Romolo o Remo?
Romolo o Remo? Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
- 16 warehouses
- 20 walls
- 8 temples
- 5 aqueducts
- 5 forums
- 5 harbors
- 16 farms
- 8 quarries/sawmills
- 4 towers (4 colors)
- 24 workers (4 colors)
- 16 soldiers (4 colors)
- 8 mercenaries
- 4 explorers (4 colors)
- 24 brown cubes
- 24 white cubes
- 24 yellow cubes
- 12 blue cubes
- 12 pink cubes
- 19 plain hexes
- 10 hill hexes
- 10 forest hexes
- 15 water hexes
- 24 character tiles
- 6 penalty tokens
- 6 multiplier tokens
- 9 battle tokens
- 40 coins value 1
- 12 coins value 5
- 9 coins value 0.5
- 5 market tokens
- 24 die tokens (4 colors)
- 1 die
- 1 market table
- 1 rulebook
- 8 player reference sheets
Set Up
Choose player colors and randomly choose the Starting Player. Place 9 Water Tiles face up to form the Water Pile.
Beginning with the starting player, and proceeding in clockwise order, each player takes 2 Plain Tiles and secretly chooses 1 Forest Tile or 1 Hill Tile. Take all the remaining hexes, shuffle them, and place them face down to form the Terrain Pile.
Take a number of tiles from the terrain pile and place them face down on the table, as indicated by the yellow hexes on the figure below (it depends on player number). In player order each player places as he wishes his 3 tiles face up, putting them in his 3 Starting Hexes indicated by grey hexes in the figure below. Finally put a random Multiplier token face-down on each of the central tiles, as shown in the figure by a circle (these tokens increase the Hex value).
Take all the Character Tiles and separate them by the type: I, II, or III, as shown on the tile back. Draw randomly the number of tiles shown in the table from each tile group according to the number of players:
| Tile type | 1 player | 2 players | 3 players | 4 players |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type I | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Type II | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| Type III | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
Put the remaining tiles back in the box. Shuffle each tile group and make a face-down pile with group I on top, group II in the middle, and group III on the bottom. Finally, turn over 5, 6, 7, 8 tiles for 1, 2, 3, 4 players respectively and place them on the table face-up to form a Character Display.
On the Market Board place 1 Price Token (black cube) in each of the 5 Resource Columns on the cells with the value 1: These Tokens show the current Market Values of each Resource.
Create the game Bank according to the number of players, as shown in this table:
| Token | 1 player | 2 players | 3 players | 4 players |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walls | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 |
| Farms | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 |
| Warehouses | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 |
| Temples | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 |
| Quarries/Sawmills | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 |
| Aqueducts | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Forums | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Harbors | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Mercenaries | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 |
| Battle Tokens | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 |
Add to the Bank all coins (coins are: gold, value=5, silver, value=1, bronze, value=0.5) and all resource cubes available.
Each Player takes from the box in his color: 1 Tower, 6 Workers, 4 Soldiers, 1 Explorer, 6 virtual die tokens; then each player remove 1 die token and put it back in the box. This token must be take randomly and must be keep secret to other players. Finally each player takes from the Bank: 1 Farm, 1 Warehouse, 2 Grain, 2 Wood, 2 Stone, 2 silver Coins, and 1 resource of their choice (any kind).
The illustration on this page shows the starting hex layout (yellow tiles placed face down centrally, grey tiles as each player's 3 starting hexes) for 1, 2, 3, and 4 players.
Beginning with the Starting Player, and proceeding clockwise, each player places from his hand 2 workers, 1 Tower, 1 Farm and 1 Warehouse onto their Plain starting hexes, as they wish. The Tower position defines the player's Capital.
Game Phases
The game is played in Rounds. Each Round consists of one Turn per player, starting with the Starting Player and continuing clockwise. In each Turn, the players execute the 3 Phases in the order shown (first player carries out all 3 phases, then the next player carries out all 3 phases, and so on):
Action Phase: the Player's Units take their Actions. Combat Phase: Battles are resolved. Maintenance Phase: The Player receives Resources and maintains Units.
Action Phase
In the desired order, the Player activates all or some of his Units (Workers, Explorers, Soldiers and Mercenaries) to perform different Actions. If the Player decides to skip this Phase (none of his Units takes any Action) the Player receives 1 Silver Coin from the Bank.
Soldiers, Mercenaries, and Workers have 2 Actions each, Explorers have 3 Actions.
- Any non-Move Action ends the Unit's Action Phase. For example a Worker can Move and Move, Move and Build, or simply Build. When a Unit has completed its actions, it is turned face down.
- Mercenaries, Soldiers and Explorers can only perform Move Actions. Also, Workers with a penalty token (see below) or if in a hex with Hostile Units can perform Move Actions only.
Hostile Units: When the acting Unit is in the same hex as Units of another player, the latter chooses if they are hostile or not and therefore whether or not to impede its Action.
- a Unit can only perform Move Actions in the current Action Phase.
- A Unit takes a Penalty Token when it crosses a Protective Wall (see box below).
