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Dark Age: Genesis
- 2 players
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- 2005
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Dark Age: Core Rules
2002
Rules assistance for Dark Age: Core Rules
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 90 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.8/5
Rules assistant for Dark Age: Core Rules
For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Dark Age: Core Rules is a board game released in 2002 for 2 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Cary Parris and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Simulation.
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About the game
Dark Age Games is a new gaming company that has produced a miniatures game based on the art and themes of Brom's Dark Age world. It's a dark and ruined world where different factions and different races battle to survive. The game is a skirmish level game using a d20 for all dice rolls. It is designed for a two-player game of approximately 20 models aside to take an hour or less for experienced players to play. At the same time it gives you all the tactics and control of alternate activation with detailed control of each model's actions. Game Mechanics All dice rolls are with a d20, low rolls are better, special rules for rolling 1's and 20's (criticals). The measurements are in cm for greater detail and variety amongst units. Play alternates between players with each activating a single unit at a time (individual or squad) and once all units have gone the turn is over. This is designed for an average 750 pt game to require approx. 20 figures a side. Each army plays different, each has a distinct appearance and background. The majority of units are melee units with advantages stacked in favor of more aggressive play. Additional rules cover malfunctions, spellcraft, special abilities, formations and many other advanced gaming features. Dark Age is introduced in the book Genesis, which covers the forces of the Forsaken, led by St. Mark, and opens the setting of this world with their encounters against the non-human Dragyri. The Story continues in Exodus, with the Forces of St. Mary battling the Skarrd, and Evolution, where the Devotees of St. John encounter the Brood. The revised Core Rules and several scenarios are presented by themselves in Essence. The current version of the Dark Age miniatures rules is Dark Age: Apocalypse Core Rules with expanded current force lists in Dark Age: Apocalypse – Forcelists --from publisher
Designers
Publishers
- Dark Age Games
Questions and answers
Dark Age: Core Rules supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Dark Age: Core Rules is 90 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Dark Age: Core Rules for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Dark Age: Core Rules has a complexity rating of 2.8 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Dark Age: Core Rules belongs to these categories: Wargame, Miniatures, and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Simulation. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Dark Age: Core Rules are: Cary Parris. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Dark Age: Core Rules as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.