Byzantium (S&T 183)
Byzantium (S&T 183) Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Errata
- Extra Scenarios
- Definitions
- Counter Manifest
- Sequence of Play
- Major Power Control
- Area Control
- Negotiation Phase
- Treasury Phase
- Operations
- Victory
- Strategy Chits
- Rebels
- Official Optional Rules
- Chit Summary
- Additional Optional Rules (Moves #92, May-Jun 1997, p.11)
- Developer's Suggested Optional Rules
- Rules for Fewer Than 4 Players
- Scenarios
- Scenario Summary
- Scenario Setup Conventions
- Scenario 1: 711-718, Survival in the East
- Scenario 2: 995-1020, The Bulgar Slayer
- Scenario 3: 1095-1108, The First Crusade
- Scenario 4: 1195-1204, The First Fall of Constantinople
- Scenario 5: 803-810, East versus West (non-historical)
- Scenario 6: 1067-1081, Manzikert
- Extra Scenario A: 568-588, The First Threat
- Extra Scenario B: 622-628, The Persian War
Errata
- No treasury markers are provided. Suggestion: use a fleet marker (front side up for 0-20, rebel side up for "20+", i.e. 21-40).
- The counter labelled "power" has no apparent use.
- Ignore minor rivers on the map and the Corinth canal.
- Danube ends at the Magyars/Sirmium/Croatia boundary.
- Rus is a single area connecting around the Black Sea (but to get to Transcaucasus requires movement via the North offmap area).
- West offmap area extends the entire length of the western map edge.
- North offmap area extends the entire length of the northern map edge.
- East offmap area extends the entire lengths of the eastern and southern map edges.
- Scenario 4: Patzenaks gets 1 rebel Khazar militia. Special rule, optional: place a Byzantine (not Frankish) colony in Kyprus and a Moslem (not Frankish) colony in Syria.
Extra Scenarios
- Moves #92 had two extra scenarios (see Extra Scenarios A and B below, and the Scenario Setup section).
- Two further extra scenarios (A and B) are included in the same section.
Definitions
- CRT = Combat results table.
- Enemy = any units other than a power's own (i.e. other neutral or active powers, or rebels).
- Friendly = belonging to that power.
- OP = Operations Points.
Counter Manifest
| Counter | Manifest | Baileus | Field army | Warrior | Nomad | Militia | Fleet | Colony | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frank | blue | 1 | 5 | 10 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 42 |
| Byzantine | red | 1 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 25 | 10 | 20 | 76 |
| Khazar |
- Strategy chits: 40.
- Markers: "Gameturn" (1), "OPs remaining" (1), "Battle" location (1), "Power" (1, use undefined in rules).
- Blank counters: [5].
- Total: 280.
The manifest prints "Baileus" in its column heading; this is the Basileus unit, as used throughout the rules.
Sequence of Play
- Negotiations phase: diplomacy. May revert activated neutral powers to neutrality.
- 1st active power turn:
- a. Treasury phase: collect $; maintain/disband units; buy units/fleets/chits/colonies; buy out pillage markers.
- b. Operations phase: roll 1d6 per force and move/fight up to this allowance.
- 2nd-4th active power turns: as for the 1st power.
- Turn end phase: end game, or move turn marker and begin new turn.
Major Power Control
- With four players, one plays each of the four powers (Byzantines, Muslims, Khazars and Franks).
- With two or three players, the scenario specifies which powers are active player powers, and which are (initially) neutral.
Area Control
- An area occupied by one power's units is controlled by that power.
- An area occupied by several powers' units is jointly controlled by them all.
- An area occupied by no powers' units, or occupied by rebel units (even if in conjunction with any number of powers' units), is controlled by no one.
- Units in fortresses count for control.
- Colony markers are not units, so do not count for control.
- Rebel units negate control of an area by any powers in the area.
- Off-map areas (West, North, East) are automatically controlled by the appropriate power (respectively Frank, Khazar, Muslim) even if unoccupied. They can never be occupied by rebels.
Negotiation Phase
- May include trading $ or stratagem chits; agreements to move into/out of certain areas; making a treaty; or (2-3 player games) restoring a power to neutrality.
- A treaty ends the game immediately or at any subsequent point in a specified turn.
- All negotiations except treaties are violable without penalty. Treaties are inviolable.
- If a player controls more than one power, he can transfer up to 1/5 (drop fractions) of one power's treasury to each of his other controlled powers each turn. The transfer occurs during the treasury phase of either power involved in the transfer.
Treasury Phase
Gain Income
- Khazar, Frank and Muslims automatically gain $ equal to the value of their own off-map areas, even if unoccupied.
- For each area occupied solely by the power, it gains $ equal to the treasury value of the area.
- For each area occupied by several powers (i.e. 2, 3 or 4), the powers gain a fraction of the treasury value based on the total number of occupying powers: 1/2, 1/3 or 1/4 respectively. Drop fractions (i.e. 2 players occupy a $5 province; each will get $2 on his own turn).
- Provinces with any rebel units produce no income.
- Pillaged areas produce no income for any player.
- $ may be accumulated from turn to turn.
Maintenance
- Pay maintenance costs for all units/fleets on the map: $1 each, but $2 for field armies and fleets. Basileus is free.
- Double the maintenance cost for units in pillaged areas or the Arabian Desert (if the desert is pillaged, the cost is still only doubled).
- If a power cannot, or chooses not to, maintain its units, each roll on the Mutiny Table (they might disband peacefully, stay loyal, or mutiny).
- Optional: if using colonies, each colony maintains 1 militia unit of the same power in that same area for free.
- Optional: colonies themselves do not need to be maintained.
- Rebels and neutral power units/fleets need no maintenance.
Recruitment
- Pay recruitment cost to buy new units, strategy chits or colony markers.
- Note: Franks pay different costs for warriors and nomads than the other powers.
- An eliminated Basileus is replaced free on the power's turn following elimination.
- May build land units in unpillaged friendly-occupied areas/fortresses.
- One unit per such area or fortress (but not both an area and its fortress).
