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The Spice of Life
The Introduction in the rules to Avalon Hill’s classic game of Dune says
it best: “Frank Herbert’s classic science fiction novel Dune will
live for generations as a masterpiece of creative imagination. In
this game you can bring to life the forbidding alien planet and the
swirling intrigues of the book’s major characters.” The players
play the six main factions struggling for control of Arrakis, sole
source of the spice which is the key to control of the Empire: House
Atreides, House Harkonnen, Emperor Shaddam IV, the Spacing Guild,
the Fremen, and the Bene Gesserit. Each player has unique powers
to simulate the strengths and weaknesses of the different factions,
enabling them to pursue various strategies of battle, diplomacy,
and intrigue.
Originally designed by the wonderful folks at Eon and developed
and made popular by Avalon Hill in the late 1970s, Dune is a game
with a large cult following, even though the game is currently only
available in a French edition. Used copies of Dune are highly sought
after, and popularity is at an all-time high with new prequel books
written by Brian Herbert, a recent television miniseries, and a limited
edition role-playing game. Dune has been called “the
ultimate 6-player game", and with good reason. It is an outstanding
adaptation of the general plot and tone of the book, very accessible
but with significant strategic depth, and incorporating some truly
unique game mechanics. (The battle resolution mechanism is the heart
of the game, requiring planning, memory, intuition, calculation,
bluff, virtually zero luck, and one of the most innovative game components
ever created.)
Dune is an outstanding adaptation of the general plot and tone of
the book, very accessible but with significant strategic depth, and
incorporating some truly unique game mechanics. We are playing all
advanced and optional rules, plus a few critical house rules designed
to limit stalemates and increase tournament playability.
The GM provides Best Player
plates for each of the characters in the game.
Rule Set
We are playing all of the Basic, Optional, and Advanced rules as
published in the Avalon Hill 1979 edition of the game with one exception:
Rule XVIII.A (Longer Game) will be ignored.
We will play rule XXI (Double Spice Blow). Based on my experience,
the amount of spice available in the game with two spice blows does
not significantly impact the game, but the frequency of Nexuses does,
and the game is improved with more frequent worm appearances. Furthermore,
in an attempt to make it a bit more difficult to force a stalemate,
we will play a modified version of rule XVIII.B this year. This rule
provides for the Shield Wall to be considered a stronghold for the
purposes of victory, making a total of six possible stronghold locations,
but only after the beginning of the turn in which the 6th worm card
is revealed. Worms called by the Fremen do not count—only the worm
cards in the spice deck. The victory conditions (control of 3, 4,
or 5 strongholds, depending on the number of factions in the alliance)
are not changed. Other characteristics of the Shield Wall space are
as follows:
* Shipment to the Shield Wall still costs 2 spice/token (1 spice/token
for Guild shipment), as usual for rock spaces.
* Occupation of the Shield Wall is not restricted to only 2 factions, as usual
for rock spaces.
* The Shield Wall is not affected by storm or worm, as usual for both strongholds
and rock spaces.
* Family Atomics may be used as written. When Family Atomics is played, all
tokens on the Shield Wall are destroyed (regardless of storm location), but
the Shield Wall continues to be treated as a stronghold and continues to be
unaffected by storm or worm.
* In the unlikely event that two separate factions occupy the Shield Wall at
the end of a turn (due to location of the storm preventing battle between them),
neither faction is considered to control that stronghold for the purposes of
victory determination.
We are not using any of the additions introduced in any official or unofficial
expansions (The Duel, Spice Harvest, articles from The General, or anything
else). The Eurogames/Descartes edition of the game includes some of these elements
as standard play, so make sure you understand which parts will not be used:
* No 10-point leaders
* No kanly or duels
* No spice harvest rounds or variable setup
* No non-standard factions -- The factions used are limited to Atreides, Bene
Gesserit, Emperor, Fremen, Guild, and Harkonnen.
