When I first bought Vantage, I played it six or seven times in about a week and introduced it to several friends. Then, for some reason, it stopped clicking for me and ended up on the shelf.

I recently mentioned that in another post, and it got me thinking. A lot of people really love this game, so why did it fall flat for me?

I think a big part of it was the physical card management. I was constantly flipping through cards in the box, moving the box back and forth because the cards sit sideways to each other, and dealing with one tray in my base set that does not keep the cards quite even. None of that is a major problem by itself, but together it added enough friction that I was less excited to get the game to the table. Plus I misplaced a card; NEVER do that. ever.

So I started making a few changes to my setup. Most of them help with solo play which is about 90% but was 0% until last week, but they also make things easier when I play with other people, which is my son, and he feels Helldivers is more fun until he uses up his screen time, which is probably too generous. Anyway

Location card holders: I printed holders for the location cards so I can take them out of the box, hold them in my hand, and pass them around more easily.

Lazy Susan for item cards: I keep the item card holders on a Lazy Susan I 3D printed, so I can rotate the cards toward me instead of reaching across the table or digging through the box. Honestly, the Lazy Susan is less useful than just having them on a plate I can spin and pass.

Removable item card holders: I printed four separate holders for the item cards. I can lift one off the plate and hold it while looking through the cards. Each holder has an opening on the side that makes it easy to flip through cards with my thumb.

Component containers: I found a Vantage component-container design on Printables and printed lidded containers for the cubes and other small pieces. I will add the Printables link in a comment.

3×9 grid: I also printed a 3×9 card grid from Printables. It keeps the cards lined up and makes the cubes on them less likely to get knocked around. Printing it myself was much cheaper than buying a similar organizer. Plus, I like to 3D print.

Location card markers: I use inexpensive plastic tabs as placeholders and to mark pulled cards and sometimes hundreds in the location-card stack.

Item index cards: I bought a set of item index cards on Etsy while waiting in my car for my kid to finish up some sort of lesson. They are useful, although I accidentally spent about $20 on shipping to the United States. Won't make that mistake again.

None of these changes are necessary, but together they have made Vantage much easier for me to set up, organize, and play. I had this game on the chopping block, but then this session happened, and everything clicked. I also have a home rule that it is okay to look up the non-spoiler text on cards and their costs, which is easier with an app. This completely changed the randomness of the one word actions to more of a choose your own story type of style. I don't know why this is not part of the rule set, but I strongly suggest it should be and perhaps added to the rules pop as an option? I did it myself and it was not hard at all. I also use maps even if I shouldn't be and it makes meeting objectives more realistic rather than a nice to have. The maps are quite beautiful so I like to have access to them just as well. Even with the map, I am working on finding a crystal other than blue. It is not like they are all over the place or anything. I'd be interested in any other ideas to make the game more enjoyable.

Frodo and Sam got stuck in Mordor twiddling their thumbs, unable to generate enough stealth to make the final push to Mount Doom. I probably went through 10 turns without turning up a single stealth card. Legolas was my only hope, but he still needed stealth to finish up his "That Makes 6!" quest. The top-decking RNG is brutal in this game.

I'm going to try one more time playing 2-handed instead of the official solo mode. I think that'll give me more flexibility to lean on characters that are more useful in the moment. I'm auditioning the game on TTS to see if I'd like to buy it, and things are not looking hopeful right now.

Hi, I'm currently planning to play through Buttons and Bugs, but I was wondering which game from my collection would also play solo nicely?

Games hidden from pictures:

Lords of Waterdeep (no solo)

Dead of Winter, gifted, never played

All expansions for heroes 3

Ticket to ride (no solo, I think)

Santorini (no solo)

Spots

I'm planning to play through the jaws of the lion later this year, so I don't want to play 2 gloomhaven games back to back.

I appreciate your suggestions.

I've been seeing this around my LGS and I was wondering if anyone has tried it? I've never seen it talked about but it has decent reviews. Just wondering if anyone here has tried it.

I only solo game now as i havent really had a social circle in over ten years and the only person i had to play board games with once in a while i'm not really engaging with much to any degree.

I stumbled on solo board games when they werent that popular and there werent that many. probably back in 2018ish possibly 2019 cant fully recall. My very first one eventually being also my first co op game which was tiny epic defenders. And ive been hooked on both solo and co op board games ever since.

I'm looking to get a new game soon as i only get to get myself a new board game once a year on my birthday so i always try to find one i think i might get lots of mileage and use out of.

Some ideas i'm considering are: Adamastor, Moon colony blood bath, Ark Nova, terraforming mars and robinson crusoe adventures on the cursed island. I thought about final girl but like i said i only get board games one time a year and i know that relies heavy on purchasing other expansions or stand alone titles so that ones probably a no go.

Id be curious to hear anyones thoughts and opinions on any of the games listed. Those are just games ive come across via youtube recommendation videos that caught my attention. But i'm also open to any other suggestions of games i havent named anyone really enjoys as a solo experience. I'd really like to find games with drafting mechanics as thats one of my favorite game mechanics but i cant seem to find much in those regards.