- Recruitment is possible even if the area is also occupied by enemy units.
- An eliminated Byzantine Basileus is replaced in the Constantinople fortress (if Byzantine-controlled) in addition to the "one unit per area/fortress" rule.
- Can build fleets in sea areas adjacent to friendly-occupied ports, one per such area (even if the sea area is also occupied by enemy/rebel fleets).
- Any number of fleets can be built in a friendly off-map area with a port symbol.
- Each power is restricted to the units/fleets available in the countermix.
- May buy any number of chits that can be afforded.
- Optional: may buy colony markers in addition to the "1 unit per area" rule. There is no countermix limit to colonies.
- Rebels and neutral power units/fleets are built via chit play, and so may not be recruited.
- Any number of land units can be built in a friendly off-map area.
Operations
Stacking
- All four powers (neutral or active), and rebels, may all coexist in the same area.
- Each power's units, and any rebel units, must stack separately, but each power may have several stacks in an area.
- There are no stacking limits within sea or land areas, fortresses, or within individual stacks.
- There can be only one stack (rebel, or of one power) per fortress.
- A stack can change composition (split into two stacks, join up with another stack, pick up or drop off units) only when conducting operations.
- All units in a stack conduct movement together (although a stack can drop off units, which can move no further, or pick up units that have not yet moved).
- All units in a stack conduct combat together (they must attack, or be attacked, as a stack).
Operations Points
- A power designates each stack in turn, rolls for Operations Points (OPs), and conducts operations with that stack.
- OPs for the stack: 1d6, +1 if the Basileus is part of the stack, +1/2/3 if playing a strategos chit.
- OPs are spent to move, to attack, or to pillage.
Movement
- Pay OPs to move across land or sea borders (1 normally; 2 for mountains or rivers; 3 to enter a friendly off-map area).
- +1 OP to exit a land or sea area (including entering that area's fortress) if the exited area is enemy-occupied.
- A stack may pick up other units/stacks that have not yet conducted operations that turn.
- A stack may drop off units, which may not then conduct operations themselves that turn.
- May cross the Sea of Marmara from Thrace/Constantinople to the Nicea area/Nicea fortress (or vice versa) for 1 OP.
Off-Map Areas
- One off-map area belongs to each of the Frank, Muslim and Khazar powers, and is friendly only to that power.
- That player always controls his off-map area, even if vacant.
- 3 OP cost to enter a friendly off-map area (by land or sea).
- 1 OP cost to exit a friendly off-map area (to land or sea).
- Cannot enter an enemy off-map area.
- Friendly fleets can enter the West and East off-map areas (but not North, which has no anchor symbol).
- Any number of newly purchased units may be built in a friendly off-map area.
- Rebels may not enter an off-map area. Units in an off-map area that rebel are eliminated.
Combat
- Combat is voluntary and occurs during operations.
- Units with OP remaining may continue to move/attack after a combat.
- Combat occurs within each area (not between areas).
- 1 OP cost per attack.
- Only the stack conducting operations may attack (it cannot have several stacks attack together).
- Stacks may attack multiple times during operations, including attacking the same enemy stack more than once, at 1 OP per attack.
- Must attack with the entire stack, and must attack one defending stack as a whole.
- Choose the CRT based on the attacking force:
- Shock: majority Basileus/field army/warrior.
- Raid: majority Basileus/field army/nomad.
- Engagement: other composition.
- Total combat strength of attackers (use the "Battle" marker to indicate the location of the battle when resolving combat):
- 1 per unit, including Basileus.
- +1/2/3 for a strategos chit.
- +2/1 for a Greek Fire chit in a naval battle played by Byzantines/others.
- Roll 1d6 on the chosen CRT and apply the result.
- CA = Counterattack: the defender must attack the attacker. Chits played in combat last for all counterattacks.
- F = Free move: the attacker may freely move to an adjacent area or into an empty/friendly fortress at 0 OP cost.
Siege
- Attacks on fortresses are sieges.
- Resolved as regular combat, except the defender may treat DV as MV, and MV as "lose 1 unit".
- Sieges of Constantinople treat DV as MV, and MV as NE.
- Units in a fortress cannot initiate combat, but must exit the fortress to attack units in the surrounding area.
- Units in a fortress may counterattack an enemy that attacked them from the surrounding area.
- Attackers eliminating a fortress' garrison may advance into the fortress for 0 OP cost.
Naval Operations
- Fleets may only occupy sea areas (and the East or West off-map areas, if friendly).
- Fleets are built in sea areas adjacent to a friendly port or off-map area, or in friendly-occupied off-map areas.
- Fleets conduct operations in the same manner as other stacks, independently of land unit operations.
- Movement costs 1 OP per sea area (3 to enter an off-map area), +1 to exit a sea area containing enemy fleets.
- Combat between fleets is always on the Engagement CRT.
- Land units may use "naval transport" to move through areas containing friendly fleets (i.e. as "stepping stones").
- They may use enemy fleets with that enemy's permission (i.e. active enemy powers, but not inactive powers or rebel fleets).
- Fleets may conduct operations before or after they are used for naval transport by land units. Their use by land units for naval movement does not affect their own capacity to conduct operations.
- There is no capacity limit to naval movement: 1 fleet can transport any number of land units at a time or in a turn.
- Land units starting sea movement in a friendly port fortress pay 1 OP per sea area.
- Land units starting sea movement in a land area pay 2 OP per sea area.
- Land units disembarking in a friendly port pay 1 OP to enter that port fortress.
- Land units disembarking in a land area pay 2 OP to land there.
- Land units do not pay an extra OP to exit sea areas containing enemy fleets.
- Land units must end their operations on land, never at sea.
- Land units cannot use sea movement into areas containing fewer friendly fleets than any one active enemy (unless that enemy gives permission).
Sea of Marmara
- Land units may freely cross "by land" from Constantinople or Thrace to the Nicea area or fortress (or vice versa) for 1 OP.
