Imperium Romanum
Imperium Romanum Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- 1.0 Introduction
- 2.0 Components
- 3.0 General Rules
- 4.0 Game Sequence
- 5.0 Powers, Provinces, & Units
- 6.0 Taxation & Talents
- 7.0 Roman Mobilization
- 8.0 Recruiting by Accrual
- 9.0 Seasons
- 10.0 Naval Operations (NOP)
- 11.0 Roads & Cultivation
- 12.0 Land Movement
- 13.0 Supply
- 14.0 Land Combat
- 15.0 Seasoning Units
- 16.0 Cities
- 17.0 Siege
- 18.0 Leaders
- 19.0 Morale, Rebellion, & Treachery
- 20.0 Power Dissolution
- 21.0 Field Fortifications
- 22.0 Imperial Capitals & Grain Supply
- 23.0 Inactive Powers & Client States
- 24.0 Plunder
- 25.0 Winning the Game
- Special Rules (26.0-38.0)
- 26.0 Civilized Recruitment
- 27.0 Pirates & Rhodus
- 28.0 Roman Civil Wars
- 29.0 Militia
- 30.0 Limitanei
- 31.0 Legion Reform
- 32.0 Overruns
- 33.0 Grain Under Constantinople
- 34.0 Fleet Conversion
- 35.0 Training
- 36.0 Roman Archers
- 37.0 Special Minor Powers
- 38.0 Special Leader Rules
- Optional Rules
- 39.0 Random Events
- 40.0 Combat Rules
- 41.0 City-Centric Game
- 42.0 Divine Intervention
- 43.0 Treasure Cities
- 44.0 Roman Usurpation
- 45.0 Plague
- Variable City Chart
1.0 Introduction
These rules use the following color system: red for critical points such as errata and exceptions, Blue for examples of play. Check for e-rules updates to this game at http://decisiongames.com/wpsite/e-rules/
Imperium Romanum is a military, political, and economic game simulating some of the numerous wars of the Roman Empire, from its foundation in the chaos of the civil wars of the final years of the Republic in the first century BC to its fall nearly 600 years later.
IR has 41 scenarios, including three introductory ones. These range from the Mithridatic wars (88-63 BC) through more than six centuries of greatness and decline to the final burst of glory in the last Romano-Persian War (AD 622-629). Between two and six persons may play, depending on the scenario chosen. Not all scenarios are balanced, because the situations being simulated were not balanced. The game lends itself well to solitaire play.
2.0 Components
A complete set of Imperium Romanum contains:
- Three 22 x 34 inch game maps
- Four counter sheets
- One rules book
- One scenario book
- One 11 x 17 inch Two Sided Combat Charts
- One 11 x 17 inch Two Sided Mobilization Charts
- One 11 x 17 inch One Sided Sketch Map
- Ten 8.5 x 11 inch Power Record Forms
- Two six-sided dice
2.1 The Game Map
The three map sheets depict the Mediterranean basin, most of the Middle East, and some adjacent areas, plus various tracks. Before playing the game, lay them out adjacent to each other, overlapping them slightly to mate the terrain and hex grid. The maps are labeled Map A (western map), Map B (central map) and Map C (eastern map).
Errata: Some provinces on the map show more than one provincial capital. The Province Display lists the correct hex number for the capital of each province.
2.2 Time Period
Imperium Romanum covers a period of seven centuries. Each of the scenarios provided with the game covers one of the great Roman wars. Before setting up the game, the players must decide which scenario they wish to play. The scenario instructions indicate the period in which the scenario takes place. There are six periods which, for the sake of historical information, are:
- Period 1: 88 BC to 51 BC
- Period 2: 50 BC to AD 30
- Period 3: AD 30 to AD 255
- Period 4: AD 256 to AD 300
- Period 5: AD 301 to AD 385
- Period 6: AD 386 to AD 629
2.3 Ports
Ports are represented on the game map by ship symbols. Ports in transient city hexes exist only when the city exists. Ports in non-city hexes always exist. There are two ports on rivers:
- Londinium (A2010): Fleets can enter Londinium from A2011 or A2110.
- Hispalis (A1530): Fleets can enter Hispalis from A1431 or A1531.
2.4 The Rules
You will need to read sections 1.0 through 25.0 before beginning to play. Depending on the scenario chosen, you may also be required to read some or all of rule sections 26.0 through 28.0. In addition, there are number of optional rules which may add interest to the game; however, they do increase complexity and playing time.
2.5 The Scenario Book
The instructions will tell you how to set up the counters and record sheets for each specific scenario. We recommend that novice players start with one of the following introductory scenarios:
- Scenario 1: The Gallic Revolt
- Scenario 2: Pompey vs the Pirates
- Scenario 12: Trajan's Conquest of Dacia
2.6 Counters
2.6.1 Combat Units
Most counters represent military units and leaders. In most scenarios, the front of each military unit represents a veteran unit, and when the unit is unseasoned, its back (reduced strength) side is used. The front side of a fleet counter represents two fleets, the back side, one fleet.
Counter anatomy (as labelled on the rules' illustrations):
- Unit counters show a unit symbol, a unit ID, a Combat Strength and a Movement Allowance. The back (unseasoned) side shows the reduced Combat Strength and Movement Allowance.
- A Combat Strength inside a black box denotes a Missile Unit; otherwise it is a Non-Missile Unit. Horse archers are Missile Units.
- Unit types: Heavy Infantry (Legion), Light Infantry, Heavy Cavalry, Light Cavalry, and Fortifications. Each type appears in Roman, Civilized Non-Roman and Barbarian forms.
- Leader counters show a name (named leader) or are generic, with a Movement Allowance and a Leader Value.
Important: Different leaders may be printed on the front and back of some leader counters. Some leaders appear on more than one counter. Ensure you select the correct color for each leader.
Note: heavy cavalry, light infantry, and light cavalry units all have two icons. Players may use them how they wish, different icons within the same type have no effect on play.
Baggage Trains: show a Baggage Train ID and a Number of Supply Points. Important: Baggage Trains have an MA of four. The black and white dots are only used if players use the counters and maps to play IR II.
Fleets: the front shows the Combat Strength and "2 Fleet"; the back shows "1 Fleet". Fleets also have a Movement Allowance.
2.6.2 Markers
All other counters that are not units or leaders are called markers. Markers are used to aid players during play of the game. Markers include: Track Markers, Under Construction, No City Marker, Siege, Plunder, Training, Arrow, and Control markers (front and back).
Note: Additional Control Markers are printed on the back of some leader counters.
2.7 Unit Scale
Each legion represents from 2,500 to 5,000 men.
Important: Size and legion equivalent are not the same.
2.7.1 Legion Equivalents
The size of combat units is measured in terms of Legion Equivalents (LE). LE are used when using naval transport and determining supply usage.
a) Roman Legions, Non-Roman civilized troops (16-9 and 20-9), and Barbarian (20-8) units are the same size as legions. b) All other non-Legion, Heavy Cavalry or 18-30 Fleets represent units of varying size smaller than these units. The 36-30 war fleets are two 18-30 fleets combined into one counter for ease of play. Each leader counter represents an individual with his staff and escorts.
- All heavy infantry, heavy cavalry, baggage trains and each 18-30 fleet (if inside a besieged port) are equal to one LE.
- All other units are counted as one-half LE.
2.7.2 Game Scale
The map is drawn at a scale of 1:5,000,000. Each hex is approximately 50 miles across, or roughly 1,600 square miles, although this varies slightly with latitude. Each game turn represents one month of real time.
3.0 General Rules
General rules take precedence over all other rules in the game.
Important: Unless otherwise noted, all fractions are rounded down, but never below one.
3.1 Exact Positions
Some hexes contain small portions of land separated by water, such as offshore islands, the opposite sides of a strait, etc. When a unit is placed in such a hex, position it within the hex so that it is clear which part of the hex it occupies. A land unit may not cross straits simply because the straits are wholly contained within the same hex nor may a unit on one island attack a unit on another simply because portions of both islands are in the same hex. You will note that some hexes contain islands of different terrain types; this is purposeful and intended. A unit is considered to occupy the terrain of the island on which it is located.
3.1.1 Island Boxes
Because islands or promontories can be quite small, there are a series of boxes along the edge of the map sheet, each denoted by a hex number and one or more letters that correspond to the highlighted island or promontory. When placing units on an island or promontory, use these to hold the counters that are on that island or promontory. Units that are not on the highlighted land area remain in the hex on the main map.
Designer's Note: Although unrealistic, treat islands or promontories as if they were complete hexes for purposes of supply and stacking.
3.1.2 Water Separated by Land
If a hex contains two bodies of water separated by land, a naval unit cannot move from one body of water to the other and must be positioned on the game map to indicate its actual location.
3.2 Limited Intelligence
Aside from the top unit, a player may not examine a stack of units belonging to another player unless both players have units in the same hex. This applies to units in Island Boxes (18.2).
3.3 Stacking
Stacking is the piling on of more than one counter in a hex. There are no stacking limits in IR. A player may stack as many units in a hex as he desires.
Important: The number of combat units in a hex will affect a player's ability to supply those units (13.0).
4.0 Game Sequence
Imperium Romanum is played in game turns. Each game turn represents 30 days or one month. Each game turn is divided as follows.
- Game Year, Month, and Turn Record (Phase) Tracks are printed on the map. Markers are provided for each. The three markers are used to record the year, game turn, and phase being played.
- Each year of twelve months is divided into quarters. Every quarter (three months) during the Taxation and Mobilization Phase, all players collect taxes and recruit new units.
- Each new game turn (month) follows the same sequence of play. The Optional Random Events, Taxation and Mobilization, Diplomacy, and Fortification Phases are conducted by all applicable players simultaneously.
Random Events Phase (Optional): During the March, June, September and December game turns only. Follow the procedures outlined in 39.0. The effects of random events are resolved immediately.
Taxation and Mobilization Phase: During the March, June, September and December game turns only. Each player collects taxes and minor powers accrue replacement points. Each player may build combat units and baggage trains.
Diplomacy Phase: Each game turn, players may negotiate with each other, to form alliances, lend or give each other money or troops, ransom captured leaders, etc. These agreements need not be conveyed to the other players. When all players agree negotiations are at an end, they then check for minor power or barbarian activation, determine the farthest powers for the command of activated minor powers, and in the April and November game turns check to determine whether winter or summer prevails.
Fortification Phase: Players simultaneously replace each under construction marker with a fortification marker representing the number of fortifications levels built.
Naval Operations Phase: All naval operations are conducted by each side during this phase. Land units may be embarked and/or debarked. The sequence in which each side conducts their operations is determined by the naval operations rules.
- Active Player Naval Operations Segment: The active player moves his naval units. Other players may attempt interception with their naval units. Naval combat is resolved. During naval movement, land units may be picked up or dropped off, and transported by naval units that are being moved.
- Next Active Player Naval Operations Segment: The next active player in sequence conducts naval operations in the same manner as the active player. This continues until all players have completed their Naval Operations Segment (10.1).
First Player Turn: The order that players move is dictated by scenario instructions. Each player turn consists of several segments.
- Land Movement Segment: a) The active player determines the supply condition for units he wishes to activate for this segment. Units that are not in supply may not activate. Important: Out of supply units are not eliminated at this time. b) The player moves his active land units. Non-active players may attempt interception with their land units.
- Land Combat Segment: Land combat is resolved.
- Siege Resolution Segment: The owner of besieged units rolls on the Siege Attrition Table for each of his besieged cities or fortifications.
- Supply Segment: The player checks supply for all units that were not supplied in the Land Movement Segment and eliminates out-of-supply units.
Second & Subsequent Player Turns: The second player follows the same steps outlined above and then the third player, and so on until all players have moved. Once all players have conducted their player turn, advance the month marker by one space. Play then proceeds to the next game turn.
Important: Prior to moving the month marker, all players determine if their baggage trains replenish (13.4.1).
5.0 Powers, Provinces, & Units
5.1 Powers
A power is a Roman faction at war with others, or a state outside the Roman politic, or a group of barbarians or other military force. Normally, each player controls one major power and may control one or more minor powers, which are usually moved during that player's game turn. Minor powers may have their own player turn, as indicated in the scenario. Certain powers may be neutral (not controlled by any player).
Scenario descriptions define the powers used in that scenario.
- Each power can control units and cities. A player may not transfer cities or units between his powers.
- Powers can be major or minor, Roman, civilized non-Roman, or barbarian.
- Only major powers collect taxes; minor powers do not. Each major power has a treasury level.
- Only Roman powers have an Imperator. Non-Roman and barbarian powers have a Rex (king), or no supreme leader (18.3).
5.2 Minor Powers
Minor powers can be client states or neutral, active or inactive. Unless specified in the scenario notes, minor powers do not have their own player-turns. Normally, their units move, engage in combat, and so forth, during the player turn of the controlling major power. Unless specified in the scenario notes, minor power units may stack with and cooperate in combat with the units of the controlling player.
5.2.1 Active Client States
An active client state is completely controlled by one of the major powers.
- Units of the major power and its client states may move through client states with impunity.
- During a major power's game turn, the active player may move the client state's units, use them to attack, stack them with units of his major power, etc.
- He may not tax a client state, nor may he mobilize units of his faction or any other power in the client state's provinces. Only the client state may build units in provinces it controls.
5.2.2 Inactive Client States
Each inactive client state is controlled by one of the players.
- He may move his units through the state's provinces.
- The client state's units may not move or initiate combat.
- The client state does not accrue replacement points, until the client state is activated.
- Activation is determined by scenario instructions or if invaded by a hostile power (23.1).
5.2.3 Inactive Neutrals
Inactive neutral power's units cannot move, attack or accrue replacement points. If any other power's units enter the neutral's provinces, it is activated (23.1), and follows section 5.2.4.
5.2.4 Active Neutrals
Active neutral powers are controlled by the farthest power rule (5.3).
- The controller of a neutral power moves its units, makes its attacks, etc., during his own player-turn.
- He does not treat it like a client state, they cannot stack with any other power's units, nor can they combine in an attack with any other power.
5.3 Farthest Power/Faction Rule
The controlling player of an active neutral is the player whose closest city or combat unit is farthest away from any of that neutral's cities or units.
- Distances are measured in hexes.
- If two or more players' units are equally far from the power, each player should roll one die; the high roller controls the power.
Example: Gallaecia is a neutral power in northwest Hispania. Player A's closest unit is in Aquitania (Gaul); player B's closest city is Mediolanum (Italy). Player B controls Gallaecia.
- When determining the farthest power, ignore the presence of cities and units controlled by other neutral powers.
Example: Player A is the farthest power from both the Franks and the Burgundians. He controls them both; the fact that the Franks and the Burgundians have units close to each other does not prevent Player A from controlling them both.
- During each Diplomacy Phase, players should re-determine the farthest power. A player may lose control of a neutral if he gains cities or moves units closer to the neutral in question.
Note: This rule is sometimes referred to herein as the "Furthest Faction Rule," particularly in Roman civil war scenarios.
Important: If a scenario description does not specifically assign a province to one of the powers, the province is an inactive neutral power. This has no effect on play unless the province is invaded (23.1).
5.4 Power Record Form
Important: There are multiple copies provided in the game package. Players should make copies of these record forms for use during play. Data entered on these forms should be done in pencil, as it will change during the game. Additional copies can be downloaded from http://decisiongames.com/wpsite/e-rules/
The Power Record Form is used to record each power's provinces and keep a running tally of each province's current situation. At the beginning of each game, players should fill out a power form. Begin by writing the names of the provinces controlled. Then, the player should enter the below information for each province controlled by their power. Starting information is listed in the scenario descriptions.
- Starting Morale.
- Tax Value.
- Treasury Level.
- Total Tax Value. Tax bases may be modified by 6.1.
- The replacement rate for each controlled minor power is recorded in that minor power's Replacement Rate and any accumulated replacement points, if eligible (8.1), are recorded in Replacement Pts.
During the game players will track the following information on the Power Record.
- If the power gains or loses morale points.
- If the power loses or gains talents.
- If the power loses a province, the player should erase it from the power record and subtract the province's tax value from his tax base.
- If the Optional City-Centric Game Rule (41.0) is used, when a power loses a city in a province, the player must change the total income of that province on his Power Record and adjust his total tax value accordingly (6.1).
- If the power gains a province, the player should enter the province on his form and add its tax value to the power's total tax value.
- If the Optional City-Centric Game Rule is used, when a power gains a city in a province not listed on its controlled provinces, the player should enter the province on the form per rule 6.1, adding the city's tax value to the power's total tax value.
Important: Power Record Forms are public and may be examined by the other player(s) at any time to ensure accurate record keeping. If a player believes that there is an error in a fellow players Power Record Form the issue may be resolved by a friendly die roll or mediated by a third party.
5.5 Unit Roster
The Unit Roster records a player's mobilization of units, units of each type that his faction has in play and the combat efficiency rating CER of his units (7.3 & 14.4.3). As a player selects his units according to the scenario description or mobilizes them during game play, he writes the unit ID and color for the unit in the appropriate boxes on the Unit Roster. He then checks the box under the CER Boxes that matches the unit's CER. All a player's units are recorded on this sheet with their proper CER and status (currently in play or eliminated) recorded in whatever fashion a player wishes if these conditions are evident and would hold up to inspection by an opposing player. On the Mobilization Player Aid Card is a Maximum Build Chart that lists how many units of each type may be present with each color-coded faction.
5.6 Cities & Provinces
The scenario description indicates what provinces each power controls at the beginning of the game (6.1). Use the colored control markers on the Province Display (on map C) to record that they control that province.
Note: Additional control markers are printed on the back of otherwise blank leader counters and can be used when those leaders are not in play.
Note: Provincial capital city names are printed in all CAPS on the game map.
- A power retains control of a province if no enemy units have captured the province's capital city. An enemy unit is one controlled by another player.
Exception: When two players are allied, their units are not enemy to each other.
- A power conquers a province if: [Errata 9/27/19, 5.56 clarification] a) It captures the province's capital city, if any; and, b) It has captured at least half of the other cities in the province.
Example: It is Period 3. The capital of Italia is Roma; Italia contains 9 other cities. To gain control of Italia, a power must capture Roma and at least 5 of the other cities in Italia.
Important: It is possible for no power to control a province if one power has captured its capital but not half its cities.
- If two or more powers together meet the requirements for conquest, and they are controlled by the same player, the province has been conquered. In this case, the player decides which of his powers gains control of the province.
- A player controls a city by physically occupying the city with a combat unit or being the last player to move a combat unit through the city. If no unit occupies or has been moved through a city, it remains under the control of the power owning the province according to the scenario description.
Note: When some cities of a province are owned by one player and others by different players, they should use the control markers to indicate ownership.
