Shameless plug time.

Dragon Hordes is available on Tanga now as a 2-pack for 11 bucks ($5.50 a book). A great way to have an intact copy and one to cut up for all the pieces and parts, or go in with a friend and you can each have a copy.

You can get 6 copies for less than 40 bucks including shipping - original retail was 30 bucks each.

Check it out here.


(edit: typo)

Any info on this game? The page here on BGG is a bit thin. Is this any good? Anyone actually play this game that can enlighten us?

I'll try to keep my info non-biased (I designed this game).

http://www.mistymoongames.com/dragonhordes.shtml

Dragon Hordes is an "Epic" scale miniatures game where all the counters and "miniatures" are included in the back of the book as cutout cardstock pages.

It was released in 1998, and received very positive reviews, but it never sold well enough to continue development or create miniatures.

Regardless, there are enough counters and bits included that you can field very satisfying battles with complete, interesting and interactive armies.

My design impetus was to create an epic fantasy minis game (non existed a the time) that focused on the big stuff: dragons and beasts, war machines and vehicles, that kind of thing. I wanted to create a game that was easy and fast to play, and I wanted to create a game that was cheap to play (sort of an anti-Games Workshop approach).

I've played many games with several people using only the contents of a single book, including a few 4-player games that were very fun.

Each book contains 96 pages of basic and advanced rules, army lists, and background info for 6 factions. Plus you get 20 pages of full-color cardstock pieces representing units (the miniatures), unit cards, templates and counters.

I'd be happy to answer any additional questions.

- Bryan

What's the unit activation pattern in this game? Is it "I move everybody then you move everybody", or something finer-grained?

I'm glad you asked.

Each unit on the field has a corresponding card displaying its rules and stats. On each card is a spot to place an Initiative Counter. The initiative counters come in pairs (two number 1's, two number 2's, etc up to 32). One counter is placed on the card, and one in a cup. Each turn, all units place their initiative counters in the cup and counters are drawn randomly. When counter #4 is drawn, for example, the unit with the corresponding #4 counter takes its turn.

It's basically the same method used in Mutant Chronicles: Siege of the Citadel and Fury of the Clansmen.

It makes for some good fog of war.

Hmm, sounds like a neat system. Do all players have all their counters in the same cup, so the turns are interspersed?

Always on the lookout for new ways of handling turn order... the basic "I move everything then you move everything" approach always seemed to lead to odd results, not to mention over-analysis...

Ordered. Vandemonium and I are splitting it. I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks Bryan for the link and for the detailed description. I wasn't interested initially, but with your post I pulled the trigger.

Curious though, where might have these 10 year old copies been all this time?

Yep, all the counters are placed in the same cup. It's completely random. I'm not a fan of the "I move all my stuff then you move all yours" system either.

This system certainly does increase the game speed. But it does add some unique strategic twists in that you know what has moved yet and what hasn't, but you don't know WHEN the next thing is going to go. If you are taking Unit A1's turn and your Unit A2 and opponent's Unit B1 have yet to go, do you move Unit A1 to attack B1 and hope A2 will be able to move in first and finish the job? Because if B1 moves first A1 is toast. That kind of thing.

I like it.

Although I bet there are few out there who won't appreciate the random factor either.

I made it point to add "The Most Important Rule" in the game which basically says, "It's your game. Play it the way that makes it the most fun for your group." So house rules are encouraged.

Many thanks! For several years they were sitting in a warehouse in Madison, WI. All still in their original boxes from the printer! I recently contacted the past owner of Corsair and asked if I could have the backstock since they were just sitting there. He let me have them. And of course now my wife is asking if I'd kindly find them loving homes.

Thanks! I'd love to hear your opinions!

Thanks for taking the time to respond so quickly! It shows how much you believe in the game that you're so involved even in blowing out old inventory.

Think I'll go ahead and grab a couple - dunno if I'll be able to find anyone to play it with, but it sounds like I'll get at least my money's worth of enjoyment just reading the rules and backstory. Plus, that activation system sounds like it would lend itself very well to solo play...