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Are there any good solitaire rules out there for 8E solitaire games? I’ve got numerous 40K armies, but my main opponent is away at college (my son) and has lost interest in the game.

I’d especially be keen to find a solitaire version that handles campaign play, so I can have some fun customizing/improving my units based on how well/poorly I do.

 Stormonu wrote:
Are there any good solitaire rules out there for 8E solitaire games? I’ve got numerous 40K armies, but my main opponent is away at college (my son) and has lost interest in the game.

I’d especially be keen to find a solitaire version that handles campaign play, so I can have some fun customizing/improving my units based on how well/poorly I do.

I've not seen any, but one page rules had Solitaire rules, Eric is a fairly streamlined game, and compatible.

I was recently looking at a similar option for Kill Team and I stumbled upon this:

https://www.reddit.com/r/killteam/comments/aergjn/a_guide_to_sadhammer_kill_team/

I haven’t given it a go yet, but I’m keen to.

Not 40k as such but the Operation Last Train rules seem like fun with a meaningful multi mission goal

https://therenaissancetroll.blogspot.com/2019/03/operation-last-train-charity-wargame_8.html

I'd recommend trying to engage other people in the community! 40k is a vibrant group with a huge age range. Our local community has lots of people in younger age ranges (16-20), mid-ranged (21-40), and older ages (41+). No matter your age, someone in the community near you will be interested in a game.

But, if you live REALLY far away (like Iqaluit), maybe there really isn't someone near you. In that case, my suggestion would be to build some scenarios where units have pre-scripted actions that they take against you. Since you will know these pre-scripted actions, you should give yourself a disadvantage, or multiple disadvantages, compared to the opponent.

Blackstone fortress can be played one player. There are dozens of campaign missions available.

Now that retinue characters have been added to the game, you can build a decent force which transitions to both Kill Team and 40k.

This is your game.

When I was younger I would sometimes put my army up against waves of units from my other armies.

For example you could take a 2000 point army and put it in the center of the table. Then have a single opposing squad placed 20-30 inches away. The direction the opposing squad comes from can be determined by a scatter die.

Then proceed to take your turn as normal, if the enemy survives then move to its turn. You can impose rules such as it must make the maximum movement each turn, shoot if able, and charge if able (always towards the nearest possible unit). Then keep alternating turns until the wave is destroyed.

Once the first wave is destroyed, place increasingly stronger waves on the table (each units position determined by the random scatter).

Eventually you'll get overwhelmed, but it can be interesting to see how much your army can take. If you like this style of play then you can also introduce a reinforcements rule: perhaps every 2 rounds you can restore all the wounds in a squad or vehicle (unless it has been completely destroyed).

 Flinty wrote:
Not 40k as such but the Operation Last Train rules seem like fun with a meaningful multi mission goal

https://therenaissancetroll.blogspot.com/2019/03/operation-last-train-charity-wargame_8.html

I've not had time to read the rules and try it out yet, but the idea is just so brilliant that I went ahead and joined the cause straight away! Thanks for posting this.

I did it a few times for a laugh, but playing two armies vs each other by your self and swapping sides actually was somewhat fun.

HI S,

Find an e-mail opponent, play with one half of the board in each location, proxy enemies that encroach on your half of the table. Play as normal. You will need to send photo's of your moves, and inform of the results of dice rolls, stratagems etc.

Happy to run a game with you - pm if interested.

Cheers,

M

Tyranids are a good foe for such games. When I didn't have others to play with I would indulge in a campaign of an Eldar craftworld repelling a numerically superior Tyranid force. That was about two decades ago and only just now returning to that since my brother isn't there to play against as much as we did when we were younger.

It was a bit of trial and error trying to recreate bits from ALIENS and Starship troopers, but each game improved as I added more random events. One involved a dice roll against a homebrew chart, and as my reapers were picking off gaunts from afar with ease, a Screamer Killer erupted from the ground inside the base and killed a few good guardians before being put down by the Avatar.

Consider spawning points, a D10 or D20 event chart and goals such as when 50% of your forces are lost, withdraw and evacuate as many units as you can. Give points for heroic sacrifce( units that cover the retreat ).

Kill Team might be a better starting point as the games are smaller to manage, and its easier to spread the indivdual units out than squads in 40K - and far less expensive!

The good thing about this is the atmosphere; you really are on your jack jones, just like the marines in ALIENS!

Best of luck!

PenitentJake wrote:
Blackstone fortress can be played one player. There are dozens of campaign missions available.

Now that retinue characters have been added to the game, you can build a decent force which transitions to both Kill Team and 40k.

This is your game.

Was just thinking the same. BSF has a really good ruleset and mechanics for single play which could easily be adapted for 40k style Kill Team games - anything larger I think would be too cumbersome and not as fluid.

There was a really interesting video I saw of two guys playing an AI singleplayer campaign for X-wing (fanmade), that always had me wondering if the same thing could be done for 40k.
As far as I remember, there was a chart of enemy behaviours (I think specific to each class of ship??? ) that you had to role on each turn. While the diversity of roles for each unit in 40k would make this tricky, I feel like someone with more experience of how the game worked could probably hammer out the kinks?