* No non-standard treachery cards -- The standard card set is limited to 4
x Projectile Weapons, 4 x Poison Weapons, 4 x Shields, 4 x Snoopers, 1 x Lasegun,
3 x Cheap Hero(ine)s, 5 x Worthless Cards, 1 x Hajr, 1 x Tleilaxu Ghola, 1
x Weather Control, 1 x Family Atomics, 2 x Truthtrances, and 2 x Karamas.
House Rules
We are using the following house rules:
1. Factions are drawn randomly. Players may trade factions with
each other by mutual consent before play begins. In a game with fewer
than six players, a player made trade for an undrawn faction if all
players consent.
2. Alliances are limited to two or three factions per alliance.
(No faction may belong to more than one alliance.)
3. Two-faction alliances must control four of five (or six) strongholds
to win. Three-faction alliances must control five of five (or six)
strongholds to win. An unallied faction needs only three of five
(or six) strongholds to win.
Note that solo victories while allied are not possible, unlike a
variant played at Avaloncon/WBC in recent years.
Rules Clarifications
In addition, the attached list of rules clarifications (entitled “Dune
Rules Clarifications") is given to supplement the standard published
rules. If any question arises during a game that cannot be answered
by the published rules or the official clarification list, the GM
or an assistant must adjudicate.
Tournament Format and Scoring
The tournament consists of three preliminary heats followed by one
final round. You may enter any number of preliminary heats, and unlike
recent years, you need only complete one of the three to qualify
for the final.
In each heat, players will be grouped randomly, creating as many
6-player games as possible, but requiring every game to have at least
five players, if at all possible. (For example, 45 players would
be grouped into five 6-player games and three 5-player games.) Games
with fewer than five players will be permitted only at the GM’s discretion.
All games must begin within 15 minutes of the scheduled start time.
The GM, at his discretion, may attempt to place latecomers with games
with fewer than six players if possible. Players arriving after the
15-minute grace period will be placed only at the GM’s discretion.
Players leaving any time after the 15 minute grace period will be
subject to the dropout penalties.
Qualification Points
Each player will gain (or lose) a number of Qualification Points
(QPs) for each game played as follows:
| |
6-Player Game |
5-Player Game |
| Solo Victory |
5 QPs |
4 QPs |
| 2-Faction Alliance Victory |
2 QPs |
1.5 QPs |
| 3-Faction Alliance Victory |
1 QP |
0.5 QP |
| BG Prediction Victory |
5 QPs |
4 QPs |
| Solo Fremen or Guild Default
Victory |
2.5 QPs |
2 QPs |
| 2-Faction Alliance Default
Victory |
1 QP |
0.5 QP |
| 3-Faction Alliance Default
Victory |
0.5 QP |
0 QP |
| Loss to Regular Victory |
-1 QP |
-1 QP |
| Loss to Prediction Victory |
-1 QP |
-1 QP |
| Loss to Default Victory |
-0.5 QP |
-0.5 QP |
In the unlikely event that two unallied players simultaneously achieve
solo victories (a possibility after Shield Wall becomes the 6th stronghold),
each will receive full Solo Victory credit.
Preliminary Heat Duration
Each preliminary heat is strictly limited to ten (10) game turns.
If no player wins by the end of turn 10, the Fremen and Guild default
victory conditions will be used to determine a default victory as
normal.
Each preliminary heat is scheduled to last four hours. If a game
does not complete after four hours of play, the GM or an assistant
will ask the players if they wish to continue after the completion
of the current game turn.
* If a majority of players vote against continuing, the game will
end and the GM will award the victory to a single player or alliance
if a majority of players agree. Otherwise, the single player with
the highest normalized Performance Point score (see below) will be
awarded the victory. If that player is unallied, s/he will win a
solo victory, otherwise that player’s alliance shares the victory.
(In all cases, a majority is defined as at least half of the players
remaining in the game.)
