Board Game Suggestions

[tennyson]

My group is bringing a 3 year D&D campaign to an end, and we're all pretty much burned out with that system. We're thinking that a nice pick-up board game would be just what the doctor ordered.

Can you guys suggest a game that has a decent length and can incorporate 5 players? I was thinking something along the lines or Risk or Axis & Allies, where everyone is pitted against each other and the strategy is fresh throughout the game.

Additionally, we have a ton of D&D Miniatures, but we're thinking that a bunch of skirmish games would get boring soon. Has anyone come up with a system to keep that game interesting over, say, an 8-hour period?

Any suggestions are welcome - thanks!

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

Twilight Imperium looks fun, can handle that many players, and would certainly keep you occupied. I got it for Christmas; I haven't had a chance to play it yet, but I've read the rules and futzed around with it solo.

 

[jmucchiello]

Where on the scale of beer and pretzel to brain busting abstract strategy does your game group lie? Any preferred themes? Preferred game length?

Here's what the folks at boardgamegeek have to say. (Scroll back up to the top to understand the colors.)

 

[MerricB]

I strongly recommend:

* Shogun
* Age of Empires III: Age of Discovery

as good 5-player games.

I really enjoy Twilight Imperium 3e, but you need the expansion, and it's probably best with 4 players. It also takes table space, and 5+ hours!

Personally, we have a bunch* of boardgames, and we play different ones depending on our mood.

*bunch? About 100-150 different titles. Maybe more.

Cheers!

 

[Echohawk]

Can you guys suggest a game that has a decent length and can incorporate 5 players? I was thinking something along the lines or Risk or Axis & Allies, where everyone is pitted against each other and the strategy is fresh throughout the game.

Settlers of Catan is highly recommended, although you'll need the 5-6 player expansion in addition to the main game. If you are already familiar with Risk, I'd also suggest giving Risk 2210 AD a whirl. It is a lot more complex but still true to the spirit of the original game. If you want a co-operative game, Arkham Horror is interesting, and is challenging enough that you really do have to work to beat the board.

Additionally, we have a ton of D&D Miniatures, but we're thinking that a bunch of skirmish games would get boring soon. Has anyone come up with a system to keep that game interesting over, say, an 8-hour period?

If you have it, take a look at the campaign rules in the Miniatures Handbook. Essentially, you pick a Warband leader who grows in power with each victory, and also gains magic items which can be used in future skirmishes. Battles start small (say 50 points), and then scale up (100 points, 200 points, maybe even 500 points). The campaign rules in the MH might need a little bit of adaption to make them work with the current version of the minis rules, but they give a sense of continuity that makes a series of skirmishes a little more interesting.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

Hmm... Well if you want some simply fun games I would point towards:

http://www.white-wolf.com/monstermayhem/

Monster Mayhem: In the modern world, the things that go bump in the night are real. As a vampire, werewolf, mummy, poltergeist or zombie, you stalk the city after dark, searching for human victims to sate your inhuman appetites. Be it blood, bones, brains, organs or spirit that you crave, you prowl the shadows in search of prey. But your victims are not helpless! They run for their lives and do whatever it takes to survive. Other monsters may even devour your intended prey, whether for sustenance or to spite you.

Monster Mayhem is a light-hearted game of going bump in the night — and eating people! Consume the most of the living dish you crave and you rule the sleeping city.

If you want a much more serious/long game:

http://www.white-wolf.com/vampire/boardgame/

Vampire: Prince of the City: Since time immemorial, the Kindred - vampires - have stalked unseen by the mortal masses upon whom they prey. Their world is a xenophobic, neo-feudal nightmare, and each city is ruled by a Prince, the most powerful and influential Kindred of them all. The Prince's word is inviolate and his actions are unquestionable. All Kindred turn to the Prince for protection, favor and for guidance in these modern nights.

But the prince has been destroyed and his legacy is in ashes. The mantle of leadership must fall to another: one of the Primogen, vampiric elders who lead their unique clans of Kindred. The competition will be fierce, and only the most prestigious and cunning Kindred will prevail.

Deals will be struck, alliances forged and agreements broken. Do you have the wits, guile and ruthlessness to become the new Prince of the City?

Vampire: Prince of the City is a game of strategy and diplomacy of moderate complexity for 3 to 5 players set in the world of Vampire: The Requiem.

 

[tennyson]

Where on the scale of beer and pretzel to brain busting abstract strategy does your game group lie? Any preferred themes? Preferred game length?

I would say that we're about 50/50 as far as the strategy and beer & pretzel ratio goes. We like to goof off during game time and generally hang out, but we also don't want a simple repetitive game with no strategy. Nothing that's excrutiatingly game heavy, but has substance nonetheless.

As far as themes we'd like to branch off from traditional D&D fantasy (possibly sci-fi, warfare, gaslamp, etc.), and our games usually go for around 8 hours or so. I don't see a problem if the suggested game was such that we'd have to leave the board set up for a continuation the next week either.

Thanks again for all of your replies!

 

[ejja_1]

Board games to check out

Talisman ( Hours of gaming goodness)
Zombies (Mmmmm Zombies!)
Aquire ( very addicive )
Wabbit Wampage ( silly fun, but hard to find.)

just a couple of quick suggestions.

 

[Merkuri]

I second the idea of Settlers with the 5-6 player expansion. I wish I had the opportunity to play Settlers more often. The fact that a large part of the game is trading makes it a pretty social game. You can bicker and try to convince each other to trade or not trade.

It's not as much a break from D&D as the other games, but you might want to try Munchkin. Technically it's a card game, not a board game, but it's very fun and very silly. It's probably closer to "beer and pretzels" than "brain busting abstract strategy", but there is some strategy involved. You might not want to play it every week, but you'll probably appreciate it as a break from your normal games.

Oh, and it's a completely "beer and pretzels" game with not much strategy at all, but Apples to Apples is one of the funnest card games I've ever played. It's a riot if you play with the right people. I once played a game with my boyfriend (Awayfarer) and his parents. Awayfarer was the judge and had to decide which card was more sexy, handcuffs, whips, or "my future" (meaning Away's future). Let me just say that I was the one that put down the "my future" card...

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

Tannhauser is a great game that can be played with 5 people, but it's definitely around 45 minutes, nothing like 8 hours. My RPG and Pirates of the Spanish Main groups all love it.