Having just seen Dragoon at PAX East this year, Lay Waste Games was kind enough to send me a review prototype to give the game a whirl and then send back to them. I managed to get a 4-player game in with my 3 oldest kids (9, 8, and 5) and we had a great time laying waste to villages and ruthlessly attacking each other.

Before I get started here, let me state that Dragoon is already funded. If you pledge at the $45 level then you’re going to get a copy as soon as they’re manufactured. Right now the team at Lay Waste is working on stretch goals, and they’ve already hit a few!

On to the game.

In Dragoon you’re a dragon working towards earning 50 gold. You can do this my claiming villages to earn tribute, destroying villages, fighting other dragons, or stealing from dragon caves of a thief’s treasure hoard. Each round starts with villages populating on the board, then the dragons take their turns, and then villages pay tribute. It’s very quick to pick up, very fluid in it’s flow, and damn ruthless. My kids and I kept going at each other to steal each others’ gold and were destroying villages out of spite so no one else could claim them.

A good time was had by all, and in the end it only took around 45 minutes to set up, learn, and play.

I’ve been having a good luck streak with games lately, and Dragoon certainly sits near the top of what I’ve played. I’d make sure you get a pledge in and guarantee yourself a copy.

A preview copy of Dragoon was provided by Lay Waste Games, then sent back to them. A promise of the final product was made by Lay Waste Game.