Rex: Final Days of an Empire

The game takes place 2000 years before the Twilight Imperium board game, during the fall of the Lazax Empire. (1)

The gameboard will depict the gigantic capital city of the Empire, Mecatol City, as opposed to the planet itself, Mecatol Rex (where the name of the game comes from).

Based on the box cover art, the playable races are the Lazax, the Universities of Jol-Nar, the Emirates of Hacan, the Federation of Sol, the Barony of Letnev, and the Xxcha Kingdom. This falls in line with the TI narrative, which indicates that these races were integral members of the rebellion.

No indication has been given as to which Dune faction is represented by which TI faction, except for the Federation of Sol, which have been revealed as the Fremen.

The "Sandstorm" mechanic has been replaced by "Sol Bombardment". The Fremen's immunity to sandstorms is now Sol's ground forces being aware of the exact targets of their orbital strikes, so they can avoid the effects.

(1) According to the prologue given in the Twilight Imperium rulebook, the fall occurred 3000 years ago. Not sure if this was changed or if Christian remembered a different timeframe.

If you remember the cards in a game of Rex you might gain advantages. Prior knowledge of the weapons and defenses you encounter in a battle might tilt the outcome to your favor. Traitors you discarded might be important information to your allies. Counting the Temporary Ceasefire and the Sol Offensive cards might help you predict the outcome of the Influence Phase in the final rounds.

Bombardment cards (small, 6)
+1, +2, +3, +4, +5, +6
A dice would not suffice since the Sol player may look at the top card prior to the Bombardment Phase.

Traitor cards (small, 6x5=30):
Letnev: 1 - Spy Master: Letnev: 2 - Legate: Letnev: 3 - Magistrate: Letnev: 4 - Sovereign: Letnev: 6 -Overseer
Sol: 2 - Commander: Sol: 3 - Captain: Sol: 5 - Colonel: Sol: 6 - General: Sol: 7 - Admiral
Jol-Nar: 1 - Engineer: Jol-Nar: 2 - Analyst: Jol-Nar: 4 - Factorum: Jol-Nar: 5 - Perceptor: Jol-Nar: 5 - Technocrat
Xxcha: 5 - Ambassador: Xxcha: 5 - Diplomat: Xxcha: 5 - Orator: Xxcha: 5 - Emissary: Xxcha: 5 - Envoy
Hacan: 1 - Negotiator: Hacan: 2 - Trade Captain: Hacan: 3 - Master of Lies: Hacan: 4 - Smuggler Lord: Hacan: 5 - Merchant Prince
Lazax: 2 - Centurion: Lazax: 3 - Prefect: Lazax: 3 - Praetor: Lazax: 5 - Chancellor: Lazax: 6 - Mirritar

The leaders of a race with identical numbers are difficult to separate - Jol-Nar has two 5, Lazax has two 3, and Xxcha has five 5. A reminder to order them is: "Pre" before - Lazax (Pre-fect before Praetor) and Jol-Nar (Per-ceptor before Technocrat). To order the Xxcha the memory rule Made One might suffice. It is an anagram of the letters A, D, O, Em, En.

Influence Cards (4+4+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1=16)
Temporary Ceasefire (4): form or break alliances, trade influence
Sol Offensive (4): destroy units and influence in last two spaces
Critical Intel: 8 in sector 10 (Imperial Intelligence HQ), 6 in sector 1 (Tarraguth Slums)
Advanced Technology: 6 in sector 12 (Trauma and Physiology Zone), 8 in sector 3 (Pleasure District)

Local Security: 8 in sector 4 (Sector Incarcatorum), 6 in sector 13 (Hirzall Industial Region)
Influental Emissaries: 10 in sector 5 (Tilzin Commerce Region), 6 in sector 15 (Embassy Quarters)
Relics of the Past: 8 in sector 14 (Hall of Records), 8 in sector 6 (Hall of Cartography)
Financial Coffers: 6 in sector 16 (Adminus Mecatol), 8 in sector 7 (Vel Hamech Financial District)
Public Support: 10 in sector 8 (Holonet Central), 8 in sector 17 (Sallab Slums)
Greatest Minds of the Empire: 4 in sector 18 (IAF HQ), 10 in sector 11 (Scholara Imperialis)

Betrayal Cards (8) Steal victory from allies
1: Path of Peace: most units in Galactic Council
2: Cautious Command: least unit casualties
3: Ready for the Aftermath: most influence in reserve
4: Control Mecatol City: most units on board
5: Control the Populous: control most spaces
6: Lead the Assault: control most strongholds
7: Rule the skies: control Civilian Spaceport and Imperial Navy Base
8: Master of Deceit: control no strongholds

The cards seem to be prioritized by difficulty. The first four is about most (least) units and influence. The last four are about control.

