OO Solo Board Gamers Guild

[hepcat]

Ah, got it. I knew it wasn't a wargame style game in its approach, so I went in armed with that knowledge. I just hope there's enough playtime in the operations and scenarios that came with the base game, and the expansion that I should be getting in a few days.

[Smoove_B]

Oh, there's tons of content and the scenario design is great. All the soldiers have the abilities you'd expect - it's definitely a fun game and it didn't surprise me at all to see the creators are behind the Assassin's Creed board game that was on KS last year.

[$iljanus]

From my reading about the game it's a little bit of a dungeon crawl to me with a WW2 setting and stealth mechanics. The non-fantasy setting was part of the appeal.

Also I get to live out my Dirty Dozen/Guns of Navarone/Where Eagles Dare/Heroes of Telemark fantasies!

[hepcat]

I never really got a dungeon crawl vibe from the reviews myself. Although I guess I can see it now that you mentioned it. What I got was more of an action game feel that tried to mimic those great, top down stealth games from years ago like Commandos and Desperado, as well as more recent fare like X-Com, Seven and Shadow Tactics. The rules are pretty simple, but I like the concentration on stealth over run and gun...although you can certainly resort to the latter if push comes to shove.

I've read through the rules, and while the manual is a somewhat dense 18 pages, the actual mechanics seem straightforward and intuitive.

It reminds me a little of Tannhauser, a game I had years ago before I really got into board games. I mistakenly thought it was a team game, when it really is a 2 player miniatures game. I still kick myself for selling it off before I had a chance to get some more experience under my belt with that type of game. I'm pretty sure I'd love it today.

[Blackhawk]

I've really been wanting a couple of WWII games that aren't counter-heavy and rules-dense. IE - not Avalon Hill style simulations. I've tried a couple of times, and ended up with games that just can't get to the table. The first is Memoir '44. It's a great game, but is really a two player game, which is almost impossible for me (I have one player, or I have 3+. Never 2.)

It reminds me a little of Tannhauser, a game I had years ago before I really got into board games. I mistakenly thought it was a team game, when it really is a 2 player miniatures game. I still kick myself for selling it off before I had a chance to get some more experience under my belt with that type of game. I'm pretty sure I'd love it today.

That was the second game. It was one of the first games I bought because I really, really liked the themed (WWII with a supernatural twist.) The problem was that I found that the rules were, essentially, broken. There were rules that were essential to the game that were impossible to follow. I don't remember the specifics, but think of an essential ability that requires 3 resources to activate and can only be activated at the beginning of a turn. And at the beginning of a turn that resource always resets back to 2 points just before you can activate it.

Then Fantasy Flight revised the rules to make it playable. And charged $10 for the PDF to owners of the game that couldn't play it. The game has never left the shelf as a result, and my opinion of FF was tarnished right from the start.

[Smoove_B]

I've really been wanting a couple of WWII games that aren't counter-heavy and rules-dense.

While not officially solo, I've been following along as people try to make it happen. By all accounts, you want Undaunted Normandy. As a bonus, can be purchased on the cheap via Amazon.

[Archinerd]

I've really been wanting a couple of WWII games that aren't counter-heavy and rules-dense.

While not officially solo, I've been following along as people try to make it happen. By all accounts, you want Undaunted Normandy. As a bonus, can be purchased on the cheap via Amazon.

This was already on my radar... but I have to buy it now. Some time ago, I discovered that I like pretty much any game Smoove likes.
My copy arrives tomorrow.

[Smoove_B]

[$iljanus]

There should be an "Enabled by Smoove_B" support group.

[Smoove_B]

I really am the worst. My powers are even greater in real life - my buddy just had to build himself an extra room to play all the games I make him buy.

[$iljanus]

Both you and Hepcat. You’re evil influences, the both of you!

[MonkeyFinger]

Both you and Hepcat. You’re evil influences, the both of you!

Good Lord, tell me about it.

[Smoove_B]

Things might get weird while solo gaming this weekend...

[hepcat]

I've already got the cosplay costumes, so I'm definitely in.

In other news, I just backed Time of Legends: Destinies. A solo RPG/boardgame using an app. Not sure if I'll drop my pledge or not before the kickstarter ends. But the price of entry isn't terribly high, and in theory I like what they're trying to do (looks almost like a combo of an FFG app driven board game and 7th Continent). I just need to do some video watchin' on it and read through the rules they posted on the KS site.

