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Author Topic: Solo wargaming?  (Read 4643 times)

Offline Tinfoil knight

  • Schoolboy
  • Posts: 8
Solo wargaming?
« on: August 09, 2016, 06:06:20 PM »
Has any one found any success with a solo tabletop game? I know many board games and card games now include single player variants but I haven't seen much out of tabletop stuff. The closest is Frostgrave and I haven't got round to trying that yet but look forward to it.

Offline warlord frod

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 658
Re: Solo wargaming?
« Reply #1 on: August 09, 2016, 09:12:10 PM »
Many of the skirmish level games mentioned here like IHMN and Pulp Alley are easily adapted to solo play. I have used them and more over the years whgen I have not been able to find an opponent.

Offline Golgotha

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2176
    • BMC Miniatures - All things wargame related.
Re: Solo wargaming?
« Reply #2 on: August 09, 2016, 09:27:41 PM »
Any wargame can be solo play especially when you play each side to the best of your ability.

Offline sundayhero

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2452
Re: Solo wargaming?
« Reply #3 on: August 09, 2016, 09:53:52 PM »
take a look on two hour wargames. Best solo/coop games available ;)

Offline Elbows

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 9452
Re: Solo wargaming?
« Reply #4 on: August 09, 2016, 10:45:09 PM »
I've had a lot of success with my Old West game, Shoot N' Skedaddle...but it's more of an accidental by-product than a real attempt at designing a solo game.  Also, the impossible-to-replicate complexity which is out-witting your opponent is obviously impossible.

However, SnS involves random gang or posse creation (players draw characters from a deck and then arm them randomly from a weapon deck).  This removes any army building or cheesing on one side, etc.  It also allows for immense replayability of a single scenario.

Next, activation is handled by two matching poker decks (each character is assigned a poker card...two are shuffled into the activation deck and you take turns drawing).  This means that when a character is drawn it's relatively easy to simply act in that character's best interest.  Again, sadly the mischief of out-smarting your opponent isn't present, so it's never as good as a genuine game vs. an opponent but I can really enjoy running a game solo.

I'm not here hocking my wares, moreso I think you should look for games with similar mechanics.  Failing that I find a lot of games are just a card deck away from being relatively solo-friendly.  Adding some randomness or variety or unexpected events is a good way to entertain yourself.  I find that wargames can be quite difficult to enjoy if you have control of two opposing armies and you know your own strategies before you put them into play.  You could randomize deployment or randomize an army build...you could develop a quick D12 or D20 table to determine how a unit acts?  Lots of simple ways you can massage a set of rules to be more solo-friendly.

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Offline warlord frod

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 658
Re: Solo wargaming?
« Reply #5 on: August 10, 2016, 01:03:59 AM »
Elbows also put out his Elbowtech rules which I used for a solo game (See http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=80910.105) page 8 shows my battle report. To play solo it helps if you give one or both sides a clear objective that indicates victory. In my example one side had to get off the board and the other had to stop them simple precise objectives. The use of cards and die rolls to determine actions and movement helps. Elbows rules worked well in that regard.

Do you still have your stuff up on the web somewhere Elbows given that all your images have disappeared in the thread? I know you were talking about adjusting some aspects of the rules at one point. Are you still toying with them?

Offline Elbows

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 9452
Re: Solo wargaming?
« Reply #6 on: August 10, 2016, 02:35:17 AM »
I have the updated cards on my blog (link on my signature), but since that project I've left a job...moved...and life has gotten in the way.  I was actually looking at my box of Elbowtech stuff today.  I'll add that to the list of stuff I need to update.

Offline d phipps

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 4647
  • Pulp Alley
    • Pulp Alley
Re: Solo wargaming?
« Reply #7 on: August 10, 2016, 02:59:21 AM »
We recently released a 1-page guide and a new Solo Deck specifically designed for playing Pulp Alley solo scenarios.

Here what one of our avid Pulp Alley players had this to say about his first encounter with the new Solo Deck (from ragsthetiger) --

 "I set up my first solo game of Pulp Alley last night after dinner and played a couple of turns before retiring to bed. I was very impressed with how well the solo rules and deck work, and what an interesting game they provided. Too often, playing a game like this solo devolves into a tedious checklist of procedural moves that lack drama and spontaneity, but the Pulp Alley Solo Deck is full of twists and surprises, and gives the game the kind of dynamic ebb and flow that makes it unpredictable, lively, dramatic, and fun.

