A small dice game came back to Kickstarter on 14 November 2017. With ambitious plans for expansions, a real fun campaign and stretch goal after stretch goal that added content. Production was a huge undertaking, and of course there were some delays. Then, after a year, the artist and project manager for the game left. It took a while for the designer and publisher to get the files in their possession, and then to get the project going again. Another year later, here it is in all its glory. D-Day Dice:
And it's good fun.
The base game comes with 12 maps. The first map has three introductory scenarios to get you gradually acquainted with the rules. Then the second map is Omaha Beach, and yes, it's D-Day.
Every turn has you rolling the dice, to try and get soldiers on the beach, maybe even recruit some specialists, find items and get awards. Then combat, where you'll lose soldiers again. After a while you are forced to advance. And it will be more dangerous because of landmines and machine gun fire. The losses will increase. So there will be a turning point in the game where you can't sit back anymore and just have to make a last run for it. Storming the bunker.
You don't just get soldiers, items and awards for the faces you rolled. You've got six dice (two red, two white, two blue) and can reroll twice. Then there are bonuses to be had if you manage to roll three of the same symbols in red, white and blue. The sectors on the map also have their specific attributes. In some of them you will lose more soldiers in combat. For others you will need to have recruited a certain specialist to move in.
This all means you'll have a certain strategy based on the map, then try to make the best use of your dice rolls. But sometimes you're going to have to change tactics on the fly because of a very nice combination, or a very bad roll.
I lost the Omaha Beach scenario six times in a row. I did make it harder for myself as I had misunderstood how many tools you get if you roll more than one of these. It was printed so big in the rule book and on my cheat sheet that I didn't see it. So I had had a hard time finding items. When I knew how this worked it went slightly better. Also by now I knew the map very well and had thought of a good way to proceed. And finally, after a very exciting session I reached the bunker and won!
Just this map and the different countries you can play it with makes it a fun replayable game. But there are ten maps to go, each with their own rules and requirements. And then there will be War Stories, Way to Hell, Atlantikwall and Overlord. And the small expansions Legends, Spoils of War and Gott Mitt Uns.
Though I am first going to play Airborne in Your Pocket, then the D-Day Dice crossover Inside the Bunker. Because I finally made it this far. You won't get me outside again now.
If you take a look at the rules of D-Day Dice Pocket, you might see a familiar name under playtesters 😁