Italia Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• 2.0 Game Material
  • 2.1 The Game Board
  • 2.2 The Game Pieces
    • 2.2.1 Military Unit Pieces
      • 2.2.1.1 Infantry
      • 2.2.1.2 Roman Foederati
      • 2.2.1.3 Legions
      • 2.2.1.4 Consular Legions
      • 2.2.1.5 Cavalry
      • 2.2.1.6 Elephants
      • 2.2.1.7 Fleets
      • 2.2.1.8 Leaders
      • 2.2.1.9 Cities
    • 2.2.2 Game Tokens
      • 2.2.2.1 Income Tokens
      • 2.2.2.2 Submission Tokens
      • 2.2.2.3 Conversion Tokens (Patrimonium)
      • 2.2.2.4 Turn Marker
    • 2.2.3 Abbreviations
  • 2.3 Nation Cards
  • 2.4 Help Cards
  • 2.5 Score Pads
  • 2.6 The Dice
• 3.0 Italia I and Italia II
• 4.0 Starting to Play
• 5.0 Sequence of Play
  • 5.1 Turn Order in Italia I
  • 5.2 Turn Order in Italia II
• 6.0 Income - Buying New Units
  • 6.1 Income Assessment
  • 6.2 Buying New Units
  • 6.3 Consular Legions (Italia I Only)
  • 6.4 Income of Subjugated Nations
• 7.0 Placement of New Units
  • 7.1 Placement of New Units
  • 7.2 Reinforcements
• 8.0 Stacking Limits
  • 8.1 Capitals
  • 8.2 Stacking Limits and Placement
  • 8.3 Stacking Limits and Combat
  • 8.4 Stacking Limits During Campaigns
  • 8.5 Cities and Stacking Limits
  • 8.6 Retreats
• 9.0 Movement
  • 9.1 Leaders and Movement
  • 9.2 Movement in the Borderlands
  • 9.3 Invasions
  • 9.4 Straits
  • 9.5 Naval Movement
  • 9.6 Naval Transport
  • 9.7 Cities and Movement
• 10.0 Combat
  • 10.1 Combat Order
  • 10.2 Combat Points
  • 10.3 Combat in Mountains and Swamps
  • 10.4 Combat with Several Unit Types in a Zone
  • 10.5 Retreats
  • 10.6 Combat in Cities
    • 10.6.1 Rebuilding Cities
  • 10.7 Raids
  • 10.8 Naval Combat
    • 10.8.1 Different Enemy Nations in a Sea Zone
    • 10.8.2 Naval Invasion / Straits
  • 10.9 Naval Supremacy
  • Combat Examples
• 11.0 Victory
• 12.0 Additional Rules
  • 12.1 No Land Units
  • 12.2 Major Invasions
  • 12.3 Campaigns
    • 12.3.1 Campaigns and Movement
    • 12.3.2 Reaction Moves
      • 12.3.2.1 Move to Combat
      • 12.3.2.2 Waiting Move
      • 12.3.2.3 Reaction Move
      • 12.3.2.4 Submission and Reaction Moves
      • 12.3.2.5 Stacking Limit and Reaction Moves
    • 12.3.3 Raids During a Campaign
    • 12.3.4 Blocking
  • 12.4 Transformation
  • 12.5 Submission
    • 12.5.1 Rules of Submission
    • 12.5.2 Consequences of Submission
  • 12.6 Revolts
• 13.0 Special Rules for Italia I
  • 13.1 Rome
  • 13.2 Hannibal's Campaign
  • 13.3 Rome and Elephants
  • 13.4 Turn 10
• 14.0 Special Rules for Italia II
  • 14.1 Roman Foederati
  • 14.2 Cavalry
  • 14.3 Patrimonium: Conversion

2.0 Game Material

Each copy of Italia contains:

• 1 game board
• 30 nation cards
• 624 cardboard game pieces (tiles)
• 2 help cards
• 6 dice
• 2 score pads
• 1 rulebook

2.1 The Game Board

The game board represents Italy and its surrounding regions, along with part of North Africa. It is divided into 25 Italian territories and 5 African provinces, hereafter called zones. Each zone is identified by its name. Three islands — Corsica, Sardinia (with 2 zones, Olbia and Carales) and Sicily (4 zones: Lilybaeum, Agrigentum, Messana, and Syracusae, outlined in green) — are part of Italy.

Italy is made up of 2 regions:

• South, with the following zones: Apulia, Samnium, Neapolis, Lucania, Calabria, Bruttium, and Rhegium (outlined in orange)
• North, with the remaining zones (outlined in purple)

The Alps zone, Helvetia, Noricum, and Illyricum do not belong to Italy; they are the borderlands, and new nations will reach Italy through these zones during the game. The Aures zone does not belong to Africa; it is the borderland of Africa.

Some zones include mountains (e.g. Florentia). These are the mountain zones. They play an important role for movement, stacking limits, and combat. The mountain zones are: Pavia, Florentia, Perusia, Umbria, Samnium, Rhegium, Corsica, Agrigentum, and Olbia. All the borderlands are mountains. The game board also includes 2 swamp zones: Ravenna and Venetia. These zones have no effect on movement or stacking, but do affect combat.

The sea zones represent bodies of water in which fleets move and fight naval battles (see 10.8). Land forces can move across the sea by naval transport (see 9.6). The seas are Mare Balearicum, Mare Ligusticum, Mare Tyrrhenum, Mare Sardoum, Mare Libycum, Mare Siculum, Mare Ionium, Mare Hadriaticum, and Mare Internum. The arrows between Messana and Rhegium and between Corsica and Olbia indicate straits that can be crossed by land units without a fleet (see 9.4). The square symbol indicates that no city can be built in that zone. The symbol on the game board (the Carales zone) indicates that it is not possible to pass through the "corners" (where 4 zones meet). A turn track and an income track are also shown on the game board.

2.2 The Game Pieces

There are military unit pieces and game tokens in Italia.

2.2.1 Military Unit Pieces

Each military unit piece indicates the nation to which the unit belongs. There are several types of units available. They show a soldier, the nation's name, the combat points (on the right), and the movement points (in the corner) on the left.

