Without a doubt, the game is not nearly as elegant as Neuroshima Hex. But it is very cool. There are a LOT of moving parts, and now that I have played it (thanks Ah_Pook!) I am glad that I didn't jump in on the KS. It is obviously very expensive, but the real issue (for me) is that it really demands a deep dive from both players in order to get the most out of it. Each faction is its own animal, taking time to learn.
You can of course argue the same about N Hex, but the difference is that in Dawnfall you not only have your units, but you have a hand of cards and a lot more agency about when and how you fight. You also have a resource to obtain and manage, crystals. And THIS is where the game really reminded me of Dungeon Command, the very cool D&D skirmish game. I once had all of the sets, but have sold all but one (and will sell that one as well). Anyway, the problem with that game (and to some extent, this one) is that the beginning of the fight is often about gathering resources instead of fighting. Ah_Pook spent a lot of time gathering crystals, and I didn't. This resulted in him having a lot more flexibility later in the match. I had to concede due to time constraints but he would have beaten me anyway.
Overall, a cool game that I don't have room for in my life. Or on my shelf. It's huge.
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