Speed Variants: Playing Classic Strategy Games in Half the Time

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My lunch break is exactly 60 minutes. My favourite games take 2-3 hours. For years, these facts meant lunchtime gaming was impossible.

Then I discovered speed variants. Now I play Wingspan in 40 minutes, Terraforming Mars in an hour, and Agricola during coffee breaks. The strategic core survives. The marathon disappears.

Why Play Faster?

Speed variants serve specific needs:

• Time constraints: Lunch breaks, work nights, early mornings
• Player availability: Catch friends between commitments
• Session variety: Fit multiple games into one evening
• Attention spans: Some players fade after 90 minutes
• Teaching purposes: Demonstrate games without full commitment

Official Speed Variants

Many publishers include shorter modes. Check your rulebooks—you might already have options.

Wingspan: Swift Start

Official variant: Pre-dealt starting resources, skip card drafting phase

Time saved: 15-20 minutes Strategic impact: Minimal—racing start rather than strategic positioning Where to find: Included in base game rules appendix

Terraforming Mars: Corporate Era Removal

Official variant: Remove Corporate Era cards, use base generation system

Time saved: 30-45 minutes Strategic impact: Moderate—simpler economic engine Where to find: Base game includes both modes

7 Wonders: Blitz Mode

Official variant: Play only ages I and II

Time saved: 10-15 minutes Strategic impact: Low—changes late-game pivots Where to find: Community suggestion widely adopted

Catan: Quick Settlement

Official variant: Place two settlements simultaneously; first to 8 points wins

Time saved: 20-30 minutes Strategic impact: Low—same game, earlier finish Where to find: Tournament rules variant

Community-Tested Speed Variants

BoardGameGeek forums contain extensive variant collections. These have been playtested by hundreds of players.

Agricola: Family Friendly Plus Timer

Community variant: Use family game without minor improvements; add 90-second turn timer

How it works:

• Family mode removes most cards (simpler decisions)
• Timer prevents analysis paralysis
• Games consistently under 45 minutes with experienced players

Source: BGG Agricola forums, multiple contributors

Spirit Island: Quick Spirits

Community variant: Start at power level 2; use low-complexity spirits; play single-board scenarios

How it works:

• Skip early-game ramp-up
• Faster spirit powers hit immediately
• Smaller map accelerates pace

Source: BGG Spirit Island strategy forums

Pandemic: Outbreak Limit

Community variant: Reduce outbreak limit from 8 to 5; reduce cube count

How it works:

• Higher pressure forces faster decisions
• Games end sooner (win or lose)
• Intensity increases

Source: Pandemic difficulty adjustment threads

Gloomhaven: Dungeon Sprint

Community variant: Pre-select abilities before scenario; reduce road events; skip city phase details

How it works:

• Card selection during setup (not during play)
• Streamlined between-scenario admin
• Focus on dungeon crawling, not management

Source: Gloomhaven variant compilation

Creating Your Own Speed Variants

When no tested variant exists, design your own. Follow these principles:

Identify Time Sinks

Universal Shortening Techniques

Reduced Victory Conditions

Lower the winning threshold:

• First to 80 points instead of 100
• 3 rounds instead of 5
• Complete 4 objectives instead of 6

Risk: May truncate strategic arcs. Test before committing.

Pre-Sorted Components

Do setup work before game night:

• Sort tokens into player-specific bags
• Arrange decks in starting configuration
• Pre-build variable setup elements

Time saved: 10-30 minutes per game Effort: Post-game sorting required

Turn Timers

Recommended limits:

• Light games: 30-60 seconds
• Medium games: 60-90 seconds
• Heavy games: 90-120 seconds

Benefit: Forces intuitive play, eliminates paralysis Risk: May stress some players, reduce strategic depth

Simultaneous Play

Convert sequential turns to simultaneous where possible:

• Draft rather than draw sequentially
• Write orders simultaneously
• Reveal actions at once

Games suited: 7 Wonders already does this; others can adapt

Remove Phases

Eliminate optional or low-impact phases:

• Skip income phases (adjust starting resources)
• Remove cleanup/reset phases (do at game end)
• Eliminate optional actions that rarely trigger

Risk: May unbalance game. Test thoroughly.

