Best Solitaire Games

[DennisS]

I cannot believe I just purchased ANOTHER game today.

This one is Firefly, by Joss Wheedon. I just got done watching the boardgame geek videos, and it looks pretty darned excellent.

About ready to do the unboxing on this puppy...cover me, I'm going in!

[Arctic Blast]

I cannot believe I just purchased ANOTHER game today.

This one is Firefly, by Joss Wheedon. I just got done watching the boardgame geek videos, and it looks pretty darned excellent.

About ready to do the unboxing on this puppy...cover me, I'm going in!

It's a pretty good game, but man does it devour table space. The small box masks just how much room that monster needs once everything is set up.

[DennisS]

I agree on the space needed. I have a card table set up, permanently, in my office for my latest board game. This thing is chock a block full, and I am using a window ledge for five more decks of cards!!

First game in my memory that doesn't fit on a ten square foot table.

[DennisS]

OK...I have to ask...how is Pandemic, as far as solitaire play?

[TacticalWargames]

I'm debating whether to pre order Fields of Fire 2nd edition or the new FoF due out covering the Marines. I like the sound of the new urban combat..but no fighting Germans (would love to haver seen a German side game covering the Russian front).

I'll prob go for the newer game involving Marines.

[Arctic Blast]

I finally had the chance to try Galaxy Defenders this weekend. I may do a more detailed post later, but it seems quite good.

It's also bloody hard. Trust me, you don't need to buy the Elite Alien Army pack. Just get the game.

The rule book rambles on and on, but the gameplay is going to be familiar if you've played any of the D&D Adventure games. After each player goes, you draw a card to run the alien AI. The aliens have similar commands to the monsters in the D&D games, but more detailed and with more options. Also, assigning aliens to players seems somewhat pointless, since each player's aliens don't trigger once that player goes. It's a general 'draw behavior card that determines which aliens activate' system. Because of this, the pre-game setup is a bit more involved. You'll custom build decks of Event cards, Alien cards and Behavior cards prior to playing the game.

After every player has taken their turn in a round, the first player draws an Event card. This can change the weather (affecting piece movement or interactions similar to weather changes in Arkham Horror), spawn aliens, help the players, or trigger scenario events. When aliens spawn, they appear at different teleport points which are rolled for, so you don't know where they're going to appear ahead of time.

Attacks consist of rolling a number of dice which differs depending on the weapon. Results can trigger Hits, Jams, Ammo loss and Lightning Bolts (which cause different effects depending on the weapon). Then the defender rolls one blue die for each hit against them, with energy shields coming off first. Other actions consist of tactical shifts (sort of a move and a half), disengaging from melee opponents, setting mines (if you have them), un-jamming weapons, bashing down locked doors, activating drone turrets, and so on.

As well, players can roll for GD Wings during campaigns, which is a fancy way of saying 'promotions'. Get one (you roll dice) and you add abilities to your player board. Instead of managing a pile of cards and tokens on a player board, the board itself grows out by adding new hexes to it. You can also obtain upgraded weapons and alien weapons during the game by snagging artifacts and calling for reinforcement (it's actually resupply. Why they called it reinforcement is a mystery), but if you don't have alien knowledge, your lack of familiarity will affect your ability to handle alien weapons.

The rules are a bit over-written and annoying, and some of the game terms are needlessly confusing (such as reinforcement), but the game seems pretty good. It's also maliciously difficult at times.

[Staggerwing]

But can you play it solitaire?

[Nefaro]

But can you play it solitaire?

I'm pretty sure it's a Co-Op game, which means absolutely YES.  ;)

My only hesitation would be the price point.  I think Stagger mentioned it earlier but it's something close to $100 IIRC.

[Arctic Blast]

But can you play it solitaire?

Absolutely.

It is pricey, but you can likely find it for something similar to $65 or so online.

[PanzersEast]

Maybe I will find time to finally learn to play Pathfinder and play the expansions to Darkest Night.   ::) 


PE

[Nefaro]

Maybe I will find time to finally learn to play Pathfinder and play the expansions to Darkest Night.   ::) 


PE

I still have a number of different classes to try out in Darkest Night, too.  The priority may be more on Sentinels of the Multiverse, however, because I have yet to check out numerous heroes, locations, etc and they're still releasing expansions (which I will probably want)!

[Nefaro]

I finally got around to playing RAF this weekend.  Started the Lion full Battle Of Britain campaign.

While I had previously read the rules for Lion, I had only set the game up but cleared it off the table before beginning.  However, I recently started watching a couple RAF "LPs" on the 'Tube and it really solidified the game flow after seeing someone else doing it.  After watching only a couple raid days worth of vids, I set it up and started playing quite easily. 

Been enjoying it quite a bit despite a brutal first day of bombing and aircraft/pilot losses I'm still trying to recover from.  At least it won't be a pushover.  :)


After I finish this one, I may start up a Silent War campaign, or maybe Patton's Best.  Although one reason I'm enjoying RAF is the card-driven unpredictability which still allows for some believable situations being thrown at you.  I don't quite get the same feeling by just rolling random stuff on tables, like many other solitaire strategy games.  Pretty sure I have more of these card-driven ones yet to play, too, so they may win out.

[weateallthepies]

I've been playing B-29 Superfortress which is much the same as B-17 though there is more focus on just keeping the thing flying and with enough fuel to complete the mission, and less on the combat. A fun game, but still more a narrative creation tool like B-17 than a game.

Besides that I've really been enjoying my first foray into the COIN system with Cuba Libre. This is completely the other end of the spectrum, lots of choices, assymentrical sides, multiple use cards that drive the play forward. So far I've just been playing all sides but I might try out the AI flowcharts soon. Really like the system though, and I'll definitely be picking up the Vietnam game when it comes out.

[PanzersEast]

Got around to playing a game of Darkest Night with the 1st expansion.  So far either I got off to a bad start, or just unlucky as this round feel like a difficult start.  I start with The Prince, The Wizard, The Rogue, and The Acolyte..... The Prince is Necromancer bait for sure.... The Prince can be used to move the N around the board away from the others.... but corned he won't last long.


I have spent a brief time with B-29, but have yet to run a full campaign.  I also setup to start a run though of Pathfinder with 3 adventures for a full campaign run though after I just play tested a couple of scenarios.



PE

[Nefaro]

I bought the Korea expansion for B-29, as that looks to address the navigation & combat imbalance.  Likely deadlier too.  One thing I didn't like about the original B-29 was the multiple rolls & tables that are further combined into the navigation roll(s).  That should've been much more streamlined, so I started using a much simplified homebrew to cut down on that mess.  Still haven't played the Korea expansion, though.

I'll probably end up revisiting Picket Duty before B-29 Korea.  Despite a couple hazy rules questions it seemed to flow more fluidly, with a steady stream of action.


Also have yet to play these other awaiting solitaire games (in no particular order):

Field Commander: Alexander
Cruel Necessity
Labyrinth
Blackbeard
Space Empires
Boots on the Ground
Patton's Best
Republic Of Rome

Silent War (campaign.. only played patrols thus far)
B-29: Hell Over Korea

*There are probably more I forgot to list.

At times I find myself doing the same indecisive dance that I do with PC games.  Worrying about which I want to play next so much that I can't make up my mind.