About the Game
Pioneers in Peril is a medium-weight 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 a dice-driven Bandit that threatens everyone equally. 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 2.5 to 3.0. It features engine building, resource management, worker placement, area control, real-time action, push-your-luck, and player elimination, among others. It's a medium-weight strategy game — meaty enough to chew on, but accessible to anyone comfortable with games like Wingspan, Everdell, or Lords of Waterdeep.
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 neutral, dice-driven threat — closer to a shared hazard than a player-controlled antagonist. At the end of each turn, the active player rolls dice to determine the Bandit's target. The dice don't care whose turn it is — the Bandit can strike anyone, including the player executing it. Everyone runs the Bandit; no one controls it. This eliminates the "bad guy player" problem, keeps everyone honestly on edge, and lets the game scale cleanly from 2 to 4 players without dummy player workarounds. Direct player-versus-player conflict comes from other actions (like Dispute Claim) — the Bandit itself is just chaos.
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 to read online on the rulebook page before the campaign launches. No surprises. You will know exactly what you are backing.
About the Company
In his California workshop, founder Matt Terry laser-cuts every wooden component — the board, tiles, tokens, dice, and character pieces — from wood. Game cards are professionally printed by a card-manufacturing partner. Every copy is then assembled, inspected, and packed by hand.
Mostly, yes. The wooden components are laser-cut from renewable wood. The packaging and cards are paper-based. The only non-renewable material in the box is the ink used to print the cards. We don't carry third-party sustainability certifications, but we are honest about what goes in.
Yes. Deadwood Games is 100% owned and operated by Matt Terry, a U.S. Navy veteran. It is a single-member limited liability company (LLC) 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 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 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?
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