That said, those folks suggesting Blackstone aren't far off the mark, either - I really liked the AI mechanism in Blackstone, and it seemed to work very satisfyingly, though again, wish I could've played it more...

This guy plays fantasy by himself: https://youtu.be/n7uIR2yT07c

 Gangland wrote:
This guy plays fantasy by himself: https://youtu.be/n7uIR2yT07c

I don't know how someone can play WFB against themselves. Unless it's purely for narrative, he can't exactly keep the other armies strategy a secret now can he?

And on another note, every time I see a video of WFB, I curse GW yet again for blowing it all up...

For some reason I managed to fail to post the link to onepagerules...

https://onepagerules.com/

The grimdark future And age of fantasy rules have an AI doc you can play by yourself.

Plus army lists compatible with 40k and fantasy miniatures

 posermcbogus wrote:
There was a really interesting video I saw of two guys playing an AI singleplayer campaign for X-wing (fanmade), that always had me wondering if the same thing could be done for 40k.
As far as I remember, there was a chart of enemy behaviours (I think specific to each class of ship??? ) that you had to role on each turn. While the diversity of roles for each unit in 40k would make this tricky, I feel like someone with more experience of how the game worked could probably hammer out the kinks?

That said, those folks suggesting Blackstone aren't far off the mark, either - I really liked the AI mechanism in Blackstone, and it seemed to work very satisfyingly, though again, wish I could've played it more...

The X-wing campaign you’re referring to is Heroes of the Aturi Cluster - I’ve played it and it’s great. If it had a parallel for 40K, I’d be all over it.

Thanks for the answers so far - I’m checking all options presented so far.

 Latro_ wrote:
I did it a few times for a laugh, but playing two armies vs each other by your self and swapping sides actually was somewhat fun.

I've done this several times myself. Prior to having kids, sometimes I just couldn't make it to the LGS yet had plenty of time to kill.
If you own 2 armies, this can be both fun and a way to sharpen your skills at knowing what you are weak against.

-

I think the game can be played solo without much change, but do you have no access to any local clubs/stores?

You might be able to look up local players.

The obvious answer is: "Son, I'm not to old to bend you over my knee. Get home for a game. Now."

 Ishagu wrote:
I think the game can be played solo without much change, but do you have no access to any local clubs/stores?

You might be able to look up local players.

Quite frankly, I refuse to play with the local 40K group. They’re a bunch of jerks.

 Stormonu wrote:

 Ishagu wrote:
I think the game can be played solo without much change, but do you have no access to any local clubs/stores?

You might be able to look up local players.

Quite frankly, I refuse to play with the local 40K group. They’re a bunch of jerks.

They wouldn't be the kind that takes it too seriously and nitpick every little detail, instead of just having a good time?

 deviantduck wrote:
The obvious answer is: "Son, I'm not to old to bend you over my knee. Get home for a game. Now."

...wow...threatening to assault your child so they'll play a game with you...that's...wow...

SamusDrake wrote:

 Stormonu wrote:

 Ishagu wrote:
I think the game can be played solo without much change, but do you have no access to any local clubs/stores?

You might be able to look up local players.

Quite frankly, I refuse to play with the local 40K group. They’re a bunch of jerks.

They wouldn't be the kind that takes it too seriously and nitpick every little detail, instead of just having a good time?

If you mean Rules Lawyers, yes. They also play like every game is a tournament final and are noob-stompers with the attitude that the only way to teach someone to play is to crush their spirit until you “get gud”. They’ve driven off numerous new players and have been the reason the local FLGS no longer runs an Escalation League.

 NurglesR0T wrote:

 Gangland wrote:
This guy plays fantasy by himself: https://youtu.be/n7uIR2yT07c

I don't know how someone can play WFB against themselves. Unless it's purely for narrative, he can't exactly keep the other armies strategy a secret now can he?

And on another note, every time I see a video of WFB, I curse GW yet again for blowing it all up...

I mean I have a fairly active fantasy group so I’m happy. As for playing solo the dude is having fun at least... I guess

 Stormonu wrote:


If you mean Rules Lawyers, yes. They also play like every game is a tournament final and are noob-stompers with the attitude that the only way to teach someone to play is to crush their spirit until you “get gud”. They’ve driven off numerous new players and have been the reason the local FLGS no longer runs an Escalation League.

Urgh, you have my sympathy. Thankfully I'm blessed with a good brother who has shared in the adventure of gaming since we were youngsters and and we just play for fun and taking the piss out of each other's misfortunes. Hes not always been able to play due to other commitments(both beating around early 40s), but when we do its for the sake of each others company, and knowing that life really is too short to waste on being fancy and perfect.

For the times he can't visit I do enjoy solo gaming as a form of relaxation. It becomes like any activity when you "get into the zone" as it were. Its far better to do that than force yourself to play with the lawyers or rope a family member or friend into it. At least you get to relax!

Unfortunate that your local group is as you described. These kinds of groups do form at times, especially if the strongest personalities in them push a certain type of play.

Competitive play is vital to the community, but it can take many forms and should never be an all encompassing blanket.