Designer's Note: Several of the provinces are ahistorical, having been invented to meet the needs of scenario design.
5.6.1 Provinces Without Cities
A province that contains no cities (Germania Magna) can be conquered. A province without cities is conquered if all the below requirements are met:
- A player has class A or B fortifications in it.
- There are no hostile units within that province.
- The conquering player must pass a DR check. Roll one die and modify the result: +1: For each class A fort controlled by the conquering player in the province. In this case, each class "B" fort counts as one-half a class "A" fort (drop fractions). a) An unmodified DR of "1" is always a failure. b) If the modified result is greater than "6" the player has conquered the province.
Further:
- When a city-less province is conquered, the new owner must designate one of the forts as a city. The province may be conquered by another player if he takes that fort.
- The conquered province's tax value remains zero.
- Once the province has been conquered, the player retains control of it even if the garrisoning units subsequently leave.
- During any Mobilization Phase, the player controlling the province may recruit auxiliary units in a conquered province according to rule 7.2, treating the fortifications as cities and paying for them according to the current cost.
5.7 Units
There are ten faction colors in Imperium Romanum, purple, red, green, blue, yellow, orange, brown, tan, black, and white. The scenario description assigns one or more colors to each power.
- A power may only recruit units up to the limits for its color factions as outlined on the Maximum Unit Build Chart.
Example: If all the 4-12 light infantry units in the purple column on the table are on the game map, the purple player may not recruit more 4-12 units, until some are lost.
- If a scenario assigns a power two or more colors, it may recruit units of all its colors, conforming to any restrictions stated in the scenario.
- When a unit is eliminated the power may rebuild it on some future turn. Eliminated units are not permanently out of play.
Important: In some scenarios a major power and a minor one share a color. In this case, when some of the minor power's units are eliminated, the major power may not rebuild those units. They remain available for reconstitution by the minor power only.
5.8 Alliances
During the Diplomacy Phase, any group of players may declare that they are allied. Alliances last for one game turn only. An alliance can, of course, be renewed each turn during the Diplomacy Phase with the consent of all parties. Although alliances are unenforceable it may be a good idea to get things in writing, as even well intended players may misremember the terms.
- Allied players continue to move only during their own player turns.
- A power may agree to let some, or all its units be moved by an allied power during that power's player turn. These units must not have already been moved in the same game turn and may not be moved again during the same game turn, even if the owning player reclaims them.
- Allied players may:
- Stack units with each other.
- Benefit from each other's leaders in combat and force march.
- Engage in combat together against common enemies.
- Accept siege in each other's cities.
- Transport land units on fleets.
- Draw supply through each other's ports or baggage trains, etc.
- Move through an ally's inactive client state. In this case, the client state is not activated (5.2.2).
- Lend or give each other cities, units, and fortifications.
- Permit an ally to replenish supply points on its territory, or transfer supply points or baggage trains.
- Transfer talents to other players. Transfers must be physically possible (the two sides must have units in the same or adjacent hexes).
- If allied players have units stacked together and their alliance is not renewed on the next game turn; the two sides may agree not to fight, or they may engage in combat with each other. In this case, the phasing player is the attacker, and the defending player may choose to accept combat or retreat before combat.
- Allied units may not attack one another nor capture or plunder cities belonging to each other.
- If one player's land units end a turn embarked on an ally's fleets, and the alliance is not renewed on the following game turn, both players may agree to part peacefully. If they do not agree to part peacefully:
- The fleets are destroyed.
6.0 Taxation & Talents
Each province has a tax value. Tax values change from scenario to scenario due to changing economic conditions. Each scenario lists the tax values of the major powers' initial provinces. The tax values of other provinces can be found on the Tax Value Chart. Any province not listed on the chart has a tax value of zero.
6.1 Taxation & Mobilization Phase
The Taxation and Mobilization Phase occurs every third game turn, during the months of March, June, September and December.
- Each player should keep a running total of the tax values of the provinces his major power controls in the total tax value space on his record sheet.
- During each Taxation and Mobilization Phase, the player should add his total tax value to his major power's treasury level.
- A besieged city with an open sea route can be taxed, one fully invested cannot; the owning player must keep track of the revenue, which can be collected if the siege is lifted. The money is lost if the city falls. [Errata 9/27/19]
6.2 Treasuries
A power's treasury level is the number of talents it possesses. Talents are spent to mobilize units, pay donatives, etc. Each power's initial treasury is listed in the scenario description. Players record their powers' treasuries on the Power Record Form (5.4).
- Minor powers never acquire or spend any talents. They never have treasury levels.
- Powers may exchange talents during the Diplomacy Phase. Any major power may give talents to any other major power, including one controlled by the same player.
7.0 Roman Mobilization
7.1 Recruiting Units
During the Taxation and Mobilization Phase, the players may recruit new units and place them on the game map. There are three possible methods of recruitment:
- Roman Mobilization (this section)
- Accrual (8.0)
- Civilized Recruitment (26.0)
Important: Unless otherwise indicated by a scenario description, major powers use Roman mobilization and minor powers use accrual.
7.2 Mobilization Areas
For mobilization purposes, the board is divided into mobilization areas. A mobilization area is a province or group of provinces, as defined by the Mobilization Charts.
- There is a limit to the number of units which can be raised in a mobilization area each year. These limits are found on the Mobilization Charts. A different chart is provided for each of the six mobilization periods (2.2 & 7.9).
- Along the top of the Mobilization Chart is a list of unit types; along the left-hand side is a list of mobilization areas. The table indicates how many units of each type can be raised in each area.
Example: In Period 1, three 20-10 legions, four 16-10 legions, two 4-12 light infantry units, and four 18-30 fleets may be raised in Italia each year.
- If a province is not part of any mobilization area, the player controlling that province may mobilize one 4-12 light infantry unit for each city in the province plus one additional 4-12 or 6-16 non-missile unit (in the province not each city) each year, subject to the Maximum Unit Build Chart (5.5), paying for them in the usual manner.
7.3 Player Mobilization Form
At the beginning of the game, each player fills out a Mobilization Form for each of his major powers.
- Locate the Mobilization Chart for the period of the scenario and copy the unit types and unit costs lines of the chart onto the top two lines of the Mobilization Form.
Note: On some charts, unit costs depend on the scenario.
Example: The Period 2 Mobilization Chart has two sets of unit costs; one for use with scenarios 6 and 7, the other for use with scenarios 8 through 10. The player should copy whichever set of costs applies to his scenario.
- In the left-hand column of the form, list the mobilization areas. If the player owns any province within a mobilization area, he should copy that area's line of the Mobilization Chart onto his Mobilization Form.
- Each mobilization area also has a CER, which is listed on the Mobilization Chart. Roman Legions, civilized non-Roman heavy infantry, Barbarian heavy infantry, and fleets, and 30-16 cavalry raised in an area have the area's CER.
Example: It is Period 1, and you control Italia, Baleares, and Tarraconensis. So, you copy the Italia, Baleares, and Hispania lines onto your form, the last even though you only control one of the four provinces contained in the Hispania mobilization area.
7.4 Mobilization Costs
Buying units costs talents; the Mobilization Chart lists costs.
Example: In Period 1, a "20-10" legion costs 4 talents; a "16-10" legion costs 3; a "4-12" light infantry costs 1; etc.
- When a power builds a unit, the cost is deducted from the power's treasury. The owning player then takes the unit from the counter-mix and places it on the map (see below).
- A power may not build a unit if it has insufficient funds to do so. There is no deficit financing.
Important: In March mobilization costs are as listed. If units are mobilized in June, September, or December the cost is doubled.
Example: In Period 1, a "20-10" legion costs 8 talents in June, September or December, not the usual four.
Exception: This rule does not apply in the first Joint Mobilization Phase of a scenario. That is, if the first Joint Mobilization Phase after the start of the game falls in June, September, or December, unit costs are not doubled for that game turn.
- A player may always substitute a unit of inferior quality for one of superior quality when raising units. The substituted unit must be of the same type, i.e., bear the same symbol.
Example: A Roman player may raise a 16-10 and charge it against an area's 20-10 mobilization limit, at the lower unit costs. However, he could not raise a 16-9, because 16-9's are civilized non-Roman units, not legion units, and are printed with different symbols.
- A power can only build units in provinces it controls (5.6). When a power builds a unit in a province, the player must place it in a non-besieged city in the province.
- A maximum of two new units may be placed in a city in a Mobilization Phase.
- A maximum of four new units may be placed in a provincial capital.
- Whenever a military unit is built, it is placed on the game map with the unseasoned (lower strength) side face-up (15.1).
Example: When a player mobilizes a "20-10" legion, he places it on the game map with the "10-10" side face-up.
Important: The 24-10 legions are not listed on the Mobilization Charts. They can only be raised by converting 20-10 legions after winning a battle (15.2).
7.5 Mobilization Limits
Each player must record the units he raises on his Mobilization Form by entering a tick-mark on the form in pencil under the unit type, on the line of the mobilization area in which the unit is raised.
Important: The Mobilization limits listed for each color on the Maximum Unit Build Chart do not apply during set up. Factions may set up units in excess of the limits set in the Maximum Unit Build Chart, however a faction cannot mobilize units during play in excess of those limits. [Errata 9/27/19; the original printed Important note read: "A faction may never mobilize units of each type in excess of the limits set for each color-coded faction on the Maximum Build Chart. This includes fleet conversions."]
Example: In Scenario 17 the Senate set up allows a total of 12 x 20-10 to be set up. The Senate could not mobilize another 20-10 unit until the total number of purple 20-10 on the map is less than 10 (Maximum Unit Build Chart). [Errata 9/27/19]
- If a player raises a unit in a mobilization area that he shares with another player, he must announce that he is raising the unit.
- All players who own provinces in the mobilization area must enter tick-marks on their forms; when one player raises a unit in an area, he depletes the area's pool of available units for everyone else as well as for himself.
- When an area's mobilization limit for the units of one type has been reached, no more units of that type can be raised in the area.
Example: In Period 1, no more than three 20-10 legions can be raised in Italia. The limits apply for one year. At the end of each December game turn, the players should erase all tick-marks from their Mobilization Forms.
- When a mobilization area contains provinces owned by different powers, a problem can arise when more than one power tries to raise units in the area. a) If the units the players wish to build do not exceed the area's limits, no problem arises. b) If the players' recruiting plans conflict, the area's mobilization pool is divided as equally as possible among the players. Any extra units are allocated by highest die-roll. This rule also applies if there is only one unit of a type that may be raised in the mobilization area.
Example: One player controls Tarraconensis; another controls Baetica; and a third controls Lusitania. All three provinces are part of the Hispania mobilization area, from which four 4-12 light infantry units can be raised. Each of the three players wishes to raise three 4-12's. Obviously, nine 4-12's cannot be raised. Dividing the pool as evenly as possible means each player can raise one unit; leaving one "extra" 4-12. Each of the three players rolls a die; the high-roller may raise the last 4-12.
7.6 Combat Efficiency Rating (CER)
[Errata 9/27/19 text:]
- Roman legions, civilized non-Roman heavy infantry, Barbarian heavy infantry, fleets, and heavy cavalry units (see 2.6.1) have a CER from A (best), to C (worst). The CER of a power's units is indicated by the scenario description.
- D ratings are used for all other unit types including forts, cities and militia.
- If all units of a power are normally rated as CER D, but a different CER is listed in the scenario instructions, the CER listed in the scenario take precedence over the above ratings.
Example: Scenario 5, Parthia. Since Parthia uses 26.0 (Civilized Recruitment) that restricts the type of units it may build (26.2).
Note: A player may raise CER B units in a CER A area or CER C units in a CER B area, as per Rule 7.5. A player may never raise units of a higher CER than his faction is rated.
7.7 Baggage Trains
There are no mobilization area limits for baggage trains, but they must be raised in a city or port in a cultivated province. In addition to those assigned by the scenario, a power cannot raise more BT than the number of leaders it currently has on the map.
- The number of baggage train markers in play by a Major Power may not exceed 16.
- The cost of raising a baggage train is listed at the bottom of the Mobilization Chart.
- Rule 7.4 applies to purchasing and placing baggage trains.
Exception: Baggage trains do not require seasoning.
- A baggage train may a carry a maximum of six supply points.
- At start baggage trains and those built during the game all have the maximum number of supply points.
- Baggage trains may be replenished.
- Baggage trains have a movement allowance (MA) of 4. A Leader with a rating of "+2" or "+3" that is stacked with baggage trains may attempt to increase this MA by one. If he rolls 1d6 and the result is greater than 3, he succeeds. If not, he fails, and the baggage train's MA stays at 4.
- BT LE is not counted when foraging; it is only of relevance for stacking limits regarding city/port capacity, transportation by fleets, and morale effects (i.e., gaining/losing unit). [Errata 9/27/19]
7.8 Fleets
Fleets are never unseasoned or veteran. The 18-30 side represents one fleet; the 36-30 side represents two fleets.
- If two of a power's 18-30 fleets are in the same hex at any time, the player may remove one fleet and flip the other fleet counter to its higher strength (36-30) side. A player may also break a 36-30 counter down into two 18-30s.
- Building a fleet takes three months. During a Taxation and Mobilization Phase a player pays the cost of building a fleet, noting on the back of his record sheet the port hex in which he is building it. Fleets can be built in port cities or non-city ports. The player then places the fleet counter on the Month Track on the next Taxation and Mobilization month.
Example: The player begins to build a fleet in March; he places the fleet counter in the June box.
- Rule 7.4 applies to building fleets.
Exception: Fleets do not require seasoning.
- During the next Taxation and Mobilization Phase, the player removes his fleet from the Month Track and places it in the port he noted on paper.
- If a port (port city or non-city port) where a fleet is being built is captured before the fleet is placed on the game map, the new owner of the port may capture the fleet, if his counter mix limitations allow it. a) Roll one die: on a 1 the fleet is destroyed during the capture of the hex. On any other roll, roll one die again. b) On a die roll of 1-3 there is no delay. The player puts a fleet marker of his own in the appropriate slot on the Month Track. c) On a roll of 4-5; add one month to the completion date. d) On a roll of 6 add two months.
Note: A player may voluntarily destroy any fleet he is building during his own Movement Phase (presumably to prevent capture). The fleet is removed from the Month Track and returned to the game box.
- No more than two fleets may begin construction in a single city-port each Mobilization Phase. Only one fleet may begin construction in a non-city port.
Important: In addition to the maximum mobilization limits for fleets, on the Mobilization Limits Table, building a fleet also cuts into the manpower pool available for legions or other heavy infantry. When a player builds a fleet, he must make a tick-mark on his Mobilization Form under the 18-30 column and under the 16-10, 20-10, 16-9, 20-9, or 20-8 columns, as appropriate. If his heavy infantry/legion mobilization limit has been reached, no new fleets may begin construction.
Exception: At the start of any game turn, a player may halt the construction of a fleet, and place the appropriate heavy infantry unit on the map. The player may then remove the fleet from the Month Track or leave it on the track, advancing it one month each game turn, until a Mobilization Phase in which a heavy infantry unit can again be ticked off his Mobilization sheet, whereupon construction can resume.
8.0 Recruiting by Accrual
Minor powers do not mobilize units. They ignore all Mobilization Charts including Maximum Unit Build Chart. [Errata 9/27/19: this sentence inserted] They ignore the Mobilization Chart and do not pay talents to build units. A minor power cannot build new units; it can only replace units it loses during the game. When a minor power loses units, its owner should place them to the side of the game map. Those units are eligible for reconstitution during the Taxation and Mobilization Phase.
8.1 Minor Power Replacement Rate
Each minor power has a replacement rate, which is indicated by the scenario description or found on the Inactive Power Table.
- The replacement rate is the number of Legion sized units the power accrues each Taxation and Mobilization Phase.
- Replacement points are recorded on the Power Form.
- If none of a minor power's units have been eliminated, it does not receive replacement points.
- Unused replacement points are lost at the end of the Taxation and Mobilization Phase.
8.2 Replacement Cost
During each Taxation and Mobilization Phase, minor powers may use replacement points to rebuild units. Buying a unit costs one replacement point per LE and one-half replacement point per half LE unit.
8.3 Placement
When a minor power reconstitutes a unit, the owner places it in any non-besieged city in a province that it controls and was controlled by that minor power at the beginning of the game.
- No more than two units may be placed per city. Fleets are delayed three months, as usual.
- Rebuilt units are placed unseasoned-side face up (7.4 & 15.1).
- If a minor power controlled no provinces with cities at the beginning of the game, it may rebuild units anywhere in its initial province(s), except in hexes containing enemy units.
- If a minor power controls no provinces at all, or if all provinces have been lost (5.4) it may not rebuild units or accumulate replacement points.
- Minor powers may rebuild eliminated baggage trains but may not purchase new baggage trains.
[Errata 9/27/19: the printed rule "A minor power is not required to have a leader in a province to build there" has been deleted from 8.3.]
9.0 Seasons
There are two seasons in Imperium Romanum: winter and summer.
9.1 Month Track
On the Month Track, winter months are tinted blue and summer months tan. April and November are exceptions.
- During the April and November Diplomacy Phase, one player rolls one die. Apply the following results.
- April: 1-4: It is a summer month. 5-6: It is a winter month.
- November: 1-4: It is a winter month. 5-6: It is a summer month.
- In certain provinces it is always summer, regardless of what the Month Track says. These provinces contain a small sun symbol (Terrain Key).
Important: During winter months, all sea hexes are in winter for naval movement and attrition purposes, even those adjacent to summer provinces.
Exception: The above does not apply to the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, they always remain in summer.
9.2 Effect of Seasons
The season affects movement costs, naval movement, and foraging (10.3.1, 12.1 & 13.3). On the first month of summer (whether it is April or May), all rivers flood (including those in permanent summer provinces). This affects movement costs (12.1).
Exception: The Nile (Nilus) floods each year, but only in August and September.
10.0 Naval Operations (NOP)
10.1 Naval Operations Phase
All naval functions are conducted during the Naval Operations Phase (NOP). Each NOP may consist of multiple rounds of Naval Operation Segments (NOS).
- Each player has one Naval Operation Segment (NOS) for each of the major powers he controls.
- All neutral client states that a player controls are all active in a single NOS. Thus, a player could have one round for each of his major powers and minor powers, and then one additional round for all of his neutral client states. [Errata 9/27/19: replaces the printed bullet, which read: "All minor powers that a player controls are all active in a single Minor Power NOS. Thus, a player could have one round for each of his major powers and one additional round for all his Minor Powers."]
- NOS rounds continue until all players have completed one NOS for each major power and one NOS for all minor powers. Players may not have a major power or minor power group that has yet to conduct a NOS. In this case they would not participate in this round (except when conducting naval interception).
