Welcome to the Dune Game

Are you ready to embark on an exciting adventure in the world of Dune? This guide will provide you with all the information you need to get started and become a master of the game. So let’s dive right in!

Objective of the Game

The objective of the Dune Game is to accumulate as much spice as possible and ultimately become the ruler of the desert planet Arrakis. Spice is the most valuable resource on the planet, and with it, you can gain power and influence over the other players.

Setting Up the Game

To begin the game, each player will choose a faction to represent. Each faction has its own unique abilities and advantages, so choose wisely! Once you have chosen your faction, set up the game board according to the instructions provided in the rulebook.

Gameplay

During your turn, you will have a variety of actions to choose from. You can move your troops, gather spice, or engage in combat with other factions. Each action requires careful strategy and planning to outmaneuver your opponents.

As you progress through the game, you will encounter treacherous sandstorms, fierce sandworms, and powerful storms, which can either help or hinder your progress. Use these events to your advantage and adapt your strategy accordingly.

Winning the Game

The game ends when one player has accumulated a predetermined amount of spice, or when a certain number of rounds have been played. The player with the most spice at the end of the game is declared the winner and becomes the ruler of Arrakis.

Conclusion

Now that you understand the basic rules of the Dune Game, it’s time to gather your friends and start your journey into the world of Arrakis. Remember, strategic thinking and careful planning are key to success. May the spice be with you!

• Game Board
• 6 Player Faction Sets
• 112 Cards
• 156 Spice Tokens
• Destroyed Shield Wall Token
• Storm Marker
• Game Turn Counter
• 5 Special Emperor Forces
• 3 Special Fremen Forces
• Bene Gesserit forces
• Sandworm Token
• Kwisatz Haderach Card and Counter tokens
• Quick Start Guide
• Quick Reference Cards
• Rulebook

Hey there! So, let’s talk about this game called DUNE. It’s divided into a Basic and Advanced Game. But don’t worry, we’ll start with the Basic Game, okay? It’s always good to learn and play the Basic Game a few times before you take on the Advanced Game. Trust me, it’ll be more fun that way!

Basic Game

What’s the point of the game?

So here’s the deal, folks: each faction in this game has its own unique set of advantages. These advantages can be economic, military, strategic, or downright treacherous. The whole point of the game is to use these advantages to gain control of Dune. And let me tell you, it ain’t easy. The winner of the game is the first player to occupy at least 3 strongholds with one of their forces during the Mentat Pause Phase. Trust me, that’s harder than it sounds.

Now, listen up, because this is important. You can win the game all by yourself, or you can team up with other players and form an alliance. It’s up to you to decide which path you want to take.

Let’s get started

First things first, we need to set up the game. Take all the spice tokens and put them in the Spice Bank. Easy enough, right?

Next, grab the Spice Deck and the Treachery Deck. Shuffle them both up real good and place them face down next to the game board. Throughout the game, any cards that get played will be piled face up next to the decks as discards. And hey, if we run out of cards in either deck, we’ll just shuffle up the discards and use them to restock. Simple as that.

Hey there! Time to pick your faction in the game! You’ve got a couple of options for choosing. Check it out:

1. You can use the faction cards from the Prediction Deck. Just shuffle the cards, deal one to each player, and that’s your faction.
2. If you’re feeling lucky, you can each draw a card from the Bene Gesserit turn prediction cards. Whoever gets the highest card gets to choose their faction first.

And hey, if you’re not happy with your faction, you can always swap with another player. No hard feelings!

Games with Two or Three Players

When it comes to playing the board game, there are some important things to keep in mind. Let me break it down for you:

For a game with three players, the suggested factions to play as are Atreides, Harkonnen, and Fremen. In this type of game, an Alliance needs 4 strongholds to win, following the standard Alliance rules.

If you’re playing with just two players, you can try Atreides vs Harkonnen or each player can choose two factions. Again, in this case, you’ll need 4 strongholds to win the game.

Four & Five Player Games

If you have four players, it is recommended to leave out both the Spacing Guild and Bene Gesserit factions. For five player games, you can try playing without the Bene Gesserit.

