DWARF HOLD
INTRODUCTION
Board game for 2 to 8 players.
Fantasy Theme: Dwarves Mining and Fighting.
Each player represents 1 clan that is part of a
Dwarven Stronghold that is trying to expand its borders.
VICTORY
At the end of the game, the player with the most
Victory Tokens wins.
The game ends at the end of the turn when one of the following happens:
1. All 18 Veins have been Mined
2. All 18 Lairs have been Cleared
3. All 24 Rooms have been Built
4. All 18 Earth Tiles have been Claimed
5. Any one player goes over 100 VT
THE BOARD
Use a large Chess Board.
PLAYER CLAN MARKERS
Each player has a set of Clan Markers of a Unique Color.
VICTORY TOKENS
Players share a common set of Victory Tokens (VT).
These should have denominations of 1, 5, and 10.
VT may also be referred to as Victory Points (VP).
GOLD COINS
Players share a common set of Gold Coins.
Gold not controlled by any player is said to be in the vault.
DWARF LEADER CARDS
There is a common set of 8 Dwarf Leader Cards:
1. Dwarf Lord
2. Clan Elder
3. Master Builder
4. Master Engineer
5. Dwarf General
6. Master Craftsman
7. Clan Chieftain
8. Dwarf Judge
The Leaders are presented above in LEADER ORDER.
Leader Order is the order in which players take turns within a Phase.
THE DWARF LORD LEADER CARD
The player with the Dwarf Lord always goes first in each phase and
play proceeds in Leader Order.
THE CLAN ELDER LEADER CARD
The player who picks the Clan Elder Leader card in Leader Phase
immediately places one of his Clan Markers onto the Hold.
THE MASTER BUILDER LEADER CARD
The Master Builder can build Rooms for half their cost (in gold
rounding down) this turn.
You may build 1 extra Room this turn.
THE DWARF MASTER ENGINEER LEADER CARD
All Action Tiles played by the Engineer this turn get +1 Dig.
You may dig one extra tile this turn.
THE DWARF GENERAL LEADER CARD
All Action Tiles played by the General this turn get +1 Fight.
You may clear 1 extra Lair this turn.
THE DWARF MASTER CRAFTSMAN LEADER CARD
The Master craftsman gets 3 extra Gold and 2 Victory Tokens
this turn in Gold Phase.
THE CLAN CHIEFTAIN LEADER CARD
The Clan Chieftain gets to draw 1 extra Work Tile in Work Phase.
THE DWARF JUDGE LEADER CARD
In Event Phase switch the placement of any 2 Clan Markers on the Board.
TILES
There are 2 sets of Common Tiles:
Board Tiles & Work Tiles
The 2 types of Tiles should have different backs.
Keep the 2 types in separate piles.
Piles should be kept in a box, bowl, or pouch.
Each Tile is able to fit on one square on the Map board.
BOARD TILES
There are a total of 64 Board Tiles.
There are 5 types of Board Tiles:
Lairs, Earth, Veins, and Impassables.
One Oversize Hold Tile.
THE HOLD TILE
There is 1 oversize Hold Tile.
It is the size of 4 regular size square tiles.
It is placed in the middle of the map covering the center 4 map spaces.
Each player starts the game with a Clan Marker on the Hold Tile.
EARTH TILES
There are 18 Earth Tiles.
Building sites for rooms.
LAIR TILES
There are 18 Lair Tiles.
These contain monsters that must be defeated.
When you clear a Lair, you remove the Lair Tile from the
board and keep it as a Trophy.
VEIN TILES
There are 18 Vein Tiles.
These provide gold revenue to their owners.
IMPASSABLE TILES
There are 6 Impassable tiles.
Players may not control them or "Move" through them in any way.
WORK TILES
Work Tiles are kept in your Hand like a Hand of cards.
There are 3 types of Work Tiles:
Action Tiles, Event Tiles, and Room Tiles.
ACTION TILES
These provide Dig and/or Fight Points.
They are discarded when played.
EVENT TILES
These produce a variety of effects.
Unless otherwise specified, they are played (discarded) in Event Phase.
ROOM TILES
These are Rooms that may be built onto Earth Tiles or cleared Lairs.
When Rooms are built, they are placed onto a target square on the map with
the builders Clan Marker placed on them.
Rooms provide an immediate VT bonus when built and a long term
benefit to their controller afterwards.
The effects of room tiles are continuous unless they are specifically
stated to be one time effects.
ADJACENCY RULES
Tiles on the map must share a side to be considered adjacent.
SETUP
Place the Hold Tile in the center of the Board.
Place the other Board Tiles randomly face up onto the Board.
