51st State: Master Set Solo Review – Dominate the Wasteland

Introduction

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Bullets, bricks, and brutal choices—welcome to the wasteland of 51st State: Master Set. Have you ever dreamed of building an empire from the ruins of civilization, striking cunning deals, and occasionally razing your neighbors’ structures to the ground? If so, grab your dusty goggles and brace yourself for a gritty, strategic showdown. The post-apocalyptic wasteland awaits, teeming with ruthless rivals and limited resources. But fear not; amidst the chaos lies the incredible potential to build an empire from scraps. Let’s dive into this world of tactical decisions and savage victories, where every choice counts, and destruction just might be your ticket to greatness.

Overview

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The world has ended. The remnants of civilization now scavenge the wastelands, desperately trying to forge a new order from the ashes of the old. In 51st State: Master Set, you take on the role of a faction leader in this post-apocalyptic landscape, competing to establish dominance by expanding your territory, forging deals, and, when necessary, burning your rivals’ holdings to the ground. It’s a world where only the ruthless survive—so get ready to scrap for every last bullet and brick.

The game unfolds over a series of rounds, each divided into four distinct phases:

1. Draft Phase: Players take turns selecting new location cards to add to their hand.
2. Production Phase: Resources are gathered based on existing deals, constructed locations, and faction-specific benefits, fueling your expansion efforts.
3. Action Phase: The heart of the game, where players expand their state by building locations, making deals, razing opponents’ structures, and utilizing abilities.
4. Cleanup Phase: Unused Goods are discarded, and the next round begins.

Each location card in 51st State is multifaceted, offering three potential uses:

• Building: Incorporate the location into your state, unlocking its abilities and contributing to your engine.
• Making a Deal: Establish a continuous benefit by securing a steady income of specific resources each round.
• Razing: Destroy the location to immediately gain resources, a tactic that can provide short-term advantages.

The final round is triggered when a player reaches 25 points. Additional points are earned primarily through card effects and end-game bonuses. The player with the most points wins.

Gameplay

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Playing 51st State: Master Set is like balancing on the razor’s edge—every decision feels critical. The multi-use cards are easily my favorite feature, providing three dynamic ways to utilize each card. Do I secure a location for its ongoing ability, make a deal to tuck it away and ensure a steady income, or maybe raze it for immediate resources. Each turn feels like a satisfying puzzle, balancing immediate needs against long-term strategy.

51st State is a solid engine-builder that is packed with thrill and excitement when your engine starts to fire off. Strategically, the game opens wide, allowing players to follow their preferred playstyle. Whether you’re a builder creating intricate chains of production, a shrewd merchant stacking deal cards for a robust economy, or a ruthless warlord razing everything to the ground, each approach feels equally viable and rewarding. The game beautifully encourages experimentation, and I’ve found myself pivoting strategies mid-game based on card availability or opponents’ moves.

Faction variability deepens the strategic layer. Each faction has unique starting abilities, nudging you into distinct playstyles. For instance, one faction might specialize in razing, turning destruction into a strategic powerhouse, while another encourages deals and economic prosperity. This not only adds replayability but ensures every game has fresh tactical considerations.

Admittedly, while razing is a gameplay mechanic that sets 51st State apart from other engine-builders, it can feel harsh. Losing a hard-built location stings, but the compensation provided when your location gets razed often opens unexpected strategic opportunities. This balanced design cleverly mitigates frustration, transforming what might feel punitive into another layer of tactical depth.

The included expansions—New Era and Winter—add substantial replayability without overcomplicating setup. Each expansion adds a wide variety of location cards, but I’ll point out themes from each expansion that appealed to me. New Era emphasizes razing mechanics, providing new strategic pathways to dominate through aggression. Winter, my personal favorite, introduces “OR” production locations, compelling players to make critical resource decisions at the start of each round. This simple mechanic substantially enhances strategic depth, making each production phase delightfully agonizing.

Solo Play

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As someone who deeply enjoys solo board gaming, I found the standard solo mode of 51st State initially intriguing yet somewhat one-dimensional. It encourages slow, deliberate play, carefully timing your engine’s peak efficiency to maximize end-game scoring. Avoiding rapid point accumulation to keep the virtual player at bay can feel limiting.

However, the later-released solo variants dramatically elevate the solo experience. The faction-specific tweaks to the virtual player breathe fresh life into solo games, notably, the Merchants Guild and Appalachian Federation variants, which introduce meaningful tactical adjustments. But the standout is undeniably the community-created Borgo Automa by Joe Leone.

The Borgo Automa was officially adopted by Portal Games as part of 51st State: Ultimate Edition. You can use the Ultimate Edition rulebook and proxy a couple of inconsequential components to play the Borgo Automa with 51st State: Master Set. Borgo brings exhilarating tension through aggressive attacks, forcing difficult choices and strategic sacrifices. Once familiar, the Borgo Automa feels fluid, though a quick reference sheet would greatly streamline gameplay. The Borgo Automa is by far my favorite way to play and its design contributes to the overall rating for this review.

Components and Design

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Opening the box of 51st State feels like stepping into a Mad Max-inspired comic book. The rulebook itself is a standout, refreshingly thematic, and humorously narrated. It not only teaches you the game effectively but immerses you in the wasteland setting from the outset. I wish more game designers took this approach to rulebooks to make learning the game a more delightful part of the whole experience.

The artwork across location cards is uniquely captivating, perfectly capturing the grim, rugged aesthetic of a post-apocalyptic world. Each card feels deeply thematic, with vivid illustrations that draw you deeper into the game’s brutal setting. For example, the Transmitter location intuitively allows you to gain more location cards, reinforcing its thematic fit. On the other hand, encountering the Slave Hunters card brought a sense of heaviness and discomfort, as it compelled me to reflect on the unsettling implications of gaining a worker whenever performing a raze action. The emotional responses elicited by moments like this underscore how effectively the game’s visuals, theme, and gameplay complement each other.

Component quality is consistently high, with sturdy cards, solid player boards, and unique wooden tokens thematically shaped like the Goods they represent. The player boards provide an intuitive structure, helping organize your expanding empire clearly and elegantly. I appreciated the thoughtful design touches throughout, like iconography that remains clear even amid complex resource management. Overall, the game’s aesthetics and tactile qualities brilliantly reinforce the gritty, survivalist theme, making the entire experience cohesive and immersive.

However, I must point out the mild annoyance of tucking deal cards under the player board. Managing a handful of deals is fine, but beyond half a dozen, it starts to feel cumbersome and fiddly. It’s not game-breaking by any means, just slightly disruptive to an otherwise smooth experience.

Final Thoughts

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51st State: Master Set delivers a consistently compelling gaming experience, balancing tactical depth, thematic immersion, and rewarding decision-making beautifully. Each session feels fresh thanks to robust expansions, faction variability, and the ingenious multi-use card system. While the original solo variant was serviceable, 51st State has aged like a fine wine, and the Borgo Automa finally uncorks the full depth and complexity of the multiplayer experience for solo players, allowing them to savor the same delightful engine-building richness that has kept players coming back year after year. If you’re looking for a post-apocalyptic playground where every decision carries weight and excitement, this game undoubtedly earns its place at the table.