Important: If a player is not conducting one of his NOS, his naval activity is confined to naval interception only.
- The order in which all Naval Operation Segments are conducted is not predetermined. Prior to starting the first NOS of each round all players roll one six-sided die.
- The players will conduct one NOS starting with the player with the highest die roll, and proceeding in order of highest to lowest DR until all players have conducted a NOS.
- The player with the highest modified DR may choose one of two options: a) He may choose to be the first active naval power in the NOS, or; b) He may choose to conduct his NOS in any other position he chooses. He may still only be active during one NOS during this phase. This option allows the player to select when he is the active player.
Example: A player has chosen option b). The player with the lowest modified die roll is now the first active power. After he completes his activities, the player with the second highest die roll would conduct his activities, however, prior to that player beginning operations the player who chose option b) may declare he is now the active player or he may defer this decision until a subsequent round.
- If the player with the highest DR chose the second option above, then the player with the lowest DR is automatically the first active power in the current NOS.
- The next active player will either be the player who deferred his activation or the player who had the second highest DR in the current NOS round.
- Repeat this progression until all players have had one activation in the current round.
- If any powers are left that have not activated, continue with the next round of NOS with any powers that have yet to activate.
- After all players have completed one NOS, that round is completed.
10.2 NOS Activities
During his Naval Operations Segment, the active player may move any fleets. Land units and leaders may be embarked, carried by fleets, and debarked.
Important: Other players may attempt to intercept moving enemy fleets with their own fleets. If interception occurs, naval combat is immediately resolved.
10.3 Naval Movement
Each fleet has a MA of 30. Each time a fleet enters a sea hex, it expends the number of MP listed on Naval Movement Chart. It may not spend more than 30 MP in each active NOS.
- The cost of entering a sea hex depends on whether it is a coastal or deep-sea hex and on the season. Movement costs are found on the Naval Movement Chart.
- Movement point costs are doubled outside of the Mediterranean Sea. The Pontus Euxinus (Black Sea) is not considered part of the Mediterranean.
- Fleets may not enter all-land hexes or cross all-land hexsides nor may they move along rivers.
- A fleet that ends its movement in a port hex is considered to occupy the port, unless the port is enemy-controlled. There is no extra cost to enter a port.
- A fleet which begins the first NOS of the Naval Operations Phase at sea must end the Naval Operations Phase in a friendly port. Fleets may only remain at sea every other turn. A fleet which fails to meet this requirement is eliminated. This restriction applies to fleets that have conducted a naval interception prior the owning player's first NOS.
Note: Rotate fleets 180 degrees on the map at the end of each turn to indicate those fleets that must move to a friendly port during the next turn.
Exceptions: a) A fleet may end its turn in an enemy port that it has plundered on the same turn. b) A fleet acting as part of a besieging or blockading force need not end its game turn in a friendly port if it is adjacent to friendly ground units in a land hex.
- A fleet is not forced to stop moving if entering a hex containing only enemy land units. It may pass through or end movement in that hex.
10.3.1 Winter & Naval Movement
Naval movement costs are higher in the winter (Naval Movement Chart).
- Naval movement during winter is extremely risky. After a player finishes moving a fleet during winter, consult the Naval Attrition Table and conduct the below procedure. a) Find the number of MP spent by the fleet along the left-hand side of the table and cross reference that value with the naval attrition value on the right-hand side of the chart. b) Roll one die; if the number rolled is less than or equal to the Naval Attrition Value, the fleet is eliminated. If the result is greater than the naval attrition value, the fleet does not suffer attrition.
- Naval attrition is only possible when fleets move. Amphibious invasion, participating in sieges or blockades, and embarking and debarking units do cost the fleet movement points, but are not movement for attrition purposes.
- A player may roll once for an entire stack of fleets, or he may roll separately for each fleet in the stack. He must declare before rolling if the roll is being made separately for each fleet; otherwise the roll is for the entire stack of fleets.
- If a fleet carrying land units is eliminated, so are the land units. If part of a stack of fleets carrying land units is eliminated, land units must be eliminated to the point where the remaining fleets can carry the remaining land units.
10.4 Carrying Units
Note: When the scenario indicates that a fleet is in the same hex with a land unit, the land unit is not embarked.
10.4.1 Fleet Capacity
Each 18 fleet can carry up to 1 LE. A 36 unit can carry 2 LEs. Leaders are carried for free.
10.4.2 Embarkation Cost
A fleet may pick up land units at any point during its movement.
- Embarking land units in a friendly port hex costs the fleet two MP.
- Embarking land units in a coastal hex costs six MP.
- Leaders can be embarked at no cost.
10.4.3 Debarkation Cost
A fleet may debark land units. It may not move after debarking land units.
- Debarking land units in a friendly port costs two MP.
- Debarking land units in a non-port hex adjacent to an all sea coastal or deep-sea hex (or in a coastal hex) in a friendly province costs six MPs. For purposes of this rule a friendly province is controlled by one of the moving player's major powers or a client state, or an ally of the moving player.
- Amphibious invasions cost six MP. The MP cost is the same whether the invaded hex contains a port or not (10.5).
- Leaders can debark at no cost.
- Units can be debarked into friendly ports under siege, unless at least one enemy fleet is part of the besieging force (17.2).
- Units can be debarked in a port in an enemy or neutral province, if the port is itself friendly.
- A fleet is not required to debark its land units. They may remain loaded on the fleet if the player desires. They are in supply so long as the fleet conforms to rule 10.3 (5th bullet).
- Players should designate which units are loaded on a fleet by placing the land units under the fleet counter. Units in the same hex as fleets but not loaded on them should be placed on top of the fleet counters.
Important: Embarkation and debarkation costs are not doubled outside the Mediterranean.
10.4.4 Debarked Land Units
Depending upon the number of MP expended by the carrying fleet in the current game turn, land units may move in the subsequent Land Movement Segment. Count all MP expended including; embarkation, debarkation and naval movement.
- If a fleet carrying land units expends ten or fewer MP, the debarked land units may move up to their full MA.
- If a fleet at any time during the turn spends 11 or more MP, the debarked land units cannot move.
10.5 Amphibious Invasion
In Summer Months a fleet may debark land units into an enemy or neutral coastal hex. Doing so is called amphibious invasion.
Important: Only fleets stacked with +2 or +3 leaders may conduct amphibious invasions.
10.5.1 Amphibious Procedures
An amphibious invasion may be made into a hex containing enemy units, fortifications or an enemy city or non-city port. The invading land units must attack the enemy units, fortification, city or port during the Land Combat Segment of the same game turn.
- Amphibious invasions may be made into hexes containing enemy fleets only if those fleets have withdrawn into port. Enemy fleets which are in the invasion hex and choose to remain outside a port must be attacked during the Naval Operations Segment and be either eliminated or forced to retreat out of the hex or into port for the invasion to proceed.
- If there are enemy forces in the landing hex, only leaders and infantry units can be debarked in that hex. Baggage trains and cavalry units must remain aboard the fleets.
- Baggage trains may supply the debarked units, but the combat strength of the cavalry is not added to that of the invading force.
- If any of the initial landing units survive the ensuing combat, baggage trains and cavalry may then be placed on the landing hex (stacking limits apply). They cannot move further.
- If all the attackers are eliminated, the baggage trains and cavalry are not affected, as they are still aboard ship.
- Land units which amphibiously invade may not move by land during the same game turn.
10.5.2 Amphibious Combat
The combat strength of the invading land units is halved in that attack. This modification is in addition to any other modifications that are called for.
10.6 Naval Interception
Fleets controlled by non-active players may attempt to intercept moving fleets. Whenever a fleet moves to a hex within six MP of an enemy fleet, the enemy player may attempt interception. The moving player must pause during movement to ensure that other players have ample time to announce interception attempts.
-
Each fleet may only attempt interception once per Naval Ops Phase.
-
Fleets in deep sea hexes cannot be intercepted.
-
Only fleets in friendly, non-blockaded ports may attempt interception. A fleet attempting interception can embark land units by paying two MP. Expenditure of these MP are counted when determining interception.
-
When a force attempts interception, count the number of MP between the intercepting force and the moving fleet. The intercepting player then rolls one die and modifies the result as follows:
- -1: If a Winter Month.
- -1: If the MP distance is greater than three. [Errata 9/27/19; printed as "-3"]
- +1: The naval force attempting the interception has not yet conducted any movement.
- +#: Naval Bonus (Scenario)
a) If the modified die roll is greater than or equal to the distance in movement points the interception takes place. b) If the modified die roll is less than the distance the interception fails. The moving player may continue to move his fleet.
Example: The naval force attempting intercept is six MP from the force being intercepted. At 6 MP, interception takes place on a roll of 6, at 5 on 5 or 6, at 4 on 4, 5, or 6, etc.
c) A fleet may attempt interception against a fleet that is moving in the same hex that which it occupies. In this case the interception fails if the unmodified die roll is equal to one.
- The intercepting player may roll once for an entire stack of fleets, or separately for each fleet in the stack, but he must declare, before rolling, that the rolling is being done separately for each fleet; otherwise the roll is for the entire stack of fleets.
- If interception is successful, place the intercepting fleets in the hex where interception takes place. Naval combat occurs immediately. The intercepting player is the attacker.
Note: Intercepting naval units are subject to naval attrition, just like moving units.
- If a player attempts interception with fleets from different hexes, all interception attempts are resolved separately before naval combat occurs.
- If two non-moving players wish to intercept the same moving fleet, the interception and combat of the first player who declares interception is resolved before the second player may attempt interception.
10.7 Naval Combat
Naval combat occurs under the following conditions:
a) When a successful interception takes place. b) At the owning player's option (he is not required to) when a fleet or fleets move into a hex containing enemy fleets. In this case the owning player would temporarily interrupt the fleet's movement to attack those enemy fleets.
Important: See 10.7.4 determine if the moving fleet(s) can continue movement after combat.
10.7.1 Fleets in Port Hexes
Fleets in a friendly port hex can be either outside or inside the port. In both cases the inside/outside state only matters when the hex is attacked.
- Defending fleets attacked in a friendly port hex can choose to accept combat outside the port or withdraw into the port.
- Fleets in a port hex that choose to accept combat outside the port may be attacked normally.
- Fleets that withdraw into port become part of the city defenses and may not be attacked separately; they may only be attacked (as part of the city defense) when the city is attacked by amphibious invasion (in the Land Combat Segment, 14.1 & 14.6).
10.7.2 Combat Participation
All fleets in a hex must participate when naval combat occurs there; no units may be withheld from the combat. When naval combat occurs, each player must calculate his total naval combat strength. Each player totals his combat strength:
- Add up the combat strengths of all friendly fleets in the hex.
- Add to this the combat strengths of all light and missile infantry carried by friendly fleets.
- Add one-half the combat strength of all heavy infantry carried.
- Cavalry units do not contribute their combat strength to the total.
10.7.3 Combat Ratio
Naval combat costs the attacking fleet one Movement Point. The players now compare the attacker's combat strength to the defender's combat strength as a ratio. This ratio is rounded down, in the defender's favor, to one of the ratios found along the top of the Naval Combat Results Table.
Example: Pompey's total naval combat strength is 132; Caesar's is 90. Pompey would need 135 to obtain a 3-2 ratio over Caesar (90 divided by 2 is 45; 45 times 3 is 135). He does not quite have this strength, so the ratio is rounded down to 5-4, the next lowest ratio on the table.
- The attacker rolls one die. a) The attacker may add the leadership value of any one of his leaders who is in the hex. b) The defender may subtract the leadership value of one defending leader from the die-roll.
Note: Each player chooses the leader that is used if more than one is present. If neither player has leaders present, there is no effect.
c) The die roll may also be modified by CERs (14.4.3).
- Refer to the Naval Combat Results Table and find the calculated ratio along the top of the table and the modified die-roll along the left-hand side. Then cross-reference to find a result.
10.7.4 Naval Combat Results
Naval combat results consist of two numbers separated by slashes. The first number applies to the attacker; the second to the defender.
a) A dash (-) means the player suffers no loss. b) A result of "1" means the player loses one-fourth of his fleets. c) A result of "2" means he loses one-half of his fleets. d) A result of "3" means he loses three-fourths of his fleets. e) A result of "4" means he loses them all.
Important: Round losses down, except that a player must always lose at least one fleet, even if it is his only fleet on any numbered result. [Errata 9/27/19; the printed note read "...at least one fleet if he has more than one fleet present and receives any numbered result." The errata also adds this note to the bottom of the Naval Combat Table.]
- Count each 36-30 as two fleets. A player may satisfy a one fleet loss by flipping a 36-30 over to its 18-30 side.
- If a player's fleets are carrying land units, after suffering losses he must check to make sure the remaining fleets can carry all the land units. If they cannot, the excess land units are eliminated (10.4.1).
- After naval combat is over, the losing force (the one which lost the largest number of fleets) is immediately placed in the nearest friendly port.
- If the nearest friendly port is more than five MP away, the losing force must lose 1 additional fleet and move to a sea hex up to five hexes away.
Note: This may result in the loss of a player's remaining fleet.
- If both lost an equal number of fleets, the fight was a draw. Both fleets remain in the hex.
- The player's surviving fleets are still subject to penalties from seasonal effects or failure to make a port stop.
- If the moving force wins, it may continue moving, subject to the limits of its movement allowance. It may not initiate naval combat again until next turn.
11.0 Roads & Cultivation
11.1 Roads
Over the centuries, the Romans built roads in all their provinces. While the Via Appia and other elaborately paved highways are most famous, there were also networks of lesser roads throughout most provinces. To reflect this, each province is said to have roads or to have no roads. Whether a province has roads depends on the scenario and is determined by the Province Display (on map C).
- The land movement cost to enter hexes in provinces without roads is higher than in provinces with roads (12.1).
- The cost of crossing a river also varies with road status. A river along the border between a province with roads and one without is in the province with roads.
11.2 Cultivation
Some but not all provinces on the map were heavily settled and produced a substantial agricultural surplus. These are cultivated provinces. Less civilized areas are wild provinces.
- The cultivation status of a province changes as it is settled and developed by the Romans or reverts to barbarism (Province Display).
- The number of units which can forage in a hex depends on the province's cultivation status (13.3).
12.0 Land Movement
12.1 Movement Costs
Each land unit and leader has a movement allowance (MA) (2.6.1). Each time a unit enters a hex, it spends movement points (MP). A unit's MA is the number of MP it may spend while moving from place to place.
- The MP cost to enter a hex depends on the terrain in the hex, if the province in which the hex is located has roads, and the season. The Terrain and Seasonal Effects Chart lists movement costs.
Example: The cost to enter a forest hex in a province with roads during winter is four MP.
- If a land unit enters a hex by crossing a river or narrow seas hexside, the cost of entering the hex is increased by the river or narrow sea's cost. If any part of the hexside is river/sea/mountain, it counts as river, sea, or mountain hexside.
- When a land unit crosses a river during flood (9.2), it is subject to an additional penalty. Calculate the normal cost of entering the hex, including the regular river cost, then double it to get the cost of entering the hex.
12.2 Narrow Sea Straits
- Certain hexsides have a small arrow across them. These are called narrow sea strait hexsides. Land units may move across these hexsides (without using naval units) by paying the MP cost noted on the arrow (in the case of the above, +6).
Example: Map A, hex 1632 and 1633.
- In many hexes there are two or more functional terrain areas (two or more islands or island and small portions of the mainland). These are called narrow sea hexes. If a hex has an inset box showing two or more land areas separated by sea terrain, land units may cross from one land area (within the hex) to another land area (within the hex) without using naval units by paying an additional four MP.
Example: The first diagram shows A3004 as it appears on the map. The second shows the inset boxes used to display the actual location of units within the hex.
In some cases, a hex with a narrow strait will have only one lettered area. In those cases units on the non-lettered terrain should remain on the map and are automatically considered as on the non-lettered land area. No inset box exists for the non-lettered land area.
- In both above cases a land unit pays the same crossing cost even if the land unit is attacking an enemy force on the opposite side of the strait or narrow sea.
- Movement across a narrow sea strait in a narrow sea hex is prohibited if an enemy fleet is present in the hex.
- Movement across a narrow sea strait hexside is prohibited if an enemy fleet is in either hex separated by the narrow sea strait hexside.
- Movement costs across both narrow sea straits and narrow sea hexes are doubled in winter.
12.3 Movement & Enemy Units
If land units move into a hex containing non-besieged enemy land units, they must stop moving and may move no farther. They can freely move through hexes containing naval units or enemy units under siege. If they start a move in an enemy occupied hex they can freely move out.
12.4 Interception
Land interception uses rules that are like those for naval interception, except as noted here.
- Interception may only be attempted if there is a path between the intercepting leader's hex and the hex of the intended interception that is not more than three hexes away and is free of hostile units.
- Only units stacked with a non-phasing friendly leader may attempt land interception. If the attempt is successful, that leader and stack are placed in the hex that the interception is to take place.
- Before attempting interception, the owning player must identify the leader and the units that will participate in the interception.
- If the units attempting interception have not already been supplied in the current turn, they must undergo a supply check. Any units that are not supplied may not be part of the interception attempt.
- Not all units stacked with the leader need make the attempt, but units not identified as taking part may not move with the leader if the attempt is successful.
- Interception may not be attempted if the: a) Leader has already attempted an interception in the current game turn. b) Leader is under siege or in a hex also occupied by enemy units. c) Hex in which interception might occur is a desert hex (unless special scenario rules permit it). d) Path to be traced includes impassable terrain (e.g., mountain or sea hexsides) or narrow sea hexsides.
12.4.1 Procedure
Calculate the number of MP from the intercepting leader's hex to the target hex. Double this number.
- Roll 1d6 and modify the die roll as follows: a) Add the leader's value. b) If the intercepting force consists entirely of cavalry units and the force being intercepted contains units other than cavalry, ignore the leader's value and add three. c) Subtract three if a baggage train is being moved with the intercepting force. This modifier is cumulative with either of the above two modifiers.
- If the modified die roll is: a) Equal to or greater than the calculated MP distance, interception takes place. b) Less than the calculated MP distance, the interception fails.
Example: The distance between a "+2" leader's hex and the target hex is three MP, which doubles to 6. The die roll is 5. The player then adds the leader's value of "2" for a total of "7." Since the total "7" is greater than the MP distance, the interception succeeds.
- If the interception is successful, move the intercepting leader and units to the indicated hex. The intercepted units must stop, and play does not resume until the intercepted player exercises his below listed options.
- The intercepted player has the same options as in 14.1 and 14.2.
- If he chooses to accept and resolve combat, the combat must be resolved before he can continue movement.
- Interception of the same moving force by a third party may not take place.