Each player picks a uniquely colored set of Clan Markers.
Each player places 1 of their Clan Markers onto the Hold.
Each player is dealt a hand of 3 Random Work Tiles.
TURN SEQUENCE
Each turn has 9 phases:
Each player does each Phase before everybody goes to the next Phase in a Turn!
Players take their actions within a Phase in Leader order.
1. Leader Phase
2. Gold Phase
3. Work Phase
4. Trade Phase
5. Event Phase
6. Dig Phase
7. Fight Phase
8. Build Phase
9. End Phase
LEADER PHASE
In Leader Order Players take turns picking one Leader card each.
When picking, go in the Leader order from the previous turn.
In the first turn of the game (and only the first turn) players
are dealt 1 Leader card at random.
GOLD PHASE
In Leader Order Each player gets 10 Gold plus income from Mines they control.
Gold not controlled by any player is said to be in the Vault.
WORK PHASE
In Leader Order Each player draws 1 random Work Tile for free.
Players may draw extra Work Tiles for 5 Gold each.
TRADE PHASE
Players may trade Action Tiles, Gold, Victory Tokens,
ownership of map spaces, trophies, and promises.
This is the only Phase where Leader Order does not apply.
EVENT PHASE
Most Event Tiles are played in this Phase. Play in Leader Order.
In Leader Order Players may buy VT in this phase:
The first VT bought in the turn by ANY player costs 2 Gold.
The second VT bought in the turn costs 3 Gold and so on.
DIG PHASE
In Leader Order players may claim an Earth Tile or Vein Tile on the Map.
The target tile must be adjacent to the Hold or to a space
controlled (containing a Clan Marker) by ANY player.
The Earth or Vein Tile will have a value from 1 to 12.
You must play Action Tiles with a total number of Dig points that
equal or exceed this value.
You must also pay 1 Gold for each Action Tile you play plus 2
extra Gold to the Vault if the target space was not adjacent to the Hold or a
space you control (that is, next to an opponent controlled space only)
Place one of your Clan Markers onto the Vein to show that it
is now a functioning Mine under your control.
When a Vein is Dug, it is also referred to as building a Mine.
Immediately gain VT equal to the value of the Earth or Vein Tile.
You may dig a max of 1 Tile per turn.
Event and Room Tiles may be used as Action Tiles of Dig = 1.
FIGHT PHASE
In Leader Order players may claim a Lair Tile on the Map.
The target tile must be adjacent to the Hold or to a space
controlled (containing a Clan Marker) by ANY player.
The Lair Tile will have a value from 6 to 15.
You must play Action Tiles with a total number of Fight
points that equal or exceed this value.
You must also pay 1 Gold for each Action Tile you play plus 2
extra Gold to the Vault if the target space was not adjacent to the Hold or a
space you control (that is, next to an opponent controlled space only).
Remove the Lair Tile from the map and place it next to you.
Next place one of your Clan Markers onto the space showing you now control it.
Immediately gain VT equal to the value of the Lair Tile.
You may clear a max of 1 Lair per turn.
BUILD PHASE
In Leader Order players may build a Room onto a Cleared Lair space or a Claimed
Earth Tile. If the space is controlled by another player, pay them
4 Gold, and replace their Clan Marker with your own. Place the
Room Tile from your hand onto the target space of the map.
Pay Gold to the Vault equal the Value of the Room.
Immediately gain VT equal to the value of the Room.
Rooms cannot be built adjacent to uncleared Lairs.
You may build a max of 1 Room per turn.
It costs an extra 2 Gold to the Vault to build a Room in a former Lair in order
to properly remodel and clean up the monster filth.
END PHASE
Max hand size is 7 Action Tiles.
In Leader Order Discard excess Tiles.
Players return their Leader cards.
END OF GAME SCORING
The player with the Most Clan Markers on the Hold at the end of the
Game gets 24 VT.
The player with the most Trophies gets an extra 12 VT.
The player with the most Rooms gets an extra 12 VT.
The player with the most Mines gets an extra 12 VT.
In al cases, if players are tied, divide the VT equally rounding down.
Players get 1 VT for every 10 Gold they have rounding down.
BOARD TILE LIST NOTATION
L = Lairs
E = Earth
V = Veins
I = Impassables.