Example: Creating a Speed Carcassonne

Standard game: 45-60 minutes with 72 tiles

Speed modifications:

1. Reduce tile count to 40 (remove duplicates, keep variety)
2. Use 5 meeples instead of 7 per player
3. Skip field scoring (speeds endgame dramatically)
4. Draw next tile during opponent's turn

Result: 25-30 minute games with strategic core intact

Tradeoff: Farms were integral strategy; removing them simplifies significantly

Timer Tools and Techniques

Adding time pressure requires the right tools.

App Timers

Board Game Timer (iOS/Android): Customisable per-player, tracks total time

Chess Clock apps: Two-player focused, proven interface

Tabletop Timer: Designed for board games, includes round timers

Physical Timers

Sand timers: Visible, low-tech, satisfying. Buy multiple durations (30s, 60s, 90s)

Chess clocks: Per-player time banks. Excellent for competitive play.

Kitchen timers: Loud, functional, inelegant.

Timer Etiquette

• Agree on timer use before game starts
• Decide penalty for running over (forced random action? skip turn? social shame?)
• Allow timer pauses for rules clarifications
• Disable for teaching games

Speed Variants by Complexity

Light Games (Already Quick)

Light games rarely need speed variants—they're designed for quick play. But you can still:

• Pre-sort components
• Reduce winning conditions further
• Add turn timers to prevent social distraction

Medium Games (Primary Target)

Most speed variants target medium-weight games. These have enough depth to cut without breaking, enough length to benefit from reduction.

Best candidates: Wingspan, Ticket to Ride, Azul, 7 Wonders

Heavy Games (Proceed Carefully)

Heavy games often resist speed-running. Their length creates strategic texture. That said:

• Remove optional variants/modules
• Use introductory rules sets
• Play team formats to parallelise thinking
• Accept reduced depth as temporary teaching mode

Approach with caution: Terraforming Mars, Brass, Spirit Island

Competitive Considerations

Speed variants in competitive contexts require agreement.

Tournament Adoption

Some speed variants have become tournament standard:

• Chess clocks in competitive Scrabble
• Round timers in Codenames tournaments
• Reduced-length finals in Magic: The Gathering

Casual Competition

For regular gaming groups:

• Agree on variants before starting
• Document house rules for consistency
• Track whether wins/losses differ from standard play

Handicapping Through Time

Give weaker players more time:

• 90 seconds for experienced players, 2 minutes for learners
• Or: stronger players must commit to first instinct

Speed variants work when they compress the same game. They fail when they create a different game wearing the original's clothes. Test until you know which you've made.

Games That Shouldn't Be Sped Up

Some games derive value from length:

Twilight Imperium: Negotiation requires time investment. Speed-running destroys the political simulation.

Diplomacy: Trust and betrayal need room to breathe. Quick Diplomacy isn't Diplomacy.

Campaign games: Legacy and campaign games build over sessions. Rushing individual sessions undermines narrative.

Social deduction (large groups): Discussion is the game. Timers create pressure but may undermine discovery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do speed variants unbalance games?

Sometimes. Reduced time can favour some strategies over others. Test variants before competitive use. Accept imperfection in casual contexts.

Should I tell new players we're using a speed variant?

Absolutely. They should know the normal game exists and that they're experiencing a shortened version.

Can all games be speed-run?

Most can be shortened somewhat. Not all should be. Evaluate whether reduced length preserves what makes the game enjoyable.

How do I convince my group to try speed variants?

Frame as experiment. Offer one session trying it. If successful, adopt; if not, return to standard.

What's the minimum viable length for strategy games?

Depends on game, but under 30 minutes often loses strategic depth. The 45-60 minute sweet spot works for many medium games.

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Final Thoughts

That lunch break limitation? It became a feature. Speed variants forced me to identify what I actually loved about games—and often, it wasn't the marathon sessions. It was the decisions, the competition, the satisfaction.

Not every game needs to be shortened. But when time is limited, knowing how to compress without destroying opens doors that would otherwise stay closed.

Start with an official variant. If none exists, experiment cautiously. Document what works. Share with the community.

Your lunch hour awaits.

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The Smoothie Wars Content Team creates educational gaming content. The team once played four games during a single lunch break and regrets nothing except the cold sandwich.