2.2.1.1 Infantry

The illustration shows a foot soldier and the name of the nation it belongs to. Although each nation has a different illustration, the combat and movement of all infantry remain identical. Infantry is the most common unit; all nations have infantry (except the Romans and the Western Romans).

2.2.1.2 Roman Foederati

These units are available to the Western Romans in Italia II. They serve as infantry.

2.2.1.3 Legions

Legions are represented by a foot soldier, with an "L" in a shield in the upper right corner to distinguish them from infantry. In Italia I the Romans, the Populares, and the Optimates have legions; in Italia II only the Western Romans have them.

2.2.1.4 Consular Legions

These units represent powerful armies with a combat bonus. Only the Romans and the Populares have such legions, in Italia I.

2.2.1.5 Cavalry

These are powerful units used in Italia II.

2.2.1.6 Elephants

These game tiles represent an elephant. Only the Carthaginians and the Epirotes have elephants, in Italia I.

2.2.1.7 Fleets

Fleets are represented by several ships. Fleets are the only units able to enter and move on the seas. They allow land units to be transported.

2.2.1.8 Leaders

Some nations have tokens representing important historical leaders. These tokens are illustrated with a head and the leader's name, along with their nation. Leaders appear during various phases of the game, as indicated on the nation cards.

2.2.1.9 Cities

A city is not a military unit and does not take part in combat, although it grants a defense bonus. One side of the tile represents the city in ruins. If the city is destroyed, the tile is turned to its "ruin" side. A city can be rebuilt. Ruins have no effect on the game. There is only one city per zone, and cities cannot be built in Corsica, Olbia, Carales, or in the borderlands. Each of these zones has a symbol as a reminder of this restriction.

2.2.2 Game Tokens

Italia contains income tokens, submission tokens, conversion (Patrimonium) tokens, and a turn marker.

2.2.2.1 Income Tokens

Most nations collect income from the zones they control (see 6.0) in order to buy new units. The income track is used to keep track of income. If a nation has accumulated more than 5 gold, the income token is flipped to its "+5" side (see 6.1).

2.2.2.2 Submission Tokens

Some nations submit to others (see 12.5). When a nation submits, its new master places a submission token in front of the subjugated nation.

2.2.2.3 Conversion Tokens (Patrimonium)

Twice during the game the Patrimonium player may convert units belonging to other players. Each time this happens, the player places a conversion token in front of themselves as a reminder.

2.2.2.4 Turn Marker

The turn marker is used to keep track of the succession of turns.

2.2.3 Abbreviations

The following abbreviations are used in the game:

Abbreviation	Full Name
AF Romans	Romans of Africa
A-Paullus	Aemilius Paullus
CH-Magne	Charlemagne
Decimus-M	Decimus Mus
Dionysos	Dionysos I
H-Barkas	Hannibal Barkas
M-Curius	Marcus Curius
P-Mutilus	Papius Mutilus
Pompaedius	Pompaedius Silo
P-Strabo	Pompeius Strabo
Ibn Nafi	Iqba ibn Nafi
W-Romans	Western Romans

2.3 Nation Cards

Each nation in Italia has its own card (except the Romans, who have 3 cards in Italia I). A nation card contains a table of victory points, notes, and special rules for the nation. Finally, the nation card lists the number and type of units that are introduced during the game.

2.4 Help Cards

The 21 help cards contain the game setup instructions, the cost of units, a summary of the units, and a summary of combat.

2.5 Score Pads

There is a score pad for Italia I and another for Italia II. Use one sheet per game. This is where victory points are recorded. If a box for a nation is shaded, that nation cannot score victory points on the corresponding game turn. Photocopies of these sheets may be used for private use.

2.6 The Dice

Italia contains 6 six-sided dice. The "0" is worth ten ("10") and not zero.

3.0 Italia I and Italia II

3 players can play Italia I. Each player controls the following nations by color:

• Player 1 controls the Greeks and the Romans, in order of appearance in the game (red).
• Player 2 controls the Celts, the Samnites, the Epirotes, the Numidians, and the Populares (yellow).
• Player 3 controls the Etruscans, the Carthaginians, the Illyrians, the Cimbri, and the Optimates (blue).

Italia II is played with 4 players.

• Player 1 controls the Romans of Africa, the Huns, the Avars, and Byzantium (blue).
• Player 2 controls the Visigoths, the Sardinians, the Ostrogoths, and the Lombards (yellow).
• Player 3 controls the Western Romans, the Berbers, the Franks, and the Patrimonium (red).
• Player 4 controls the Vandals, the Foederati, the Burgundians, and the Arabs (green).

Note: the composition of nations and their colors has no ethnic, religious, or political basis. Each player is able to lead at least one nation throughout the entire game, and has just as much chance as their opponents to launch offensives during the game. Some nation names should not be confused with zone names on the game board.

4.0 Starting to Play

Depending on the number of players, choose Italia I or Italia II. Place the game board at the center of the table. Each player chooses a color and takes all of their game pieces. Each player also receives their nation cards.

All units that come into play at the start of the game are listed on help card 1. Place the dice and the help cards near the board, and choose one player whose role will be to record on the score pad the victory points scored by all players.

5.0 Sequence of Play

Italia is played over several turns. A game turn represents a period of 10 to 300 years, depending on the number of significant historical events that took place during that period. During each turn, every nation with pieces in play (including nations entering play for the first time or receiving reinforcements) plays once, in the order shown on help card 2 (see 5.1 and 5.2).

During its turn, each nation carries out the following 4 phases, in this order:

1. Income assessment and purchase of new units
2. Placement of new units
3. Movement (and checking of stacking limits)
4. Combat (and checking of stacking limits in combat zones)

Each phase belongs to a nation, not a color. The player controlling the nation in question cannot place or move pieces belonging to other nations. If a player moves pieces into a zone containing units of other nations, those units must fight (even if they are the same color, see 10.0).

Once a nation has completed its 4 phases, the next nation takes its turn. When every nation currently in the game has played, the turn ends and the turn marker advances one space on the turn track.

