Dune (board game, 1979)

Dune, in addition to us making live a fabulous novel of Frank Herbert adapted to the cinema by David Lynch refers to a board game which was published by Jeux Descartes (and Avalon Hill in the United States). One does not find it any more in a new state but one can still unearth some specimens of occasion in good state.

A version states-unienne was also published.

The French edition is illustrated by the drawings of Moebius, according to the outlines carried out for the project of initial film by Jodorowsky (abortive because " piqué" by the producers states-uniens.)

Rules of the game

Dune is played from 2 to 6 motivated players. The kit of play is composed of a plate with dominant yellows and oranges, of 6 packages of charts (including 2 used for the basic rules), markers of spice S (money of Dune), medallions representing the generals of each family, 6 “shields” allowing each player to mask his money and its troops in reserve and taking again the assets of the aforesaid the family, of the cards of assistance of play and some secondary accessories.

The rules are many but progressive. One uses initially those basic then, one with the possibility of using additional and/or optional rules, all provided with the play.

With the basic rules, the main aim aims at taking the control of 3 “citadels” (of the cities and the sietchs).

Unfolding

Each player directs for that one of the big families of Dune (Atréides, Harkonen, Guilde Space, Empereur, Fremen, Bene Gesserit), each family having single assets and weaknesses.

Beginning: each player takes a sheet of assistance of play and chooses his house (if the players are not agreements, shooting with the fate). The players follow the instructions written on their shield of play (Note: the capacities of the players are right always of the rules, in the event of contradiction). Then all the discs of chief (excluded chiefs incarnated by the players, which have a value of 10) are placed in an opaque container, hidden side. Each player then draws 4 discs and secretly surrounds the name of one of the drawn unfavourable chiefs (except if it drew only from the chiefs to him).

NB: All the chiefs picked by the Harkonnens are traitors.

Lastly, each player draws a chart treachery (2 for Harkonnens). One in turn plays each one according to various constraints. The play proceeds in 15 turns maximum, each one composed of 6 stages:

Displacement of the storm: a more or less random protocol according to the level of rules used makes it possible to move a marker of Coriolis storm around the plate of play representing the planisphere of the planet Arrakis. The storm sweeps all on the “sectors” (portions of the planisphere) which it approaches, except for the citadels and of the mountains.
Explosion of the spice: in the basic rules, it is a question of turning over the first chart of the pile “spices”. The majority of the charts represent one of the territories of Arrakis and a number of unit of spice. One places the number of “spice markers” on the territory in question. The spice being the money of the play, it is advisable to collect some as much as possible to increase its chances to gain (and to decrease those of the others). The players will thus endeavor often to operate their armies on the plate in order to go “to collect” this spice.

A chart Shai-Hulud (Worm of sands) can also be drawn. In this case, a nexus (a pause during which can be made and demolish alliances) will be done, then, at the end of the nexus, the worm will swallow all the units being on the territory indicated by the last drawn spice chart (except Fremens).

Bidding: 3 charts “treachery” drawn from the pile corresponding and are put to the biddings hidden side. The players can buy them while starting again on the bidding of the first player. These charts are often decisive weapons or special assets in the engagements. Sometimes, they are useless charts, and one can spend much for them. Only the Atréides avoid this disadvantage.
Enrôlement, unloading, displacement: Each player has the right of “ressusciter free” a certain number of armies previously lost. This number varies from 1 to 3 and depends on the family with whom one plays. It is enrôlement. The unloading consists in transporting troops since space on Arrakis. It is paying (except for the Fremen, which sends its troops since the hidden side of Arrakis, the troops can arrive on any territory located at less than 3 territories of the Large Plain). Displacement makes it possible to drive all or part of the troops on planet of a number of territories depending on the family with whom one plays as well as few other elements of the economic situation.
Battle: When 2 families are on the same territory, their troops clash (except if the rule peaceful coexistence of the Bene Gesserit is activated). The resolution of the battle is done using the wheels of battle. Each player composes on his wheel the number of armies which it wishes to engage in the battle, on the wheel the medallion representing places the general that it chooses (each family has 5 more or less strong generals and all mortals) as of possible charts “treachery” (useless weapons, defense, charts to get rid some). The two players reveal their play at the same time, and here how is made the comparison.

- Each committed troop brings back a point. One cannot put any more troops that one has some in the battle. - The chiefs bring points, according to the value marked on the medallion. - The weapons are used to kill the enemy generals (provided that they do not have suitable defense) and thus withdraws their value of the total points. That which has the most points gains. It loses the troops which it engaged in the battle. The loser loses all his troops. If a general (or two) is killed, gaining it takes their nap in units of spices. The dead troops and generals go to the tanks of the Bene Tleilax (left higher corner of the plate of play). If the weapon used by a player is the laser and the defense used by the other is the shield, all is destroyed and nobody gains of spice.

Harvest: all the armies present on a territory where exists spice collect this spice at a rate of 2 units per turn and army present (from where the interest not to engage too many armies in a battle because each committed army is lost and thus does not take part in possible harvest).

End of part and winner

As indicated higher, the objective with the basic rules consists in taking the control of 3 “citadels” (on 5), those corresponding to parts of the plate which it is thus necessary to control while being alone in place at the end of a turn. But they are only one there the possibilities of gaining…

Conditions of victory:

To control, with or without its allies, 3 citadels (in red).
Fremen : so at the end of the part no player still gained and that none of your adversaries occupies neither the Sietch Tabr neither Sietch of the Chain of Habbanya and that moreover neither the Harkonnens neither the Atréides nor the Emperor do not occupy Sietch de Tuek, you are proclaimed victorious.
space Guild: so at the end of the part no player still gained, you are proclaimed victorious.
Bucket Gesserit: at the beginning of the part (before the choice of the traitors), you note on your sheet of assistance of play the name of a player and the turn of which you think that it will gain (you cannot predict the automatic victory of the guild or Fremen to the last turn). If this player gains, (only or like ally, including yours) with the turn that you predicted, you reveal the prediction and only have to gain you.

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