While artificially intelligent opponents are a common feature in Video Games, many Tabletop Games since The New '10s have introduced algorithms to automate one or more human players. This feature makes Player Versus Player tabletop games playable in solitaire or even coop, wherein two (rarely more) players team up against the algorithm. This appeals to players who, for reasons ranging from scheduling conflicts to global lockdowns, cannot gather a group of necessary size to play them regularly.
Just like with Video Game A.I., the design goal for these tabletop game "bots" is not to fully simulate a human player's decision-making, but to give its human opponents a gameplay experience that is as close to the original multiplayer as possible with as little overhead effort as necessary. Because tabletop lacks the sheer processing power of a computer, these algorithms are much simpler than video game bots and often play by a simplified ruleset. A key difference between a bot and a random challenge generator is that the former's behavior, even when randomized, must adapt to the current state of the gamenote .
A major driving force behind the proliferation of board game bots since around 2015 has been the Automa Factorynote — a small design studio that originally specialized in automating Stonemaier Games' products, but has since worked with other publishers, as well. The Automa Factory's founder Morten Pedersen has written a series of blog articles
detailing his personal design philosophy.
Compare/contrast Solo Tabletop Game, which is designed for a single player to begin with. Compare Digital Tabletop Game Adaptation, which often involves traditional Video Game A.I..
Examples:
- Scythe (2016, Stonemaier) features the Automa supplement, which replaces one human player with an algorithm that plays by simplified rules and uses a deck of specialized cards to randomize its actions.
- Wingspan (2019, Stonemaier) uses an AI deck that chooses simple actions, and is intended to be used when playing solo.
- The Amazing Dr. Nim (1965, E.S.R.) was a mechanical computer designed to turn the Game of Nim into a Solo Tabletop Game. In its basic configuration, it pursues a degenerate strategy that always leads to its victory as long as the human goes first, but the optional "equalizer" toggle causes it to play imperfectly until the human makes a mistake (i.e. strays from their own degenerate strategy), after which it reverts to perfect play.
- Crusader Kings The Board Game (2019, Free League Publishing), the adaptation of the eponymous video game series, includes an "AI" player in its core rules, intended to replace any number of human players, up to an including a solitaire game against 4 AIs. The bot mostly abides by the same rules as human players, except that it effectively has infinite gold, so it doesn't have to waste turns on collecting taxes, nor to pay upkeep for its levies (moreover, all of its territories count as mobilized at all times). To balance this off, the AI plays its action cards completely at random, so its behavior is more erratic than strategic. One unique aspect of this game's AI is that players can pick a different personality for each bot, selecting from Aggressivenote , Developernote , Defensivenote , Lustfulnote , and Crusadernote , which all prioritize different choices and actions, adding variety to their behaviors. Each personality also gets an extra Development card that complements its playstyle and cannot be taken from them by normal means.
- Dune Imperium (2020, Dire Wolf) has House Hagal, which is intended for use in two-player games. It's represented by a deck of cards, but its purpose is not to try and beat the other players (it cannot win), but to help balance the game by putting more pressure on the other two players. It "steals" spaces on the board and fights in combat to facilitate this.
- Everdell:
- The original game (2019, Starling Games) features a simplistic solo mode starring Rugwort. While most of his actions are pre-determined (placing workers), random (choosing cards to play) or by special rules (he gets another card whenever you play one), he has a few that adapt to the game state (e.g. "claim a basic event if possible").
- The Mistwood Expansion Pack (2022) replaces Rugwort with Nightweave, who was designed to feel more like an opposing human player (and is not exclusive to solo play; she can also simulate a third player in a game with two human players) — she's able to perform most normal in-game actions. Which one she chooses is randomized by her action deck, but she can adapt to the game state (e.g. blocking a different spot if her first choice was occupied).
- Everdell Farshore (2023) features Captain Bonny, who can simulate a human player and works similarly to Nightweave.
- Oath (2021, Leder Games) comes with the Clockwork Prince algorithm, which is primarily designed to automate the Chancellor, but can also play as one of the Exiles. It is completely deterministic and uses a simple finite state machine to assess the biggest current threat to itself and to carry out sequences of actions in response.
- Race For The Galaxy (2007, Rio Grande Games): The first expansion "The Gathering Storm" added a bot player for solo play.
- Red Dragon Inn (2007, Slugfest Games) has Otto, a robot who can be used as an additional player. He's intended to round out games with only two players, but given the general nature of Red Dragon Inn, he can be used more or less whenever the players desire. He has several different "jobs" he can be given to change the way he plays.
- Root (2018, Leder Games) received two expansions adding automated players to it, with the first being the Mechanical Marquise from The Riverfolk Expansion, which automated one of the asymmetrical factions of the game (Marquise de Cat). The original Mechanical Marquise was, however, widely considered unplayable, so a fan-driven Better Bot Project produced a complete overhaul of it, as well as automating the other three OG factions. All four of these were then made official by Leder Games in The Clockwork Expansion, containing Mechanical Marquise 2.0, Electric Eyrie, Automated Alliance, and the Vagabot (while the BBP has since also automated all expansion factions).
- Sentinels of the Multiverse (2011, Greater Than Games): The deck (or decks) representing the villain(s) that the human-controlled heroes fight only requires someone to actually draw the cards. Beyond that, the villain's actions are completely based on how the game is going when it comes to choosing targets, empowering minions, and even claiming victory.
- Star Realms (2014, White Wizard Games) and its spinoff Hero Realms (2016): Challenge Cards serve as a boss that players work together to fight, or use in solitaire games. Following certain rules, the Challenge cards do something to the Market such as removing a card. Another card is added to the market, and it triggers an effect based on the card's faction.
- Star Wars: Outer Rim (2019, Fantasy Flight) has an AI deck that can be used in place of a human player, for solo play. This deck chooses actions randomly. Notably, the deck is represented in-game by C3-PO, the series' famous droid character, in a Continuity Nod.
