Hannibal's War

Hannibal's War Rulebook

Table of Contents

Mapsheet Errata

On the Expenditure Table, the rightmost entry for "Upgrade garrison to cavalry" presently reads: "Flip the garrison to its cavalry infantry side." Strike the word "infantry" from that sentence.
On the Combat Results Table, in its upper-left corner, where it reads "≤3d24%" and, in its upper-right corner, where it reads "≥3d1000%"—cross-out or white-out both the "3d" notations; they have no meaning.
The city of Panormus (H13) should have a taxation value = 1.

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Hannibal's War (HW) is a wargame of intermediate complexity simulating the struggle to gain control of the Mediterranean littoral during the late 3rd Century BC. HW is a multi-player game. It can be played by two, three or four people each representing a different power: Rome, Carthage, Macedon and the Gauls.

2.0 Components

2.1 The Map shows the portion of the world around the western Mediterranean as it was in the 3rd Century BC. A square grid has been superimposed over it to regulate the position and movement of the pieces. When setting up and playing, the pieces are placed within individual squares. Also note an alpha-numeric grid has been added along the edges of the map. Using it, each square can be identified by a letter-and-number combination. Thus, for example, Rome (Roma) is in square D13.

2.2 The map shows the names of geographical regions such as Italia. Those names have no effect on play, they're there for historical interest only. Cities and towns that begin the game under the control of the various players are color-coded to show ownership.

2.3 Powers

There are four powers in the game: Rome, Carthage, Macedon and the Gauls. Each power has its own set of units. The number of powers available for active play is based on how many players are going to be taking part, as follows: two player game—Rome and Carthage; three player game—Rome, Carthage and Macedon; four player game—Rome, Carthage, Macedon and the Gauls.

2.4 Greater Gaul Holding Box

The "Greater Gaul" holding box is used to represent the fact most of that 'nation' lies off-map to the north. It is always controlled by the Gallic player.

2.5 Playing Pieces

Examine the sheet of die-cut cardboard playing pieces. There are three types of pieces, combat units, campaign markers and informational markers.

2.6 Combat Units

Combat units are the pieces with the images of troops on them representing various types of military forces. They have a combat strength numbers ("combat factor") in their lower-left corners and movement allowances ("movement factor") in their lower-right corners. The nationality of the units (and therefore the "side" on which they fight) is shown by their background color and an abbreviation.

Rome (RO): red
Carthage (CRT): green
Macedon (MA): blue
Gauls (GA): black
Syracusa (SY): purple

2.7 Leader Counter Names

Consul: Roman chief executive.
Hegamonikos: Great leader, often one who arose in a crisis.
Praetor: Roman officer in command of an army.
Rix: Gallic chieftain.
Strategos: general or military governor.
Vercingetorix (Vercin.): Supreme warlord (this isn't a name, but a title).
Xenagos: Mercenary or allied leader.

2.8 Historic Unit Identifications

I-IX: Roman numeral designations of the legions.
Mar: Marines, unit recruited from naval personnel.
SacB: Sacred Band, elite Carthaginian citizen infantry.

2.9 Leader Counters

Certain units represent specific, major historic leaders (for example, Hannibal). All leader units have "leader values" printed on them to their right of their helmet icons (for example, Hannibal's leader value is "3"). They also have a small, generalized unit-type icons printed on them to left of their helmet icons (infantry or cavalry), representing the formations of elite guard troops that accompanied them in the field.

2.10 Back-Printed Units

Certain units are back-printed.

On Roman Legions, Syracusan and Macedonian Phalanxes, all fleets and Gallic Gaeseti, their reverse sides represent their "recruit" status, while their front sides (with the higher combat and movement factors) represent their "veteran" status. Among all those unit types, the counter represents two different states of the same unit.
On cavalry and auxiliary infantry, the front side represents them as those types of units, respectively, while the reverse side shows the icon for garrisons. Among these unit types, then, the counter sides represent two entirely different units.

2.11 Unit Type Icons

Legions: each "legion counter" actually represents a Roman consular army of two legions plus a cavalry contingent.
Phalanx: professional troops armed with spears or pikes, plus a contingent of light infantry.
Auxiliary Infantry: Groups of light and barbarian infantry.
Gaeseti: fanatic Gallic warrior groups.
Cavalry: groups of horsemen.
Garrison: militia forces.
Elephants: available only among Carthaginian forces.
Fleet: ocean-going navy plus marines.

2.12 On-Map Markers are back-printed with different types of markers. They may be used by every player. You should use whatever side is needed at the moment, and you may make up more if you need to.

Camp: a heavily fortified base area.
Pillage: a square that's been devastated.
Control: use to indicate control of outside forces you've subverted via treachery. Note, unlike most wargames, "control markers" in HW aren't used to denote control of territory. See section 5.0 for details on that aspect of play.

2.13 Campaign Markers are used to generate various military and political actions and random events. There are 42 of these markers in three types: Action, Battle and Leaders.

2.14 Game Scale

Each game turn represents a year. Each Operations Phase represents several weeks to several months of campaigning. Each military unit represents 5,000 to 20,000 men. Each square is 100 Roman miles (91.66 statute miles) across.

2.15 Player Cards

Each player has a "card" that describes his nation's starting deployment, special abilities, and specific victory conditions. Players should feel free to photocopy these cards out of the rules for ease of use. (See section 30.0).

2.16 Dice

Players will need to provide themselves with one or more six-sided dice. The die is used to resolve various game functions.

2.17 Pools

Each player will need two opaque containers, into which campaign markers and leader counters are to be placed so they can be drawn at random. Recommended containers include coffee mugs and cereal bowls.

3.0 Sequence of Play

3.1 Players set up their units and markers according to the instructions given in section 30.0 and on their individual player cards. Each game will last a designated number of "game turns." Within each game turn each player will have his own "player turn," in which he will conduct various actions with his units in a set sequence of activities.

3.2 Game Turn Sequence Outline

Each game turn consists of the following phases, which must be played through in the sequence given below.

Olympian Phase. Players consult the Olympian (Random Event) Table.
Initiative Determination Phase. Players determine who among them will "have the initiative" for this game turn. As that phrase implies, that player performs the first Operations Phase of that game turn, with every other player then performing his own Operations Phase, one at a time, clockwise around the table.
Taxation Phase. Each player tallies up the number of talents due him from the cities he occupies. That number is added to the talents already in his treasury.
Agora Phase. The player with the initiative randomly (without first looking at them) picks a number of campaign markers from the pool equal to twice the number of players. The markers are placed face down off to the side of the map. Then, starting with the initiative player, players may bid talents for them.
Negotiations Phase. Any, some or all of the players may make agreements with each other to trade campaign markers or talents.
Mobilization Phase. Each player expends talents to recruit new units, place camps, and remove pillage markers.
Operations Phases

7a) First Operations Phase. The player with the initiative conducts operations with one force by paying one talent (or if the talent isn't paid, by performing an attrition check). During that operation, that force conducts the following "segments" in the following order.

7a1) Movement Segment
7a2) Attrition Segment
7a3) Treachery Segment
7a4) Combat Segment
7a5) Pillage Segment

7b) Second & Subsequent Operations. The next player (see "2" above) conducts an operation as described above. Continue rotating player operations, one player and one operation at a time, until either of the following first occurs: 1) all players pass; or 2) there are no units remaining on the map. Also note that each player may choose to use the same units to conduct more than one operation during each game turn, but the one-talent payment or attrition check must be made at the start of each new operation.

Provisioning Phase. The players must "pay" certain units in order for them to remain on the map.
Sudden Death Victory Check Phase. Players check to see if they've fulfilled either the scenario or their own nation's special victory conditions. If they have, the game comes to an end and they've won.
End of Game Turn Phase. Players mark the passage of one year (game turn). Play continues until the end of the scenario or players agree to end the game.

4.0 Control of Powers

4.1 Control Status

A power may be in one of two states: belligerence or neutrality.

4.2 Belligerence

A belligerent power is any power controlled by a player. That player controls all its forces, campaign markers, etc.

4.3 Neutral Major Powers

Macedon and the Gauls may be neutral if no player plays them. A neutral major power isn't controlled by any player. No player may use its forces, etc. Neutral powers may never enter play, and players may never invade neutral power cities. Neutral powers don't recruit units or receive campaign markers. Neutral units don't require provisioning.

4.4 No Borders

There are no borders shown on the map. Rather, a power's territory is shown via the color coding of the cities and towns it controls. You may freely go anywhere on the map, except into Macedon if it's neutral. If Macedon is belligerent, then you may invade there. Players may always freely enter on-map Gallic towns but not the Gallic off-map area.

4.5 Syracusa

Syracusa is an independent city-state. While it starts the game neutral, it may later enter play. It has its own set of counters. Detailed rules for Syracusa are presented in section 28.0.