* If the players vote to continue, the GM will allow 30 more minutes of play
and then check again, with another vote being taken exactly as above.
Advancement to Finals
The six highest qualifying player scores will advance to the final
game. A player’s qualifying score is defined as the total of the
QPs earned in all preliminary heat games played by that player (if
more than one was played). Ties will be broken in order of best single
normalized Performance Point score (see below).
Alternates for the final game will be chosen from available non-qualifying
players in order of highest qualifying score. Again, ties will be
broken in order of best single normalized Performance Point score
(see below).
Final Round Format
The final game will be played using the same rules as the qualifying
games, except that three-faction alliances may be formed but cannot
win the game. A two-faction alliance can win the final by controlling
four of five (or six) strongholds, but only one 1st place plaque
can be awarded.
In the event of a two-faction alliance victory, 1st place will be
determined according to the following criteria:
* In a Fremen default victory, the Fremen player is 1st
* In a Guild default victory, the Guild player is 1st
* In a normal victory where one player controls three strongholds and the other
one, the player controlling three is 1st
* In a normal victory where both players control two strongholds, the one with
the highest normalized PP score is 1st
In the unlikely event of two simultaneous solo victories (now possible
with six strongholds), the tie will be broken in favor of the player
with the highest normalized PP score.
2nd place will be awarded to the ally of the 1st place player (if
applicable). Remaining places will be awarded in order of most strongholds
controlled, with ties broken in order of highest normalized PP score.
Exception: If the Bene Gesserit win a prediction victory, the predicted
player will be awarded 2nd place and the predicted player’s ally
(if applicable) will be awarded 3rd place. Remaining places will
be awarded as above.
If any tie cannot be broken by PP scores, the tie will be broken
by die roll.
Final Round Duration
The final game will be a full 15-turn game, and is scheduled to
last six hours. However, this game will be played to completion unless
all players vote to end the game and unanimously agree to concede
to a single player or two-player alliance. (Concession cannot be
offered to a single player if that player is currently allied.)
Best Faction Awards (Performance Points)
Like last year, prizes (provided personally by the GM) will be awarded
to the best single preliminary heat game played by each faction.
That is, there will be six Best Faction awards, one each for Best
Atreides, Best Bene Gesserit, Best Emperor, Best Fremen, Best Guild,
and Best Harkonnen.
At the end of each game turn, each player will gain Performance
Points (PPs) as follows:
Controlling Carthag and/or Arrakeen 1 PP each
Controlling Sietch Tabr, Tuek’s Sietch, 0.5 PP each
and/or Habbanya Ridge Sietch
Coexisting in any stronghold (BG only) 0.1 PP each
At the end of each game, each player’s PP score will be normalized
by dividing by the number of game turns played. All 5-player game
PP scores will be further normalized by multiplying by 5/6 to allow
them to be fairly compared against PP scores from 6-player games.
The highest normalized PP score accumulated in a single preliminary
heat game by each faction will be awarded the Best Faction award
at a small ceremony immediately preceding the final game.
For example, an Atreides player in a 5-player game that lasts 7
turns scores a total of 9.5 PPs, which results in a normalized PP
score of 9.5 / 7 x (5/6) = 1.131. If that is the highest normalized
PP score achieved by any Atreides player in any single preliminary
heat game, then that player will win the Best Atreides award.
PPs are used for determining the Best Faction awards, breaking ties
for qualification for the finals, adjudicating preliminary games
that do not finish in time or with a valid concession, and breaking
ties in the final game.
Dropouts
Players are STRONGLY discouraged from dropping out of any game prior
to the game’s conclusion. If a player drops out of any game before
the scheduled end, that player will be disqualified from all further
games in the tournament, including the final, as well as Best Faction
Award consideration, unless the game is extending beyond the scheduled
time limit and the player has another commitment.
