Frank Herbert’s classic sci-fi novel Dune is getting a new big screen adaptation this year thanks to filmmaker Denis Villeneuve. So, “spice fever” is overtaking fandom once again. We recently reported on a new Dune tabletop game coming this year from Modiphius Entertainment, but it’s not the only game in town. The folks at Gale Force Nine (GF9) are resurrecting the long lost Dune board game from the ’70s. It will be available in August.
Gale Force Nine
The Avalon Hill Game Company published the original game, Frank Herbert’s Dune , in 1979. Growing up, GF9’s Peter Simunovich was a fan of the game. Legal limbo entangled the rights for decades, but GF9 eventually acquired the rights to the original board game. And now, GF9 released images and updates for the new 7-8 player expansion for Dune: A Game of Conquest, Diplomacy & Betrayal, which you can check out below:
Both the Ixians and the Tleilaxu are integral to the economy of CHOAM and the Imperium.
— Gale Force Nine (@GaleForceNine) March 23, 2020
Can you lead these new factions to victory?
Pre-Order Here: https://t.co/d0fqBWVMLr pic.twitter.com/ooSrohrDFn
According to the official synopsis, this expansion will add two new houses, the Ixians and the Tleilaxu, to the game. Both the Ixians and the Tleilaxu are integral to the economy of CHOAM—The Combine Honnete Ober Advancer Mercantiles—and the Imperium. The royal family of Ix used to be one of the wealthiest in the Imperium. The Tleilaxu and the Emperor’s Sardaukar launched an invasion of the Ix. And then many years later, Ixian and Atreides forces liberated Ix. So long story short, the Ixians and the Tleilaxu are mortal enemies.
The Ixians are led by the human cyborg Prince Rhombur Vernius possessing courage, a sharp mind, and technological secrets.
— Gale Force Nine (@GaleForceNine) March 26, 2020
With a moveable stronghold they can move territory quickly and efficiently.
Pre-Order the Ixian & Tleilaxu expansion Here: https://t.co/d0fqBWVMLr#dune pic.twitter.com/vXCwW5u4OZ
The rules and pieces for this iteration of the Dune game are completely different than the original Avalon Hill expansions, as well as from most fan-made builds for the print and play versions. Over the years, many fans made their own versions of these factions, including one that uses “Cymeks,” or artificially intelligent machines. It looks like those maybe influenced the Cyborg and Suboid soldiers for Ix. For fans of Frank Herbert’s classic series, this game might be just what the doctor ordered until the film is released later this year.
Featured Image: Gale Force Nine
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