Note: most of the time, each player has several nations in play. In that case, the player plays several game turns, but with different nations.

Example: the first nation to play in Italia I is the Celts. The player controlling this nation collects income, may buy and place new units, move units, and fight. They cannot move or fight with the other nation they control, the Samnites. After the Celts' turn, it is the Etruscans' turn to play, and then the Greeks (their first turn).

5.1 Turn Order in Italia I

#	Nation	Color	Income	Turns
1	Celts	yellow	normal income	1-9
2	Etruscans	blue	normal income	1-9
3	Epirotes	yellow	no income	4-9
4	Greeks	red	normal income	1-4
5	Samnites	yellow	normal income	1-9
6	Carthaginians	blue	normal income	1-9
7	Numidians	yellow	normal income	6-9
8	Illyrians	blue	normal income	1-9
9	Cimbri	blue	no income	8-9
10	Romans	red	normal income	1-10

Note: on turn 10: alternating campaigns — Optimates, Populares, and Romans (see 13.4).

5.2 Turn Order in Italia II

#	Nation	Color	Income	Turns
1	Visigoths	yellow	normal income	1-3
2	Western Romans	red	normal income	1-5
3	Sardinians	yellow	normal income	1-10
4	Berbers	red	normal income	1-10
5	Vandals	green	normal income	1-10
6	Romans of Africa	blue	normal income, or half	1-6
7	Huns	blue	no income	2
8	Foederati	green	normal income if Ravenna is controlled	2-10
9	Ostrogoths	yellow	normal income	4-10
10	Byzantium	blue	half	5-10
11	Patrimonium	red	normal income	6-10
12	Burgundians	green	normal income	6-10
13	Lombards	yellow	normal income	6-10
14	Avars	blue	normal income	4-10
15	Arabs	green	normal income	7-10
16	Franks	red	normal income	5-10

A nation that has no pieces in play, or no longer has any, is skipped — for example, the Epirotes in Italia I are skipped during the first three turns of the game.

6.0 Income - Buying New Units

6.1 Income Assessment

When a nation takes its turn, it first calculates its income. It receives income for the zones it controls.

A nation controls a zone when it has at least one military unit of any type (including leaders, but not cities or ruins) in that zone. The nation receives 1 gold per zone, regardless of the number of units present in the zone. All the income received by the nation is totaled; this money can be used to buy new units.

If a player does not want or is not able to buy new units, the wealth track (upper right of the board) is used to track the players' wealth. If a player has more than 5 gold, turn the income token to its "+5" side and place it on the corresponding space.

Cities: for each city a nation controls (i.e. the nation controls the zone containing the city) the nation receives 1 additional gold.

Example: at the start of their turn, the Etruscans have units in Pisae, Pavia, Ravenna, and Etruria. They receive 6 gold (4 for the zones controlled, 2 for the cities). They had 2 gold on the wealth track, so they can now spend 8 gold.

Each nation can have at most 10 gold on the wealth track. Any surplus is lost (see 6.4). Every nation at the start of the game, and every new nation, begins with zero gold unless otherwise stated on its nation card.

Byzantium in Italia II receives only half its normal income (rounded up). The other half is paid in tax to the Emperor of Byzantium. Other nations receive half when they lose an important zone (the Foederati if they lose Ravenna in Italia II). These special cases are listed on the nation cards.

See also income of subjugated nations (6.4 and 12.5.2).

6.2 Buying New Units

Units have a variable purchase cost, listed below:

Unit	Cost
Infantry, legion, fleet	4 gold each
Consular legion, cavalry, elephant	6 gold each
City in a standard zone	6 gold each
City in a mountain or swamp zone	8 gold each

Italia II has one exception: the Western Romans may buy Roman Foederati for 3 gold and legions for 6 gold.

Leaders cannot be bought; they appear at the time indicated on the nation cards.

A nation can only buy units whose tokens are available — for example, the Cimbri have only infantry units and can therefore only buy infantry. A nation can only buy up to the number of tokens available in the game box; if this limit is reached, the player can only take their income (up to a final limit of 10 gold). Gold can never be transferred from one nation to another, even if they belong to the same player. A nation with enough gold may buy more than one unit, and of several types.

6.3 Consular Legions (Italia I Only)

The Romans and the Populares may recruit consular legions. The number of these legions is limited to half the number of cities the Romans control, rounded down. The Romans can only build a new consular legion if they control enough cities — for example, to recruit a second consular legion, they must control 4 cities during the purchase phase. However, they do not lose legions if they lose a city and the minimum city count is no longer met.

Example: the Romans control Rome, Umbria, Corfinium, Apulia, and Samnium, with 3 cities. They may buy 1 consular legion if they do not already have one.

In Italia I, the Populares have no such restriction and may buy as many consular legions as they wish.

6.4 Income of Subjugated Nations

A subjugated nation (see 12.5) must give half of its income (rounded down) to its master during its income phase. If the master's gold reserve exceeds 10 gold (see 6.1), the master of the nation must immediately buy new units (not cities) and reduce their wealth accordingly. These units are placed in front of the player and will only enter play during the master's turn.

Example: the Romans have subjugated the Celts. The Celts collect 5 gold in income; the Celts keep 3 gold and give 2 gold to the Romans, who already had 9 gold. The Romans must buy a unit (legion, fleet, or consular legion), which they will bring into play on their turn.

7.0 Placement of New Units

New units may be bought or received as reinforcements. Bought units are placed first, then reinforcements. They are placed on the game board.

7.1 Placement of New Units

Newly bought units can only be placed in zones the nation controls. Only one new unit may be placed in each zone containing units of that nation. Neither empty zones nor seas may receive new units.

Exception: if a nation controls only a single zone, it may place more than one new unit there, provided it can pay for its recruits.

Fleets can only be placed in seas adjacent to territories the nation controls. An unlimited number of fleets may be placed in such zones, even if they are occupied by other nations' fleets.

7.2 Reinforcements

The nation cards indicate which nations receive reinforcements, on which turn, and in which zone. Reinforcements always arrive (even if the nation has already lost all its units in play). Reinforcements are free; they are placed without regard to stacking limits. Reinforcements often arrive in a borderland zone (Aures, Alps, Helvetia, Noricum, or Illyricum) or at sea.

