Dude! Take Your Turn!
A Gaming Life
You Got Your Cubes in My Gene Pool! – App Expansion Review – Dune Imperium: Immortality
(This is a review of both the expansion and the app version of it)
The Dune Imperium games are very highly regarded, with the base game sitting at number 6 on Boardgame Geek and Dune Imperium: Uprising currently at number 11.
That’s some positive response!
The app version by Dire Wolf Digital (who also did the boardgame, so yay, I don’t have to mention two publishers!) has also been brilliant as well.
Even better, Dire Wolf has been putting out the expansions at a great clip too.
The Rise of Ix expansion added some really cool stuff and was implemented in the app fairly quickly after the base game came out of Early Access on Steam.
Dire Wolf is still moving quickly, just 8 months later bringing the second expansion to the app.
Immortality brings the Bene Tleilax genetic manipulators into the game, adding some unique card mechanics, additional types of cards, and most importantly for some, the Family Atomics action which, once per game, you can flush the market row of cards if they all suck.
Some people really feel that addition.
Immortality was designed by Paul Dennen with artwork by Clay Brooks and Nate Storm. It was published by Dire Wolf Digital and Legendary Games in 2022.
The app version came out in June 2025 (for those of you reading this in the far future)
Read MoreCombat Commander – After Action Report – Scenario 18 – Bridge Hunt
Holy crap, it’s the first week of July and you’re seeing yet another tale from the Combat Commander ladder from me?
That’s right, we actually got our game done on July 1.
That’s dedication!
And both of us having Canada Day off and lots of free time, but hey.
I prefer to look at it as dedication.
Yes, this is another tale from the ladder, that monthly tournament of one of the most fun games ever.
Run by our steadfast leader, Patrick Pence (he of Patrick’s Tactics & Tutorials Youtube fame), this tournament gives you multiple chances to get the satisfaction of playing Combat Commander.
This month’s scenario is from the Mediterranean expansion, pitting some hearty but overmatched Yugoslavian reservist forces against the oncoming German attack in 1941.
My opponent this month is Roger L, who I played in January!
That seemed sooner than normal, but since it was fun to play him the first time, this was good.
Both of us being in Vancouver and Canadian helped us get done quickly too.
(Don’t forget that you can click on a picture to blow it up)
The Germans (grey – Roger) set up within 2 hexes of the left edge.
The Yugoslavs (blue – me), using the French deck (one discard per turn, yay!) can set up 10 hexes deep from the right edge.
Notice that huge blue river going diagonally across the board?
Yeah, nobody can cross that except for at the bridge in the middle.
Also notice that the Reservist range sucks and they have no machine guns or leaders.
But also also notice the Yugoslav units at the top right!
Yes, at anytime during the game, the Yugoslavs can place those units in any friendly-occupied hex, as a major surprise for the Germans.
You can probably guess where the HMG and one leader is going to eventually set up.
The other special rule is that the German artillery represents offboard German armor that was refueling, so it doesn’t have a huge spread when it hits, but also it pretty much hits every time it’s used.
A “hit” hits the target hex.
A “miss” has a minor drift.
However, since it has no spread, it just hits the hex it lands in and that’s it.
With all that out of the way, could I erase the stink of last month’s luckless failure?
Read MoreNew to Me – June 2025
Ah, June.
Halfway through the year (at the end of it anyway) and it’s good to take stock of where I am in my boardgaming.
I’ve played more than half again the number of unique games as I did last year, meaning I (hopefully) will surpass that number.
The same goes with number of plays.
Maybe 2025 will be a good boardgaming year?
This also carries over to my “new to me” games, as I’m already two-thirds of the way there to last year.
Granted, two conventions helped with that and I only have one more this year.
But one can dream!
June was a great month for new to me games, with me playing eight of them (though one slipped barely under the wire on the last day).
Even better, only two of them are from 2025.
The rest are from 2023 and older, including a 2017 and a 1982!
Yes, that is an old game.
For that reason, the Cult of the New to Me was ecstatic this month.
I think they wanted to give me an award of some kind.
I was gracious and accepted it, because I am a nice cult leader.
I found out later that it was cardboard, but it’s the thought that counts.
Anyway, without further ado (all of my ado was slashed to bits by this psycho in a hockey mask anyway), let’s get started on this really long post!
Read MoreJune 2025 Gaming
With a convention in June (Bottoscon for the win!), I knew that June would be a much better month for gaming than May was.
That’s one reason I love convention months!
Even so, there weren’t as many “new to me” games as in previous convention months.
That does mean that a lot of great “already-played” games were played, though!
