COMPONENTS - The copy I played with wasn't quite final, but even so the components are fabulous. Great trays for holding stuff, awesome metal and wooden components, great cards, just a lovely production overall. Just give us some player aids for all those solo priorities! 0:00 - Introduction 0:33 - Solo Bot Usability 1:28 - Victory Goals 2:11 - Card Combat 2:57 - Asymmetric Movement 4:05 - Action Variety 5:13 - Final Thoughts
I might be in the minority here, but I personally love complex bots - as long as the complexity is warranted and it helps the bot behave more like a human opponent (instead of being either too 'robotic' and predicatable, or too random and chaotic). But then I am used to Europa Universalis which has a 16-page-bot-rulebook with dozens of priority tables to roll on. For me that is heaven! 😃
@@OneStopCoopShopI mostly agree, but I think it’s more about how the bot’s actions affect you. Once you’re familiar with running a bot and you’re running it on autopilot, then for me, it’s incredibly boring/frustrating unless each thing you’re doing for the bot actually means something… like “oh damn, the bot took that card I wanted, ok what do I want now”, “oh ok since the bot moved there, I’m in range to attack so I can get some VP”… etc. Then everything the bot does is interesting and is actually more like it’s just another part of your own turn. Like drawing a new hand of cards or getting income or that sorta thing, it feels like it’s just part of playing your own solo game, as opposed to having to pretend there’s an opponent and just doing their admin for them.
Thank you for your review! I’m in nursing school and can’t get out to game as much these days, what would you consider the top few solo skirmish games if you have a moment?
Skirmish is a wide genre, but some solid ones are Root with the clockwork expansion, Ascension Tactics, Tyrants of the Underdark with my unofficial solo variant.
Another great review. I tried this one out on TTS and it's an amazing 1v1 game. Still super tight and interactive while providing you with asymetric, thematic powers (that I couldn't find in Watergate or Twilight Struggle). Would not pick this up just for solo tho
The artwork on this game is AMAZING. I'll probably get it just for that alone and try the solo mode and have a couple of 1v1 battles with some friends.
COMPONENTS - The copy I played with wasn't quite final, but even so the components are fabulous. Great trays for holding stuff, awesome metal and wooden components, great cards, just a lovely production overall. Just give us some player aids for all those solo priorities!
0:00 - Introduction
0:33 - Solo Bot Usability
1:28 - Victory Goals
2:11 - Card Combat
2:57 - Asymmetric Movement
4:05 - Action Variety
5:13 - Final Thoughts
I might be in the minority here, but I personally love complex bots - as long as the complexity is warranted and it helps the bot behave more like a human opponent (instead of being either too 'robotic' and predicatable, or too random and chaotic). But then I am used to Europa Universalis which has a 16-page-bot-rulebook with dozens of priority tables to roll on. For me that is heaven! 😃
No that’s my preference too. I love the root and coin bots for example.
These bots are often complex and unwieldy while also still being dumb 😅
@@OneStopCoopShopI mostly agree, but I think it’s more about how the bot’s actions affect you. Once you’re familiar with running a bot and you’re running it on autopilot, then for me, it’s incredibly boring/frustrating unless each thing you’re doing for the bot actually means something… like “oh damn, the bot took that card I wanted, ok what do I want now”, “oh ok since the bot moved there, I’m in range to attack so I can get some VP”… etc.
Then everything the bot does is interesting and is actually more like it’s just another part of your own turn. Like drawing a new hand of cards or getting income or that sorta thing, it feels like it’s just part of playing your own solo game, as opposed to having to pretend there’s an opponent and just doing their admin for them.
Thank you for your review!
I’m in nursing school and can’t get out to game as much these days, what would you consider the top few solo skirmish games if you have a moment?
Skirmish is a wide genre, but some solid ones are Root with the clockwork expansion, Ascension Tactics, Tyrants of the Underdark with my unofficial solo variant.
Another great review. I tried this one out on TTS and it's an amazing 1v1 game. Still super tight and interactive while providing you with asymetric, thematic powers (that I couldn't find in Watergate or Twilight Struggle). Would not pick this up just for solo tho
I actually dislike that it is so tight. It’s the reason I also didn’t like Radlands
I like both games, so I guess tight competition doesn’t bother me 😅
The artwork on this game is AMAZING. I'll probably get it just for that alone and try the solo mode and have a couple of 1v1 battles with some friends.
Agreed, nice production and art overall.
That solo mode looks complicated! Not sure I want to deal with it…
I just can’t get on with Turczi‘s solo modes. I noped out of Imperium Horizons for the same reason. Never feels organic to me.
That’s a good point actually. I got rid of my imperium boxes. Didn’t flow for me either. Intersting game but just not smooth enough.
I feel similarly about Imperium, but I'll have to give credit to both solo modes for Anachrony, which are excellent.
@@phk975 a game I am yet to play… 😊