Bloodstones - Dwarves & Djinn
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When Dwarf Golems meet Desert Djinn, the map of Fal is redrawn. And you discover that the real enemy isn't who's in front of you, but the move you didn't anticipate.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
Two new factions to dominate Fal, plus Turczi's automa system
Bloodstones: Dwarves & Djinn is the expansion that takes Martin Wallace's fantasy wargame to new territories. The Sand Dwellers, led by the mighty Djinn, arrive from the desert with the ability to teleport their troops across the map, redefining the concept of tactical mobility. On the other side, the Mountain Kingdom frees the Dwarves from the mines: fierce warriors accompanied by terrifying Golems, ready to claim dominance over Fal. The solo mode is designed by Dávid Turczi, author of the industry's most respected automa system, and introduces variants for all Bloodstones factions.
At the table, you manage multi-use cards, movement points, and area control with a depth that changes radically based on the chosen faction. The Djinn ignore traditional paths and materialize armies where you least expect them. The Dwarves build slowly but surely, transforming every stronghold into an impregnable fortress. The variable setup and asymmetric powers ensure that each game is a new tactical problem to solve. Turczi has added Dragons to repel and Hill Folk castles to conquer: even in solo mode, Fal grants no respite.
What they say abroad
Two factions that completely overturn the tactical approach: if you thought you understood Bloodstones, start over.
— FroGames
Turczi's automa system transforms solo play from a fallback to a full strategic experience. It's you against Fal, and Fal plays hard.
— FroGames
Bloodstones: Dwarves & Djinn
Designed by Dávid Turczi, the automa manages each Bloodstones faction with dedicated logic: it draws cards, simulates consistent tactical decisions, and controls territories. It includes additional challenges (Dragons, Hill Folk castles, variable quests) that raise the stakes. The experience is complete and designed for solo play, not an adaptation: only bluffing and the psychological reading of multiplayer are missing, but you gain a structured campaign against opponents who never make mistakes.
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews and game sessionsThe new forces at play
What you'll find in the expansion
Djinn and Sand Dwellers
Sand spirits that teleport troops across the desert. You ignore traditional paths: your armies appear where your opponent least expects them. Absolute mobility, but limited resources.
Dwarves and Golems
Fierce Dwarves emerging from the mines, flanked by unstoppable stone constructs. Build slowly, defend stubbornly, expand when ready. Brute force meets planning.
Turczi Automa System
Dedicated decks for each faction that simulate consistent and ruthless opponents. Dragons to repel, castles to conquer, quests that change victory conditions. Solo play becomes a structured campaign.
New Maps
Variable setups that change the tactical weight of territories. Some favor the mobility of the Djinn, others the defense of the Dwarves. Each map is a problem to solve with different tools.
When you close the box, you already know which faction you'll try next. It always happens with Bloodstones: the game ends, but the tactical problem remains open.
A game in five acts
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
Setup and first moves
Choose your faction, study the map, observe others' powers. Those with Djinn smile, thinking of teleports; those with Dwarves count the mountains. Everyone knows that the first three moves decide the geography of the war. You place your troops, draw initial cards, plan your first two turns while trying to figure out what others will do.
First clashes and contested territories
The Djinn materialize an army where no one expected it. The Dwarves consolidate a stronghold that seemed secondary. Someone protests, someone re-evaluates everything. Multi-use cards force a choice between expansion and defense, and each choice closes a door. The table realizes that the initial plans were naive.
Mid-game: The Golem wall
Those who underestimated the Dwarves discover that Golems don't move easily. Those who thought they controlled the center see the Djinn appear behind them. Temporary alliances form and dissolve within a round. The best cards have already been played: now position matters, and position doesn't lie.
The move that changes everything
A risky teleport conquers a key castle. A Golem placed three turns ago blocks the only way out. Someone exclaims something, someone counts the remaining movement points, someone laughs because they saw that moment coming for half an hour. The game is decided here, but you have to play until the end to know it.
Endgame and territory count
You count controlled territories, look at the map, review the moves you could have made differently. The loser knows exactly which turn they messed up. The winner knows that three different moves would have made them lose. Everyone tidies up in silence, but someone is already thinking about which faction to try next time.
How to play
The flow of each round
Each turn is a sequence of played cards, executed movements, and contested territories.
Draw cards from your faction deck. Each card has multiple uses: movement, special action, or resource. Choose what to keep, what to discard, what to keep hidden.
Play cards to move troops, activate faction powers, consolidate territories. Djinn teleport, Dwarves build. Choices are simultaneous: you only see the effects afterwards.
