Classic games will forever hold a place in my heart, but not so much on my table.
Dune: A Game of Conquest & Diplomacy takes the 2019 version of the Dune board game (which is a reprint of the old Avalon Hill version) and updates it for a more modern gaming environment. A lot of the core mechanics are unchanged, but the changes to this version are significant enough to make it a game for a wider audience.
While I do absolutely love the classic Avalon Hill and 2019 GF9 version, there is something daunting about trying to play a game that takes so long to set up and takes upwards of 3 hours to play. It’s [insert current year here] and I don’t have that kind of time! So I was very happy to find out that Gale Force Nine was taking a crack at the classic version and streamlining it to something much more manageable in terms of gameplay, play time, and general fiddliness.
The updated Spice cards and additional mechanics mean players will have a much easier time acquiring Spice. This is good because there is also so much more to do with it now. The Market cards add a fun new flavor to the game and since they are separate from the Battle cards and drawn every turn, players are never left unarmed. All of these changes mean this version places a much stronger focus on the combat and makes it a lot more action-focused and fast-paced.
If you like the deep and engrossing feeling of the original, that’s awesome. You still have that option available to you. But, if you’re like me and struggle to find time to get a group together, this is definitely the way to go. The game doubles down on all of this with the addition of the 2 player mode!
Thanks to the streamlined gameplay, Dune: Conquest & Diplomacy is the ideal game for people who enjoy asymmetric sci-fi wargames, but can’t always block off an entire night for just a single game.
This is NOT a reskin of the classic Dune game, re-published in 2019. It has the same beloved DNA, flavour, tension and themes, BUT with beautiful new game board design, updated look and feel to reflect the upcoming film, more spice, new streamlined rules, and a new market deck where you can purchase game advantages.
The brand new 2-player mode really opens up new gaming opportunities, all making the game more accessible for even the most casual gaming nights where not quite such a time / player number commitment is required. For this reason, Dune, A Game of Conquest and Diplomacy doesn’t replace the original classic Dune, but sits next to it in the cabinet / on the shelf.
- 2 – 4 Players
- 60 Minutes
- Ages 14+
Source: Bell of Lost Souls