12.5 Force March
If a leader begins a movement segment stacked with land units and remains with those units throughout their movement, the stack may force march. A leader can only conduct one forced march per movement segment.
- When a stack force marches, the MA of each non-cavalry unit in the stack is increased by one plus the leader's leadership value.
- After a stack finishes a forced march, the owning player must roll a die. If the roll is greater than one plus the leader's value, one Legion-sized unit (or equivalent) is eliminated. The owning player decides which to remove.
Important: Baggage trains cannot force march. [Errata 9/27/19]
13.0 Supply
There are several instances that a player must check the supply condition of his units:
- During a Land Movement Segment, the active player must check the supply status of all units that he wishes to move and/or fight.
- During a Supply Segment at the end of his Player Turn, the supply condition for all units that have not already been supplied (during a Land Movement Segment in this turn) must be checked. Units that are found to be unsupplied are eliminated.
- Units can be supplied by ports, baggage trains, and foraging.
- If port supply is not available players must follow the supply determination procedures for baggage trains, and/or foraging.
Important: Units that are supplied by foraging during a Land Movement segment lose 2 MPs from their MA. If they participate in movement with a stack of other units, the entire stack loses 2 MPs from MA (baggage trains exempted from this loss of MA).
13.1 Supply Through Ports
A port can provide supply to a power's units if:
a) The port is controlled by that power, a client state, or an ally, and; b) The port is non-besieged, and; c) The port is non-blockaded (17.2.1 & optional 13.6), and; d) The port is in a friendly province (5.2.3, 5.4 & 5.6); or, e) If the port is not in a friendly province, and there is at least one port (in a friendly province) that is in the same sea area as the port providing supply. In this case there must be at least one friendly fleet (of any friendly faction or power) in the port that is in the friendly province. The fleet cannot be blockaded or besieged.
- For the purposes of this rule, there are six sea areas in the game:
- Atlanticus (including Oceanus Atlanticus, Oceanus Germanicus and the sea area surrounding hex 3302 on map A).
- Pontus Euxinus
- Sinus Arabicus
- Sinus Persicus
- Western Mediterranean
- Eastern Mediterranean
Important: The Mare Caspium Hycanium (map C) is not listed as there are no ports in this area.
a) The line of shallow sea hexes between Africa Proconsularis, Sicilia and Italia are the border between the Eastern and Western Mediterranean. As such they can be considered a part of the Western or Eastern Mediterranean at the player's option.
Important: Any port in Sicilia and Rhegium (B4225) can be used to provide supply to a unit in any province bordering the Eastern or Western Mediterranean.
b) Hexes A1632/1633 are Mediterranean hexes. c) Hexes A1531/1532 are Atlantic hexes. d) Hexes C5415 (Byzantium) and C5515 are Eastern Mediterranean hexes. e) Hex C5514 is a Pontus Euxinus hex.
- If a port can provide supply: a) All units in the port hex are automatically in supply. b) If a port hex has a river along at least one hexside, units adjacent (in a hex with a river hexside) to the same river are in supply if they are within two hexes of the port (one intervening hex).
Exception: Corcyra can only supply the mainland in B4621.
Example: In the diagram, the port hex of Olbia meets the port supply requirements. Unit 1 (hex 5006) is in port supply because it is adjacent to the same river that is adjacent to Olbia and is within two hexes of the port. Unit 4 is also in port supply (it is in the port). Unit 2 is not in port supply. It is adjacent to a river, but not the same river that Olbia is adjacent. Unit 3 is not in port supply, as it is not in the port, nor it is adjacent to a river that is adjacent to the port.
13.2 LE & Supply Requirements
During a movement segment of a player-turn, the active player must ensure that any unit he wishes to move and/or fight in this player-turn is supplied; either by the expenditure of SPs being carried by baggage trains or by a successful forage action.
- For each friendly force, the owning player must first decide who will attempt supply by using a baggage train and who will forage. Once so designated, the supply method may not be changed (i.e., you cannot see the results of one method and then choose to use another for a unit or group of units in a hex).
Important: This applies only to supply actions occurring during the movement segment of a player turn, not the final supply segment that occurs at the end of a player turn.
Important: If a hex or city is foraged during a player's Land Movement Phase, it may not be foraged again during the Supply Phase. [Errata 9/27/19]
Example: A hex contains 8 LE and a baggage train with 2 SP. The owning player could decide to attempt to supply all, some or none of the 8 LE using the baggage train. He chooses to attempt to supply 6 LE with the baggage train and 2 LE by foraging. He consults the Supply Chart and rolls two dice with a result of 2 (there are no modifiers). His force requires 3 SP. Since he only has 2 SP available, he expends both SP, supplying 4 LE and marks 2 LE as out of supply. He then would attempt to supply his remaining 2 LE by foraging.
- To determine supply a player chooses a distinct group of his units on the map (they do not have to all be in the same hex if they are not foraging). The player uses the Supply Table to determine how much supply is required to keep that group supplied. If the determined amount of required supply is unavailable for any reason, then a certain percentage of those units will be unsupplied.
- For each group that a player is attempting to supply, the total number of LE in that group must be determined. Use the LE values listed on the LE Supply Chart. When determining the number of LE for supply purposes auxiliary units can be supplied for free under the below circumstance. a) For each heavy infantry unit, one light/missile infantry unit in the same stack does not count when determining supply requirements. b) For each heavy cavalry unit, one light/horse archer cavalry unit in the same stack does not count when determining supply.
- Once the total LE of the force has been determined, the owning player consults the Supply Table and rolls two dice (applying the applicable modifiers). The total LE value is found at the top of the chart. If the number of LE is greater than ten, roll once for the first ten LE and once more for every ten more LE (or fraction thereof) then add all the results to equal one total supply requirement.
- The resulting value is the number of supply points (SP) that must be expended to supply the group. If the required number of SP are unavailable, then only a fraction of the group is supplied. Divide the available SP by the required SP to determine the amount of the group that is supplied. The owning player chooses what units will be unsupplied.
Example: A group of 6 LE using a baggage train (with 2 SP) rolls to determine the number of required SP. The die roll is "2", and thus the group requires 3 SP. Since the baggage train contains only 2 SP, the player divides the available SP (2) by the required SP (3). Two thirds of the LE are supplied. The player must then select 2 LE that will be unsupplied.
Important: When foraging each foraging group must be in the same hex.
13.3 Foraging
A unit that does not use a baggage train to place it in supply can use the foraging process to supply the unit. Each hex has a forage value (Forage Chart); this is the maximum supply value (including modifiers) that a hex can provide using the foraging process. If the hex type and/or season is listed as N/A, you cannot forage in the hex, unless a modifier applies.
Important: No more than 10 LEs may ever attempt to forage from a single hex.
Important: When making a forage check for a single unit, ignore fractional results. The unit is unsupplied if the forage value of the hex is "0". [Errata 9/27/19]
- Consult the Supply Table and roll two dice (applying applicable modifiers) to determine the forage requirement.
- Consult the Forage Chart. Cross reference the season and province status (cultivated or wild) with the hex terrain where the force is located and then add any adjustments to determine the hex forage value.
- The force is supplied if the hex forage value is equal to or greater than the forage requirement.
- If the hex forage value greater than zero but less (including all modifiers) than the forage requirement, divide the hex forage value by the forage requirement to determine the fraction of your force that is supplied.
- If the hex forage value is zero (including all modifiers) determine the fraction of your force that is supplied using the forage requirement as follows: a) Two-thirds is supplied if the forage requirement was 1. b) One-third is supplied if the forage requirement was 2. c) No units are supplied if the forage requirement was 3 or 4.
Example: A force of seven LEs is in a hex with a baggage train that contains 2 SP. The owning player chooses to supply four LEs from the train, and forage with the other three LEs. He has a leader with a +2 rating, therefore all supply DRs are modified by +1. A 5 is rolled resulting in 5+1 = 6 which results in a required expenditure of 1 SP. Because the baggage train has 2 SPs, the first group is supplied, and 1 SP is left with the train. The foraging group is in rough and it is a winter turn. The forage value of the hex is therefore 0. The owning player rolls an 8 +1 (leader) +1 (baggage train) = 10 which results in a forage requirement of 0. Because the forage value is 0, the forage attempt succeeds for all four units. If a 1 result had been rolled, one third of the 4 units (one unit) would not have been supplied.
13.3.1 Modifications to Hex Forage Value
- If the hex contains a friendly non-besieged city, add the city forage value to the terrain value to determine the hex's total forage value.
- If a city is under siege (17.0), units under siege use only the city's forage value; the besieging units use only the terrain forage value.
- When serving as the imperial capital Roma and Constantinople each have a forage value of +2 in all seasons.
- A maximum level fort in a hex without any kind of city increases the forage value of the hex by +1, and in case of siege, rule 17.3.1 should be applied.
- During the Supply Segment only, if a stack contains more LE than can be supplied the owning player decides which units will forage and which will be eliminated.
13.4 Baggage Trains (BT)
Baggage trains (BT) may be assigned to a player in the scenario or may be raised according to the rules in 7.7.
- BT have a MA of 4.
- BT can carry up to 6 SP.
- There are three ways to track the number of SP a BT is currently carrying. Players should agree on the method to be used prior to beginning a scenario.
- The number in the upper left corner of a BT is the number of SP currently carried on the BT. As SP are used, change out the BT counter for one with the correct SP value. Baggage trains are printed with different numbers on the front and back. There are no special requirements to switch out BTs.
- Players can create their own supply track. Each BT has an identification number (ID) printed on the counter. There are two counters with the same ID number. Players can create their own track and use one BT counter on the map, and the other (with the same ID) on a track to show the amount of SP currently carried by the BT counter on the map.
- Using the ID number again, players can track the number of SP carried by each BT using pen and paper. Using this method, the players can show [sentence ends here in the printed rulebook]
- When a baggage train is built it is considered fully loaded, so a "6" strength BT is placed on the map. As the baggage train expends or accumulates supply points, different strength BT counters should be used to show the correct number of SPs currently with that BT.
13.4.1 Adding SP to BT
At the end of a turn (month) if a baggage train occupies a friendly non-besieged city and neither moved nor expended supply points, it automatically gains 1 supply point.
- Baggage trains that move or expend points to supply units do not gain supply.
- A baggage train cannot add additional points if it is already carrying 6 SP.
- If none of a power's provinces contain cities, it may replenish baggage train supplies in any hex in a province it owns at the beginning of the game (exception 5.6.1).
Note: Players should mark those baggage trains that did not move or expend SP during the game turn.
13.4.2 BT Supply
If a baggage train occupies a hex or is within two hexes of a hex containing friendly units at the beginning of the Land Movement Segment (prior to moving/fighting) or during the Supply Segment, it may supply those units.
- If the BT is not in the same hex as the units attempting to be supplied, subtract one from the supply die roll for each hex separating the BT from the units (exception 13.4.4).
Example: The BT is in a hex that is adjacent to the units. The player would subtract one from the die roll. If the BT is two hexes distant, the player would subtract two from the die roll.
Important: BTs are used to supply units before any foraging attempts may be made. See 13.4.3 for exceptions.
13.4.3 Sieges & Blockades
If a port is not blockaded, units in a port city under siege can draw supply from the port.
- A baggage train in a besieged city or in a blockaded and besieged port cannot replenish supply points.
- Other friendly units outside the city may not draw supply from the port. Only the besieged units may do so.
- In both the Movement Segment and Supply Segment, if a city or fortification is under siege or if a port or port city is blockaded and under siege, units checking for supply must be supplied by BT if available. If a BT is not available they may attempt to supply by foraging. The owning player cannot attempt to supply part of his units by BT and part of his units by foraging if a BT is available in the city/port. [Errata 9/27/19: replaces the printed third bullet, "If the port is blockaded, units must be supplied by BT or foraging."]
- If a player has units inside a besieged city and units outside the city in the same hex (e.g., a relief force), the units inside the city may not use the baggage trains of those outside, and vice versa. In addition, the units in the city may only forage from the city itself, and those outside may only forage from the hex.
13.4.4 BT & Rivers
A baggage train adjacent to a river may supply units adjacent to the same river up to two hexes distant with no penalty.
- The baggage train may move along the river at the rate for their power's infantry (presuming to be moving on boats), adjusted for terrain.
- When attempting to move by boat on a river, the baggage train loses one half its movement points on the first turn of movement (to gather and build boats). The baggage train may move along the river at the rate for their power's heavy infantry (presuming to be moving on boats), adjusted for terrain. [Errata 9/27/19: replaces the printed second bullet, which read: "When attempting to move by boat on a river, the baggage train loses one-half its movement points on the first turn of movement (to gather and build boats). If it continues to move along the same river in future turns it has its normal MPs."]
- Movement along a river is only allowed on the main streams of the Nile (including Delta), Rhine, Danube, Tigris, and Euphrates, even in rough terrain.
Important: The river movement restriction does not affect the ability of a BT to trace supply along a river, supply can be traced along any river.
- Movement along a river is prohibited during flood or if the river touches a mountain hexside.
13.4.5 Combat
If units attack an enemy baggage train in a hex that does not contain enemy units, fortifications or cities, they capture the baggage train and all supply points it carries. If the captor prefers, the baggage train may be eliminated.
- In a Roman civil war, where one side is wiped out in a battle, the winning side captures the baggage train.
- If barbarians win the battle, the baggage train is eliminated.
- If civilized non-Romans win the battle, roll one die and implement the following result. 1-4: The baggage train is captured. 5-6: The train is plundered and eliminated.
13.4.6 Removal
During the Supply Segment, a player may voluntarily remove any of his own baggage trains from play. The BT may provide SP prior to disbanding.
13.5 Supply & Fleets
Fleets and units embarked on them are always in supply.
Exception: Except when in a besieged or blockaded in a city/port (17.2.1 & 13.4.3).
- For supply purposes, an 18-30 fleet is a legion-sized unit. A fleet in a city/port that is under siege (17.2.1) can draw supply from the sea normally.
- A fleet in a city/port that is blockaded (13.4.3) but not under siege can draw supply overland.
- If a fleet is in a city/port that is both under siege and blockaded, it must draw supply like any other unit.
13.5.1 Supply from a Fleet
In Summer, a fleet carrying a baggage train can provide supply to ground units on land hexes adjacent to the sea hex that the fleet occupies.
- The fleet must be present in the adjacent sea hex at the start of the player's segment that the supply is drawn.
- If the land units being supplied are in rough or desert hexes, the number of SP deducted from the baggage trains is increased by 10 percent, rounded upwards. The fleet must still conform to rule 10.3 (5th bullet).
13.6 Blockade (Optional)
A port may be blockaded (even if not besieged) by enemy war fleets, thus preventing land units from tracing a line of supply from that port.
- If a friendly port hex is occupied by fewer friendly fleet combat Strength Points (inside the port) than enemy fleet combat Strength Points (outside the port), the port is blockaded.
- Land units being transported on either friendly or enemy fleets in the hex have no bearing on this calculation.
- Enemy non-transported land units inside the port cannot engage the blockading fleets. Fleets that are part of a blockading force are not immune to rule 10.3 (5th bullet).
- Fleets may not freely enter or leave the port transporting land units in either direction.
- If the port is blockaded but not besieged, units must be supplied by baggage trains and/or forage in the hex.
14.0 Land Combat
14.1 When Land Combat Occurs
During his Land Combat Segment, any of the activated player's units in enemy-occupied hexes can make attacks.
- Normally a unit is not required to attack.
Exception: If moving units entered an enemy occupied hex by crossing a narrow sea strait hexside, crossing a narrow sea hex or by amphibious invasion (10.5), they are required to attack and their combat strength is halved (14.4).
- The moving (active) player is considered the attacker and the owner of the enemy units (non-active) the defender.
Exception: A successful intercepting force (non-active) are the attackers, and the intercepted force (active) are the defenders.
- Any of the activated player's units in a hex containing an enemy city may attack the city. If a hex contains both enemy units and an enemy city, the attack is made against both the units and city together.
- When an attack is declared, one of three things happens:
- The defender retreats before combat; or
- Combat is resolved; or
- The defending units are besieged.
14.2 Retreat Before Combat
The defender is never required to retreat before combat, but a defender may choose to retreat before combat, unless:
- If the attacker's force has at least twice as many cavalry combat strength points as the defending force, the defender may not retreat before combat.
Important: If cavalry enter a combat hex by crossing a river, a narrows sea strait hexside or a narrow sea hex, their strength is halved for the purposes of calculating 2:1 cavalry superiority.
- Units under siege may not retreat before combat (exception: 17.2).
- A force that has been intercepted that retreats before combat, conducts the retreat and may not move any further (its movement is ended).
14.2.1 Procedure
If the defender chooses to retreat, he moves all the defending units to a single adjacent hex, or if he controls a city or fortification in the hex he may retreat into it (14.3 & 21.0). All units must retreat into the same hex; a stack may not be split up during retreat.
Exception: 14.3 & 14.6.
- Leaders can retreat before combat with a fleet per rule 14.6.
- Units may not be retreated:
- Into a hex containing enemy land units whose total combat strength is at least one-fourth that of the retreating units.
- Across a river, narrow sea strait hexside, lake, all-sea or mountain hexside.
- Across a hexside if enemy units crossed that hexside to enter the combat hex and the combat strength of the entering force was at least one-fourth that of the retreating force.
Example: A force of 44 combat strength points occupies a hex. An enemy force of 80 strength points enters from the north, and another of 10 from the south. One-fourth of 44 is 11, so the defending units can retreat south, but not north.
14.3 Entering Siege
When an attack occurs in a hex containing a non-plundered city owned by the defender, his units (land or naval) may accept siege in the city (16.3 City/Port Capacity).
- When units accept siege, place a siege marker on top of them. Units under siege are subject to 17.0.
- If all units accept siege, the attacker must decide to besiege the city (no combat takes place) or he may assault the city.
- If the attacker assaults the city, combat is resolved as normal, except that the combat strength of all defending units (except cavalry) which accepted siege is doubled.
- In deforested provinces, the defending units (except cavalry) are tripled (16.2).
- When barbarians or Parthians assault a city the defender's combat strength is always tripled even in forested provinces. (Neither barbarians nor the Parthians had an adequate siege technology.)
Important: Parthians are not Persians; so this rule does not apply to Persians. Check the scenario description to make sure which power is in play.
14.3.1 Splitting the Defending Force
If the defending player wishes, some of his units may accept siege, and others either retreat before combat or engage in combat.
- When this happens, the attacker can either attack the units outside the city alone or attack them and assault the city at the same time.
- If he assaults the city, the combat strength of the units that accepted siege is doubled (or tripled) and added to the (unmodified) combat strength of the units that did not.