# = Number of Copies of Tile in Set
BOARD TILE SET LIST
Name Type # Value Notes
Soil E 6 1 -
Rock E 6 2 -
Stone E 6 3 -
Copper V 2 4 Income = 1 Gold
Tin V 2 5 Income = 1 Gold
Iron V 2 6 Your AT get +1 Dig
Silver V 2 7 Income = 2 Gold
Gold V 2 8 Income = 2 Gold
Platinum V 2 9 Income = 2 Gold
Mithril V 2 10 Your AT get +1 Fight
Gems V 2 11 Income = 1 gold & 1 VT
Jewels V 2 12 Income = 1 gold & 1 VT
Kobolds L 1 6 Adj Soil must be fought for not Dug
Goblin Tribes L 1 6 Adj Rock must be fought for not Dug
Troglodytes L 1 7 +2 per adj Rock
Orc Army L 1 7 Adj Stone must be fought for not Dug
Giant Spiders L 1 8 All Adj Lairs value +1
Chaos Dwarves L 1 8 Adj Veins must be fought for not Dug
Drow L 1 9 +2 per Adj Lair. Adj Lairs get -1
Gythanki L 1 9 If cleared gain 10 Gold
Ogres L 1 10 +1 per Adj Lair
Xorn L 1 10 All Adj Veins become Rock
Cave Trolls L 1 11 +1 per Adj Vein
Mind Flayers L 1 11 All Adj Lairs value +2
Stone Giants L 1 12 All Adj Earth Tiles become Stone
Earth Giants L 1 12 +1 per Adj Earth Tile
Demon Horde L 1 13 +1 per Adj Impassable Tile
Beholder L 1 13 All Adj Lairs are Soil
Pit Fiend L 1 14 All Adj Lairs are Impassible Fire Pits
Dragon L 1 15 If Cleared gain 20 Gold
Bottomless Pit I 1 X All Adj Lairs value +1
Admantium Boulder I 1 X All Adj Earth Tiles value +2
Oil Shale I 1 X Get 5 VT if Machine Shops built Adj
Underground River I 1 X Get 5 VT if Cistern built Adj
Lava Tubes I 1 X All Adj Veins value +1
Magma Seep I 1 X Get 5 VT if Great Forge built Adj
WORK TILE NOTATION
A = Action
E = Event
R = Room
D = Dig
F = Fight
LP = Leader Phase
LC = Leader Card
AT = Action Tile
WT = work Tile
TP = Trade Phase
OTE = One Time Effect
WORK TILE SET LIST
Name: Type # Value Notes
Great Hall R 1 10 Get 1 VT when you pick Dwarf Judge
Earth Temple R 1 9 If you play no AT this turn get 2VT
Great Forge R 1 10 Get 1 VT when you pick Master Engineer
Workshops R 1 7 Your AT get +1 Dig
Brewery R 1 6 You may Dig 1 extra Tile per Turn
Guild Hall R 1 8 Get 1 VT when you pick Master Builder
Treasury R 1 7 Get 1 VT when you pick Master Craftsman
Citadel R 1 9 Get 1 VT when you pick Dwarf General
Machine Shops R 1 6 You may build 1 extra Room per Turn
Throne Room R 1 10 Get 1 VT when you pick Dwarf Lord
Ancestral Shrine R 1 8 Get 1 VT when you pick Clan Chieftain
Heroes Tombs R 1 6 VT cost 1 less gold in Event Phase
Barracks R 1 5 You may Clear 1 extra Lair per Turn
Feasting Hall R 1 8 Extra AT cost 1 less gold in Work Phase
Cistern R 1 3 Digs & Builds cost 1 less Gold each
Trading Post R 1 5 At start of TP draw +2WT & discard 2WT
Store Rooms R 1 5 Hand Size +2
Armory R 1 7 Your AT get +1 Fight
Hall of Records R 1 3 OTE. Put 4 Clan Tokens in Hold
Trophy Room R 1 4 Gain 2 VT every time you clear a Lair
Council Hall R 1 3 Gain 1 VT when you pick Clan Elder
Great Hoard R 1 4 Gain 2 VT every time you build a Mine
Great Gate R 1 9 May be built next to uncleared Lairs
Secret Passage R 1 4 In Event Phase look at 1 opponent's hand
Sabotage E 1 - Opponent must discard 2 random WT from hand
Raid Treasury E 1 - Steal 7 Gold from target opponent
Forge Great Relic E 1 - Gain 7 VT
Unearth Big Diamond E 1 - Gain 10 Gold
Greybeards E 1 - Draw 3 WT
Rune Stones E 1 - Draw 7 WT. Take one. Discard the rest
Clan Informers E 1 - Steal 1 random WT from opponents hand
Turf Dispute E 1 - Replace target Clan Marker with one of your own
Great Oratory E 1 - Place 2 of your Clan Markers in Hold
Intrigue E 1 - Play at end of LP. Switch your LC with Opponent
Arcane Laws E 1 - Switch placement of any 6 Clan Markers on Board
Dwarf Miners A 2 - D = 1 or F = 1
Picks & Shovels A 6 - D = 2
Tunnels & Shafts A 6 - D = 3
Powder Keg A 1 - D = 3 or F = 3
Hammers A 1 - D = 2 or F = 2
Big Drill A 2 - D = 4
Major Excavation A 1 - D = 5
Big Dig A 1 - D = 6
