Hoplomachus: Rise of Rome Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• What's Inside
• Board Overview
  • Board Glossary
• Chip Types
• Goal
• Setup
• Starting a Game
  • Unit Chip Glossary
• Phase 1: Unit & Tactic Deployment
• Phase 2: Movement
• Phase 3: Attacking & Crowd Favor
  • Attack Sequence:
• Phase 4: Draw
• Crowd Favor
  • CF Rewards:
• Foothold/Archer (F/A) Chip
• Titans
• Titan Single-Player Setup
  • Objective
  • General Titan Rules and Terminology:
  • Example Titan Card: Oceanus
  • Titan Turn Sequence
  • Titan-Summoned Units
  • Titan-Summoned Unit Traits:
• First Round Walkthrough
• Titan 2-Player Co-op Rules
• 2 x 2 Player Rules for Hoplo: TLC Arena
• Reference: Abilities, Alt Attacks, Innates
• Credits

What's Inside

• This Rulebook.
• 1 Gaming Mat
• 7 Reference Cards
• 10 Six-sided Dice: yellow x3, blue x2, green x2, black x2, white (plain pip) x1
• 2 Crowd Favor Counters
• 2 Chip Bags
• 75 Health Chips
• 1 Flip Chip
• 48 Unit & Tactic Chips:
  • Rome: Champion x1, Gladiators x10, Tactics x4
  • Pompeii: Champion x1, Gladiators x10, Tactics x4
  • Arena Chips: Titans/Gladiators x6, Shards x4, Footholds x8
• 2 City Emblem Chips (Rome, Pompeii)

Board Overview

The board overview diagram labels the following features (arrows point from the label to the board): Die Legend, Earned Foothold/Archer Circle, City Prep Area Circle, Crowd Favor Meter & Rewards, Champion Hex, Inner Deployment Hex, Outer Deployment Hex, Reference Information, Pedestal Hex, Titan Hex, Battle Scroll, and Health Chip Stack.

Board Glossary

Champion Hex: To start the game, players may choose from 4 starting hexes.

Pedestal Hex: These 4 hexes cannot be moved onto by any units. Foothold Archers and Shards will be occupying these hexes based on the game mode you are playing.

Outer Deployment Hex: Gladiators are placed on one of these hexes when being deployed. Each player has 2 hexes available to them at the start of the game.

Titan Hex: Functions like an Outer Deployment Hex with two exceptions: 1) Any team may use this hex to deploy a unit. 2) If a unit is on this hex at the start of its turn, that unit takes 1 dmg. In solo play, the Titan is placed on this hex to start the game.

Inner Deployment Hex: Functions like an Outer Deployment Hex with two exceptions: 1) Any team may use this hex to deploy a unit. 2) While on this hex, unit is limited to movement only. (Attacks, Abilities, Tact. Range, etc. do not work). Players can access all 6 of these hexes to start.

City Prep Area Circle: A city chip is drawn and kept here until played within the arena.

Earned Foothold/Archer Circle: An earned F/A chip is kept here until played.

Crowd Favor Reward Circle: Starting location for a Crowd Favor Reward.

Chip Types

Unit Chip: Units are used to do battle in the arena. Units include Champions and Gladiators.

Tactic Chip: Tactics are used to support or hinder units in the arena.

Titan Chip: Titans fight alone in the Arena, and they are used in solo and co-op modes.

Titan Shard Chip: Titan Shards hold the key to defeating the Titans in solo and co-op modes.

Foothold/Archer Chip (F/A Chip): A F/A Chip is played in one of two ways: as a Foothold on an arena hex or as an Archer on a Pedestal Hex.

Health Chip: Health chips are placed underneath a unit entering the arena. The amount is based on each unit's starting health stat. When a unit no longer has health under it, it is defeated.

NOTE: As we move through this rulebook, we will be doing it from a PvP (Player vs Player) perspective. Solo and Co-op game modes are covered in gross detail within their own section after PvP.

