The hottest Board Games Substack posts right now

Star Fleet Battles is a detailed board game about spaceship combat in the Star Trek universe. It combines complex rules and strategy to create a very immersive gaming experience.
The game involves a lot of math, especially in allocating power for different ship functions like speed and weapons. Players who enjoy this type of challenge tend to thrive in the game.
Despite being nostalgic for many, Star Fleet Battles still has a dedicated following and continues to be published with expansions, keeping the love for 80s gaming alive.

Hex crawling solo in RPGs can be engaging by incorporating random encounters, multiple characters, and creating stories from clues and rumors.
Running a small group of characters in a solo hexcrawl adventure can advance the story and keep things interesting.
Duets games, like Badger + Coyote by Pandion Games, offer a full RPG experience with less than a full group, showcasing the cozy experience of unlikely friends working together.

Large language models (LLMs) do not work by remembering and spitting back information, but by analyzing word patterns and coding them into vectors.
Artificial intelligence has significantly improved human gameplay in board games like Go, leading to more creative and strategic play.
Learning from artificial intelligence in board games involves recognizing and correcting suboptimal moves, rather than trying to imitate the AI's every move.

Rurbanization blurs urban-rural divides by promoting urban agriculture for biodiversity and temperature control
Conscious quitting reflects a shift where employees prioritize values over work and leaders focus on reputation more than action
Climate-focused board games foster collaboration and learning about environmental issues while being an $11 billion industry

Politipoly is a real estate board game inspired by the challenges young people face in accessing housing, due to rising prices and debt issues since 1970.
The gameboard uses internet language and memes to organize real estate trends on a political compass, showcasing ideas like real estate crowdfunding, global housing subscription, and DAOs.
Influences for Politipoly include artists Simon Denny and Joshua Citarella, helping shape the game's format and conceptualization.

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The journey from wargaming to roleplaying games presented a shift in mental stimulation from traditional games like chess to games with more diverse options and scenarios.
Wargames have a long history as a way to simulate combat without the real risks, offering strategic challenges and engaging gameplay experiences to enthusiasts.
Personal anecdotes exemplify the intense and competitive nature of games like Warhammer 40K, showcasing the excitement and tension that arise during tabletop battles.

The game 'Diplomacy' is special because winning relies more on negotiation than just strategy on the board. You have to really work with others to succeed.
Playing the game online brings a new level of intrigue because all conversations happen through messages, making it feel more secretive and strategic.
The online format allows for longer times between moves, which encourages deeper conversations and planning among players, enhancing the overall experience.