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Dominant Species: Marine (2021) Board Game

ByMichail

Dominant Species: Marine is a standalone game in the Dominant Species series, designed by Chad Jensen and published by GMT Games in in 2021. It is a thematic sequel to the original Dominant Species game, focusing on aquatic environments and marine life. Players take on the roles of different marine species, competing for dominance in the ever-changing ecosystem.

Game Components of Dominant Species: Marine

  • Hexagonal tiles** representing the expanding ocean
  • Hydrothermal Vent tiles** that convert larger tiles into vents
  • Action pawns** for performing various actions like speciation, environmental change, and evolution
  • Special pawns** with enhanced placement capabilities
  • Species cubes** for tracking species presence on tiles
  • Element disks** for animals and earth
  • Trait Cards** providing unique abilities to each species
  • Evolution Cards** offering one-time abilities, ongoing benefits, or recurring VP gains

    How To Setup Dominant Species: Marine

    To set up the game, players start by selecting one of four major aquatic-based animal classes: dinosaur, fish, cephalopod, or crustacean. Each player is dealt three Trait Cards and chooses one to assign to their species, which provides a unique ability. The game board is composed of hexagonal tiles representing the ocean, with Hydrothermal Vent tiles placed on top to create vents. Each player starts with basic action pawns and species cubes.

    Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

    Mechanics

  • Worker Placement: Players place action pawns to perform actions immediately, unlike the original where actions were executed after all pawns were placed.
  • Area Control: Players aim to dominate element types across the entire board.
  • Card Play: Evolution Cards provide various benefits and strategies.
  • Resource Management: Managing species cubes and element disks.

    Game Objective

    The objective is to accumulate the most victory points by dominating element types, expanding your species’ presence, and utilizing Evolution Cards effectively. The game ends when the Evolution Cards are exhausted and the final Asteroid card is played, with the player controlling the animal with the highest VP total declared the winner.

    Player Experience

    **Dominant Species: Marine** offers a dynamic and strategic gameplay experience, particularly suited for fewer players. The immediate execution of actions upon pawn placement adds flexibility and reduces the complexity of planning entire turns in advance. The Domination mechanic, now based on a global count rather than per-tile, allows multiple players to dominate the same element type. This game is ideal for those who enjoy deep strategic games with a unique blend of adaptation and competition.

    Pros

  • Better with fewer players: Optimized for 2-3 players.
  • More faction power: Players choose unique Trait Cards for their species.
  • Faster gameplay: Actions are taken immediately, reducing overall game time.
  • Increased strategy variety: Evolution Cards and special pawns provide diverse strategies.
  • Improved Domination mechanic: Global element domination is more straightforward and less competitive.

    Cons

  • Limited player count: Not suitable for 5-6 players.
  • Less action programming: Unlike the original, actions are not programmed in advance.
  • Dependence on cards: Some actions and strategies are heavily reliant on card draws.

    Personal Thoughts on Dominant Species: Marine

    **Dominant Species: Marine** is for players who enjoy complex strategic games with a strong focus on adaptation and competition. It is particularly recommended for those who prefer games with fewer players, as it offers a more streamlined and intense experience. If you value immediate action execution, unique species abilities, and a faster gameplay pace, **Dominant Species: Marine** is an excellent choice. However, if you prefer the action programming mechanic and the ability to play with larger groups, the original **Dominant Species** might be more appealing.

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    • Michail, a seasoned tabletop enthusiast, dives headfirst into worlds of fantasy and strategy. Whether commanding a party of adventurers through perilous dungeons or engaging in tactical showdowns on the board, Michail is the maestro of the tabletop realm. Michail's gaming table is a realm where the clatter of dice and the shuffle of cards create a symphony of strategic chaos.

    Hobby: Miniature painting guru, turning pewter into masterpieces
    Preferred Game: Dungeons & Dragons, but always up for a board game brawl

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