Blood Rage

You lead a Viking clan seeking glory before the world ends in Ragnarok. You draft cards to upgrade your warriors or recruit terrible monsters. Sometimes losing a battle on purpose is actually the best strategic move you can make. 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.