Strategy gamers aged 30-60 with full-time jobs and families average five hours weekly for gaming—roughly 300 hours annually. The Critical Moves team examines which strategy titles respect that constraint while delivering substantive experiences, covering everything from Total War’s naval combat to Dwarf Fortress’s emergent narratives. https://criticalmovespodcast.com/listen This episode confronts the practical reality facing most strategy gamers: severely limited time. Research shows players in their 30s through 60s with jobs and families manage approximately five hours weekly for gaming, totalling just 300 hours annually. Jack, Al, and Joe evaluate strategy games across multiple subgenres—grand strategy, city builders, colony simulators—based on accessibility, learning curves, and whether meaningful progress occurs in short sessions. The hosts debate whether immersion conflicts with time management, examine how prior experience affects perceived complexity, and question whether campaign-style games serve time-limited players better than isolated matches. The discussion...