Dimension Demons
Dimension Demons Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- 1.0 Introduction
- 2.0 Map
- 3.0 Counters
- 4.0 Scenarios
- 5.0 Preparation for Play
- 6.0 Game-Turn Sequence
- 7.0 Trans-Dimensional Projection
- 8.0 Movement
- 9.0 Stacking
- 10.0 Combat
- 11.0 Advance after Combat
- 12.0 Explanation of Combat Results
- 13.0 Pop-Back
- 14.0 Trans-Dimensional Transports
- 15.0 Breeders
- 16.0 Slag
- 17.0 Optional Rules
- Reference Charts
1.0 Introduction
Dimension Demons is a two player game. The Demon player uses his transport machines to move his warriors between dimensions to attack the humans. The human player has infantry, sliders (hovercraft), and thumpers (armored mobile artillery) to defend his cities.
Each turn represents from 2 to 4 hours. Each hex on the map is about 2 km. The human units contain approximately 200 men or 20 vehicles. The Demon units average 15 warriors. Only one breeder is in each breeder unit.
2.0 Map
The map represents sections of two planets, each in a different dimension. The Demon world is distinguished by volcanoes in shaded areas. The unmarked hexes are clear. The other world is Ishom, a human colony, which has four types of terrain. Again, the unmarked hexes are clear. Swamps are indicated in blue. The hexes containing circles represent cities and the brown lines are roads. The dimension band divides the two worlds and may only be crossed by trans-dimensional movement (see 7.0).
3.0 Counters
Several different types of counters are included: combat units (of several types), Demon breeders, trans-dimensional transports, and slag markers.
Each of the counters, except slag markers, has three numbers printed on it: Range (top), Combat Strength (bottom left), and Movement Allowance (bottom right).
The combat strength in parentheses on breeders indicates that they cannot attack.
3.1 Human Units
- Infantry
- Sliders (hovercraft)
- Thumpers (heavy armor)
3.2 Demon Units
- Warriors*
- Trans-dimensional Transports
- Breeders
(* A "B" on a warrior indicates it was bred in the human dimension.)
3.3 Markers
- Slag
4.0 Scenarios
Dimension Demons includes a basic scenario and two optional scenarios. Each is a different version of the game.
4.1 Basic Scenario: Demon Assault
Human Forces: Human units worth 100 points. (See unit chart for point costs.)
Demon Forces: Demon units of any types, worth 130 points.
Victory Conditions: The game ends when all units of one side have been destroyed or when the Demon player has had no units in the human dimension for five consecutive turns. If the Demon player has destroyed all human units he wins. If not, the human player wins.
4.2 Optional Scenario One: Counterattack
Human Forces: 200 points including up to two Transports.
Demon Forces: 200 points of any type.
Victory Conditions: The game ends when all units of one side have been destroyed. The survivor wins. Players may agree to a draw at any time.
4.3 Optional Scenario Two: Human Invasion of Demon World
Human Forces: 200 points including any number of Transports.
Demon Forces: 150 points which may include any number of Warriors, but must include one to five Breeders, and may not include any Transports.
Victory Conditions: One of the Demon Breeders should be marked with a "Q" on the back of the counter to represent the queen Breeders. The human player does not know which Breeder is the queen if the Demon player has more than one Breeder. If the human player can locate and destroy the queen breeder within five game turns he wins. If not, the Demon player wins.
5.0 Preparation for Play
5.1 Selection of Forces
In all scenarios each player is given a certain number of points with which he may purchase units. Consult the Units chart for the point cost of each unit type. The limits of the counter mix may not be exceeded; no new counters may be made up. Selection of forces is done secretly and simultaneously by both players. When both players have selected their forces, each shows his selection to the other player.
5.2 Human Set-up
The human player places his units anywhere in the human part of the map. Only one unit may be placed in a hex.
5.3 Demon Set-up
The Demon player places his units anywhere in the Demon world part of the map. The first turn now begins.
6.0 Game-Turn Sequence
Each turn consists of several phases, which must be done in order.
6.1 Demon Player Turn
A. Demon Trans-Dimensional Projection. Each Demon Warrior or Breeder unit stacked with a transport unit may move to the human world.
B. Demon Movement. Each Demon Warrior unit may move upon the world map it occupies.
C. Human Defensive Fire. Each human unit may fire at any Demon unit within range.
D. Demon Offensive Fire. Each surviving Demon Warrior may fire at any adjacent human unit.
E. Demon Disruption Recovery. Disrupted Demon units are turned face up again.
F. Demon Pop-Back. All Demon units in the human world (except those within five hexes of a Demon Transport or those bred in the human world) must return to the Demon world.
