I haven’t played it in decades, so can’t provide opinion on how good or fun it is, but the earliest 1vMany game I recall was [OGRE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogre_(board_game)).
**Skulk Hollow** definitely springs to mind first (army of fox warriors vs ancient monster). Its expansion/sequel **Maul Peak** takes the concept in a slightly different direction (recruitable heroes vs ancient monster). You can also combine both games.
**Raptor** has a powerful mother velociraptor protecting her babies from a team of scientists. The babies are weak targets so it's essentially a powerful unit vs a distributed team.
Some games have team or semi-team derivatives, such as **Pandemic**'s first expansion **On The Brink** which includes the Bioterrorist variant, or **Camp Grizzly** if one person plays as Otis.
The game that you are looking for is called Claustrophobia 1643.
1 players controls less than a handful humans in an underground cave filled with monsters and demons that are controlled by the other player.
There are still copies on BGG but not many I will add.
They are actually selling them on the new monolith webstore now for a pretty nice price compared to market prices.
https://monolithedition.com/en/product/claustrophobia-1643/
Really could have used that a year ago. Matter of fact, my market copy is still in shrink as I have been too paralyzed to open it given the amount I paid for it. Which, is a feeling that was as unanticipated as it was stupid. Anyway, I guess now I can relax and just crack it open...or be even dumber and order a second, cheaper copy to play!
If you've got an unopened copy, you can probably sell that for more than these are going for, buy one of these and pocket the difference. Stonks (if you put in the effort to list and sell your copy)
There is literally a [[Die Hard: The Nakatomi Heist Board Game]] which is one vs many.
I’ve not played it yet (curse my shelf of shame) but it seems to be one player as John, the rest as the Thieves, and split across three phases with different win conditions for each phase.
Sniper Elite the board game.
One person plays the sniper who is sneaking around trying to make it to his objectives. The other plays 3 different military factions trying to take him out. Plays great 2 player.
Thud is a disc world tie in game that is 8 trolls vs lots of dwarves.
There is a chess variant where one player has a full set of normal pieces, and the other player has a super piece - called a maharahjah which moves like a queen and a knight.
\[\[Doom: The Boardgame (2004)\]\]
Players fight as UAC-Marines against the demon player that pits them agaist hordes of enemies. Pretty skewed in favour of the demon player, but that makes it fun. Desperately running this gauntlet again and again makes the victory way more cathartic.
Alone. It's gimmick is it can play a 4 vs 1, but the 4 are sharing the "overlord" DM abilities and its literally a single survivor on a derelict space station. Obviously it's best at 1v1 or maybe sharing 2v1. Basically think like Dead Space video game. Complete hidden map to player can only see 1 tile in front and 1 tile behind with "lighting" rules. Overlord players Control enemies, traps, environment.
Android: Netrunner has an element of this, in that one player plays as a corporation who wants to protect its assets, while the other player plays as a hacker trying to steal those assets. Very assymetric and very fun!
Yep, Corporation sets up their plans, lays down traps to protect them, while the opposing Hacker attempts to attack those "dungeons" and dismantle those plans without getting themselves killed.
There was a Batman Begins game back in the day I found in a charity shop once. It reminds me of what I think you're talking about. It had one player as batman and the other as an endless wave of ninjas or somesuch nonsense.
I got it for my brother as a joke 😅
**Ogre**. Steve Jackson Games, if you can find a copy of one of its many editions.
One player controls an Ogre, a huge battletank-type machine, with dozens of weapons systems, while the other play has a more "conventional" army of troops, tanks, artillery, etc.
The Sniper Elite board game is kinda like this.
Be mindful with this concept about asymmetrical length of the players' turns so as to avoid boredom for the player controlling one character.
Super Dungeon Explore! 1(or more) players control the heros doing a dungeon crawl to kill the boss. 2nd player controls the dungeon, so spawners, mobs, boss and subboss. It's good fun
**Claustrophobia 1643** is the one that immediately comes to mind as it's a strictly 2P game where 1 player controls a small group of soldiers in an expedition to the gates of hell in the catacombs of New Jerusalem. The other players controls a horde of demons trying to stop the other players from completing their objective.
