I've been playing AGOT with some of my friends that have read the series.  Outside of that, and with additional people, we've been playing: Settlers of Catan, Munchkin (Original, Pirate, Zombie), and Fluxx (occasionally).  Are there any games that you can recommend that are fun and don't require a massive investment (AGOT is emptying my bank since I am the sole purchaser to this point - three core sets, all but one chapter pack)?

Just try Dominion. It is deckbuilding fun but with not as many expansions as Game of Thrones. Also St. Petersburg is a good one.

Still playing the Highlander TCG.

As far as non-collectible games, I'm hooked on Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer.

I was just about to start a new thread when I saw this one.

Do any of you AGoT players play Cosmic Encounter?

For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, CE is a legendary board game that FFG has recently bought up and re-issued in a new edition. This board game was a major, if not THE major, influence on the creators of Magic The Gathering.

The box is kind of pricey, but includes a lot of stuff.

The fundamental mechanics of the game are simple: players, in turn, select cards to determine whom they will challenge in an encounter. You declare attackers selected from among your bases on various planets, and the defending player defends with units on the targeted world in their home system Attacker and defender may invite allies to help. The winning condition is getting 5 "bases" outside of you home system.

Here are the cool parts: Each player is assigned a "game breaking" power that establishes a unique strategy for each player. (For example, Zombie does not die, making it easy for him to ally, and also easy to screw allies by throwing an attack. Trader has the power to swap hands with his opponent. Warrior accumulates an advantage that increases with each victory. There are many such powers that interact in strange ways.)

Secondly, you cannot win without help from other players, who themselves do not want you to win.

Very cool game. I bought the new FFG box but have yet to find players. I played the original Aeon edition in the 80s and CE online about 8-9 years ago.

If you like the draft format of collectible card games, I'd suggest the game "7 Wonders." It's a card-based resource and building game where every turn, players select and play a card from their hand (simultaneously), then pass their hand to the next player - playing their card from the passed hand for the next turn.

For mindless weirdness with plenty of player interaction, I'd suggest "Mag Blast" and "Small World."

What type of games do you enjoy?  If you like simpler games like Munchkin, I recommend Carcassonne, a tile-laying game with numerous expansions.  If you want something more complex, try Agricola, an incredible farm-building game.  FFGs Battlestar Galactica is great fun too and you don't need to be a fan of the show to enjoy it.
+1 on the Dominion suggestion, its deck-building on-the-fly with a single pool of cards that all players work from.

smadkins said:

Settlers is a great little game. For my gaming group, the simple one-box 'pick up and play' type games we bring to the table are: Shadowhunters, Road Kill Rally (essentially a board game version of Carmageddon), zombie-vs-high schoolers survival game Last Night on Earth (and it's Martian/Circus expansion Invasion from Outer Space).

Monsterpocalypse is good fun, too.

I've recently been resurrecting my love of certain out-of-print games that I feel it's a shame are gone.

Specifically, both the RPG and CCG incarnations of 7th Sea, a swashbuckling adventure game that takes place in a fantastical version of 17th century Earth.

I've also recently started getting into the Legend of the Five Rings CCG.

Advanced Squad Leader

A LOT

Stag Lord said:

That's awesome!  I used to playtest occasionally at their place in nearby Millersville, MD.  I haven't had the time to go recently, unfortunately (poor timing), but damn that's a great game.

Who did you playtest for? Avalon Hill or MMP? (I know both were/are in Maryland)

I also recently picked up Green Ronin's Song of Ice and Fire RPG.  I haven't had a chance to run/play it yet, but the mechanics look solid.

Stag Lord said:

MMP.  I think by the time I got into wargaming, Avalon Hill pretty much wasn't a major player anymore. 

Very cool - I amy have played stuff you have ahd oyur hands on. Been involved wihtt eh gaem on and off since '88 - but been playing a hell of a  lot more lately since the Starter Kits have brought some new players in.

Youse and Perry have done a really great job - and the game is in nice shape for such a niche product.

Stag Lord said:

Yeah, the release of the Starter Kits actually was what started my interest in the game, and man am I glad I got started!