These grand strategy games are always my theoretical favorite genre, but I just don't have the patience and/or time to commit to them (beyond the relatively sim

These grand strategy games are always my theoretical favorite genre, but I just don't have the patience and/or time to commit to them (beyond the relatively simple Civ entries). I am equally envious and dismayed by friends who tell me how many hours they've logged not to just the game in total, but a single play in Europa Universalis and its ilk.