Playing solo ...

Despite the lockdown and the working-from-home regime, I didn't find much time to play some solo games, although I tried a few things.

First was a game using Victory - The Blocks of War, an older Columbia Blockgame. The picture below shows the starting position. I played a few turns, but somehow, it feels rather empty.

Then I tried a few turns of Ludus Gladiatorius, but the rock-papers-scissors aspect of that game made me quit after a few turns.

But I still have the plastic model of an old Colosseum set lying around (I had this since I was a kid, and always kept it). Perhaps I should give that a paintjob and try the game again?

Just a wild idea ...

Many years ago, I bought one of the Columbia block games, Victory, together with all the expansion maps, new unit types, logistics expansion etc. I've always liked this game and its simplicity, although a good scenario setup is necessary to prevent it from becoming a big long draw.

I never sold my copy of the game, although I have sold many other board games of which I was sure I would never play them again. I always had in the back of my mind the idea that someday Victory could be used to play out a big war between nations.

Yesterday, when I was reorganizing the storage space in which I keep a number of boardgames, I suddenly couldn't resist bringing out Victory. I tried to lay out all 16 maps to form a coherent whole (not that easy, given the constraints of the maps), and the result you see below.  I tried to build 2 main land areas in opposite corners, with a couple of islands in between.

My Victory-map layout.

At once, I started to imagine wars between the 2 countries in the lower-left and upper-right. Perhaps one of them would have taken the islands in the middle, rich in resources. Perhaps neutral countries (upper-left and lower-right) would be forced to choose sides. Perhaps there would be some sort of peace council trying to set the matter? What sort of governments would all these countries have, that would determine their stance in the conflict? In short, I was dreaming up an imaginary setting in which these countries went to war.

Just an idea ...