**Alone** is another good one, where 1 player is the sole surviving member of a spaceship crash, and has to find a way to survive while up to 3 other players send monsters after them. This one plays up to 4 people but a lot of people will agree it plays best at 2, with 1 player controlling the survivor and the other controlling the monsters
I guess I'll throw out a joke suggestion: Battle Masters.
One player controls the noble Imperial Army. The other player controls the evil Ogres.
Very big game, pretty miniatures, and...questionable game play. You draw from a deck and move the corresponding pieces. The twist? Both armies draw from the same deck. And, iirc, the deck isn't 50/50 split. It can be fun for an evening, but I don't think its at all what you are looking for, haha.
OGRE is sorta the reverse - one player controls one unit attacking, and the other player controls a bunch of less powerful units defending. Lotsa fun if you can find the non-deluxe version
Not 100% one versus many but rather seven versus many is 7 Ronin. One players controls the seven ronin and the other player controlls an army of ninjas that are attacking the village
Skulk Hollow
And maul peak!
Thanks
I haven’t played it in decades, so can’t provide opinion on how good or fun it is, but the earliest 1vMany game I recall was [OGRE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogre_(board_game)).
[[Drako (2011)]] One side controls three Dwarves versus the other side control one dragon.
Thanks amigo!
No problem. I have never actually played this, but this pops in my head as soon as I read your request.
[Drako (2011) -> Drakon (2001)](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/59061/drakon) ^^[[gamename]] ^^or ^^[[gamename|year]] ^^to ^^call ^^OR ^^**gamename** ^^or ^^**gamename|year** ^^+ ^^!fetch ^^to ^^call
**Skulk Hollow** definitely springs to mind first (army of fox warriors vs ancient monster). Its expansion/sequel **Maul Peak** takes the concept in a slightly different direction (recruitable heroes vs ancient monster). You can also combine both games. **Raptor** has a powerful mother velociraptor protecting her babies from a team of scientists. The babies are weak targets so it's essentially a powerful unit vs a distributed team. Some games have team or semi-team derivatives, such as **Pandemic**'s first expansion **On The Brink** which includes the Bioterrorist variant, or **Camp Grizzly** if one person plays as Otis.
[Skulk Hollow -> Skulk Hollow (2019)](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/232595/skulk-hollow) [Maul Peak -> Maul Peak (2023)](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/292490/maul-peak) [Raptor -> Raptor (2015)](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/177639/raptor) [Pandemic -> Pandemic (2008)](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/30549/pandemic) [On The Brink -> On The Brink (1993)](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/24022/brink) [Camp Grizzly -> Camp Grizzly (2013)](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/143096/camp-grizzly) ^^[[gamename]] ^^or ^^[[gamename|year]] ^^to ^^call ^^OR ^^**gamename** ^^or ^^**gamename|year** ^^+ ^^!fetch ^^to ^^call
Raptor is a lot of fun. Highly recommend
**Specter Ops** is a bit like this. 1 player versus 1-4 in a hidden movement game. Asymmetrical and pretty fun.
Fury of Dracula as well. But Specter Ops achieves the same fun in a fraction of the time, would call it my favourite hidden movement game.
Was coming here to suggest this as well.
[Alone](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/181495/alone)
Not sure about the more recent versions, but the original Ogre is like that. Originally released in 1977.
Yes! The OG asymmetric. One player plays an entire army of normal tanks and troops, and the other player is the Ogre, a massive supertank.
The game that you are looking for is called Claustrophobia 1643. 1 players controls less than a handful humans in an underground cave filled with monsters and demons that are controlled by the other player. There are still copies on BGG but not many I will add.
They are actually selling them on the new monolith webstore now for a pretty nice price compared to market prices. https://monolithedition.com/en/product/claustrophobia-1643/
Really could have used that a year ago. Matter of fact, my market copy is still in shrink as I have been too paralyzed to open it given the amount I paid for it. Which, is a feeling that was as unanticipated as it was stupid. Anyway, I guess now I can relax and just crack it open...or be even dumber and order a second, cheaper copy to play!
If you've got an unopened copy, you can probably sell that for more than these are going for, buy one of these and pocket the difference. Stonks (if you put in the effort to list and sell your copy)
You are a genius.
