Tim Clare

What are your favourite civilisation-style tabletop games? I have THROUGH THE AGES & I do like it, though it's a bit mean & I'd love something with an actual map. I played MOSAIC at the weekend & enjoyed it well enough, though maybe I'd love something with more in-depth tech progression. I found TAPESTRY a bit too abstracted for my liking.

Any thoughts? SF/space/Fantasy equivalents totally acceptable.

Jan 10, 2023 at 11:01amWeb
Show threadGeorgios (he/him)Jan 10, 2023
@TimClare I quite like Civilization from FFG, designed by Kevin Wilson and came out around 2010. It's quite crunchy without feeling like a slog. The follow-up A New Dawn is neat as well, but far more streamlined and some people dislike the abstraction there too. But I found it a good alternative that plays in a much smaller time frame than its predecessor.
Show threadOf Dice and MenJan 10, 2023
@TimClare Clash of Cultures has a pretty big focus on the tech tree, but it's as much a dudes-on-a-map game as it is a civilization game. I echo the Sid Meier's Civ recommendation. My only issue with that one was how randomness can set one player up better than the others
Show threadIain @ The Giant BrainJan 10, 2023
@TimClare Civ New dawn is great. If you want a quick playing card game thing then I recommend Carta Impera Victoria
Show threadAspiringLudditeJan 10, 2023

@TimClare

There's Civilization, of course.

But also Origins: How We Became Human.

I wrote a paper years ago comparing and contrasting the two, and discussing how each articulated a different historiographical approach - a different theory about how history works and societies develop.

Both great games.

Show threadSeanJan 10, 2023

@TimClare
I really enjoy Master of Orion. They got a couple of the races' names mixed up, but it's still good fun - and fairly quick, all things considered.

I'm also a fan, if you can find a copy, of Eminent Domain, though it's definitely a deckbuilder first.