- Land units may cross via naval movement between the fortresses of Constantinople and Nicea (using a friendly fleet in the Sea of Marmara) for 0 OP.
Arabian Desert
- Costs 1 OP to enter, but all purchasing/maintenance costs in the area are +$1.
Pressburg
- Only exists from AD 1000 (i.e. start of Turn 6 in Scenario 2).
Pillage
- An area may be pillaged:
- as an operation (3 OP cost by a force in an area of its fortress): the player receives the $ value of the area, and all other players receive one chit each;
- via chits;
- when a unit being disbanded mutinies.
- Offmap areas may never be pillaged.
- An area may be pillaged as an operation only if it is not enemy-occupied (ignore enemy units in its fortress).
- An area may be pillaged via chits of mutiny regardless of enemy units.
- Pillage by the rebels does not gain $ for the player.
- Pillage effects:
- Remove any colony in the area.
- No $ may be collected from the area until the pillage marker is removed.
- +1 to maintenance costs of units in the area.
- Removing pillage: during purchase of new units, a player may spend twice the $ value of a friendly-occupied area to remove its pillage marker.
Subversion and Conversion
- Special attacks made by playing the Subversion or Religious Conversion chits.
- Made by a stack in a sea area/land area/fortress against an enemy stack in the same area or its fortress.
- Units converted/subverted to rebel by the rebels form a separate stack (i.e. do not join the subverting/converting rebel stack).
Fog of War
- A player may examine an enemy stack in an area/fortress if:
- he has a friendly stack in the same area/fortress; or
- he plays an espionage chit.
- A player may examine an enemy's chits only if he plays an espionage chit.
- A player may voluntarily reveal the composition of his stack(s) or chits at any time.
Basileus
- The Basileus is the player's supreme leader.
- Add +1 to the operations die roll of its stack.
- Counts as a field army unit for combat.
- Never rebels or gets converted.
- Needs no maintenance.
- Is replaced free the turn after it is eliminated.
- An eliminated Byzantine Basileus is replaced in Constantinople (if/when Byzantine-controlled).
- An eliminated non-Byzantine Basileus is replaced in that power's off-map area.
Feudalism
- A player may, during his Treasury phase, replace a colony marker with a warrior (Frank/Byzantine) or nomad (Muslim/Khazar) for free. This cannot be done on the last 2 turns of a game.
Interception Combat
- A non-phasing stack in a land area (but not a fortress or sea area) may attempt to intercept a phasing stack entering its area.
- Each non-phasing stack may make only one interception attempt per enemy player turn.
- A phasing stack may be intercepted more than once (each time by a different non-phasing stack), even in the same area.
- The instant the phasing stack enters the area, the non-phasing player calls "intercept" and rolls 1d6.
- Neither (or both) stacks have Basileus: 1-3 successful; 4-6 fail.
- Non-phasing stack has Basileus, phasing stack does not: 1-4 successful; 5-6 fail.
- Non-phasing stack has no Basileus, phasing stack does: 1-2 successful; 3-6 fail.
- If successful, the non-phasing stack attacks the phasing stack normally. If the phasing stack survives, it may continue its own operations.
Victory
- There are four levels of victory: conquering, survival, decline and collapse.
- Only conquering and survival count as a "win".
- Each power has its own required victory point (VP) totals for each level.
- More than one power may gain any given level, and thus more than one power may win.
- A power's VP at game end is the sum of:
- the $ value of all controlled areas on the map (ignore off-map areas). A friendly colony in the area increases the area's value to a sole occupant by 1;
- control may be shared, and thus the $ value is divided between several powers (drop fractions). A friendly colony in a shared area allows that player to round up any fraction value;
- pillaged areas, and areas occupied by rebels, score 0;
- 1/2 of $ in treasury;
- +5 VP for occupying Constantinople.
- A player with no units on the map (or only units in his off-map box) at any time automatically loses. This prevents a non-Byzantine player from winning by refusing to play the game.
Strategy Chits
- Players may begin the game with randomly chosen strategy chits, and may purchase further chits for $2.
- Players also gain a chit for each DV combat result they inflict.
- During set-up, draw initial chits from among all non-"play immediately" chits, then add the "play immediately" chits to the cup at the beginning of Turn 1.
- Some chits must be played immediately upon drawing.
- Other chits may be held until used, without maintenance cost.
- A player may not hold more than 10 chits at a time (but may discard chits unplayed immediately before buying/drawing another).
- Most chits are returned to the cup when played. Some are removed from the game when played.
- A player can play any number of chits at any appropriate time. There is no OP cost.
- Chits drawn which do not apply to the player count as "no effect". No replacement is drawn.
- A player required to lose chits draws the one to lose at random. If he has none, there is no further effect.
Rebels
- All units have a front "loyal" side and a back "rebel" side.
- Rebels represent not only units in revolt, but also semi-independent/client states.
- Rebellion is caused by chits or subversion combat.
- Units which rebel form a new stack in the same area/fortress (or in the area outside a fortress if some of the fortress units rebel).
- Rebel units are not controlled by any player. They do not move or attack. They need no maintenance.
- The colour of a rebel unit determines only to which power it will be loyal if it is ever restored to loyalty.
- Rebels may be attacked by any player.
- Rebels become loyal via Subversion (Rebellion result) or Conversion (Assimilation or Holy War result) attacks.
- The "Rebel control" chit allows a power to conduct operations with one rebel stack (any colour) that turn. The rebel stack may not drop off or pick up units.
Official Optional Rules
Recommended to use all of these.
Raising Taxes
- A player may attempt to raise taxes during the Treasury phase in any/all areas where it is the sole occupant.
- For each such area, roll 1d6 on the Tax Increase Table:
- 1-2: revolt. No income from the area this turn. All friendly militia rebel (if none, add one rebel militia from the unit pool).
- 3-6: gain double income from that area this turn.
Colonies
- Colonies represent the "home civilization" area for each power.
- Colonies are markers, not units: they may not move or engage in combat, and are not affected by combat results.
- Colonies have no effect on control of the area in themselves.