[Smoove_B]

I think I dismissed that because of the connection to Joan of Arc. But yeah, the price point is rather surprising.

[hepcat]

2 games of V-Commandos this weekend so far. It reminds me a lot of another favorite of mine, Flashpoint. It has the same overall coop experience, but with some additional mechanics that give you that WWII theme and feel.

[$iljanus]

2 games of V-Commandos this weekend so far. It reminds me a lot of another favorite of mine, Flashpoint. It has the same overall coop experience, but with some additional mechanics that give you that WWII theme and feel.

Have it on my table and hope to get to it soon. You like it so far? How’s the difficulty?

[hepcat]

I like it quite a bit. The stealth mechanic is easy to track, but extremely thematic. Combat is equally easy, but also lends itself to a surprising amount of theme. This isn't a full blown...or even somewhat blown...wargame, but it is a light game masquerading as a mid weight game...which is not an insult in this case. It's surprisingly deep in spite of its simple mechanics.

It's also punishingly hard at times. All it takes is one mistake to drive a simple mission into the crapper. If you hate games that can hinge on a dice roll, this is not the game for you. But it honestly is a plus for me in this setting in that the luck of the roll simulates the inability to predict what an enemy soldier is going to do next.

The only negative I can find so far is that you could replace all the map tiles with just one set and lose nothing from the gameplay. They're different purely for the sake of aesthetics. And they don't even include an appropriate map tile look for some terrain like the battleship.

[$iljanus]

The rulebook is easy to read so far and I’m in the mood for games I can bring to table quickly nowadays. And it probably plays quickly since you can just play a level instead of a full blown operation if you wanted.

[MonkeyFinger]

And... Noble Knights just got another sale.

[hepcat]

I wonder how many copies they had in stock? I couldn't find it anywhere else except for Triton Noir's storefront, and I didn't want to pay Canadian shipping, so I was pleased when I found it for slightly cheaper on a domestic store site.

One thing that is absolutely essential to winning in V-Commandos is remembering that +1 AP (action point) tokens CAN be used AT ANY TIME. They're considered 0 action actions, which means you can play them before or after any commando turn or enemy step (not during though). It's in a side bar on +1 AP tokens, so it's easy to miss. This is fantastic if you get discovered during the enemy reinforcement step (remember, an enemy soldier appearing on your tile forces you to make a stealth roll for each one). Just use your +1 AP token to take them out with a silent shot (if you have a quiet weapon) before their move step. Or if your stealth roll succeeded and you're still in stealth, just do an automatic close combat kill on them.

I did not do this during my first two games and only realized what a huge game play bonus this is after reading about it on BGG.

[Skinypupy]

I picked up the iPad version of Aeon's End yesterday. It's surprisingly well done, and really fun to play. However, I had forgotten how insanely difficult it is, when playing without the house rules I had put in when playing the physical game. In the 4 games I played last night, I have yet to get the Boss below even 1/2 health before dying.

I really have no idea how anyone ever actually wins.

[Smoove_B]

Spent time last week and then again over the weekend playing Roger's Rangers, a game that covers the formal origins of what eventually became the US Army Ranger forces. This kind of game is outside of my general interests; I don't really consider myself all that much into colonial or revolutionary war history. I mean, it's interesting, but I don't have a burning desire to read about it or simulate battles or strategy from the era.

That being said, my plan post-high school if I didn't get into college was to join Army and become an Airborne Ranger. There are still days when I wonder what my life would have been like as I'm confident it would have been a lifetime career choice, not a temporary endeavor.

Anyway, the amazing thing about the Roger of Roger's Rangers is that the US Army Rangers still use a (slightly modified) version of his Ranger's creed as their guiding set of standing orders. With that in mind, I could at least enjoy the theme of the game from that perspective...or so I thought.

This is a "folio series" title from Decision Games, a title that ships in a baggie for about $15. The quality isn't bad for the price, however the rules are a flipping mess. There are things referenced in the rules that aren't included with the game. There are strange editing errors on the cards and what I assume is a color-correction error for the included map (the key references a color that isn't used). They're mostly minor things (besides the missing card) and I'd assumed there would be an errata document or FAQ on the Decision Games website; there was not. That's what took me so long trying to figure out how to play - searching online, watching the sparse videos on Youtube...very frustrating.

I actually like the game - it's fun. There's the right amount of randomness and some strategic decision making involved. But the rules and presentation is a mess and that's just unfortunate. I have another folio title (covering D-Day) but now I'm a bit nervous to break it out as it's way more complicated than this should have been.