5.0 Occupation of Squares

5.1 A player "occupies a square" by having one or more of his units in it. If a player completely empties a given square of all his units, he thereby loses control of that square, and any other power that moves units into it gains control of it for as long as they remain there. A power may later regain control of a lost square by reoccupying it, any number of times per game and per power. The occupation of squares with "taxation value" gives the occupying player additional talents.

5.2 All types of land combat units may occupy all-land squares. Naval units may occupy all-sea, coastal and river squares. Squares containing units that belonged to another player, but that you control via treachery, count as being occupied by you.

5.3 Camp markers by themselves don't affect or maintain control or occupation of squares.

5.4 If more than one player's units simultaneously occupy the same square, the player whose forces were in it first gain the benefits of occupation.

5.5 Control vs. Occupation

It's important to understand the distinction between "control" and "occupation." Control means a player has the loyalties of the ruling elite of a power, and hence can command all of its units on the map. The areas controlled by a player are those color-coded for his nation on the map (see 2.6). Occupation means the player has units inside a square and can thereby collect its taxation value, no matter its color-coding. For example, the Roman player may have units occupying the city of Carthage. He may then collect taxes from it, but the Carthaginian player would still control all Carthaginian units on the map.

6.0 Olympian Phase

6.1 During each Olympian Phase, players roll on the Olympian Table to generate a random event for that game turn. Two dice are rolled and the results cross-indexed. The result is immediately applied. The player who had the initiative from the prior turn should roll, though the events may affect any of the players.

6.2 Normally you roll once per game turn for Olympian events; however, players may agree prior to the start of play that they will roll two, three or four times per game turn (equal to the number of players involved in that game). All such rolls take place during the one Olympian Phase per game turn, and each event is implemented in the order rolled. If the same event is rolled more than once per game turn, treat the repeats as "No Event," and don't re-roll.

6.3 Olympian Table Explanations

Aphrodite. All players whose capital is currently occupied by enemy forces immediately roll a die and pick that number of campaign markers at no cost. The Gauls have no capital, but they're affected by this if all Gallic towns on the map are enemy occupied.
Apollo vs. Dionysus. Starting with the player who had the initiative the previous game turn, each player randomly picks one campaign marker from the player on his left. If a player has no markers, pick from the next player over.
Ares. Barbarian peoples beyond the Mediterranean engage your armies on far-flung frontiers. Roll a die to see who is affected: 1-2 = Macedon; 3 = Carthage; 4 = Rome; 5-6 = Gaul. That player: 1) rolls a die and returns that number of campaign markers to the pool; 2) rolls a second die and loses that number of talents; and 3) rolls a third die and may upgrade that number of friendly recruit units to veterans (anywhere on the map, due to experience gained in foreign war).
Arethusa. Syracusa enters the war. 1) If Syracusa is neutral, one player chosen at random gains control of all Syracusan forces. 2) If Syracusa is already belligerent, it may switch sides: one player, chosen at random, gains control of all Syracusan forces, regardless of who currently controls them.
Athena. Each player picks one campaign marker at no cost from the pool.
Baal. The Carthaginian player rolls a die and picks that number of campaign markers at no cost. He also picks a leader at random from among those available and places it on any friendly unit.
Delphic Oracle. The Greeks revolt against Macedonian hegemony. One player chosen at random gains control of all Macedonian auxiliary infantry and garrisons in Ambracia, Corinth and Delphi. If Macedon is not in the game, treat as "No Event."
Demeter. Each player immediately receives a talent for each unpillaged city he occupies or controls.

7.0 Initiative

7.1 During each game turn's Initiative Determination Phase (see 3.2), players decide who will be the first player for that game turn. To do so, each player secretly bids any number of talents. The player with the highest bid expends those talents while the other players get to keep the talents they bid. The high bidder has the initiative and becomes the first player for that game turn. He conducts the first Operations Phase, followed by all other players in clockwise order from him around the table. In the event of a tie, roll a die and the player who rolls higher becomes first player. Olympian events may change who will have the initiative.

7.2 Several game phases involve more than one player, such as mobilizing units. If there is any question about the order in which players should execute actions, the player with the initiative always goes first, followed by the others going clockwise around the table.

8.0 Taxation

8.1 Talents

The unit of exchange in HW is the "talent" (a weight of precious metals).

8.2 Treasury

Each player should keep an open running total of his talents on a piece of paper.

8.3 Taxation

During the Taxation Phase, players gain talents as follows: each player totals the taxation value of every city square on the map his units occupy or control. Each player then receives that number of talents as determined by his own count. Pillaged squares yield no talents. If more than one player's units occupy a square, neither player gains any talents for it. Various random events and pillage may also give the player talents.

8.4 Expenditures

Players expend talents to bid for initiative and campaign markers, as well as to recruit units, remove pillage markers, initiate operations, etc. No deficit spending or bidding is ever allowed.

9.0 Campaign Markers

9.1 Players use campaign markers to initiate various military and political actions. All players should be sure to read the campaign marker explanations given below, since some of the markers will be sure to have major effects on the course of each game.

9.2 Marker Pool

At the start of play, put all the campaign markers in an opaque container, henceforth referred to in these rules simply as the "pool." When instructed by the rules to pick campaign markers, a player picks the designated number at random (without first looking at them). If this is during the Agora Phase, the campaign markers are then placed face down off to the side of the mapsheet within easy reach. If a marker is picked at any other time in the turn sequence, the player picking the marker should look at it (after randomly picking it) and put it on or near his own player card. Once a player gains of a campaign marker, no matter when or how, he may look at it. Unless otherwise instructed, a player doesn't have to show his markers to the other players.

9.3 Gaining Campaign Markers

A player gains campaign markers as follows.

Initial Set Up. The set up rules designate how many campaign markers each player has at the start of the game.
Olympian Phase. A player may be instructed to pick campaign markers during this phase.
Agora Phase. During each Agora Phase, players place a designated number of campaign markers off to the side of the mapsheet and then bid for them (see below). The player with the initiative bids first in the first round of bidding, then bidding proceeds clockwise one player at a time. In the next round of bidding, the second player goes first, etc. Any unbid-for markers are returned to the pool.
Combat Results & Pillage. Certain combat results and pillaging allow players to gain campaign markers, representing the politico-military shifts caused by winning battles.

9.4 Campaign Marker Holding Limits

A player may accumulate (hold in his hand) up to the following number of campaign markers: two player game – 18; three player game – 12; four player game – 9.

9.5 If a player is holding the maximum number of campaign markers, and some game function calls for him to gain more, he must first return to the pool the number of markers sufficient to do away with that surplus before picking new markers. (So, yes, he might end up re-picking all or some of the same markers. And that in/out process isn't discretionary.) Additionally, players may at any time choose to return markers to the pool without having played them.

9.6 Types of Campaign Markers

There are three general types of campaign markers, as noted on each one's counter.

Action Markers are played at the player's option at times in the game specified by each marker's individual explanation.
Battle Markers are played at the owning player's option during combat.
Leaders are treated like any other friendly leader units once gained.

9.7 Generally, when a campaign marker's played, it's returned to the pool. If, however, you play a battle marker and win that battle, you (the victorious player) get to keep those otherwise expended battle markers. You also keep leader markers (on the map) once picked, though they're returned to the pool if eliminated. Note that certain campaign markers may be played during an enemy player's turn, if so indicated in that marker's explanation (see 9.11, 9.12 & 9.13).

9.8 No Marker Play Limit

Within the strictures given above, a player may potentially play any number of campaign markers in any given phase, player turn or game turn.

9.9 Losing Campaign Markers

Certain game functions call for a player to lose (return to the pool) campaign markers. They include: 1) certain Olympian events; 2) the play of certain campaign markers forces the return to the pool of other campaign markers; and 3) certain combat results. To lose or give up markers, a player picks at random the designated number of markers from those he has in his hand at that time and then immediately returns them to the pool. If a player is instructed to lose all his campaign markers, he returns to the pool all then in his possession. If a player is required to lose campaign markers, but has none at that moment, there is no further effect or later loss.

9.10 Trading Campaign Markers

Campaign markers may be traded among players; see the negotiation rules in section 22.0. [Editor's note: the printed cross-reference reads 22.0; the negotiation rules are in section 10.0.]

9.11 Battle Campaign Marker Explanations (also see 18.3)

Assault: double the combat factor of all friendly legion and phalanx units for this battle.
Envelopment: if you have twice as many printed cavalry combat strength points as the enemy, double the combat factors of all friendly units involved in this battle.
Elephants: double the combat strength of all friendly elephant units, and eliminate all enemy elephant units, prior to the computation of combat percentiles. If both sides play this marker, eliminate all involved elephant units on both sides.
Naval: double the combat strength of all your involved fleet units (but not their transported units).
Siege Train: used when combat occurs in a city square. If played by the attacker, he doubles his combat strength and the defender is eliminated if forced to retreat. If played by the defender, this negates one played attacker Siege marker. Both sides may play more than one Siege train marker, and the defender may negate attacking Siege Train markers on a one-for-one basis. Aside from that, playing more than one siege train marker per side has no additional effect.
Special Battle Marker: see the player cards for how each player uses these.

