Dune Board Games: strategy board game
Dune: A Game of Conquest and Diplomacy: Rules and a Round
Dune: A Game of Conquest and Diplomacy is a 2021 Gale Force Nine strategy game for 2 to 4 players, streamlined from the 1979 classic. It’s a good fit for groups after storms, spice, and secret battle plans in a game that wraps up in under an hour.
- 2021
- 2-4 players
- 30-60 minutes
- Ages 12+
- strategy board game
- Gale Force Nine
Designers: Bill Eberle, Jack Kittredge, Peter Olotka, Greg Olotka, Jack Reda
Four factions, five turns, and one storm ready to wreck the plans. Here’s how a turn goes.
A game runs for at most five turns, with seven phases per turn that usually take just a few minutes each. The storm and spice blow shape the board; battles at turn’s end determine who controls the strongholds. The bullets below walk through a turn in order. For the six-faction version, see original Dune board game.
New to the series? Uprising is standalone, so the base game isn’t needed.
A quick look at one turn of Dune: A Game of Conquest and Diplomacy
A game lasts up to five turns. Each turn has seven phases, in this order.
Check the film connection line on each card. Dune games draw from the book, the 1984 film or the new films.
- Step 1:
Storm: the first player rolls the storm die and moves the storm counterclockwise. It destroys forces and spice on any sand in its path, but Fremen forces are safe.
- Step 2:
Spice blow: reveal a spice card and place spice in two territories. A sandworm card destroys spice and forces in the territory shown, except Fremen.
- Step 3:
Gain cards: draw battle cards until you have four, then buy up to three market cards for 2 spice each.
- Step 4:
Revival: each player revives 2 forces for free. Extra forces and leaders cost spice.
- Step 5:
Shipping and movement: ship forces from reserves for 1 spice each, then move one group up to 3 territories.
- Step 6:
Battle: when two or more factions share a territory, each secretly builds a battle plan. Then they reveal their plans.
- 7Step 7:
Spice collection: players with forces on spice collect it; one force collects 2 spice. Anyone with less than 3 spice gets enough to reach 3.
- 8Step 8:
End of turn: move the first player marker counterclockwise. Hold three strongholds at the end of turn 3, 4, or 5 to win.
The four factions play differently, and battle planning sits at the game’s core. The next section covers setup, battle resolution, the traitor rule, and each faction’s special power. For a card-driven take on the same setting, try Dune: Imperium.
How to play Dune: A Game of Conquest and Diplomacy, step by step
Setup
Put all spice tokens in the bank. Shuffle the spice, battle, and market decks separately.
Deal each player a random faction, using one traitor card per faction. Then return those cards to the traitor deck.
Remove traitor cards for factions not in play. Each player except the Harkonnen gets 4 traitor cards and secretly keeps one.
Each player takes the starting spice listed on their faction sheet. The Fremen place their 5 starting forces in the Polar Sink; everyone else puts their forces in reserves.
Set the turn marker to 1, the phase marker to storm, and the storm marker on its starting sector.
Roll the storm die. The highest roll goes first.
Turn by turn
Storm and spice
The storm circles 18 sectors, destroying forces and spice in sand territories. Rock territories, strongholds, and the Polar Sink are safe. A sandworm in the spice blow destroys forces in its territory, except for Fremen riders. Sandworms don’t appear on the first turn.
Cards
You can hold up to four battle cards and three market cards. Battle cards provide weapons and defenses; market cards bring special effects. Each market card costs 2 spice, paid to the bank or the Imperium player.
Shipping and movement
Shipping costs 1 spice per force and sends them to one territory. The Fremen can ship only 5 forces to the Polar Sink. Then move one group up to 3 territories. A stronghold with forces from two factions is closed to everyone else.
Battle plan
Dial in any number of forces on your battle wheel, from 0 up to the number you have there. Choose a leader if you can, then add a weapon, a defense card, or both. Both players reveal their plans at the same time.
Resolving battles
Add your dial to your leader’s strength. The higher total wins; ties go to the player with battle advantage. If a weapon has no matching defense, it kills the leader and cancels that leader’s strength. The winner gains spice equal to the strength of the leaders killed.
Traitors
If your opponent plays a leader matching a traitor card you hold, call out Traitor. You win without losses, while the traitor’s owner loses their forces and played cards. If both players reveal traitors, both lose their forces and neither wins.
End of the game and scoring
Hold three strongholds with at least one force in each at the end of turn 3, 4, or 5, and you win immediately. If nobody does so by the end of turn 5, each player scores 5 points per stronghold and 1 per spice. High score wins; ties share the win.
