How To Play: Dune

Overview

If you’ve ever wondered how to crush your friends in Dune without flipping the table from spice rage, you’re in the right place. After more heated debates than a Harkonnen family dinner, my buddies and I cooked up this guide. You’ll find an easy outline of the game rules, plus the best strategies for winning—learned the hard way (mostly by losing). Here’s how to spice up How To Play dune!

What’s in the box

• 1 Game Board
• 6 Faction Sheets
• 6 Player Screens
• 6 Storm Disks
• 1 Storm Marker
• 1 Turn Marker
• 1 Phase Marker
• 18 Alliance Cards
• 33 Treachery Cards
• 33 Spice Cards
• 6 Player Sets (80 Forces each: 480 total)
• 6 Leader Disks per faction (36 total)
• 30 Spice Tokens
• 21 Territory Control Markers
• 8 Reminder Cards
• 1 Rulebook

How To Play Dune: Rules Summary

Setup: How To Launch Your Spice-Fueled Adventure

1. Pick a faction. Try not to fight over the Fremen. It gets awkward.
2. Place your tokens and leaders in their starting locations on the board. Don’t put them in the fridge, trust me.
3. Shuffle the spice, territory, and treachery cards.
4. Deal out the starting spice and hand cards to each player.
5. Set the storm and spice markers at their starting spots.

Now you’re all set. If you forgot snacks, this is your last chance.

Gameplay: How To Play Dune Like A Shai-Hulud Whisperer

1. Each round, move the storm around the board. If it eats your troops, don’t blame the weather.
2. Reveal a spice blow card to see where fresh spice pops up.
3. Bid on treachery cards. Outbid your friends, or just pretend you know what you’re doing.
4. Move your forces, then battle for control of spice and strongholds. Use your best poker face.
5. Collect spice and plot your next move. Don’t trust anyone, even Grandma.

Keep cycling through these phases every turn. The tension only gets worse.

Winning: How To Snatch Victory From The Spice Sands

1. Grab and hold 3 out of the 5 strongholds at the end of any round.
2. If no one wins by turn 10, alliances get a shot, so try making friends before it’s too late.
3. If it’s still a tie, check the spice totals. Richest player or alliance wins. Capitalism is everywhere, even in Dune.

Special Rules & Conditions: The Weird Stuff You’ll Argue About

1. Each faction has unique powers. Read your faction card or risk getting roasted by your pals.
2. Worm attacks and alliances pop up, so stay flexible. One round you’re besties, next round you’re enemies.
3. Follow the errata in the rulebook. Seriously, it saves friendships.

That’s the basics of How To Play Dune. I’ve taught these rules about six times now, and I only got banned from yelling “spice must flow” at the table once. You’ll pick it up in no time. Good luck!

Best Dune Strategies

How To Play Dune: Know Your Faction to Win Big!

Atreides: The Spoiler Kings

The Atreides see future moves but suffer from weak offense. Use their strength to plan:

1. Predict enemy traps with prescience.
2. Trade info for alliances and spice.
3. Strike only when the odds are perfect.

Harkonnen: The Wild Card Masters

Harkonnen hoard treachery cards, yet often overcommit troops. Win by:

1. Bluffing with extra cards.
2. Save surprises for key battles.
3. Never trust anyone, ever.

Fremen: Sand and Survival

Fremen go anywhere but lack spice. Their best moves:

1. Travel deep deserts for sneak attacks.
2. Partner with weak factions for mutual gain.
3. Rush victory before others get strong.

Mastering Dune: The Art of Alliance and Negotiation

Pick Your Friends Carefully

1. Team up with players who fill your gaps. For example, if you stink at fighting, find a muscle-bound buddy.
2. Stick with less obvious partners. Everyone expects Atreides-Harkonnen; surprise them!

Make Every Deal Count

1. Trade info for favors, not just cards. A little hint can win a big reward.
2. Promise less, but deliver more. That builds trust for later backstabbing (kidding…sort of).

Time Your Betrayals

1. Wait until your partner is comfortable before flipping the script. Timing is everything.
2. Always have an exit plan ready. Sometimes, you just gotta bolt!

Using these tips, I’ve snuck my way to victory more than once. Remember, How To Play dune is about reading the table and never letting your guard down.

How To Play Dune: Mastering Spice Management

Plan Spice Collection Routes

1. Scout the map early to spot the richest spice blows.
2. Avoid competition by choosing less obvious locations.
3. Move forces smartly to avoid sandworms ruining your payday.

Spend Wisely, Not Wildly

1. Resist the urge to buy every treachery card in sight.
2. Balance troop revival and card bidding—don’t run dry.

Make Deals for Mutual Profit

1. Offer spice as a bribe or trade for info with sneaky friends.
2. Share spice-rich lands, then betray them—classic!

Good spice habits keep you in the game. My group learned fast that hoarding spice beats going broke, and no one likes a poor worm snack. Remember, the keyphrase ‘How To Play dune’ will not magically win you spice, but clever moves will!

Victory Awaits… Unless You Get Betrayed

So there you have it—my hard-earned wisdom after more sand-filled evenings than I care to admit. Whether you’re counting spice, counting allies, or just counting how many times your so-called friend stabbed you in the back, remember: How To Play dune is about having fun, plotting, and a little bit of luck. May your next worm sign be a good one, and may your hand not get eaten (or at least not first). Go forth and conquer—or at least, don’t lose too badly!

Want to know what we think of Dune? Read our detailed review of Dune here