Dino-Wars (Is that title taken already?)

I finally settled on a rule set, one of my own concoction and I’m so happy it actually works! So here is my inaugural play test.

Here’s deployment. On the left we have a Stegosaurus, an Allosaurus, a Styracosaurus and a Triceratops, against them on the right is a Giganotosaurus, Spinosaurus, T-Rex and another Allosaurus.

Littered around the gaming table you can see various things, five feeding points and two objective markers. Feeding points allow you to replenish your ferocity, a resource that can be spent to buff your dinosaurs actions. In the top right there’s a small orange Styracosaurus, and behind our Allosaurus on the left is a Dimetrodon. These two are for a rolled for objective called ‘Call of the Young’, if a dino from the right can make it into contact with the Styracosaurus on the left then they get an objective point, if one of our carnivores on the right can make it into base to base contact with the Dimetrodon on the left then they will gain an objective point.

I rolled for a twist, which is a list of things to add more flavour to the game and came out with ‘Desperation’, which means the effects of hits are worse than normal as the dinosaurs are more determined to defend themselves and their territory.

The other two objective I rolled up were ‘Bleed’, you get one objective point for killing your first enemy dino, and ‘Infiltrate’ if half of your remaining Dinosaurs can get into your opponents deployment zone then you gain an objective point.

The first side to 3OP, or that wipes out the opposing side if that comes first wins.

Early on the Allosaurus from the left clashed with the Triceratops, and the Triceratops came out on top; impaling his opponent on his horns, spilling blood and gore in a horrific display of power.

Here’s the table at the end of turn 1. Most dinosaurs simply advanced, but first blood goes to the herbivores (and Allosaurus). Herbivores 1, Carnivores 0.

Turn two sees the Allosaurus in the centre luckily survive an attack from both the Giganotosaurus and Spinosaurus.

At the end of turn 2 the Allosaurus still was at risk of falling prey to the Giganotosaurus and Spinosaurus in the centre, and in the bottom right you can see the Triceratops hoping to hold its ground, and help its side take the ‘Infiltration’ objective.

At the start of turn 3 the T-Rex had other ideas.

He locked his jaw around the Triceratops and ripped off a chunk of hide, the Triceratops stumbled around, and then gave in after losing so much blood.

At the end of turn 3 the table looked like the image below. In the top right half out of frame is the Allosaurus who claimed the ‘Call of the Young’ objective earning her side another objective point. Had the Triceratops survived the T-Rex’s attack the Herbivores would have won the game 3-0. However the T-Rex pulled the game from the jaws of defeat, so at the end of Turn 3 the score was instead 2-1.

Below you can see what the Styracosaurus was facing heading into turn 4.

The Giganotosaurus charged in, claimed the ‘Call of the Young’ objective (2-2) but failed to do damage to the Styracosaurus which held her ground. The Spinosaurus readied for the charge, and if he can make it, he’ll win the game for the Carnivores, fulfilling the ‘Infiltration’ objective.

But unfortunately his charge falls short.

After spending all the ferocity available to them the Stegosaurus made it across the table and scored the ‘Infiltration’ objective for the Herbivores, winning them the game.

Here’s the table at the end of the game, it was a quick, bloody and fun game.