Units introduced in the borderlands move normally; after placement, all units must eventually leave the zone (exception: some nations, such as the Berbers or the Burgundians, may use the borderlands as standard zones; follow the instructions on the nation cards). Sometimes (see the nation cards), reinforcements are placed before the movement phase of the first nation, or after the combat phase of the last nation.

Example: on turn 8, the Cimbri receive 9 infantry units and the leader Boiorix in Helvetia. The player must place the 9 units and Boiorix in Helvetia. During the Cimbri's movement phase, all reinforcement units must leave Helvetia; there cannot be any Cimbri units left in Helvetia at the end of the Cimbri's turn.

Sometimes reinforcements would cause a nation to exceed the maximum number of units it may have (the Romans on turn 4, for example). Only enough units to reach the limit may be brought into play. In this case, the units may be placed in any zone controlled by the nation, or, if the nation controls no zone, in the borderlands.

Example: at the end of the Romans' turn 4, the Romans cannot have more than 14 legions. If the player has 14 legions or more, they receive none of the new ones; if they have 12, they receive 2 new ones; if they have 8, they receive 6 new ones, and so on.

A leader may also be introduced as a reinforcement. If the nation card does not mention where the leader is placed, it may be placed in any zone the nation controls, taking stacking limits into account. Each leader remains in play for a single turn. It is removed from the game at the start of phase 2 of that nation's following turn.

Example: on turn 2, Carthage receives Hamilcar. He may be placed in any zone of North Africa that Carthage controls. At the start of phase 2 of turn 3, Hamilcar is removed from the game (if he has not been eliminated earlier).

8.0 Stacking Limits

Each land zone can hold a limited number of units. You must therefore pay attention to the number of units remaining in a zone after a move or after combat. Any standard or swamp zone can hold 3 units, and any mountain zone (and the borderlands) can hold 2 units. Leaders, cities, and ruins are never counted toward these limits.

Stacking limits are checked at the end of every movement phase, in every zone containing units of the active nation. During a move, the stacking limit may be exceeded. The number of units that may move into a zone occupied by other nations is also limited (see 8.3); if, after a move, a zone contains more units than the allowed limit, the surplus is removed from the game — the player chooses which unit(s) to remove.

There is no limit to the number of naval units in a sea. A land unit may only enter the sea during naval transport; a naval unit may never go onto land.

Example: Lucania can hold 3 units; during the movement phase the player moves 6 units through Lucania and leaves 4 there. After moving, one must be removed, unless there is a leader among the 4 units present.

8.1 Capitals

Each nation must designate a zone as its capital. The capital may hold one additional unit (3 units in the mountains, 4 units in standard or swamp zones). A capital may be declared or changed at any time, even during another nation's turn. If the former capital contains more units than its allowed limit, the surplus is removed from the game immediately.

Note: a city does not need to be present for a zone to be a capital. There is no token marking a capital.

Exception: in Italia I, Rome is always the capital of the Romans.

Note: choosing a new capital can be useful during a retreat.

Example: Lucania is a nation's capital, so this zone can hold 4 units. If Lucania is later attacked and its defender wants to retreat, they can designate another capital — Bruttium, for example — where they can gather 4 units.

8.2 Stacking Limits and Placement

Stacking limits are ignored when introducing newly bought units or reinforcements. However, only one new unit may be placed per zone.

8.3 Stacking Limits and Combat

Combat occurs when units of 2 different nations (even the same color) are present in a zone after movement (see 10.0). The active nation is the attacker and the other side is the defender. The attacker may attack with one more unit than the stacking limit of the attacked zone. A zone with a stacking limit of 3 units can therefore be attacked by 4 units, regardless of the number of defenders in the zone. An enemy capital does not grant a bonus to the attacker; a capital located in the mountains can therefore be attacked with only 3 units.

If a leader takes part in the attack, or if the attacker is conducting a major invasion (see 12.2), the attacker may attack with 1 more unit than the stacking limit. Reminder: a leader does not count toward the stacking limit.

These rules are cumulative — if a nation attacks with a leader who is conducting a major invasion, the attack may be launched with 3 more units than the stacking limit would normally allow. At the end of combat, the stacking limit is checked in the combat zones. At the end of combat, only units of a single nation remain in the zone. Stacking rules apply (along with the capital rule) and surplus units are removed immediately. It can happen that an attacker who suffered no losses during combat must still remove units.

Example: the Romans attack Calabria, occupied by 2 enemy units. Since the stacking limit in Calabria is 3, the Romans may attack with 4 units — 5 if they are led by a leader or are conducting a major invasion. If, after combat, more than 3 Romans remain in Calabria, the surplus must be removed.

Reminder: Rome is always the capital of the Romans (see 13.1 and 8.1).

Summary — the stacking limit is increased by 1:

• For an attack
• When a leader accompanies the attack
• During a major invasion

These 3 rules are cumulative.

8.4 Stacking Limits During Campaigns

During a campaign (see 12.3), special stacking rules apply. There is no limit in the zone where a leader is conducting a campaign. During a normal turn (before the campaign) there is also no stacking limit in a leader's zone. This means several units can be gathered in that zone. In addition, there is no stacking limit for reaction moves made by other nations.

8.5 Cities and Stacking Limits

A city does not count toward the stacking limit.

8.6 Retreats

Since retreats after combat (see 10.5) are the last action in a nation's turn, it is possible to place one more unit than the limit allows in a retreat zone (for both the attacker and the defender). The unit must move during the last movement phase of its nation's turn, otherwise it is removed. These rules also apply to capitals: a retreat into a capital allows 2 more units than the limit allows.

Any unit retreating after combat may only do so into zones where the special stacking limit is not exceeded. Otherwise, the unit is eliminated.

Example: the Romans want to retreat to Rhegium, which already holds 2 units. The Romans may retreat with one unit into Rhegium (1 more than the normal limit).

