How to (solo-)play against yourself?

[Aart Brouwer]

No, Nik - not with yourself, against yourself 

After this preventive strike, I want to ask you all what is the best way to set up and play a solo game. How do you make the game unpredictable? Yet how do you randomise the opponent's moves, hidden deployments, etcetera in such a way that the result on the table doesn't become irrational or totally ridiculous?

I suppose certain rule sets are more suitable to solo play then others. Which of them are?

Cheers,
Aart

[nikharwood]

I suppose certain rule sets are more suitable to solo play then others. Which of them are?

For me, anything that can easily randomize command & control is the key: which is why I'm such a fan of WM & variants including BKC, CWC & FWC: Pete's got a whole sub-board of the SMP forum for solo play: http://www.blitzkrieg-commander.com/Content/Forum/Forum.aspx?CategoryID=12&ForumID=65

Other systems that I've used for solo gaming where mechanics lend themselves easily: the Ambush Alley suite of games and anything from the Two Hour Wargames stable.

I reckon that 99% of my gaming is solo.

[FierceKitty]

I remember colonials lent themselves to this; very time your column approached a terrain feature, there was a random roll to see if Fuzzy-Wuzzy was in ambush. Naturally, you weren't allowed out of column until enemy action. It worked, though of course the irregulars had no overall tactical plan.

[nikharwood]

Absolutely agree FK - this is also the basic premise on which the asymmetrical elements of Ambush Alley work - a lack of concerted tactical nouse although the effort is admirable!

[Steve J]

BKC et al works very well for solo gaming. Ditto Ambush Alley.

[Dragoon]

The same principles work well for a campaign.
Not hidden movement, but the ability or inability  of either side to perform any concerted action.

[FierceKitty]

Of course, this could extend to Romans in Parthia, anyone in Scythia, Chinese against Hsiung-Nu or Mongols, and for that matter Conquistadors in Mexico.

[Aart Brouwer]

Yes, yes and yes - fine suggestions there, guys. I'm going to look into all those and one day report back!

Cheers,
Aart

[NTM]

Blinds as utilised in the Too Fat Lardies sets are useful. You can either designate specific units (or dummies) to a blind or randomly generate the force when the blind is spotted/encountered. Fairly easily intergrated in to non TFL rulesets.

[Dragoon]

Of course , what's needed is some form  of artificial intelligence.
I've been working on this for a couple of years now.
However as soon as I devise one I'll swap it for the real one that I've got and see if my gameing improves.

[Nosher]

"Of course , what's needed is some form  of artificial intelligence. I've been working on this for a couple of years now. However as soon as I devise one I'll swap it for the real one that I've got and see if my gameing improves"

[Hertsblue]

I think I've suggested this before - but it does work. A set of random event cards, shuffled and drawn one per move will do the trick. The events can be fairly generalised - left wing halts for two moves, artillery waiting for ammunition, commanding general wounded - anything you can think up to break up the best laid plans. Yes, it makes the game a bit of a lottery but, hey, c'est la guerre!

[wargamesbob]

Something I've been toying with to add interest to my own solo gaming is utilising the turn  sequence deck used in "Lion of the North"  The pack consists of the following cards ( printed mailing labels on the face side of a cheap pack of playing cards will suffice):

Army A: Roll for command points and moves
Army A: shoot
Army A: melee
Army A: try to rally
Army B: Roll for command points and moves
Army B: shoot
Army B: melee
Army B: try to rally
Random card: roll 1xd6. 1-4 turn continues, draw again
                  5 A random event occurs. Consult a prepared events table
                  6 The turn ends, reshuffle deck

The deck is shuffled and placed face down and the cards drawn in sequence. At the end of the bound the deck is reshuffled and the sequence is repeated.

I have found that using this system you can make plans for each side which are continually tested as the cards will rarely fall in the correct order for you and you may find your units putting up pre-emptive fire or indeed failing to fire on advancing troops or having the enemy's morale steadied just as you  are committing yourself. The chance of an early end to a move can also radically change the course of events especially if one side has already drawn most of its cards. In a recent battle this happened twice in succession to a Royalist army who's high hopes of an easy victory readily became a desperate struggle to survive against an enthusiastic foe.

The system works well with most of the pre-mechanised eras that I fight with and is suitable for small to medium sized games (one or two dozen units with three or four commanders per army). Although I haven't tried it yet I think the system may  work for larger multi-corps battles if the deck was used on a corps by corps or division by division basis.

The link to Free wargames rules Lion of the North is:
http://www.freewargamesrules.co.uk/uploads/7/0/8/1/7081303/lonrules.pdf

[GrumpyOldMan]

Hi

A set of Ancient/Medieval rules available from a Yahoo group - http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/warriorkings/ has a good system for choosing deployment and tactics for opposition sides in a solo game. Could be modified for most periods. Of course you have to decide your deployment and tactics first  .

Cheers

GrumpyOldMan

[Fenton]

have you thought of computer moderated rules, the computer strategies ones have a solo module though I have never used this facility the rest of the system is sound