9.12 Action Campaign Marker Explanations

Alliance: Instead of taking a normal Operations Phase, expend a talent and play this marker, then skip the Movement and Attrition Segments of this Operations Phase. During the Treachery Segment, roll a die and divide the result by two, rounding down all remainders (for a final result of 0, 1, 2 or 3). That's the number of friendly cavalry/auxiliary infantry/garrison units (total) you immediately receive as reinforcements, placed on cities/towns as indicated below. Those units cost no talents. Units may not be placed in pillaged squares. They may be placed in enemy occupied squares, in which case they will automatically attack those units in the immediately following Combat Segment. They may also pillage in the Pillage Segment. No other force may conduct any operations in this Special Operations Phase.
- Alliance—Celts: place units in Gallic towns. They may be placed even if Gaul is neutral. You may not play this if you currently occupy the city of Roma. (There's too much animosity between Gauls and Romans.)
- Alliance—Hellas: place units in Macedonian cities/towns or Syracusa. Units may not be placed in Thessalonika. Units may not be placed in Macedon if Macedon is a neutral, though they may be placed in Syracusa.
- Alliance—Latium: place units in Roman cities/towns. Units may not be placed in Roma. You may play this only if you currently occupy the city of Roma.
- Alliance—Punic: place units in Carthaginian cities/towns. Units may not be placed in Carthago.
Archimedes: You may play this if you occupy the city of Syracusa (even if enemy units are in the same square, as long as you were there first). You may re-roll any one die roll made by yourself or any other player during any Operations Phase.
Auspices: playing this marker allows you to do one of the following: 1) at the start of the Agora Phase, exchange this marker for any one action marker from the pool [not picked at random; you may sort through the markers and select the one you want]; or 2) at any time in any game turn, play this marker to negate the play of any one other action marker [return that marker to the pool without it being put into effect]; or 3) at the start of any Negotiations Phase, pick at random one campaign marker from another player's hand and keep it; or 4) play during the Initiative Determination Phase to gain the initiative; declare the marker before any bidding and you gain the initiative.

9.13 Mercenary Leader Campaign Marker Explanations

Hegemonikos ("Great Leader"): place in the same square as any friendly unit(s). Treat this marker in all respects as a friendly leader. Place one of your control markers on the counter. If eliminated, return to the pool. The Hegemonikos marker is subject to treachery and defection, unlike other leaders.
Xenagos ("Mercenary Commander"): place in the same square as any friendly unit(s). Treat this marker in all respects as a friendly leader. Place one of your control markers on the counter. If eliminated, return to the pool. The Xenagos marker is subject to treachery and defection, unlike other leaders.

10.0 Negotiations

10.1 During the Negotiations Phase of every game turn, players may openly conduct negotiations with each other, making whatever agreements they decide on within the following restrictions.

10.2 Players may openly negotiate any of the following: 1) trade campaign markers for talents and vice versa; 2) if all players agree, end the game and immediately determine its winner, if any; and 3) any other agreements players find acceptable, as long as they don't violate any rules. For example, players may agree to not attack each other's units for a turn, demobilize units, etc.

10.3 Violating Agreements

If an agreement is broken, the violating player loses half his campaign markers (round up), picked at random. Every other player then rolls a die and randomly picks that number of campaign markers.

10.4 No "secret agreements" are allowed.

11.0 Mobilization & Reinforcements

11.1 Mobilizing Reinforcements

Players may receive additional units as reinforcements after a game has begun. Such units are "mobilized" into play by expending certain types of campaign markers or by spending talents. Also, various national special abilities and Olympian events allow for the mobilization of some units.

11.2 Expenditure Table

As designated on the table, you spend the designated number of talents and then place the mobilized (also called "recruited") units in any squares solely occupied by your units. Previously eliminated units may be mobilized back into play any number of times, and the mobilization is always done deliberately (by looking before purchasing; that is, you don't pick at random). Leaders are mobilized only by playing a Rally action marker or via Olympian event, or general levy, none of which require spending talents.

11.3 Expenditure Table

Printed on the mapsheet.

11.4 General Levy

Once per game, each player may declare a "general levy" during any Mobilization Phase. You must be solely in occupation of your capital city in order to declare general levy. The exception is the Gauls, who may declare a general levy by having at least one unit in the Greater Gaul box. That stricture having been met, the capital may otherwise even be in a state of pillage. The declaring player rolls the following number of dice: 1) one always; and 2) another one if there are enemy units currently occupying three or more cities or towns of your color. Then add to that combined number the leader value of any one leader in your capital (for the Gauls, in the Greater Gaul off-map box).

That final total represents the sum of talents you must immediately expend to mobilize units or build camps. Additionally, you receive a leader, picked at random, if available. The leader is placed atop any friendly unit. The general levy doesn't actually cost any talents that may have happened to have been in your treasury when you made the call for it. It's simply calculated in the terms of talents. Any general levy talents not spent are immediately lost. Calling a general levy is always an option; there's no requirement to do so. Units mobilized via general levy may be received in addition to those mobilized normally that same phase.

11.5 Attrition & General Levy

On the turn a player conducts a general levy, he must add +1 to all his attrition die rolls.

11.6 Recruit & Veteran Status

Units that have a recruit side are always mobilized into play at their recruit-side strength. They may be flipped to their veteran side by various game actions.

11.7 Cavalry, Auxiliary Infantry & Garrisons

These units are back-printed; however, their two sides actually represent entirely different units. You choose which side you will mobilize and, once mobilized as something other than a garrison, though, a given unit stays as that unit-type until eliminated, at which time either side of the counter is again eligible to be mobilized. A garrison that's been previously mobilized into play may later be upgraded to cavalry or auxiliary infantry, whichever unit type is on its flip side. To upgrade a garrison, simply pay the cost listed on the Expenditure Table and flip it to its upgraded side during any Mobilization Phase. That may be done regardless of the location of the garrison.

11.8 Demobilization

A player may demobilize a unit during any Mobilization phase, if it is in a city square, camp, town or friendly off map area. The unit is removed from the map and is available for mobilization on any following turn. The player does not receive any talents "back" when the unit is demobilized. Demobilized cavalry and auxiliary infantry do not flip back to their garrison side.

11.9 Placement Restrictions

You may normally mobilize no more than one unit per square per Mobilization Phase; however, in city squares with taxation values of two or more, you may mobilize up to the number equal that value. Most units may not be mobilized in pillaged squares; however, camps may be placed in pillaged squares.

11.10 Replacements

Units that are eliminated may be re-mobilized later in the game by following the above procedure. Veteran units that are eliminated must be re-mobilized on their recruit side but are then eligible for later promotion. Cavalry and auxiliary infantry that are eliminated may be re-mobilized as garrisons and vice versa.

11.11 Counter-Mix Limits

In general, the number of units in the counter-mix is a design limit. Players may not mobilize more units of any types than are available for a particular power. The exception is there's no limit to the number of camps that may be constructed. To do so, you may create additional homemade counters or scrounge them from other games.

12.0 Operations

12.1 Operations in HW are interactive. Beginning with the player who has the initiative, each player conducts one operation with one force. Then the next player does the same, and that process continues, rotating clockwise, with each player conducting operations until one of the following first occurs.

All players declare "pass" at least once in a row. That is, a player may declare "pass," but then, if the next player conducts an operation, the other player may conduct an operation (or declare "pass" yet again). Note that play of the Command Dispute marker may require a player to pass.
There are no units on the map.

12.2 Operations Procedures

To conduct an operation, do the following.

Designate one or more units in the same square as the "force" with which you will conduct the operations. Not all units in a square must be in the force, but at least one unit has to be.

2a) If the force contains four or fewer units, expend one talent. If it contains five or more units, expend two talents.

2b) Declare the force will conduct its operation without the expenditure of talents. In that case, conduct the Movement Segment of the operation normally, but make an attrition check for that force in the ensuing Attrition Segment (see below).

12.3 Operation Components & Sequence

During an operation, your force may do any, some or all of the following, in the following order: a) move; b) make an attrition check if it operated without the expenditure of talents; c) conduct treachery; d) attack an enemy force; e) pillage the square in which it's located.

12.4 Attrition Checks

Attrition checks are made for any force for which the player did not expend talents to initiate an operation as per 12.2. Roll a die for the force. That's done regardless of whether the force moved. Note, though, for an attrition check to take place, the player must have designated the force as the one conducting the current operation. For example, it may not have moved if your plan was for it to simply pillage its starting square.