All of the player’s tokens and non-captured leaders will be removed
from the game, spice returned to the bank, and cards returned to
the discard pile. (If the Harkonnen drops out, any captured leaders
will be returned to their owners.) All of the remaining players will
continue the game, scoring QPs and PPs according to the number of
players who started the game.
Disclaimer
As always, the GM may change these rules for the good of the tournament
at any time, and the decisions of the GM and his assistants are final.
Dune Rules Clarifications
It is well known that Dune, while a fantastic game, has one
of the most frequently disputed sets of written rules. I have found
that almost no two groups of players can completely agree upon exactly
how Dune is played. While not all of the questions raised
here are necessarily impossible to adjudicate with the rules as written,
all have come up as points of contention during play-by-email games
and tournaments in which I have taken part. I know that every group
has its own preferred interpretations for many of these rules, but
I have found this set of rulings to be the most self-consistent and
justifiable.
These clarifications will be enforced as official extensions/clarifications
of the published rules throughout the tournament, so make sure you
are familiar with them.
III. Set-up For Play
1. If fewer than six players are playing, only the leaders of the factions
actually involved in the game are eligible to be drawn as traitors.
2. The Bene Gesserit’s prediction must be made immediately after factions are
assigned.
3. The Bene Gesserit token placed at the start of the game is not required
to coexist in the first game turn.
4. Fremen tokens placed at the start of the game may include Fedaykin (starred)
tokens if desired.
IV. Object of Play
1. Bene Gesserit tokens in a space that was declared to be coexisting during
the turn do not count as occupying a stronghold for the purposes of determining
victory, even if they are the sole occupants after battle is resolved.
2. You may not claim a solo victory if you are currently part of an alliance.
VI. Storm
1. The precise order of activities during the Storm Round is:
* Reveal storm marker,
* Play Weather Control,
* Play Family Atomics,
* Move storm.
(This takes some liberty with the wording for Weather Control on the Player
Aid Pad, with the intention of avoiding potential timing conflicts.)
2. Weather Control and Family Atomics may not be played during the first game
turn.
3. No tokens are destroyed by the storm during the first game turn. The storm
is considered to begin over the randomly-determined sector; it is not considered
to have moved in the first game turn.
4. After Family Atomics is played, the Shield Wall, Arrakeen, and Carthag all
still retain their normal status as non-desert spaces, even though the latter
two become susceptible to storm effects.
5. Two groups of tokens (same faction or not) in different sectors of the same
region are considered to be “separated by storm” for the purposes
of movement and battle if the storm is between them or covering one of them.
VII. Spice Blow
1. A Nexus is caused for every worm that is revealed (excluding worms raised
by the Fremen’s play of a Karama card), regardless of which spice blow it
appears at or how many worms have appeared that turn.
2. When more than one worm is drawn for a given spice blow, the Fremen may
send the additional worms to any territory on the board.
3. If the Fremen directs a second or additional worm to appear in a space occupied
by their tokens, those tokens may ride the worm normally.
4. When the Fremen rides a worm, tokens and/or spice in the destination space
are not eaten.
5. Fremen worm riders may not leave or enter a space under the storm.
6. Fremen worm riders may enter a stronghold already occupied by two other
factions, if and only if one of them are Bene Gesserit tokens which ended the
previous turn coexisting. This will force those Bene Gesserit to remain coexisting
when they declare their status in the upcoming Movement Round.
7. Tokens owned by an ally of the Fremen are safe from being eaten by worms,
but they may not ride worms as the Fremen do.
8. Worms eat tokens only after the Nexus is resolved.
VIII. Bidding Round
1. When a treachery card is required to be drawn and the treachery deck is
empty, the discard pile should immediately be reshuffled to form a new deck.
The only card that is ever removed from the game after one play is Family
Atomics.
2. After a player passes during the bid for a treachery card, that player may
choose to later enter bidding for the same card again on his normal bidding
turn if the card has not already been sold at that time.