14.3.2 Cavalry & Siege
Cavalry units assaulting cities are normally halved (round up). If some defending units engage in combat outside the city per 14.3.1, only half of the cavalry units in the attack are halved.
Example: Two 6-16 cavalry units are attacking an enemy force that is defending using 14.3.1. One of the attacking cavalry units is halved, and the other attacks at full strength resulting in the strength of the attacking cavalry being reduced to 9.
14.4 Resolving Combat
Even if an attack is declared, combat does not occur if:
- The defender retreats before combat; or
- Defending units accept siege and the attacker decides not to assault the city.
14.4.1 Combat Strength
When combat occurs, each player must total his units' combat strengths. No units can be withheld (exception 14.3.1).
- The combat strength of defending units under siege is doubled or tripled (14.3).
- The combat strength of any attacking unit that entered the hex by crossing a river, narrow seas strait hexside, a narrow seas hex or by amphibious invasion is halved.
Exception: If the unit crossed a river hexside during flood (9.2), its strength is reduced to one-third its normal value.
- If the hex contains a city, port or fortification owned by the defender, its combat strength is added to the defending total (16.1).
14.4.2 Resolving Combat
The players compare the attacker's combat strength to the defender's as a ratio. This ratio is rounded down, in the defender's favor to a ratio found along the top of the Land Combat Results Table. (See 10.7.3 for an example of combat ratio calculation.)
- The attacker rolls one die and modify the die roll as follows: a) The leadership value of one attacking leader is added to the die roll. b) The leadership value of one defending leader is subtracted from the die roll.
Important: Each player chooses which of his leaders is used if more than one is present. If no leaders are present, leaders do not affect the die-roll. If the defenders are split (part of them besieged and part of them outside fortifications or a city) the player may use one leader for each force.
c) The die-roll may also be modified by the powers' CER (14.4.3). d) If combat takes place in a rough or marsh hex, subtract one from the die roll.
- The players refer to the Land Combat Results Table and find the calculated ratio along the top of the table and the modified die roll along the left-hand side. Cross-reference to find a result. Combat results are described in 14.5.
14.4.3 Combat Efficiency Rating
As noted in 7.6, Roman legions, civilized non-Roman heavy infantry, barbarian heavy infantry, fleets, and 30-16 cavalry have a combat efficiency rating (CER) from A (best) to C (worst). Players use the CER Roster Sheet to keep track of the CER of their units.
- Auxiliary units not attached to any of the above type of units always have a CER of D. a) One light/missile infantry unit may be attached to each heavy infantry unit. b) One light/horse archer cavalry unit may be attached to each heavy cavalry unit.
Note: The above attachment limit is the same as used when determining supply (13.2).
- Scenario descriptions assign initial CERs.
- Units mobilized during a game have the same CER as the area from which they are raised (7.6).
- When combat occurs, the attacker and defender compare their CERs using the Combat Efficiency Chart. The attacker's CER is found along the left-hand side of the chart, and the defender's CER along the top. The two are cross-referenced to produce a number. This number is added to the die-roll on the Land Combat Results Table.
Important: Adding a negative number is a subtraction.
- Often a stack will contain units of different CERs. To determine the stack's effective CER for combat purposes, use the CER that contributes a majority of the stack's total strength.
Example: There are 32 strength points of CER A units, and 31 of CER C units; therefore, the stack is CER A.
- If no one CER has a majority, the stack is CER B.
Example: There are 10 CER A strength points, 2 CER B points, and 10 CER C points. The stack is CER B.
- If a unit or units possessing a CER engage in combat with a stack composed exclusively of non-CER units, treat the non-CER units as though they have a D CER.
Example: A CER of A would receive +3 modification, a B a +2 modification and a C a +1.
Player's Tip: When stacking units of different CERs, face the As, Bs, and Cs differently, which makes overall CER calculation easier.
14.5 Combat Results
Each combat result consists of two parts separated by a slash. The result to the left of the slash applies to the attacker, the result to the right of the slash applies to the defender. The player whose result is printed in boldface is the victor and his opponent the loser of the battle. Combat results are resolved as follows:
Important: The effects of terrain and cities on combat strengths apply only when calculating combat ratios, not when calculating combat losses.
Example: Losing a 4-12 in a city does not satisfy an 8-point loss.
- E: Player's force is eliminated.
- A: The defender loses at least as many strength points as the attacker did (round fractions up).
- D: The attacker loses at least as many strength points as the defender did (round fractions up).
Example: The combat result is E/A; the attacker has a 4-12, which is eliminated. The defender is required to lose at least as many strength points as the attacker, but he has two 6-16's. To satisfy the loss, he must lose one of these units.
- 1/2A: The defender loses at least one-half the strength points lost by the attacker.
- 1/2D: The attacker loses at least one-half the strength points lost by the defender.
Example: If the attacker is required to lose 15 strength points and the defender's result is 1/2A, the defender loses at least 8 strength points.
- 1/4A: The defender loses at least one-quarter the strength points lost by the attacker.
- 1/4D: The attacker loses at least one-quarter the strength points lost by the defender.
- 3/4A: The defender loses at least three-quarters the strength points lost by the attacker.
- 3/4D: The attacker loses at least three-quarters the strength points lost by the defender.
- N: No Effect.
14.5.1 Retreat After Combat
The losing force must retreat, unless the losing force is besieged in a city, in which case the force remains in the city under siege. The procedures in 14.2 and 14.3 apply, except where noted below.
- If the force must retreat and cannot, at least half of the remaining strength points are eliminated.
- Cavalry superiority does not prevent retreat after combat. Although cavalry may have entered a combat hex by crossing a river, a narrows seas hexside or a narrow sea hex, strengths are not halved when deciding if the loser of a battle can retreat after combat.
- Instead of retreating to an adjacent hex, the force may retreat into a friendly city in the same hex, accepting siege. In this case, place a siege marker on top of the units. The besieged units cannot be attacked again in the same Combat Segment.
- Any city in the hex belonging to the losing side is captured, unless units remain under siege in the city or all opposing units have been eliminated.
14.5.2 Eliminated Units
Eliminated units are removed from the game map. These eliminated units may be mobilized or taken as replacements on a future Taxation and Mobilization Phase.
Important: Unlike other games, the reduced strength side of a ground combat unit is not used when it loses strength in combat. There are no step losses in the game. The reduced strength side of a unit represents the unit when unseasoned (15.0).
14.6 Fleets in Land Combat
Fleets in coastal hexes can attack enemy land units in that hex during the Land Combat Segment at the owning player's option.
- Fleets in coastal hexes (and units embarked on them) cannot be attacked in land combat.
- When attacking coastal hexes, a fleet's land combat strength is one-fourth its naval combat strength, rounded down.
Example: The land combat strength of an 18-30 fleet is 4; of two 18-30 fleets, 9.
- When attacking embarked units, add one-half their strength.
- Fleets carrying land units may debark land units if they meet the requirements for amphibious invasion (e.g., the presence of a +2 or better leader, etc.).
- As per rule 10.7.1, fleets in a friendly port hex can be either outside or inside the port. In both cases, the inside/outside state only matters when the hex is attacked.
- Defending fleets that are attacked in land combat in a friendly port hex may choose to accept siege inside the port or withdraw outside the port. Troops being carried by the fleet must follow the action of the fleet.
Important: If the fleet remains in the port, the troops may be landed to support the defense.
- Troops defending in a port that are not already stacked with a fleet may embark on and withdraw with a withdrawing fleet.
- If there are enemy fleets outside the port the withdrawing fleets must immediately attack those fleets.
- The withdrawing fleet may also be intercepted by enemy fleets.
- If fleets are part of a force that retreats after combat, they may retreat to a different hex from the one to which land units retreat. This is an exception to 14.2.1.
- When calculating land combat losses, a fleet's strength is quartered before losses are applied. That is, eliminating a 36-30 fleet satisfies only a 9-point land combat loss, not 36 points.
- Fleets, like land units, can besiege and accept siege (17.2).
15.0 Seasoning Units
15.1 New Units
A newly-built land unit is placed with its unseasoned (lower strength) side face-up (7.4). Unseasoned units that took part in combat can be seasoned.
- At the end of combat, both players season units.
- A player may only season as many strength points of unseasoned units as the total combat strength of the enemy force.
Example: A player has four unseasoned 10-10 legions. He attacks one veteran 20-10 legion and an unseasoned 2-12 light infantry (total strength 22). The result is "N/N." The attacker may season two of his legions, but not the other two; the defender may season his light infantry.
- When a unit is seasoned, it is flipped to its veteran (higher strength) side.
- No units can be seasoned when an attack results in retreat before combat, or a siege without assault. Only when combat is resolved may units be seasoned.
15.2 Elite Legions
Elite legions (24-10) cannot be raised by mobilization. They may be created by converting seasoned 20-10 legions that have won a battle.
- Elite legions may only be created during Periods 1, 2, and 3.
- They are subject to the maximum build restrictions listed on the Maximum Unit Build Chart.
- For each elite legion created, the maximum number of 20-10 legions must be reduced by one.
- Conversion to an elite legion cost two talents.
15.2.1 Conversion Procedure
If a seasoned 20-10 legion is part of a force that wins a battle, the owning player may attempt to create an elite legion.
- Only one 20-10 legion may attempt conversion per battle.
- Immediately after battle resolution, the owning player may declare the conversion by conducting the following steps.
- Expend two talents.
- Identify the seasoned legion he is attempting to convert.
- Roll one die. If a +2 or +3 leader participated in the battle, subtract one from the die roll. The conversion succeeds if the modified die roll result is a one or two.
- If the conversion succeeds remove the 20-10 legion and replace it with an elite 24-10. Reduce the maximum number of 20-10s allowed by one.
- If the conversion fails, the 20-10 remains on the map (the talents are still expended).
16.0 Cities
16.1 Intrinsic Combat Strengths
Each city has an intrinsic combat strength. A player captures a city when he defeats it in combat or eliminates its strength through siege (14.5 & 17.3).
- Units can move through hexes containing enemy cities but cannot capture those cities unless they stop and attack.
Important: Cities' tax values and combat strengths vary with the period and are found on the Variable City Chart at the end of these rules.
- If friendly units defend in a city hex, the city's intrinsic combat strength is added to their strength. If they accept siege, the city's combat strength is added after the units' strength is doubled or tripled.
- The CER of ports and cities is always B.
- Non-city ports have combat strengths of 1 or 2. They add this strength to the strength of friendly units in the same hex, and can defend alone, just like cities.
Important: Non-city ports cannot be besieged; they are captured when they lose in land combat. They can be attacked just like normal land units, they may neither retreat nor accept siege.
16.2 Deforestation
Historical Note: When Roman armies laid siege to a city, they built siege engines (towers, ballistae, and such) out of local timber. Permanent, mobile siege trains were extremely rare. Certain provinces on the game map contain few forests. Roman siege craft was at a disadvantage in these areas.
- On the game map, some provinces contain an ax symbol. These are deforested provinces.
- Normally, units under siege are doubled when assaulted (14.3). Units under siege in deforested provinces are tripled.
16.3 City/Port Capacity
- A city or port not listed in the Variable City Chart may hold two LEs worth of units, unless strengthened by fortification (see 21.4). [Errata 9/27/19 adds the reference to 21.4]
- A city listed in the Variable City Chart (except Rome and Constantinople) may hold 4 LEs of units, unless strengthened by fortification.
- Rome and Constantinople may each hold 8 Legion-sized units (or equivalent).
- Units that cannot withdraw into the city or port may be attacked outside the city.
- There is no limit on the number of fleets which a port may contain (13.5).
17.0 Siege
17.1 Besieging
Units enter siege by rule 14.3. When units accept siege, they are under siege and the enemy units in the same hex are besieging them. An enemy city which contains no units can be besieged. A siege marker should be placed on top of units under siege.
Important: A non-city port cannot be besieged, although it does have a combat strength (16.1).
- Units under siege may not leave their hex until the siege is broken.
- A siege is broken if, at any time, the unmodified combat strength of the besieging force is less than one-fourth the unmodified combat strength of the besieged units. When a siege is broken, remove the siege marker.
17.1.1 Siege & Combat
Besieging units may assault the besieged city during any friendly Land Combat Segment by the normal rules for assault (14.3).
- The besieged units may attack their besiegers during any friendly Land Combat Segment.
- Other friendly units (e.g., a relief force) may enter the hex and take part in the combat; all friendly units' combat strengths are combined in the attack.
- If the besieging units are eliminated or forced to retreat, the siege is broken.
- If the attackers are forced to retreat, the units that entered the hex from outside may not retreat into the city. The besieged units remain under siege.
- Baggage trains that entered from outside the city's hex may not supply friendly besieged units.
- Baggage trains inside a besieged city cannot supply friendly units that entered from outside the city's hex.
17.2 Ports & Sieges
If there are more fleets in the besieging force than in a besieged port, the city is blockaded.
- Fleets that are part of a besieging force are immune to rule 10.3. If they remain in the besieged hex, they need not return to a friendly port.
- At the end of the Naval Operations Segment of each winter turn, the owning player must roll for naval attrition for besieging fleets, just as if they had moved. The naval attrition value for besieging fleets is 1; if a besieging fleet moves, add 1 to the naval attrition value for its movement (10.3).
17.2.1 Supply
Unless a port is blockaded, it can provide supply to units besieged in the port city (subject to normal restrictions in 13.0). If a port is blockaded, any units besieged in the port city must forage in the city and then be supplied from baggage trains (if any are present).
17.2.2 Besieged Fleets
Besieged fleets may engage besieging fleets during the Naval Operations Segment.
- Unless a port is blockaded, fleets may freely enter or leave the port, transporting land units in either direction.
- When a port is under siege and is assaulted, the defender's ships (only) can retreat before combat unless the port is blockaded (17.2).
- Land units exceeding a besieged port's capacity limits (16.3) cannot be embarked on friendly fleets inside the port and can be attacked in land combat outside the city as they are considered encamped outside the city.
17.3 Siege Attrition
Besieged units are subject to siege attrition (exception, 13.5).
- During the Siege Resolution Phase, the turn after the last baggage train (if any) has been consumed, the owner of the besieged units rolls on the Siege Attrition Table for each of his besieged cities. A city does not suffer attrition on the same game turn in which it accepts siege.
Example: Siege is laid in June. The first siege attrition roll is made in July (if no baggage train is present).
17.3.1 Procedure
Refer to the Siege Attrition Table. Find the number of turns on the left-hand side of the table and the siege attrition value in the right-hand column.
- Modify the siege attrition value as directed by the modifiers below the table. Roll one die. If the die-roll is less than or equal to the modified attrition value, siege attrition occurs. Each city may be rolled for only once per turn.
- If siege attrition occurs, one besieged unit is eliminated. The besieged player decides which unit to remove, but he must remove units in the order specified by the Siege Priority Chart. The baggage train cannot be removed; it may be only consumed.
- If no units are left, the city's intrinsic defense strength is reduced by one. This reduction is temporary and ceases to apply as soon as the siege is broken, or the city captured.
- If the city's defense strength is reduced to zero, the siege is over, and the city has been captured by the besieger.
Note: Players must remember or note on scrap paper how many points of its defense strength a city has lost.
- If any baggage train is present, attrition is counted beginning the turn after the last baggage train has been consumed.
18.0 Leaders
18.1 Effects on Units
Leaders have the following effects on land units:
- Land units that move with leaders may force march (12.5).
- Leaders modify die-rolls during combat (10.7 & 14.4).
- Leaders move and can be transported in the same way as land units. A leader can be carried by a fleet and supplied without having to expend movement or supply points.
- A leader alone in a hex that does not contain any friendly units has a combat strength of 1. This combat strength may only be used defensively.
18.2 Leader Loss
Captured or Killed: A leader may be captured or killed by an enemy player when:
a) The leader is attacked separately (no friendly units in the hex) and suffers a combat result that would cause a friendly force to lose strength points. b) All units in the leader's stack are eliminated in combat. c) The leader is caught by an overrun, whether stacked with units or alone in the hex (32.0).
Captured: A leader is automatically captured if in a city that is under siege and the city is captured.
Killed: A leader is automatically killed if he is on a naval unit that is destroyed by naval attrition.
18.2.1 Captured Leaders
A captured leader is moved by the capturing player but must always end his move with units of the capturing power, a client state or ally until freed. The captured leader does not affect combat, movement or recruiting while captured.
- A captured leader may be freed by a player during any Diplomacy Phase; once freed, the leader returns to the owning player's control, but remains physically in the place of his release until moved by the owning player.
- A player who has lost a leader through capture may offer ransom during any Diplomacy Phase. Ransom can come in the form of transferring units, cities, talents or anything else the players can agree to.
18.2.2 Killed Leaders
When a named leader is killed, the counter is permanently removed from play. When an unnamed leader is killed, the counter is placed on the Month Track on the next month that has a Taxation and Mobilization Phase.
- During the Taxation and Mobilization Phase of that turn, the player refers to the Unnamed Leader Replacement Table and rolls one die. He finds the leader's value along the left-hand side; if the die-roll is less than or equal to the number printed in the right column of the table, the leader returns to play.
- If the leader returns to play, he may be placed with any stack containing units owned by his power.
- If the leader does not return to play, the player may roll for him again during the next and each subsequent Taxation and Mobilization Phase.
18.3 Imperator or Rex
Each Roman faction has an Imperator. Many non-Roman powers (civilized or barbarian) have a Rex. The scenario description indicates which leader is a power's Imperator or Rex.
- In Roman civil war scenarios, the loss of an Imperator can cause faction dissolution (28.1).
- Some scenario descriptions list possible successors for an Imperator or Rex. If the Imperator or Rex is eliminated, the indicated successor becomes the new Imperator or Rex. A new Imperator or Rex may be selected several times as leaders are killed. If the scenario lists no successor, no leader replaces the Imperator or Rex upon his death and the power undergoes immediate dissolution (28.1).
18.3.1 Treasury
A power's treasury is always with its Imperator or Rex. If it has no Imperator or Rex, its treasury is located with its highest value leader. If two or more are tied for highest value, the player decides which carries the treasury.
- If the leader carrying the treasury is killed or captured in land combat, disperse the treasury: a) The opposing player gains 25% of the treasury. b) 25% is lost (eliminated). c) If the faction is not dissolved the original player retains the remaining 50%. d) If the faction is dissolved the player that killed the leader carrying the treasury gains the remaining 50%.
- If the leader is killed or captured in any other way and the faction is not dissolved, 50% of the treasury is lost and 50% retained. If the faction dissolves, all treasury is lost.
18.4 Skill Increase (Optional)
If a Leader wins a battle against odds of 2:3 or worse, raise his + value by 1. The maximum value allowed is +3.