Goal

A player must eliminate an opponent's Champion to win. If you are playing a Solo or Co-op game, you must eliminate the Titan while keeping the Champion(s) alive.

Setup

Roll out the game mat. Place a few stacks of health chips as indicated on the Board Overview. Each player must select a city to represent. All cities consist of 1 Champion, 2 special gladiators, 8 basic gladiators, and 4 tactics. Each player places their city's Crowd Favor (CF) counter bead at the center point on the CF Meter.

Gather all CF Rewards (white chips) and separate the F/A Chips from the CF Gladiators. Randomly draw your CF Gladiator and place it on the middle CF Reward Circle. Choose your F/A set (gold or silver) and place them on your opponent's remaining 4 CF Reward Circles. Now trade your mid-right CF Reward Chip with your opponent's mid-right chip (because this CF Reward will be going to you, not your opponent).

Set aside your Champion. Place all of your city's gladiators and tactics (Orange, Purple) into your chip bag and shake it up. The Extra City Chip is not used within the game.

Starting a Game

Flip the flippin' Flip Chip to see who starts. Both Champions start the game inactive (black & white side up) along with 10 health chips stacked underneath them. Player 1 places their Champion stack on one of the 2 Champion Hexes on their side of the board. Player 2 then does the same. At this point, until the Champion is activated, it can do nothing except take damage.

Each player will draw 4 chips from their bag, and place them face down on their City Prep Area circles. You will treat these as your concealed hand and may view them whenever you like. If at any time during the game you have 4 unplayable tactics, show them to your opponent, place them back in your chip bag and redraw.

A player's turn has 4 phases:

Deploy → Move → Attack → Draw

Each phase is completed one at a time and in order. Once you move to a new phase, you cannot go back to an earlier one. After the last phase has been completed, your turn is over. Gameplay is conducted with players taking consecutive turns. Once all players complete their turns, the turn cycle, or round, is over.

Unit Chip Glossary

Health: Shown by Health chips under unit.

Attack Range: Unit may attack target up to this many hexes away (an attack range of 1 can only attack adjacent units).

Move Range: Unit may move up to this number of hexes on their turn.

Tactical Range: Unit may play a tactic on target up to this many hexes away. Tactics can always be played on yourself.

Basic Attack Dice: Use these dice when rolling for a Basic Attack.

Alternate Attack: Use this attack in place of this unit's Basic Attack.

Ability: This can be used once per turn and as soon as the unit is deployed.

Innate: This is always active as soon as the unit is deployed.

Unit Type: Types include - Champion, City Gladiator, Archer, Attacker, Defender, and Tactician.

Phase 1: Unit & Tactic Deployment

Each turn, a player has the option of playing 1 Gladiator and/or 1 Tactic. These can be your City Chips or your earned F/A Chips (Footholds count as Tactics and Archers count as gladiators). If playing a gladiator, place it onto any one of your available Deployment Hexes (place health chips underneath the gladiator in the amount indicated on the chip). All Deployment Hexes are available except the 2 nearest to your opponent. Any gladiator just deployed cannot move or attack until the next turn. Some abilities may allow for this (e.g., First Strike, Initiative) unless you are on an Inner Deployment Hex in yellow below.

Diagram: the board is marked with Player 1 only Deployment Hexes, Player 1 & 2 Joint Deployment Hexes (units are limited to movement only), a Player 1 & 2 Joint Deployment Hex (unit takes 1 dmg at the start of turn), and Player 2 only Deployment Hexes.

If playing a tactic on an enemy, it can only be played on a unit within the tactical range of one of your own units. A unit with 'Tactical Range 3' must be within three hexes of the target unit during your deployment phase. A gladiator's Tactical Range is immediately available upon deployment.

Diagram: one example shows a unit with a Tactical Range of 3 that is unable to play tactics - even on himself, because an Inner Deployment Hex nullifies Tactical Range. Another example shows a unit with a Tactical Range of 2 able to see a friendly unit to play a tactic on it, and a unit with a Tactical Range of 1 able to see an enemy to play a harmful tactic on it.