3. The Atreides is not permitted to see any free cards drawn by the Harkonnen.
4. The Harkonnen is considered to have a single 8-card hand, not two separate
4-card hands. The Harkonnen is not required to separate his free cards from
his purchased cards for any purpose.
5. The Emperor receives payments for treachery cards immediately upon the purchase
of each card.
6. Spice paid by the Emperor’s allies for card purchases is paid to the Emperor.
Only the Emperor’s own card purchases are paid to the bank.
7. If the Emperor gives spice to another player to purchase a treachery card,
the spice is still paid to the Emperor (not the bank). If another player gives
spice to the Emperor to purchase a treachery card, the spice is paid to the
bank.
8. The Emperor may not choose to offer discounted card purchases to any player,
but he may give spice to any player at any time (before or after the purchase)
to defray card purchase costs. (That is, the full cost of the bid must be able
to be paid somehow.)
9. A player may bid higher than the amount of spice he currently holds if he
intends to play a Karama to avoid paying for the card. In the event that more
than one player intends to play a Karama to buy a card, the first one to bid “infinity” in
his proper turn to bid wins the card (and obviously must use the Karama ability
to avoid paying).
10. A player may never bid if his hand is currently full, even if he intends
to play a Karama to avoid paying for the card.
IX. Movement
1. The precise order of activities during the Movement Round is:
* All players take revival (in player dot order if it matters),
* The Bene Gesserit declares coexistence status where necessary,
* Players ship and move in player dot order.
2. The Guild receives payments for shipment immediately when the shipment is
made.
3. Spice paid by the Guild’s allies for shipping is paid to the Guild. Only
the Guild’s own shipping is paid to the bank.
4. If the Guild gives spice to another player to pay for shipment, the spice
is still paid to the Guild (not the bank). If another player gives spice to
the Guild to pay for shipment, the spice is paid to the bank.
5. The Guild may not choose to offer discounted shipping to any player (except
allies, as written), but he may give spice to any player at any time (before
or after the shipment) to defray shipping costs. (That is, the full cost of
the shipment must be able to be paid somehow.)
6. Tokens may be moved on-planet in the same turn that they are shipped to
the planet.
7. A player is considered to have access to ornithopters during his turn only
if he controlled Carthag and/or Arrakeen at the end of the Storm Round. That
is, you generally get ornithopters in the turn after you take control of Carthag
or Arrakeen, but not if you are subsequently wiped out by the storm. You do
not get ornithopters the same turn you ship, ride a worm, or come out of coexistence
in one of the cities. (This clarification is a conscious re-write of the existing
ornithopter access rule in order to simplify as many conflicts in interpretation
as possible.)
8. Fremen shipments may be to any space within a movement of 2 from The Great
Flat, regardless of the location of the storm. Only shipments ending in a space
under the storm take half losses, rounded up (as written).
9. Fremen shipment or movement may not end off the board. (Barring special
Guild ally shipments, Fremen shipment is one-way to the surface of the planet,
just like other factions.)
10. Fremen movement may not leave or enter a space under the storm.
11. If the Fremen are allied with the Guild, the Fremen may choose to either
use normal Fremen shipment for no cost, or any form of Guild shipment for Guild
cost.
12. The Guild (and its allies) may not ship tokens that begin in a space under
the storm.
13. Guild cross-planet shipment is considered to be a shipment, not an on-planet
move.
X. Battles
1. All battles, including the Guild’s, are resolved in player dot order as
written (regardless of when the Guild actually chose to take his movement
turn).
2. All battle ties, including the Guild’s, are resolved in player dot order
as written (regardless of when the Guild actually chose to take his movement
turn).
3. The precise sequence of activities in a battle is:
* Issue the Voice command,
* Play Karama to cancel the Voice.
* Issue the Prescience question,
* Play Karama to cancel the Prescience.
* Answer the Prescience question (if not canceled).
* Play Karama to view entire battle plan.