If the yellow Unit moves from A to B crossing the Wall, it takes a Penalty token. On the other hand, if the Unit moves through C, nothing happens.
Penalty Tokens impede all non-Move Actions and provide a penalty in Combat. They are removed: 1) at the end of a battle against opposing Unit(s) or 2) immediately when the Unit moves again in a following Turn.
- A Unit can move to a Water tile only if it moves from a Hex with a Harbor or from another Water tile. Note: A unit can freely move from a Water tile to a Land tile.
- The Explorer Unit can use 1 Move action to secretly see 1 adjacent face-down Tile (or 2 Move Actions to see 2 tiles, or 3 to see 3 tiles) instead of a Move action. He can see also the Multiplier token on this tile, if any.
- When a Unit moves to a face-down Tile an Exploration takes place: The Tile is turned face up and the Unit ends its Turn (turn it face down). If the explored tile is a Water Tile, the Unit Token is placed back (face down) on the Hex where it was prior to moving. If a Multiplier token is on the explored tile, this must be revealed.
River Rule: When, as consequence of an Exploration, any Water Tile becomes adjacent to exactly 1 face-down Hex Tile, the adjacent Tile is immediately discarded and replaced with a face-up Water Tile taken from the Water Pile. If as consequence of this tile replacement any other Water Tiles became adjacent to exactly 1 face-down Hex Tile, this tile is also replaced by a Water tile.
Move Action
The Unit moves to an adjacent Hex.
- A Unit in a Hex containing hostile Unit(s) can only Move toward its Capital (Retreat). If this occurs in the Capital Hex itself, the Unit can Move in any direction. After retreating,
Protective Walls Walls are placed on the side of a Hex and are considered built in that Hex. They have a direction: they work only from the exterior of the Hex towards the interior. When Walls can apply their characteristics we call them "protective" and a token "protected" by walls.
Hex B has a wall. This wall acts only in the direction of the yellow arrow: for example, it gives a penalty token to a Unit which moves from A to B, but not to a Unit which moves from B to A (green arrow).
River Rule Examples
- Hex A is explored: it's a Plain. As this hex is adjacent to the water hex C, players check the river rule: Hex C has 2 unexplored hexes adjacent (D-E), so nothing happens.
- A. Hex A is explored: it's Water. The river rule is checked: hex A has only 1 unexplored adjacent hex (B), so the players must replace it immediately with a water hex (face-up).
- B. Then the river rule is applied to hex B: hex B has only 1 unexplored hex adjacent (C), so the players replace it immediately with a water hex (face-up).
- C. Then the river rule is applied now to hex C: it has 2 unexplored hexes adjacent (D-E), so nothing happens.
face-down Hex Tile, this tile is also replaced by a Water tile. Again, if as consequence of the second tile replacement any other Water Tiles become adjacent to exactly 1 face-down Hex Tile, it too is replaced. Up to 3 successive Tile replacements are possible as the result of a single Exploration. This procedure is skipped if the Water Pile is empty.
Construction Actions
Build
A Construction Token is taken from the Bank and placed on the Worker's Hex. The Player must pay the cost in Resources to the Bank and the Hex must have the correct Terrain. The list of all the available Constructions with their cost and Terrain types where they can be built is in the Table below.
- No more than 4 Constructions can be built on the same Hex. The limit is raised if the Hex or an adjacent Hex has an Aqueduct: in this case 1 additional Construction is allowed for each Aqueduct. Note: the Aqueduct can be directly built as fifth Construction.
- Each 3 Walls counts as 1 Construction and up to 3 Walls can be placed in a single Build Action. Walls are placed on the edge of the tile (1 wall per edge maximum).
Hex A has space for 2 more Constructions as there are 2 Warehouses. Hex B has no more space available: there are 3 Warehouses and 1 Farm. Hex C has no more space available: there are 2 Farms, 1 Warehouse, and 3 Walls.
- For each Temple in the same Hex as the Worker, the construction cost is reduced by 1 resource (any kind). However a minimum of 1 resource is always required.
| Construction | Cost | Terrain | Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farm | 1 Stone, 1 Wood | Plain | Feeds 2 Units, also to adjacent hexes |
| Warehouse | 1 Stone, 2 Wood | Plain | Store Resources, also from adjacent hexes |
| Harbor | 3 Stone, 2 Wood | Plain, on hex side adjacent to water | Unit can Move to Water from Harbor. +1 exchange on Market |
| Temple | 2 Stone, 1 Wood | Plain | Construction costs reduced by 1 |
| Sawmill | 4 Stone, 1 Wood | Forest | Produces +1 Wood |
| Quarry | 1 Stone, 4 Wood | Hills | Produces +1 Stone |
| Aqueduct | 4 Stone, 2 Wood | Plain | +1 Construction to Hex limit, also on adjacent hexes |
| Forum | 3 Stone, 2 Wood | Plain | Market coin bonus |
| Wall | 1 Stone or 1 Wood | A side of a non-water tile | Protection. Give a Penalty token to crossing Units |
| Tower | n/a | Plain | Stops Influence spread. Capital. Soldier generation. Acts as CV4 Unit when the Capital Hex is attacked |
Dismantle
Remove from the game a Construction token in the worker's Hex. The player receives in return 1 resource of Construction's cost (player choice).
