Tiny Epic Dinosaurs - How To Play

In this video we're going to learn how to play Tiny Epic Dinosaurs! If you have any comments or questions, please do not hesitate to post them in the KZbin comments below.
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00:00 - Introduction
00:45 - Game Setup
03:34 - Game Play Overview
03:59 - Collecting Resources
04:25 - Assigning Ranchers
04:54 - Taking Actions
06:07 - Paying Resources
06:43 - Action: Gain Resources
06:50 - Action: Gain Dinosaurs
07:27 - Rolling The Wrangler Die
08:17 - Action: Build Barriers
09:34 - Action: Complete Contract
11:07 - Fulfilling Private Contracts
11:40 - Action: Research
12:06 - Research Cards
12:38 - Retrieving Ranchers
12:58 - Arrange Ranch Phase
14:43 - Purple Dinosaurs
14:59 - Escaping Dinosaurs
15:12 - Feeding Dinosaurs
16:19 - Breeding Dinosaurs
17:14 - Penalties For Escaping Dinosaurs
20:11 - Refreshing Phase
21:00 - Final Scoring
21:59 - Conclusion
#watchitplayed #boardgames #tutorial

[@DanjinSpear]

Played it on Tabletop online during lockdown and wow it was fun. Always amazes me how.much they fit into a small box.

[@thefunkycat1892]

Nice review! Also coolest theme so far for Tiny Epic. Gotta love Dinos!!!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Dinos get a lot of love with gamers!

[@jimz8852]

Thanks for all you do for the hobby. Have had my eye on this game for a bit cause I love me some dinosaurs! I finally picked it up today and the first thing I did when I got home was watch this video.

[@WatchItPlayed]

I hope you have a fun time playing!

[@lazarocortez3440]

I like the line of Tiny Epic, it is so well done. Great tutorial Rodney.

[@WatchItPlayed]

Thanks Lazaro!

[@hecatesson]

Rodney, I'm new to the Tiny Epic universe and your videos are always great and helpful. Clear, to the point, and great video showing the current information nicely. If I am learning a new game I always check your channel for instructions. Thanks for another awesome video! Happy gaming!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Thanks for the very kind comment Nick - so glad it's been helpful!

[@henriwhitehead]

I’ve always wanted to try a tiny epic game. They always look so cool!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Their library of options is growing!

[@Hero19093]

Another great video! Thanks!!! Happy NEW Year 2021!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Thanks Jose - same to you!

[@masterblaster71200]

I love your channel and Tiny Epic Games. I have almost all of them! Thanks a lot for ease the gaming experience. Kudos, man! 👍

[@WatchItPlayed]

Very nice of you to say - glad you're enjoying :)

[@GTanny]

Literally picked this up today, thanks very much Rodney.

[@WatchItPlayed]

Awesome - have a great time playing!

[@quaide78]

Excellent as always Rodney! Thank you!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Thanks Eric!

[@Loutjee92]

Thanks for another great video! 😃👍🏻

[@WatchItPlayed]

You bet Milou!

[@PerfectlyAmazed]

It just came in the mail today, thank you so much

[@WatchItPlayed]

You're welcome - have fun playing!

This will be my first Tiny Epic game that I'l buy and play. Super video :)

[@WatchItPlayed]

Thank you Alain!

[@CitrusArchitect]

Excellent tutorial, as always. :) Rodney, Will we ever get to hear what your favorite games of all time are? I would love to see a top 10 video from you!

[@WatchItPlayed]

No plans to currently, I prefer not to review/rank games - but you never know.

[@jennybjork7750]

You are really good at explaining games. The games feel a lot more accessible. Take care! // a teacher from Sweden.

[@WatchItPlayed]

That's a very kind compliment - thank you Jenny! Have fun playing :)

[@lenyacullo7245]

Thanks for doing this, perfect timing as I won a copy from Gen Can’t and it just arrived

[@WatchItPlayed]

Hey, congrats!

[@spaztekwarrior]

I’ve been looking to get this game, so this video comes at a good time. Sounds like fun! I hope to get Tiny Epic Pirates too :) Cheers :)

[@WatchItPlayed]

Glad you liked the video!

[@IvanArantes]

Perfect video! Thank you

[@WatchItPlayed]

You're very welcome Ivan!

[@davidcoombs2072]

Nice box lid flip!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Thanks David :)

[@wyz1324]

I love the tiny epic games! :D

[@somethingventured3]

I’ve only played Tactics so far but I love it. Do you recommend any in particular?