9.0 Movement

During a movement phase, a player may move all, some, or none of a nation's units. Units move to an adjacent zone. It is not possible to skip over a zone during a move through a corner where 4 zones meet (for example, it is forbidden to move from Noricum to Tridentum, or from Mare Ligusticum to Carales). The number of movement zones for a unit depends on its type, and is printed on the unit tile in the bottom right corner. Cities and ruins, of course, cannot move. Movement points cannot be carried over to a following turn, nor transferred to another unit. Stacking limits are ignored during movement (see 8.3). A unit must always stop, regardless of how far it has moved, when it enters a mountain zone. Exception: leaders (see 9.1) and cities (see 9.7).

Swamps have no effect on movement. A unit must stop whenever it enters a zone occupied by one or more units of another nation, even of its own color (exception: invasion, see 9.3).

The number of units that may enter a zone occupied by enemy units is limited (see 8.3). In all such zones, combat is triggered at the end of the movement phase (see 10.0).

Cities and ruins do not stop movement.

Example: an infantry unit is in Lucania. It moves to Neapolis and then to Rome. If there had been a unit in Neapolis, it would have had to stop there. If the infantry had instead moved to Samnium, it would have had to stop there, since it is a mountain zone.

9.1 Leaders and Movement

Units moving together with a leader have their land movement extended by one zone. However, to benefit from this bonus, they must remain with the leader for the entire movement phase. In addition, units accompanied by a leader are not required to stop when entering a mountain zone. They must, however, still stop when entering a zone occupied by enemies.

A leader moving alone may move 3 land zones and does not need to stop in the mountains. A leader needs a fleet to enter a sea zone.

Example: in the previous example, the infantry in Lucania could move together with a leader from Etruria to Neapolis and then to Rome, if there is no enemy present. The infantry could also move to Picenum via Samnium and Corfinium, if those zones do not contain enemy units.

9.2 Movement in the Borderlands

At the end of a nation's movement phase, all units must have left the borderlands. Units can never retreat into the borderlands. Exception: some nations may station units in, or retreat into, the borderlands (see the nation cards).

9.3 Invasions

Invasions are an exception to the rules for units entering a zone occupied by enemies. If the attacker moves twice as many units as the number of units the defender has occupying that zone, the defending units are "invaded," and the attacker may then move as many other units as they wish into that zone. Units used for the invasion may not move again during that movement phase.

After the movement, a normal combat or a raid takes place in the invaded zone. It does not matter which side is the invader or the invaded.

Exception for cities: since defending units are considered to be inside the city, the attacker only needs the same number of units as the defender to invade the zone.

Example (continued from the previous page): there is one enemy unit in Apulia. If the attacker moves 2 units into this zone, they may move additional units into Apulia from adjacent zones. If there are 2 defending units in Apulia, the attacker needs 4 units to invade the zone. If there are 3 defending units in Apulia, the attacker will not be able to invade the zone, since they do not have 6 units. If there had been a city in Apulia with 3 defending units, the attacker would only have needed 3 units to invade the zone.

9.4 Straits

An arrow on the game board connects Messana and Rhegium, as well as Corsica and Olbia. This indicates a strait that can be crossed by land units without the help of a fleet. However, this type of movement takes time: crossing either strait, in either direction, uses a full movement phase. Units crossing a strait to attack suffer the same penalty as units carrying out a naval invasion (see 10.8.2).

9.5 Naval Movement

Italia's board includes 9 sea zones. Normally, only fleets may enter the seas. Land units may enter the sea if they are accompanied (i.e. transported) by fleets. A fleet may move 2 zones per turn. When they encounter enemy fleets, fleets are not required to stop, and may move into zones occupied by enemy fleets. Fleets never move onto land zones.

9.6 Naval Transport

A fleet may transport 2 units, of any type, and an unlimited number of leaders. Land units must begin their movement in the land zone from which they embark. They may not move overland and then embark within the same phase. Land units embark from a coastal zone.

Units may embark and disembark in the same turn. Units may not move again once they have disembarked, on the turn they disembark. Fleets may move before or after the embarkation or disembarkation of units. Units are disembarked in a coastal zone.

A land unit cannot use more than one fleet per turn, and a fleet cannot transport more than 2 units per turn. To indicate that a unit is embarked, its tile is placed on the fleet. Units may remain aboard for as long as the controlling player wishes.

Example: Carthage has 2 infantry units in Africa, one in Byzacena, and a fleet in Mare Sardoum. On their turn, the Carthaginian player moves the infantry from Byzacena to Africa. This unit cannot embark this turn. The 2 units in Africa embark on the fleet, which moves to Mare Balearicum, which contains 3 Roman fleets. One infantry disembarks at Olbia. The fleet continues to Mare Ligusticum, where a unit is disembarked at Pisae.

9.7 Cities and Movement

If a nation controls a city (not a ruin!) in a mountain zone, that nation's units do not have to stop when entering that zone. It does not matter which nation built the city.

Example: the Romans control a city in Samnium. Roman units can move from Rome to Apulia via Samnium without stopping in Samnium.

10.0 Combat

After movement, combat occurs in every zone where units of different nations are present. The nation that just moved is the attacker. The other nation is the defender (this also applies to reaction moves during a campaign, see 12.3). If there are several zones where combat must occur, the attacker chooses the order in which the battles are resolved. Each battle is resolved fully in one zone before moving on to another zone.

Note: combat is only possible in the borderlands when both nations are able to enter a borderland as if it were a normal zone.

In each zone, combat is fought over several rounds. During each round, every unit rolls a die to try to strike its opponent. Exception: leaders and cities do not roll dice!

If there are different types of enemy units, each "firing" unit must announce which type of unit it is attacking. Both sides roll their dice simultaneously. A unit hits its opponent when the die result is equal to or greater than the unit's combat points (the number on the left of the unit tile). Combat points are usually "7," but they can be modified depending on the unit type, the combat zone, and/or the presence of a leader. Normally, each hit (i.e. one die that scores a hit) eliminates one enemy unit (it is removed from the game but may be bought again later in the game). Exception: consular legions and cavalry are eliminated only after 2 hits.

After each round of combat, the attacker may decide first whether to retreat, then the defender (see 10.5). As long as units of both sides remain in the combat zone, combat is not over.