19.0 Morale, Rebellion, & Treachery
19.1 Morale Levels Changes
Each power has a morale level which is recorded on the owning player's Power Record Form. Initial levels are provided by the scenario description.
- Each time a power loses control of a province (5.6), it loses as many morale points as the province's tax value. Each time a power gains a province, it gains as many morale points as the tax value.
- Each time a power loses a unit, whether through combat, supply loss, or for some other reason, it loses 4 morale points for each legion equivalent sized unit and 2 morale points for each half legion equivalent size unit.
- Each time a power destroys an enemy unit in combat or through siege attrition, or gains an enemy unit through defection, it gains 4 morale points for each legion equivalent sized unit and 2 morale points for each half legion equivalent size unit.
- Each time a power loses an unnamed leader, it loses 1 morale point plus the leader's value.
Example: Losing a +1 leader costs 2 morale points.
- Each time a power loses a named leader other than the Imperator or Rex, it loses 2 morale points plus twice as many points as the leader's value.
- Losing an Imperator or Rex costs a power 10 morale points plus the leader's value times 10.
Example: Loss of a +1 Imperator would cost the owning power 20 morale points.
- Each time a power eliminates an enemy leader in combat it gains an equivalent number of points (i.e., the power gains the same number of points as the other power lost).
- Each time a power's units retreat before combat the power loses 5 morale points.
- If none of a power's units make any attacks in a summer game turn, the power loses 5 morale points. a) Declaring an attack is sufficient to meet this condition, even if no combat is resolved because the defending units retreat or accept siege. b) Assaulting an enemy city is making an attack even if there are no enemy units in the city. c) Powers do not lose morale points for failing to make attacks during winter game turns. d) Inactive minor powers never lose morale for failing to attack.
- In addition to any morale gain or loss for losing units, the victor in a combat gains two morale points and the loser loses two.
Exception: The two points victory and loss are not gained or lost when a city that contains no enemy units is attacked. This rule applies only when there is combat between units.
19.2 Morale & Imperial Capitals
In most scenarios, Roma is the imperial capital; in some scenarios, Ravenna, Nicomedia, and Constantinople may be the capital, or some combination of these (22.0).
- The imperial capital has a morale value; this value changes from scenario to scenario and is listed in the scenario description.
- When the owning power of the imperial capital loses it to another power, it loses as many morale points as the capital's morale value. Conversely, the capturing player gains this number of points.
Important: Capitals have other effects during Roman civil war scenarios (28.1).
19.3 Morale Effect on Combat
Whenever combat (land or naval) is resolved, the two sides must compare their morale levels. If one player's morale level is at least 50 points higher than the other player's, he adds one to (when attacking) or subtracts one from (when defending) the die-roll on the Combat Results Table. This is in addition to any other die-roll modifications.
Important: The maximum modifier for morale is a plus or minus 1. [Errata 9/27/19]
19.3.1 Donatives
Before the morale comparison is made, either or both players may announce that he is making a donative. The attacking player announces first. A donative temporarily increases a player's morale by 1 point per talent spent.
Example: A player with a morale of 100 who spends 20 talents has an effective morale of 120.
- The morale increase is for the units participating in the current battle only. It does not affect subsequent battles during the same segment. No change is made to the morale level on the player's Power Record Form.
- Both players may make donatives; each may respond to donatives made by the other player. They may continue to announce additional payments until they no longer wish to do so or until they run out of money.
- No player may raise his morale by more than 20 percent through donatives.
19.3.2 Mixed Morale Levels
If a force contains units which belong to different powers, the morale level of the power whose units contribute the largest portion of the stack's combat strength is used.
Example: Marc Antony's Romans are attacking in conjunction with Cleopatra's Egyptians. Antony's troops have a morale of 84, and Cleo's of 60. The Roman units' total combat strength is 103, and the Egyptians' is 102. The combined player's effective morale is 84.
- If two or more powers are tied for the largest strength contribution, use the higher-ranking leader's morale.
- If an Imperator or Rex is present, that player's morale must be used.
- If Roman and non-Roman leaders are present, the Roman commander must be used.
20.0 Power Dissolution
If a power's morale is reduced to or below zero, that power dissolves. During Roman civil war scenarios, factions may also dissolve upon the death of an Imperator (28.1).
20.1 Minor Powers
If a minor power dissolves because it was conquered, it immediately becomes a client state of the power that conquered it. The conquering player adds the minor power to his Power Form. If a minor power dissolves for some other reason, the power becomes inactive and neutral.
- All leaders and units outside its remaining provinces are immediately placed in its provinces, even those currently under siege; the former controlling player determines where.
- Any accrued replacement points are lost.
- If enemy units remain in one of the power's provinces, or if it is invaded on a future turn, it is immediately reactivated (23.0).
20.1.1 Conquering a Minor Power
A minor power is conquered when all its provinces are conquered and it has either dissolved or all its forces have been eliminated. If it has remaining forces, a power can try to re-conquer its home provinces (if not dissolved).
20.2 Non-Roman Major Powers
If a major power that is not a Roman faction dissolves, it immediately becomes an inactive neutral minor power. The rules listed in 20.1 apply. If the minor (ex-major) power is reactivated (23.0), it will start:
- With the units left on the board rather than rolling for new ones.
- With a replacement rate as listed at the start of the game, since it is now a minor power with units listed in the scenario.
- With no treasury.
- Rule 26.0 (Civilized Recruitment) no longer applies.
- If it dissolves a second time as a minor power it will become a client state of the power causing the dissolution.
-
If all a player's major powers dissolve, he is out of the game.
-
Each of his client states becomes the client state of the nearest major power. Client states can be taken over by non-Roman major powers. Control of neutral minor powers is determined by the farthest power rule.
20.3 Roman Factions
If a Roman faction dissolves, its Imperator is removed from play and the below procedures are conducted.
20.3.1 Provinces
Its provinces defect to the control of other Roman factions. Only Roman factions may gain control of the provinces; non-Roman major powers may not. The province defects to the Roman faction that has units in the province as follows:
- If two or more Roman factions have units in the province, the province defects to the power with the higher morale.
- If the province contains no units, it defects to the faction that controls the closest province, measured in hexes from each province's border. A player may not use a province gained through defection to claim ownership of other provinces defecting at the same time.
- If the dissolving Roman faction controls cities in a province but not the province itself, the cities defect to (in order of precedence):
- The faction that controls the province's capital, if any.
- The faction that controls the largest number of other cities in the province; or,
- The faction that controls the nearest province.
- In the event of ties, the Roman faction with the higher morale gains control. If tied in morale, each player rolls a die, the high roller gains control.
20.3.2 Units & Leaders
Any units and leaders in a defecting province defect to the same player as the province.
- Units and leaders outside of the dissolving power's provinces defect to the Roman faction that controls the province in which they are located, or, failing that, controls the nearest Roman province.
- Ties go to the faction with the higher morale. If tied in morale, each player rolls a die, the higher roller gains control.
- One-half of the units of each type rounded downwards in a defecting stack are removed; the remainder are replaced with equivalent units of the new owner's color (exceptions 20.4).
Example: If three 4-12's, two 10-10's and one 20-10 defect, the new owner receives one 4-12, one 10-10, and one 20-10.
- If the new owner's faction does not have as many unused unit counters as it needs, the extra defecting units are removed.
- A unit's CER cannot increase through defection; CER B units cannot be replaced with counters which represent CER A units. A power that has only one CER A unit may not gain CER B units, unless rule 20.4 is applied. The defecting units would simply be removed.
- Leaders among the units that are acquired under this rule are not replaced with new counters; the new owner continues to use the original leader counters.
20.3.3 Morale
Leaders, units, and/or provinces gained through defection, increase the morale of the gaining player. Leaders count as one plus their leadership value. Units count as four times their LE. Provinces are worth their tax value. (Morale Chart & 19.1).
Example: A player gains a 0-16 unnamed leader (+1 + 0 leadership value), 3 legion units (+4 per legion: total +12), and three provinces with a total tax value of 12. He gains 25 morale points.
20.4 Acquiring Colors (Roman factions only)
When a Roman faction dissolves, some other Roman faction acquires the ability to raise units of its color(s).
- The Roman faction gaining control of the largest number of units of a color gains control of the color. In the event of ties, the higher morale gains the color. If tied in morale, each player rolls a die with the higher roller gaining the color.
- The player gaining the color need not replace defecting units of that color with units of another color, per 20.3.2. The number of units he receives is still halved.
- The CER of the newly-gained color remains the same.
- The player who gains control of the color may raise units of that color on future Taxation and Mobilization Phases.
21.0 Field Fortifications
21.1 Building Field Fortifications
Only infantry units may build fortifications. A unit must begin its Movement Segment in the hex on which it is to build the fortification, and the unit may not move in the same segment in which it builds fortifications.
Exception: A Roman Legion may build the first step of a fortification (D level) if it can expend one-half of its MA after entering a hex. The Legion must be in supply to do so.
- One Legion-sized unit of infantry may build one level of fortifications. More than one level of fortifications can be built in a hex during a game turn if one Legion-sized unit or the equivalent of infantry is present for each step being built.
- Forts may possess up to four steps, with levels A-D being possible ("A" being the best and "D" the weakest). "A" level forts are the maximum level possible in each scenario.
Important: The strength of each level depends on the values given on the Mobilization Charts for each period and the scenario being played in that scenario. Use the strengths listed on that chart for the appropriate fort level.
- Building fortifications cost talents; the cost per level of fortification is listed at the bottom of the Mobilization Charts and may vary from scenario to scenario during a given time period.
- When units build fortifications, place an under-construction marker on top of them to indicate that they may not move on that same game turn unless they were constructing the first level of a fort and they were Roman.
- If, at the beginning of the next turn the under-construction marker remains in place, it is removed and replaced with a fortification marker representing as many levels of fortification as were built.
- If units building fortifications move, make an attack, or lose in combat (14.5.1), the under-construction marker is removed. No fortification marker is placed and the talents spent to build fortifications are lost.
- If fortifications have already been built in a hex, a player may increase the level of fortifications on a later turn by building additional levels.
- A Roman player with a "+2" or better leader who is conducting a siege may build a fortification on the besieged city, port, or fortification under the normal rules above. a) The constructing units may not engage in combat during construction. b) They can be withheld from combat, leaving other forces in the siege to do the fighting, but they may be affected by the combat results. c) Once completed, the fortification can add its combat value to units defending in attacks from either the besieged enemy units or enemy units outside the siege.
21.2 Limitations
Each period has a maximum fortification level, listed on the Period Mobilization Chart. No hex may contain more fortification levels than the maximum.
Exception: Two or more players may build fortifications in the same hex. In this case, each can build up to the maximum; the fortifications occupy different parts of the same hex.
- A maximum level fortification acts in many ways like a city. a) Friendly units in a hex with a maximum level fortification may accept siege. b) Except when noted otherwise, maximum fortifications under attack double the defending units' combat strength. c) Maximum level fortifications in deforested areas or when assaulted by barbarians or Parthians triple the defending units' combat strength. d) Units in a hex with a friendly maximum level fortification receive the same forage bonus as if they were in a city.
- If a besieger builds a maximum level fortification in a hex containing a besieged city, the besieging units are doubled or tripled if attacked, just like the besieged units.
- A fortification built in a friendly city hex effectively increases the city's intrinsic defense strength. The multiplier for the defending units' combat strength remains the same.
- Rule 16.3 (Port/City Capacity) is not applied to a maximum level fortification. There is no restriction on the number of units that may be in a fortification hex, except as outlined in the supply rules (13.0).
Designer's Note: Maximum level fortifications could hold an entire army, such as at the siege of Alesia.
- The number of fortification markers provided with the game is a limit on fortification construction. If all fortification markers are in play, no new fortifications can be built.
21.3 Removing Fortifications
If, during a Taxation and Mobilization Phase, one of a player's fortifications is not occupied by any friendly unit, it is removed from the map unless the player spends as many talents as its fortification level.
- Fortifications cannot be captured. If a player takes a hex containing an enemy fortification, it is removed.
- A player may destroy a fortification. a) Destroying a Level-D fortification requires that a heavy infantry unit expend one MP. b) Destroying a Level-C fortification requires the expenditure of two MP from heavy infantry units. The total MP may be paid by more than one heavy infantry unit. c) Destroying a Level-B fortification requires the expenditure of three MP by heavy infantry units. The total MP may be paid by more than one heavy infantry unit. d) Destroying a Level-A fortification requires the expenditure of four MP by heavy infantry units. The total MP may be paid by more than one heavy infantry unit.
21.4 Fortification Effects
A fort, like a city has an intrinsic defense strength when defending alone, equal to the fortification value. In addition, a fortification adds its strength to the strength of other units in the hex when defending (only).
Example: During Period One, two 4-12 units occupy a hex containing a level B fortification. The strength of a level B fortification in this period is six. The total combat strength of the units when attacking is 8; when defending the combat strength would be 14 (4 + 4 + 6 = 14).
22.0 Imperial Capitals & Grain Supply
22.1 The Imperial Capital
Unless stated otherwise in the scenario, Roma is always the imperial capital. The imperial capital has an intrinsic defense strength of 10. When Constantinople is the capital, rule 33.1 applies.
22.2 Grain
Certain provinces on the game map contain wheat symbols near the province's name that indicate the availability of all types of edible grains. Roman factions must maintain control of provinces with enough wheat symbols to avoid a grain rebellion.
Example: Aegyptus contains four symbols.
22.2.1 Province Control
A player controls a province's grain if he controls 50% or more of the cities in the province. A player can only count wheat symbols in his controlled provinces.
Exception: If another player with grain-producing provinces wishes, he may permit the capital-owner to add his wheat symbols to the total.
Important: The four wheat symbols in Chersonesus can only be counted when Constantinople is the capital.
22.2.2 Rebellion Determination
Important: Do not check for a grain rebellion during the first game turn of any scenario.
During the Diplomacy Phase of each game turn the owner of the imperial capital (if a Roman faction) must check to determine whether a grain rebellion occurs. A grain rebellion may occur if:
a) The faction does not control provinces containing at least five wheat symbols; or b) The capital is besieged.
- If a) applies, the player refers to the Grain Rebellion Table. He finds the total wheat symbols along the left-hand side of the table. He then rolls one die. If the number rolled is within the span listed on the right-hand side, a rebellion occurs.
- If b) applies, the capital cannot be supplied with grain. The player must check for rebellion. Roll one die, if the result is 1 through 5 a grain rebellion occurs. If a BT is within the besieged capital, the owning player may expend SP to reduce the chance of a rebellion. Each SP expended adds one to the die roll.
[Errata 9/27/19: the bullets above replace the printed bullet "If either of the two above conditions are met, the player refers to the Grain Rebellion Table. He finds the total wheat symbols along the left-hand side of the table. He then rolls one die. If the number rolled is within the span listed on the right-hand side, a rebellion occurs."]
22.2.3 Rebellion Effects
When a grain rebellion occurs, two unseasoned 4-12 light infantry units (CER B and no morale level) are placed with their 2-12 side up in the imperial capital.
- The owner of the capital loses the morale points for the capital (19.2) and an additional 10 morale points for the rebellion.
- The imperial capital intrinsic defense strength is reduced to two until the original owner regains control of the capital.
- If the capital owner has units in the capital, they are no longer inside the capital. They may besiege the rebelling units if the owning player desires.
- If rebellion occurs when the capital is already under siege, the capital immediately surrenders to the besieging faction and all defending units are eliminated. The besieging faction gains control of the capital and immediately controls the rebelling units and capital.
- If the capital was not under siege, the rebelling units cannot move or attack. The rebelling units and the capital remain uncontrolled until a faction (other than the faction suffering the rebellion) enters the capital's hex.
Important: The owner of the rebelling units (determined by the Farthest Faction rule) is the new owner of the capital.
- The new owner gains morale points per 19.2. He must begin to check for a possible grain rebellion with the next Diplomacy Phase.
Important: It is possible for grain rebellions to occur several times during a game.
23.0 Inactive Powers & Client States
There are two kinds of Inactive Powers: those listed in the scenario and any provinces not assigned to any power by the scenario.
- Inactive powers can be client states of one of the active powers or neutral.
- Client states are subject to the authority of one of the active major powers and are thus active in the game. Their units may stack with and engage in attacks in cooperation with those of the major power patron.
23.1 Activation of Inactive Powers
When hostile units enter territory of an inactive client state or neutral power, the power is activated. All active players' units are hostile to a neutral power.
23.2 Power Type
Unless the scenario description states otherwise, a client state or inactive power is either civilized or barbarian. Determine its status using the below list.
a) It is barbarian if its provinces are wild. b) It is civilized if its provinces are cultivated (11.2). c) If it consists of both wild and cultivated provinces, it is civilized.
23.3 Units
If an inactive power has units listed in the scenario description, those are its units. Otherwise, the players use the Inactive Power Table to determine starting units. Use the Civilized Powers or Barbarian Powers section as determined by 23.2.
- Roll two dice, add the results and modify the result using the die roll modifiers appropriate to the section being used.
- Find the modified roll along the left-hand side of the table. Entries on the same line of the table will indicate the power's CER, its replacement rate, and the number and type of units it controls.
- If a civilized minor power with at least one port is activated, the controlling player may replace any or all 16-9 heavy infantry units it raises with 18-30 fleets.
- If Arabia Deserta or Sagartia are activated, the units it raises are automatically replaced with 6-16 light cavalry units worth as many legion-sized units listed on the table.
- Units must be placed onto the map during the Movement Segment of the hostile force entering the province. The hostile force must stop temporarily in the first hex entered so the opponent can set up the pieces. They may be set up anywhere in the province.
23.4 War Status
If the activated power is civilized non-Roman, it is only at war with the power that violated its territory. If the activated power is barbarian, the barbarians must try to evict the invaders from their territory before anything else.
- They may not leave their province before the invaders are cleared from their territory.
- Once cleared, they must attack the nearest Roman province or civilized nation. They cannot attack or enter other barbarian provinces.
Note: This is to avoid barbarians from, say, Germania Magna invading the Balkans and causing trouble for the Eastern Roman Empire.
23.5 Control
Activated neutrals are controlled per the farthest power rule (5.3).
23.6 Reversion to Neutrality
Civilized Power: Once a civilized power is activated, it remains active for the rest of the game, unless conquered or dissolved.
Barbarian Power: An activated barbarian power not listed in the scenario can revert to inactive status. It does so if, at the end of any game turn, there are no units belonging to any other power in any of its provinces. When it reverts, all its units are removed from play. The barbarian power can be reactivated on a subsequent turn.
- All minor powers listed in the scenario description remain active regardless of the reverting-to inactive-status rule.
