From: tek@ficus.cs.ucla.edu (Ted Kim (Random Dude)) Subject: Re: Dune (long) In article <3214F913.DC8@ix.netcom.com> Daniel Hoyt writes: > I've been reading the balanced Dune thread for a while, and I was > just wondering if anyone could give me a description of it, where I > could find it if it's hard to find, and about how much I could > expect to pay. From what I've read, it sounds like a great game, > even though no two people can agree about it. First off, let's be clear what we are talking about. All the hoopla is about the DUNE game published by Avalon Hill, originally designed by EON (the people who originally designed COSMIC ENCOUNTER). There was another game with the same title published by another company as a tie-in for the movie. Avalon Hill's DUNE is out of print. For a while, it was going for amazing prices in Internet auctions ($60?), though I think it has come down to less than half that. Of course, prices can be all over the place. I got a second used copy at a convention for $6. The original box had a picture of a sandworm in the desert. A later printing has a figure on it who looks like the character Sting played in the movie (as well as a sandworm in the background). Avalon Hill also published two expansions called THE DUEL and SPICE HARVEST. The game does a great job of giving the flavor of the DUNE science-fiction novels. Even if you haven't read them, though, the game is still great fun. Each player represents one of the six factions (Atriedes, Bene Gesserit, Emperor, Fremen, Guild or Harkonnen). The essence of the game is that each player has special powers that "break" the rules somehow. In this way, it is quite similar to COSMIC ENCOUNTER, except that the powers are more complex and are applied in a more structured, less random way. Players are vying for control of a planet within 15 turns by controlling a number of "stronghold" territories on the board. The board has a circular playing area divided into territories. The board is also divided into angular "sectors" by lines radiating from the center. One deck of cards randomly determines the appearance of "spice" (rare substance treated as money) and gigantic "worms" (which devour everything). The other deck of "treachery" cards has a variety of weapons and defenses used in combat and one-time use powers. Each player also has 20 tokens (troops) and 5 leaders for that faction (with varying values). At the beginning of the game, a secret random draw determines which enemy leader is really a traitor controlled by you. The turn goes like this: 1. Storm, 2. Treachery Card Auction, 3. Spice, 4. Revival and Movement, 5. Combat, 6. Spice Collection. The storm (which is a never-ending gigantic natural disaster) moves around the board counter-clockwise from sector to sector destroying anything in a territory which overlaps with affected sectors, unless in protected terrain. Each turn it moves a random amount of 1-6 sectors. During the Auction, players who do not have a full hand bid on treachery cards (without knowing what they are) with spice. In step 3, cards are drawn to determine the location of new spice or the appearance of worms which destroy everything at a previous spice location. All spice locations are not protected from the storm. Worms also allow alliance rules to come into effect. During Revival and Movement, players take their move in counter-clockwise. The starting player is determined by the position of the storm. First, each player gets some replacements for dead tokens (and sometimes leaders). Then, he lands new troops on the board. After that, he makes just one on-planet move. During combat, players who ended up in the same territory fight it out. Each player makes up a battle plan, consisting of how many of the available troops will be "used" (i.e. die), one of his leaders, a weapon to kill the enemy leader, and a defense used to protect your leader. After simultaneously revealing plans, it is determined which weapon attacks got through (killing leaders). Final strength is surviving leader values plus the "used" troops. Higher total wins. All troops (even if they weren't committed) and cards used by the losing side are lost. The winner only loses the troops he committed. Spice is also used by troops and collected for dead leaders. Of course, if the enemy plays a traitor which you control, you win without any actual fight. In the last step, each player collects from spice producing territories that under under his control. Of course, if anyone has enough strongholds, he wins. I have left out a lot of details, but that is basically the procedural structure of the game. The Atriedes have special psionic powers and get to peek at treachery cards up for auction, the spice deck and part of opponents battle plans. They also have a special leader. The Bene Gesserit can coexist in territories with other players without provoking a battle, can force you to do certain things in a battle and can actually snatch the win from another apparent winner, if they predicted who and when before the game. The Emperor gets the profits from treachery card sales and has some elite troops (which count double). Basically he is a money man. The Fremen know how far the storm is going, move faster on planet, have some elite troops and are better at dealing with the storm and worms. They can also win another way, if certain conditions are fulfilled at the end of the 15 turns. The Guild collects fees from landing troops on the planet. They can also choose when to go during movement instead of their normal counter-clockwise position. They also have an alternative win condition. The Harkonnens are the kings of treachery. They get extra traitors, extra treachery cards and can capture enemy leaders. The interaction of these powers and some in the treachery card deck can get quite complex. The result is a game with many simple mechanisms which combine in amazing and subtle ways. There are wargame elements as well as diplomacy and intrigue. What a great game! -ted -- Ted Kim Email: tek@ficus.cs.ucla.edu UCLA Computer Science Dept. WWW: http://fmg-www.cs.ucla.edu/fmg-members/tek 3564F Boelter Hall Phone: (310) 825-7307 Los Angeles, CA 90095 FAX: (310) 825-2273