12.5 Attrition Results

The player controlling the rolled-for force must eliminate at least the number of units from the force equal to the percentage result. For example, if the force checked contains only one unit and the result is "25%," that one unit is eliminated. In situations in which only some units in a force are to be eliminated, the owning player is completely free to pick from among them.

12.6 No Limit on Operations

You may conduct any number of operations in the course of a single game turn, as long as you either pay talents or make an attrition check for each one. A given unit or force may conduct any number of operations over the course of a single game turn, either sequentially or after other friendly forces have conducted other operations.

12.7 Forces

A group of units moving, or otherwise designated as being together, is called a "force." You don't have to keep forces together from operation to operation. For example, a force of three units moves into a square containing two other friendly units. In a later operation, you could form all five units into a new single force, or you could conduct an operation with one, two, three or four of the units, leaving behind the others. You may, though, conduct an operation with only one force per Operations Phase.

13.0 Stacking

13.1 There is no limit on the number of units that may be in a square at the same time; however, see the provisioning rules in section 22.0 for extra costs that may be imposed for stacking beyond any given square's provisioning limit.

13.2 Enemy Presence

Ground units may move into a square containing units belonging to other players or neutrals; however, they must then stop in that square for that operation. All such entries force combat during the ensuing Combat Segment.

13.3 Fleets may move into and through squares containing enemy or neutral land units without attacking them; however, if they end their move in an enemy or neutral-occupied square, combat is triggered. If land units enter a square containing enemy naval units, they must stop and attack them (because fleets would beach at the end of operations). Fleets must immediately stop in squares containing enemy fleets.

13.4 Coalitions

If a player controls units from different powers through treachery (see section 17.0), he may combine them into a single force.

13.5 Camps

There may never be more than one camp per square at any one time. Camps are friendly to all players.

13.6 Co-Located Opposing Units

Generally, because of the all-or-nothing nature of the combat results table, there won't be situations in which opposing forces will begin a Movement Segment in the same square. Owing to various Olympian events and campaign markers, however, that situation may occur. If, at the end of an Olympian Phase, there are opposing units in the same square, then, starting with the player who has the initiative from the prior turn, each player with forces in such situations must initiate combat in those squares, generally using normal combat rules. In those situations, though, ignore all terrain effects on the combat.

14.0 Fog of War

14.1 Your campaign markers should be kept face down, unless a rule specifically allows for another player(s) to examine them. You may always examine your own forces and campaign markers.

14.2 A player may examine another's forces at the following times: 1) during movement or combat, both involved players must reveal all the units in a square at the instant any units enter a square containing enemy units; and 2) as a result of the play of certain campaign markers.

14.3 A player may voluntarily reveal his units and campaign markers at any time if he so desires. Otherwise, keep your units in each square stacked together in a single pile, thereby allowing only the top unit (of your choice) to be seen. There is no "stacking order" that must be observed.

15.0 Zones of Control

15.1 There are no "zones of control" in this game (and if you somehow don't know what that phrase means, don't worry about it).

16.0 Movement

16.1 Units move from square to square by paying appropriate movement point costs. Units are always moved as part of a "force" (and remember, a force may contain one or more units).

16.2 Procedure. A force moves from contiguous square to contiguous square. Units may move only across the sides of squares; they may not move between squares only connected at their corners. Each clear square entered costs one movement point (MP). For example, a unit with a movement factor of three could move into three contiguous clear-terrain squares in a single Movement Segment.

16.3 You may move your forces only during your own Operations Phases, and you move only one force during any one Operations Phase.

16.4 Static Units

Units with printed movement factors of "0," as well as camp markers, never move from their squares of placement except to go into the dead pile (or "pool").

16.5 Force Movement

A moving force may not pick up additional units as it moves. A moving force may "drop off" units as it moves, but such dropped off units may not conduct further movement or other action during that operation. Effectively, once a unit has been dropped off, it's no longer part of the operating force. If units moving together in a force have different movement allowances, the force moves with the allowance of the slowest unit within it at the start of the move. That initial force-movement-allowance is maintained throughout that phase even if the slower units are dropped off during the course of the move. Note, though, fleets transporting land units always use their own fleet movement allowance, not that of any transported unit (see section 25.0).

16.6 Roads

A force or unit that moves from road-square to road-square, into and through squares so as to follow the path of the road, thereby doubles its movement allowance. That is, each road square entered from another contiguous road square costs only half a movement point. Further, a force moving via road isn't required to stop if it enters a forest, mountain or swamp square (see below). A moving force on a road must still stop when entering an enemy occupied square. A force may combine road and non-road movement in the same move, paying appropriate costs for all squares entered.

16.7 Rivers

Rivers don't in any way affect, shape or deflect the movement of land units. Units moving along rivers double their movement rate in the same way as roads, and river and road movement may be combined.

16.8 Mountains

All units must halt their movement for that operation when they first enter a mountain square.

16.9 Enemy Occupied Squares

All units must stop moving for that operation when they first enter any enemy occupied square.

16.10 Neutrals

Units may enter Macedonian cities and towns only if Macedonia is a belligerent. Units may enter Gallic towns regardless of neutrality status. Syracusa is a neutral minor power, and its territory may be invaded, which will lead to it becoming a belligerent (see section 28.0).

16.11 Units that had been required to stop in a square may move normally in their next operation. Such units might then move directly into another movement-halting square, but would then immediately have to stop again for the remainder of that operation. They might also start by moving into non-inhibiting squares. Note that entering an enemy occupied square will lead to treachery or combat.

16.12 Cities and towns are treated as clear terrain squares for movement purposes unless they have a road or river going through them, in which case those bonus movement rates may be used.

16.13 Straits

Adjacent coastal squares separated by all-sea sides may not be moved across by land movement. For instance, land movement isn't possible between Rhegium and Messana (G15 and H15).

16.14 Map Edges

Units may exit the map only to enter a friendly off-map area; see section 27.0.

16.15 Prohibited Squares

Land units may not enter all-sea squares, nor cross all-sea square-sides, unless they're moving via naval transport. Conversely, fleets may not enter all-land squares, nor cross all-land square-sides. Fleets may enter coastal and port and river squares. See section 25.0 for more details.

17.0 Treachery

17.1 Players use treachery to bring the units of other players under their own control. Treachery may be conducted by any player conducting an Operations Phase. You must have at least one Treachery marker to expend prior to initiating a treachery attempt. You may expend additional Treachery markers to improve the chance of success of a treachery attempt. Each Treachery marker has a treachery value of "1," "2" or "3" printed on it, representing each particular counter's strength in "treachery points."

17.2 Treachery Procedure

A player may initiate treachery only in his own Treachery Segments. Non-phasing players may defend against treachery attempts during any Treachery Segment. To attempt treachery use the following procedure.

The phasing player must have at least one friendly leader in or adjacent to the square to be attacked, which must contain at least one enemy unit. He must also have at least one Treachery marker.
The phasing player places face down in front of him the number of Treachery markers he will use for that attempt (minimum of one marker).
The attacked player then places face down in front of him the number of Treachery markers he will expend to attempt to counter the Treachery (minimum of zero markers).
Both players reveal the strength(s) of their committed Treachery markers.
The phasing player rolls a die for each treachery strength point he's committed.
The defender then rolls a die for "free," plus an additional die for each treachery point he's committed. If the defender hasn't played any Treachery markers, he still automatically rolls one die.
If the attacker's final rolled total is greater than the defender's, that Treachery attempt succeeds. The phasing player may then examine all units in the square. He then rolls another die and gains control of a number of treachery-susceptible units (see 17.8/3) in the targeted force equal to the die roll (of his choice).
If the defender's total is greater than or equal to the attacker's total, the Treachery attempt fails. Further, the victorious defending player immediately picks a campaign marker at random from the pool.
Last, all committed Treachery markers from both involved players are returned to the pool.

17.3 Leaders

If the force being attacked contains any leaders, the defending player may select any one leader and add a number of die rolls equal to his leader value to the total rolls made. Only one leader may be selected for this. Note this applies only to the defender, not the attacker. Also note, however, that the attacking force must contain at least one leader in order to initiate a treachery attempt.

17.4 The phasing player must always play at least one Treachery marker in order to initiate a treachery attempt. The defending player doesn't have to play any markers to defend, though he will still always roll at least one die.

17.5 All committed treachery markers of both sides are returned to the pool after being used.

17.6 You may declare a maximum of one treachery attempt in any friendly Treachery Segment.

17.7 The player whose units are designated for treachery may defend his units against all treachery attempts. In games with three or four players, no player may contribute Treachery markers to attempts against, or defenses of, any other player's units. Both involved and uninvolved players may, however, have previously traded Treachery markers among each other, during any negotiations phase (see section 10.0).

17.8 Restrictions

The following general strictures apply to treachery.