- At setup, 1 is placed in each area solely controlled by each power, or by rebels (unless otherwise noted).
- May be built for $5 in any area where that player has units.
- Need no maintenance.
- Only one colony in total may exist in an area at a time.
- Colonies may not be placed in off-map areas or pillaged areas (the pillage marker must be paid off first).
- Colony construction is not limited by the countermix.
- Effects:
- Maintains 1 militia unit of that player in that area for free ($0).
- Where the area is solely occupied by the colony's owner, increases the VP value of that area to that player by 1.
- Where jointly occupied, the colony's owner rounds up fractions of the area's VP value.
- Elimination:
- A colony is removed as a result of pillage in an area (whether by operation, chit or mutiny).
- A colony is replaced by another player's via the "assimilation" result of a Religious Conversion chit.
Chit Summary
Number of such chits in the countermix (40 total). Bold = play immediately (10). The printed bold marks are kept as shown on the summary page; the bold entries visible are Belligerent Withdrawal, Civil War, Crusade, De Ceremoniis, Land Distribution, Neutral Entry, Peripheral War, Plague and Unification of Churches.
Left column:
- ALLIANCE. Designate any rebel stack of your colour and flip it to its loyal side.
- ASSASSIN. Cancels the effect of any other chit. (May itself be countered by another Assassin.)
- BELLIGERENT WITHDRAWAL. 4-player games: no effect; remove from play when drawn. In 2- or 3-player games, if drawer controls any powers other than his starting power, roll 1d6 for each: 1-3 no effect. 4-6: reverts to neutrality. Chit is returned to pool.
- CIVIL WAR. Drawer rolls 1d6, and flips that many of his own units to their rebel side. Basileus and units stacked with him are immune.
- CRUSADE. Prior to AD 1050: no effect; remove from play when drawn. If 1050 or later: roll 1d6. 1-3: no effect. 4-6: Crusade! Effects:
- a) If Franks are neutral, they become active under Byzantine control (if already active, no effect).
- b) Roll 1d6. Franks receive that many warrior or fleet units in the West offmap area, free of recruiting cost (but must still be maintained).
- c) Frank rolls 1d6 and doubles the result, receiving that many $.
- d) Franks gain 10 VP if they occupy Jerusalem at the end of the game.
- Chit is removed from play when drawn (only one Crusade per game).
- DE CEREMONIIS. If, at the end of the current player turn, the drawer's Basileus occupies Constantinople at the end of the current player turn and this chit has not been returned to the pool for any reason, then the player rolls 1d6 and draws that many new chits. This chit is then returned to the pool at the end of the current player turn.
- ESPIONAGE. The drawer may examine all stacks in one area (and its fortresses), or may examine all of one player's chits.
Right column:
- PERIPHERAL WAR. Frank, Muslim or Khazar drawer removes 1d6 units. Byzantine drawer: no effect.
- PLAGUE. Roll 1d6. 1-5: no effect, return chit to pool. 6: plague! Effects: roll 1d6 per area (including off-map): 1-3: no effect; 4-6: each player eliminates half his units in the area (round up). Place a pillage marker in the area; remove chit from game.
- RAIDERS EAST. Drawer receives (during his treasury phase) 1 nomad or fleet of his own colour in any area adjacent to the East offmap area.
- RAIDERS NORTH. Drawer receives (during his treasury phase) 1 nomad or fleet of his own colour in any area adjacent to the North offmap area.
- RAIDERS WEST. Drawer receives (during his treasury phase) 1 nomad or fleet of his own colour in any area adjacent to the West offmap area.
- REBEL CONTROL. Gain control of any one rebel stack during own operations phase.
- RELIGIOUS CONVERSION. Play on any rebel/enemy/neutral stack in the same area as a friendly stack. Roll 1d6 on the Conversion combat table (below).
- SCHISM. Drawer rolls 1d6. 1-3: no effect. 4-6: returns all his chits to pool.
- STRATEGOS (4@'1', 2@'2', 1@'3'). Either a) increase the OP die roll of any stack (declare before the die is rolled), or b) add to the combat strength of any stack, attacking or defending. Is used for all counterattacks in that one combat.
- SUBVERSION. Play on any rebel/enemy/neutral stack in the same area as a friendly stack. Roll 1d6 on the Subversion combat table (below).
- TRADE CONCESSION. Discard chit to gain $10 at any time.
- UNIFICATION OF CHURCHES. Roll 1d6. 1-4: no effect. 5-6: unification occurs. For the remainder of the turn, Byzantines and Franks may not conduct combat or conversion against each other, or their own or each other's rebels. They may conduct subversion.
Subversion (affects units, not colonies)
- Betrayal. Eliminate 1 unit in the subverting stack. 2-3. No effect. 4-5. Desertion. Eliminate 1d6 enemy/neutral units in the area (roller's choice).
- Rebellion. If targeting rebels, 1d6 rebels become loyal. If targeting an enemy/neutral power, 1d6 of his units rebel (his choice).
Religious Conversion (affects units and/or colonies)
- Heresy. 1 unit of the converting stack rebels. 2-3. No effect. 4-5. Assimilation. If the target is the player's own rebels, flip 1 rebel to its loyal side. If the target is enemy/neutral, replace 1 such unit or colony in the area with 1 of the converting player's. If a loyal unit, place the unit in the converting stack. If no appropriate unit in the converting player's pool, eliminate the enemy/neutral unit.
- Holy war. If targeting the player's own rebels, flip 1d6 rebels to their loyal side. If targeting an enemy/neutral stack, replace 1d6 such units in the area with the converting player's. If loyal units, place the unit in the converting stack. If no appropriate unit in the converting player's pool, eliminate the enemy/neutral unit. Additionally, replace the enemy colony with the player's own.
Additional Optional Rules (Moves #92, May-Jun 1997, p.11)
- Maintenance cost for fleets in a sea area not adjacent to a friendly-occupied port is $3 per turn. [Long-range naval operations are costly.]
2a) Make counters for "Monasteries".
- Cost $3 to build.