Now, let’s go over the setup process:

1. Positions

Each player needs to place their Player Marker on the player circle closest to their shield and take their seat at the table.

2. Traitors

Let’s start by preparing the Traitor Deck for the game. I need to remove the cards for all factions that we’re not using and shuffle the remaining ones. Each player will then be dealt four cards.

Once we have our cards, we’ll each choose one card to keep in secret. If any of us draw leaders from an opponent’s faction, we can decide to make one of them our traitor. If we didn’t draw any opponent leaders, we can protect one of our own leaders instead.

After selecting our cards, we’ll place our chosen card face down behind our shields, and the remaining cards will go back to the bottom of the Traitor Deck.

Next, let’s talk about spice.

We’ll need to remove spice from the Spice Bank based on what’s indicated on each player sheet. This spice will be placed behind each player’s shield.

Now let’s prepare our forces.

We’ll place our forces on the game board according to the instructions on our player sheets. Any forces that are in reserve will be placed next to our shields.

Finally, we’ll address treachery.

When we play DUNE, each of us gets dealt 1 card from the Treachery Deck.

I put the turn marker at 1 on the Turn Track.

Remember: Sometimes a faction has special advantages that go against the rules. The faction’s specific advantages always come first.

How to Play the Game

We play DUNE in turns. We can have a maximum of 10 turns.

Each turn has nine specific phases. We have to complete them in the exact order listed below.

Phase 1: The Storm

During this phase, the Storm Marker will make its way across the map, affecting different areas as it moves. The faction whose Player Marker is closest to the storm will take on the role of the First Player for this turn.

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2. Spice Blow and Nexus Phase

When it’s time for the Spice Blow Phase, I turn over the top card from the Spice Deck. This card tells me how much spice to put in the highlighted territory. But here’s the exciting part – if Shai-Hulud shows up during this phase, something called a Nexus happens. This is when you and the other players get a chance to form or break Alliances.

Step 3: The Choam Charity Phase

If you have 0 or 1 spice, you can take advantage of the CHOAM Charity option.

#image.jpg

4. Bidding Phase

Now it’s time for the bidding phase, where everything gets a little spicy! This is the part of the game where we compete to get our hands on those precious Treachery Cards. But here’s the catch – we have to bid our spice to win them.

5. Revival Phase

Now, here’s where things get interesting. It’s time to revive and reclaim your forces and leaders from the Tleilaxu Tanks. Yes, you heard me right. After all the battles and turmoil, this is your chance to regroup and rebuild.

In this phase, you have the power to restore your strength and rejuvenate your army. Take a moment to ponder the possibilities. Your forces may have suffered some losses, but now you have the opportunity to get them back in fighting shape.

Think of it as a fresh start, a chance to learn from past mistakes and come back stronger than ever. You have the upper hand now, my friend. Seize this moment and reclaim what is rightfully yours.

But remember, with great power comes great responsibility. As you revive your forces and leaders, you must strategize and plan carefully. Assess the battlefield, evaluate your resources, and make wise decisions.

So gather your troops, summon your leaders, and let the revival begin. It’s time to show your opponents what you’re made of. This is your moment to shine, so make it count. The fate of the battle lies in your hands.

6. Shipping and Moving Your Forces

Now it’s time to talk about how we get our forces to where they need to be. Let’s go through this step by step.

First, it’s important to understand that we take turns in a specific order. The player who goes first will start, and then we’ll go clockwise from there.

When it’s your turn, you have two options for moving forces. Option one is to ship forces from space onto the planet. This means you take some of your forces from your reserves and place them on the planet. The other option is to bring forces in from the southern hemisphere, but only the Fremen can do this.

Once you’ve decided how to bring in your forces, it’s time to move them around on the game board. You can move your forces to any adjacent territory as long as you have enough forces to do so. Just make sure to plan your moves strategically to gain the upper hand in battles and control important territories.

Remember, the goal is to have the most control over the planet. By strategically moving your forces, you can claim territories, control resources, and ultimately emerge as the ruler of Arrakis.

So, in summary, during the shipment and movement phase, each player takes turns shipping forces onto the planet or bringing forces in from the southern hemisphere. After that, they strategically move their forces on the game board to gain control and secure victory.