Key rules
Losing and winning forces
The loser loses all forces in the territory and the battle cards they played. The winner loses only the forces they dialed, so a victory can still leave a territory empty.
Faction powers
Atreides can see part of an opponent’s plan. Fremen ignore storms on sand. Harkonnens hold extra traitors. The Imperium earns income from others’ market purchases and uses the Voice to force a weapon choice.
Two-player games
There are six faction matchups, and only four strongholds are used. In Allies mode, Atreides and Fremen face Harkonnens and Imperium.
Battle advantage
The first player starts with battle advantage, which passes in turn order. It breaks ties and lets its holder choose the order of battles.
Tips for your first game
- Read your faction sheet before play. Each faction bends a different rule.
- Keep an eye on the storm each turn. Sand territories can wipe out forces and spice.
- Dial fewer forces than you have if that’s enough to win. The winner still loses every force dialed.
- Keep a leader in reserve. If you can, you must play a leader in each battle.
Rise of Ix and Immortality both need the original Dune: Imperium box.
This redesign updates an older game’s visuals to match the newest film. The next section looks at how it connects to the 1979 and 2019 editions, what changed, and which parts of the novel remain on the board. See the Dune board games overview for other Dune games.
The game and the Dune story behind it
Out of print doesn’t mean unplayable. Check the print status on each card.
The game
Design and release
Gale Force Nine released the game in 2021 for 2 to 4 players, ages 12+, with playing times of about 30 to 60 minutes. Retail listings credit Bill Eberle, Jack Kittredge, and Peter Olotka, along with Greg Olotka and Jack Reda. It was available for pre-order in November 2021.
Editions and reprints
This version streamlines the 2019 Gale Force Nine edition of the 1979 game. Reviewers point to simpler rules, a five-turn limit, and a two-player mode. The Bene Gesserit faction is gone, as are the privacy screens.
The film or series it covers
Frank Herbert’s novel Dune, with visuals drawn from characters and scenes in Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 film.
Four factions battle for Arrakis’s strongholds: Atreides, Fremen, Harkonnen, and the Imperium. Lady Jessica and Reverend Mother Mohiam, both from the Bene Gesserit, are folded into the Atreides and Imperium factions.
Scenes and story beats in the game
- 1
The Imperium uses the Voice to force a weapon choice in battle.
- 2
When a sandworm card appears, the Fremen ride the sandworm.
- 3
A traitor card can win a battle, even against a Lasgun and Shield.
- 4
Killed leaders and lost forces end up in the Tleilaxu Tanks.
What’s in the Dune: A Game of Conquest and Diplomacy box
- An Arrakis game board with sand, rock, stronghold and Polar Sink territories across 18 storm sectors
- An eight-sided storm die
- Four decks: spice (24), battle (24), traitor (22) and market (24)
- 162 spice tokens, turn, phase, first player and storm markers, plus 5 stronghold blockers
- Faction sheets, 20 forces per faction and leader discs (5 per faction, 7 for the Atreides)
- Two battle wheels
How this game relates to other Dune strategy games
Dune (1979 and 2019) 1979
The original six-faction negotiation game, reissued by Gale Force Nine in 2019. This 2021 game is a streamlined redesign of it.
Dune: A Game of Conquest and Diplomacy 2021
Four factions, five turns and a two-player mode, with visuals based on the 2021 film.
Dune: A Game of Conquest and Diplomacy FAQ
What is Dune: A Game of Conquest and Diplomacy?
A 2021 Gale Force Nine strategy game for 2 to 4 players. This simplified redesign of the 1979 Dune game features four factions and a five-turn limit.
How do you win Dune: A Game of Conquest and Diplomacy?
Hold three strongholds with at least one force at the end of turn 3, 4 or 5. If nobody manages it, the highest score wins: 5 points per stronghold plus 1 per spice.
How many players can play Dune: A Game of Conquest and Diplomacy?
It plays 2 to 4 players, ages 12+. Two-player games use one of six faction matchups or Allies mode, with two factions each.
How does it differ from the original Dune board game?
There are four factions instead of six, with the Bene Gesserit folded into other factions, plus a five-turn limit and a two-player mode. The design aims for shorter games.
How long does Dune: A Game of Conquest and Diplomacy take?
Sources put games at about 30 to 60 minutes; one reviewer's games took 27 to 70 minutes.
Is it based on the 2021 Dune movie?
The visuals draw on characters and scenes from the 2021 film, while the factions and rules come from the novel and the 1979 game.
New to the series? Uprising is standalone, so the base game isn’t needed.
Check the film connection line on each card. Dune games draw from the book, the 1984 film or the new films.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Dune (board game) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia: Gale Force Nine en.wikipedia.org