As much as Meg and I have taken to 7WD, there will be an inevitable drop off in interest. There has to be eventually, even though Meg has stated she still feels there is so much more to discover (and we have not even tried the Agora expansion).

Last night for example, I won a science victory as events all pushed me that way (2 options to raid the discards,The Great Library, that did offer up the Law token and The Gate in my first Pantheon space, allowing me a chance at Ishtar-but not to be). The second was a semi military win to Meg, who put so much pressure on me fighting her off, I ended up with only 28 points to her 55 and that was with the Economy, Masonry and Engineering tokens coming into the Third Age.

With eventual restlessness in mind, I have been looking at some more games to spice things up.

It’s tough.

Meg has limited experience in games, but has developed some trends I can work with, even work towards.

Star Trek Catan was a firm favourite. It was tight, concise, logical and played well, so Meg took to it even with the Trek theme tacked on. We tried it again recently, but after Wonders, it was seen as too light, too random. So, she has grown out of over loose, light weight and random games.

Wingspan is well respected, but lacks the fast play, clear goal feel of Wonders. We play it with little urgency, which is quite the opposite to Wonders, where the planning starts from minute one. This one is saved for occasional long nights where some gentle immersion is desired over a more decisive and competitive 30 mins.

Ticket To Ride London is a nice light game. We have house ruled it for better 2 person play (I re-painted some buses to make 2 larger sets (24) and we draw 2 cards blind each turn). Still a filler, still fun, but light.

Tides of Time/Madness, clever and beautiful as they are, they did not take. Too little and too much going on at the same time. We did try a “first card of each round is hidden” variant with some more success, but it looks like a hard no on that one.

KIngdomino has gone the way of Catan, being too light now for anything but a nostalgic filler or party game.

Cthulhu Pandemic is still in the frame. Meg admits that she feels like it is more a leader/follower game, not a true team game as she still does not get the tactical options. Quarterbacking, no matter how much you try to avoid it, does happen with co-op games, whenever one player is more experienced or aggressive than another.

Pandemic Fall Of Rome has not been given a run yet, but I am hoping that the different dynamic to regular Pandemic/Cthulhu (very limited movement, semi predictable barbarian “pandemics”, random combat results), so it will make for a better 2 person team vibe. The reality is with this one, two players will often have play effectively their own game.

TE Galaxies Blastoff is liked. Similar in depth and scope to a Catan/7WD love child it has faster to set up than either and deeper, more logical in game play than Catan. This one seems to be “filler A” at the moment, but may potentially strengthen. I also have TE Defenders/The Dark War, so maybe some light there, but I have been told TE Zombies is not on the table (literally). Good thing both of these can play solo fine. We have also twigged that this one is deeper than we first thought.

Carcassonne is also a good filler for a low stress night of time killing.

My big hope is for Everdell (the base game, Legends and Extra, Extra mini expansions are coming). This looks to be a good progression from 7WD in several ways;

• It plays a little longer than 7WD, but not all night (roughly as long as our normal 3 games of 7WD or bit longer than a game of Wingspan).

• It has a similar draw-to-build feel as 7WD and Wingspan, but with a different application.

• It may add some more flexibility and variety compared with 7WD.

• It may add more focussed compared to Wingspan.

• It uses familiar processes like meeple placement (TE and Carcassonne), city building (7WD), 4 seasons (7WD), resource collecting (Catan), but all together in one apparently smooth mechanical soup.

• It is as beautiful as Wingspan, but more accessible (cute) with a stronger story focus.

• It sets up faster than most.

• It has several expansions for fresheners as needed, with more in the works.

• Plays solo as a deal breaker.

Well, we shall see.