* Play Karama to cancel Kwisatz Haderach.
* Play Karama to cancel Sardaukar or Fedaykin bonus.
* Commit battle plans,
* Reveal battle plans and resolve the battle.
Karama actions mentioned above may occur at point after the applicable step
but before the Commit Battle Plans step.
Truthtrances and other Karama actions other than those specifically mentioned
above may be played between any two of the above steps. Battle plans may be
changed at any time during the above sequence before the Commit Battle Plans
step as long as all un-cancelled Voice and Prescience effects are not violated.
4. Tokens under the storm may only battle with tokens in the same space and
sector.
5. Elements of the battle plan that have not been locked down by effects of
Voice, Prescience, or Truthtrance may be changed any time before battle plans
are committed. Once battle plans are revealed, no further voluntary changes
are permitted.
6. The Bene Gesserit may not specify weapon or defense when Voicing an opponent
to play or not play a Worthless Card. (That is, the Voice may only be “play
a Worthless Card” or “do not play a Worthless Card".)
7. If, when battle plans are revealed, a player has failed to include a leader
in his battle plan when he was required to do so, his lowest-value available
leader must be played.
8. If, when battle plans are revealed, a player has dialed a number higher
than his tokens and/or spice paid would allow, the number must be reduced to
the highest supportable number given the number of tokens in the battle and
the spice paid.
9. The Harkonnen’s capture of an opponent’s leader when he wins a battle is
optional.
10. The identity of leaders captured by the Harkonnen is not required to be
public knowledge.
11. If the Harkonnen chooses to immediately kill a captured leader, the Harkonnen
receives 2 spice (as opposed to paying 2 spice).
12. A captured leader played by the Harkonnen against the original owner in
battle may always be called as a traitor (regardless of whether or not the
captured leader was also a traitor to the Harkonnen or any other player).
13. A captured leader played by the Harkonnen in battle against a player who
chose that leader as his traitor may still be called as a traitor, as normal.
14. If a traitor is called in a battle with a potential lasegun-shield explosion,
the explosion does not occur. (That is, traitor calls take precedence over
lasegun-shield explosions.)
XI. Spice Collection
1. Bene Gesserit tokens in a space that was declared to be coexisting during
the turn can not collect spice.
XIII. Bribery
1. All players may exchange spice freely, for any purpose, at any time, even
though this effectively makes the Emperor’s special alliance power meaningless.
The fact that spice is changing hands and the amount of spice exchanged need
not be announced publicly.
2. Private negotiation away from the table is permitted. Any deals discussed
during this time cannot be considered formal and enforceable unless they are
made public at the table.
3. Only those aspects of a deal that are announced publicly are required to
be enforced. Assumptions, inferences, and unspoken implications cannot be enforced.
XV. Additional Character Advantages
1. The Atreides gains permanent access to the Kwisatz Haderach immediately
after losing a cumulative total of 7 or more tokens in battles over the course
of the game. That is, the Atreides may use the Kwisatz Haderach in a later
battle in the same game turn that it is gained, and he may thereafter use
the Kwisatz Haderach once per turn every turn for the rest of the game
(unless it is in the tanks).
2. The Kwisatz Haderach may only be played on an Atreides leader played in
battle by the Atreides player. (That is, it may not be played on an ally’s
leader nor a captured Atreides leader played by the Harkonnen.)
3. Bene Gesserit coexistence status is attached to the territory (as opposed
to the group of tokens occupying that territory).
4. The Bene Gesserit must declare coexistence status only in territories where
Bene Gesserit tokens and opposing tokens are/become co-located. Territories
in which coexistence has not yet been declared this turn are implicitly not
coexisting.
5. Coexistence status is only declared at the start of the Movement Round (after
revival is taken) and during the Movement Round at the instant when Bene Gesserit
tokens and opposing tokens become co-located.
