Solo Games - Frostgrave, Stargrave, and Silver Bayonet

Lately I've been reading a lot of solo and co-op games. So you get a few videos about them! You might not necessarily be interested in the games themselves, but they often have good ideas that you can use in whatever skirmish or wargame is your game of choice. In this video I take a look at the 3 core McCullough games: Frostgrave which has Wizards leading warbands into a frozen city, Stargrave which has a captain and crew up to space hijinks, and Silver Bayonet which has Napoleonic period warbands with supernatural monsters.
In later videos we'll look at one of Joseph's other games Rangers of Shadowdeep and then Five Leagues from the Border by Ivan Sorensen.

[@billybirdy9507]

Thanks for the video. I’ve been really enjoying 5 Parsecs From Home for solo play, but also interested in trying Stargrave solo to make the most of my minis.

[@earnestwanderer2471]

Yep, there’s been more interest in and discussion of these alternatives to games from the big gorilla in the room. There’s also Rogue Warriors from Tabletop Skirmish Games. Miniatures agnostic system covering “modern combat”, WWII to the present, using small four operative teams. It’s basically player vs player but there’s a solo option as well. Other versions of the same basic rules for sci-fi and fantasy settings are either just out or on the way.

[@optimalgamestate]

I've seen Rogue Warriors appearing on amazon a few times. Have you had a chance to play it or at least read through the rules? any idea what it's like? Right now the other skirmish game that has my attention is BLKOUT but no distributors outside of the US yet which limits the fun.

[@earnestwanderer2471]

Lee, from Tabletop Skirmish Games channel has a number of how to play videos up. The game is pretty simple and focuses on a narrative approach to game play. In addition to the basic rules, there’s campaign modules available. Strangely, the biggest problem I have with the game is the terrain. I’m not an historical gamer, so all the terrain I have is either sci-fi or fantasy themed. To really get the most out of the experience it would help to have terrain pieces appropriate for the WWII, or Vietnam eras. Or maybe Afghanistan/Iraq. A big part of the game involves selecting and equipping you team. Movement is probably the most critical element. Shooting is not super deadly because the game is supposed to feel more like a cinematic combat than a real simulation. Melee combat, on the other hand, is fairly brutal. There’s no option to disengage so every contest is to the death.