You may not initiate treachery against enemy forces occupying their own capital.
Off-map areas may not be attachment with treachery.
Only the following units are subject to treachery: cavalry, auxiliary infantry, elephant, and garrison. If there are no such units in an attacked force, that treachery attempt was futile.
Leaders are generally not affected by treachery. The only exception is the Xenagos leader campaign marker.

17.9 Successful Treachery

If a treachery attempt succeeds, the phasing player has thereby gained control of designated units in the square. Place a control marker of the gaining player atop that force. The gaining player treats all treachery-controlled units the same as his other forces. Treachery-controlled units may have their control transferred to other players, including the original owning player, by subsequent treachery attempts. Treachery-controlled units that are eliminated may be recruited again only by the original owning player. The Defection campaign marker may also affect control status.

17.10 Treachery Induced Combat

Since some units in a square may defect as a result of treachery, while others don't, this may result in a situation in which there are hostile units in the same square. In this event, in the immediately following Combat Segment, combat is initiated. In that case, the defender doesn't gain the advantage of any terrain.

18.0 Combat

18.1 Combat is used to eliminate enemy units and seize terrain. You must initiate combat during the Combat Segments of your own Operations Phases wherever you have units in a square with belligerent units. The phasing player is always the "attacker"; the non-phasing player being attacked is always the "defender." There are three general types of combat, all of which are essentially the same, except as noted in the rules: 1) attacks made against opposing units that aren't in cities; 2) attacks made against opposing units in cities ["sieges"]; and 3) naval battles fought in all-sea squares.

18.2 Attacking & Defending

Attacking is mandatory when a force begins a friendly Combat Segment in the same square as an opposing force. All friendly units in the square must attack, and all enemy units in the square must defend in one combined battle. Only units in the same square may attack; units may not attack from adjacent squares. Note that given the way the operations rules are sequenced, the attacking player will be able to move only one force into a square to execute any one attack. Also, since all battles will result in one side or the other being eliminated or retreated out of the square, there will never be a situation at the end of any Combat Segment in which more than one player's force occupies a square.

18.3 Combat Procedure

For each battle, the players must follow the sequence given below.

Both the attacker and defender transfer all units in the square in which the combat is taking place to a convenient, easy-to-reach location off to the side of the map. Use a coin as a reminder of the square in which the battle is actually taking place on the map.
Each player lines up all his units opposite those of his opponent; so both players can clearly see both opposing "lines." Note that no unit-by-unit match-ups are made; simply line up the units of the opposing forces generally opposite each other.
Both players, attacker first, may commit a number of Battle markers to the fight up to the leader value of any one friendly leader involved. Those markers are placed face-down next to their respective side's line of units. Players may also choose to seemingly commit some face-down, non-battle markers to deceive the enemy. Those must be revealed at the end of the battle's resolution, when they are returned to the player's hand regardless of the battle's outcome. Neither player is required to commit any battle markers, neither real ones nor deception markers.
Both players flip face-up all their Battle markers, both real and deceptive.
Total the attacking force's combat strength, taking into account any modifications for Battle markers.
Total the defending force's combat strength, taking into account any modifications for Battle markers and terrain.
Divide the attacker's strength by the defender's strength, and express that as a percentage.
Consult the corresponding column on the Combat Results Table.
The attacker rolls a die, and both players cross-index that result within the percentage column determined above.
Apply that result to the forces involved in that battle.

18.4 Post Battle

On completion of a battle, execute the following steps in the order given below.

Return all surviving units of both sides to the proper square on the map.
Execute any retreat called for in the combat result. The non-retreating side's units remain in the square where the battle took place.
The winner retains in his hand all the markers he used in the battle. The loser loses (returns to the pool) all Battle markers he used in the battle, but not any deception markers.
In addition to the above, determine the number of campaign markers that will be gained and lost if the battle resulted in a win for one side. The winner picks campaign markers randomly from the pool, the exact number depending on the defeated force's starting total combat strength plus any leader value, according to the following formula. The campaign markers lost by the defeated player, as described below, are in addition to those he used (and thereby automatically lost) in the just-finished battle.

26+: the loser randomly returns three campaign markers from his hand to the pool, then the winner randomly picks five campaign markers from the pool. The winner also rolls a die and, on a result of one, two or three, picks a leader from his pool.
21-25: the loser first randomly returns two campaign markers from his hand to the pool, then the winner randomly picks four campaign markers from the pool. The winner also rolls a die and, on a result of one or two, picks a leader from his pool.
16-20: the loser first randomly returns one campaign marker from his hand to the pool, then the winner randomly picks three campaign markers from the pool. The winner also rolls a die and, on a result of one, picks a leader from his pool.
11-15: the loser first randomly returns one campaign marker from his hand to the pool, then the winner randomly picks two campaign markers from the pool.
6-10: the loser first randomly returns one campaign marker from his hand to the pool, then the winner randomly picks one campaign marker from the pool.
1-5: the winner randomly picks one campaign marker from the pool.

18.5 Strength Multipliers

Units may have their combat strength multiplied by several different factors. If units would be affected by more than one of the factors described below, they may never be more than tripled.

Terrain. See the Terrain Effects Chart printed on the mapsheet. If more than one type of terrain bonus applies, the defender gets the single best one.
Camps double defense strength in terrain that would normally leave it un-doubled.
Battle Markers will double or triple combat strengths. If more than one Battle marker would double or triple a unit's strength in a battle, apply the single best one for each affected unit.

18.6 Immediate Combat Results

Combat results are applied immediately as the end of each combat.

18.7 Retreats

Retreats will be either one square or one die roll's worth of squares, as called for by the combat result. The retreating player retreats his own units. All retreating units must retreat together. If the only square(s) available to be retreated into contains prohibited terrain, all retreating units are eliminated and count as battle losses for purposes of rule 18.4/4. A force must retreat into the indicated number of squares; it may not retreat into the same square more than once. If a square retreated into contains enemy or neutral units, a number of retreating units equal to the total number of enemy or neutral units in the square are eliminated and count as losses for purposes of 18.4/4 above. In that case, the retreating force retreats an additional square and, if that additional square also contains enemy or neutral units, repeat the procedure. Retreating through a neutral force doesn't count as a neutrality violation. Finally, units don't have to retreat back along the path through which they entered a square.

18.8 Timing

Note that, given the way the operation rules work, only one battle will be executed during any single Operations Phase.

18.9 Combat Results Explanations

AZ: Attacker Annihilated (Defender Wins)
1. All attacking units are eliminated.
2. Attacker loses campaign markers; defender picks campaign markers.
3. Defender may upgrade recruit units to veterans as described in section 24.0.
AD: Attacker Defeated (Defender Wins)
1. Half of all attacking combat factors are eliminated (round up).
2. The attacker rolls a die and must retreat his force that number of squares.
3. The attacker loses campaign markers; defender gains campaign markers.
4. The defender may upgrade recruit units to veterans as described in section 24.0.
PV: Pyrrhic Victory (Neither Player Wins)
1. The side that had fewer combat factors must eliminate units totaling at least half those factors (round up).
2. The other side then must eliminate at least as many factors.
3. The side with more surviving combat factors stays in the square; the other side must retreat a square. If both sides have the same number of surviving factors, the defender retreats.
4. Neither player gains or loses campaign markers.
TV: Tactical Victory (Attacker Wins)
1. Half of all defending combat factors are eliminated (round up).
2. The defender rolls a die and must retreat his force that number of squares.

18.10 Unit Eliminations

The player losing units from a force always chooses which units from that force will be eliminated. Unit eliminations are based on printed strength, not doubled or tripled strength. Leader values have no effect on unit strength for purposes of elimination. Leaders may be taken as losses based on their combat strength.

19.0 Sieges

19.1 Units defending in city squares are generally not affected by retreats. Also, units that retreat from other squares into a city may cease their retreat when they enter that city square. That retreat negation is mandatory; units in a city square may not opt to retreat, and the owning player must stop any retreat originating in a non-city square in the first friendly occupied or empty city square entered. "City" refers only to cities; towns are not treated as cities.

19.2 Players may play only Siege Train battle markers when attacking into or defending in a city square. Other battle markers may not be used (see 9.11). A player does not have to play a Siege in order to attack a city.

19.3 If the attacker in combat fails to clear all defending units from an enemy occupied city square, he must retreat his attacking force one square, regardless of the outcome of the battle. In that case, neither player has won the battle, and neither picks nor loses campaign markers nor promotes units to veterans. Any Siege Train campaign markers either player used are returned to the pool.

20.0 Forced March, Ambush & Delaying Actions

20.1 You may conduct more than one operation in a row by expending Forced March campaign markers. Additionally, Forced March markers also allow non-phasing players the opportunity to conduct ambush and delaying actions.

20.2 Forced March Procedure

After you have completed an operation with a force, you may immediately conduct another operation, with that same force or a different force, by playing a Forced March campaign marker. Having played the marker, you conduct another normal Operations Phase using any force you control. You may potentially play a Forced March marker at the end of each and every one of your Operations Phases, and there's no limit on the number of times a given unit or force may force march, other than that imposed by the number of Forced March markers you possess.