- Whenever a minor power that has its units listed in the scenario is out of play, its units are not permanently removed if rule 37.6 is mentioned in the notes of a scenario.
- This rule should not be applied to barbarian powers that are specified a different activation process from 23.1, as noted in 37.6, or start the game activated.
Example: In Scenario 24 (Diocletian vs. Carinus), when the Franks, Goths, Arabs, and Alamanni are eliminated, they do not return.
24.0 Plunder
24.1 Procedure
If, at the end of his Siege Resolution Segment, a major power player has at least one non-besieged heavy infantry or heavy cavalry unit in 50% or more of a province's cities, the player may plunder the province or any of its cities under his control, even if the province is his own, if it is free of un-besieged enemy forces.
- Cities under siege in the province at the time it is plundered retain their intrinsic defense strength; a modification is made for siege-attrition die rolls in provinces with a plundered marker.
- Fleets can withdraw into ports in plundered provinces, if they can trace a sea lane to a friendly port.
Important: Cities under siege in a province that is then plundered are not themselves plundered and retain their defense strength for the duration of the siege. If the siege is unsuccessful, the city retains its defense strength. If the city falls to the besieger, its defense strength falls to zero, and it may be plundered.
Important: A city or province with a plunder marker may not be taxed and no units may be raised in it.
- Place two plunder markers on each plundered city. If the entire province has been plundered place two plunder markers on any non-city hex in the province.
Important: Due to counter limitations, there is a limited number of plunder markers. Players may mark or track plundered cities and provinces in any agreed upon manner.
- The player of a major power then conducts the below procedure.
- Add three times the taxation value of the plundered city or province to his treasury; or
- Add the number of supply points equal to the number derived above divided by two, to any one baggage train in the city, or in the case of a province to any baggage train in that province; or
- The player may conduct a combination of the two. First determine the plunder value and then subtract the number to be added to your treasury. Then divide the remainder by two (round up) and add that number to any one baggage train as above.
Important: Minor powers and barbarian powers that control a province do not gain talents but do acquire morale points equal to the province's tax value.
24.2 Removing Plunder Markers
One plunder marker is removed from each city or province in each subsequent Taxation and Mobilization Phase.
Exception: Do not remove plunder markers if the city is controlled by a barbarian power.
24.3 Plundering Your Cities/Provinces
A power may plunder its own cities or provinces with the following effects:
a) That power may not raise units in that city or province for the remainder of the game. b) Once the plunder marker is removed, the city or province only yields half the normal tax income (rounded up). If the province is conquered by another player, that player receives the full income.
24.4 Forage & Supply Points
Forage values are halved in provinces with a plunder marker and baggage trains may not accumulate supply points in a province with a plunder marker.
24.5 City Intrinsic Defense
Cities in plundered provinces have no intrinsic defense strength if the province is marked with a plunder marker.
25.0 Winning the Game
25.1 End Dates
Most scenarios list an historical end date. Each scenario also includes victory conditions for each player. Unless the scenario specifies otherwise, the game ends with the completion of the historical end month. Thereupon, the players check their victory conditions to determine which of them has won. Sometimes the scenario description will indicate that the game should be ended when one or several players have met their victory conditions, instead of waiting for the historical date. This is common in those scenarios which historically went on for years (e.g., 10, 14, 18, & 19). Players may, by agreement prior to starting play, extend scenarios beyond the historical end date, or end the game sooner.
25.2 Multi-Player Games
In multi-player games it is entirely possible for there to be more than one winner.
- If, during the game, all factions but one have undergone dissolution, the remaining faction is automatically the winner.
- If all factions dissolve during the game, or none attain their victory conditions by the historical end month, everyone loses.
Special Rules (26.0-38.0)
Important: These rules only apply when specified in the scenario description. Players may, by agreement prior to starting play, adopt any of these rules they deem appropriate for any scenario they happen to be playing, though they should keep in mind the temporal limitations of some of them.
26.0 Civilized Recruitment
Important: Used in Scenarios: 1-5, 9, 11, 14, 19, 27, 28, 39, 40, and 41.
Civilized non-Roman major powers normally use a system of recruitment different from Roman mobilization or minor power accrual.
26.1 Accrual of Points
Civilized powers accrue replacement points each Taxation and Mobilization Phase.
- The number of points a power accrues each phase is indicated in the scenario description.
- There is no limit to the number of points a civilized power may accrue; it may accrue points even if none of its units have been eliminated.
26.2 Building Units
During a Taxation and Mobilization Phase, civilized powers may build new units of the types they already possess. Civilized powers may rebuild eliminated units and may build new units of its color(s) to the limit of the counter mix. But unless specified in the scenario, players may only build units of types with which they began the game.
Exception: Scenario notes may occasionally permit a player to recruit units that were not part of his initial set-up.
- Civilized powers do tax their provinces, like other major powers.
- When a civilized power builds a unit, it must expend both talents and replacement points. a) The number of talents spent is equal to the unit cost listed on the Mobilization Chart (7.2) for the scenario. b) The number of replacement points spent is equal to one replacement point per legion sized unit and one-half replacement point per detachment sized unit.
- Civilized powers ignore mobilization area limits; the only data on Mobilization Charts of interest to civilized powers is unit costs.
- The cost of raising a 20-9 is the same as that of a 20-10; the cost of a 16-9 is the same as that of a 16-10.
- Rules 7.4 (Mobilization Costs), 7.5 (Mobilization Limitations), 7.7 (Baggage Trains), 7.8 (Fleets) and 35.0 (Training, when appropriate) apply to civilized powers.
27.0 Pirates & Rhodus
Important: Used in scenarios 3 and 4.
Important: Unless specifically listed in a scenario, powers outlined in this section are not assigned a morale value. They do not suffer from or benefit by die-roll modifiers due to morale differences in combat. They never gain or lose morale points. Other powers can gain morale points by eliminating these units. [Errata 9/27/19]
27.1 Pirates
- Type: Civilized non-Roman; neutral but controlled by Mithridates.
- Replacement Rate: One-half.
- Controlled Provinces: Melita, and all non-city ports located in provinces with which the pirate units begin the game.
- Controlled by: Mithridates
- Set-Up (CER B): Place 1 x 4-12, 1 x 18-30 and 1 x D Fort in each of the following hexes: A2725, A3220, A3223, A3715, B4228, B4823 (H), B5117 (M), B5131, B5224, B5723, B6419.
Note: Some pirate bases are in neutral provinces.
27.1.1 Operational Restrictions
- Each separate pirate stack is a separate force. Pirates may stack with members of another pirate stack but not with Mithridatic forces.
- A pirate unit (including fleets) may never move into a hex more than 24 MP from one of the initial pirate starting hexes.
- Any 4-12 units must remain in the same hex as its fleet, although it may be debarked.
27.1.2 Pirate Capabilities
- Pirates add 1 to all naval attrition die rolls.
- Pirates treat all non-city coastal hexes as ports for the purposes of 10.2 & 10.4.
- All pirate powers and factions receive a +1 naval bonus.
- Pirate units may make amphibious invasions, even if a +2 or +3 leader is not present.
27.1.3 Taxation & Mobilization
If, during a Taxation and Mobilization Phase, any of a province's ports are occupied by pirate units, the province's tax value is reduced by one for each such hex. This reduction is not permanent but applies only if the coastal hexes are occupied by pirates.
Example: If two of Sicilia's ports are occupied by pirates, the province's tax value is 2 instead of 4.
27.1.4 Diplomacy Phase
If, during a Diplomacy Phase, any pirate fleets are within 30 naval movement points of a grain-producing province, they may prevent the owner of Roma from using grain from that province.
- The province's grain production is reduced by one wheat symbol for every two pirate fleets within 30 movement points.
- Each pirate fleet may only interfere with grain production from one province.
- On a game turn that a pirate fleet is used to interfere with grain production, it may not move or initiate combat.
27.2 Rhodus
- Type: Civilized non-Roman; client state of nearest Roman faction.
- Replacement Rate: One-half.
- Controlled Provinces: Rhodus
- Set-up: Yellow (CER A): Place 2 x (4)-12 and 1 x 18-30 in hex B5821.
27.2.1 Rhodus Capabilities
- Rhodus receives a +2 Naval Bonus.
- Rhodian units may not be used against any Roman faction's forces.
- The combat strength of Rhodian units is doubled when fighting pirates.
28.0 Roman Civil Wars
Important: Used in all scenarios except: 11, 14, 30, 36-39, 41.
28.1 Victory
In any Roman civil war scenario:
- A player whose major power is a Roman faction usually wins by eliminating all other powers' Imperators.
- If a Roman faction's Imperator and all his successors have been eliminated, the faction undergoes immediate dissolution (20.0).
- Any player who controls an imperial capital at the end of his player turn earns 2 morale points.
29.0 Militia
Important: Used in Scenarios 16-40, and in others as specified in the scenario notes.
29.1 Militia Strength
In periods in which militia exists, each mobilization area has a maximum militia value on the Period Mobilization Chart; this is the maximum number of militia strength points which may exist in each province in the area.
Example: When Hispania's militia value is 12, Tarraconensis, Baetica, Lusitania, and Gallaecia may each have 12 strength points of militia.
- Militia are not represented by unit counters; each province has a militia combat strength total, which its owner records on his record sheet.
- Unless a scenario indicates otherwise, all provinces within the Empire that can have militia do, and each province's initial militia strength is equal to its maximum strength.
- A province's militia has the same CER as its mobilization area, as indicated on the Mobilization Chart.
29.2 Controlling Militia
- Only the owner of a province may use its militia, and then only if the owner is a Roman power.
- Civilized non-Roman and barbarian powers never have militia.
- If a province with militia is shared by Roman powers, the militia strength is apportioned among them in ratio with the portion of the province's tax value based on city control (fractions not retained).
- When a player loses control of a province, he loses control of its militia.
- When a Roman faction captures a province containing militia, the player should ask the former owner how many militia strength-points it retains. The new owner gains complete control of the militia.
- If a non-Roman power gains control of the province, its militia is eliminated, and may only be rebuilt if a Roman faction regains control of the province.
29.3 Militia Procedures
Whenever a player engages in land combat in a hex in a province he controls that has militia, he may add the militia's strength to his combat strength total.
- Militia strength points may be assigned to empty cities and may accept siege. Militia combat strength is doubled or tripled by cities.
- Militia has the CER of units recruited from the same province.
- Militia can be divided among several friendly forces in a single province.
- If a force using militia suffers combat losses, the player must lose all militia strength points before suffering any unit losses. He notes any loss of militia strength points on his record sheet.
- Militia strength points count towards calculation of combat losses.
- Militia can be added to the combat strength of units to prevent an overrun.
Important: Militia does not count when determining siege priority, they are part of the city's intrinsic defense (See Siege Priority Chart). [Errata 9/27/19]
29.4 Rebuilding Militia
If a province's militia total is less than its maximum, the owning player may rebuild militia at the cost indicated on the Mobilization Chart during a Taxation and Mobilization Phase.
- This cost is the number of talents that must be spent per militia strength point rebuilt.
- There is no limit to the number of militia strength points that can be rebuilt in a province, if its militia maximum is not exceeded.
30.0 Limitanei
Important: Used in scenarios 16-33, 35-36, and 38-40.
- Any province designated by scenario as having limitanei (frontier guards) has them in all hexes adjacent to non-Roman provinces. Provinces not controlled by a Roman faction are non-Roman provinces.
- Any non-Roman unit that enters a hex containing limitanei must spend extra movement points, in addition to the normal movement point cost to enter the hex. Scenario descriptions will specify the movement point cost to enter a hex containing limitanei.
- When a province that began the game containing limitanei is not controlled by a Roman faction, its limitanei do not exist. If it is recaptured by a Roman faction, they return to play.
31.0 Legion Reform
Important: Used in scenarios 25-41.
- To reflect the reduction in the size of the legions by the Diocletian reforms, new legions are not seasoned and they always remain at the lower strength.
- All other land units, including barbarian and civilized non-Roman heavy infantry, still must be seasoned.
- A reformed Legion is equal to one-half of a LE.
32.0 Overruns
Important: Used in scenarios 17-19 and 21-41.
- Only stacks containing heavy cavalry units (30-16 & 15-16) can conduct overruns.
- Overrunning costs no movement points.
- If a stack containing heavy cavalry moves into a hex containing non-besieged enemy units, it can overrun them if the total combat strength of the moving heavy cavalry units is at least five times the total strength of the enemy units.
- Overruns are conducted during the movement segment by the active player and/or the inactive player (intercepting forces).
- Other moving units do not contribute their strength to the calculation.
- When an overrun occurs, the enemy units are removed from play and the moving units may continue moving.
- Cities, ports, and fortifications cannot be overrun. Units in a hex containing a friendly city may accept siege rather than be overrun.
33.0 Grain Under Constantinople
Important: Used in scenarios 34-41.
33.1 Grain Production
The following are changes to 22.0:
- Chersonesus produces "4" grain.
- Aegyptus, Africa Proconsularis, and Sicilia each produce "2" grain.
- Baetica and Sardinia do not produce grain.
- Only Constantinople consumes grain; Roma or Ravenna, if also an imperial capital, do not.
- All other rules in 22.0 still apply.
34.0 Fleet Conversion
Important: Used in scenarios 11-12, 15.
Optional: By agreement, players may adopt this rule in any Roman civil war scenario.
Players may replace any fleets with unseasoned 8-10 legions of the same color, subject to the limit of 8-10 legions in their counter-mix.
- During the Player's Movement Segment, remove the fleet counter from the game map and replace it with an 8-10 counter.
- A 36-30 counter can be replaced with two 8-10 counters.
- If no 8-10 legions are available, fleets can each be replaced with four unseasoned 2-12 light infantry units instead, again subject to the limits of the counter-mix.
- Civilized non-Roman powers replace their fleets with 8-9 heavy infantry instead, subject to the limits of the counter-mix.
Important: Once a fleet has been converted to ground troops, it may not later be reactivated; if a player needs a new fleet, one must be built through the normal mobilization process.
35.0 Training
Important: Used in scenarios 11-41.
Newly raised Roman and civilized non-Roman heavy infantry and heavy cavalry units (2.7) must be trained.
- Barbarian heavy infantry units (20-8) do not need to be trained, nor do any other units.
- Minor powers are not required to train their units.
Important: Training has nothing to do with seasoning. Newly placed units are always unseasoned whether they are trained or not.
35.1 Procedure
A unit can only be trained by a veteran unit of the same type (printed with the same symbol).
- A 16-10 legion can train an unseasoned 10-10 legion, even though that unseasoned legion would be a 20-10 legion when veteran, because they are of the same type of unit, legionary heavy infantry.
Example: A 16-10 could not train a 30-16 Roman heavy cavalry unit because the 30-16 is a unit of a different type.
- A unit of higher CER may be trained by one of lower CER, at the cost of one talent per CER level difference.
Example: A CER A unit must pay 2 talents to be trained by a CER C unit.
- When a unit requires training, it must be mobilized in a non-besieged city containing a veteran unit. Both units must remain in the city throughout the game turn in which the unit is raised.
- Players should place an in-training marker on the units as a reminder that they cannot be moved.
- A Player may raise a heavy unit even if no veteran unit is available to train it, but the new unit may not move from the city from which it was raised in for two game turns.
36.0 Roman Archers
Important: Used in scenarios 33-41.
- When raising Roman 4-12/(4)-12 and Roman 6-16/(6)-16 a Roman player may use either type of unit; either or both may be raised in any area, so long as mobilization limits on the Mobilization Chart are not exceeded.
- If using 40.1, all Roman light units are treated as archers.
- Barbarian and civilized non-Roman light units are not interchangeable (as above), unless otherwise noted by the scenario.
37.0 Special Minor Powers
Some minor powers appear with identical setups in several scenarios. Rather than reprint the same set-up description several times, we provide them here, and direct scenario users to these rules.
Important: Unless specifically listed in a scenario, powers outlined in this section are not assigned a morale value. They do not suffer from or benefit by die-roll modifiers due to morale differences in combat. They never gain or lose morale points. Other powers can gain morale points by eliminating these units. [Errata 9/27/19]
37.1 Berbers
Used in Scenarios: 36-40.
- Type: Barbarian.
- Replacement Rate: one-half.
- Controlled Provinces: Mauretania Caesarea and Mauretania Tingitana.
- Set-Up: (CER C) Place anywhere in Berber provinces: 0-16, 5 x (6)-16
Important: Scenario notes may limit the Berbers to Mauretania Tingitana or add Numidia to their provinces.
37.2 Saxon & Frisian Pirates
Used in Scenarios: 35-40.
- Type: Barbarian neutral active.
- Replacement Rate: One-half.
- Controlled Provinces: None.
- Set-Up: Brown (CER C) A2111: 2 x (4)-12, 1 x 18-30
Notes:
- Pirates treat all non-city coastal hexes on the Oceanus Germanicus and Oceanus Atlanticus as friendly port hexes. Rebuilt units can be placed in any such hex that is not occupied by enemy units.
- In scenarios during which Saxon and Frisian pirates exist, if under Roman control the provinces of Britannia, Germania Inferior, Belgica and Lugdunensis have limitanei in each coastal hex. The movement penalty for these limitanei is 8 and applies only to pirate units debarking from fleets.
- Pirates may always make amphibious invasions, even if a +2 or +3 leader is not present.
37.3 Lombards
Used in Scenarios: 39-40.
- Type: Barbarian; neutral; inactive.
- Replacement Rate: 1.
- Controlled Provinces: Iazygia.
- Set-Up: Brown (CER C): B4212: 5 x 20-8.
- Activation: Unless directed otherwise by the scenario notes, roll one die each Diplomacy Phase, Lombards activate on a 6.
37.4 Suevi
Used in Scenarios: 35-40.
- Type: Barbarian neutral active.
- Replacement Rate: One-half.
- Controlled Provinces: Gallaecia.
- Set-Up: Black (CER C). Anywhere in Gallaecia: +1-16, 3 x 20-8, 2 x 4-12, 1 x 6-16.
37.5 Persia
Used in Scenarios: 31-34, 36, 38.
- Type: Civilized non-Roman neutral inactive.
- Replacement Rate: 2
- Controlled Provinces: Adiabene, Albania, Armenia, Atropatene, Babylonia, Charax, Elymais, Hyrcania, Iberia, Media, Mesopotamia, Persia, Sagartia.
- Set-Up: Orange (CER: A), Place anywhere in Persian controlled province upon activation: 2 x +1-16, 2 x 0-16, 4 x (4)-12, 7 x 30-16, 2 x 6-16, 10 x (6)-16, 2 baggage trains.