Transform
A Construction Token in the worker's Hex is removed and a new token is placed. The whole cost of the new Construction must be paid. The older Construction token is removed from the game.
Production Actions
Produce
When a worker produces a resource, a cube is taken from the bank and placed in a Warehouse: place the cube(s) produced near the Warehouse Token. The kind of Resource produced depends on the Tile in which the Worker is located:
- Plain produces 1 grain resource
- Hill produces 1 stone resource
- Forest produces 1 wood resource
- Water produces 1 salt resource
Note: To produce Salt from a Water Tile the Worker must be positioned on an adjacent non-Water Tile.
- For each Sawmill in the Hex the Wood production is increased by 1 resource.
- For each Quarry in the Hex the Stone production is increased by 1 resource.
- The production action can be performed once per Turn in each Hex. To remember that you already produced on a Hex, place the worker face down, but on its side.
- The receiving Warehouse must be empty and placed on the same Hex as the Worker or on an adjacent Hex.
- The receiving Warehouse must be in a Hex without hostile Unit and not behind a Protective Wall.
The resource produced in A can be placed only in D: The Warehouse in B is not available because there is a Hostile Unit; the Warehouse in C is not available because is behind a protective wall.
- A receiving Warehouse stocks the production of a single Worker independently from the number of resources produced.
The worker in A produces 2 wood resources as there is a Sawmill: the player places 2 brown cubes in the Warehouse in the hex B. The worker in B produces 1 grain and the player places it in the free warehouse in the same hex. At this point the worker in C cannot produce, as there are no free warehouses available.
Gather
The Player takes in his hand all the resources stored in a Warehouse on the Worker's Hex, without having to wait for the Maintenance Phase. The Warehouse is then emptied and can be used again.
Refine
The Player exchanges 2 resources of the same type from his hand and/or from the worker Hex with 1 Refined resource from the Bank. The new resource is put in the player's hand.
Growth Actions
Unit Limit
The number of Workers and Military Units (Soldiers and Mercenaries) which the player can have depends on the Power of the player's Capital:
| Capital Power | Workers | Soldiers+Mercenaries |
|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | 3 | 2 |
| 4 | 4 | 3 |
| 5 | 5 | 4 |
| 6 | 6 | 5 |
If the Capital Power decreases for any reason, the player must remove immediately his extra Units.
Create a Worker
A new Worker token of the player's color is placed lying down on the Worker's tile (it can be used starting from the next Round). The Player must pay 3 Grain.
Create a Soldier
A new Soldier token in the player's color is placed lying down on the Hex (it can be used starting from the next Round) and the acting Worker is removed and put back to the player's hand. The player must pay 2 Refined resources.
- This action can only be done in the Capital.
Create an Explorer
The Explorer token in the player's color is placed lying down on the Hex (it can be used starting from the next Round). The Player must pay 2 Grain.
- It's possible to convert the Explorer into a Worker Unit at the beginning of the Explorer's Turn by paying 1 Grain resource. This conversion counts towards the Unit Limit and the new Worker is placed lying down (it can be used starting from the next Round). Remove the Explorer token from the game.
Hire Mercenaries
1-2 Mercenary tokens are taken from the Bank and placed in the Worker's Hex. The Player must pay 1 silver coin per Mercenary taken. It's possible to pay this cost using resources at their current Market value. New Mercenaries can act in the same Phase in which they are placed. Note: remember that Mercenaries cannot be hired in a Hex where there are hostile Units.
Note: in the rare case where there are many Mercenaries in the same Hex, to remember which Mercenary is yours, put a cube of your color adjacent to the Unit.
Hire a Character
The Player takes a Character tile from the Character Display on the table and places it in front of him. Replace the tile immediately by drawing a new one from the Character Pile. If the pile is empty the Character is not replaced. The Player must pay a value in coins of 2 plus 1 for each Character he already owns. Example: The first Character bought costs 2, the second 3, the third 4 and so on.
Each Character gives the Player a special bonus that can be used only once per Turn at the Player's choice. The complete description of the Characters is at the end of the Rulebook.
- Each player can hire only 1 character per Turn.
Market Actions
Sell
A Player's worker sells 1 Resource token from player's hand or from the Worker's Hex to the Bank and receives the Market Value of the Resource in coins.
- If the Market Value of the Resource is 0 this action cannot be done.
- For each Harbor in the Hex it's possible to sell 1 additional resource.
- If a Forum is in the Hex, the Player can gain extra coins. This bonus is applied to the Worker Action independently by the number of resources sold and his amount depends on the Power of the Hex: +1 money with Power 4, +2 with Power 5, +3 with Power 6+. Each additional Forum in the Hex or in adjacent hexes increases this bonus by +1.