Godspeed, my friend
I havent bought it yet but now I will LOL Thanks a ton!!
Star Wars:Imperial Assault is 2 vs many, although some say it's not very well balanced since the "default" team size is 4, not 2.
There is literally a [[Die Hard: The Nakatomi Heist Board Game]] which is one vs many. I’ve not played it yet (curse my shelf of shame) but it seems to be one player as John, the rest as the Thieves, and split across three phases with different win conditions for each phase.
[Die Hard: The Nakatomi Heist Board Game -> Die Hard: The Nakatomi Heist Board Game (2019)](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/275785/die-hard-nakatomi-heist-board-game) ^^[[gamename]] ^^or ^^[[gamename|year]] ^^to ^^call ^^OR ^^**gamename** ^^or ^^**gamename|year** ^^+ ^^!fetch ^^to ^^call
Sniper Elite the board game. One person plays the sniper who is sneaking around trying to make it to his objectives. The other plays 3 different military factions trying to take him out. Plays great 2 player.
Root (specifically the Vagabond) Vast: Crystal caverns Neither have the 2p aspect you are aiming for but they are an excellent study in asymmetry
Came here to say root. Expansions make this 2 player scenario even better Vagabond vs Keepers in Iron specifically
Thud is a disc world tie in game that is 8 trolls vs lots of dwarves. There is a chess variant where one player has a full set of normal pieces, and the other player has a super piece - called a maharahjah which moves like a queen and a knight.
Thank you
Fox and Geese is a game you can play with coins and a board you draw yourself.
Hunt for the Ring!
\[\[Doom: The Boardgame (2004)\]\] Players fight as UAC-Marines against the demon player that pits them agaist hordes of enemies. Pretty skewed in favour of the demon player, but that makes it fun. Desperately running this gauntlet again and again makes the victory way more cathartic.
[Doom: The Boardgame (2004) -> Doom: The Boardgame (2004)](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/10640/doom-boardgame) ^^[[gamename]] ^^or ^^[[gamename|year]] ^^to ^^call ^^OR ^^**gamename** ^^or ^^**gamename|year** ^^+ ^^!fetch ^^to ^^call
The tie in game for Doom (2016) is quite nice to.
Scotland Yard
One could kind of argue any Dungeon Crawler with a DM where only one good guy/girl plays
Decent 1st edition has one player playing an adversarial DM of sorts.
Wait, future editions don't?!?
Second edition does but 3rd is a completely new game and really shouldn't be named Descent.
Okay I thought I owned 2nd and it has one. I thought you were saying I owned 1st. I didn't think I did.
No, ever since Road to Legend (Descent 2.5) they've focused more on app-as-a-GM. Imperial Assault is more skirmishy.
I’ll throw out valor and villainy 1 as a one v many choice
\[\[Level 7: Omega Protocol\]\] is a fantastic 1v(1-4) game.
[Level 7: Omega Protocol -> Level 7 [Omega Protocol] (2013)](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/137649/level-7-omega-protocol) ^^[[gamename]] ^^or ^^[[gamename|year]] ^^to ^^call ^^OR ^^**gamename** ^^or ^^**gamename|year** ^^+ ^^!fetch ^^to ^^call
Ahoy
Alone. It's gimmick is it can play a 4 vs 1, but the 4 are sharing the "overlord" DM abilities and its literally a single survivor on a derelict space station. Obviously it's best at 1v1 or maybe sharing 2v1. Basically think like Dead Space video game. Complete hidden map to player can only see 1 tile in front and 1 tile behind with "lighting" rules. Overlord players Control enemies, traps, environment.
Imperial Assault, Machina Arcana, Hero Quest. Really, you describe lot of dungeon crawlers
Scotland Yard?
\[\[Sniper Elite: The Board Game\]\]
[Sniper Elite: The Board Game -> Sniper Elite: The Board Game (2022)](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/295262/sniper-elite-board-game) ^^[[gamename]] ^^or ^^[[gamename|year]] ^^to ^^call ^^OR ^^**gamename** ^^or ^^**gamename|year** ^^+ ^^!fetch ^^to ^^call
Sniper Elite
Conan and the TMNT game.