20.3 One Marker, One Force, One March

You must expend a Forced March marker for each force making one forced march. Also note the term "forced march" doesn't simply refer to the ability for such an enhanced force to move; a "forced marching" force goes through the normal sequence of an entirely new Operations Phase.

20.4 Leader Prerequisite

A force must have one or more leaders in it in order to conduct a forced march.

20.5 Costs

A force making a forced march must expend a talent or make an attrition die roll, as per the normal rules.

20.6 Ambush

Any non-phasing player may conduct an "ambush" by playing a Forced March marker at any time during any other player's Movement Segment. It allows that non-phasing player to interrupt the phasing player's Movement Segment, while he (the ambushing player) conducts movement with one force.

20.7 Ambush Procedure

A force conducting an ambush must have at least one leader in it. The instant a force of the phasing player moves adjacent to a force of any other player, that other player may declare "Ambush!" by playing a Forced March marker.
The ambushing force then moves from its square into the square into which the phasing enemy force just moved. That ends the ambushing force's movement, because a moving force must stop when it enters a square containing any enemy units.
Skip the Treachery Segment and go to the Combat Segment. Combat is resolved normally, with the phasing player still cast as the attacker and the non-phasing (ambushing) player cast as the defender. If there were other units in the square in which the ambush takes place, they're also involved in the ensuing combat.
You may not conduct an ambush in a square containing an enemy occupied city or camp.

20.8 Each Forced March marker played initiates one Ambush by one force. Ambushing doesn't require the expenditure of a talent or an attrition check.

20.9 Only one ambush may take place per Movement Segment and, if more than one player is in a position to declare an ambush, whoever first declares "Ambush!" executes it. Ambush may be declared only against triggering moving forces of the phasing player. Different non-phasing players may not declare ambush against each others' non-phasing forces (no ambushes against ambushing forces), nor may the phasing player declare ambush against a non-phasing force. And finally here, ambushes may not be declared against units or forces retreating after combat.

20.10 Delaying Action Procedure

A force conducting a delaying action must have at least one leader in it. At the start of a Combat Segment in which at least one enemy unit occupies the square containing the force you want to conduct the delaying action, you may declare "Delaying Action!" and play a Forced March marker.
The delaying force then moves from its own square into any adjacent square, which may even include the one from which the enemy force just moved. It must also, though, be a square into which the delaying units could normally move. Some or all the units in the delaying force may make this special move. There may be no enemy or neutral units in the square into which the delaying units move. You may leave units behind.
The phasing force against which the delaying action was declared conducts all other segments of its Operations Phase normally and, if any enemy units were left behind in the square, it must attack them normally. If all opposing units have moved out of the square via the delaying action, no combat occurs.

20.11 Each Forced March marker played initiates one Delaying Action move by one force. It doesn't require the expenditure of a talent or an attrition check.

20.12 You may not declare an ambush against a delaying force.

21.0 Pillage

21.1 You pillage a square in order to destroy its taxation and forage values, and sometimes to gain talents.

21.2 Pillage Procedure

Pillage is declared and conducted during the Pillage Segments of your own Operations Phases. For each pillage attempt, do the following.

Total the number of friendly combat factors in the square.
Roll a die. If the result is less than or equal to your total of combat factors, the square is pillaged; place a Pillaged marker there. At that time you may also decide to destroy any camp marker in the square.
If the square contains a city, the pillaging player receives the number of talents equal to its taxation value. If it contains a town, the pillaging player receives one talent.
If a city or town, the player who originally controlled that city or town rolls a die and applies the following.

1-3 = The pillaged player picks a campaign marker at no cost.
4 = The pillaged player loses a campaign marker.
5 = No effect.
6 = The pillaged player rolls once on the Olympian Table and that result is applied immediately. If that causes any combat situation, resolve it immediately.

21.3 Terrain & Pillage

Terrain doesn't affect pillage.

21.4 A player may attempt to pillage a given square only once per friendly Pillage Segment.

21.5 Pillage Restrictions

A force may not conduct pillage if it's: 1) in a square that already contains a Pillage marker; 2) is in an all-sea square; or 3) is in a square that contains enemy units.

21.6 Pillage Effects

The taxation and forage values of a pillaged square are reduced to zero. Ignore any port in a pillaged square.

21.7 Pillage Duration

A square once pillaged is pillaged until any player expends talents to remove the Pillage marker. To do this, a player must have at least one unit of any type in the square.

22.0 Provisioning

22.1 During each game turn's Provisioning Phase, each player must either have his units forage, or provision them via the expenditure of talents, in order to keep them in supply.

22.2 Forage

Every square on the map can support a designated number of units via forage. (See the Terrain Effects Chart on the mapsheet for forage values.) Units beyond that number must be provisioned or they're eliminated. Note that forage value is not the same as taxation value, though cities add a forage value equal to their taxation value up to a maximum of two more points.

22.3 Camps & Forage Value

Camps don't need to be provisioned, and they don't count against their square's forage limit. They add +1 to a square's forage value.

22.4 Provisioning

A player must, if he wants his units above the forage limit in a square to survive, spend talents. The expenditure of one talent provisions all excess units in a square. A player is never required to provision, nor may he deficit-spend talents he doesn't actually have in order to provision.

22.5 Fleets

Fleets, and land units being transported by them, must be provisioned normally. Fleets, and any units being transported by them, may forage if they're in coastal squares, using that coastal square's forage value. Should a fleet be eliminated owing to lack of supply, all units aboard it are also eliminated. Note, though, it makes more sense to first eliminate the units being transported by such a fleet.

22.6 Unsupplied Units

If you're unable to supply units in a square, either by foraging or spending talents, the unsupplied units are eliminated (put back into the pool, from where they are eligible for later re-mobilization). If there's a choice of units to be eliminated, the owning player chooses which will be removed.

22.7 Pillaged Squares have their forage value reduced to zero.

22.8 Neutral Units don't need to be provisioned, nor do they need to forage.

23.0 Leaders

23.1 Leader counters represent a great commander along with a coterie of officers, personal guard troops, scribes, etc. Leaders are treated like other land combat units, but with the following special capabilities.

23.2 Leader Recruiting

Scenario instructions indicate which leaders begin the game already in play. All remaining leaders are placed in a leader pool, one for each player. When some event allows a leader to be mobilized, pick one at random from your leader pool and place him atop any friendly unit (unless otherwise indicated). Leaders have no talent cost to mobilize.

23.3 Leaders & Combat

At the start of every battle, both involved players designate a friendly leader in that fight as their side's "commander" for that combat. Each player may play the number of Battle markers for that combat equal to their own commander's leader value. If a player has no leader in a battle, he may not play any Battle markers.

23.4 No precedence

You may generally choose which leader in a force will be your commander in that fight if there's more than one leader present. Exception: see the Command Dispute campaign marker explanation (9.12).

23.5 Leader Survival

If a leader unit is eliminated for any reason, the player has the option to roll a "saving die." If that result is less than or equal to that unit's leadership value, the leader is removed from the map and placed atop any other friendly unit. Owing to the disgrace of surviving when any good leader would have fallen on his sword, however, you must then return to the pool a number of campaign markers equal to the saved leader's value (this is done prior to losing any campaign markers for losing the battle itself). If insufficient campaign markers are held, you may not attempt the saving throw in the first place. Leaders may save only themselves in this way; they may not rally other units. With the exception of this added procedure, leader units are eliminated in the same way as other units in combat.

23.6 Leaders eliminated for any reason are placed back in the pool of leaders and may be picked again as a result of any action calling for leaders to be mobilized.

23.7 Leader Unit Types

Leaders are otherwise treated as combat units of the type shown on their counters. For example, the Hannibal leader counter is otherwise treated as a cavalry unit. Leaders count for stacking, supply, Battle markers, etc.

23.8 Xenagos & Hegemonikos Mercenary Leaders

Those two counters are placed in the campaign marker pool. Mercenary leaders are special leaders with no set nationality of their own. They're brought into play only by a player picking them from the pool (see 9.13). If eliminated, mercenary leaders are returned to the campaign marker pool.

24.0 Veteran Status

24.1 Units that have a stronger ("veteran") side may be flipped to that side as a result of the following.

Combat Results. Whenever a friendly force contains recruit-status units, and that force causes the enemy force to suffer an AZ, AD, TV or EV result, flip from their recruit to their veteran side the number of friendly units equal to the number of enemy units in the defeated force. PV results don't allow any upgrade. For example, if there are three enemy units in the defeated force, up to three friendly units may be flipped from recruit to veteran status.
Olympian Events & Campaign Markers. See the sections 6.0 and 9.0.