As there is a Harbor, a worker sells in the Hex A two grain resources with a single Market Action. The Grain value is 2, so he gains 6 money: 2 (grain)+2 (grain)+2 Forum bonus=6. The Forum bonus is made by: +1 money for the Hex Power 4 and +1 for the adjacent Forum.
The Resource cube sold must to be placed on the Market Board at the top of the Resource Column of the player's choice: This Resource's price will increase during the next Market Update in the Maintenance Phase.
- The selected Resource Column must be different from the Resource just sold and cannot have more than 2 Resources cubes in the same column.
Power of the Capital The Power of the Capital (and generally of any Hex) is defined by the number of constructions on the Capital Hex excluding the Farms. It influences different aspect of the game.
The tokens' color provides a quick visual check: Farms are gray and other constructions are white.
The Capital A has 3 Power: 1 Tower + 2 Warehouses = 3. The Capital B has 3 Power: 1 Tower+2 Warehouses = 3 (Farm doesn't count). The Capital C has 2 Power: 1 Tower, 1 group of 3 Wall pieces (Farms don't count).
This construction is mine? Excepting the player's Tower, Constructions are common property. Any player can take advantage of them: who built them and where they are placed doesn't matter. For example, a worker could use the Farm or the Warehouse made by another player. There are some restrictions on Actions available in the opponent's area, however (see penalty tokens and hostile unit presence).
For example, if the player sells a grain resource cube, he cannot place it in the grain column. Equally, he cannot place it in the Wood column as there are already 2 Resource cubes there. The other columns are available.
Buy
A player's worker buys 1 resource from the Bank and adds it to the player's hand by paying the current Market value.
- If the resource value is 0, the player receives 2 resources instead of 1, paying for them with 1 bronze coin.
- For each Harbor in the Hex it's possible to buy 1 additional resource.
Combat Phase
The active player is the Attacking Player and he can use any of his standing Units to attack (Worker, Explorer, Soldier, Mercenary). The attack is not mandatory. The target of his attack can be any opposing Unit or Construction which are on the same Hex.
Select the Defending Units
Target Hex with Units of 1 single player. The Defending Player is the owner of these Units and all these Units will be involved in the Battle. Target Hex with Units of more than 1 player. The attacker chooses who will be the Defending Player and only his Units will be involved in the Battle. Target Hex with no Units. No Battle happens. The attacker is able to destroy 1 Construction for each of his Units with positive Attack Combat value (see later). Note: The Tower is a special construction and acts like an Unit, when his Hex is under attack: it can defend, but it cannot move (or retreat).
When the Combat phase begins, the yellow player has two units still standing up: a worker in A and a Soldier in B. Both Units can attack: the Worker in A can destroy the Warehouse, the Soldier in B can have a Battle with the Red Worker.
Determine the Attack/Defense Values
Soldiers have a Combat Value of 3 (CV 3) Mercenaries have CV 2, Worker CV1, Explorers CV 0, and the Tower, when attacked, CV 4.
Calculate the Attack Value (AV), which is the sum of the CVs of all the attacking Units, and the Defense Value (DV), which is the sum of the CVs of all the defending Units. If any attacking or defending Units have 1 or more penalty tokens apply a -3 penalty to the AV or DV.
Determine the Battle Values
The Attacking and Defending Players each secretly choose 1 of their virtual die tokens. Then both tokens are revealed simultaneously.
Optional rule: players can choose to use the game die instead of the virtual die tokens, as explained in the yellow box below.
The symbol on the tokens shows the effect:
| Symbol | Modifier |
|---|---|
| x2 | AV/DV x2 |
| +3 | AV/DV+3 |
| sword | +1 casualty |
| shield | -1 casualty |
| foot | retreat |
| blank | no modifier |
The Retreat effect is optional. The player can choose to retreat all his Units involved in the Battle after his opponent showed the token. Note: If both players have a Retreat effect, the Attacker must act first. If the player chooses not to retreat, he accepts the battle resolution without any AV/DV modifier. If he chooses to retreat (see Move Action, Retreat), he loses the Battle and retreats all his Units involved in the Battle by 1 Hex. Although the Units avoid causing or receiving any damage, the opposing player can use his Units to attack Constructions in the Hex as if there were no defending units (see "Target Hex with no Units" case).
Die or not Die? At the beginning of each game, players can decide to use the game die instead of virtual die tokens. The game becomes faster and battles will partially depend on luck. In the Set-up do not distribute the virtual die tokens and simply use the die instead, rolling it every time is necessary: the symbols on the die represent the battle effect, just like tokens.
The used die tokens are put in the game box and are not available again until the player has used all of his tokens: in this case he can take back them from the box, randomly discard 1 in the box, and keep the others. Tokens in the box are kept secret.
The scores modified by the virtual die tokens represent the final Battle Values.
Battle Resolution
The Player with the highest final Battle Value, or the player who stays in the Battle Hex if the other Player retreats, is the winner. He gains 1 Battle token from the Bank (if available): this token worth 1 VP at the game end. In addition of that, the difference in battle values can result in casualties:
| Difference | Casualties |
|---|---|
| 0-2 points | 0 |
| 3-5 points | +1 |
| 6-8 points | +2 |
| 9+ points | +3 |
This casualty must be added to any casualty indicated by the die token.