7. Time to Fight

It’s time to sort things out when multiple factions clash in a territory.

Step 8: Collecting Spice during the Harvest Phase

During the Harvest Phase, I have to make sure that my forces in territories with spice are busy collecting it. It’s the perfect time to gather this valuable resource and put it to good use.

9. The Calm Before the Storm

After all the battles have been fought and the dust has settled, it’s time for the factions to reflect on their victories or setbacks. This is the Mentat Pause Phase, a moment to evaluate the state of the map and prepare for the next turn.

#image.jpgPhase 1: The Fury Unleashed

The Eye of the Storm

When the storm first awakens, its ferocity cannot be underestimated. The Storm Marker is placed along the map edge, but the exact location is uncertain. It all hinges on a game of chance played by two players.

These two players, located closest to the Storm Start Sector, secretly select a number between 0 and 20 on their wheels. Then, at an agreed signal, they reveal their chosen numbers. The numbers are combined, determining just how far the Storm Marker will travel across the map.

The Winds of Change

When it’s time for the next Storm Phase, both of us who recently spun the Battle Wheels will choose a number from 1 to 3. We’ll do this at the same time, and then we’ll show each other our numbers. We’ll add our numbers together and move the Storm Marker counterclockwise around the map. We need to move it as many sectors as our numbers add up to.

Damage

When the storm passes or stops in a sector of sand territory (excluding the Imperial Basin), any forces in that sector are wiped out. These forces are then placed in the Tleilaxu Tanks. Forces that are not on a sand territory, however, are protected from the storm. Additionally, any spice in a sector where the storm passes or stops is taken and placed in the Spice Bank.

Obstruction

It is not allowed for forces to move into, out of, or through a sector that is affected by the storm. Moreover, forces are prohibited from engaging in battle if either of the forces is located in a sector affected by the storm.

First Player

Whichever player’s Player Marker is the next to be approached by the storm becomes the First Player during the Bidding Phase, the Shipping Phase, and the Movement Phase.

#image.jpgPhase 2: Spice Blow and Nexus

Top Card

The top card of the Spice Deck is uncovered and revealed.

First Turn

When I play Dune, there’s a special phase called the Spice Blow Phase. During this phase, only the sandworm cards that are turned over are ignored and set aside. But don’t worry, they’re reshuffled back into the Spice Deck after this phase.

#image.jpg Territory Card

Territory

Here’s something cool – sometimes a Spice Blow happens. When it does, the amount of spice indicated on the card is taken from the Spice Bank and put onto the territory in the sector where the Spice Blow icon is located. After that, the card is placed face-up on the discard pile of the Spice Deck. (But if the Spice Blow icon is currently in a storm, no spice is placed that turn).

Shai-hulud

#image.jpg Shai-Hulud Card

Now, let’s talk about a Nexus. A Nexus will happen after certain events occur:

• First, I’ll remove any All spice and forces that are face up on the territory card and put them in the Spice Bank and Tleilaxu Tanks, respectively. Then, I’ll place the Shai-Hulud card face up on the discard pile of the Spice Deck.
• Next, I’ll turn over another card. If it’s a Shai-Hulud card, I’ll discard it and turn over another card. I’ll keep doing this until a Territory Card appears, and then I’ll place spice on it as described earlier. The Territory Card is placed face up on the Spice Deck discard pile.

Nexus

If a Shai-Hulud card is revealed after the first turn, it will cause a Nexus at the end of the phase. During a Nexus, players can form and break Alliances.

Phase 3: Choam Charity

#image.jpg

Hey, did you know that if you have 0 or 1 spice, you can get 2 spice by saying “CHOAM Charity”? Pretty neat, huh?

#image.jpgTime to Bid: Phase 4

Make your Declaration

Before we start bidding, I need to know how many Treachery Cards you have. You can only hold up to 4 cards, so if you have 4, you’ll have to pass during bidding.

Let’s deal!

One of you will be the dealer. This player will deal cards from the Treachery Deck face down, placing one card in front of each player who is allowed to bid.

Time to auction.

We’ll start by auctioning off the first card in the row in exchange for some spice.