NOTE!! Single turn tactics (e.g., Stun) are placed on top of the affected unit. Permanent effects (e.g., Hamstring and Adrenaline) are placed between the unit chip and its health chips. Hamstring removes any Adrenaline effects because it drops movement to zero (remove the Adrenaline chip). If Hamstring is played first, Adrenaline will increase that unit's move range from 0 to 1 (in this case, keep both Adrenaline and Hamstring chips under unit).

Phase 2: Movement

During this phase you may move each of your units based on their move range. You do not have to move the full range of the unit. Once you choose to move a unit, you cannot 'save' part of the its movement for later during this phase (e.g., you cannot move a Tactician out of the way for other units to pass by, and then step back where it was).

In order to move to another hex, that hex must not be occupied. It's not possible to move "through" another unit unless a specific ability allows for this. Be sure to check for movement modifiers (e.g., Adrenaline, Hamstring) under units before moving them.

Phase 3: Attacking & Crowd Favor

After completing the move phase, you may choose to attack, if possible. Each of your units may use either its basic or alternate attack, if they are within range (refer to each unit's attack range to determine this). Line of sight is not needed for ranged attacks.

To make an attack, roll all of the Basic Attack Dice indicated on that specific unit. There are 4 attack dice colors, each with its own odds of landing a HIT. Each 'H' that is rolled is a HIT of 1 damage, and each blank is a MISS. Any HIT damage is immediate, and your opponent may respond with a defensive ability (e.g., Intercept Blow, Retaliate).

Move and Attack Examples: Attackers can move a distance of 2 hexes but cannot move thru other units. Attacker must choose only one target when performing a Basic Attack. Or the Attacker may choose to try its Alt Attack to hit both units.

For each HIT, your opponent must remove a health chip from under the unit receiving the damage. In Rise of Rome, Crowd Favor points are counted for each damage you deal.

DO NOT FORGET: Crowd Favor points are tallied as you go! Be sure to count them on your CF Meter as soon as they are earned!

Attack Dice: 5/6 Hit, 4/6 Hit, 3/6 Hit, 2/6 Hit

NOTE!! It is considered proper etiquette to state your attacks loud and clear, along with pointing out the attacking unit followed by the unit being attacked. Also, should you roll a successful attack, allow your opponent to remove his/her own health and unit chips. It is the responsibility of your opponent to make any ability declarations during this time.

Attack Sequence:

1. Choose one of your units to perform an attack and declare if it's a Basic or Alt Attack.
2. Declare the target opposing unit.
3. Basic attack: Select the Basic Attack Dice pictured on your unit. Make sure to include all Attack modifications that apply to this unit. For an Alt Attack, refer to description given for that attack.
4. Roll all dice and add up the total number of "HITS".
5. Your opponent now has a chance to use an ability such as Intercept Blow or Retaliate.
6. For each "HIT" suffered, your opponent must remove a health chip from under the unit receiving the hit. When the last health chip is removed, the unit is defeated and removed from play (cannot be used again this game).
7. Repeat this sequence for each unit you intend to attack with during this phase.

Phase 4: Draw

If you haven't drawn yet, replenish to 4 chips in your City Prep Area if you are able. Unlike Hoplomachus: The Lost Cities, there is no penalty for having open City Prep Area Circles towards the end of the game.

As you earn CF Foothold Reward chips, they are placed on your Earned Foothold or Archer Circles immediately. If both Earned Foothold or Archer Circles are filled, you must discard one.

Your turn is over.

Crowd Favor

Crowd Favor (CF) is earned a number of ways. The crowd grants you +1 CF for each health chip taken from an opponent (points are taken immediately). Opponents include Gladiators, Champions, Titans, F/A Archers, and Pillars.

For each CF point earned, move your bead 1 point towards a CF Reward of your choosing (the center reward must be earned last). Every 5th point instantly grants you an Arena Unlock and gives your opponent the F/A Chip (with one exception*). Be sure to reset your bead after each unlock. After 20 CF points, the center reward may now be pursued. This chip is yours to earn! Refer to the CF Meter below to see who gets what rewards.

