rulebook quite good at teaching you the game with the basic 'Recon' scenario.  I also watched an LP on YouTube after my first run, to make sure I was doing things properly (I was). 

I'd suggest reading the starter manual, which teaches all the basics, and then watching a Let's Play series to cement the flow into memory before starting your first game.  The first one or two videos are usually enough to learn the system and the other scenarios are only brief additional rules for your future games. 

After I played the first starter (Recon) scenario, it was easy to memorize.  There are informational cards in the game that describe the effects and interactions of each hex type so you end up referring to those as you play.  It cuts down on manual referencing a good deal and the only thing I look up most in those, after a couple playthroughs, is the monster ability symbols & descriptions on the back.  The game flow for solitaire play is easy to remember.  It has a relatively easy turn sequence.

Edit:  As AB linked - check out Ricky Royal's LP series. 

[Arctic Blast]

Sweet! I'll check out those videos and see how I feel about it. Hopefully I'll get a good idea whether I want to drop the cash to pick it up or not.

[Rekim]

I noticed a couple of people on the Vassal server tonight are starting a MASSIVE Stalingrad campaign using Solitaire ASL (SASL) along with the Valor of the Guards historical module. Looks like they are cooperatively playing the Germans. I have no idea how they went about setting up the Soviet side for solitaire play, but would love to find out.



Can't imagine solitaire gaming getting any better than this!

[ArizonaTank]

Trying out the GMT version of Blackbeard solitaire this weekend.  Kind of jazzed about the prospect.

[PanzersEast]

Trying out the GMT version of Blackbeard solitaire this weekend.  Kind of jazzed about the prospect.

Let us know how it goes, I would be interested to hear any feedback you have.


PE

[Barthheart]

I noticed a couple of people on the Vassal server tonight are starting a MASSIVE Stalingrad campaign using Solitaire ASL (SASL) along with the Valor of the Guards historical module. Looks like they are cooperatively playing the Germans. I have no idea how they went about setting up the Soviet side for solitaire play, but would love to find out.



Can't imagine solitaire gaming getting any better than this!

OMG!  :o How could you ever play that!

[PanzersEast]

Sweet! I'll check out those videos and see how I feel about it. Hopefully I'll get a good idea whether I want to drop the cash to pick it up or not.

You may want to try out the vassal module, and while it is no substitute, it will give you a good idea of the game.


PE

[Nefaro]

OMG!  :o How could you ever play that!

No kidding.

I just can't bring myself to playing the large hex & counter tabletop wargames anymore.  They'll just be memories of setting them up, in my youth, only to have the cat scatter them or packing it back up to make way for my next one.  I think I read the manuals and packed/unpacked those things more than playing, back then.  :D

[Ubercat]

OMG!  :o How could you ever play that!

No kidding.

I just can't bring myself to playing the large hex & counter tabletop wargames anymore.  They'll just be memories of setting them up, in my youth, only to have the cat scatter them or packing it back up to make way for my next one.  I think I read the manuals and packed/unpacked those things more than playing, back then.  :D

All problems solved by Vassal, of course.

[Arctic Blast]

I'm busting out Robinson Crusoe this weekend. The rules seem to make sense, and I'm definitely looking forward to it.

[BanzaiCat]

This entire thread is pretty much my birthday wishlist.

[Arctic Blast]

Busted out Robinson Crusoe today. The game absolutely handed me my ass.

There's a lot of good stuff going on. Several event decks make for random events and items and what not. A lot of different things play into one another and integrate, often to crush you like an insect.

Two complaints :

1. It takes a little while to become comfortable with the turn structure. Some parts of the rules are well written and clear, but others are over-written dreck that takes awhile to chew through and figure out.
2. There is a LOT of fiddly little stuff all over the place. Cubes as wound markers on the wound track for each player, the shelter/roof/palisades tracks, the weapons track, etc. Invention cards splattered on the right side of the board, with super-tiny cubes used to mark off pre-requisites for building them. A good bump on the table and you've pretty much wasted an hour.

[Nefaro]

Two complaints :

1. It takes a little while to become comfortable with the turn structure. Some parts of the rules are well written and clear, but others are over-written dreck that takes awhile to chew through and figure out.
2. There is a LOT of fiddly little stuff all over the place. Cubes as wound markers on the wound track for each player, the shelter/roof/palisades tracks, the weapons track, etc. Invention cards splattered on the right side of the board, with super-tiny cubes used to mark off pre-requisites for building them. A good bump on the table and you've pretty much wasted an hour.

This sounds like my evaluation of Bios - Megafauna.  Although the game board is relatively small, which saves the game 'sprawl'.  In the mall with a pall.  Motherfuckin' Suess, bitches!  :P

Despite all the pieces and cards lying out everywhere the different stuff in play all interconnected quite a bit and made for a lot of complex strategic thinking.  Had to d/l the "living rules" though since the vanilla ones in the box had been given needed updates.  It was one of the few solitaire games I've immediately played a second time, after finished my initial game, so that's always a good sign.  I suspect Robinson Crusoe would be the same.

[Arctic Blast]

Two complaints :

1. It takes a little while to become comfortable with the turn structure. Some parts of the rules are well written and clear, but others are over-written dreck that takes awhile to chew through and figure out.
2. There is a LOT of fiddly little stuff all over the place. Cubes as wound markers on the wound track for each player, the shelter/roof/palisades tracks, the weapons track, etc. Invention cards splattered on the right side of the board, with super-tiny cubes used to mark off pre-requisites for building them. A good bump on the table and you've pretty much wasted an hour.

This sounds like my evaluation of Bios - Megafauna.  Although the game board is relatively small, which saves the game 'sprawl'.  In the mall with a pall.  Motherfuckin' Suess, bitches!  :P

Despite all the pieces and cards lying out everywhere the different stuff in play all interconnected quite a bit and made for a lot of complex strategic thinking.  Had to d/l the "living rules" though since the vanilla ones in the box had been given needed updates.  It was one of the few solitaire games I've immediately played a second time, after finished my initial game, so that's always a good sign.  I suspect Robinson Crusoe would be the same.

Dammit, stop tempting me with Phil Eklund games!  :)

Yep, there is a lot to like with Crusoe. And even if you stay with one scenario (there are six) for multiple plays, the adventure decks, available tools and inventions and tile draws are random.

The Adventure card draws are one of the best parts of the game. They only occur if you roll for one during a Build, Explore or Gather Resources action. A lot of them have choices to make, where you can get something good now but with the penalty of the card being shuffled into the Event deck. And when it comes up, some sort of reckoning is about to come down. Or it's just bad, and your stupid Explorer eats fruit that turns out to be poisoned and suffers enough wounds to send group Morale into a death spiral that you never recover from... >:(

[PanzersEast]

I was able to spend a little time with Darkest Night base game, expansions are setting to the side for now.... and I like it over all.  I need to play through some more, but the solitaire aspect of it is perfect and the footprint is relatively small.  I wish there were a little more places on the map, however I need a proper play through instead of a ..... err can I do that.  So far though so good.


PE