How to explain Dom3 to a 5 year old?

[Chazar]

How can you explain Dom3 to a 5 year old child?

Are there any very simple turn-based children's games that feature Wizards & Dragons fighting?

The story:
My 5 year old son caught me off guard while I was watching half a dozen Tarrasques obliterate my monkey PD, trapping my pretender inside a castle. He watched struck by awe (Bug-Report: Tarrasques don't show the Awe-Attribute that they must clearly have ), and asked me what this game was all about.

So I shortly replied that these "dragons" attacked me and that I was just pondering how to defeat them, but that it was horribly complicated. However, my son continued to ask questions, and I made the mistake to mumble something about "using my wizards to bewitch the dragons". Well, I hoped that he would drop the issue after another day or two, but Wizards & Dragons apparently have a certain appeal for 5 year olds, so he keeps asking me about this strange game he does not understand on and on.

Now delving deeper into Dom3 will only make it worse. So I am looking for other ways to satisfy his curiosity.

So are there any remotely similar games featuring Wizards & Dragons (for PC, Android or Table-Top) that are suitable for a 5 year old that cannot read, and can only read and compare numbers up to 19?

It should also be turn-based, because I think he has a problem understanding the concept. He asked me to try this and that tactic to fight the dragons,* but I said that I would take another day to see the results, since my opponents need to make their moves too Most games he plays are action oriented, e.g. AngryBirds, where results are immediate. However, he does play turn-based boardgames, so I think that the concept of planning a turn is difficult, but possible to grasp for him. The problem surely lies in the scale that he could not understand (days between turns).

(* "Get some knights with lances!" "The dragons are surrounded by poisonous fumes, so we cannot get close." "Then shot them with arrows!" "The dragons have thick scales, so the arrows won't harm them." ... - I cannot remember what he replied, but he came up with several suggestions after each of my responses... )

[Gandalf Parker]

There are things that are good to teach 5 year olds.
Taking turns, formations, sometimes going off script, money management, the difference between real history (units, weapons, armor, commanders) and the mythologies attached to them, defense, offense

[SsSam]

I mean.....Why not let him play?

There's nothing wrong with him playing, is tbere?

Now, he may not play in the same way that you play. I let my little ones play civilization when they where about that age. They had fun. They are older now and sometimes still play civilization. Not in the same way that I play, but....it's play, right?

[Stagger Lee]

I agree, let him play. I mean, most of the MP community is pre-k.

[Gandalf Parker]

Of course having had children I can understand the fear of what a 5-year old says.
There are some parts of Dom3 that might not go over well coming from a 5year olds mouth in unprepared company. I wish I could think of a substitute game

[Knai]

I have a substitute game option. There is a free turn based game by the name of Battle for Wesnoth that is fairly simple, but also reasonably complex. Its a case study in emergent complexity, and holds interest as a result - though the magic and dragons certainly help.

[oldrocker99]

Originally Posted by Knai

I have a substitute game option. There is a free turn based game by the name of Battle for Wesnoth that is fairly simple, but also reasonably complex. Its a case study in emergent complexity, and holds interest as a result - though the magic and dragons certainly help.

He's right, and like Dom3, it's available for Mac, Windows & Linux. Well worth the download, and there are tons of user-created scenarios and maps out there (not unlike a certain other game we all love)

[Jarkko]

Land of Legends is what my kids played at that age (even earlier)
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/forumdisplay.php?f=74

[brxbrx]

"Daddy is a god trying to kill all the other gods. Daddy has a serious case of megalomania."
Also, I played Heroes III when I was pretty young. That's a good TBS to initiate your kids with, assuming you want them to end up like us. I mean, you don't actually need a social life, right?

[kianduatha]

Originally Posted by Chazar

(* "Get some knights with lances!" "The dragons are surrounded by poisonous fumes, so we cannot get close." "Then shot them with arrows!" "The dragons have thick scales, so the arrows won't harm them." ... - I cannot remember what he replied, but he came up with several suggestions after each of my responses... )

I love that your kid has pretty good tactical sense. Now arrows won't hurt a Tarrasque, but if you have Crossbowmen they'll deal some pretty good damage. Even normal bowmen with Flaming Arrows can probably take down some Tarrasques. And knights aren't a bad idea either--if you got up Weapons of Sharpness or something they'd work just fine. It's just that late game summons require decent army buffs to take down with normal troops.