10.1 Combat Order

When an attacker enters a zone, they declare whether they are conducting a raid or a normal attack (exception, see 10.8).

First round:

• Reaction move (if this is a campaign); there is no move to battle in a reaction move during a raid
• Submission, if the nation must submit
• Both sides designate their targets, attacker first, then defender
• Both sides roll dice and remove their losses

Second round and beyond:

• Retreat: attacker, then defender
• The defender announces whether they wish to submit
• Both sides designate their targets, attacker first, then defender
• Both sides roll dice and remove their losses

End of combat:

• Rebuilding of cities
• Checking of stacking limits in the combat zones

10.2 Combat Points

A die roll of 1 is always a miss, regardless of any modifiers. A die roll of 10 is always a hit.

Attacking unit	Combat points needed
Infantry, Foederati infantry	7-10
Legion	6-10
Consular legion	5-10
Cavalry	5-10
Elephants	5-10
Fleet	9-10

Modifiers:

Situation	Modifier
Combat in mountains or swamp	-1 to the die for all attackers
Elephants	on a 9 or 10, a second unit is also removed, see 13.3
Leader	+2 to the die for all friendly units in the zone
Fleet	+1 to the die per transported unit
City	-2 to the die for all attackers
Naval supremacy	+1 to the die for all friendly units, see 10.9
Naval invasion / strait	+2 to the die for all defending units, during the first round of combat
Raid	1 combat round only. The defender hits normally according to unit type but receives no bonus. The attacker hits with 7-10 for all units. No other bonus or modifier.

Note: all combat modifiers are cumulative (even if there are 2 leaders in the same zone) — so a unit attacking a city in a swamp zone hits at -3 to the die.

Consular legions (Italia I) and cavalry (Italia II) roll one die but can withstand 2 hits. After the first hit is received, their tile is flipped, but they continue fighting normally. They are restored and flipped back if they survive the battle. This also applies during the second phase of a major invasion (see 12.2) or during a campaign (see 12.3).

Whenever an elephant rolls a 9 or 10 (without any score modifier), an additional unit must retreat in addition to the unit hit (which is removed from the game). The opposing player may choose which surviving unit retreats. If the unit cannot retreat (see 10.5), it is removed from the board. In that case, the player controlling the elephant scores victory points for that unit as if it had been eliminated normally.

A leader does not roll a die, but grants a +2 bonus to all units of its nation present in the combat zone (even in naval combat). Bonuses from 2 leaders of the same nation in the same zone are cumulative (a +4 bonus). A leader alone in a zone occupied by enemy units not accompanied by a leader is removed from the board without a fight.

A city does not roll a die. However, it protects the defenders, giving a -2 penalty to its attackers.

10.3 Combat in Mountains and Swamps

Defending units are protected by the terrain; attacking units suffer a -1 penalty to the die.

10.4 Combat with Several Unit Types in a Zone

If more than one type of unit is present on defense in a zone, the attacker must announce which type of unit their units are attacking before rolling dice. If a unit is hit multiple times, those extra hits cannot be carried over to another type of unit (see, however, the rules for consular legions and cavalry).

You are not required to attack units of the same type. Furthermore, you are not required to attack all the units present. The attacker announces first which unit(s) they are targeting, then the defender. The defender rolls one die per unit present, even if that unit is not being attacked.

Example: 2 Roman legions and 1 consular legion defend Corfinium. The Epirotes attack with 3 infantry and 1 elephant. Each side announces which unit(s) it is targeting; for example, the Epirotes attack the legions with the elephant and 2 infantry, and the consular legion with the remaining infantry. If the Epirotes score 3 hits against the 2 legions, the extra hit is wasted. If all 4 attacks had targeted the consular legion, the Roman player could still have rolled dice for their 3 units.

10.5 Retreats

After each round of combat, the attacker first, then the defender, may choose to retreat (if their units have not been eliminated). A retreat is possible into adjacent zones occupied by units of the same nation (taking stacking limits into account, see 8.6) or into unoccupied zones adjacent to the combat zone.

It is not possible to retreat into the borderlands, except with a nation's special ability (for example, the Berbers). It is also not possible to retreat into a zone occupied by another nation, even of the same color. Each side is allowed to retreat some of its units while leaving the rest to continue the fight, or to retreat all of its units. It is possible to retreat into a zone with an unoccupied city. It is possible to retreat to sea into fleets, or across several zones, provided the rules are respected.

Example: the Samnites are attacked in Apulia. After the first round of combat, only 2 Samnite units remain. The attackers do not retreat, but the Samnites do. Corfinium is empty, but since the attackers launched their attack from that zone, retreating there is not possible. There are already 3 units in Samnium. Lucania also holds 3 units, so the Samnites can only retreat one unit there. All other zones are occupied by other nations, so the Samnites can only retreat one of their units, or continue the fight.

It is entirely possible for the attacker to retreat into a zone from which their units did not launch the attack.

Example: the attacker moves from Venetia to Ravenna. They fight there, then retreat into the empty zone of Picenum.

It is possible to loot a city after retreating into an empty zone that has one, even though this is quite rare.

10.6 Combat in Cities

Units taking refuge in cities are difficult to hit: each attacking unit suffers a -2 penalty to the die. If you take control of a city that belonged to another player, you may loot it. Then turn the city tile to its ruin side. When looting, some nations receive gold (4 gold), others receive victory points for looting a city (see nation card). Some may choose to take either 4 gold or victory points, but not both. Note: only a city newly conquered (in the same nation's turn) can be looted. A city conquered on a previous turn (or in a previous campaign phase, see 12.3) cannot be looted.

10.6.1 Rebuilding Cities

A ruin may be rebuilt by any nation that controls its zone. The nation must remove one of its units (not a leader) from the zone and flip the ruin tile to its city side. A city looted during a nation's own turn cannot be rebuilt in that same turn (but see 10.7). A city is rebuilt at the end of combat, before checking the stacking limit, or at the end of each combat phase in the case of a major invasion or a campaign.

