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Strategy board games aren’t about luck, they challenge players to think ahead, adapt quickly and outmaneuver their opponents. From worker placement to negotiation and clever engine-building, these board game enthusiast-recommended strategy board games will be a hit at your next game night.
What Makes a Board Game Strategic?
Strategic board games strike a balance between flexibility and careful planning, but even so, there is an element to the game that makes it different every time you play. “There is a game ‘sweet spot’ whereby you can try a new approach each time and still have a reasonable chance of winning, even if your early moves weren’t perfect,” says Liz Kolb, the Co-Founder and CEO of Axion Now Events, an organization that coordinates live events for the popular trading card game Magic: The Gathering.
Donovan Rittenbach, owner of MyAIWebGuy, is an avid board gamer who has played over 450 different board games. After playing everything from lightweight party games to heavyweight, deep strategy games, he notes just how different strategic board games are from other games. Rittenbach says they typically have the following qualities:
- Players must make meaningful decisions that affect the future of gameplay. These decisions don’t rely on luck, they rely on careful planning.
- There are consequences of actions, and forward thinking is typically rewarded and short-sighted moves don’t work. Players often compete for money, cards, action or time, which forces trade-offs between immediate and long-term gain.
- Blocking, negotiation or direct conflict tactics are employed to achieve objectives.
- There is a worker placement component, meaning that you have a limited number of workers and must decide where to assign them on the board for maximum effect.
- There is usually information asymmetry, where some players have more information than others. This enables surprise attacks, bluffing or other game mechanics. It creates uncertainty that players must navigate through.
- Strategy games usually have an engine-building component, where you are trying to build an economic, military, or political machine.
- Players must be adaptable to changing game situations if they are to win. If a player blocks the other players, they have to find a way around the problem. Likewise, win conditions may shift at a moment’s notice.
Top Strategy Board Games To Try
Although the past 25 years have seen a groundswell of Euro-style board games, recently there has been an explosion among millennials seeking stronger connections with friends, and many are turning to strategy board games.
“As someone who runs trading card game events at Axion Now Events, I tend to gravitate toward games with depth and replayability,” says Kolb. Terraforming Mars is one of her firm’s favorites, because “it’s strategic, it’s immersive, and every game plays out differently, which keeps it interesting,” she says. Another option that is lighter but still thoughtful is 7 Wonders Duel, “which I like for its clever drafting mechanic and quick playtime; perfect when you want a game that doesn’t take all night!”
“[A strategy board game] I like to play is the 7 Wonders Duel with a friend, as it can provide an opportunity to plan and be clever within less than an hour, which is enough to engage and be willing to play again,” says Mike Bowman, board game lover, technical product manager and lead editor at Patio Productions, an outdoor furniture company in California.
Other expert-recommended favorites include:
- Carassonne: It requires sophisticated negotiation, but it can also be a bit cutthroat as you are competing to build projects that win you points, while fending off people who are trying to take them over.
- Settlers of Catan: Catan has quickly become a cult classic strategy game. Your goal is to collect resources so that you can build towns and cities to gain more resources.
- Wingspan: The goal is to get birds onto your board in one of three different ecosystems. It has many expansions.
- Splendor: In this game, your goal is to collect jewels to accumulate enough points to win. Every gem you buy makes your purchasing power stronger and gets you closer to winning. Expansions make for great replayability.
- Azul: This tile-laying game is easy to learn and goes quickly as players compete for tiles to build out their mosaic.
- Pandemic: In Pandemic, you’re members of a team of CDC investigators racing to contain four major disease outbreaks, while trying to find a cure. It’s great for cooperative strategy gaming.
- Stone Age: A worker placement game where you use your workers to collect resources so that your tribe can rise to the top.
Strategy Card Games
Strategy board games are popular, but just as—if not even more—popular are strategy card games like Magic: The Gathering (MTG). “I enjoy playing any type of strategy game, but my favorite would have to be Magic: The Gathering (MTG) because of the diversity and depth of strategy,” says Mike Rands, avid strategy board gamer who has been playing MTG since before 4th edition came out in 1995.