- A player must already have a Colony in an area to build a Monastery.
- One Monastery per area.
- Eliminated if the area is pillaged.
- Effect: +1 DRM to friendly conversion/subversion attacks in the area; -1 DRM to enemy conversion/subversion attacks against friendly forces in the area.
2b) Make counters for "Fortifications".
- Cost $4 to build.
- One Fortification per player per area.
- Eliminated if the area is pillaged.
- Effect: +1 DRM to friendly CRT (counter)attacks in the area; -1 DRM to enemy CRT (counter)attacks on friendly forces in the area.
2c) Make counters for "Trading concessions". [Allows a player to make short-term gain for longer-term payments.]
- A player can sell to any other the right to a trading concession in any area the player completely controls.
- Cost can be $ or any other agreement within the spirit of the rules.
- Eliminated if the area is pillaged.
- Effect: each Treasury phase, if the player still controls the area, he must pay the Concession owner $1 if the area is worth $1-3, and $2 if the area is worth $4+. If a different player controls the area, the payment is no longer made.
Croatia and Istria. Croatia is divided into two. Croatia proper is the part north of the Danube (which extends west from the Magyars/Sirmium border to the West offmap area). The part south of the Danube is Istria ($-value 2 in Scenarios 1 & 2; $3 in Scenarios 3 & 4). The fortress port of Venice is located on Istria's Adriatic coast. Deploy 1 Rebel Frank Militia in Istria in Scenarios 1 & 2; a Loyal Frank Militia in Scenarios 3 & 4.
Buda(Pest). Buda(Pest) is relocated to straddle the Danube, thus it affects control of both Magyars & Sirmium. It can also be besieged from both areas. The power that controls Budapest does not pay the extra Operations Point cost to cross the Danube. The Khazar player begins with control in all but Scenario 3.
Defence points (DP). A defending stack of 1 unit is worth 0 DP. 2 or 3 defenders are worth 1 DP. 4 or more defenders are worth 2 DP. Subtract DP from the attacker's strength to determine the CRT column. Use the "1" column for any results of 1 or less.
Militia and recruitment. Must be used in conjunction with Colonies, which represent the player's "home base".
- Militia cannot move outside its Power's "home areas".
- Players can build new units only in their own "home area".
Limited Alliances. 2-player games only. Powers can begin in alliance with a neutral Power. Players bid $ after set-up. The high bidder gets to choose which Neutral Power to control as a Limited Ally. The lower bidder gets the unclaimed Power by default. If the bid is tied, determine randomly. A Limited Alliance is in effect until the allied Neutral Power suffers a DV in combat. The Power then reverts back to neutrality at that point, and can later be reactivated per normal procedure.
New Stratagem chits.
- Ambush: play this after combat has been announced but before resolution. The defending stack is now the attacker.
- Leadership: place the chit on a friendly stack at the start of your turn that does not contain your Basileus. +1 DRM to its OP die roll, and it cannot be the object of a Conversion attempt. Remove it at the start of your next turn.
- Treasury Graft: play at any time. A power of your choice rolls 1d6 and loses that many $ (to a minimum of 0).
- Tribes Unite: if played by the Byzantines or Franks, that power can deploy one extra Nomad during the recruitment phase above and beyond any normal recruitment. The Khazar and Muslim powers can deploy 2 Nomads.
- Vacillating Force: play on an opposing stack which does not contain an enemy Basileus. That stack cannot conduct operations in its next turn.
Developer's Suggested Optional Rules
- Turn order: play the first turn in the same order as set-up. For turns 2 on, determine the first player randomly; when he has finished, determine the second player randomly; when he has finished, determine the third player randomly.
Rules for Fewer Than 4 Players
- Byzantines are always a player power.
- 3-player games:
- 1 non-Byzantine power begins neutral (see scenario as to which).
- The Byzantine player gets 1 free chit during the Treasury phase of his turn.
- 2-player games:
- 2 non-Byzantine powers begin neutral (see scenario as to which).
- The Byzantine player gets 2 free chits during the Treasury phase of his turn.
- Neutral powers do not have a player turn (so they don't accumulate $, maintain units or conduct operations).
- Neutral becomes active the instant:
- an active power attacks its units;
- an active power attempts to convert/subvert its units;
- an active power attempts to collect or raise taxes in an area occupied by its units;
- via chit play.
- Activated neutral is controlled:
- 2-player games: by the player who did not activate it.
- 3-player games: by the highest bidder of $ of the two players who did not activate it. If neither bids, or bids are tied, decide by die roll. Winning bid (not tied bids) are expended.
- Activated neutrals (but not the initial active powers) may return to neutrality by:
- the controlling player announcing so in the Negotiation phase;
- chit play.
Scenarios
Scenario Summary
The summary table is reproduced as printed. Columns: scenario number and title, dates and turns, powers (listed in play order), starting strategy chits and $, own units (field army, warrior, nomad, militia, fleet), rebel units in the same order, and victory VP thresholds for Collapse, Decline, Survival and Conquest.
