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I'm looking for recommendations about boardgames which are supposed to be played in solitaire mode and offer a decent degree of detail and complexity. What means I value an appropriate learning curve and dislike any 'casual' stuff. Par example, I once purchased the pc spin-off of Axis & Allies (Hasbro) and found it lacking. The theatre doesn't matter as long as it cover WW2 and Axis (German) side. Unfortunately cosims are not popular here, so I got no clue where to start or which company is known for making decent games.

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/11710/item/196900#item196900


http://alsandor.net/jeux/sololistrev1.html

ORIGINAL: Lützow

I'm looking for recommendations about boardgames which are supposed to be played in solitaire mode and offer a decent degree of detail and complexity. What means I value an appropriate learning curve and dislike any 'casual' stuff. Par example, I once purchased the pc spin-off of Axis & Allies (Hasbro) and found it lacking. The theatre doesn't matter as long as it cover WW2 and Axis (German) side. Unfortunately cosims are not popular here, so I got no clue where to start or which company is known for making decent games.

True solo games:

WW2 tactical scale: Advanced Squad Leader + Solitaire Module

RAF II: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/40209

Silent War: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/17484


I play a lot of ASL with SASL and I love it. ASL is the WW2 tactical boardgame system and combined that with the Solitaire ASL module is a lot of fun for me...this is how I play ASL. I actually play something called TEAM SASL, meaning my friend and I we divide our force between us and go against the system (SASL). I'm currently playing Valor of the Guards Historical ASL module Campaign Game 2 using true solo rules released for VotG and it's tons of fun. ASL + SASL can be played using Java ASL client on the computer...here is a picture of VotG campaign (the picture shows really a very small area of the whole battle, check out VotG on Boardgamegeek to see how big VotG map is)

There are other games out there, like: B-17, B-29, Patton's Best...check out boardgamegeek more on these and other solo games.

Peter

Don't forget VG's Ambush! and it's progeny. AH's raid on St Nazaire.

ORIGINAL: Lützow

I'm looking for recommendations about boardgames which are supposed to be played in solitaire mode and offer a decent degree of detail and complexity. What means I value an appropriate learning curve and dislike any 'casual' stuff. Par example, I once purchased the pc spin-off of Axis & Allies (Hasbro) and found it lacking. The theatre doesn't matter as long as it cover WW2 and Axis (German) side. Unfortunately cosims are not popular here, so I got no clue where to start or which company is known for making decent games.

As mentioned above, the usual games B17, Patton’s Best , Ambush along with SASL are all worth the purchase .

But if your not set on the classic Hex ’n Counter dice mechanics you might want to look into card management for solo play .

1) IMHO the AH’s classic Up Front would be what your looking for . Might be hard to find and probably will pay a premium for a mint copy .

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/586


2) I picked up GMT’s Field Of Fire but the learning curve was steep , once I had a couple games under my belt and grasped the unorthodox mechanics and rule set the game played out fluently with a strong narrative.

only problem is you can’t play axis and WWII is only one of the three campaigns in the box .
The game covers the 9th US Infantry and their campaigns from Normandy, Korea to Nam

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/22877

Thank you for recommondations, guys. Guess I'm going to start with Silent War. [:)]

I recently discovered SunTzu which offers a plethora of clients, including WiF. Does that mean one could just play with fellow gamers by i-net without purchasing the original gamebox?

ORIGINAL: Lützow

Thank you for recommondations, guys. Guess I'm going to start with Silent War. [:)]

I recently discovered SunTzu which offers a plethora of clients, including WiF. Does that mean one could just play with fellow gamers by i-net without purchasing the original gamebox?

Silent War is well worth the purchase, but don’t overlook vassal as a alternative for board solo play . Many games can be played with self imposed house rules with relative ease.

As the vassal example below of Combat Commander Europe with its card mechanics and random events is a nice fit for solitary play and to boot you can pick up H2H games on the server if inclined .



PS: I am not familiar with the SunTzu clients ? But vassal is not meant as a alternative to the box ,its not recommended to be used as a demo or preview most publishers are posting up PDF rules sets for DL so customers interested can get a in-depth look at the mechanics .

Regarding boardgame.geek Combat Commander is not made for solitaire play.

ORIGINAL: Lützow

Regarding boardgame.geek Combat Commander is not made for solitaire play.

Its your dime, I was just making alternative suggestions considering of the lack of solo board games on the market.

How about Dan Versen Games.  I think they have two solo games (Rommel and Alexander).


http://www.dvg.com/

You might want to take a look at Avalanche Press games. They have an extensive library of historically accurate boardgames many of which have a good or very good solitaire playability rating.

Avalanche Press

Raid on St Nazaire http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1425 is widely aknowledged as one of the best solitaire games around. As a result it has a huge second hand value. I think a mint copy goes for something like 200$ (and its a pretty small game).
 
 

CARRIER was always a favorite of mine, although it does have a steep learning curve. However, the rules are in the "programmed" style, so you read a few sections and then play a scenario that covers what you've just read and you build upon that. Excellent game that is as tense and exciting as any solitaire mechanism could be.

I have to admit that I only browsed the suggestions above, but I didn't see Tokyo Express mentioned.

Years after it was published, I purchased Task Force 1942 and was struck by the extent to which one medium appeared to have influenced the other.

Two thumbs up for both titles!

PoE (aka ivanmoe)

Actually Combat Commander works well for me as solitaire....the card system works well for me. The only thing about CC is that I miss vehicles

I was thinking about Field of Fire but the scope is too limited for me. I would like to be able to play as Axis or Russian on the Eastern Front...Stalingrad would be really cool (I doubt it will ever happen though).

ORIGINAL: Lützow

Unfortunately cosims are not popular here ...

You might want to think about joining GHS ( www.ghs-kosim.de )
Good for hooking up with other cosimers.

Has anybody experience with Red Storm over the Reich? According to boardgamegeek it's suitable for solitair play.

ORIGINAL: Lützow

Has anybody experience with Red Storm over the Reich? According to boardgamegeek it's suitable for solitair play.

I don't have it but Noble Knight Games has it:

http://www.nobleknight.com/ProductDetai ... GenreID_E_

ORIGINAL: Peter Fisla
I was thinking about Field of Fire but the scope is too limited for me. I would like to be able to play as Axis or Russian on the Eastern Front...Stalingrad would be really cool (I doubt it will ever happen though).

There has been talk of expansions/add-on modules......[;)]

I'm currently playing D-Day at Omaha Beach, a solitaire boardgame by John Butterfield (of Ambush! fame). Much recommended.