6. A space that has been explicitly announced to be non-coexisting may change
to coexisting in the same turn only when the space has been vacated by all
non-Bene Gesserit tokens and then is later entered by a different faction.
7. A space that has been explicitly announced to be coexisting may never change
to non-coexisting in the same turn.
8. The Bene Gesserit must always declare territories that contain tokens owned
by both him and his ally to be in coexistence.
9. An ally of the Bene Gesserit may move tokens into a space containing only
the Bene Gesserit, but the Bene Gesserit must immediately declare coexistence
for that territory. An ally of the Bene Gesserit may not move tokens into a
space containing a third faction with Bene Gessert tokens that are not coexisting.
(In that case, the stronghold is blocked.)
10. The Bene Gesserit’s sending of spiritual advisors is optional.
11. Bene Gesserit spiritual advisors may be placed in the Polar Sink instead
of the territory into which the other player shipped if that territory is not
coexisting or if the Bene Gesserit so chooses.
12. The Bene Gesserit may send spiritual advisors with his ally’s shipments
if desired.
13. The Bene Gesserit can not send a free spiritual advisor with the Fremen’s
shipment.
14. The Bene Gesserit can not send a free spiritual advisor with his own shipments.
15. The Bene Gesserit can not send a free spiritual advisor with a Guild shipment
that originates on the planet.
16. Coexisting Bene Gesserit tokens are allowed to use ornithopter movement
(but do not count for the purpose of determining access to ornithopters).
XVII. Special Karama Powers
1. The Harkonnen can play a Karama to steal treachery cards from another player
at any time not forbidden by another ruling.
2. The precise sequence of activities when the Harkonnen plays a Karama card
to steal treachery cards from another player is:
* Declare how many cards are being taken,
* Randomly select the declared number of cards from the target,
* Look at the cards that were taken,
* Return the declared number of cards to the other player.
Returned cards must come from the Harkonnen’s original hand (but may be of
the same type as the cards that were stolen, if desired).
3. The Harkonnen is permitted to invalidate a Voice command by using a Karama
to give away treachery cards after receiving the Voice command. However, Prescience
answers that have not been canceled may not be invalidated in this way.
4. The Atreides can play a Karama to force any opponent to immediately commit
and reveal his entire battle plan any time before battle plans are committed
(i.e. after Voice and Prescience are resolved, if desired). The Atreides commits
and reveals his own battle plan (if applicable) after seeing the opponent’s
plan.
5. The Atreides can play a Karama to force any player to reveal his entire
battle plan. The Atreides is not required to be a part of the battle involved,
but the battle plan is only revealed to the Atreides (who may sell/give the
information as he sees fit).
6. The Guild can play a Karama to cancel another player’s shipment any time
after the shipment is declared, but before the player’s movement is declared.
7. The Guild can not play a Karama to cancel the Fremen’s shipment.
8. The Fremen may play a Karama to cause a worm to appear only during the Spice
Round.
9. The Emperor may play a Karama to revive three tokens or a leader at any
time not forbidden by another ruling.
XIX. Increased Spice Flow
1. Bene Gesserit tokens in a space that was declared to be coexisting during
the turn may not collect increased spice flow.
Player Aid Sheet (Treachery Card Descriptions)
1. The Hajr card effect may only be used to move tokens owned by the player
who played the card.
2. The Tleilaxu Ghola card effect may only be used to revive tokens (or a leader)
owned by the player who played the card.
3. Truthtrance questions and answers must be announced publicly.
4. Truthtrance questions must be answered immediately after the question is
given. No other card plays or other game actions (except player discussion)
may occur until the question is answered.
5. Truthtrance questions are permitted to require the target to speculate about
future actions or conditions. No player is required to act to make the conditions
of the question true. When/if the explicit conditions specified by the question
are met, the target must abide by the answer given to the question to the best
of his ability. If the target is truly unable to abide by the answer given
to the question, then the Truthtrance is negated, and the target must publicly
state that the answer given is invalid.