• The bidding will begin with the First Player. If the First Player already has 4 Treachery Cards, then the player to their right who doesn’t have 4 Treachery Cards will start the bidding.

Bid your spice or pass – that’s the name of the game. The player who kicks off the bidding must offer at least 1 card of spice, or they can choose to pass. Then it’s the next player’s turn to either raise the bid or pass as well. Bidding continues around the table until someone makes the highest bid and all other players decide to pass. Whoever makes the top bid then pays the amount of spice they bid into the Spice Bank and takes the card.

But hold on! There’s a limit to how much spice you can bid. You can’t bid more spice than what you actually have. So be mindful of what you’re bringing to the table.

Now, once the bidding for one card is over, it’s time to move on to the next one. The First Player who can bid, and who sits to the right of the player who opened the previous bid, takes the lead for the next card. This way, every player gets the chance to start the bidding for a Treachery Card.

That’s the end of the bidding process. It’s your chance to think strategically and seize the opportunity to grab powerful cards for your hand. So step up and make your move!

During the Bidding Phase, we keep going until all the cards available for bidding have been auctioned off or no one wants to bid on a card. If nobody bids on a card, we put all the remaining cards back on top of the Treachery Deck and the Bidding Phase is over.

It’s really important that everyone knows how many Treachery Cards each player has during the Bidding Phase. We’re not allowed to hide the number of cards we have. Just remember, you can never have more than 4 cards in your hand at once. If you already have a full hand, you have to pass on all the cards up for bid.

When it’s your turn to bid, you have to do it within 10 seconds of the previous player. If you take longer, it’s assumed that you passed and you won’t get another chance to bid.

Now let’s move on to Phase 5: Revival. In this phase, we have “Force Revival.”

Reviving Forces and Leaders in Dune

Hey there! I want to talk to you about reviving forces and leaders in the game of Dune. It’s a pretty important part of the game, so let’s dive in!

First off, each player has the ability to revive up to 3 forces from the Tleilaxu Tanks. This is super useful because it gives you a chance to bring back some of your strength to keep the game going.

There are a few different ways you can revive forces. The first way is completely free. You get a certain number of forces revived for free, as stated on your player sheet. This gives you a little boost without any cost or consequence.

But let’s say you need more forces than what’s available for free. That’s where the spice comes in. To revive additional forces, you’ll need to pay 2 spice per force. It’s like a little investment to help you out. And don’t worry, any spice you spend on force revival goes into the Spice Bank, so it’s not just disappearing into thin air.

There’s just one catch – you can’t revive more than 3 forces per turn. It’s a limit set in the game to keep things fair. So make sure you choose wisely which forces you want to bring back.

Now, let’s move on to leaders. Leaders are a special part of the game, and reviving them works a little differently. If all 5 of your leaders are in the Tleilaxu Tanks, you can revive 1 leader per turn until all of them are back in action.

Reviving a leader requires a payment of spice to the Spice Bank. The amount of spice you need to pay is equal to that leader’s fighting strength. It’s like a tribute you have to make to bring back their power. But trust me, it’s worth it to have your leaders by your side again.

So there you have it! Reviving forces and leaders is an important aspect of the Dune game. Just remember, you have the power to revive up to 3 forces from the Tleilaxu Tanks, and if all your leaders are in there, you can bring them back one by one. It’s all about making strategic choices with your spice and bringing back the strength you need to win. Good luck!

• Revived Leader Status: When you are revived, you can play normally, but remember that you can still be a traitor.
• Dead Again: If you are revived and then killed again, you will be placed face down in the Tleilaxu Tanks. You cannot be revived again until all of your other revivable leaders are revived, killed, and sent to the Tleilaxu Tanks once more.

#image.jpgPhase 6: Shipment and Movement

When it’s my turn to play, I start by conducting my Force Shipment and then my Force Movement. After that, it’s the next player’s turn, and we continue in a clockwise direction until everyone has completed this phase.

Force Shipment

Shipment of Reserves

If I have any forces in my off-planet reserves, I’m allowed to ship them to any territory on the map. I can ship as many forces as I want in a single shipment.

Payment

But here’s the catch: for every force I ship, I have to pay spice to the Spice Bank. The cost of shipping forces into a stronghold is 1 spice per force, and it’s 2 spice per force for any other territory.