Notes:
- During each Diplomacy Phase, roll two dice. Persia becomes active on a roll of 9 or less. Add one to the die-roll for every 25 strength points of Roman units in Cappadocia, Osrhoene and Syria; however, the Persians will always activate on an unmodified roll of 2.
- Persian 6-16's are treated as (6)-16's.
- In Scenario 37, infantry CER is C and cavalry CER B.
37.6 Neutral Barbarians
Used in Scenarios: 12-19, 24-25, 27, 29, 32.
- Type: Barbarian; neutral; inactive.
- Controlled Provinces: Boiohaemum, Caledonia Citerior, Germania Magna, Iazygia, Dacia, Sarmatia.
Notes:
- Each Diplomacy Phase in which a Roman province adjacent to any of the above provinces does not contain at least 20 land combat strength points of Roman units, roll one die for each barbarian province adjacent to the Roman province. On a roll of 5 or 6, the barbarian power becomes active. Use the Inactive Power Table to generate its forces.
- The power remains active until all its units are eliminated. If it becomes inactive again, four turns later the players must start rolling for its reactivation.
- Barbarians from one province are a separate power from barbarians from another province, i.e., all are neutral, may not stack with one another and are controlled by the farthest power rule.
37.7 Gallic Rebels
Used in Scenarios: 6-8.
- Type: Barbarian; neutral; inactive.
- Replacement Rate: 0.
- Controlled Provinces: None.
- Set-Up: Brown (CER C), upon activation, place:
- Within 4 hexes of A2413: 2 x 20-8
- Within 4 hexes of A2618: 2 x 20-8
- A1714: +1-16, 1 x 4-12 (not in Scenario 6).
Notes:
- During each Diplomacy Phase, roll a die for each of the three hexes (2413, 2618 and 1714). If the roll for a hex is 6, that hex's units are activated.
Exception: If there are at least 20 combat strength points of Roman units within 4 hexes of one of the indicated hexes, do not roll for that hex.
- Gallic units may not move or operate outside the provinces of Belgica, Germania Inferior and Superior, Lugdunensis, Aquitania and Narbonensis.
37.8 Gallaecian Rebels
Used in Scenarios: 6-10.
- Type: Barbarian neutral inactive.
- Replacement Rate: 0.
- Controlled Provinces: None.
- Set-Up: Black (CER C), upon activation, place 2 x 20-8 within four hexes of A1523.
Notes:
- If, during any Diplomacy Phase, there are fewer than 20 Roman combat strength points within 4 hexes of 1523W, roll a die. On a roll of 6, the Gallaecian are activated.
- Once activated, Gallaecian units may only move and operate within the provinces of Gallaecia, Lusitania and Tarraconensis.
38.0 Special Leader Rules
Important: Used in scenarios 4-10, 39-40.
38.1 Sea Movement
A leader may move through sea hexes at a cost of 6 MP per hex. The normal rules for naval movement do not apply.
- The leader need not end alternate turns in port.
- He cannot be intercepted.
- He must check for naval attrition and if the result is fleet eliminated, the leader is killed.
- If a leader ends his move at sea and an enemy fleet enters his hex, the fleet can attack the leader.
38.2 Naval Leaders
This rule applies only to Pompey, Sextus Pompeius, Agrippa, and Belisarius.
- These leaders receive a modifier of 1 in their favor on all naval combat and attrition die-rolls.
- Both the leadership value printed on the leader and the special naval leader modifier are used (they are cumulative).
- Their factions receive a +2 Naval Bonus.
38.3 Optional Divine Favor
This rule applies only if using optional 42.0 Divine Intervention.
- Caesar, as Pontifex Maximus and a descendant of Venus, adds one to all divine intervention die-rolls.
- Sextus Pompeius, as the son of Neptune, adds one to all divine intervention die-rolls.
Optional Rules
These suggested rules may add additional interest to the game, although they will increase complexity and playing time.
39.0 Random Events
39.1 Rolling for Events
Random events die rolls take place during the Quarterly Random Events Phase (March, June, September, and December game turns only). Each player conducts the below procedure to determine if a random event occurs for that player.
a) Roll one die. Add the Time Period number (2.2) to the die-roll. The modified roll is found along the left-hand side of the table. b) Roll a second die. Add the number of major powers that began the scenario to this roll. The modified second roll is found along the top of the table. c) The two modified die rolls are cross-referenced to produce a result. d) If a player controls more than one major power, roll separately for each major power. e) A random event result is a dash, or a letter from A to Z. If it is a dash, no event occurs. If it is a letter, the player refers to the list of events (39.2) and follows the instructions given.
39.2 Random Event Descriptions
A) Military Intelligence: The player may examine any one stack of units on the board or any one leader's command box.
B) Imperator/Rex Death: Roll one die. 1-5: It is a false alarm. 6: The major power's Imperator or Rex dies. If there is no successor, 18.4 applies, and it may cause power dissolution (20.1 for Roman factions, 20.2 for non-Romans). (Reference printed as "18.4" in the rulebook.)
C) Other Leader Death: Roll one die. 1-5: It is a false alarm. 6: A leader dies. Randomly pick one leader (not Imperator or Rex).
D) Receive Leader: The major power receives a new unnamed leader. Roll one die. 1-3: The leader's value is 0. 4-5: The leader's value is +1. 6: The leader's value is +2. If none of an appropriate color are available, take one of any unused color; if that is impossible, no leader is received.
E) Plague: Roll one die. 1-5: No event. 6: Plague occurs. The player takes a spare counter and, standing six feet from the game map, flips it with his thumbnail toward the map. The province in which the counter lands is subject to plague. Flip again if the counter lands in the sea or along a province boundary.
- Each stack of land units in the province loses one-third of its units (chosen randomly), and a Plunder 2 marker is placed in the province.
- During the Diplomacy Phase of the next game turn, the plague spreads to all adjacent cultivated provinces. It may spread via narrow sea crossing arrows, and into wild provinces.
- Each stack in the newly infected provinces loses one-third of its units (chosen randomly), and a Plunder 2 marker is placed. The plague is now over. The provinces containing Plunder 2 markers are treated as plundered.
- If the optional Plague Rule (45.0) is being used, treat this as no event.
F) Famine: Roll one die. If a 6 is rolled, famine occurs. The player takes a spare counter and, standing six feet from the game map, flips it with his thumbnail toward the map. Famine occurs in the province in which the counter lands (the same as in E above).
- The province remains in famine until the next September game turn. Forage values in the province are halved until then. Mobilization costs are doubled. If the province contains wheat symbols, it cannot supply grain to the imperial capital until the famine is past.
G) Bad Harvest: Roll one die to determine the province affected. 1: Africa Proconsularis; 2: Aegyptus; 3: Baetica; 4: Sardinia; 5: Sicilia; 6: Chersonesus. If the province rolled is currently producing grain, it can only supply half as much grain to the imperial capital as usual until the next September game turn.
H) Bumper Harvest: Roll as in event G. If the province rolled for is currently producing grain, it can supply one and a half times as much grain as usual to the imperial capital. This lasts until the next September game turn.
I) Dry Year/Heavy Snows: In June or September, subtract 1 from the coming November season die-roll. In December or March, add 3 to the coming April season die-roll.
J) Mild Summer/Mild Winter: In June or September, add 3 to the coming November season die-roll. In December or March, subtract 1 from the coming April season die-roll.
K) Storms at Sea: In summer: all winter movement costs apply for naval movement. Use naval attrition rules. In winter: all movement costs are doubled for naval movement. Add one to the naval attrition value.
L) Natural Disaster (earthquake, volcano, tsunami): Roll one die. 1-5: False alarm, no event. 6: The player chooses one city (but not the imperial capital). This city is destroyed. It no longer exists for all game purposes.
M) Quartermaster Corruption: Each of the player's baggage trains loses one supply point.
N) Currency Debased: Each major power loses one-third of its treasury.
O) Barbarian Incursion: If there is a barbarian major power, ignore this result. If not, the event outcome activates one inactive barbarian minor power (roll to determine if there is more than one). If there are no inactive minor barbarian powers, roll a die to determine where the barbarians appear: 1: Caledonia Ulterior; 2: Germania Magna; 3: Boiohaemum; 4: Iazygia; 5: Sarmatia; 6: Arabia Deserta. Roll one die. The result is the number of 20-8 barbarian heavy infantry units which appear, or, in Arabia Deserta, the number of 6-16 light cavalry units. The farthest power deploys and controls the barbarians. The newly activated neutral barbarian minor power has a CER of C, and no replacement points.
P) Parthian/Persian Activation: If the Parthians or Persians are an inactive minor power with units listed in the scenario (or special rule), they are activated and controlled by the farthest power. Otherwise, treat this as no event.
Q) Revolt: In the order listed on the player's Power Form, roll one die for each province. The first province that receives a 6 result revolts.
- Roll one die for the province under revolt. The result is the number of 4-12's the farthest power places and controls in the province.
- No player may tax or mobilize in the province until all 4-12's are eliminated.
- The rebels are an active neutral minor power, with a replacement rate of 0.
R) Muttering Among the Troops: The player's major power must immediately expend two talents for every ten combat points on the map. If it cannot spend the full amount, it loses one morale point for each unspent talent.
S) Disloyal Legions: Only units stacked with the major power's leaders may move, intercept or initiate combat this game turn; other units of this major power may not. If any of the power's units is more than 12 hexes from one of its leaders, those units immediately defect to the closest Roman faction.
T) Political Crisis: If the player does not control the imperial capital, treat as a no event. If he does control the imperial capital, his Imperator must return to the capital within three game turns, or his power loses 10 morale points.
U) Prosperity: The player's taxation this game turn is increased by 50%.
V) Hard Times: The player's taxation this turn is halved.
W) Widespread Devastation: No plunder marker can be flipped or removed this phase.
X) Increased Mobilization: If the player's major power accrues replacement points, it receives double the normal number this game turn.
- If it mobilizes units, it may mobilize one extra unit of each type listed on the Period Mobilization Charts for one Mobilization Area (player's choice) this year (paying the normal talent cost for doing so).
Example: It may mobilize one extra 16-10; one extra 20-10; one extra 4-12; etc.
- This rule does not apply if it violates a power's mobilization limits as shown on the Maximum Unit Build Chart.
Y) Decreased Mobilization: If the player's major power accrues replacement points, it receives no points this game turn. If it mobilizes units, the major power must subtract one from the maximum for each type of unit in all mobilization areas shown on the Period Mobilization Chart this year.
Z) Active Cadre: If 35.0 is in effect, the major power may ignore all training requirements for this game turn.
40.0 Combat Rules
40.1 Missile Advantage
If the attacker has at least twice as many missile combat strength points as the defender, 1 is added to the combat resolution die-roll. If the defender has at least twice as many missile strength points as the attacker, 1 is subtracted from the roll.
- Missile infantry and horse archers are considered missile troops.
- If missile infantry or horse archers enter a combat hex by amphibious invasion, crossing a river, a narrow strait hexside, or narrows seas hex, their strength is halved for the purposes of determining combat modifiers for missile superiority.
40.2 Cavalry Advantage
If the attacker has at least twice as many cavalry strength points as the defender, 1 is added to the die-roll. If the defender has at least as twice as many cavalry strength points as the attacker, 1 is subtracted from the die roll.
- If cavalry enter a combat hex by crossing a river or narrows seas hex-side, their strength is halved for the purposes of determining combat modifiers for cavalry superiority.
40.3 Restrictions
A player cannot receive the cavalry or missile bonuses in an assault on a city or fortification.
- The missile and cavalry bonuses can cancel each other out.
- The missile and cavalry bonuses can both be used together to increase or decrease the die-roll by 2.
Exception: Horse archers do not count towards both the missile bonus and the cavalry bonus. They can only be counted once (for one or the other).
41.0 City-Centric Game
The standard rules manage taxation, mobilization, and some other activities on a province basis. Using these optional rules, players manage these activities based on the cities they control, albeit at the cost of more paperwork.
41.1 Variable City Chart
All cities are listed on the Variable City Chart (at the end of the rules). In each row, there are two values separated by a slash. The first value is the tax value of that city. The second value is the intrinsic defense strength of the city. If no values are shown that city does not exist during the listed scenarios.
Note: The total value of each province is still found on the Tax Value Chart.
41.2 Procedure
If a power controls all the cities in a province, use the total value of the province as provided in the Tax Value Chart. If a power controls some but not all cities of a province, it may tax each individual city.
- If control of a province is shared, the players must determine what revenue they receive from the province by counting the tax values of the cities each control.
- Players must keep a running total of the proportion of the tax values of the provinces that they control in the total tax value space on his record sheet.
- During each Taxation and Mobilization Phase, the player should add his tax base to his major power's treasury level.
41.3 Mobilization, Plunder & Militia
- Any player owning a city in a province may mobilize troops in the province, subject to the mobilization area limits, as per rule 7.5.
- Plunder is performed on an individual city basis, according to the rules in 24.0. A plundered city may not be taxed, has no intrinsic defense strength, and so forth.
- If more than one Roman player controls a city or cities in a province, the militia strength of the province is apportioned among them in proportion to the amount of the province's tax value each control.
42.0 Divine Intervention
Before a player rolls a die for any reason, he may announce that he is appealing to a higher power. He rolls a die and refers to the Deity Appeal Table. The result from the table is applied immediately.
42.1 Restrictions
Deity Appeal Table results may not be used to modify die-rolls for:
- Rolls on the Deity Appeal Table;
- Season change; or,
- Random events die rolls.
42.2 Procedure
There are two sections of the table: one for polytheists and one for monotheists.
- A player is a polytheist if the scenario is number 27 or less.
Exception: The Jews, Herod Agrippa, Philippus Arabs, and Constantine I are monotheists, as are the several varieties of Goth and the Vandals.
- A Roman player is a monotheist if the scenario is number 28 or greater.
Exception: All non-Roman powers except the Goths and Vandals, Licinius, and Julian the Apostate are polytheists.
43.0 Treasure Cities
43.1 Treasure Cities
The following cities are treasure cities during the scenarios indicated:
- Alexandria (all)
- Antiochus (1-38)
- Carthago (1-38)
- Constantinople (27-41)
- Ctesiphon (12-41)
- Ephesus (1-34)
- Hierosolyma (1-12)
- Hispalis (5-36)
- Lugdunum (16-24)
- Mediolanum (22-34 & 38-40)
- Phraaspa (1-41)
- Rhodus (16-41)
- Roma (1-34)
- Thessalonica (12-41)
43.2 Procedure
If a player has units in any of the above cities during his player turn, he may take the city's treasure. A city's treasure may only be taken once in a scenario.
- A city's treasure is worth three times the city's tax value as indicated on the Variable City Chart.
- Taking a city's treasure has nothing to do with plunder; even after a city's treasure has been taken, it may still be plundered.
44.0 Roman Usurpation
This rule may be used in certain scenarios, as indicated in the scenario notes. It applies to all Roman factions in the scenario.
44.1 Usurper Generation
When a general other than the Imperator wins a battle or captures a city at adverse odds (less than 1:1), roll one die; on a roll of 5 or 6, the general is proclaimed "Imperator" by his troops, thus creating a new Roman Faction (Treasury: 0; Morale: 100) which is controlled by the "Furthest Faction." All Roman or allied forces and cities in the Province defect to the Usurper.
- If another Imperator is in the same province, all forces and cities in the province defect, except those stacked with that former Imperator.
- Roman non-occupied cities are controlled by the faction with higher morale, computing morale based on all unit defections, and rolling a die in case of tie.
- Stacks in adjacent provinces defect on a roll of 1-2, unless a leader is stacked with them.
- Roman cities in adjacent provinces only defect if occupied by new Roman faction's units.
- Once all defections have been tallied, the Usurping Imperator immediately collects taxes for the province or provinces he controls.
44.2 Usurper Capabilities
The Usurping Imperator adds the units he has acquired to his CER Roster Sheet. They must be removed from their previous owner's CER Roster. Adjust the losing player's morale accordingly.
- A Usurper's units do not move until the following turn.
- The new usurping Roman faction gains morale points for the defection of units and control of cities.
- The usurping Imperator controls the province in which he is present and all Roman or Roman allied forces in it, including leaders.
Note: Players may agree to limit the application of this rule to named leaders only.
45.0 Plague
Important: If the Optional Random Events Rule (39.0) is also in use, this rule supersedes Random Event outcome "E," which is treated as a "false alarm."
Epidemics may break out in a province that has been Plundered (24.0), has cities under Siege (17.0), or has been the scene of a battle in which combined combat losses exceed half of all combat strength points committed to the fight.
45.1 Plague Determination
During the Diplomacy Phase following fulfillment of the above requirements, make a plague die roll for each affected province. Roll two dice; on a roll of "2" the entire province is in plague. Note the plague status of the province in any manner agreed upon by all players.
45.2 Effects of Plague
- Each stack of land units in the province loses one-third of Legion-sized units (or equivalent).
- Any units entering the province during the next game turn will suffer the loss of one-third of Legion-sized units (or equivalent).
- Neither taxation nor recruiting may take place in a plague province.
45.3 Spread of Plague
During the Diplomacy Phase of the player's next game-turn, the plague may spread to adjacent provinces by land or via narrow sea crossing arrows, including wild provinces; for each adjacent province.
- Roll two dice for each adjacent province. On each roll of "2" that adjacent province has become infected with the plague.
- The effect of plague in the newly infected province is the same as in 45.2.
- The plague in the original province is now over. Place two plunder markers in the province.
- The newly infected province may cause the plague to spread during the Diplomacy Phase of the player's next game turn.
Note: Under these rules it is possible for Plague to continue for some time, even returning to re-infect a previously infected province.
Variable City Chart
#/# The first value is the tax value of the city. The second value is the intrinsic defense strength of the city. If no values are shown that city does not exist during the listed scenarios. * Indicates Provincial Capital.
Columns are grouped by Period (1 to 6) and by the scenarios to which each column applies: Period 1 (All scenarios), Period 2 (All), Period 3 (11-16 and 17-19), Period 4 (20-21, 22-23 and 24), Period 5 (25-26, 27-30 and 31-34), Period 6 (35-36, 37-38 and 39-41). Hex numbers, province names and spellings are as printed in the rulebook. A blank cell means no values are printed (the city does not exist in those scenarios).
| City | Hex | Province | P1 All | P2 All | P3 11-16 | P3 17-19 | P4 20-21 | P4 22-23 | P4 24 | P5 25-26 | P5 27-30 | P5 31-34 | P6 35-36 | P6 37-38 | P6 39-41 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actium | B4721 | Archaea & Epirus | 1/1 | 1/1 | 1/1 | 1/1 | 1/1 | 1/1 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 |
Errata 9/27/19: on the Susa line, the Scenario 39-40 column should have a value of 1/2 (shown above as "1/2 (errata)").