Strategy cards (5+5+5+5+1+3+3+3+2+2+2+2+1+1+1+1=42)
X-35 Biological Weapon (attack, 5): destroy leader, gain influence according to leader's strength
Atmosphere Ionizer (defense, 5): negates X-35
Energy Rifle (attack, 5): destroy leader, gain influence according to leader's strength
Magen Energy Shield (defence, 5): negates Rifle
Hylar III Pulsar Cannon (attack, 1): destroy leader; if Magen, destroy space
Tactical Retreat (defence, 3): move units and leader to reserve (discard card)
Mercenary (attack, 3): +3 strength (discard card)
Field Operative (Influence phase, 2): double influence in one space of just drawn card
Tracking Beacon (Influence phase before card, 1): resolve Sol Offensive.
Diplomatic Interference (Bidding phase/Temporary Ceasefire, 1). either remove player from Bidding Phase or hinder player to form alliances.
Fresh Recruits (Recruitment phase, 3): recruit 1 leader or 5 units.

Rapid Mobilization (Maneuvering phase, 2): make another movement after deployment step.
Informant (Deployment step/Racial advantage, 2): either make another deployment at 1 influence per unit or cancel usage of racial ability.
Double Agent (Battle phase, 2): either draw extra traitor or look at 1 traitor.
Graviton Negator (Battle phase, 1): destroy shield where 1 of your unit is present. Not playable on round 1.
Intel Report (Bombardment phase, 1): cancel Bombardment card, move dreadnought 0-10 steps. Not playable on round 1.

Every phase and step has at least one strategy card.
Note: you may not keep the mercenary or the Tactical Retreat after battle even though you won.

source: Ades BGG

Some of the new things in Rex

1. The number of game rounds is eight in Rex, Its fifteen in Dune

2. The turn order is changed

Old Order
Storm Round (Bombardment Phase)
Spice Blow (Influence phase)
Bidding Round (Bidding phase)
Revival and movment round (Recruitment, Maneuvering phase)
Battle round (Battle phase)
Collection round (collection phase)

New order
Influence phase
Bidding phase
Recruitment Phase
Maneuvering phase
Battle phase
collection phase
Bombardment Phase

3. Shipment is after movement in Rex.

4. Worm cards are divided into one make alliances card and one "worm attack" card.

5. Brand new cards

6. The map has lesser number of areas and is a point to point map.

7. Its possible to "revive" up to five troops and one leader per round in Rex.

8. Streamlined powers for the factions

9. Optional Rule that makes alliances uncertain

10. Influence (spice) can only be exchanged in alliance phase

11.The price to drop troops are changed. One to drop in empty or own space. Two to drop in enemy space.

12. Movement is changed. Three steps for Sol. Two for the rest of the factions.

I've probably missed some stuff but this is some of the changes.

Dune

Set thousands of years in the future, Dune the boardgame is based on the Frank Herbert novels about an arid planet at the heart of the human space empire's political machinations.

Designed by the creators at Eon of Cosmic Encounter fame, some contend that the game can best be described as Cosmic Encounter set within the Dune universe, but the two games bear little in common in the actual mechanics or goals; they're just both set in space. Like Cosmic Encounter, it is a game that generates a lot of player interaction through negotiation and bluffing, but that can be said of numerous unrelated games.

Players each take the role of one of the factions attempting to control Dune. Each faction has special powers that overlook certain rules in the game. Each turn players move about the map attempting to pick up valuable spice while dealing with giant sandworms, deadly storms, and other players' military forces. A delicate political balance is formed amongst the factions to prevent any one side from becoming too strong. When a challenge is made in a territory, combat takes the form of hidden bids with additional treachery cards to further the uncertainty.

The game concludes when one faction (or two allied factions) is able to control a certain number of strongholds on the planet.

Acknowledgement: Desarius