24.2 Veteran units are never flipped back to their recruit side while they remain in play on the map. Veteran units aren't considered "two-step" units. Veteran and recruit-status units are treated the same in all other regards.

25.0 Fleets

25.1 Players conduct naval operations with their fleets. Land units may move through all-sea squares via naval transport. In general, fleets are treated like other combat units, but with the following specifications.

25.2 Fleets may only be in port, coastal, river, and all-sea squares. Fleets may never enter all-land squares or cross all-land square sides. They may enter squares of rivers as long as they follow the course of the river. All rivers on the HW map are navigable along their entire course.

25.3 Fleet Operations

Fleets conduct movement, combat, pillage and other game operations in the same manner as land units. Fleets may attack enemy fleets in the same all-sea and coastal squares, and enemy land units in the same coastal and river squares. Fleet units in coastal, port and river squares may conduct any type of game function allowed to land units. Note that not all coastal cities and towns have port symbols. Units on fleets conduct treachery normally. Fleets contain contingents of marines and naval troops; so they can conduct combat against units on land.

25.4 Occupation & Neutrality

A fleet in a coastal or port square is generally considered to be occupying that square for all purposes. Exception: a fleet must actually end its movement in a square of a neutral power in order for that move to count as a neutrality violation; otherwise, a fleet may move through neutral power squares without triggering a neutrality violation, as long as that moving fleet ends its move in a square not containing a neutral force.

25.5 Naval Transport

Land units may be transported by friendly fleets. Both the fleet and the land force must start that Operations Phase in the same port or coastal square. The fleet "picks up" the land unit(s) and then moves. That's shown by placing the land unit under the fleet counter. Each fleet may transport any two land units. A land unit must have a movement factor of one or more to be transported.

25.6 Port Embarkation

Fleets that embark land units in port squares may move normally during that Movement Segment.

25.7 Coastal & River Embarkations

Fleets may embark units from coastal and river squares that don't contain ports; however, doing so requires an entire move. That is, both the fleets and embarking units stay in place and, at the end of that Movement Segment, the embarking units are placed beneath the fleet.

25.8 Contested Ports

If both enemy and friendly units occupy the same port square, neither player is considered to be controlling that port. That would mean any embarkations there would have to be made under the provisions of 25.7.

25.9 Naval Movement Costs

A land force being transported by a fleet uses the transporting fleet's movement allowance to determine the total movement points available for that embarkation and move.

25.10 Debarking

At any point in a naval move, the force using naval transport may debark (leave the fleet) if it's in a coastal, port or river square. Place the debarking land units on top of the fleet to indicate that. Newly debarked units may not conduct further movement of any type during that same Operations Phase. If in a port, the fleets from which they debarked may continue conducting movement that phase to the limit of their movement allowance. If they're in a non-port coastal or river square, the fleets must also cease moving.

25.11 Remaining Embarked

A land unit or force may remain embarked on a fleet at the end of its movement.

25.12 Amphibious Assault

A debarking force that completes its naval transport in an enemy or neutral-occupied square conducts battle normally there in the ensuing Combat Segment.

25.13 Naval Combat

Fleets have combat strengths of their own. Transported land units may attack enemy units in the same square. That may take place in coastal, port, river, and all-sea squares. Naval combat is conducted exactly as land combat, except as noted below. A fleet with transported land units, for purposes of combat, forms one combined unit with the total combat strength of the fleet plus the land units. Within a square, attacking fleets, along with their embarked land units, as well as any disembarked land units, are always combined into a single attacking force, using their combat factors, except as noted below. Embarked cavalry and elephant units never contribute any combat strength toward naval combat percentile computation, though they're figured into total strength when determining combat results.

25.14 Tactics

Units embarked on fleets may not take advantage of any Battle campaign marker, other than "Naval," which doubles the combat factor of fleet units. If both embarked and un-embarked units are involved in the same combat, other Battle markers may be used, but they affect only un-embarked units.

25.15 Sieges

Fleets that attack an enemy occupied city use the normal siege rules given in section 19.0, except they may not employ a Siege Train marker unless there's at least one land unit in the attacking force.

25.16 River & Coastal Combat

If naval combat is taking place in a river or coastal square, use the combined strength of all land and naval units. In that event, all Battle markers are used normally. In the event of a fleet retreating, embarked units retreat along with the fleet. Un-embarked units have to retreat on land, and that may be in a separate direction.

25.17 High Seas Combat

If naval combat is taking place in an all-sea square, the attacker must roll a die prior to the start of that battle. On a roll of one through three, combat takes place normally. On a four through six, the fleets miss each other and there's no combat. In that case, the phasing player moves his fleet into any adjacent coastal, port, river or all-sea square that doesn't contain any enemy units, and that ends their move. If naval combat is taking place on coastal, port or river squares, don't make that die roll; the opposing fleets always find each other in such situations.

25.18 Transported Units

Land units being transported by fleets add their combat strength to the strength of the fleet transporting them. If the fleet is eliminated, so are its transported land units (see 25.13).

25.19 Fleets and units embarked on them are generally not enhanced in defense by camps or terrain, with the following exception: they're doubled if defending in a city.

25.20 Provisioning

Fleets must be provisioned like land units; they count against their square's forage value. Land units being transported by fleets must be provisioned separately. Note that all-sea squares have a forage value of zero; so a fleet at sea (and any units it's transporting) must be provisioned in order to survive. Within those restrictions, fleets and any units they're transporting may remain at sea from phase to phase and turn to turn.

26.0 Camps

26.1 Players place camp markers on the map, during each game turn's Mobilization Phase, in order to gain additional defensive and forage benefits in squares.

26.2 Placement Procedure

To place a camp in a square, do the following: 1) indicate a square occupied by at least one friendly unit; 2) spend a talent; and 3) place a camp marker in that square. A player may emplace any number of camps during each turn throughout the game.

26.3 Restrictions

Camps may be placed only in squares occupied by at least one friendly unit at the time of placement. They may not be placed in squares already containing a camp or a city. They may be placed in pillaged squares. There may never be more than one camp per square.

26.4 Camp Control

Camps have no set nationality of their own. A camp is controlled by whichever player has his units in its square. If no player has units in that square, no player controls the camp there. Should a player occupy a camp's square, he then gains the benefits of the camp while he has forces there. If more than one force is in a square containing a camp, that camp belongs to the player who last had uncontested units in that square. That can be indicated by placing the units of the owning power under the camp.

26.5 Camp Effects

A camp benefits the defenders in a square, if they control that camp, as follows.

They double their defense if in clear terrain, and triple defense if in terrain that would otherwise be doubling.
Camps raise by one point the forage value of a square.
Players may mobilize one unit per Mobilization Phase in a camp. This is not a free mobilization. You pay normal mobilization costs and then place it in a camp. In other words, a camp is a mobilization point, like a city.
Units in squares containing camps play Battle markers normally. Siege Train markers don't affect camps.

26.6 Destruction of Camps

Once placed on the map, a camp may be eliminated only by: 1) a successful pillage operation in its square; or 2) if defending, a combat result that eliminates all units of its controlling side in that square.

27.0 Greater Gaul Off-Map Box

27.1 There is one off-map area holding box on the mapsheet, "Greater Gaul." The Gauls always automatically control it; they don't need to garrison it. Only Gallic units may enter Greater Gaul.

27.2 Gallic units may enter and leave the off-map area from all land squares bordering on it. It costs one movement point to enter the area and normal terrain costs to reenter the map from the area.

27.3 In or Out

No unit or force may both enter and leave an off-map area during the same Operations Phase.

27.4 The Gallic player may maintain any number of units in the off-map area. They're not affected by foraging, nor do they require provisioning.

27.5 Units in the off-map area may not conduct combat, nor may they be attacked by treachery.

27.6 Since Greater Gaul has no coastline on the Mediterranean, it doesn't have a port.

27.7 Greater Gaul has a talent value of three. The Gallic player gains that value even if the box is unoccupied.

28.0 Syracusa

28.1 The only minor power in HW is Syracusa. Syracusa consists of the city of Syracusa (I15) and its units. Syracusa begins the game neutral.

28.2 Neutrality & Belligerency

Syracusa will be either belligerent or neutral. If neutral, no one controls its forces. Unlike major power neutrals, Syracusa may be attacked by player-controlled forces and be subjected to treachery. Syracusa enters the game in one of the following ways.

An Olympian Event calls for it. One player chosen at random then controls Syracusa.
A player successfully conducts treachery against it. The player conducting the treachery then controls it. If the treachery fails, there's no effect on Syracusa's status.
A player attacks the city. One player, chosen at random from the players who didn't attack, gains control of it.

28.3 When Syracusa becomes belligerent, the following happens.

The player who controls Syracusa controls all units of that former neutral. That player places control markers on those units. They may be used by him for all normal purposes.
The first time (only!) Syracusa becomes belligerent, the controlling player rolls a die and receives that number of talents.
Any player may recruit Syracusan units, but only in its city square, and only if he has at least one of his own units occupying that square at that time.