No. Title Date No. Powers Chits $ Units Victory level
Turns Power's own Rebel
F.Arm War Nom Mil Flt F.Arm War Nom Mil Flt Collapse Decline Survival Conquest
A The First Threat 568-588 21 Khazar 3 10 --- n/a 8 5 --- --- n/a 1 --- --- 0-5 6-10 11-15 16+
Byzantine 2 15 6 n/a --- 23 7 --- n/a --- 2 --- 0-15 16-29 30-59 60+
Persia 2 10 --- n/a 7 2 --- --- n/a --- --- --- 0-5 6-9 10-19 20+
Lombard 0 0 --- n/a 1 1 --- --- n/a --- --- --- 0-2 3-5 6-8 9+
B The Persian War 622-628 7 Byzantine 4 50 8 n/a --- 10 5 --- n/a --- --- --- 0-10 11-18 19-29 30+
Persia 0 10 --- n/a 6 12 --- --- n/a --- --- --- 0-15 16-25 26-35 36+
Khazar 1 0 --- n/a 4 9 --- --- n/a --- 1 --- 0-9 10-15 16-25 25+
Lombard 0 0 --- n/a 2 2 --- --- n/a --- --- --- 0-5 6-10 11-14 15+
1 Survival in the East 711-718 8 Muslim 4 10 --- --- 10 13 4 --- --- --- --- --- 0-19 20-39 40-59 60+
Byzantine 1 15 7 --- --- 14 3 --- --- --- --- --- 0-19 20-34 35-50 51+
Khazar 1 5 --- --- 6 3 --- --- --- 4 8 --- 0-5 6-10 11-19 20+
Frank 0 5 --- 4 --- 1 --- --- --- --- --- --- 0-5 6-10 11-14 15+
5 East versus West 803-810 8 Frank 4 15 2 6 --- 2 1 --- --- --- --- --- 0-10 11-19 20-29 30+
Non-historical Byzantine 3 15 7 --- 2 14 2 --- --- --- --- --- 0-19 20-34 35-50 51+
Muslim 2 10 --- --- 6 8 2 --- --- --- --- --- 0-9 10-19 20-29 30+
Khazar 2 5 --- --- 4 4 --- --- --- 4 9 --- 0 -4 5-9 10-14 15+
2 The Bulgar Slayer 995-1020 26 Byzantine 3 30 10 --- --- 15 4 --- --- --- 2 --- 0-15 16-35 36-69 70+
Khazar 2 10 --- --- 6 6 --- --- 1 4 7 --- 0-5 6-10 11-20 21+
Muslim 2 15 --- --- 8 5 2 --- --- 1 1 --- 0-9 10-20 21-29 30+
Frank 1 10 --- 4 --- 2 1 --- --- --- --- --- 0-5 6-10 11-15 16+
6 Manzikert 1067-1081 15 Byzantine 1 20 6 1 4 19 1 --- 1 --- 2 --- 0-15 16-25 26-40 41+
Muslim 4 10 --- --- 8 --- --- --- --- --- 4 --- 0-4 5-9 10-14 15+
Frank 3 5 --- 4 --- 1 2 --- --- --- --- --- 0-4 5-9 10-14 15+
Khazar 0 5 --- 1 2 1 --- --- --- 5 10 --- 0 -4 5-9 10-14 15+
3 The First Crusade 1095-1108 14 Frank 3 10 --- 8 --- 3 2 --- --- --- --- --- 0-10 11-20 21-30 31+
Muslim 2 10 --- --- 5 10 --- --- --- --- --- --- 0-15 16-30 31-54 55+
Byzantine 4 15 5 1 2 10 3 --- 2 --- 4 --- 0-15 16-25 26-40 41+
Khazar 0 5 --- --- 2 2 --- --- 1 3 7 --- 0-5 6-10 11-14 15+
4 The First Fall of 1195-1204 10 Frank 2 20 --- 7 --- 5 4 --- --- --- --- --- 0-15 16-30 31-45 46+
Constantinople Byzantine 0 10 3 2 3 10 1 --- 2 --- 6 --- 0-20 21-30 31-40 41+
Muslim 0 5 --- --- 4 2 --- --- --- 5 10 1 0-10 11-20 21-30 31+
Khazar 0 5 --- --- 4 4 --- --- 1 3 3 --- 0-10 11-15 16-20 21+
Notes: Powers are listed in play order, 1st (top) to 4th (bottom).
For 2-player games, use bold powers. For 3 players, add non-italicised power.
Red shows corrections from original rules: In Scenario 4, Patzinaks also contains rebel Khazars.
Scenario Setup Conventions
- Offmap areas: use the full name.
- Land areas: use the first 3 letters of the name (except Thrac and Thrak).
- Sea areas: use the initials of the words in the name (except AEG and ADR).
Scenario 1: 711-718, Survival in the East
Muslim
- Basileus: Kil.
- Nomad: 10: 5 ea. Kil, East.
- Militia: 13: 4 East; 1 ea. Kil, Syr, Pal, Cal, Mes, Kur, Vas, Geo, Kyp.
- Fleet: 4: 2 East; 1 ea. EMS, GoK.
Byzantine
- Basileus: Thrac.
- Field army: 7: anywhere in Thrac, Hel, Pel, Bul, Dal, Ben, Sic, Che, Kre, Thrak, Nic, Ana, Kap, Tre.
- Militia: 14: 1 ea. Thrac, Par, Hel, Pel, Dal, Ben, Sic, Che, Kre, Thrak, Nic, Ana, Kap, Tre.
- Fleet: 3: 1 ea. WBS, SoM, AEG.
Khazar
- Basileus: Pat.
- Nomad: 6: 2 ea. Bul, Pat, Sir.
- Militia: 3: 1 ea. Bul, Pat, Sir.
Khazar Rebel
- Nomad: 4: 1 ea. Mag, Ava, Rus, Tra.
- Militia: 8: 2 ea. Cro, Ser; 1 ea. Mag, Ava, Rus, Tra.
Frank
- Basileus: West.
- Warrior: 4: 2 ea. West, Lom.
- Militia: 1 Lom.
Scenario 2: 995-1020, The Bulgar Slayer
Byzantine
- Basileus: Thrac.
- Field army: 10: anywhere in Thrac, Hel, Pel, Par, Dal, Ben, Che, Kre, Kyp, Thrak, Nic, Ana, Kap, Tre, Kil.
- Militia: 15: 1 ea. Thrac, Hel, Pel, Par, Dal, Ben, Che, Kre, Kyp, Thrak, Nic, Ana, Kap, Tre, Kil.
- Fleet: 4: 1 ea. WBS, SoM, AEG, GoK.
Khazar
- Basileus: Bul.
- Nomad: 6: 2 ea. Bul, Sir, Ser.
- Militia: 6: 2 ea. Bul, Sir, Ser.
Khazar Rebel
- Warrior: 1 Rus.
- Nomad: 4: 1 ea. Mag, Ava, Pat, Tra.
- Militia: 7: 2 Cro; 1 ea. Mag, Ava, Pat, Rus, Tra.
