The strategic 4x empire building game Europa Universalis: The Price of Power is live on Kickstarter. The campaign will run for 20 days, and both a base game (2 eras) and a deluxe version (all 4 eras) are available. Both versions come with some nice minis and hundreds of tokens, cubes and cards. A playmat as big as my apartment can be yours for just a few extra dollars.
It is based on computer game Europa Universalis IV, so you can replay European history from the end of the Middle Ages until the death of Napoleon. The solo mode is by Dávid Turczi and basically plays as a three player game. You have to take on two automated opponents. The bots are following their own specific strategy depending on which major power they represent, the historical phase and their position on the board.
The game promises to deliver a truly epic experience. After about one hour per player per era (yes, over four hours in full for solo) you'll finally have Europe set up and ready for modern times.