The Blue player attacks the yellow player with an AV of 9. The Yellow player defends with a DV of 6. The Blue player uses a +3 die token, meanwhile the Yellow player uses x2. The resulting Battle values are: 9+3=12 (blue), 6x2=12 (yellow). 12-12=0, so nothing happens.
The Red player, AV 5, attacks the Brown player, DV 1. Red uses a "retreat" token and Brown uses a sword. If Red chooses to retreat nothing happens, but Brown would gain 1 Battle token. If Red chooses not to retreat, the battle result would be 5-1=+4 in favor of Red: 1 casualty from the Battle value difference. But Brown would also cause 1 casualty to Red as he used a sword: So the result, in that case, would be 1 casualty for each player, and 1 Battle token won by the Red player.
Assign Casualties
After each Battle, each Player assigns the casualties caused to the opponent between the Units involved in the Battle: first the attacker then the defender. If one of the Players has any excess casualties to assign, he can apply them to the Constructions which are in the same Hex: 1 Construction can be destroyed for each casualty, excepting the Tower which need 2 casualties (put a penalty token under the Tower as a reminder of a partial damage if appropriate).
The Yellow player attacks with two Soldiers and with an AV of 8. The Blue player defends with a worker, DV1. In the same Hex are a Warehouse and a Temple. The Yellow player uses a "+3". The Blue player a sword. The result is 8+3=11-1=+10 for Yellow; 3 casualties to Blue, 1 casualty to Yellow (for the sword): the Yellow player is the winner and gains 1 Battle token. The Yellow player removes the Blue Worker and applies the remaining 2 casualties to the Temple and to the Warehouse, which are removed from the game. The Blue Player assigns the casualty to 1 Yellow Soldier.
The Yellow player attacks with an AV of 6. The Blue player defends with a worker, DV 1. In the same Hex is a Warehouse. Yellow uses a "blank" token, meanwhile the Blue player use a "retreat" token. Yellow keeps his AV of 6 and Blue his DV of 1. The Blue player has to choose whether to retreat or not: If he retreats, Yellow would destroy the construction and gain 1 Battle token. If he doesn't retreat, Yellow would win the battle 6-1: +5, would take 1 Battle token, and would destroy the Blue Worker.
Destroyed Workers or Soldiers are returned to player's hand. Destroyed Explorers and Constructions are removed from the game and are no longer available. Destroyed Mercenaries are put on the table in front of the player which hired them.
Lose all Workers
If the player loses all his Workers he can continue to play (without doing any Worker Actions) or surrender. In the latter case, remove his Tower from the game.
Lose the Game
If the Player Tower is destroyed or removed the player loses the game. In this case, all his Units, Tower, and characters are removed, and his money and resources given to the player who destroyed his Tower. If the player surrenders, his money and resources are removed from the game.
Battle End
The units involved in a Battle against other Units remove their Penalty tokens. Units which attacked are put laying down.
Maintenance Phase
The active Player must resolve in order all the following steps.
1) Resource Income
The player takes all the Resource cubes stored in any Warehouses.
2) Pay Mercenaries
The Player must pay a Salary to his Mercenaries, including Mercenary Units placed on the table in front of him (they represent Mercenary Units destroyed). The salary due is 1 salt resource for first Mercenary, 2 salt resources for the second, 3 for the third, and so on. For example, if the player hired 4 Mercenaries, he has to pay: 1+2+3+4=10 salt resources. The player can also pay the Salary (or part of the Salary) in coins or resources at current Salt Market value. If the Salt value is 0 the player must pay 1 bronze coin for each salt required. If the player doesn't have enough resources and coins to pay a Mercenary, he must choose a construction from his Capital for any unpaid mercenary and remove it from the game. If there are no constructions other than the Tower, the player is eliminated from the game! Then the unpaid Mercenary must be dismissed.
3) Dismiss Mercenaries
The player can dismiss 1 or more Mercenary Units. The dismissed Mercenaries and the Mercenaries placed on the table in front of the player are removed from the game and are no longer available.
4) Feed Population
Workers and Soldiers must be fed. The player can feed the Units if they are in hexes with a Farm or in hexes adjacent to a Farm. This is not possible if there is a hostile Unit/Tower in the Farm hex or if the Farm is behind a Protective Wall. Each Farm can feed up to 2 Units. For each Unit not fed, the Player must pay 1 Grain or remove the Unit which come back in the player hand.
The two farms in A and B can feed the three yellow units around them. The worker unit in C is out of the range of any farm, so the player has to pay 1 Grain to feed it or remove it.
5) Market Update
This procedure must be executed only if 4 or more Resource cubes are on the Market Board. The Price of a Resource can never go over 5 or below 0 coins.
- The Price of each Resource is increased by 1 step for each cube placed in its column. For example, if on the Market table there are 2 cubes on the grain column, 1 cube on the stone column, and 1 cube on the salt column, the price of grain will increase by 2 steps, the price of stone and of salt by 1 step.