The strategy for card games like MTG goes beyond gameplay, and gets as granular as building your decks. “There are so many things to consider when building a deck and ways to use cards in combinations, but you can also just throw some themed cards together and come up a devastating deck,” Rands says. And it’s not about building just one deck, it’s about building multiple decks that serve different purposes, like for 1-on-1 play or for larger groups.
How To Choose the Right Strategy Board Game
Strategy board games should require long-term strategy and critical thinking, meaning wins are hardly ever based on luck. “The most enjoyable strategic board games should reward the strategists who can think ahead and [who can] adapt when the situation alters,” says Bowman.
When choosing the right strategy board game for your group, there are several criteria to keep in mind. First and foremost, the game should be fun. Take your group’s interests into account and choose a game you will all love. For example, does your group like interactive strategy games that involve diplomacy or cooperation, or does your group prefer to be on their own mission and race to the finish line? In the former, Catan might be a great choice, but players may prefer games like 7 Wonders if your group falls in the latter.
Online reviews will be your best bet for finding good strategy games. “Look for games that have lots of reviews about replayability and ease of learning,” says Rittenbach. “Also, decisions shouldn’t be so heavy that they cause analysis paralysis.” When a game has too many tradeoffs and calculations to make, it can get mired down in long turn times, which can make the game last long and get boring for the players involved.
Length of play is also important. Some games can take as long as five to seven hours to play,“so choosing medium-weight games will shorten play time to one to two hours, which is a sweet spot,” says Rittenbach
Read More: Best Board Games
Most strategy board games are designed for two to four players, but some can accommodate up to six or eight. However, the games that allow so many players can see long gameplay and a lot of time in between turns. That’s why the ideal number of players for a strategy game is around two to four.
Where To Buy Strategy Board Games
You can find strategy board games at any major retailer, both in-store or online. Popular games like Catan and Azul will show up everywhere, but more niche strategy games might be harder to find.
If you can, find a specialty game store that sells unique board games. These stores will have hundreds of games available, and you can find a new game that your group can learn to conquer.
Tips To Improve Your Board Game Strategy
Improving your board game strategy often comes down to a mix of smart resource management, timing and table etiquette. These tips can help sharpen your play and make every game more rewarding:
- Know the game rules: You can’t win if you don’t know how, so read the game rules carefully and understand the best way to play.
- Maximize your workers: In worker placement games, putting your resources to work should be your priority. “For example, in Viticulture, you start with 3 meeples and can buy 3 more. I make sure I get at least one more worker every round,” says Rittenbach.
- Prioritize cash flow: “Cash flow is king,” says Rittenbach. Always keep enough money available to capitalize on sudden opportunities, whether that’s investing in an upgrade or blocking an opponent’s move.
- Secure first player position: Turn order matters. “If there is a choice to be made, always try to get the first player positioning. This makes sure you get your pick of the best options available,” says Rittenbach.
- Play with sportsmanship: At the end of the day, good gaming is about having fun with others. As Rittenbach reminds us, “Don’t forget to always be a gracious winner and loser.”
Strategy Board Games Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are strategy board games suitable for beginners?
It depends on the board game. For beginners, choose a strategy board game that is not overly complex but introduces key concepts, like move sequences, hidden versus open information, phase-based tactics or player diplomacy.
How long do strategy board games typically last?
Strategy board games run longer than the average board game, with most taking at least one to two hours. However, some games, like Risk, can go on for many more hours depending on the number of players you have.
Can strategy board games be played solo?
Some strategy games can be played with just one player but be prepared to modify a few rules that would be in place were there more players.
Are there strategy games for kids?
Sequence for Kids, Connect 4 and Qwirkle are great strategy games for kids. These games introduce strategic thinking in a way that is challenging but not frustrating.