Diagram of the CF Meter: five reward positions run left to right along the meter. From the left, callouts read "Activate your Champion" (purple/orange arrows), "May reroll 1 Basic Atk die per turn" (purple/orange arrows), "The crowd has granted you a gladiator!" over the center CF Gladiator, "Earn this CF chip / Move a Foothold to an adjacent hex (immediately)", and "You may now use all deployment hexes" (purple/orange arrows).

CF Rewards:

Far-Left: Arena Unlock - Your Champion is activated. If reward is reached on your turn, your Champion cannot move or attack until next turn. Opponent gets F/A Chip.

Mid-Left: Arena Unlock - You may reroll one of your own Basic Attack dice once per turn (immediately after the attack). Opponent gets F/A Chip.

Mid: You unlock this CF Gladiator. Flip the gladiator up when unlocked and leave in place until deployed (which counts as playing a gladiator).

Mid-Right: You may move one of your own or one of your opponent's Footholds to an adjacent available hex. You get this F/A Chip*.

Far-Right: The far 2 Outer Deployment Hexes are now available to you. Opponent gets F/A Chip.

Foothold/Archer (F/A) Chip

The F/A Chip consists of 2 different options: the Foothold and the Archer. The Foothold can be played on any hex except the Titan Hex, a Pedestal Hex, or any hex your opponent is currently occupying. Once the Foothold is in place, only you are allowed to occupy it for the remainder of the game. If the Foothold is placed on an Inner Deployment Hex, you will be able to treat this hex as if it were an Outer Deployment Hex.

The Archer is played on any unoccupied Pedestal Hex. These gladiators, while powerful, are immobile and vulnerable to attack.

F/A Chips shown: Foothold / Amazonian Archer, Foothold / Kurinian Spearman.

NOTE: Titans and Titan-Summoned units cannot move onto Footholds. Also, Footholds cannot be played on the Titan Hex and F/A Archers cannot be placed on a Pedestal Hex unless that hex is clear of all chips.

This completes the PvP rules of Hoplomachus: Rise of Rome. Now it's time to challenge a Titan in Solo or Co-op!

Titans

The Colosseum just got more interesting.

Menoetius — Difficulty ★☆☆ — Plays like 3 stars until you learn his weakness.

Oceanus — Difficulty ★★★ — An army of one and also... an army!

Cronus — Difficulty ★★★ — Aggressive and relentless.

Theia — Difficulty ★★☆ — If only you knew her next move...

Titan Single-Player Setup

Challenge a Titan and grab its corresponding Titan card. Place the active Titan on the Titan Hex with its health. Create and place 4 Pillars using the "Pillar Setup" instructions on the Titan card.

Choose a City to play. Place your inactive Champion with health on one of your 2 Champion Hexes. Shuffle all gladiators and draw 6. Choose 1 tactic to use in this battle. Put the 7 chips into your bag, draw 4 and place them onto your 4 Prep Area Circles.

Draw a CF Gladiator and then place your 4 F/A Chips on your Crowd Favor Meter. All earned CF Rewards will go to you.

Finally, if facing Oceanus, select another City and set all gladiators (no Champions) in a random, face-down, pile off to the side. Oceanus may summon these 10 gladiators (once each) to the arena to face you.

Single Player setup is complete! You are ready to play!

Objective

To win, the Titan must fall. However, you will not be able to defeat it until you have dealt with the 4 Titan shards. They are key!

Shards are activated by destroying the pillars in the 4 corners of the arena. Damage a pillar like you would an opposing unit (e.g., Basic Atk, Long Shot, Whirlwind, etc). Once a pillar has been destroyed, the shard is then handled as directed on the Titan card.

If you lose your Champion during the course of the battle, the game is over. If you lose your first few confrontations, don't give up! After all...they're TITANS!