Sectors

Now, things can get a bit tricky. If I’m shipping forces into a territory that has multiple sectors, I have to decide which sector of the territory I want to leave my forces in. It’s important to be clear about this.

Exceptions

There are a few exceptions to keep in mind:

• Storm: No one is allowed to ship forces into a sector that is experiencing a storm. It’s off-limits.

Strongholds: Don’t send troops to a stronghold if two other players are already there.

• One Way: Once your troops are on the board, you can’t send them back to your reserves.

Moving Forces

We can all move our troops from one place to another. No restrictions, except for a few cool extra moves I’ll tell you about.

Flying Machines

Listen to this: if you start with forces in either Arrakeen, Carthag, or both, you get these cool flying machines called ornithopters. With them, you can move forces through up to three territories next to where you are.

I don’t have to be in Arrakeen or Carthag to make the three territory move. For instance, if I have forces in Arrakeen, I can move them starting in Tuek’s Sietch through Pasty Mesa and Shield Wall to the Imperial Basin, where they have to stop.

But if I don’t have a force in Arrakeen or Carthag at the beginning of my move, I can’t use ornithopters and can only move my forces one territory over by foot.

I can only make one force move per turn, no more.

Sectors don’t affect movement. Forces can move into or through a territory without worrying about sectors. Sectors are only there to regulate the storm and spice collection.

The storm is another matter altogether.

So, here’s the deal. No force can go through a sector in a storm. That’s what they call the Storm Phase, by the way. Some territories have multiple sectors. You can move into and out of those territories as long as you don’t pass through the part that’s covered by the storm.

• If you end your move in a territory with multiple sectors, you gotta be clear about which sector you’re leaving your forces in.
• The Polar Sink is never in a storm. Just so you know.

Stronghold Blocking

Listen up, this is important. You can’t move forces into or through a stronghold if there are already forces from two other players in there. It’s like a rule or something.

#image.jpgPhase 7: Battles

I. Determining Battles

Whenever two or more players have their forces in the same territory, they must engage in battle.

Battles will continue until only one player’s forces remain or until no forces are left in any territory on the map. However, there are two exceptions:

• Players cannot engage in battle in a territory if there is a storm sector separating their forces. In this case, their forces can coexist in the same territory after the phase ends.
• Players are not allowed to battle in the Polar Sink, as it serves as a safe zone for everyone.

The First Player

When resolving battles, the First Player is designated as the aggressor until they have finished fighting all of their battles, if any. The aggressor gets to choose the sequence in which they will fight their battles. Then, the player to the First Player’s immediate right becomes the new aggressor, and this process continues until all battles have been resolved.

If you have three or more players in the same territory, the one who started the fight gets to choose who they will battle first, second, and so on, as long as they survive.

#image.jpg Troop Tokens

Fighting Strategy

To resolve a battle, each player needs to come up with their own secret plan. This plan always includes dialing a number on the Battle Wheel. It’s recommended to include your faction’s leader or a cheap hero in your plan, although it’s not mandatory. You can also choose to include Treachery Cards if you want to.

Battle Wheel

Each player gets their own Battle Wheel and needs to secretly dial a number on it. This number should be between zero and the total number of forces they have in that territory. Both players will lose the number of forces they dialed on the Battle Wheel.

Faction Leaders

When it comes to playing Dune, one of the most important aspects is selecting the right leader for each battle. The leader you choose can make a big difference in the outcome of the game.

#image.jpg Leader Tokens

Here are some key things to keep in mind when choosing a leader:

• Leaders that survive battles can fight multiple times in a single territory if needed, but they can’t fight in more than one territory during the same phase.
• When creating your Battle Plan, you should always include either a leader or a cheap hero card.
• If you’re not able to include a leader or a cheap hero card, you must announce that fact.

No Treachery

When you don’t have a leader or a cheap hero, you still have to fight, but there’s a catch – you can’t use any Treachery Cards as part of your Battle Plan. So, if you find yourself in a situation where you don’t have a cheap hero and all your leaders are either in the Tleilaxu Tanks or have already fought in another territory during that phase, you’ll have to rely solely on your wits and the strength of your troops.

