Best Boardgame of 2018

Games
41

That was in 2017. I got my copy in November. I think Europe was in the first batch of shipments.

42

Yeah, I got my Gloomhaven set with the first wave in Feb 2017 via Amazon- I wasn’t even in the original KS. Just 'cause y’all are late to the party doesn’t mean you get to redefine when it started.

43

You are right! It feels like yesterday.

44

It sure does!

45

That’s how you know you’re getting old.

Ask me how I know.

46

I just checked and over half my Gloomhaven plays were in 2017. I don’t even know what’s going on anymore.

47
  1. Skies Above The Reich
  2. Arkham Horror 3E
  3. Warhammer Quest: Blackstone Fortress

Unfortunately, Dungeon Degenerates has a 2017 release date on BGG, which might be because of Kickstarter but disqualifies it from the list. I didn’t get too much new stuff this year, but these three were the tops for me.

48

A search of the boards for this game returns only your post as a hit. I’ve got a gift certificate to my local game shop burning a hole in my pocket and I’m interested in knowing more about this game, can you give me any details as to what makes it great?

49

Sure thing! It’s a tactics game that’s basically dressed up as a dungeon crawler; it ditches a lot of the chrome that’s normally found in crawlers like long-term character progression, overblown or unnecessary narrative, and mechanics that don’t relate to what you’re actually there for (i.e., getting through the dungeon). What you end up with is something that almost plays like a rogue-like, with the dungeons getting deadlier and deadlier over time thanks to the game structure. It’s very dicey (this IS Warhammer Quest, after all) but super quick to set up and play with a minimum of rules fuss and miniatures that are, praise be, push-fit.

I wrote a LOT more about it over on BGG if you want details and pics; I think it’s a great game, but maybe not for everyone.

50

Cool, I’ll check out your BGG post, thanks!

51

image
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This is on you, @porousnapkin!

52

Okay, get that puppy to the table. I’m looking forward to hearing your opinion.

-Tom

53

Excellent! Hope you enjoy it!

55

Note edit above.

56

Ok, here are my choices:

  1. Rhodesia: The White Tribe. OMG. A serious historical thesis as a challenging, enjoyable solo boardgame. Everyone, please to be buying.

  2. Skies Above the Reich In any other year, would have been #1. Except the above game was released as well. See my review for details.

  3. Nemesis Finally got to play this. Kim Kanger does it again. Too bad it’s in an obscure theater that will limit its appeal. But it’s a wacky no-holds-barred, supply-hampered story about pleasing your commanding officer. Only Kim Kanger writes game stories this good.

  4. Gettysburg Mark Herman’s intro wargame in c3i #32 is exactly what an intro boardgame needs: good lessons that are not overly arithmetic. Great wargame? Mmmm, maybe not. Great intro wargame? Absolutely.

  5. Cataclysm I’m conflicted. This game has a lot of cool ideas that I don’t think work. So why do I want to play it some more?

Pointedly not on the list:
Fort Sumter
Root
Spacecorp

…and I have not yet played The Dark Sands.

57
  1. Star Wars Legion
  2. Just One
  3. Rising Sun
  4. Space Base
  5. Keyforge
58

Your 2-4 are on my list.

Spacecorp, I dunno. I haven’t played enough to say, but it’s more Euro and less Eklund than I’d like. I like Root, but have only really played it once. I have not played your 1 and 5. (I do have Cataclysm, have not played it. Hard for me to imagine that it’s more enjoyable than Triumph and Tragedy)

59
  1. Big Trouble in Little China: The Game
  2. Western Legends
  3. Terraform mars Expansions
  4. Marvel Strike Teams
  5. Justice League: Dawn of Heroes
60

I would be more comfortable with your #1 if the game were a bit more quantitative in describing just exactly how much trouble there was.

61

There are only two sizes of Trouble in Little China: Big and Not So Big.