10.7 Raids

Instead of a standard battle, a player may decide to conduct a raid against a city. This decision applies to the entire battle in the zone and is made before the first die is rolled (and before any reaction move, see 12.3.2). A raid lasts only one round of combat (each side rolls dice only once), and the attacker must then retreat.

If the attacker chooses to conduct a raid, neither side receives any combat modifier (leader, city, naval supremacy). The defender hits normally according to unit type. The attacker hits, regardless of unit type, with 7-10 on the die. If the attacker scores at least one hit, the raid on the city succeeds (and the tile is flipped to its ruin side) and the attacker must retreat. It is possible to retreat to a sea zone if a fleet can embark the units there. Units that cannot retreat are eliminated.

If a city is the victim of a raid, it is looted and the attacker receives 4 gold (or victory points, see nation card and 10.6). The defender's units are never hit by a raid (the dice rolled target the city). Immediately after a successful raid, the defender may remove one unit (not a leader) to rebuild the city (even during another nation's turn). A new raid cannot be conducted against a city that was already raided during the same nation's turn (this is possible during a major invasion or a campaign). However, it may be attacked a second time in order to be conquered.

Note: if there is only a single unit in a zone with a raided city and the player wishes to rebuild the city, the unit is removed and the city is left without troops.

A raid can only be conducted against cities controlled by opponents.

Campaigns and reaction moves: only a "waiting move" type of reaction move is allowed during a raid conducted by a leader during a campaign (see 12.3.2.2).

10.8 Naval Combat

Naval combat occurs when fleets of 2 nations occupy the same sea zone after movement, and one nation decides to fight (the active player decides first; combat is not mandatory). If neither side wants to fight, there is no combat. The defender may initiate naval combat, but the attacker (the player who just moved) always decides the order of battle — that is, whether it occurs before or after a land battle that influences the naval combat. As such, naval combats must always be declared before the start of any battle.

A fleet hits an enemy fleet (the only unit it can hit!) with a 9 or 10 on the die. An embarked unit does not roll a die, but it does help modify the outcome of combat: each embarked unit adds +1 to the die. Leaders add +2 to all friendly fleets present in the zone (but not to the fleet transporting them). Unlike land combat, the side taking losses chooses which fleet is hit. If a fleet carrying units is sunk, all embarked units are eliminated (and the nation that eliminated them may score victory points, see nation card). After each round of combat, the attacker first, then the defender, announces whether they wish to retreat (some units or all of them). It is possible to retreat to an adjacent sea zone, though fleets may still be subject to combat in their retreat zone (see 10.9).

10.8.1 Different Enemy Nations in a Sea Zone

When fleets of different nations are present in the same sea, they may all attack the fleet of the nation arriving in the zone. Each nation's fleets attack independently — they do not combine their forces. If several nations want to fight the moving fleet, the nation with the most fleets goes first; in case of a tie, the nation rolling the highest die goes first.

10.8.2 Naval Invasion / Straits

If, in the same turn, units use a naval move and attack a zone from the sea, all defending units receive a +2 bonus to the die for the first round of combat. Subsequent rounds are resolved normally. If some attacking units carry out a naval invasion and others do not, the defender must choose which units to attack, even if they are of the same type, in order to receive this bonus.

Units using straits to attack grant the same bonuses to defenders as a naval invasion.

10.9 Naval Supremacy

A nation that controls a sea zone has a combat advantage in all adjacent land zones. This is naval supremacy. A nation receives a +1 bonus to the die, for both attack and defense, in a land battle if it has at least one fleet in the adjacent sea and at least twice as many fleets as the enemy nation across all adjacent seas. Fleets that have just retreated during that round of combat do not count toward naval supremacy.

Example: the Romans fight the Carthaginians in Africa. There are 2 Carthaginian fleets in Mare Libycum and one Roman fleet in Mare Sardoum. The Carthaginian land units receive a +1 combat bonus. A Greek fleet in one of these zones would have no effect, since it does not belong to a nation involved in the battle. If there had been one or two additional Roman fleets, neither nation would have benefited from naval supremacy. If there had been 4 Roman fleets in the seas, the Romans would have gained a naval supremacy bonus.

Combat Examples

1. The Celts attack Verona with 2 infantry. 2 Illyrians defend the zone. Infantry hits a standard zone with 7-10 on the die. Both sides roll dice: the Celtic attackers roll 3 and 4; the Illyrians roll 2 and 9, scoring one hit. One Celtic unit is removed. The player controlling the Celts decides first (as the attacker) whether to retreat; they decide to stay. The player controlling the Illyrians decides to stay. Another round of combat begins: the Celts roll 7 and score a hit; the Illyrians roll two 10s and eliminate the Celts. One Illyrian unit is eliminated. Combat ends, since only units of one nation remain.

2. Two Etruscan infantry are attacked by a Roman legion at Picenum. The Romans roll 6 and hit; the Etruscan player rolls two 5s and misses (needing 7-10 to hit). The Etruscan unit retreats, ending combat.

3. Three Samnite infantry conduct a raid on the Greek city of Apulia. Two Greek infantry defend the zone. They hit with 7-10; there is no city bonus or naval supremacy bonus. They roll 5 and 7, scoring one hit. Each Samnite hits with 7-10; they roll 4, 8, and 9. The raid succeeds and the city is ruined. The 2 surviving Samnite units retreat. The Samnite player scores points for looting the city. The Greek player immediately removes 1 infantry to rebuild the city.

11.0 Victory

During the game, each player collects victory points for all of their nations. The nation cards indicate to players how each nation scores points. One way to score victory points is by controlling zones at the end of certain game turns (not nation turns!); these game turns are, in Italia I, turns 3, 5, 7, and 9, and in Italia II, turns 3, 5, 8, and 10.

These victory points are counted before nations are transformed (see 12.4). Each nation card lists the number of points earned by a nation for controlling zones. To control a zone, a nation must have at least one unit of any type, including a leader, in that zone. Zones controlled by units of subjugated nations do not count (see 12.5).

If a nation scores victory points for a zone and victory points for a city in that zone, the points are added together.