[coopasonic]

I really have no idea how anyone ever actually wins.

By studying the available cards, looking for synergies and planning your decks from the start then adapting to where to damage is hitting and prioritizing targets.

it's a simple game to play. It is *not* a simple game to win.

[Skinypupy]

Yeah, I need to look up strategies for building a deck. I always get overwhelmed in the mid-game because there's never enough available damage to attack both the big bad and burn down the adds. I'm obviously doing something wrong in that regard.

[Tao]

Picked up Sword and Sorcery: Immortal Souls a few weeks ago and finally got a chance to play. First time I tried the first quest I had to start over midway as I realized I had gotten a number of rules wrong, second attempt I had to take a few breaks and kept losing track of the phases of play and what sequence I was on. Third attempt I think I got 99% of everything correct and managed to complete the quest.

Question; there are 3 items in my Emporium deck which appear to be

Spoiler:

"soul" items, rather than stash or crowns there is a symbol for soul shards in the corner of the card. They obviously don't go in the treasure deck as they don't have the treasure card back and I am just not sure what to do with them or how you would acquire them. I am guessing maybe through a quest event. Golden Mirror (Shield), Glacial Blade (Sword) and Mystic Scepter (Wand).

[Blackhawk]

I haven't played since this summer so I can't double check, but I believe those were story related.

[Fardaza]

I've been kind of burned out on PC games lately. I decided to try a solo board game instead. My biggest issue is lack of table space to lay out a game and play it. I found numerous games on BGG and even checked in with a couple of really fine game stores in my area.

Three days ago I purchased Arkham Horror: The Card Game. I'm looking forward to having time this weekend or early next week to play! It's all I can do right now not to read the scenario booklet.

Should I play with 1 investigator, Roland Banks or go ahead and play 2 using Wendy Adams also? Is it better with 1 or 2 my first time through?

Thanks for the input!

[YellowKing]

Should I play with 1 investigator, Roland Banks or go ahead and play 2 using Wendy Adams also? Is it better with 1 or 2 my first time through?

I highly recommend two investigators. Not only does that allow you to compensate for each others' weaknesses, there are also game mechanics (such as pulling a monster off another investigator) that you won't be able to take advantage of if playing true solo.

[Smoove_B]

Yeah, it's possible to play true solo but I don't think I'd do it out of the box or as part of my first attempt. Roland and Wendy is a solid paring.

[Fishbelly]

Agreed. It'll be tough going with one character, and to be honest, not as fun. I played Roland and Wendy my first time, and they made a good duo.

[Fardaza]

Thanks for your suggestions. I watched the tutorial video a couple times and played my first game tonight. Roland and Wendy were my investigators.

Got destroyed!

I'm not real sure I understand some of the mechanics yet. I'll try again in a few days. Maybe I'll look at some other playthroughs online first.
Any suggestions on first turn moves?

[Smoove_B]

I'm not real sure I understand some of the mechanics yet. I'll try again in a few days. Maybe I'll look at some other playthroughs online first.Any suggestions on first turn moves?

There's definitely a learning curve, particularly if you're not accustomed to playing card games where turns/actions are simulated by card play. The trick is to understand what things you can do within the turn structure (taking your three actions) and what things you can do outside of those actions (playing cards or activating an ability for "Free"). The other thing I've learned that people struggle with is just how important it is to evade an enemy that is engaged with you. The reason is because of the turn timing and if an enemy is still engaged with you after your turn ends, it will then be able to freely attack you during the enemy phase. However, if you've evaded, typically the only thing it can do is then re-engage you as its action. Understanding the flow of combat (and how monsters or enemies can move (or not) around the board is definitely critical). Finally, don't be afraid to play on Easy. I found the game to be punishingly hard even on normal levels. I think the higher difficulty levels are there for people that are willing to create custom decks or really get into the nuts and bolts of deck crafting. I am not, so Easy was still hard enough. Definitely watch a video or two just to see the flow and verify you are conducting each turn correctly. Once it "clicks", I think you'll be fine.

[Fardaza]

I didn't realize the importance of evading. Wendy had a nice card that said sneak attack for 2 damage to an exhausted enemy. I could never figure out how to get an enemy exhausted. Only afterward did I see that you need to evade first. Still, later in the first scenario, I could never evade the main baddie anyway.