I'll list my solo (solo playable) games i already own just for reference:

-Alien fate of the nostromo

-Tiny epic defenders second edition

-Tiny epic galaxies

-Unbroken

-One deck dungeon

-Dune Imperium uprising

-Escape the dark castle

-Cascadia

Hello! For my birthday I got some money and I'm looking for new games to add to my collection.

For the same price, I can buy:

- Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era

- Mage Knight + Too Many Bones

Which of these two options do you recommend?

Thank you very much!

Has anyone tried these? Are they any good?

https://gamefound.com/en/projects/hexploreit/side-arcs

My understanding is if you're on their Patreon you can download some of these for free. I got Forests of Adrimon about a year ago after someone on here (I think) recommended it and love it, but haven't tabled it for a while because of the time sink, so maybe Side Arcs are a good solution?

I'm also looking to pick up Valley of the Dead King and Fall of the Ancients, as everything is on sale and Xmas is coming 😄

I've been trying to tackle solo RPG and solo board games to remove daily anxiety. Solo RPG (especially Journaling) was quite easy to start and to find games. Solo boardgame is not the same. I struggle to find games that I could buy that delivers in France without an extreme price or extreme deleivery cost. Do you have recommandations of good solo boardgames that are either easy print and play or usually on the cheap side ?

The solo boardgames I tried :

- Orchad (I love it)

- Megalopolis (I believe it's called strawpolis in english; quite like it too)

- One deck Dungon (Did not like it, did not click with me).

I don't have a very big budget and maybe it's only my feeling but I think solo games tend to be more expensive than regular games ? If I had a bigger budget i'll love to buy dorfromantik kind of games (Love it on steam deck).

One of the game I want to try is probably Quest over coffee PnP (Because the actual physical game is 50€ + to deliver in Paris...)

Thanks for the help

A year ago I was in a bad place. Working in the bar industry, it’s pretty easy to fall into terrible habits. I don’t even think I like alcohol, but 9/10 times I drank, I ended up doing blow… and I took shots almost every shift, so that was a lot. And that also turned out not to be financially and physically sustainable. Even more embarrassing was I was dealing with all the consequences that come with a 2nd DUI… and still living like an idiot.

While the story of how I got into board gaming is hilarious and happened a couple months after sobriety, it’s a story for another time.

Instead, I just wanted to highlight how during my degenerate days, one of my late night activities whether with friends or (mostly) alone, was rolling dice at the casinos since they were open all night. So I have always found it hilarious how adjacent the Too Many Bones experience is to casino craps. The beautiful dice and the straight up casino ASMR with the poker chips. Combine that with me also being a huge fan of video game roguelikes, this game is my shit.

So to pay my respects to my past days, I ditched the dice tray and raw dogged those dice on my casino green game mat! Got a history doc on mob ties to Vegas casinos in the background for added effect.

Anyway, thank god I found this hobby. So much better than video games. I still smoke weed, but I’m so happy I don’t play with my nose anymore. Feels amazing to be done with working shifts hungover and literally on zero sleep. Feels amazing to not put my body through torture. My cognitive ability has improved so much. And it turns out I’m not an insomniac it was just bad habits 😅. Anyways I’m stoked. I still have a lot going on like many others right now, but life feels intentional, and this wholesome hobby only enhances it.

Edit: Another great thing I discovered with solo gaming is this community, thank you everyone for the kind and supportive words 🥲

I have the option to pick up Oathsworn KS with the mystery boxes and Nemesis with the medic for $200, or I can buy Betrayl of the Second Era for nearly the same price. I did just pick up ISS Vangard for $20 and have been enjoying it.

What's holding me back is the BGG Solo Players Rank has Oathsworn and Nemesis around the same rank as ISS Vanguard, but Betrayal of the Second Era is in the top 20. I also like the IP of Elder Scrolls.

I'm looking to take on my first real campaign game. I've played a lot of light and medium weight games with family and friends, and I'd like to try taking on a multi-week game that steadily unfolds. With work and kids, I don't need to fry my brain on anything super challenging and sessions would have to fit within an hour or so of playing, maybe two. I'd prefer to unwind by exploring a world, going on a journey, and/or developing a character with smaller or mid-weight challenges along the way. I care about narrative, world, and atmosphere. It would be nice to feel like I'm progressing/improving my character or uncovering mysteries. Combat is fun, but not 100% combat. I would be playing solo or possibly 2 player with my oldest son (6), if the game is approachable enough for him (with my help).

I've looked through this sub, and it seems like Kinfire Chronicles could fit the bill. I played Kinfire Delve once, and thought it was a bit hard but interesting. I'm also intrigued by Vantage, but I can't tell if the open-world would hold me or not. There are a lot of heavier campaigns that I'd love to try someday (Sleeping Gods, Tainted Grail, Arkham Horror) but I'm concerned they'd be too much for a first attempt.

Does Kinfire Chronicles seem like a good call, or are there others you wise folks would suggest?

Played my first full game tonight after watching some videos, my only question was so when it's Automas then, gains good/tucks cards, 2nd phase if it doesn't have the required food it doesn't play a bird card correct? What about the egg discard though? Do they only discard the egg if they have the food?