Top 5 Shelf of Shame Games - 2021

[@przemekbozek]

That's a really good list Steven. I've got my own list, too - mainly some newer stuff I've not managed to grok yet: 5. Wing Leader 4. Atlantic Chase 3. Nations in Arms 2. Stellar Horizons 1. Empire or the Sun I'm glad I've worked my way through most of my collection. No second thoughts about not trying out WiF yet - it's a beast of a game, not in rush to get into it...

[@chrisridley4840]

hmm EoTS time to swap 😉

[@przemekbozek]

@@chrisridley4840 I'll nèed to keep some games in my collection😝 Just added Carthage to my for trade list, that's another one that didn't make the cut...

[@dannyharvie7700]

I’d like to see you play Pax Romana, interesting game

[@przemekbozek]

16:00 I'd love to see some coverage and your thoughts on the Pax Romana - I have it but didn't try it in years... Plus, I only have a 1st edition with nothing blinged out - curious to see your extras😁

[@juliangrayson9951]

I would also like to see Der Weltkrieg or Balance of Powers played.

[@dillenbeck53531]

Pendragon is a title I only got to play a couple of times, but I found it to be the most "wargame-y" of the COINs I tried (still have to play All Bridges Burning and Gandhi). It is more like a wargame because 3 of the 4 factions have an action that lets them place/move pieces and fight in the same action, versus the usual COIN rhythm of move in on one turn then attack on the next (if you still can). Why haven't I played this? Most often I play COIN as cooperative games - my wife and I control 2 allied factions against 2 bot players; and initially the Dux and Civitates players had a mutually exclusive win condition that stopped it. Another aspect of Pendragon that made it a radical departure from COIN games is the feel. The short post-collapse scenario is the typical COIN feel of 4 factions struggling towards a victory goal, but in Pendragon the other scenarios (particularly the long scenario) you have 2 players on the board with 1 already at its victory condition and the other easily flipping to its victory condition, and 2 players not even on the board at all - so it is all about chipping away and causing the leader to collapse first and then clawing out a victory for yourself. It really captures the feeling of decay. However, as has been mentioned, it is one of the most fiddly COIN games and I do wish they had made some better component choices. Triangular pieces that are easy to knock over, and with the small profile put a cube stacked on top? Overall, COIN started leaving the series roots after Fire in the Lake, and I'd say most the titles after it would probably be best thought of as using a "COIN engine" rather than being a COIN series game. If you don't like COIN solo multiplayer or solo versus bots, then you might want to give up and let go of Pendragon. Its a great game, but a hard one to find a game group to play. Tons of rules, tons of fiddliness, and tons of game time required - but if you do manage to get it to the table for a long scenario, let us know how you liked it and how it feels compared to other COIN games for you. (As to shelf of shame, I have not had much time to play in the last 4 or 5 years, so my list is much longer than 5 games - probably the top I want to get to the table is Cataclysm.)

[@stevendolges8372]

Great write up I appreciate you responding in such detail! My personal favorite in the series is definitely Fire in the Lake. Looking forward to FitL's expansion quite a bit. I think I will avoid getting rid of Pendragon until I have at least played it through a few times. Can probably find a group somehow at a convention.

[@craigartl1348]

Would love to see your coverage style applied to Blitz.

[@chuckdavis8440]

You need to play Wilderness War it is a superb game, well designed. The best scenario is the tournament scenario as it provides the best balance.

[@michaelrobertson3369]

I found Pendragon to be extremely fiddly with a lot going on rules wise so I sold it without regret.

[@von_ubelmann]

I'd love to see you get Der Weltkrieg or Balance of Powers to the table.

[@richardvinson8286]

My list is very similar!

[@johnsy4306]

Don't feel bad about Wilderness War. I've played it about two or three times and found it really boring. And I like the subject matter, I love CDGs, and I love Volko Ruhnke but I just couldn't get into this game and I fell asleep playing it with my friend. A lot of people really love Wilderness War...I'm just not one of them

[@warsteve8244]

Too much talking about yourself NOT the game.

[@stevendolges8372]

Well it wouldn't be a video about MY shelf of shame without talking about why.