[@wyz1324]

@@somethingventured3 Galaxy is great

[@somethingventured3]

Thanks Yannick!

[@jeffcarrier9808]

@@somethingventured3 Tiny Epic Quest was really intimidating for years and I had a hard time getting it to the table, mostly because I had to re-read the rules each time and gave up... but last week I sat down with it and it just clicked how actually simple it really is... and immdiately fell in love with it. Galaxy is probably the easiest to get into and learn from what I've played. Each game really has a fun little gimmick. Now I simply must get Dinosaurs, it seems to be the best one so far.

[@jackyc.9538]

just got the game today and immediatly watched ur video..thx so much..ur doing an amazing job!!!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Very kind of you to say - have a great time playing!

[@jackyc.9538]

@@WatchItPlayed hav u every played the solo mode by urself?

[@WatchItPlayed]

@@jackyc.9538 I haven't.

[@DarriusTucker]

I completely missed that the negative for escaping dinos only happens ONCE per type. Completely missed that when prepping to play before. Thank you for showing me the correct way to play!!!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Happy to assist - have a fun time playing Martin!

[@JackieFox1976]

Totally confused for a moment when you said "Add the round mat." I was like "what round mat? all those mats are rectangular." Doh!

[@toweypat]

Haha me too!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Oh Jackie...

[@MsGinahidesout]

I did the exact same thing when I first got this game! LOL I'm so glad I'm not the only one

[@ryjciu]

I had the same when I was reading instruction 🤦‍♂️ "what round mat? where the hell is my round mat?!" 🙈🙈

[@KnakuanaRka]

😆🤣xD

[@paulchabot9689]

Thanks Rodney, always useful. Wished you d explained the solo rules through. Hope the actual fires in Canada didnt burn your house with your huge bg collection 😊. Take care

[@WatchItPlayed]

We have a solo series on the channel that presents the solo rules - look up our playlist for Table For 1!

[@ThanatoselNyx]

6:16 did anyone else try to blow the hair on the 2 space off?

[@WatchItPlayed]

I did.

[@toweypat]

You had me at "dinosaurs"! Um, I mean, I know that was the last word in the title, but, well, you know what I mean.

[@WatchItPlayed]

I do indeed :)

[@maaaaa51]

Another one added to my list

[@WatchItPlayed]

Glad you liked it!

[@paulfoxhound]

God damn that perfect flip!

[@somethingventured3]

Rodney, is that some grey I see at your temples? This 10/10 just became and 11/10!!!!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Yes indeed!

[@somethingventured3]

@@WatchItPlayed 😘

[@jonkirk2118]

A great tutorial and an epic double somersault box flip! Do you have a favourite box flip that we should all see?

[@WatchItPlayed]

Hmmm, I do remember enjoying Watergate's flip.

[@ageekofadad9492]

If I'm not mistaken, isn't the 200th episode of How To Play? Awesome :)

[@WatchItPlayed]

I'm not sure, according to this playlist of all my tutorials, there are 344 videos in it! kzbin.info/aero/PLHvfN_pNBj_GmnKzVaGCiYuKQcIkuz-eP - either way, thanks for the kudos :)

[@ageekofadad9492]

@@WatchItPlayed My mistake :) The playlist I was looking at hadn't loaded all the way. Love the vids, happy to see a fellow Islander rocking it on KZbin :)

[@apsaify]

Really wondering whether you will cover this game or not as you already covered all other games in Tiny Epic series. Got a bit impatient and played this last weekend (sorry about that). After watching this I realized I got a few things wrong. So, thanks as always!

[@WatchItPlayed]

So many games, so little time :) Glad this was still helpful after the fact!

[@scorpian223]

We got this one a couple weeks ago & it's the first tiny epic game in our collection. While the components were far tinier than we thought they'd be, it was a lot of fun!

[@toweypat]

But was it as epic as you thought it would be? 😀

[@scorpian223]

@@toweypat More epic than we thought it'd be!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Glad you enjoyed Brandon!

[@pulloutking30seven59]

Dino time :D

[@rowancoull3848]

One rule I'm interested in clarification is during the "Arrange Ranch" phase, do you have to place the Dinos in an enclosure if you have the ability to? OR can you chose to leave them unenclosed and have them escape (strategically) before the "Feed Dinosaurs" phase. The rules become ambiguous by saying they "MUST" be place in an enclosure but then also including "or else they will escape."

