Reddit mentions of Carcassonne Classic

I would advise against buying the Big Box. Yes, it would save you money, but who's to say you'll like or want every expansion in the box? Carcassonne expansions are very polarizing, much more so than just about any other game I've played, and it's hard to tell at first glance whether or not you'll enjoy an expansion. It will be cheaper to buy all of them together, but if you wouldn't otherwise buy an expansion, you're really just wasting money.

If I were you, I would purchase the base game and the "Inns and Cathedrals" expansion, and then slowly add on to the game as you see fit, mixing and matching the expansions you enjoy.

If you're the type, playing board games/card games with friends is relaxing and sociable, and can also exercise your mind. A deck of cards is super cheap, and while board games have larger up front costs, you can play the same one tons of times. I'm not talking older/classic games (like Monopoly) but rather new, designer board games like The Settlers of Catan, Carcassone, or Ticket to Ride. Card games I like are Hearts and Euchre.

I picked up Uchronia when GTR was out of print. GTR is a better game. Changing the victory points to a separate card pool took away a tactical decision. It's fun enough but to me it feels kind of like a two-three step process game. Play this card, take these, buy those repeat. As for the tactical decision, since you can see what cards and specials are in play, there are no real surprises when people try to take or convert the specific materials available.

Also, even though the art work is good in Uchronia, the production of the cards feels cheap from the very flimsy card stock on the victory point square cards, to the very cheap quality mini cards.

As for your "be a dick to your friends" Uchronia doesn't really have that.

Carcassone on the other hand is currently in your budget at Amazon. It can be played friendly or dickish. In fact, if you play really cut throat the game can be among one of the meaner ones out there. You wouldn't think it would be as cut throat as it is with the theme.

Babel is a real dick game too. I heard it's being rethemed currently for a reprint. It's a perfect be a dick game. It's pricey right now, but I'm suggesting it to keep an eye out. This game is all about keeping your opponent down.

Lifeboat is super cheap right now and one of the ultimate be a dick to your friend games. I personally found Babel to be worse. This game is all about making and breaking deals with your friends. I think I heard it called "the faster game of Diplomacy."

Do your guests already like board games? I love them but in my experience getting people to learn new rules is like pulling teeth, especially when it's out of a rule book. Unless your guests are well-seeded with experienced/enthusiastic gamers who are willing to teach the rules, I'd stick with games that people probably know or have rules for kids. Scrabble, Monopoly, checkers/chess/go, Chutes and Ladders, Sorry, Candyland and decks of cards (perhaps with chips). I would also consider party games like Balderdash, Taboo, Cranium, Charades, Fishbowl, Telephone Pictionary which are really fun in groups. Maybe you could designate a charismatic friend as a "Master of Games" or something to form groups and get the ball rolling on the pen-and-paper games.

If you have a geekier group that likes more modern/European board games, there are a few games I think are totally worth a try. I'd look into: Red Dragon Inn (my FH says it might be too complicated but I think it's approachable), Ticket to Ride, Carcassonne, Dixit (I haven't played this but my FH says it's like Apples to Apples with pictures), Castle Panic and Fluxx in all its many varieties. Settlers of Catan is a bit more complicated but people are more likely to be familiar with it. It might not be great for newbies but I can't pass up the opportunity to plug Pandemic which is a fantastic cooperative game.

I really recommend you to try this game which I find beautiful! It's exactly like playing a board game (yes, there's a real board game too here ) and it never gets you bored (or at least I don't!). What do you think of this game?

Like with other deals, prices might not be the same in every country, I can confirm that it's €0.10 in Italy, please comment if it's the same in your country!

I so undestand this! There are a lot of great games out there but many of them only work for more than 2, heck even more than 3 players.

Have you ever tried Carcasonne? It's awesome! It reminds me a lot of Settlers of Catan - if you've ever played that one. It's strategic, it's unique and it's great to have because it plays with 2 but also with 6 people.

if this is only for .com, this is my US wishlist!

I would recommend Renier Knizia's Kingdoms (BGG). It plays well with 2 and the game totally changes with additional players (up to 4), though if you don't like "mathy" games it may be too much counting in your head.

To round out the $40 i'd suggest looking at Saboteur (BGG). Good, light game involving some bluffing mechanics. People are suggesting Love Letter, but for your money I think this one is more fun.

OR

Our most-played game at the house is Carcassonne (BGG). It's an ingenious tile-placement game that scales extremely well and has some opportunities for backstabbing and campaigning. We liked it so much we made out own version of thick wooden tiles with a custom retheme of the pieces. It's a solid game and it's so easy to teach newcomers, but it's deceptive in its simplicity.

I know i'll get some flak for suggesting this one, but Fluxx (BGG) is a fun super-casual party game for in-between other games or while drinking. It's basically 1000 Blank White Cards, but with a predetermined set of ridiculous rules. Your mileage may vary, though, depending how serious you are about game nights. Though I see Pokemom Monopoly so I can't imagine that serious.

Here's what I'd do if I had to rebuild a collection from scratch for $1k trying to have a wide variety of play styles:

7 Wonders $32.99
Agricola $45.79
Battlestar Galactica $39.97
Carcassonne $30.02
Carcassonne Inns & Cathedrals$15.71
Dixit $22.65
Dominion Big Box $69.18 Prosperity is one of the best expansions; Alchemy is not, but you're pretty much getting it for free in this set.
Eclipse $61.49 It wouldn't be a board game library without a 4X game, and I think Eclipse is the best currently.
Eldritch Horror $40.47 - I love Arkham Horror, but Eldritch streamlines a lot of the fiddly rules of the original.
Formula D [$41.96] (http://www.amazon.com/Asmodee-FDUSASM-Formula-D/dp/2914849648/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1395757676&sr=1-1&keywords=formula+d)
Gloom $17.98
Guillotine $13.52
King of Tokyo $30.19
Love Letter $9.34
Memoir 44 $47.43
No Thanks! $9.98
Pandemic $31.65
Power Grid $32.27
Puerto Rico [$31.20] (http://www.amazon.com/Rio-Grande-Games-195RGG-Puerto/dp/B00008URUT/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395756360&sr=8-1&keywords=puerto+rico)
Race for the Galaxy $24.11
Resistance, The $17.99
Roborally $37.49
Settlers of Catan $37.99
Telestrations $19.99 Awesome and funny party game. My friends and I eventually tire of Apples to Apples or Cards Against Humanity, but seldom do so with this.
Ticket to Ride $37.24
Ticket to Ride 1910 Expansion $18.21
Tsuro $24.22
Twilight Struggle $49.98
Village $35.47
Wits & Wagers $19.99

That comes up to $946.47; room for a couple more expansions or another game.

I don't know if it counts, but currently probably Hanabi. My friend describes it pretty well as "blind group solitaire where lying is part of the game." If that's not a "board game" enough, then probably Carcassonne, which has really simple rules but has a good depth of strategy. Or maybe chess.