Including some old favourites.
I made a point of playing a couple of games I hadn’t played in quite a while, which included a couple of games on Boardgame Arena.
I ended up with a total of 31 games played a total of 35 times.
There also ended up being 8 new to me games, including one sliding in right under the wire on June 29.
Here’s what I played last month.
(You can click on that image to blow it up, since I know the print is kind of small)
And here it is in grid form!
That’s lots of games.
So many, in fact, that the 5×5 grid can’t hold them all!
The six missing games are: Castle Combo, Archaeology: the New Expedition, Ticket to Ride, Welcome To…, Cover Your A$$ets, and Tricks & Snipers.
Many thanks to the wonderful Boardgame Stats app that makes this kind of list possible!
Even though not as many as usual for a convention, there were still a fair number of “new to me” games, which will get posted about later this week.
How about other games, though?
Definitely some highlights.
Read MoreDigital Animals! – Ark Nova App Review
This is kind of a first for Dude Take Your Turn.
Which is weird, because after 8 years, you’d think there wouldn’t be an opportunity for a first!
In this case, I’m doing a review of a boardgame app where I’ve already reviewed the game itself.
Ark Nova is one of my favourite games, currently number 1 on my Top 50 list.
When I reviewed it, there was not a digital app to also take into account.
Now, Dire Wolf Digital has released a digital app version of this great game on Steam, iOS, Android and probably many other electronic devices.
The original game was published by Capstone Games in 2021 and designed by Mathias Wigge.
The Dire Wolf Digital adaptation of it has now come out, so let’s see how it is!
Will it make the boardgame even better, because you can now play it lying in bed while watching David Gray concerts?
(Don’t judge me)
I have to say that the answer to that question is a total “yes.”
(note: this review is based on the iOS version, as that’s what I have)
Read MoreHe Just Keeps Coming – Final Girl (and Happy Trail Horrors) Review
I’ve never been a fan of horror films.
They’re inherently silly and, yes, kinda scary at the same time.
I’m not big on feeling fear at the movies and jump scares just annoy me (and startle me, yes).
For some reason, though, horror tropes are still kind of interesting, at least in the abstract and when I’m not in the theater.
That’s where Final Girl comes in.
Final Girl takes the horror trope of the “final girl” in the movie, the one who ends up killing off the bad guy, trying to save people (even against their will, because they’re stupid or just panicked), and turns it into a bloody brilliant solo game.
Part of the reason for that is how the game system works.
Each “expansion” is actually a new “film,” with a new killer, two new Final Girls, and a new location, and you can mix and match these with other films that you’ve purchased.
Maybe a killer from one film, a location from a second film, and a Final Girl from a third?
Thus, this is going to be a review of the first film too, The Happy Trails Horror.
Both the game itself and this first film were designed by Evan Derrick and A. J. Porfirio, with art by Tyler Johnson and Roland MacDonald (though just Johnson is credited on Happy Trails Horror).
They were released by Van Ryder Games in 2021.
All of the films follow the same basic format and sequence of play where basically you are going around the location, trying to rescue victims and find gear that will help you kill the killer.
Because it is kill or be killed.
There is no third option.
Read MoreCombat Commander – After Action Report – Scenario 12 – Misty Mountain
I should have known after the run of good luck last month, this month’s Combat Commander game would be almost the exact opposite.
The gods can be fickle, even when you don’t say something to piss them off!
But I have no regrets, because this game is always fun.
Sorry, I should have started with this.
Welcome to another tale from the Combat Commander ladder, that monthly tournament of one of the best wargames out there.
Or at least the most fun, even if realism isn’t necessarily its strongest suit.
Run by the awesome (how have I never used that word before?) Patrick Pence, he of Patrick’s Tactics & Tutorials fame (really, I’ve heard good things about him in at least 25 different languages, or at least I think they were about him, though granted I didn’t actually hear his name mentioned), the ladder gives you a monthly opportunity to play at least one game each month, and probably many more if you’re up for it!
This month’s scenario was the last one from the Combat Commander: Europe base game (last as in the twelfth, not as in the last one that we are running on the ladder).
My opponent this month is another one I haven’t played before, Gary N. Yet another Eastern opponent, but Saturday mornings didn’t work this month since I was away for at least a couple.
Thankfully, we were able to set up a Monday night matchup of epic proportions!
Or at least in my fantasies it was epic.
The scenario takes place in 1944 in Italy, with a force of Brazilian troops (recently Brazil declared war on Germany and were outfitted with American weaponry) trying to crack the Gothic Line.
There’s a heavy fog blanketing the battlefield, which may make things difficult.
