Top 10 Heavy Euro Games

boardgamequest.com:

While I consider myself very much an omnigamer—I’m happy playing anything from party games to 18XX—heavy-ish euro-style games continue to be some of my favorites. And here at BoardGameQuest our series of Top Ten lists is sorely missing a list of the best heavy games out there. Now I will say, “game weight” is a pretty subjective opinion, so don’t come at me in the comment about how light these are and you only play 8-12 hour games and require moderate amounts of calculus. I’m just not that smart. So here’s my take!

Let’s just jump right into the train games. Although Age of Steam is not just a game but more of a system. The goal is pretty simple, build train routes to deliver resources to the cities that demand them. Doing so increases your income, allowing you to build more tracks and stronger locomotives to… well… deliver even more goods. Have the most income at the end of the game and you win. And there are literally hundreds of maps out there that provide a variety of different experiences.

In what is sure to be a historical miscarriage of justice, Clash of Cultures isn’t nominated in the BGQ Awards for game of the year. I did what I could. But this travesty doesn’t mean you should dismiss what is undoubtedly the best civilization-themed game to ever exist. Players must carefully manage their resources, military, and culture. Dozens of civilizations and leaders with unique abilities. A gigantic tech tree that lets you choose your path to victory and makes every game feel unique. There is nothing not to absolutely love.

Teaching heavy games can be pretty difficult. But if the theme helps the mechanisms actually make sense it becomes much easier. The Gallerist is the go-to example of a perfect marriage of theme and