[@WatchItPlayed]

Good question! You can choose to place dinosaurs in an area where they would escape, even if you had a spot to put them where they wouldn't.

[@manuelgardea9419]

At 3:20 do additional players also get the bonus of the previous players? (ie. Would player 3 get 1 meat AND 1 leaf)

[@WatchItPlayed]

Nope, they just get the specific bonus mentioned.

[@jonahfalcon1970]

I have the game mat, too :p

[@BradDoesntKnow]

"It doesn't matter what they eat or, *who they eat* we just can't get enough of these little terrors" Me: Wait, did you say "who they eat" ? T-Rex: *Roars distantly* Me: *Sweats nervously*

[@WatchItPlayed]

You get it :)

[@slider53120]

Somehow I knew this tutorial was coming! #WatchItPlayedLiveShow

[@WatchItPlayed]

Thanks for checking out the live show too :)

[@Brownsfan77]

I'm glad they did, bc other youtubers where sending the wrong rules.

[@furballgaming5913]

When you take the move fences action, can you move Dinos as well? Or can you never move Dinos around?

[@WatchItPlayed]

Dinos can be moved around freely.

[@Totihno]

At 8:05 you said that the space is open for another player if your meeple is sent to médical leave, but can I also go myself there again Since I have no meeple there anymore?

[@WatchItPlayed]

Sure can!

[@tauntdragoon]

so i assume that if you complete a public contract that the dinos used for that don't count toward the completing a private contract so like if the public require 2 blue and a yellow and the private requires 3 blue would you need to have 5 blue and a yellow or would you just need 3 blue and the yellow

[@WatchItPlayed]

Correct, dinosaurs spent for the public contract cannot be used for the private contract.

[@juholjokkoi5183]

Hi, thanks for the video! I have one question though. When it's the arrange ranch phase, you can't place dinos of different colours in same enclosure (f.ex. you can't have blue and red dinos in the same enclosure), that I understand. But when you start telling the rules for Penalties for escaping dinos, in the example you have a red (or a green? my colorblindness hinders me from saying the right colour) and a yellow in the same area trying to escape. Is that even a legal placement? Or is the bigger area not considered enclosure as there are no walls/barriers in the right down corner of the map?

[@WatchItPlayed]

I'm having a little difficulty understanding your question, can you perhaps provide a time stamp and provide a few more details. In the example I think you're talking about, I show what can't be done (you, can't put a red and purple dinosaur together, for example), and then I place the red dinosaur in the big area, which means it will have to escape, because that area is not fully enclosed (that bottom right area is open). Is that what you mean?

[@juholjokkoi5183]

@@WatchItPlayed Sorry, I'll try again! :) The main question was: can you put dinos of different colour into same area if the area is not fully enclosed? There's the rule that dinos of different colour cannot be in the same enclosed area but if the area is not fully enclosed, can there then be dinos of different colour (even though that they have to escape)?

[@WatchItPlayed]

​@@juholjokkoi5183 I think this example here shows what you're talking about: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJi5pomdr76EkJo You can do that... but then you're going to have to resolve both of them escaping. Basically, all dinosaurs have to be in enclosures with only their own type (except for purple which don't have to go into an enclosure, but still can't be mixed with other colors). Any dinosaurs you can't place that follow these rules, will escape.

[@frankdetank9126]

Rodney does it again! Bringing the Bacon Mr. Smith!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Have fun playing - be careful of the dino bacon!

[@frankdetank9126]

@@WatchItPlayed 😲

[@jeffcarrier9808]

Did I miss what the resource markers on the ranch spaces are for? Edit: nm went back and found it. If not covered they give resources during that phase.

[@WatchItPlayed]

You got it!

[@edwintabianto5824]

After complete the private contract, do we get a new one immediately from the stack? Or we have to wait until the 4th round the get the new private contract?

[@WatchItPlayed]

Let me know if this addresses your question: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJi5pomdr76EkJo

[@edwintabianto5824]

@@WatchItPlayed so I assume that the private contract is only added to each player at the setup of the game (the 1st private contract) and at the 4th round (the 2nd private contract)

[@HikeandBikeWesternAustralia]

Is there any limit to how many research cards you can use at a time. My opponent had 3 cards he could use at end of his turn phase 2 which essentially gave him 3 extra turns as each one was clear a space of his marker and place it in another location.

[@WatchItPlayed]

I shot this awhile ago and don't have my copy to look this up, but as far as I know, there isn't a limit.

[@KuddlyKisses]

I probably missed it in the video, but is the game you are showing the retail or deluxe version?