Muslim
- Basileus: East.
- Nomad: 8: 3 East; 1 ea. Syr, Pal, Cal, Mes, Kur.
- Militia: 5: 1 ea. Syr, Pal, Cal, Mes, Kur.
- Fleet: 2: 1 ea. East, EMS.
Muslim Rebel
- Nomad: 1 Sic.
- Militia: 1 Sic.
Frank
- Basileus: West.
- Warrior: 4: 2 ea. West, Lom.
- Militia: 2 Lom.
- Fleet: 1 TS.
Scenario 3: 1095-1108, The First Crusade
Frank
- Basileus: Sic.
- Warrior: 8: 2 ea. West, Lom, Ben, Sic.
- Militia: 3: 1 ea. Lom, Ben, Sic.
- Fleet: 2 TS.
Muslim
- Basileus: Nic.
- Nomad: 5: 1 ea. Nic, Thrak, Ana, Pal, Vas.
- Militia: 10: 1 ea. Nic, Thrak, Ana, Kap, Syr, Pal, Cal, Mes, Kur, Vas.
Byzantine
- Basileus: Thrac.
- Field army: 5: anywhere in Thrac, Hel, Pel, Bul, Par, Dal, Che, Kre, Tre.
- Warrior: 1 Thrac.
- Nomad: 2: anywhere in Thrac, Hel, Pel, Bul, Par, Dal, Che, Kre, Tre.
- Militia: 10: 1 ea. Thrac, Hel, Pel, Bul, Par, Dal, Che, Kre, Tre, Kyp.
- Fleet: 3: 1 ea. WBS, SoM, AEG.
Byzantine Rebel
- Warrior: 2: 1 ea. Kil, Geo.
- Militia: 4: 2 ea. Kil, Geo.
Khazar
- Basileus: Pat.
- Nomad: 2 Pat.
- Militia: 2 Pat.
Khazar Rebel
- Warrior: 1 Rus.
- Nomad: 3: 1 ea. Mag, Ava, Tra.
- Militia: 7: 1 ea. Sir, Cro, Ser, Mag, Ava, Rus, Tra.
Special rules
- Ana and Kap are pillaged.
- Nic and Thrak have Byzantine (not Muslim) colonies.
- Par has a Khazar (not Byzantine) colony.
Scenario 4: 1195-1204, The First Fall of Constantinople
Frank
- Basileus: West.
- Warrior: 7: 3 West; 1 ea. Lom, Ben, Sic, Syr.
- Militia: 5: 1 ea. Lom, Ben, Sic, Syr, Kyp.
- Fleet: 4: 2 ea. West, ADR.
Byzantine
- Basileus: Thrac.
- Field army: 3: anywhere in Thrac, Hel, Pel, Bul, Dal, Nic, Thrak, Tre, Kre.
- Warrior: 2: anywhere in Thrac, Hel, Pel, Bul, Dal, Nic, Thrak, Tre, Kre.
- Nomad: 3: anywhere in Thrac, Hel, Pel, Bul, Dal, Nic, Thrak, Tre, Kre.
- Militia: 10: 1 ea. Thrac, Hel, Pel, Bul, Dal, Nic, Thrak, Tre, Kre, Che.
- Fleet: 1 SoM.
Byzantine Rebel
- Warrior: 2: 1 ea. Kil, Geo.
- Militia: 6: 2 ea. Kil, Geo, Ser.
Muslim
- Basileus: Ana.
- Nomad: 4: 2 ea. Ana, Kap.
- Militia: 2: 1 ea. Ana, Kap.
Muslim Rebels
- Nomad: 5: 1 ea. Vas, Kur, Mes, Cal, Pal.
- Militia: 10: 2 ea. Vas, Kur, Mes, Cal, Pal.
- Fleet: 1 EMS.
Khazar
- Basileus: Sir.
- Nomad: 4: 1 ea. Sir, Cro, Mag, Ava.
- Militia: 4: 1 ea. Sir, Croa, Mag, Ava.
Khazar Rebel
- Warrior: 1 Rus.
- Nomad: 3: 1 ea. Par, Pat, Tra.
- Militia: 3: 1 ea. Par, Pat, Tra.
Special rules
- Kyp has a Byzantine (not Frank) colony.
- Syr has a Muslim (not Frank) colony.
Scenario 5: 803-810, East versus West (non-historical)
Frank
- Basileus: West.
- Field army: 2: West.
- Warrior: 6: 2 ea. West, Lom, Cro.
- Militia: 2: 1 ea. Lom, Cro.
- Fleet: 2 ADR.
Byzantine
- Basileus: Thrac.
- Field army: 7: anywhere in Thrac, Hel, Pel, Dal, Ben, Sic, Che, Kre, Thrak, Nic, Ana, Kap, Tre, Kyp.
- Nomad: 2: anywhere in Thrac, Hel, Pel, Dal, Ben, Sic, Che, Kre, Thrak, Nic, Ana, Kap, Tre, Kyp.
- Militia: 14: 1 ea. anywhere in Thrac, Hel, Pel, Dal, Ben, Sic, Che, Kre, Thrak, Nic, Ana, Kap, Tre, Kyp.
- Fleet: 2: 1 ea. SoM, AEG.
Muslim
- Basileus: Cal.
- Nomad: 6: 3 ea. Kil, Cal.
- Militia: 8: 1 ea. Kil, Syr, Pal, Cal, Mes, Kur, Vas, Geo.
- Fleet: 2: 1 ea. EMS, GoK.
Khazar
- Basileus: Pat.
- Nomad: 4: 2 ea. Par, Pat.
- Militia: 4: 2 ea. Par, Pat.
Khazar Rebel
- Nomad: 4: 1 ea. Mag, Ava, Rus, Tra.
- Militia: 9: 2 ea. Ser, Bul; 1 ea. Sir, Mag, Ava, Rus, Tra.
Special rules
- Pillage: Hel and Kil start pillaged.
- Colonies: Geo has a Byzantine (not Muslim) colony.