If I evade an enemy, the only thing it can do on its turn is re-engage? Not attack? That's good to know if that's the case!

The tutorial setup in the guide shows the "standard" difficulty I believe. Does "easy" setting simply change the configuration of what's in the draw bag by adding a few more + tokens?

[Smoove_B]

If I evade an enemy, the only thing it can do on its turn is re-engage? Not attack? That's good to know if that's the case!

Generally speaking, yes. Evading exhausts the enemy giving it limited options when it activates on its turn. Rarely will an enemy be able to activate, re-engage and then attack. Instead, it will follow it's behavior choices (selecting an investigator that matches it's combat AI, then attaching itself).

The tutorial setup in the guide shows the "standard" difficulty I believe. Does "easy" setting simply change the configuration of what's in the draw bag by adding a few more + tokens?

Exactly. The difficulty level slightly changes token balance in the Chaos bag, modifying the statistics. Enemy health or conditions for advancing the plot are always tied to the number of investigators, so that doesn't change when you put it on easy mode.

[Fardaza]

I just watched the Gray Board Gamer's 3-part walkthru. That helped a lot! I hope to find time in the next few days to play again.

[MonkeyFinger]

I guess I should put this here since it's a niche solitaire wargame: Crowbar! from Flying Pig games. They sent out a 20% off coupon code last week for it as it is just starting shipping after the Kickstarter: "cbar20". No clue how long it's good for though.

[Archinerd]

I guess I should put this here since it's a niche solitaire wargame: Crowbar! from Flying Pig games. They sent out a 20% off coupon code last week for it as it is just starting shipping after the Kickstarter: "cbar20". No clue how long it's good for though.

Did you get it? Impressions? I thought it looked interesting.

[Smoove_B]

It's one of those "bridge" games that sits between board game and war game (IMHO). Like Pavlov's House, Undaunted: Normandy or Rifles in the Ardennes, it sort of mixes elements between the two worlds. The end result (I think) is that you can scratch a war gaming itch in a much shorter (and more casual) amount of time. I've set it up and done a few trial rounds to try and grok the mechanics, but I do like it. It is quite large in presentation (the board is absurd) and that could be a plus or a minus depending on what you're looking for. On the one hand, I like the giant components (the chits are the size of quarters) because they're easy on my old-man eyes. But with giant tiles comes giant board, so setting it up means table hog. Additionally, I couldn't figure out how to set it up as intended (with me sitting at the beach side, looking up into France) because invariably then you're standing to reach where you need to go. Instead, I rotated the map sideways, which works but it definitely loses a bit of the impact as it's clearly designed (graphic layout) to be viewed one way.

At it's core, it's a push-your-luck dice game. There's lots of decision points and random elements to keep it interesting. I was drawn to it based on my love of all things Ranger and this is one of a handful of games I know of that is solely focused on what the rangers did on D-Day.

It is expensive so that coupon is definitely a smart move. I don't know what their plans are for reprint or keeping it in stock. There's already been a few (minor) issues identified with the rule book and the game board has a misprint for where you can keep the dice as they are spent. As a KS backer I'm frustrated because it was delayed for so long - to then have issues that should have been caught in QA and proofing is annoying but not a deal breaker.

[Smoove_B]

And speaking of Pavlov's House, that was my game this week. It's pretty quick to play once you get going, though in fairness I am only playing with the basic / regular rules. I haven't added (or looked at) advanced options so there's nothing too complex to do. Here's a shot shortly after I started.



I think this is about 5 rounds in and I was just attacked by German Junkers. Thankfully, I'd spent earlier turns deploying AA so they were eliminated before they could bomb my position. I like this shot of the game because it really shows off the three different elements of game play. You have the tactical (far left), strategic (center) and operational (right) areas and what happens in one area can influence the others. I am not aware of another game like that, but I will also admit my experience in war gaming is still pretty limited.

This is a creation by the same guy that made Undaunted: Normandy (David Thompson) and I've come to appreciate his designs. I'm also glad he went with Osprey for U:N because the components for this game are pretty basic and borderline unacceptable. I don't think of myself as a component elitist, but for a game that was released in 2018, these components are just meh. And that's what I've come to not like about DVG titles - components.

I'd still recommend it, but just realize you're not getting the greatest components. Not only are they lower quality, but the art is quite minimal. In truth, if the game wasn't so much fun, I'd probably ditch it but somehow it manages to overcome the component distraction (for me) and deliver a relatively short wargaming-ish experience.