[@WatchItPlayed]

This should be retail, but I haven't checked to see what comes in the deluxe to be sure.

[@KuddlyKisses]

@@WatchItPlayed Thank you for such a prompt response! Um, from the Kiskstarter page it seems like it is mainly the laboratory expansion that is deluxe. (?)

[@rgjkvandenhazel]

i got a question. when you complete a contract including a purple dino. do you discard the matching purple dino card to the discard pile or do you keep that research card to add to your score at the end of game?

[@WatchItPlayed]

Hey there, I'm always happy to try to help with rules questions, but if the answer is provided in the video, than I have to direct you there. You'll find an index in the description to help you find the section you might be looking for.

[@rgjkvandenhazel]

@@WatchItPlayed I've watched the video twice and didn't find the answer to my question. But I guess it's really specific.

[@WatchItPlayed]

@@rgjkvandenhazel Sorry, I might have misunderstood the question, but isn't this question answered under the section for fulfilling contracts here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJi5pomdr76EkJo Let me know if this doesn't cover it, and I'll see what I can do to help.

[@rgjkvandenhazel]

@@WatchItPlayed yeah that answers my question. guess i've missed it while watching. thanks for helping :D

[@b1uezer]

Say you're after the 4th round and you have you second private contract, and you haven't completed the first. If in a later round you have enough dinos to complete a public contract, can you then complete both private contracts or can you only complete one?

[@WatchItPlayed]

Hey there, I'm always happy to try to help with rules questions, but if the answer is provided in the video, than I have to direct you there. You'll find an index in the description to help you find the section you might be looking for.

[@hecatesson]

You technically would only be able to complete one private contract as you need to complete one public contract first. So you would complete one public contract, then if you still have dinosaurs left you can also complete your private contract. In the game you would only be able to complete two contracts per round as you only will able to put one rancher on each contract action place.

[@b1uezer]

@@hecatesson I know it's been a while since you made this comment, but thank you. This was exactly the answer I was looking for and was truly helpful. I play board games just casually, and all the time even some hard-and-fast rules can be broken by emergent situations (or left up to interpretation). If the language isn't exactly explicit about a certain one or something that's not covered, that's when I get curious.

[@DanieltheFink]

Realize I'm late to the party here, but can we talk about that box flip off the top? *chef's kiss* How many takes to nail that?

[@WatchItPlayed]

Daniel, are you suggesting it's not achieved on the first attempt?! *gasp*

[@DanieltheFink]

@@WatchItPlayed hey, the answer could be one! Never said it couldn't have been some one take magic 😂

[@FabricFolk]

This is a great tutorial and I understood the entire game other than one point. You initially said of the purple dinosaurs, that they are special and they cannot escape. But when talking about escaping dinosaurs you speak of putting the purple one back and discarding the card, this is the only bit that has confused me. Can anyone please confirm?

[@WatchItPlayed]

Can you time stamp to the sections you are referring to, so I can be certain we are discussing the same things?

[@christophercoley4884]

Can you do a video about Twilight Struggle?

[@WatchItPlayed]

Thanks for the interest! I talk a bit about that here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e5XXdaisfrqUbKM&t=342

[@christophercoley4884]

Understood

[@mikemudrow]

5:59 Can you pay for that action using a dinosaur in your holding area too?

[@WatchItPlayed]

Yes!

[@mikemudrow]

@@WatchItPlayed what about from Medical leave?

[@WatchItPlayed]

@@mikemudrow Yep.

[@bluntlyhonest3157]

I love your accent

[@WatchItPlayed]

Thank you - East Coast Canadian :)

[@ginaspel7818]

Rodney (and others that read this) did you ever try solo play? I would like to hear if you think you can win it? In my opinion there is no way you can win from the Rival Rancher. As far as I can see I play the rules right, but the Rival Rancher gets dinosaurs way to easy. Please let me know what your experience is with solo play! Thnx!

[@WatchItPlayed]

I haven't tried this solo, so can't assist there, I'm afraid!

[@hecatesson]

Not sure if anyone would read this as I am just coming across it a year later hahaha, but I have seen some other videos from "One Stop Co-Op Shop" and they mention alternate rules for co-op, not sure where they came from though. Basically the human player starts with the 1st player token instead of the AI rancher, and the contract phase for the AI rancher happens when you draw the rival rancher card during the assign rancher phase. So say you pull a rival rancher card, then you check to see if the AI can fulfill a contract. If it can then you fulfill the contract and that's the end of that AI ranchers placement turn and it does not complete the rest of it's turn for that rival card. If the AI can't fulfill a contract then it completes one of the two options on the rival card as normal. Then plays continues normally between the player and AI as normal until all ranchers are placed. I used it myself and it makes a difference for sure.