- The Price of each Resource is decreased by 1 step for each cube of the corresponding color in the Market table. For example, if there are 2 brown cubes, 1 yellow cube, 1 white cube, the wood price will decrease by 2 steps on the Market table, the price of grain and stone by 1 step.
- Remove all the resource cubes from the Market Table and place them back in the Bank.
6) Reactivate
All the lying down Units are put back in a standing position.
General Rules
Hex Control
Each Player exerts a certain amount of Influences on each Hex depending on the Power of his Capital and his Soldier Units. The Player with the most influence over a Hex controls the Hex. If two or more Players have the same Influence in a Hex, it is considered neutral.
- A Player always has Control in his Capital hex.
Each Player's Capital spreads 1 point of Influence on the Hexes up to a distance determined by the Capital's Power:
| Power | Spread |
|---|---|
| Power 1-3 | no spread |
| Power 4 | distance 1 (adjacent Hexes) |
| Power 5 | distance 2 |
| Power 6+ | distance 3 |
- Water Tiles, face-down Tiles (unexplored Hexes) and Protective Walls block Influence and must be worked around accordingly.
If the Influence comes from Hex A, it is blocked by the wall in C, but the spread can reach C by passing through B. Obviously this can happen only for a Capital in A with Power 5+.
- Each Soldier gives 1 point of Influence to the Hex where it is.
The Capital of Red player (A), Power 4, spreads 1 Influence point on all adjacent hexes B-C-D. The Blue player has 1 soldier on D (1 Influence point). So, hexes B-C are under control of the Red, and hex D is neutral.
Use Warehouses
It is always possible for a Worker to use some or all of the Resources stored in a Warehouse which is in the Worker's Hex. If the Warehouse is emptied, it can be used again. For example: if a Warehouse in a worker's Hex is storing 2 wood resources, the worker can use them with 1 Stone from the player's hand to build a new Warehouse.
Availability and Visibility of Tokens
Constructions/Mercenaries not available in the Bank cannot be built/hired. Workers, Soldiers or Explorers not available in the player's hand cannot be bought. Resource cubes and coins are unlimited and must be replaced with something else if they are not available in the Bank. All tokens are visible. The only exception is represented by virtual die tokens and by coins, which can be kept secret.
Game End
The game ends at the end of the Turn when any of the following occur:
- Only a single player (or Team) is still in game.
- All Character Tiles have been purchased.
- Three or more kinds of Tokens are no longer available for purchase from the Bank. The token types are: temples, aqueducts, warehouses, walls, farms, harbors, quarries/sawmills, forums, mercenaries, battle tokens.
In the first case, the player (or Team) still in the game is the winner of the game. In the other two cases the End Procedure is used.
End Procedure
Beginning with the player following the one who activated the End Procedure, each player must decide at the start of his Turn whether to play his Turn or end the game immediately. This process continues Round after Round until a player decides to end the game.
Victory Points
The following VPs are awarded:
1) Character Tiles
A Player scores 1 VP for each character tile he owns. Note: Some characters provide a special VP bonus.
2) Controlled Hexes
Players score 1 VP for each controlled Hex (or 2 VP if there is a x2 Multiplier Token or 3 VP for a x3 Token). Note: You can use the Resource Tokens to help you to check the Influence scores, putting a cube of the Player color for each point of Influence on each Hex affected (use pink cubes for the Red player).
The Yellow player's Capital (F, Power 5) spreads 1 point of Influence up to a distance of 2. The player places a yellow cube on all Hexes reached, excluding Hex C, as the protective Wall there blocks his Influence, and Hex A which is the Blue Capital. The Blue player's Capital (A, Power 3) doesn't spread any influence, but the Soldier in D gives 1 Influence Point (blue cube). As a result, the yellow player controls F, E and B hexes. The blue player only controls the hex A. The hexes C and D are neutral.
3) Player Dominion
Each Player must select 1 Plain Hex adjacent to His Capital. This Hex must be under the player's Control. The player scores Victory points equal to the Power of the chosen Hex plus the Power of his Capital.
A Dominion made by hexes A+B provides 7 VP. A Dominion made by A+C provides 4 VP.
4) Population
Each Player scores 1 VP for each pair of his Workers he has in the game and 1 VP for each of his Soldiers.
5) Battles
Each player scores 1 VP for each Battle token he has at the end of the game.
6) Money
Each player scores 1 VP for every 4 money in hand. Note: for the majority bonus in this category do not consider the total amount of money owned.
7) Majority Bonuses
Determine the Player who scored the most and the second one in each category (Character, Controlled Hexes, Dominion, Population, Battles, and Money): the Player who scored the most gains 6 VP, the second one scores 2 VP (in 2-player games simply assign 4 VP to the first). If there are ties between two or more Players in a category, combine the available VPs and split them between players rounding the VP value down. For example, in a 3-players game, blue and yellow players make 3 VP on Population score, and Red player only 2 VP. Blue and Yellow gain 4 VP (6+2=8/2=4) each as majority bonus, meanwhile the Red 0 point.
