Travian on a short clock

Travian looks like the least likely short-session game here and is one of the best. A visit is a set of orders: start the builds, send the raids, answer the messages, close the tab. The game then runs for hours on its own.

That makes it ideal for somebody with a predictable gap in the day and bad for somebody with none - the map does not pause, and a day missed is a day of production and vulnerability.

The tribes matter: Gauls defend and are forgiving of a slow start, Teutons raid, Romans build. For short sessions, Gauls are the kindest choice.

What it does with your fifteen minutes

• Village building
• Tribe choice
• Alliance goals

Right for short sessions if

Your gaps are regular. Two ten-minute visits a day is a perfectly competitive way to play this game.

It is the wrong pick if whole days can pass without you opening anything.

Making the first sessions count

Queue construction before you leave rather than when you arrive. The habit is worth more than any build order.

Keep your warehouse low. Full stores advertise you to raiders who read the map while you are at work.