Based on the world-renowned video game, Total War: ROME – The Board Game allows up to four players to play as the leaders of Rome, Carthage, Greece, and Barbarian Tribes of Gallo-Germania. Each player will conquer new lands, develop their faction, claim territories, recruit epic armies, fight enemies in intense battles, build their cities, raise taxes, spy, riot, trade, and so much more!

Set in the Ancient World, Total War: ROME: The Board Game sees players take control of the main combatants in Europe from 400BC to 50BC as they seek to build their own empire and take control of the region surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. In under three hours, players will carefully balance their faction’s military and economy as they compete to be the first to reach the top of the victory point ladder.

Rome is the “governor” of the Ancient World, with an empire that lasted over 700 years from its development under the republic through the decline of the empire. Carthage, the jewel of North Africa in the 3rd century BC, faced the might of Rome under Hannibal until defeated during the Second Punic War of 218BC to 202BC. Greece is the intellectual centre of invention in the Ancient World, and became a great empire under Alexander the Great. The Barbarian Tribes comprised over fifty tribes ranging from the Lusitanians of Spain in the West, through the Averni of Gaul, to the Brigantes of Britannia, to the Belgae, to the Alamanii Germanic tribes, and on to the horse-based Sarmatians in the East.

Rome: Total War Complete Rules

Rome: Total War Rules Condensed

Rome: Battle Board (to simulate computer game: optional expansion)

The following are an overview of the game mechanics by the developer. Note that the order of the video titles are correct.. not what the presenter mentions. To help, I’ve embedded the first video and given a list of the other videos.

Phase 2 – Agent Phase

Phase 3 – Taxation Phase

Phase 4 – Campaign Phase

Phase 5 – Spending Phase

Sword & Sorcery is an epic-fantasy cooperative board game in which 1-5 players fight together against the forces of evil, which are controlled by the game system itself.

Ancient Chronicles, a new starting point for the game, is fully compatible with the original Immortal Souls campaign in terms of gameplay, allowing players to cross over heroes and monsters from one campaign to another. Gameplay remains familiar, but this new cycle also introduces new elements to the setting, expanding both the narrative engine and the mechanisms, without making the game more complex.

The Ancient Chronicles campaign is set in the distant past of the events narrated in the Immortal Souls campaign.

New features in the game:

• No Game Master needed. Play alone or with up to 5 players together against the game system itself.
• No player elimination. Dying, becoming a ghost soul and resurrecting your Hero are part of the game engine.
• A real story-driven campaign with multiple outcomes, a main plot and several optional Quests.
• World and city exploration, with different paths and ventures to discover.
• Multiple development paths for your Heroes.
• A sophisticated tactical combat system, based on custom ten-sided dice.
• An advanced artificial intelligence engine for Enemies and Master Enemies.
• Customizable difficulty level, thanks to the different options provided with the game rules and granted by the Challenge set.
• Full backward compatibility with Sword & Sorcery: Immortal Souls heroes and enemies.
• Crafting, Loots, Treasures, Traps and many other aspects of a true fantasy legendary adventure are a part of the game!
• Familiars, a new type of faithful companions for all your Heroes.

Lee (Jeanne-Inquisitor), Richard (Xantares-Wild Mage) and Steve (Thorgren-Stonerager) played the first two scenarios as Evil characters and it was a learning experience… there are so many counters and symbols which one has to comb the rulebook for what they are and how to use them. But, eventually they can be found.