Epic Board Games

We have generally had epic board game days about once per month. I am going to make this list and distribute it to the usual suspects, but anyone who wishes to attend and participate is invited. If nothing else, we almost always have catered lunch!

Previous Games

Here are the games we have already played. Each is available to be played again, if requested. Also, here is a link to my game inventory on BGG[1]. We can use these sections to comment on games and/or discuss variants, as well as plan which we would like to play.

Samurai Swords[2]

Dieter, Dave and I played this once a few months ago. Its a 5 player game, and pretty much a shining example of 80's Ameritrash. Game length: 2-3 hours, maybe a little more.

Conquest of the Empire[3]

This is not a straight up war game. You can fight, yes, but its just as easy to win without combat. The voting mechanic is cool, but if one player makes a mistake at it early, its possible to get into a downward spiral. In many ways this is just like Twilight Imperium. If you concentrate on victory points over board position, you can win easily unless your opponents do the same. Dieter was very frustrated last time we played this, and, sadly, most of the others didnt like it much either. I think its pretty good. Plays in a little over 3 hours.

Dune[4]

One of my favorite games. Not truly an epic, usually can be played in under 2.5 hours. It is, however, epic in that it plays well with up to 6 players, more if expansions are included (which I dont have yet, but they can be found online to print). Last time we did a game day of this we played it twice. I think this game will improve immensely as we get to know its mechanics and nuances.

Warrior Knights[5]

I have both versions of this game, though not the expansion for the new version. This had a fun political mechanic, but felt stifling in some ways. It was also very hard to recover from mistakes. It took a long time, 3+ hours. Maybe its a better game now that we have played it once.

A Game of Thrones[6]

This was a good game with a good theme. The fighting was mostly deterministic, yet still exciting. The playing time was about 3 hours, and could have been less. I think this game gives us good bang for the buck.

Twilight Imperium[7]

One of our most popular epics, and certainly the longest at about 1.5 hours per player. This game takes all day. It has a lot of nice pieces and good production value, but often there are little bits of it that lack the meat of greatness. Move and fight all you want, but if you dont get objectives, you dont score points. Board position is meaningless in the grand scheme.

Variants and Requests

Shattered Empire is absolutely essential, as is accelerated startup. We have used Distant Suns, all of the special units and colony/refinery. We also tried fiddling with dreadnought abilities. Some new variants to try include the Star Trek races and a new bidding mechanic I am working on for strategy cards.

More discussion: Twilight Imperium

Unplayed Games

The following are some other games I think we should include in the epic rotation that have not yet been played. In these sections I only post a request area so those who want to play it can indicate such.

Napoleon in Europe[8]

Its a wargame, yessiree! It also includes politics and event cards. Its not highly ranked, but I bet it could be fun. The rule book is small.

Blood Royale[9]

I have had this game for almost 10 years and have never played it. I think it looks cool, albeit long and possibly confusing.

Blood Feud In New York[10]

Another game thats not highly ranked but might be fun. Not a lot of modern themed games in the rotation. I got it for $10 at Garys, so even if its semi-lame it was worth the investment.

Rise and Decline of the Third Reich[11]

I think the description on BGG says it all:

Rise and Decline of the Third Reich is a classic "grand strategy" wargame covering the European theater of WWII. The game is huge in scope. Players take on the roles of all of the major national powers and can simulate the entire war effort from 1939 until the end (often isn't until 1946). This game is a favorite of many because of an excellent balance between politics and military might, and it gives players a chance to try things that did not happen historically to see if they might have worked better (e.g., Germany invading Spain). This game is definitely not for the novice gamer. The rules are intricate, and there are many factors for players to deal with: resources, unit production, negotiation, and, of course, strategic warfare.

Avalon Hill Complexity rating - 10

I have never played it, but think it could be fun in a once-per-year kind of way. Satisfying like a lot of other games cant be, but easy to get your fill of, so to speak.