For example, I ask “Will you play a projectile weapon in battle against
me in Carthag this turn?” and you answer “Yes". You are bound
to play a projectile weapon if we have a battle in Carthag this turn and if
you hold a projectile weapon at the time that battle plans are committed. If
we do battle in Carthag, but you have no projectile weapon in your hand when
it comes time to commit our battle plans, then you must announce that you are
physically unable to abide by the answer you have given, the Truthtrance is
negated and we ignore the answer to the question. If you had answered “No",
then you may not play a projectile weapon in any battle against me in Carthag
this turn, no matter what else happens. In practice, highly speculative questions
have rarely been found to be valuable uses of Truthtrances anyway. Players
are encouraged to confine Truthtrance usage to the least speculative questions
possible. Player are required to avoid frivolous or purposely paradoxical use.
6. Karama powers that specify “once” in the description refer to “once
per Karama card play” (as opposed to “once per game” or “once
per player").
7. Any player may play a Karama to “prevent Atreides from seeing the future
once", selecting one of the following effects: cancel Prescience in one
battle, prevent looking at the next spice blow card this turn, prevent looking
at the rest of the treachery cards up for bid this turn. The Atreides use of
a Karama to see an entire battle plan can not be canceled.
8. Any player may play a Karama to cancel the Atreides’ Prescience in any battle
any time after the Prescience question is asked but before battle plans are
committed. If the Prescience is canceled after the answer was given, the answer
may be ignored.
9. Any player may play a Karama to cancel the Atreides’ use of Kwisatz Haderach
any time before battle plans are committed. (This does not prevent the Atreides
from using the Kwisatz Haderach in a different battle later in the same turn.)
10. Any player may play a Karama to cancel the Bene Gesserit’s Voice in any
battle any time after the Voice is given but before the Prescience question
is asked (if applicable) or battle plans are committed.
11. Any player may play a Karama to cancel any single BG spiritual advisor
immediately after the advisor is announced.
12. Any player may play a Karama to cancel the Bene Gesserit’s use of a Worthless
Card as a Karama immediately after the Karama effect is announced. (The Worthless
Card is still discarded.)
13. A Karama card may only be used to cancel a treachery card payment owed
by the player who played the card. The Karama must be played immediately when
the purchase is made.
14. Any player may play a Karama to cancel the Emperor’s or Fremen’s starred
token advantage in any battle any time before battle plans are committed.
15. Any player may play a Karama to prevent the Fremen (or an ally of the Fremen)
from controlling a worm once (thus sending their tokens to the tank instead)
any time after the worm is revealed but before worm-riding is resolved. If
this was an “additional” worm that was placed in a location by the
Fremen, it instead appears at the first spice blow in the stack beneath
it, as usual. You can not cancel the Fremen’s control of a worm that he called
with a Karama card of his own.
16. A Karama card may only be used to reduce the cost of a shipment made by
the player who played the card. The Karama must be played any time after the
shipment is declared, but before the player’s movement is declared.
17. Any player may play a Karama to force the Guild to move in proper player
dot order any time before the player who would move after the Guild has begun
his turn.
18. Any player may play a Karama to prevent the Harkonnen from drawing a free
card any time before the identity of the free card is seen.
19. Any player may play a Karama to cancel the Harkonnen’s capture of a leader
any time after determining which leader has been captured but before the Harkonnen
decides whether to keep it or kill it.
Miscellaneous
1. Only the Atreides player may keep written notes of treachery card ownership
during the game.
2. No computer assistance is permitted during the game.
3. Any player may reveal any personal information, including their treachery
cards, to any other player at any time if desired.
4. All spice transactions require agreement from both players involved. (That
is, no player may give spice to another player unless that player consents
to receive it.)
5. In any timing dispute not ruled on elsewhere in these clarifications, (for
example, if players attempt to play Truthtrances and/or Karamas simultaneously)
resolve the tie in player dot order. |