28.4 Syracusan units may switch sides if a player successfully conducts treachery against them. Simply change the Control marker. If some event occurs that causes no player to control belligerent Syracusan units, those units are removed from the map. Note that more than one player could, as a result of treachery, end up simultaneously controlling units of Syracusa. Syracusa, once it enters the war, may never be restored to neutrality; once in, it's in it for the duration. Also keep in mind that gaining control of Syracusa would only give you control of its units. You would have to occupy the city of Syracusa with one or more of your own units in order to be able to tax it.

29.0 How to Win

29.1 The game is generally won by gaining control of the Mediterranean world. During each Sudden Death Victory Check Phase, players look to see if any player has fulfilled the victory conditions. There are two types of victory: 1) scenario victory conditions, which any player can achieve; and 2) special victory conditions specific to each player.

29.2 Scenario Victory Conditions

A player wins the game during any Sudden Death Victory Check Phase in which he's found to have friendly units occupying cities or towns whose total taxation value is equal to or more than the following values.

Two Player Game: 30 talents
Three or Four Player Game: 23 talents

For purposes of this rule, pillaged cities count as half value (round up). The off-map area counts as "0." Occupation includes units of your power as well as units of other powers that you control via treachery. At the same time, though, it doesn't include units you originally controlled but whose control you've since lost owing to treachery.

29.3 Player Special Conditions

See the player cards at the end of section 30.0.

29.4 Levels of Victory

If a player is found to have simultaneously achieved both the scenario victory conditions and his special victory condition, he's won a Major Victory, which is the highest level of victory. If a player achieves either a scenario victory condition or his special victory condition, he's won a Minor Victory, which is a lesser level of victory.

29.5 Stalemate

If, during a victory check, any of the following are in effect, nobody has as yet won the game and play continues.

If no player achieves either a scenario victory condition or his special victory condition.
If more than one player simultaneously achieves either a scenario victory condition or his special condition.
If it is the last turn and no player has achieved any of victory condition, that game ends in a draw.

29.6 If a player has attained a minor victory, but wants to try for a major victory, he can nobly renounce the minor victory and continue the game, provided his opponents are willing and it's not the last turn of play.

30.0 Scenarios, Set Up & Player Cards

30.1 Players decide who will play which power and which scenario, then set up forces in the order given below. Once the game has been set up, play starts with the normal turn sequence.

30.2 Scenarios

Short Scenario: eight game turns (218 through 211 BC).
Historical Scenario: 17 game turns (218 through 202 BC).

30.3 Starting Campaign Markers

Starting with the Carthaginian player and moving clockwise from him, players randomly pick campaign markers from the pool. The number of markers picked is designated on the player cards.

30.4 Belligerent Deployment

Players set up in this order: Gauls (if a player), Macedon (if a player), Rome, Carthage. Starting units and locations are on the player cards. Only belligerent (player controlled) major powers and Syracusan forces are set up. Neutral major power forces are not deployed.

30.5 Syracusan Deployment

Syracusa begins the game neutral. It has the following units, all placed in Syracusa: 1 x leader, 1 x phalanx (recruit), 1 x auxiliary infantry, 1 x fleet (veteran).

30.6 Saguntum

Note that though Saguntum is a Roman city, it begins both scenarios Carthaginian occupied.

30.7 Siege Train Markers

The number of Siege Train campaign markers placed in the pool depends on the number of players: in two player games, one marker is placed; in three player games, two markers are placed; in four player games, three markers are placed.

30.8 Player Cards

Enclosed with the map and counters.

Optional Rules

Prior to starting a game, players should agree between or among themselves which of the following optional rules they'll include in their play.

31.0 Special Units (Optional Rule)

31.1 Cavalry Recon

Add the following to the Operations Phase after the Pillage Segment.

7a6) Recon Segment. A player who has any forces containing one or more cavalry units adjacent to enemy occupied squares during a friendly Recon Segment may declare "Recon." That player designates which cavalry units will conduct the recon, and which enemy square is the target. The enemy must then show all cavalry units he has in that square. If the player conducting the recon has more cavalry strength points than the defender, he may examine all the units in the reconnoitered square. Otherwise there's no effect. Only one recon may be declared per force per Recon Segment. And remember, leaders with a cavalry symbol count as cavalry.

31.2 Roman Camps

The Roman player may have any force conducting an operation and containing at least one legion construct a camp during its Pillage Segment. Follow the normal procedure for building a camp, including expending the talent. A force that constructs a camp may not pillage in that same segment, even if there are non-legionary units in it.

31.3 Carthaginian Sacred Band

Historically the Carthaginians maintained their Sacred Band, an elite unit of citizens, at home as their ultimate reserve. When using this rule, the Carthaginian recruit phalanx that's initially deployed in the city of Carthage must be the "Sacred Band" (SacB), and it begins play as a veteran unit. It may not leave the city of Carthage for any reason, however, until at least one Carthaginian city or town in Africa has been occupied by an enemy unit. That's checked at the start of each Carthaginian Operations Phase. Once triggered, the Sacred Band is free to move normally anywhere on the map, even if the triggering condition is no longer extant. If the Sacred Band is destroyed prior to the triggering event, the Carthaginian player must rebuild it prior to building any other unit and, when rebuilt, it must be placed in Carthage; however, it's again placed as a veteran unit. It would then also still be subject to these restrictions. If, at any time in the game, the city of Carthage is occupied by enemy units, no matter how briefly, this entire rule is thereafter ignored and the Sacred Band is treated as any other unit.

32.0 Overrun (Optional Rule)

32.1 Whenever a force enters a square and that force contains at least 10 times as many combat factors and/or leader value points as the force defending that, the defending force is eliminated instantly. This is called "overrun" and is calculated without regard to natural terrain or the presence of a town.

32.2 An overrun costs the moving force an extra movement point.

32.3 A moving force may conduct any number of overruns during a move, as long as it has sufficient movement points to expend each time it does so.

32.4 A unit or force occupying a camp or city may not be overrun.

32.5 An overrun doesn't count as combat; the overrunning player doesn't gain campaign markers for eliminating enemy units in an overrun.

33.0 Designer Q & A Section

When does a player get to physically rebuild a city or town after it's been pillaged, in what phase of the impulse/turn?

Mobilization phase, rule 3.2(6).

Is there a limit to how many times a city can be rebuilt and pillaged?

No.

Is there a counter limit to the number of pillage counters? In other words can every town on the board be pillaged even if there aren't enough counters to mark them as such?

No limit. Pillage to your heart's content! It's a general game rule that markers for status functions are unlimited, unlike combat units which represent a mobilization upper end.

If a totally random event puts a nation in control of some forces of another nation and those two nations previously had a non-aggression agreement between them, does the act of those two controlled/non-controlled forces fighting one another break that agreement? In the rules breaking agreements is very seriously punished.

Now this is certainly a unique situation. You could mitigate against this by covering such possibilities in your agreement. I assume you refer to the "Delphic Oracle" event? In this case, since the event is triggered NOT by a player action but by circumstances beyond the players' control, the answer is that it does not break the agreement. Everyone just shrugs and blames it on the gods...which is why I termed it the "Olympian" table! However, afterwards, any combat between those forces would be a violation.

In addition to the above, if a random event places some units in a square under the control of another nation and some remain loyal to the original player and that square is a city hex do they fight immediately? If so, who is the attacker and when does the battle take place?

Some events specify that the combat takes place immediately, in which case the newly placed units are the attackers. In other cases, combat waits until the combat phase, and follows normal rules. In the latter case, you may have an opportunity to move those units out of the square.

Can Gaul board its ships in its off-map box? There isn't a port marker there.

No. Has to be from an on-map port.

This came up when the Greek revolt event happened. The random choice assigned control of the revolting units to Rome. Rome had a non-agression pact with Macedonia which it didn't want to break but in some cases there were loyal Macedonian and rebel units in the same square.

Now, if you did this intentionally, such as via an "Alliance" campaign marker, then it is a violation of your agreement.

I assume that 18.5 means that if a unit is doubled and then doubled again in combat it takes a net modifier of being tripled (I can't find anything directly stating that).

It triples.

In the same vein it not quite clear whether an individual unit can benefit from more than one battle marker in the same battle. I am assuming yes, because otherwise the benefit of having a "3" leader up against a "1" is fairly small. But is that a correct assumption?

Yes

This leads to the next question: if a particular unit can benefit from more than battle marker in the same battle, can you benefit from the same type of marker more than once in the same battle? e.g could a phalanx be tripled by Hannibal playing two Assualt markers?

Section 18.3(3) [clarification]. A player may play more than one Battle marker in a single battle, including more than one of the same type. A unit may be "doubled" more than once, but it is never more than tripled in combat strength as per rule 18.5.