Ikariam

OK, so you've probably gathered that I'm a sucker for this kind of thing but Ikariam is an excellent browser game that is a mix of Civilisation and Settlers. You are in charge of a small town that you build up, developing trade routes and alliances, and eventually raising armies to wage war. The twist is that it runs continuously, even when you are not logged on. You can start building something, or dispatch a ship, and come back an hour later to see the results. It's ideal for playing through the day, requiring only minimal attention to check every so often.

If anybody wants to check it out, I'm playing as thermalsatsuma of the city of Pogwood on the isle of Schiecuios in the world of Lambda, and I will be happy to trade marble as soon as I get my quarry in operation.