- Franks receive 1 extra free chit per turn until his Basileus is first eliminated.
- Franks lose 10 VP the first time his Basileus is eliminated.
- Whichever of Franks and Byzantines occupies Rome at game end receives 10 VP extra.
Scenario 6: 1067-1081, Manzikert
Byzantine
- Basileus: Thrac.
- Field army: 6: anywhere in Thrac, Hel, Pel, Bul, Pas, Dal, Ser, Sir, Ben, Che, Kre, Nic, Ana, Kap, Thrak, Tre, Kil, Syr, Kyp.
- Warrior: 1 Thrac.
- Nomad: 4: anywhere in Thrac, Hel, Pel, Bul, Pas, Dal, Ser, Sir, Ben, Che, Kre, Nic, Ana, Kap, Thrak, Tre, Kil, Syr, Kyp.
- Militia: 19: 1 ea. Thrac, Hel, Pel, Bul, Pas, Dal, Ser, Sir, Ben, Che, Kre, Nic, Ana, Kap, Thrak, Tre, Kil, Syr, Kyp.
- Fleet: 1 SoM.
Byzantine Rebel
- Warrior: 1 Geo.
- Militia: 2 Geo.
Muslim
- Basileus: Vas.
- Nomad: 8: 4 Vas; 2 ea. Kur, Mes.
Muslim Rebels
- Militia: 4: 2 ea. Pal, Cal.
Frank
- Basileus: Sic.
- Warrior: 4: 2 ea. Lom, Sic.
- Militia: 1 Lom.
- Fleet: 2 TS.
Khazar
- Basileus: Rus.
- Warrior: 1 Rus.
- Nomad: 2 Rus.
- Militia: 1 Rus.
Khazar Rebel
- Nomad: 5: 2 Mag; 1 ea. Ava, Pat, Tra.
- Militia: 10: 2 ea. Cro, Mag, Ava, Pat, Tra.
Special rules
- Pillage: Sic and Vas start pillaged.
- Colonies: Syr has a Muslim (not Byzantine) colony. Ser, Sir and Par have Khazar (not Byzantine) colonies.
- At game start, Thrace has a Byzantine colony. For every other Byzantine-controlled area, roll 1d6: 1-4 place a Byzantine colony; 5-6 place no colony.
Extra Scenario A: 568-588, The First Threat
Covers the period of the Khazar's offensive into the Balkans, the entrance of the Persian Empire into the conflict, and the attempt of the Byzantines to recover lost territory.
Khazar
- Basileus: place in Patzenaks.
- Nomad: 8: anywhere in Cro, Mag, Ava, Rus, Pat.
- Militia: 5: 1 ea. Cro, Mag, Ava, Rus, Pat.
Khazar Rebel
- Nomad: 1 Tra.
Byzantine
- Basileus: place in Thrace.
- Field army: 6: anywhere in Lom, Ben, Sic, Sir, Ser, Dal, Bul, Hel, Pel, Par, Thrac, Kre, Che, Tre, Nic, Thrak, Ana, Kap, Kil, Mes, Syr, Pal, Kyp.
- Militia: 23: 1 ea. Lom, Ben, Sic, Sir, Ser, Dal, Bul, Hel, Pel, Par, Thrac, Kre, Che, Tre, Nic, Thrak, Ana, Kap, Kil, Mes, Syr, Pal, Kyp.
- Fleet: 7: 2 SoM; 1 ea. WBS, AEG, GoK, IS, ADR.
Byzantine Rebel
- Militia: 2: 1 ea. Geo, Vas.
Persian
- Basileus: place in Caliphate.
- Nomad: 7: anywhere in Cal, Kur, East.
- Militia: 2: 1 ea. Cal, Kur.
Lombard
- Basileus: Ist.
- Nomad units: 1 Ist.
- Militia units: 1 Ist.
Special rules
- Must use the optional rule concerning Istria (worth $2).
- No Warrior units are available to any player.
- East offmap area touches only Geo, Vas, Cal and Kur.
- Persians: enter the game on Turn 4 if not prior, and if not a Byzantine ally.
- Colonies: place Khazar (not Byzantine) colonies in Sir and Ser. Byzantines will need extra colony markers made.
Extra Scenario B: 622-628, The Persian War
Covers the Byzantines' brilliant recovery (or attempted recovery) of land lost to an aggressive Persian Empire that nearly topples the Byzantine Empire.
Byzantine
- Basileus: Syr.
- Field army: 8: anywhere in Ben, Sic, Dal, Hel, Thrac, Pel, Kre, Kyp, Che, Syr.
- Militia: 10: 1 ea. Ben, Sic, Dal, Hel, Pel, Thrac, Kre, Kyp, Che, Syr.
- Fleet: 5: 2 SoM; 1 ea. IS, AEG, GoK.
Byzantine Rebel
- Militia: 2: 1 ea. Geo, Vas.
Persian
- Basileus: East.
- Nomad: 6: 3 ea. Nic, East.
- Militia: 12: 1 ea. Nic, Thrak, Ana, Tre, Kap, Kil, Geo, Vas, Mes, Kur, Cal, Pal.
Khazar
- Basileus: North.
- Nomad: 4: 2 North; 2 anywhere in Cro, Ser, Mag, Ava, Rus, Pat, Par, Sir, Bul.
- Militia: 9: 1 ea. Cro, Ser, Mag, Ava, Rus, Pat, Par, Sir, Bul.
Khazar Rebel
- Militia: 1 Tra.
Lombard
- Basileus: Ist.
- Nomad: 2: anywhere in Ist, Lom.
- Militia: 2: 1 ea. Ist, Lom.
Special rules
- Must use the optional rule concerning Istria (worth $2).
- No Warrior units are available to any player.
- East offmap area touches only Geo, Vas, Kur, Cal and Ara.
- There is no West offmap area.
- Colonies: Byzantine in Nic; Persian in Syr. These represent the fact that the areas were just conquered prior to the scenario.
- There is no feudalism (replacement of colonies with units).