If I only had room for 10 games in my life...

This talk of hexes vs. point-to-point and areas got me thinking about the games I really enjoy. As I'm packing up "stuff" right now, I'm getting to the point where I have to keep a box of "favorites" that will be available to play whenever I want -- not locked up in storage somewhere.

I don't play solitaire games anymore, so my list assumes I'll always have opponents. I'm generating this, thinking about what I've been playing over the past few years and looking at my BGG ratings. In alphabetical order, today's "Top Ten" list would be:

1. Atlantic Storm

A fun card game for 4-6 players. I have always enjoyed this one, and although luck can kill you (or help you), skill will more often than not win the day. Very unforgiving, and a real "Oh Crap!" type of game.

I've actually won a "wood" with this one at WBC, and also have a 2nd and a 4th place finish.

See, it is a game of skill!

2. Blue vs. Gray

One of the most innovative games I've ever played -- the game is played out with cards for everything:

Map

Units

Events

Generals

Combat is extra vicious, and quite random, though better generals and larger forces will have better odds going into battle.

The flow of the game is amazing, and is the only ACW game in which the war actually unfolds fairly historically. I enjoy playing either side in this one, and two experienced players can fight the entire war in a few hours. I have extra card decks, for when the ones that came with the game wear out...

3. Combat Commander

OK. I'll cheat a little here and say I want all the Combat Commander games, so, technically, this will put more than 10 games on my list (and I have 2 other "series" games coming too!).

Anyway, I was never much on tactical WWII games, though I always loved UpFront (cards only, that game was screaming my name!). So I resisted getting this one.

Mistake...

Even with its hexes, this game is driven by cards and is a hoot to play. There is a lot of chaos, and many guys can't handle that, but to me, this represents the WWII battlefield quite well. Command and control is modeled here very well, and that, to me, is the essence of WWII small unit combat.

The fun I have had playing this lately has never waned.

4. Command & Colors: Ancients

Another series "cheat," as I'll want to have all expansions for this one!

Again, hexes, but the battles are driven by cards, and you can only fight with the cards you have. The featureless boards can be covered with terrain tiles to simulate any environment. A very elegant system that shows the differences between units.

Here, one can fight Romans vs. Carthaginians, Greeks vs. Persians, Romans vs. Romans, and all other combinations of belligerents from the time of the Greek City States up through the time of Imperial Rome. In addition to the enclosed scenarios (and there are a ton of 'em), fan sites devoted to this game provide limitless new scenarios for us to try.

I understand some folks find the game "too simple" for their tastes, but, for me, the game gives a much more realistic look at ancient combat than does its more complex competitor, from the same company. Line up your forces and hope for the best -- and fun every step along the way.

5. Deck of Cards

While this may not be a "game" in the sense we think of games, a deck of cards can be a thousand games in one, and more.

I grew up playing cards, and I still love a good game. Favorites are:

Poker (especially Hold 'em, but I like 'em all)

Euchere

Hearts

Gin Rummy

Oh Pshaw (alternate name!)

Solitaire (in many versions)

Casino

With a deck of cards, the fun is limitless, and I'm always on the lookout for new, fun games. Just no Bridge, please.

6. Great Campaigns of the American Civil War series

Another series game -- I think we're up to 7 games now, covering the Eastern Theater from northern North Carolina up to east/central Pennsylvania and west to the Appalachians. I started playing this when I lived in Virginia, and it was fun finding the hex my house was in.

Whoops, did I say hexes again? Yes, the games have hexes, but the activation system is so much fun, one tends not to notice. Also, this is one of those rare games where sticking to the main thoroughfares actually makes sense -- not until units of both sides get into battle do we see "map creep," and here it is definitely historical, as formations fan out for battle.

These games can take awhile, but they're well worth it -- one of the few series of games that I have spare copies of each, stored in a safe place, just in case...

7. Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage

A fun, CDG on the 2nd Punic War. Will Hannibal cross the Alps, or will he try yo win in Spain, Sicily, and Africa? At least he gets to move realistically, point to strategic point.

So many choices here.

I like the game because, between experienced players (who aren't dunderheads), it plays quickly. Some people don't like the battle cards, but I find they add flavor. This is a game of political control, and the Romans need to hang on until Scipio Africanus enters the game, for he is Hannibal's equal.

A new edition has been printed, but either edition works just fine.

8. Scrabble

Everyone knows this one, eh?

I love words, and I love Scrabble, plain and simple.

There were times in my life when I played very competitively with a friend, and we would push each other so we were regularly scoring >400. Today, I'm happy to score >330, Hell, make that >300!

This is a game one can play with a spouse for fun, with a friend for bragging rights, or even competitively. As my mind gets older, I'll be less and less "good" at this game, but I'll always enjoy it.

9. We the People

The CDG that started it all.

Battle cards.

Event cards that are worthless for the other side.

Pro-American bias.

I love it! Bid 3-4 for the Americans and it's perfectly balanced. Besides, the British can always capture Washington for an auto victory. This one can play in 60-90 minutes, easily, so we have time for 6+ games each day!

It really shows the low-level conflict through political control rules, that play out as a mini game, in and of themselves. A real winner, and something I give a huge thanks to Mark Herman for.

10. Wilderness War

OK, OK, I hear the jeers from the crowd now, but I truly love this game.

Yes, there was a time, shortly after publication when I wished I would never see it again -- call it "Developer Burn-out." But today, I'll play it any day, any scenario (I love the campaign scenarios, as I never get to play them enough).

One of the nicest compliments I ever heard on this one came from Nels Thompson when he said (and I paraphrase), "For a game with limited avenues of advance, i can't believe how much happens across the board."

So you see, we can channel advances using points and still make the game fun -- not to mention give the players choices.

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I've left a lot of great games out, but I couldn't go on forever. I'd be interested in hearing what others would list!