Enter Lester Smith's Dragon Dice.
Dragon Dice took the CCG idea and applied it to something which all gamers knew and loved: dice. In the Dragon Dice game, you collected and marshaled special dice which represented your armies. You would battle against other players dice armies for control of terrains, also represented by dice, over the fantasy world of Esfah. The game was considered a success, and in 1995 Dragon Dice won the Origins Award for Best Fantasy or Science Fiction Board Game.
In an effort to reach out to, and capture the hearts and minds of, other tabletop gamers who might not follow CCGs and RPGs, TSR put together the Dragon Dice Battle Box, a more accessible, easier to learn, and more boxed tabletop game style edition of Dragon Dice.
In the Dragon Dice Battle Box rules, you learn that the dice have special meanings. Six sided dice represent your soldiers, the troops with which you will fight your battles. Eight sided dice represent the terrains for which you will battle, and twelve sided dice represent horrible dragons summoned to the battlefield with magic that are dangerous to both combatants. You further learn that the colors of the dice are important as well: blue and green d6s are Coral Elves, red and gold d6s are Dwarves, black and gold d6s are goblins, and red and black d6s are Laval Elves; all races who live on Esfah. You then learn that the symbols on the dice have different meanings as well: some represent movement, some represent melee attacks, some represent missile attacks, and some represent magic. Finally, you learn that each die has an "ID" icon - it looks like a dwarf or elf or goblin, depending on the die you're looking at - and that "ID" icons count for whatever it is that you're rolling (so if you're rolling for melee symbols, and you roll an "ID" icon, it counts as a melee result.
Then it explains the game board, showing the places where the terrains and armies will go, where the dragons will be put until they're summoned, and where any dead dice will be place. For what it's worth, this game board is the true star of the Battle Box; it really helps the Dragon Dice beginner understand the game. In the full Dragon Dice game, there is no game board; the terrain dice and armies get put on separate cards which get arranged around the table in a sometimes confusing array (especially with more than 2 players).
Finally, it goes on to explain game play. Essentially, three d8s are rolled and placed in the three terrain spots in the center of the board. The d8 terrain dice have symbols on them as well, which dictate the type of battle that can occur at that terrain - from the furthest distance (lowest values - usually a 1 or a 2) where only magic combat can occur, to middle distances (usually somewhere between 2 and 5) where missile combat occurs, to close up distances (usually between 6 and 7) where melee combat occurs, to the eight face, where one of the armies controls the terrain and are holed up in a city or a temple or a tower, depending on the terrain. Then each player divides their dice up into three armies, and places them at each of the three terrains. The players go back and forth in turn order with each turn comprised of two marches. In each march you can attempt to maneuver a terrain, and then make an attack at the terrain.
To maneuver a terrain, you roll your army at that terrain and hope for movement symbols or "ID" icons. The other army can let you do so, or oppose the maneuver. If they choose to oppose you, they also roll for movement and "ID" icons; the side with the highest count wins. If you win the roll, you can then move the terrian die up one step, closer to the eighth face, or down one step (to get to a type of combat which would be more advantageous to your army).
To make an attack, you roll your army at that terrain and hope for the type of symbol (or "ID" icons) dictated by what's shown on the terrain die: magic, missile, or melee. If it's missile or melee, your opponent then rolls his or her army, looking for save results (again, or "ID" icons; at this point, just assume "ID" icons as read, heh). Save results subtract from missile or melee results, and whatever is left over is applied to the opponents army as damage. If the terrain is at a magic face, you count up the number of magic symbols and use those to power spells that can help you or harm your enemy (including summoning a dragon to a terrain, which attacks ALL armies at the terrain, regardless of who summoned it!)
After your two marches are completed, you can then move up to 4 d6s from one terrain to another, unless you summoned a dragon. This allows you to help armies that look to be in trouble on your opponents turn, or strategically place your troops in areas that will help you win the game.
You win the game by maneuvering two of the three terrains to the 8th face. Or, of course, by destroying all of your opponents troops. Once you control an 8th face, any opposing army at that terrain may only attack you using magic or missiles; melee is not allowed (again, because your troops are now ensconced in the city or tower or whatever icon is on the terrain die's 8th face).
The Dragon Dice Battle Box is a great game. It provides a quick, simple, and fun introduction to a much more detailed and involved - but equally (if not more so) fun - game. The Battle Box is simple enough to teach to children (who, I can tell you, usually enjoy it greatly) and gives enough of the full game to serve as a great introduction to older, more advanced gamers. I would highly recommend it as a good "gateway drug" into the Dragon Dice game... if you can find a copy on eBay that doesn't cost you an arm and a leg. If you want to get into Dragon Dice without combing eBay and other second-hand sites, check out SFR, Inc. They purchased the game's complete IP from TSR/WotC and have been making new dice representative of new races and all sorts of advancements for Dragon Dice.
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