6.2 Human Player Turn
A. Human Trans-Dimensional Projection. (If the Humans have a Transport.)
B. Human Movement.
C. Demon Defensive Fire.
D. Human Offensive Fire.
E. Human Disruption Recovery.
F. Human Pop-Back.
7.0 Trans-Dimensional Projection
7.1 Units Which may be Projected
Each undisrupted unit that begins its Trans-Dimensional Projection phase stacked with a Transport may be projected into the other world. Since two units may stack with a Transport (see 9.3) two units may be projected by each Transport each turn. However, the projection procedure (see below) is done separately for each unit.
7.2 Procedure
For each unit being projected the player first determines the Transport's mirror hex in the other world (see below). Then a target hex is announced and the distance between the target hex and the mirror hex is determined. A die is rolled and the Landing table consulted to see if the unit scatters. If the unit scatters the die is rolled again to determine the direction.
7.2.1 Mirror Hex. The mirror hex of a Transport is the hex in the opposite world which has the same number in it as the hex occupied by the Transport. The hex will be the same distance from the black divider as the Transport is from it. EXAMPLE: Hex 0714 in the human world is the mirror hex of 0714 in the Demon world.
7.2.2 Target Hex. Any hex of any terrain type in the other world may be designated as the target hex for a projection attempt. The target hex may not be in the same world as the Transport.
7.2.3 Mirror Hex-Target Hex Distance. The player counts the number of hexes from the mirror hex to the target hex.
7.2.4 Landing Table Die Roll. A die is rolled and the result is indexed with the column of the Landing table which corresponds to the mirror-to-target-hex distance. If the result is an "H" the unit lands in the target hex. If the result is a number, the unit scatters to a hex that distance away from the target hex. EXAMPLE: If a "2" is obtained on the table, the unit lands two hexes away from the target hex.
7.2.5 Scatter Die Roll. If the unit scatters, a second die roll is made to determine the direction. The scatter direction chart is consulted.
EXAMPLE: The Demon Warrior is attempting to go to the indicated hex, two hexes from the mirror hex. A "5" is rolled for the Landing table, which results in a three-hex scatter. The die is rolled again to determine direction of scatter; a "6" is rolled, so the unit scatters to the final hex shown.
7.3 Edge of the Board
When a unit scatters to a hex which is off the map, the unit is instead placed in an on-board hex which is as close as possible to the off-board scatter hex. Units scattering off the north map edge do not scatter back to their original world.
7.4 Projection onto Other Units
If a unit lands in a hex which is already occupied by another unit (friendly or enemy), all units in the hex are eliminated. Exception: Warriors carrying Breeders, see 15.4.
7.5 Projection into Cities
If a unit lands in a city, the unit is eliminated and a SLAG marker is placed in the hex.
7.6 Projection into Volcanoes
Units projected into volcanoes are eliminated.
8.0 Movement
8.1 General
During each Movement phase, the player whose turn it is may move some, none, or all of his units. Each unit may be moved in any direction or combination of directions. A unit may be moved through a number of consecutive hexes equal to its Movement Allowance. EXAMPLE: A Warrior with a Movement Allowance of three may move three hexes per turn. Sometimes a unit will not be able to move its entire Movement Allowance because of terrain (see below). A unit may move less than its Movement Allowance and does not have to move at all. Units may never leave the map.
8.2 Friendly Units
A unit may move through a hex occupied by a friendly unit, but it may not end its turn there. (Exceptions: units may stack with Breeders and Transports; see 9.2 and 9.3.)
8.3 Enemy Units
A unit may never enter an enemy-occupied hex (unless the enemy unit is a Transport; see 9.3). Units do not exert "zones of control" into adjacent hexes as in many other wargames.
8.4 Volcanoes
Any unit that moves into a volcano hex is destroyed.
8.5 Swamp
Each swamp hex that a unit moves through counts as two hexes of its Movement Allowance. A unit with only one hex of its Movement Allowance left could not enter a swamp hex. EXAMPLE: A Slider, with a Movement Allowance of eight, could move through four swamp hexes in a turn.
8.6 Roads
Each road hex that a unit moves through counts as only one-half hex of its Movement Allowance. EXAMPLE: The arrows indicate the legal moves for the Thumper unit. A Thumper could move 4 hexes per turn on a road. However, the road movement rate can only be used if the road hex is entered from another road hex. If a unit enters a hex from a non-road hex, then the unit must pay the full terrain cost.
9.0 Stacking
9.1 General
Usually, no more than one unit may be in a hex.
9.2 Breeders
One Demon Warrior unit may be in the same hex as a Demon Breeder unit.
9.3 Transports
Two friendly units of any type may be in the same hex as a transport. EXAMPLE: Two Warriors, or a Warrior and a Breeder, or two Breeders may stack with a Demon Transport. Alternatively, one enemy unit may stack with a Transport.