The Player with the most VPs wins the game. Ties are broken in the following order: Player Dominion, Population, Controlled Hexes, Money, Battle and Character Tiles.
Characters
Characters are divided in 4 different groups and each group is symbolized by an icon: Military, Economic, for VP and Civilian. Each Character has a power that can be used only once per Turn at the Player's choice.
Aedificator. In a Build Action the player can use Stone as Wood or Wood as Stone, but he has to pay 1 resource more in addition to the construction cost (wood or stone).
Apothecarius. A worker production can be put directly into the player hand.
Architectus. 1 Farm can be counted for the Power of a Hex (any Farm of the player's choice). It can also be used once when scoring VPs at game's end.
Artifex. At the game's end, the player gains 1 VP for each different construction in his Dominion. Note: 3 Walls count as 1 construction.
Consul. At game end, the player wins all Category ties for Majority VP bonus assignation.
Defensor. The Player gains +1 to his Defence Value. Moreover, when the Defensor is bought, the Player takes up to 3 Walls from the Bank and puts them on the Character Tile. During a Build action, these walls can be used instead of those from the Bank without any resource cost.
Dux. The Player can add a bonus of +1 to an Attack or Defence Value in a battle. This ability can be used up to 4 times during an entire game (place 4 resources on the character tile as a reminder, and remove 1 resource each time the character's ability is used). The Player has to use this ability before the virtual die token revelation, but he can assign it as he wishes (for example he can have +3 in one Battle and +1 in another Battle, or also +4 in a single Battle).
Eques. It allows 2 extra Move Actions on land. It can be used to move 1 unit by 2 more, or up to 2 units by 1 more.
Foederatus. The player avoids the hiring OR the salary cost of 1 or more Mercenary Units. This ability can be used only for 3 Units during the entire game (place 3 resources on the character tile as a reminder and remove 1 resource for each single Mercenary Unit for which you save the costs).
Furnarus. It feeds any 2 player Units during the Feed Population sub-phase.
Heros. It gives a bonus of +2 to the Attack Value.
Mercator. A worker can exchange 4 identical resources from the Hex and/or the player's hand for 1 of any kind from the Bank. This resource is added to the player's hand. The worker needs only 3 identical resources if it's in a Hex of Power 4, only 2 in a Power 5, and just 1 in a Power 6. In a Hex of Power 7+ the player can exchange 1 resource for 2 resources of any kind.
Nauta. A Worker can exchange 1 additional resource in a Market action OR a Unit can gain 1 Land to Water and 1 Water to Water Move Action.
Negotiator. When bought, the player must place 1 or more of his Resources on the Character Tile. During the game a player's worker gains 1 free Market Action involving these kind of resources. This free additional Action can be done before or after the normal worker action.
Obsessor. Allows the player to avoid the Penalty Token effect. In addition, the player gains +2 for a single attack to a Tower.
Patronus. At the end of the game, if the player owns the most money (in absolute or in a tie with another player), he gains +4 VP; +2 VP if he is the second richest.
Praedo. The player can use a worker to steal resources from another player. Roll a die: half of the result rounded down determines the number of resources stolen. The Thief player chooses which resources to steal and places them in his hand.
- If the target player doesn't have any resource to steal, he has to pay 1 silver coin to the thief (change with the Bank is allowed). If he doesn't have any coins, nothing happens.
- The thief worker must be in a Hex adjacent to an Unit of the target player.
- The thief worker can perform this action only if it has no penalty token, it's not retreating, and there are no hostile units in his Hex.
- The target Unit cannot be behind a Protective Wall.
Praepositus. When bought, the player must place one of his Resources on the Character Tile. When one of his Workers produces that kind of Resource, the player can produce 1 extra Resource of that kind. The remaining workers do not produce any extra resources in the Turn. If the player doesn't have any resources to place on the Praepositus, he cannot hire it.
The player has a Praepositus specialized in Grain and uses it: His worker in A produces 2 Grain resources. The second worker in C in the same Round will produce 1 Grain resource as usual.
Publicus. This counts as 3 Character Tiles for VP assignment.
Sacerdos. It adds 1 Influence point up to 2 Hexes (or 2 points to 1 Hex) in which the Player already has some Influence.
Traductor. A Worker can take Actions (not combat), as if it were in an adjacent Hex.
The worker in A produces stone from B without moving by using the Traductor power.
Variants
Solitaire Play
It's possible to play to "Romolo o Remo?" solo against an A.I. player (Artificial intelligence player).
Set Up
Use the normal set-up. Put the A.I. Capital Tower token on the gray Hex at the top of the set-up as shown on page 2. Use any player color for A.I.. Prepare the Event line: take 9 white, 4 yellow, 3 pink, 2 blue, and 1 brown cube, shuffle them and put them in a line on the table. If you prefer to randomize the actions of the A.I., put all the cubes in a container (such as a plastic glass) and draw a cube randomly from it when required.
Player Turn
Play the Turn normally.
- In each Round, the player is always the starting player.
