About the Game
Pioneers in Peril is a heavy strategy board game for 2-4 players set in a fictional frontier town called Peril, USA, west of the Mississippi. Players stake claims, manage resources, build structures, and contend with an automated Bandit NPC. Games run 2 to 3 hours. It is not a light game and it is not meant to be.
Pioneers in Peril targets a BoardGameGeek weight rating of 3.5 or higher. It features resource management, area control, real-time combat, and player elimination. If your collection leans toward games like Brass, Twilight Imperium, or Spirit Island in terms of weight and engagement, this is in your neighborhood.
Yes. Player elimination is an intentional design choice, not an oversight. The threat of permanent death drives every decision, every alliance, and every betrayal. It creates stakes that no other mechanic can replicate. If player elimination is a dealbreaker for you, this is not your game. No apologies.
The Bandit is a non-player character that operates on its own logic. No player controls it. It raids claims, threatens resources, and creates pressure on every player equally. This eliminates the common problem of one player being designated as the "bad guy" and ensures the game scales cleanly from 2 to 4 players without dummy player workarounds.
Shootouts use a real-time card-flipping mechanic. When combat triggers, turn order pauses and all involved players act simultaneously. It rewards quick hands and nerve. No waiting for someone to calculate optimal plays for five minutes. You draw, or you do not.
Throughout the game, players can earn specialist diplomas that unlock unique abilities and economic advantages. There are 12 different roles available, each shaping your strategy and path through the game. Your diploma choices define how you interact with resources, other players, and the Bandit.
The full rulebook will be available for download on the rulebook page before the campaign launches. No surprises. You will know exactly what you are backing.
About the Company
Every component in Pioneers in Peril is laser-etched and cut from real wood by the founder, Matt Terry, in his workshop in Oxnard, California. Each game is then assembled, inspected, and packed by hand. There is no factory. No production line. No overseas manufacturing. One person builds every copy.
Yes. Deadwood Games is 100% owned and operated by Matt Terry, a U.S. Navy veteran. It is a sole proprietorship registered in California. There are no silent partners, investors, or co-founders. One veteran, one company.
The First Print is a strictly limited run of 100 individually numbered copies, each hand-crafted by the founder using a laser cutter and real wood. The Second Print is a planned larger production run using professional manufacturing. The Second Print is contingent on the First Print successfully validating demand. Think of the First Print as the original craft batch.
Shipping details, including supported regions and costs, will be announced alongside the Gamefound campaign. Every copy ships directly from the founder's workshop in Oxnard, California. There is no fulfillment warehouse or third-party logistics provider.
Deadwood Games builds one title at a time. The full focus right now is on delivering Pioneers in Peril. When that is complete and in backers' hands, the next project begins. Join the mailing list to be the first to hear about future titles.
Reach out through any of the social channels listed in the footer, or use the contact page. You will hear back from the founder directly. There is no support team. Just the person who makes the games.
Still Have Questions?
Can't find what you need? Reach out or get on the mailing list.