In the world of The Confrontation board game, battles are an exciting and strategic part of gameplay. The outcome of a battle is determined by the Battle Wheel, which allows players to allocate tokens and play cards to gain an advantage.

Each player starts by placing their tokens on the Battle Wheel. The number of tokens depends on the hero they have chosen. If a player decides to use a cheap hero, their total number of tokens is equal to the number on the dial. However, they still have the option to play weapon, defense, or worthless cards.

The Power of Treachery Cards

Players with a leader or cheap hero can enhance their strategy by playing Treachery Cards. They can choose to play a Weapon Treachery Card, a Defense Treachery Card, or both. These cards can be held against the Battle Wheel to gain an advantage. Of course, players also have the freedom to not play any Treachery Cards at all.

Unveiling Battle Plans

Once both players are ready, the Battle Plans are simultaneously revealed. This creates an element of surprise and anticipation as both players discover each other’s strategies.

III. Deciding the Victor

Determining the Winner

The winner of the battle is determined by comparing the total number dialed on the Battle Wheel, along with their leader’s fighting strength. Whoever has the higher total is crowned the victor.

Absence of Ties

In the event of a tie, the aggressor is declared the winner. So, it’s crucial to aim for a clear victory and avoid a drawn-out battle.

The Significance of Weapons

When you play Dune, it’s important to pay attention to the treachery cards your opponent plays. If they play a Weapon Treachery Card and you fail to play the right Defense Treachery Card, your leader gets killed and doesn’t count towards your total. Both leaders can be killed, and neither of them will count in the battle. Now, when you play a cheap hero, your total is simply the number of forces you dial. However, you can still play weapons or other Treachery Cards.

Let’s talk about what happens to leaders when they get killed. If a leader is killed, they’re immediately put face up in the Tleilaxu Tanks. As the winner, you receive their value in spice from the Spice Bank. This includes the value of your own leader, if they were killed.

On the other hand, if your leader survives the battle, they stay in the territory where they were used until all battles in other territories are resolved. After that, you can retrieve them.

Now, let’s say you end up losing the battle. Well, that happens sometimes. It’s not the end of the world. You can always regroup and come back stronger in the next round. Remember, in Dune, winning isn’t everything. It’s about strategy and having fun. So, take this loss as a learning experience and use it to improve your game plan for the future.

When you lose a battle, the Tleilaxu Tanks take all your forces in that territory, along with any Treachery Cards you used. Remember, though, that you don’t lose your leader in battle. Leaders can only be killed by Weapon Treachery Cards.

Winning

If you win a battle, you only lose the number of forces you dialed on the Battle Wheel. These forces go into the Tleilaxu Tanks. You can choose to keep or discard any cards you played.

Traitors

If I find myself in a battle and my opponent uses a leader that matches a Treachery Card I have, I have a special move called “Treachery!” that I can use. This move allows me to pause the game and reveal the Traitor Card.

When the Traitor Card is revealed, something exciting happens. If I am the one who revealed the Traitor Card, then I immediately win the battle! Not only that, but I don’t lose anything, no matter what was played in the Battle Plans. Even if my opponent revealed a lasgun and shield, it doesn’t matter. I get to place the traitorous leader in the Tleilaxu Tanks and receive spice from the Spice Bank equal to the traitorous leader’s fighting strength.

However, if my opponent reveals the Traitor Card, it’s not so great for them. They end up losing all of their forces in the territory. On top of that, they also have to discard all of the cards they played. It’s a tough situation for them, but a victory for me!

Remember, when playing Dune, keep an eye out for the Treachery Card. If your opponent uses a leader that matches it, you can call out “Treachery!” and change the course of the game. It’s an exciting and unpredictable move that can turn the tide in your favor. Give it a try and see what happens!

The Tale of Two Traitors

Imagine a gripping scenario where both leaders involved in a battle are deemed traitors. In such a peculiar case, both players end up losing their forces, cards, and even their leaders. The sad part is, neither player receives any spice as a reward. It’s a lose-lose situation for both.

