I finally got Brass: Birmingham to the table with a dedicated opponent and... wow. This might be the single best 2-player board game experience available.
The asymmetry is incredible. The tension of the Ring-bearer's journey against the military conquest is thematic perfection. Every dice allocation feels agonizing in the best way.
It's long (3-4 hours) and the rules are dense, but if you have ONE person willing to commit, it's magic. Change my mind.