Contested territories are resolved by comparing forces and combat cards. Whoever controls the territory gains influence points. Whoever loses retreats their troops or loses them.
Check who controls which areas, update influence markers, draw new cards if you controlled key territories. Prepare for the next round: now everyone knows where your strength lies.
Why it's different from others
Six mechanics that make a difference
Tactical Djinn teleportation
The Sand Dwellers ignore movement rules: troops appear wherever you control influence. This completely changes the positional approach. Opponents must defend everything, you strike where they are weak. But each teleport costs: you can't do it always, you have to choose when.
Buildable Dwarf Golems
The Mountain Kingdom builds Golems that occupy space and block enemy movements. They are not normal troops: they resist, slow down, force detours. Placed well, they become insurmountable walls. Placed poorly, they are wasted resources. You must think three turns ahead.
Asymmetrical multi-use cards
Each faction has a dedicated deck with cards that function in multiple ways. You can use them to move, fight, activate special powers, or as resources. The same card has different value at different times. Choosing when to play it is the real skill.
Turczi faction-specific Automa
Dávid Turczi designed separate automa decks for each Bloodstones faction. It's not a generic bot: it simulates coherent strategies, draws cards, takes territories with tactical logic. It includes additional challenges (Dragons, castles, quests) that transform the solo game into a structured campaign.
Variable setup with asymmetrical maps
The new expansion maps reward different factions. Some favor mobility (Djinn win), others defense (Dwarves dominate). There is no dominant build: the map dictates which strategies work. You must adapt, not repeat the formula from the previous game.
Territory control with persistent influence
It's not enough to conquer: you must maintain influence to convert territories into points. Each controlled area generates resources, but requires troops for defense. Expand too much and you're vulnerable. Defend too much and you lose map control. The balance is dynamic, every round.
How it ends
How to win and how to lose
Control territories, accumulate influence, dominate Fal. Or find yourself surrounded and out of options.
Victory
- Control the most key territories at the end of the game
- Accumulate sufficient influence through castles, strongholds, and strategic areas
- Complete faction-specific victory conditions (variable with the automa)
Elimination or defeat
- Loss of all main strongholds: without bases, you cannot recruit or defend
- Failure to control enough territories: those who expand little lose due to tactical abandonment
- Defeat against the automa: Dragons not repelled, castles not conquered, quests failed
Bloodstones: Dwarves & Djinn is not just an expansion that adds content: it's one that makes you rethink the base game in a different way.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ about Bloodstones: Dwarves & Djinn
Is the Bloodstones base game required to play?
Yes, Dwarves & Djinn is an expansion: it requires the Bloodstones base game to be played. It adds two factions (Sand Dwellers and Mountain Kingdom), new maps, and the automa system, but it is not stand-alone.
Does the solo mode work with all factions?
Yes. The automa designed by Dávid Turczi includes decks for every Bloodstones faction, not just those from the expansion. You can play solo against Sand Dwellers, Dwarves, or any base game faction, with dedicated tactical logic for each.
Are the Djinn too strong with teleportation?
No, they are asymmetrical but balanced. Teleportation costs resources and only works where you already have influence. If you expand too quickly, you don't have troops to defend. If you teleport too much, you run out of cards. The Dwarves, for example, beat them by consolidating territories and blocking access routes with Golems.
How long does a full game with the expansion last?
90-240 minutes, depending on the number of players and table experience. With 2 experienced players, 90-120 minutes. With 4-6 players and new factions, up to 3 full hours. Solo with automa lasts 60-90 minutes: faster than multiplayer because there's no negotiation.
Is it available in Italian?
No, this edition is in English. It includes rulebook, faction cards, and text on automa components in English. The game requires language knowledge to manage multi-use cards and special faction conditions.
Bloodstones: Dwarves & Djinn is the fantasy wargame expansion for 1-6 players designed by Martin Wallace and Dávid Turczi, lasting 90-240 minutes, ages 14+. It introduces two new asymmetrical factions (Sand Dwellers with Djinn who teleport troops, Mountain Kingdom with Dwarves and defensive Golems), new variable setup maps, and a complete automa system for solo mode with dedicated challenges (Dragons, castles, quests). Core mechanics include hand management with multi-use cards, area control with persistent influence, and deeply asymmetrical faction powers. Published by Wallace Designs, the expansion redefines the tactical balance of the base game and transforms solo play into a full strategic experience thanks to Turczi's work. Available at FroGames.it.
Bloodstones - Dwarves & Djinn
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