10.0 Combat
10.1 General
During each Offensive Fire phase of the player's turn and each Defensive Fire phase of the enemy player's turn, each human unit and each Demon Warrior unit may attack one enemy unit within range. Attacking is always voluntary.
Briefly, each attack is done by comparing the Combat Strengths of the attacking and defending units, rolling a die and consulting the Combat Results table. First an odds ratio is computed by dividing the total attacking Combat Strength by the defending unit's Combat Strength. This ratio is rounded off in the defender's favor to match one of the odds columns on the Combat Results table. EXAMPLES: A human Thumper with a Combat Strength of six is attacking a Demon Warrior with a Combat Strength of three. The odds are 6-3 or 2-1. A Warrior attacking a human Infantry unit is 3-2, which rounds off in the defender's favor to 1-1. A human Infantry attacking a Demon Warrior is 2-3 or 1-2.
After computing the odds, a die is rolled and the corresponding line of the proper odds column on the Combat Results table is consulted. The results of combat are explained in 12.0.
10.2 Range
Every unit with a Combat Strength (except Breeders) has a number on it which is the number is the number of hexes at which the unit may attack. When computing range the hex adjacent to the attacking unit (not the hex occupied by the attacking unit) is counted as the first hex. If the target is within the attacker's range combat may occur. Attackers may fire over intervening friendly units, enemy units, city hexes, slag hexes, and swamp hexes.
EXAMPLE: The range is two hexes.
10.3 Multiple Attackers
More than one unit may attack a single defending unit each turn as long as the defending unit is within range of all of them. The attacking units may combine their Combat Strengths to make a single attack. Alternatively, each of them may make a separate attack. A defending unit may be attacked more than once per Fire phase.
EXAMPLE: The Demon player could make a single 9-2 or 4-1 attack, or three 1-1 attacks, or a 3-1 attack and a 1-1 attack.
10.4 Restrictions
A single attack may never involve more than one defender. A single attacking unit may not attack more than once in a Fire phase, nor may it split its Combat Strength to participate in two or more attacks. Unoccupied hexes may not be attacked.
10.5 Attacks against Breeders
See 15.4.
10.6 Capture and Destruction of Transports
See 14.2 and 14.3.
10.7 City and Swamp Hexes
Human Infantry units defending in swamp or city hexes have their Combat Strengths doubled. Other units defend normally in all terrain.
EXAMPLE: The Demon unit attacks at 3-4 or 1-2.
11.0 Advance after Combat
Any time a unit in a city hex is destroyed, one adjacent attacking unit may advance into the vacated city hex.
12.0 Explanation of Combat Results
12.1 X: Defender Eliminated
The defending unit is removed.
12.2 D: Defender Disrupted
The defending unit is turned face-down on the map until the next Disruption Recovery phase for that side. The unit may not move or attack while it is disrupted. If it receives a second disruption result, it is eliminated. However, the unit defends with its full Combat Strength.
12.3 N: No Effect
13.0 Pop-Back
Each unit automatically returns to its home dimension during the Pop-Back phase unless it is within five hexes of a friendly Transport unit. A unit forced to pop back must attempt to enter the mirror hex of the hex it is in, using the Trans-dimensional Projection procedures (see 7.0). Thus, the 0-5 column of the Landing Chart will always be used for Pop-Back.
Units may not voluntarily pop back, even if they are within five hexes of a friendly Transport.
EXAMPLE: The Breeder unit must pop back to the Demon world. The Warrior does not have to, although it may if the Demon player wishes.
14.0 Trans-Dimensional Transports
14.1 Obtaining Transports
Players are allowed to begin certain scenarios with Transport units. Once play has begun the Demon player may build new Transports. Either side may capture Transports from the enemy and use them.
14.2 Building New Transports
Each Demon Warrior unit can build a new Transport simply by entering a city hex. The Demon player is never required to build a Transport. As soon as a Warrior unit enters a city hex the Demon player may place a Transport counter, from those not being used, on that city hex. The Transport is fully operational from the moment of its creation. The Demon player may not have more than one transport in each city hex, nor may he have more Transports than are provided in the countermix.
14.3 Transport Capture
Any undisrupted unit which begins its Offensive Fire phase in the same hex as an enemy Transport may try to capture that Transport. The player rolls a die. If the die roll is one or two, the Transport is captured. Otherwise, it is destroyed. The unit may not attack any other unit that Fire phase.
14.4 Voluntary Destruction of Transports
Any undisrupted unit which begins its Offensive Fire phase in the same hex as either a friendly or enemy Transport may automatically destroy it. This counts as its one attack that Fire phase.
14.5 Effects of Transport Loss
Whenever a Transport is captured or destroyed, units belonging to the previous owner might have to pop back to their home world. See 13.0.
15.0 Breeders
15.1 General
A Breeder is a large slug-like creature which produces Demon Warrior units.