A.I. Turn
- Check if in the A.I. Hex are player Units. If so, A.I. Units attack them (or retreat if opponent is stronger, see later).
- If option 1 is not available, check if there are Buildings. If so, Units attack them.
- If option 1 and 2 are not available, check if there is an adjacent Hex with player Units with a lower Defence value. If so, they move there.
- If option 1, 2, and 3 are not possible, check if there is an adjacent Hex without Units in the direction of the player's Capital. If so, they move there.
- If option 1, 2, 3 and 4 are not available, A.I. Units stay put.
If more than one Hex is available as a destination, roll a die to determine which one will be chosen.
A.I. Unit Rules
- They don't need to be fed.
- They are all soldiers with CV 2.
- A.I. Units can move on water.
- When there are different A.I. Unit groups, roll a die to determine the order of play between groups.
- If they are in a Hex with player unit(s) and they are lower in defense/attack value, the A.I. Units retreat up to 2 Hexes towards their Capital in their Turn. If there is more than 1 Hex available for retreating, roll a die to determine which one is chosen. If no free Hexes are available for a retreat, they fight again.
General Rules
- Player Units cannot move onto the A.I. Capital Hex.
- A.I. doesn't use Character powers.
- The Maximum number of Hex substitutions per exploration by the River Rule is reduced to 2.
- For the End Procedure, simply roll a die every A.I. Turn: on a roll of 5 or 6 the game ends.
Event
At the end of any Round after the A.I. Turn, the player must check the color of the first cube in the Event Line (or the color of the cube taken from the container) and then remove it. The cube's color defines the Event that occurred:
- If it is a white cube nothing happens.
- If it is yellow cube a character can be assigned to the A.I.: Roll the die and with 2 result assign the second one on the Character Display, with 3 the third, with 4 the fourth. Nothing happens with other results or if the target character is not available.
- If it is pink cube the Market prices change: roll a die for each resource Column and increase the price by 1 step with a result of 5 or 6, decrease the price by 1 with a result of blank or 2. Then assign to the A.I. a number of coins equal to the highest resource value.
- If it is blue cube roll a die: on a roll of 2 or 3 or 4 add 1 A.I. Unit to A.I. Capital Hex, on a 5 add 2 Units, on a 6 add 3 Units. Put A.I. Units lying down (they will not be able to act in their first Round).
- If it is brown cube: if there are no A.I. Units on the board, do a blue cube Event. If there are A.I. Units on the board, immediately move them as a bonus action: Consider all A.I. Unit groups separately and move them by 1 towards the player's Capital regardless of the Combat value of any units in the target Hex. In both cases (it there are A.I. Units on board or not) after the event, take all the Event cubes (used or not), shuffle them and make a new Event line (or put all the cubes from the Event Line back into the container).
Game End
The A.I. player scores points for:
- Characters, Battle, Money: as normal.
- Hex control: the A.I. Capital and all unexplored Hexes are always assigned to A.I.. For other hexes, perform the normal Influence calculation: all hexes with A.I. Units score 1 point of A.I. Influence for each A.I. Unit there, and all hexes adjacent to these Hexes score 0.5 points.
- Player Dominion: count all Hexes under A.I. control and multiply the result by 2.
- Population: each A.I. unit gives 1.5 VP (round the final score down).
- Majority bonus: as normal.
Game with Alliances
In 4-player games, players can play all against all or 2 against 2. In the second case, use these rules:
- The order of play must be: player of Team A, player of Team B, player of Team A, and player of Team B.
- With a worker action a player can exchange up to 3 resources and/or coins with his ally as they wish. It's possible, for example, give 2 resources and receive 1 coin, give 1 resource and receive 2 other resources, receive 3 resources, etc. etc.
- For VP determination, allied players are considered as 1 single player and their characteristics must be combined: sum Characters owned, sum Influence points coming from the two Capitals as if from one Capital, sum the two Dominion points, sum Soldier and Wokers from both players for determine Population score, sum Battle tokens and Money.
FAQ
Quarry and Sawmill need a warehouse to stock resources? Quarry and Sawmill simply improve the Hex production: The resource produced need a warehouse to stock them, as usual.
Is it possible to place a Wall in a Forest? Yes. Walls can be placed in any Hex, except Water Hexes.
How many resources can be placed in a single warehouse? A warehouse can store the production of 1 Worker, regardless of the number of resources produced (1 or more).
Can I use a Farm if there is an opponent's Unit in the Hex? And a Warehouse? If the Unit is hostile, no.
If I caused 2 casualties in a Battle against 1 opposing Worker, can I destroy the Worker and something else? For example, a Construction there? Yes. Casualties are distributed first to Units and then any remaining to constructions.
I have an aqueduct near my Capital which has 5 constructions. If a my opponent destroys the aqueduct do I have to remove 1 construction to meet the limit of 4 constructions? No. The limit only applies on Build Action, not on Construction built.
I purchased the Heros character. If I use it, the +2 bonus is applied on all Battles of the Turn? No, only for 1 Battle. All characters work only 1 time per Turn.