 "I really don't think one could ask for a better rendition of this game for solo play -- there was a lot of thought and care put into designing this expansion, and anyone who plays solo, or has thought of doing so, is going to be thrilled with how well it opens up Pulp Alley for the solo gamer. Solo gamers, your Pulp Alley expansion has arrived, and it works great."



HAVE FUN

Offline armchairgeneral

  • Supporting Adventurer
  • Mastermind
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  • Posts: 1731
Re: Solo wargaming?
« Reply #8 on: August 10, 2016, 11:38:20 AM »
Games based on the "Pony Wars" type system can be alot of fun where enemy units come on the table edge randomly and react to your units on a probability table.

Developed originally for US Cavalry/Indian Wars, it works best for convoy or mission type scenarios. I was thinking of trying it in a Byzantines vs Arabs setting using Saga as far as possible.

Offline sundayhero

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2452
Re: Solo wargaming?
« Reply #9 on: August 10, 2016, 01:08:46 PM »
I'm surprised I'm the only one who speaks about two hour wargames ? They created great reference games like NUTS or All Thing Zombies.

The system is table driven (don't be afraid, for most situations you will soon don't need it), where coop and solo gaming is directly integrated in the basis of the game, not some kind of "upper coat" or optional way to handle solo gaming.

Campaign rules are often (always? not sure since I don't own all the thw rules) very detailled, wich is perfect in solo gaming in my opinion : what you cannot find (a human intelligence) is replaced by story telling.

The game system is very cleverly made, so situations still credible, but still with "heroic" felling.

All rules may not be the easiest to learn, but game support is first class on the official forum or blog.

I play solo most of the time, due to my geographic situation, and I bless THW games everytime I play this way ! Even with casual gamers, or people of diferent level or comitment, you can play solo VS the game system, instead of humiliating the newbie (or simply be bored to play with newbies) simply because you know the game a way better.

Offline Elbows

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 9452
Re: Solo wargaming?
« Reply #10 on: August 10, 2016, 01:16:57 PM »
I have only played one Two Hour Wargames...the gladiator one (I believe it's that company) Red Sand, Blue Sky.  It was one of the worst games I've ever played, and as such I've never bothered even glancing at their other titles.

 :?

Offline sundayhero

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2452
Re: Solo wargaming?
« Reply #11 on: August 10, 2016, 01:45:29 PM »
You should take a look on their last free titles : 2D6 system, chain reaction 2015 and swordplay 2015. It's free, so risk is minimal  lol

I didnt try the gladiator game, and not a THW specialist, but I believe it's a quite old game. Maybe that's the problem. You'll see that chain reaction 2015 is pretty straight forward.

But I can understand that it's also a matter of personal taste. I know a few games wich are very popular here or other forums, that I tried, and never liked at all. ;)


Offline grant

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 4167
Re: Solo wargaming?
« Reply #12 on: August 10, 2016, 02:09:23 PM »
Any wargame can be solo play especially when you play each side to the best of your ability.

My solo opponent is a cheating no good low down bastard. I hate him!
It’s a beautiful thing, the destruction of words - Orwell, 1984

Offline El Grego

  • Supporting Adventurer
  • Scientist
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  • Posts: 231
    • The Pewter-Pixel Wars
Re: Solo wargaming?
« Reply #13 on: August 10, 2016, 02:31:08 PM »
My solo opponent is a cheating no good low down bastard. I hate him!

 lol


You could try looking at some of the ideas presented at Shaun's blog:

http://shaun-wargaming-minis.blogspot.com/

He does a fair amount of solo gaming and rules tinkering.

Offline Hu Rhu

  • Supporting Adventurer
  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • *
  • Posts: 3408
Re: Solo wargaming?
« Reply #14 on: August 10, 2016, 03:44:47 PM »
If you are looking for some inspiration then try Donald Featherstone's Solo Wargaming. Although written in the 70's it has some fantastic ideas that can be adapted for modern wargaming. Link to Amazon below if you are interested.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Donald-Featherstones-Solo-Wargaming-Curry/dp/1409260119

 

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