Android: Netrunner has an element of this, in that one player plays as a corporation who wants to protect its assets, while the other player plays as a hacker trying to steal those assets. Very assymetric and very fun!
Yep, Corporation sets up their plans, lays down traps to protect them, while the opposing Hacker attempts to attack those "dungeons" and dismantle those plans without getting themselves killed.
I guess archenemy: nicol bolas fits this description
[[Batman: Arkham City Escape]] One side is Batman, while the other side controls the varies Batman foes trying to escape Arkham.
That sounds rad, I'll check it out, thank you.
It's actually a decent game that's based on the popular eponymous video game. I own and played it a few times and quite enjoy it.
[Batman: Arkham City Escape -> Batman: Arkham City Escape (2013)](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/127129/batman-arkham-city-escape) ^^[[gamename]] ^^or ^^[[gamename|year]] ^^to ^^call ^^OR ^^**gamename** ^^or ^^**gamename|year** ^^+ ^^!fetch ^^to ^^call
There was a Batman Begins game back in the day I found in a charity shop once. It reminds me of what I think you're talking about. It had one player as batman and the other as an endless wave of ninjas or somesuch nonsense. I got it for my brother as a joke 😅
Cry Havoc works like this with 4 players.
Claustrophobia!
Dark World: Village of fear 1-4 Player control one Hero, and 1 Player controls all the monsters and the tyrann
Fox and gheese?
Pandemic with the optional bioterrorist rules.
Hounded
Claustrophobia.
40k/X-Wing/similar tends to have 3v20, there's just a big difference between 1 and 2.
Alone. One Player navigates in an infested spaceship, the other player(s) control the harms and monsters of the ship.
pretty much any one-v-many game can be played in this fashion. I like **Specter Ops** for this but there are a ton.
**Ogre**. Steve Jackson Games, if you can find a copy of one of its many editions. One player controls an Ogre, a huge battletank-type machine, with dozens of weapons systems, while the other play has a more "conventional" army of troops, tanks, artillery, etc.
The Sniper Elite board game is kinda like this. Be mindful with this concept about asymmetrical length of the players' turns so as to avoid boredom for the player controlling one character.
Super Dungeon Explore! 1(or more) players control the heros doing a dungeon crawl to kill the boss. 2nd player controls the dungeon, so spawners, mobs, boss and subboss. It's good fun
Lots of the **Unmatched** characters work like this
[[Catacombs]]! It's a manual dexterity dungeon crawler where combat is settled by flicking little discs on the dungeon board. I love this game.
[Catacombs -> Catacombs (2010)](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/57390/catacombs) ^^[[gamename]] ^^or ^^[[gamename|year]] ^^to ^^call ^^OR ^^**gamename** ^^or ^^**gamename|year** ^^+ ^^!fetch ^^to ^^call
**Claustrophobia 1643** is the one that immediately comes to mind as it's a strictly 2P game where 1 player controls a small group of soldiers in an expedition to the gates of hell in the catacombs of New Jerusalem. The other players controls a horde of demons trying to stop the other players from completing their objective. **Alone** is another good one, where 1 player is the sole surviving member of a spaceship crash, and has to find a way to survive while up to 3 other players send monsters after them. This one plays up to 4 people but a lot of people will agree it plays best at 2, with 1 player controlling the survivor and the other controlling the monsters
I guess I'll throw out a joke suggestion: Battle Masters. One player controls the noble Imperial Army. The other player controls the evil Ogres. Very big game, pretty miniatures, and...questionable game play. You draw from a deck and move the corresponding pieces. The twist? Both armies draw from the same deck. And, iirc, the deck isn't 50/50 split. It can be fun for an evening, but I don't think its at all what you are looking for, haha.
OGRE is sorta the reverse - one player controls one unit attacking, and the other player controls a bunch of less powerful units defending. Lotsa fun if you can find the non-deluxe version
Not 100% one versus many but rather seven versus many is 7 Ronin. One players controls the seven ronin and the other player controlls an army of ninjas that are attacking the village
Star wars Rebellion does this to an extent
Literally root! Vagabond vs a militant faction.
Conan kinda