Hmm, Codenames: Pictures came out in 2016 and that is by far my most played game from that year, hitting the table still now in some forms (mostly as Codenames: Duett, using the pictures instead of the words). With over 50 plays definitely one with staying power.

Next up would be Mare Nostrum: Empires with just 4 plays, but due to its much larger scope and depth not surprising for hitting the table less. But one I think about quite often, how to get it to the table. My preferred group for games like that hasn’t met lately, but that would definitely be a contender for the evening if we do meet again.

On the solo front it is Comancheria, that even though I only played twice so far, left deep impression and only time restrictions kept me from getting it out more often – and well, Nemo’s War from 2017 is even better and stole some of the thunder. But I am sure I will get Comancheria to the table again.

They are primarily four player designs (except colonial twilight and the upcoming all bridges burning), where all factions are a must in play. That is why Volko started with the bots, because they allow to play with less than four players without one of the players taking two factions. That you can play solo with three bots (or even only bots) is just a function of them providing bits for all factions, so people can select relatively freely (older coin games had a few limits on which bots would work solo) what faction to play. Of course soloability is maxed that way and of course GMT markets that, it would be dumb not to. Wargames classically had a soloability rating attached. Doesn’t make them primarily solo designs, though. It just happened to turn out that way as a result of the hard four-factions design.

Lets put it this way: I got as far as being able to make it barely through half of the pre-cooked intro scenario. I didn’t get any motivation to try again or unwrap any of the non-intro packs.

That was why I went in, too. I really liked PACG, but felt the character progression was a bit too linear and the scenarios and overall story too scripted. It kinda felt like “my first DnD campaign”. But the system itself felt promising. So with Apocrypha and it’s non-linear connection of scenarios and the way characters didn’t just grow better and better but instead just developed both benefits and detriments until they succumb to ultimate failure – that sounded really good. Sadly they stuffed it in a box with a really bad learning experience. Outch.