Or easier for the Brazilians!
Here’s the setup. (don’t forget that you can click on an image to blow it up)
The Americans (green – me) set up first, two hexes from the bottom of the map in Attack posture.
The Germans (grey – Gary) set up anywhere else on the map (only 8 hexes deep) and have a commanding advantage on all of the hills bordering the sleepy Italian village. They are in Defender posture.
Gary took advantage of all those hills, meaning the Americans were looking up at a lot of firepower.
However, one of the special rules is that there is a 3 hindrance all over the map due to fog, in addition to any other hindrance on the map.
That will slowly dissipate as Breeze events happen, with each Breeze lowering it by one.
Another special rule is that the American reinforcements (a bunch of Green squads with a leader) can actually set up anywhere adjacent to hex A9, on the lower left of the map, meaning they have a bit of an advantage.
Except they’re slow as fuck and can’t really go anywhere with any speed whatsoever.
The worst special rule (at least for me) was that due to “pinning fire from machine guns hidden in caves,” German snipers can hit a unit two hexes away from where the Sniper check puts it.
That didn’t bode well.
With all of that, how did I fare?
You can probably guess from my intro, but let’s see!
Read MoreWinging Your Way Through Asian Skies – Wingspan – Asia Expansion App Review
Do you think Monster Couch is now satisfied?
They are the developer of the app version of the very well-regarded tableau-building card game, Wingspan.
They have now released the final available expansion for Wingspan, Wingspan Asia, so they are caught up with the board game!
Until the new expansion comes out in 2026, but still…
I’ve previously reviewed the base game as well as the other two expansions, so it was a pleasure to finally get my hands on this one.
Way back in 2022, Stonemaier Games and Elizabeth Hargrave released the Asia expansion with artwork by Ana Maria Martinez Jaramillo and Natalia Rojas.
The Oceania expansion added a bunch of new things that changed the game (namely Nectar and new player boards).
While Asia isn’t quite so radical, it adds a new play mode for two players, which isn’t quite as controversial as Oceania but has made some people question the need since Wingspan already plays well with two players.
But let’s get into all that was before I run out of breath.
Too late.
Read MoreBottoscon Spring 2025 Retrospective
I love game conventions.
Not only do they give me even more of an opportunity to play great games, but it gives me the opportunity to game and chat with many people who I don’t see very often.
That’s why Bottoscon is one of my favourite conventions. I know (at least in passing) almost everybody who goes there, and there are always interesting conversations to be had.
With all of the turmoil down south, and many of us Canadians not wanting to go there for our usual conventions, the originator of Bottoscon, Rob Bottos, decided to put on a smaller, more intimate convention for those of us who are refraining from making that trip.
Hence, Bottoscon Spring, held in the upstairs lounge of the Royal City Curling Club in New Westminster, British Columbia.
Limited to around 70-80 people (the November convention usually has 130-150), this was a close gathering where people could just come and game in a really nice venue.
The pictures don’t do it justice.
I also wanted to give a shoutout to the Royal City Curling Club Bistro, who opened basically just for us and where the food was overall excellent!
Many thanks to Rob for setting this option up for those of us disinterested in travelling south, and my friends Brendan and Michelle for faithfully tending bar and lending other support!
I had my first beers in quite a while (other than one last year), since I generally drink whiskey at home, not beer.
They were wonderful.
How were the games?
As good as the beer.
Read MoreSeeing the Northwest Sights – Cascadia: Landmarks Expansion Review
Having lived in the Pacific Northwest for over 25 years, I can definitely say that it’s one of the most beautiful areas on Earth, both on the US side and the Canadian side of the border.
Cascadia brought that to life with beautiful tiles, with prairies brimming with salmon (sorry, that never gets old…for me at least).
The only thing that game was missing is something notable to actually see when you’re travelling through all of that glorious nature.
What really captures your eye and makes you stop?
Landmarks.
Here comes Cascadia: Landmarks, the first (and so far only) expansion for this great game.
The expansion was published in 2023 by Flatout Games and Alderac Entertainment Group. It was designed by Randy Flynn, Molly Johnson, Robert Melvin and Shawn Stankewich with artwork by the incomparable Beth Sobel.
Landmarks add a bunch more habitat and starter tiles to the game, new animal scoring cards, along with the aforementioned landmarks and the ability to play with 5-6 players as well as the usual 1-4.
Thankfully, there are faster play rules if you want to use them at all, either for regular player counts or, especially, for the 5-6.
I can see 5-6 playing normally to be really slow, and definitely chaotic.
Read More
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