General Titan Rules and Terminology:

• A Titan ignores all negative effects from the Pit and Titan Hex.
• When executing movements or attacks for the Titan or Titan-Summoned units, attempt to perform the action using only the first condition before moving on to the second. For example: Titan moves toward the closest > weakest unit. First determine which of your units are "closest". If only one option exists, complete the move. If there are multiple units that fit this rule, then determine which of these closest units is the "weakest". If there are still multiple units, it is then your choice which unit the Titan will target.
• "Closest" in reference to movement means "shortest possible available route".
• When instructed to use a D6 to determine placement or direction, use the red die and the Die Legend.

Example Titan Card: Oceanus

Titan: Oceanus — Atk Range: 1 + X (Atk Range increases by 1 hex for every active shard in play) — HP: 12 — Titan Dice: black, green, green, blue — Difficulty: ★★★

Movement Oceanus always returns to the Titan Hex at the start of his Action Order. If there is a unit occupying that hex, Oceanus trades places with it.

• 1 black hit - Move: Oceanus moves 1 hex (if possible). Roll a D6 to determine the direction.

Special

• 1 black + 1 green hit - Call Forth: Oceanus summons a gladiator to the Titan Hex. If occupied, roll a D6 and place the unit on the first available Inner Deployment Hex (in clockwise order).
• 1 black + 2 green hits - Greater Call Forth: Oceanus summons a CF Gladiator to the Titan Hex if available. If no CF Gladiators can be summoned, Oceanus summons 2 gladiators.

Attack

• 1 black hit - Basic Attack: Attacks closest > weakest unit within current Atk Range using: black, blue, blue dice.
• 1 black + 1 blue hits - Tidal Wave: Roll a D6, all units in that direction are drawn directly toward Oceanus as close as they can come. Oceanus then hits ALL opposing units up to 1 + X* hex(es) away for 1 dmg (not just one direction).
• 1 yellow hit - Trident Stun: Stuns the closest unit holding a Titan Shard (anywhere in the arena).
• 2 yellow hits - Trident Storm: Stuns all units holding Titan Shards.

Titan Turn Sequence

1. Roll all Titan dice listed on the Titan card.
2. Use all "Hits" to execute the card's Action Order from top to bottom (e.g., 1 Black and 2 Green "Hits" means Oceanus will Move and then perform "Greater Call Forth").
3. Once the Action Order is complete, the Titan's turn is done.

Titan-Summoned Units

Certain Titans may summon units as part of their Action Order or to start the battle as indicated on the Titan card. When a summoned unit is on the board, it performs its turn sequence in tandem with the Titan. The Titan always performs its first action (e.g., Movement) first and then all summoned units perform their moves. The same is true for attacking - the Titan attacks and then summoned units attack.

Titan-Summoned Unit Traits:

• Shard Bound: Unit will always move toward the closest > weakest unit holding a shard. If no shard is active, these units will move toward the closest > weakest Champion. For attacks (within range): weakest shard unit > weakest Champion > weakest unit.
• Movement range is listed on each unit. If a unit cannot get closer to its target on its move phase, it will still move, taking the shortest route possible to reach its target.
• Units move immediately when summoned. Subsequent move phases happen after the Titan moves.
• Units attack the same turn they are summoned.
• Units only perform Basic Attacks (no Alt Attacks).
• Abilities are not used. Innates still apply.
• All multiple-choice moves or attacks are up to player to make (e.g., 2 possible directions a summoned unit could go, a tie for the weakest unit). Use this to your advantage!

First Round Walkthrough

You begin the game by taking your turn (all 4 phases: Deploy, Movement, Attack, Draw). Your turn is over. Remember, the 7 chips you start with in your bag is all you get!

Titan's turn: Refer to your Titan card, roll its dice. Follow the Titan's Action Order. Once all actions have been performed, play goes back to you. Don't forget about possible Titan-Summoned units or Titan F/A Archers that follow the Titan's move and attack actions.

TIP: Be sure to study the Titan's connection to its shards to figure out what you need to do. Also, don't forget to tally CF to unlock those precious F/A Chips and eventually your CF Gladiator.