#image.jpgPhase 8: Spice Collection

Now, let’s talk about spice collection. If you happen to have forces stationed in a sector of a territory that has some spice, you have the exciting opportunity to collect that precious spice. Simply take the spice tokens that rightfully belong to you from the territory and store them safely behind your shield.

The collection rate is quite intriguing. If you have forces stationed in Carthag or Arrakeen, you will be rewarded with a generous rate of 3 spice per force. On the other hand, if you don’t occupy Carthag or Arrakeen, you’ll still get a favorable rate of 2 spice per force.

Keep in mind that any uncollected spice remains in its current location, eagerly awaiting a future turn for someone to claim it.

#image.jpg Spice Tokens

#image.jpgPhase 9: Mentat Pause Phase

Hey, guess what? If I’m able to get my forces into 3 strongholds during the Mentat Pause Phase, I win the whole game. How awesome would that be?

But wait, there’s more! If I team up with another player and together we manage to occupy a total of 4 strongholds with our forces, our grand alliance wins the game. Imagine the celebration!

Here’s an example: Let’s say I’m in cahoots with the Fremen, and they have their troops in Sietch Tabr and Carthag, while I have mine in Tuek’s Sietch and Arrakeen during the Mentat Pause Phase. Boom! We win together!

When nobody wins, we stop and think about where we stand on the game board. We weigh our choices, and once we’re confident, we shift the turn marker to the next spot on the Turn Track to start the next round.

Partnerships (Nexus)

When a Shai-Hulud (sandworm) card is flipped over on the second or later turns, at the end of the Spice Blow and NEXUS Phase, a special event called a Nexus occurs. During a Nexus, all players have the opportunity to form, join, or dissolve Alliances. Once players have made their decisions, the game continues.

Creating an Alliance

The Basics

An Alliance can consist of no more than two players, and the new victory condition becomes having 4 strongholds instead of the usual 3.

Discussion

Players are allowed to talk and negotiate with each other about the advantages and disadvantages of forming an Alliance, and with whom to form it.

Transparency

All the players involved in an Alliance must make their membership known to everyone. Alliances cannot be kept secret. As a visual reminder, players can exchange Alliance Cards to keep track of who is in an Alliance.

Restrictions

During a Nexus, several Alliances can be created, but each player can only be part of one Alliance. Once all players have had a chance to form Alliances, no new ones can be made until the next Nexus.

Ending an Alliance

Terminating

Any player can end an Alliance during a Nexus. Simply announce that you are breaking away from an Alliance.

Joining Another

Players who end an Alliance have the opportunity to immediately join or create a new Alliance.

How Alliances Work

Goal

Restriction

Allies cannot enter any territory (except the Polar Sink) where one of their allies already has forces. Therefore, allies can never fight against each other.

Note: If for any reason two factions who became allies during the last turn occupy the same territory at the beginning of the next turn, one of those factions must move out of that territory during the Shipment and Movement Phase. If the first faction to ship and move does not move out of the territory, the second faction must move out or lose those forces to the Tleilaxu Tanks. >..

Ally Secrecy

You and your allies can talk and share strategies privately at any time.

Bidding

You can bid on valuable resources and abilities that can benefit you in the game.

Movement

You can move your forces to different territories to expand your influence and gain an advantage.

Shared Advantages

You can enjoy the benefits of shared resources and abilities with your allies.

Secrecy

You don’t have to keep your cards, spice holdings, or the traitors you’ve chosen a secret. You can choose to reveal this information or keep it to yourself, it’s up to you.

When playing the game, it’s crucial to keep all your spice holdings behind the Player Shield. During the Bidding Phase, you need to keep the number of Treachery Cards you have open, but they can remain secret at all other times.

Let’s Talk Bribes

If you’re not in the same Alliance as another player, you can make verbal deals or bribes. However, once you make a deal or bribe, you have to state it out loud and stick to your word. Breaking a deal or bribe is not allowed. You can also include spice as part of the deal or bribe.

Keep in mind that a deal or bribe cannot involve the transfer or gifting of Treachery Cards, leaders, forces, or faction advantages. The only things that can be part of the deal are secret information, future actions, and, of course, spice.

It’s important to note that a deal or bribe cannot break the rules or go against your faction’s powers. These are the only restrictions you have to consider.