[@ginaspel7818]

@@hecatesson Thanks!

[@MrMultiPat]

😏 Another Tiny Epic game? You've peaked my interest Rodney.

[@WatchItPlayed]

Might there be another one this month? MAYBE!

[@shadowwolf2192]

Rodney, I’m confused... at 14:44, u said purple Dinos can be placed anywhere and u don’t have to worry about them escaping. However, at 19:15, u said if it’s an omnivore (which looking at the board, would only be a purple Dino) u lose its ability and Dino and it DOES escape. Which is it?

[@andrewgrant2328]

If you cannot feed the purple dinos, they do escape (which he references at 19:15). They do not escape from failing the enclosure rule, since they do not need to be enclosed (which he referenced at 14:44).

[@dougascott]

Andrew Grant Exactly. They don’t care where the are, but they damn well care about getting fed! 😄

[@WatchItPlayed]

Hey ShadowWolf, other viewers beat me to the answer, so check their replies.

[@toweypat]

Doug Scott like me!

[@dougascott]

Patrick Towey 😄

[@OSB911]

So you only really get the victory points on the research cards that have dinosaurs IF they are still in your ranch at the end of the game?

[@WatchItPlayed]

Yes, because if you lose them before that, you would have lost the card at the same time. Hope that helps!

[@AndZ9999]

Are you also going to do a playthrough?

[@WatchItPlayed]

No plans currently as my shooting schedule is already full. So many games, so little time :)

[@AndZ9999]

@@WatchItPlayed No worries! Just wondering if we were to get to "watch it played" as well. 🤣 Appreciate every single one of your How-To-Plays, though, and I would not want others to miss out on the amazing rule explanations you do in exchange for the time and effort needed to plan for an actual playthrough video. 👍🏻

[@zohso]

How many takes to get that flip right in the intro? Lol

[@WatchItPlayed]

Are you suggesting it wasn't on the first attempt? *gasp*

[@thessik5660]

Rodney, when do the checks for dinosaurs running away actually happen? I find it unclear in the rulebook, and unfortunately, in the video here as well.

[@WatchItPlayed]

Hey, it's been awhile since I shot this and I don't have the game handy to check the rules for you, but I feel the video does a decent job of detailing this. I'd suggest watching from the section labeled "Arrange Range Phase" and pay close attention to the wording given in that section and the ones that follow.

[@thessik5660]

@Watch It Played I'll give it another watch! 😀 thanks for the follow-up

[@Mancupcake]

This feels like a less table space intensive version of "Dinosaur Island". Anyone play both?

[@angelradness5542]

I’ve played both, they definitely have a lot of differences, even feel. Dinosaur island feels more like a point salad type of game are you trying to get as much points as possible, more lighthearted. Tiny epic dinosaurs on the other hand feels like the stress and resource crunch of Agricola, struggling to balance your minimal resources with your needs to feed. Thematically they are different too, dinosaur island you are building a zoo and profiting from surviving visitors, whereas tiny epic dinosaurs you are buying and profiting from selling the dinosaurs.

[@danewiskow3680]

I am confused about timing for the escaping dinos penalties. If I lost multiple herbivores and carnivores in a round, I only suffer one herbivore penalty and one carnivore penalty once per round. But when exactly do they happen?

[@WatchItPlayed]

Hey Dane, are you asking when the penalties happen?

[@danewiskow3680]

@@WatchItPlayed Correct!

[@WatchItPlayed]

@@danewiskow3680 It's been a little while since I shot this, but going back though the video and the rule book, it seems that you suffer the penalty when the escape happens, which is why I don't refer to a specific phase for that in the video - they escape as soon as the condition is true, and you suffer the penalty the first time it happens.

[@danewiskow3680]

@@WatchItPlayed That makes sense. So if I lost two herbivores in a round, I wound only suffer one herbivore penalty?

[@WatchItPlayed]

@@danewiskow3680 You've got it!

[@RulebooksForYou]

Agricola-Dinos???

[@WatchItPlayed]

A bit :)

[@Teremei]

I have a game I bought. It's, aftermarket prices on Dinosaur Island and Totally Liquid Xtreme Edition. It's called "Tiny Epic Wallet".