Dawn: Rise of the Occulites

About this board game

Dawn: Rise of the Occulites is a skirmish-level miniatures game for 2–4 players, with games lasting around 60 minutes. Set in the Australian bush, it follows Darwin’s discovery of a species that is not of this world and begins the Rise of the Occulites Saga.

Players control a small tribe of Occulites fighting for survival. In the campaign, guide your tribe through a series of scenarios as its members learn new abilities and traits from their surroundings. Your actions can make the tribe stronger or weaker, creating an evolving journey through the early stages of the Occulite world.

For a one-off game, choose your tribe’s specialities and enter the action immediately. The game’s innovative Natural Selection Deck drives play, handling everything from activating tribe members and resolving movement through terrain to managing a deep combat system.

Combat is only one part of the experience. Each side pursues different objectives, so success may depend on careful planning, cooperation, or adapting to the changing situation rather than simply defeating an opponent.

• Collect Sungems to provide heat for the long night.
• Recruit denizens such as Luftles to help your tribe succeed.
• Take over an uninhabited or inhabited cave.
• Cooperate against larger predators.
• Protect your land.

With many scenarios and objectives, Dawn: Rise of the Occulites offers variety from game to game. It is designed to be accessible and easy to pick up while offering enough strategic depth to be difficult to master.