Titan 2-Player Co-op Rules

Win Conditions: You will face 2 random Titans, one at a time. In each game, the Titan must fall and both Champions must survive. After the first game, reset everything except for both Champions' health.

Setup: Players each start with 3 random gladiators and 1 chosen tactic. Place both inactive Champions on your 2 Champion Hexes. Each player will use 2 City Prep Area Circles. If facing Oceanus, a third city is required (from Hoplo: TLC) to be summoned from.

Crowd Favor Reward Meter and F/A chips are shared. Either player can use these on their turn. Each player must use their own units' Tactical Range to play their tactics.

Gameplay: Turn order is P1, P2, Titan, P1...

2 x 2 Player Rules for Hoplo: TLC Arena

Requirements: You will need both Hoplo: TLC and Hoplo: RoR games.

Win Conditions: Both opposing Champions must fall. A fallen Champion prevents further chip playing from that player, but does not remove current active gladiators.

Setup: All teams draw a City Emblem Chip from the bag (from all 5 cities) to determine their city. Each player will start with 1 of each gladiator type and secretly choose two tactics. These 7 chips go in your bag. Draw only 2 chips since each player uses just 2 City Prep Area Circles.

This game uses Pozzuoli Arena rules with a few modifications: 1) End game: Instead of needing 4 playable chips at the start of your turn, each player needs 2 playable chips (count your City chips + shared CF chips) or else your Champion will take 2 dmg. 2) Teams contribute to the same CF Meter and share the rewards. 3) When earning CF points for your team, only your own units on CF Stones earn you points. 4) Innates and Abilities may benefit your teammates and Abilities may only be used once per round (either player's turn, but in the correct phase).

Gameplay: Each team player alternates turns (Team A-Player 1, B-2, A-3, B-4).

Reference: Abilities, Alt Attacks, Innates

Abilities are usable once/turn. Alt Attacks are used in place of a unit's Basic Attack. Innates are always active.

Absorb: When attacked and hit with a Basic Attack, unit takes 1 less damage.

Consuming Impel: A single friendly unit up to 2 hexes away gains another Basic or Alt Attack this turn. Usable during attack phase only.

First Strike: Unit can attack the same turn it is deployed.

Impel: A single adjacent friendly unit gains another Basic Attack this turn. Usable during attack phase only.

Initiative: Unit can move the same turn it is deployed.

Intercept Blow: When a Basic Attack damages an adjacent friendly unit, this unit can intercept that entire damage. Damage cannot be split up.

Long Shot: Roll 1 yellow die to attempt a 1 dmg ranged attack up to 4 hexes away.

Pervasive Absorb: All adjacent units gain Absorb (not the Champion). When adjacent units are attacked with Basic Attack, units take 1 less damage.

Reposition: Instead of attacking, unit may move 1 hex during its attack phase.

Retaliate: When attacked and hit with a Basic Atk by an adjacent unit, do 1 damage back to the attacking unit (even if this unit is defeated).

Stationed: Unit cannot move or be displaced from its starting hex.

Strategic Attack: All friendly adjacent units gain an additional yellow die to use with their Basic Atk this turn.

Stun: Roll 1 blue die to attempt to Stun an adjacent unit. A stunned unit must be flipped over and ignores all stats and effects but its health. Stun lasts one full round until the start of that phase. Stunned beasts cannot lock players in place. Champions and Bosses CAN be stunned by a gladiator (not a tactic).

Whirlwind: Roll (x) blue dice equal to total adjacent opposing units - total damage is applied to all adjacent opposing units.

Credits

A Game By Adam Carlson Josh Carlson

Graphic Design/Artwork Josh Carlson Public Domain

Publisher Chip Theory Games

The Titan's Herald Per Kristian Schanke

The Elite Equestrian Kai Malzahn

Chief Testing & Support Kirk Dyreson

Rulebook Editor Ernie Juan

Box Cover Art Christopher Adajar

FAQ: Are you stumped on a specific rule or an odd situation in the game? Search our website FAQ page for answers!

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