Champion A 1 - F = 5 and +10 vs. Dragon
Rune Master A 1 - F = 5 and +8 vs. Beholder
Battle Mage A 1 - F = 5 and +8 vs. Demon Horde
Earth Priest A 1 - F = 4 and +10 vs. Pit Fiend
Clansmen A 1 - D = 2 or F = 3 and +4 vs. Orcs
Giant Slayer A 1 - F = 4 and +8 vs. Giants
Flame Thrower A 1 - F = 4 and +7 vs. Trolls
Warriors A 1 - F = 4 and +5 vs. Gythanki
Berserkers A 1 - F = 5 and +6 vs. Mind Flayers
Shield Bearers A 1 - F = 3 and +6 vs. Drow
Sentries A 1 - F = 2 and +4 vs. Kobolds
Gunners A 1 - F = 5 and +3 vs. Chaos Dwarves
Crossbows A 1 - F = 2 and +5 vs. Spiders
Sword & Axes A 1 - F = 4 and +2 vs. Goblins
Tunnel Fighters A 1 - F = 3 and +4 vs. Troglodytes
Pikes & Halberds A 1 - F = 3 and +7 vs. Ogres
Demolition Team A 1 - D = 4 or F = 3 and +7 vs. Xorn
LINKS
Dwarf Hold BGG Entry
Dwarf Fortress
FAQ
Q> Suggest that for ease of play that the Work Tiles be card-sized rather than
square-tile-sized, and have additional "Room Tiles" that aren't otherwise used
unless and until the Build Phase; you discard the "Room Card" and place the
"Room Tile" on the board.
A> Sounds perfectly OK to me.
Q 1) The rules for "Dig Phase" and "Fight Phase" first say that you can only
dig/fight a Tile adjacent to the Hold or a space you already
control. But then later in each paragraph it says it costs an extra 2 Gold to
dig/fight a Tile that's not adjacent.
A> You pay the gold only if the target tile is adjacent to a space
controlled by another player but not you. The target space has to be adjacent
to the expanding Dwarf Stronghold.
Q> 2) The effects of Room tiles are continuous? They operate each turn?
A> All are continuous except the Record Hall.
Q> 3) Each player does each Phase before everybody goes to the next Phase in a Turn?
A> Yes. In order as determined by the Dwarf Lord Leader.
Q> 4) Scoring Rules refer to "The player with the most Trophies. . ."
What are Trophies?
A> When you clear a Lair, you remove the Lair Tile from the
board and keep it as a Trophy.
FAQ cont.
> There seems to be some inconsistent usage of the term "Work Tiles"
> (the deck of tiles that players draw from) and "Action Tiles" (a
> specific type of Work Tile):
---No doubt, I had to differentiate Action tiles from Room Tiles,
both of which are in the Work Tile set.
> Errata: Clan Chieftain Card:
> ----------------------------------------
> Is he the "Clan Chieftain" or the "Clan Leader"? This description
---I originally called him the Clan Leader, but then they were
all "Leaders" so I changed it to Chieftain.
> Clarification: does this mean that each player completes ALL of the
> actions he desires for a given phase, then the next player does
> likewise, or does each player complete ONE action for a given phase, then the
next player, and so on, making SEVERAL trips around the table before moving to
the next phase? I suspect the former, but it is not completely clear....
---ALL actions. I think this makes the Dwarf Lord more important.
> Question on Gameplay #1:
> ---------------------------------------
> The Event Phase - the 2nd VT bought in the turn costs 3 gold: is this the 2nd
bought by ANY player, or EACH player? The former makes going first more
valuable, but can make the 6-8 player game play MUCH
> differently than a 2-3 player game since the VT would get expensive
> more quickly.
---ANY player. Again I think this makes the Dwarf Lord more important (and I
think he should be important).
> Question on Gameplay #2:
> ----------------------------------------
> The Arcane Laws Tile switches placement of any 6 Clan Markers on Board. Is
this swapping three pairs of tokens (like the Judge Leader card allows, but done
three times), or can they be scrambled (pick up up to six tokens, and place them
back on the same Tiles, but not
> necessarily with the same ownership)?
---Scramble!!!