Ottoman Sunset – Solo Review

What is it!?

Ottoman Sunset, by designer Darin Leviloff, is a solitaire ‘state of siege’ game depicting the various threats to the Ottoman Empire in World War One, 1914-1918. If you’re wondering what a ‘state of siege’ game is, you’re about the find out! You play as the Ottoman Empire and ultimately, player drawn cards and the corresponding events drive the narrative of the game. You act within certain parameters to stave off multiple foes, foreign and domestic! It’s a standalone game but can be combined with a related title called Hapsburg Eclipse (more on that on a separate review!) for an enhanced gaming experience. This review is specifically for the Ottoman Sunset 3rd edition though most observations are applicable to all 3 editions. The first edition was a folio ‘cheap and cheerful’ affair with a 2nd edition boxed game released later. This latest 3rd edition has fresh artwork and rulebook but ultimately all 3 versions play the same…”if it ain’t broke, why fix it!.

Historical Backdrop

Europe plunged into war in 1914. With no shortage of national threats and opportunities for all nations, the dominoes fell. The Ottoman Empire was no exception. Providing shelter to the fleeing German battleship Goeben, renamed Yavuz, infuriated Britain who in turn refused to deliver recently ordered Turkish battleships. The final straw came when the Turko-German fleet bombarded Russian forts, showing the world which side the Ottoman Empire was on.

The Ottoman Empire had high hopes but its enemies weren’t going to sit idly by and watch Ottoman ambitions come to fruition! British, Russian and Arab forces are but some of those who exerted severe pressure upon the ‘Young Turks’ who ended up fighting a war of survival. Holding on required substantial support from Germany but this was not enough and by October 1918, the Ottoman Empire surrendered…but will you fare better!?

What’s the objective?

Survive. Once the full deck of cards has been played, if you’re still standing, you’ve won! This simple sounding task isn’t as easy as it seems thanks to advancing ‘fronts’ and internal fractions threatening your military might and national will to fight retrospectively. If Constantinople (your capital city and last defensive point) is taken or your population lose the will to continue the struggle (there was a lot of internal division within the Ottoman empire) then you lose. Using actions and resources wisely is imperative to stem the incoming tide of pesky allied powers and dissidents!

Game or Sim?

Short answer – both! It’s one of the few games where one does not detract from the other. Ottoman Sunset includes interesting and educational historical narrative, but it very much covers what COULD have happened based on the historical setup, not strictly following a timeline of events. Your decisions matter, and that is where the fun is. Depending on your decision making, each game can vary massively, enhancing replayability. The order in which you the draw cards naturally is different each game so again, no two games are the same.

What’re the components like?

A high-quality mounted board sets the scene, with various chit markers for armies and various phenomenon. To say the chit markers are cardboard doesn’t do them justice. Sure, they are, but they’re super thick with colours so they’re easily identifiable and easy to handle. The cards are good quality too, though I must say the historical text is so small I have to squint…