15.2 Producing Warriors
A Breeder must be in the Human world, within five hexes of a friendly Transport, to produce Warriors. Each turn, starting the turn after the Breeder is projected, a new Warrior unit with a "B" on it is placed on the Breeder. This occurs at the beginning of the Movement phase. The new units may move and fight that turn. They never pop back to the Demon world.
15.3 Breeder Movement
Breeders have no Movement Allowance. They must be carried by Warrior units. If a Breeder and a Warrior unit are in the same hex at the beginning of the Movement phase, they may both move one hex that turn.
15.4 Breeder Trans-dimensional Projection
A Breeder unit may be projected if it and a Warrior are both stacked with a Transport. Both are projected (see 7.0) into the same hex and both pop back into the same hex.
15.5 Breeder Combat
Breeders have a Combat Strength in parenthesis. They may never attack during either the Offensive or Defensive Fire phases. The Breeder Combat strength is used only for defense. If a Warrior is in the same hex as a Breeder the Breeder may not be attacked until the Warrior has been destroyed. However, the Breeder may be attacked the same turn that the Warrior is destroyed.
16.0 Slag
When a unit enters a city hex through projection (or pop-back), the unit is destroyed and a SLAG marker is placed in the hex. No unit may enter the hex for the rest of the game. Other units which project there are destroyed.
17.0 Optional Rules
These rules are presented for use with any of the three scenarios given. However, players should be warned that the use of optional rules will affect play-balance.
17.1 Destruction of Cities
The Human player may attempt to destroy his own cities, but certain conditions must be met first: (a) an undisrupted human infantry unit must be in the city; (b) no more than 10 human Combat Strength points may be left on the board. To destroy a city the human player announces his intent during either the Offensive Fire or Defensive Fire phase of that turn. He then removes all units in the city and places slag markers on all hexes of the destroyed city. Each unit in or adjacent to the city is considered destroyed.
17.2 Human Reinforcements
At the beginning of turn 10, and every turn thereafter, the human player may roll a die in an attempt for reinforcements. For each turn that a one is rolled the human player receives 10 Combat Strength points of reinforcements from units not in play. These new units may enter the map from any edge of the human world during the human Movement phase. The reinforcements must be used during the turn they were rolled for or not at all.
17.3 Nuclear Weapons
Human Thumper units may each make one nuclear attack per game. The target hex is marked with a slag counter and all units in or adjacent to the target hex are destroyed and removed from play. No die roll is necessary. Players must keep a record of which Thumper units have used their nuclear weapons and which have not.
Humans may project nuclear weapons into the Demon dimension by use of a Transport. A Thumper unit in the same hex as a Transport projects a nuclear weapon just as if it were a unit transporting (i.e., pick a landing hex in the other dimension and roll on the Landing Table).
17.4 Demon Disorientation
On the turn they project into the human dimension Demon Warrior units may not move more than one hex due to disorientation caused by the projection.
Reference Charts
The following charts are reproduced from the booklet's cut-out reference sheet.
Summary of Turn Sequence
I. Demon Player Turn A. Trans-Dimensional Projection B. Movement C. Enemy Defensive Fire D. Offensive Fire E. Disruption Recovery F. Pop-Back
II. Human Player Turn (Repeat A. through F.)
Landing Chart
First roll a die and consult Chart A. If an "H" is obtained, the unit lands in the target hex. If a number is obtained, the unit scatters that distance. Roll the die again and consult Chart B to determine the direction.
Chart A
| Die Roll | 0-5 | 6-10 | 11+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | H | H | 1 |
| 2 | H | 1 | 2 |
| 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 6 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
Column headings are the distance from mirror hex to target hex.
Chart B
| Die Roll | Direction |
|---|---|
| 1 | North |
| 2 | Northeast |
| 3 | Southeast |
| 4 | South |
| 5 | Southwest |
| 6 | Northwest |
Terrain Effects
| Hex Type | Effect on Movement | Effect on Combat |
|---|---|---|
| Clear | Normal | Normal |
| Volcano | Prohibited | — |
| Road | ½ Movement Allowance | Normal |
| Swamp | 2 Movement Allowance | Human Infantry Doubled for Defense only |
| City | Normal | Human Infantry Doubled for Defense only |
| City with Slag | Prohibited | — |
Combat Results
| Die Roll | 1-3 or less | 1-2 | 1-1 | 2-1 | 3-1 | 4-1 or more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D | D | X | X | X | X |
| 2 | N | D | D | X | X | X |
| 3 | N | N | D | D | X | X |
| 4 | N | N | N |
X: Defender eliminated. D: Defender disrupted. N: No effect.
Units
| Side | Type | Combat Strength | Movement Allowance | Range | Point Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demon | Warrior | 3 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
| Demon | Breeder | (1) | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Demon | Transport | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Human | Infantry | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| Human |