Can you survive the coming Ice Age? We're not just talking about the Lampeter with the AC on high. Set about 90,000 years ago, Dominant Species is GMT's Euro-style game of Competition and dominance in the face of a coming Ice Age. Up to six players take control of an order of animals, either insects, arachnids, amphibians, birds, reptiles, or mammals and strive to gain an edge to survive the advancing glaciers.

Gameplay consists of a planning phase where players place action pawns on a planning board, then execute the chosen actions in order on the world section of the board. Actions include adapting to available resources, introducing new species, migrating to more favorable climes, competing against other player's species, discovering new lands to inhabit, and, most importantly, scoring points.

Dominant Species will be played as a Class B event, which welcomes new players, as long as they have read the rules and/or attended the scheduled Demo prior to playing. Up to 36 players will advance to the semi-finals, with the six winners of the semi-final games advancing to the Final table, with priorities given to the players who have won the most heats. Tie breakers are as listed in the BPA Guidelines, which are reprinted here:

Win in first Heat entered;
Most Wins (e.g., total in all heats entered);
Win in second Heat entered;
Win in third Heat entered;
Average finish in all heats entered (e.g., a 2nd and two 3rds = 2.67 and beats two 2nds and two 4ths = 3); and
High dice roll.

Tournament Specific Rules:

Number of players per game in Heats: No less than four players per game will be allowed. Players may specify a preference for 4-, 5-, or 6-player games. If an odd number prevents all players from playing in their preferred game, the GM will randomly assign players to a different game. The GM will then allow any such moved player preference to his/her preferred number at subsequent Heats.

Choice of Animal: Players will secretly bid VPs to allow first choice of animals by taking a number of species cubes and concealing them in their fists equal to the number of VPs she/he wishes to bid. After revealing bids, tied bids will use any mutually acceptable method of random determination to select who gets first choice. If no method can be agreed upon, the GM will provide a pair of dice to roll off for choice, high roll wins.

Example: Pete bids 2 for first choice, Mike and Tom bid 1 for first choice, while Kate, Sue, and Liam bid 0. Pete gets first choice, Mike and Tom roll off for second choice, while Kate, Sue, and Liam roll for 4th through 6th choices.

Time Limits: All Heat rounds, the semi-finals, and the Final are limited to 4 hours. The GM or his assisants will give 30 and 15 minute remaining warnings to unfinished games. If the Ice Age card has not been chosen, triggering the end of the game, at the scheduled end of the current round, the GM and his assistant(s) will call for Time, and all play will cease instantly. No further actions may be taken by any player. Players will then proceed to the Final Extinction Phase and Endgame Scoring of each tile on the board. NOTE!: A game being called on time while actions remaining to be taken, will result in those untaken actions being forfeited. This does NOT mean a player or players can intentionally stall. The GM reserves the right to disqualify a player or players deemed to be intentionally stalling. The GM and Assistant GM's ruling will be final. Based on many years of good sportsmanship at the WBCs I do not anticipate having to invoke this option. I will also bear in mind that Dominant Species is a new game, with complex play and will err on the side of non-disqualification wherever possible.

GMT's guideline is that the game should take 2-4 hours, so I will err on the high side due to the newness of the game. However, games will not be allowed to go past the time limit. Please bear that in mind, and keep your play up to speed, both as a favor to your fellow players and to prevent you from losing out on potentially lucrative scoring chances.

Semi-finals: Up to 36 players will advance, using the tiebreakers described above. If 36 players do not win at least one heat, then the GM will take alternates who scored at least a 2nd place during one or more of their Heats, using an average final score during the Heats. To qualify as an alternate, a player MUST have played at least two heats. Alternates will be limited to just enough players to reach the next highest multiple of 6.

Example: 27 different players won at least one game during the Heat Rounds. 3 alternates will be selected to reach 30.

If sufficient alternates are not available to make even tables during the semis, the GM will randomly seat players to reach 6 semi-final games. No semi-final game will be played with less than four players. If six 4-player games cannot be filled, then the players who advance to the Final Table will be the winner of a semi-final, plus the HIGHEST non-winning score or scores to reach a total of six Finalists.

Example: 22 winners and alternates qualify for and play in the semis. Since six 4-player games cannot be played, there will be three 4-player games and two 5-player games. The five winners and the highest scoring non-winner will advance to the Final.

Example 2: 16 players attend the semis. Four 4-player games will be played, with the four winners and the two highest scoring non-winners advancing to the Final.

All seats at each table during all rounds will be randomly assigned with player preferences for heats taken into account. However, two Team Tournament teammates may not play together if Dominant Species is the team game of one of those players. In that case only, the GM will re-assign the Team player who is not participating in his Team Tournament to another table.

Whining: Is allowed, but only if you buy the person listening to you a refreshing beverage of his/her choice.

Good luck, and have fun! And may all your habitats be glacier-free!

GMT will provide merchandise credits to the winner of this event,