Dune Imperium

You send agents across the desert planet to gather resources and secure military power. You build a deck of cards that dictates where your agents can go. The tension ramps up as you fight for control of the precious spice. The setup takes a few minutes, but it is worth the effort once you get going. Players stay engaged even when it is not their turn because the board state changes constantly. It scales well whether you have a full table or just a couple of people. I like how it forces you to adapt your plans on the fly. You might get frustrated if your initial strategy falls apart, but that is part of the charm. It sits on my shelf as a consistent backup plan for rainy afternoons.