Summary:

Item	What scores
Zone	control of the zone
City	control of the city
Zone and city	control of the zone and the city, no points if only a ruin is present

A nation may also score points for controlling an entire region (such as the Arabs for Sicily and Africa). Empty zones and zones controlled by units of subjugated nations are only counted in this case!

Sometimes a nation scores points for a region but loses one point per zone controlled by another (non-subjugated) nation, such as Rome on turn 7. This way, a nation can never lose points overall (if other nations control 9 zones, Rome scores no points but does not lose 2 points either).

Example 1: at the end of turn 5 of Italia I, the Etruscans control the zones of Pavia, Ravenna, Etruria, and Corfinium. There are cities in Etruria, Pavia, and Corfinium. The Etruscans therefore score 9 points: 3 for the zones (no point for Corfinium, since it has no city) and 6 for the 3 cities.

Example 2: at the end of turn 2 of Italia II, the Berbers control Numidia and Africa, and there is a city in Africa. The Berbers score 6 points: 2 for the zones (1 per zone) and 4 for the city in Africa.

Some nations score points for eliminating specific units during combat, see the nation cards. These points are scored during the nation's turn when the units are eliminated. It is possible to attack, eliminate a unit, retreat, and score points.

Normally, a nation does not score points for eliminating units that attacked it. However, some nations are an exception to this rule, see the nation cards.

If victory points are awarded for eliminating a certain type of unit, eliminating other types of units scores no points. If the nation card simply mentions "units," points are scored for any type of unit, including leaders and fleets, but not cities.

If a fleet is sunk, the units it was transporting are eliminated and score points if they belong to a unit type that scores points according to the nation cards.

It is possible to score points by eliminating units of your own color but of a different nation.

At the end of the 10 game turns, each player totals the victory points of their nations. The player with the most points wins.

12.0 Additional Rules

12.1 No Land Units

A nation that has no land unit on the board and/or does not control any land zone is still in the game. It is possible for a nation to fight as a pirate using only its fleets. If the nation loses its fleets, it is eliminated, unless it later receives reinforcements.

12.2 Major Invasions

Some nations profoundly changed Italy's political structure within just a few years. In the game, this is represented by major invasions. A nation conducting a major invasion has 2 movement phases and 2 combat phases in its turn:

1. Income assessment, purchase of new units
2. Placement of new units
3. Movement (checking stacking limits)
4. Combat
5. Second movement (checking stacking limits)
6. Second combat (checking stacking limits)

After placement, all of this nation's units (including those already on the board) may move, fight, and then move and fight again. Each unit has its normal movement allowance during each movement phase.

In addition, during a major invasion, a nation may attack with one more unit than usual, exceeding the stacking limit of the attacked zone by 2 units (see 8.3). After the first combat phase, the stacking limit in the combat zone is not checked. If there is a surplus, the units remain. After each movement phase, and after the second battle, the stacking limit is checked normally.

Some nations have additional bonuses during invasions (there is no stacking limit after a first movement phase with a leader, or an additional movement in the first movement phase, see the nation cards).

12.3 Campaigns

A campaign is similar to a major invasion but is led by a leader. Only units located in the same zone as the leader may move and fight again. However, the leader and all units accompanying them may move as many times as the player wishes, as long as the movement costs are paid (see below).

Before a campaign begins, the nation has (see nation card) a normal movement and combat phase. After the movement or combat, the stacking limit in the zone is not checked. If the leader attacks during their normal turn, stacking rules apply.

1. Income assessment, purchase of new units
2. Placement of new units
3. Movement (checking stacking limits / no limit if leading a campaign)
4. Combat
5. Campaign
   • A. The leader and units (no stacking limit) move. Each movement phase of a campaign costs 1 gold.
   • B. Reaction move
   • C. Combat

Repeat steps 5A through 5C as often as you wish and can afford.

Exception: if the nation's turn begins with the campaign (as with the Cimbri and the Visigoths), there is no "normal" turn before the campaign begins. The nation's turn begins with phase 5.

12.3.1 Campaigns and Movement

A move during a campaign costs 1 gold. This is why some nations receive gold for campaigns (the Romans on turn 8). A nation may also use gold from its reserve (wealth track). Gold not spent during a campaign remains on the wealth track. Combats and retreats are free.

Standard movement rules apply. However, no unit of the nation may move without a leader.

Throughout the campaign, there is no stacking limit in the leader's zone. This means the leader can attack with as many units as desired. However, the active player must pay attention to the stacking limit once the leader leaves their troops.

Fleets may be moved. The maximum fleet transport limit must still be respected (2 units per move). It is permitted to advance or retreat as long as the movement cost is paid.

A campaign move by a nation may end in a zone controlled by a nation subjugated to it. A leader and their troops may freely move through zones controlled by a subjugated nation; they may even retreat into such zones. The final move of a campaign cannot end in a subjugated zone. Except for reaction moves (see 12.3.2), the nation conducting the campaign is considered the attacker when resolving combat. Since a campaign is led by a leader, a campaign ends immediately if the leader dies.

You may attack a zone multiple times during a campaign — attack, retreat, attack again, and so on. Remember that to retreat, a leader needs an empty zone, and that other players may conduct a reaction move before dice are rolled.

If a leader and their troops begin the campaign in an occupied zone, they must attack the occupants (or leave units behind as in an invasion).

12.3.2 Reaction Moves

After each campaign phase, all other nations with units in the campaigning leader's zone or in adjacent zones may carry out a reaction move.

Example: if the campaigning leader is in Ravenna, all nations with a unit in the following zones may carry out a reaction move: Ravenna, Venetia, Verona, Pavia, Florentia, Picenum, and Mare Hadriaticum.

If more than one nation wishes to carry out this type of move, the nations move in the order shown on the nation cards.

There are 2 possible types of reaction moves:

12.3.2.1 Move to Combat

Some or all of the units in one or more zones (land or sea) adjacent to the leader's zone may move into that zone to fight, if at least one unit of that nation is already present in the zone.

There is no stacking limit for this type of reaction. Reminder: a nation not conducting a campaign must obey stacking limits only during its own turn!

12.3.2.2 Waiting Move

Units may move from a land or sea zone (from anywhere on the board) into an adjacent zone. The destination zone must be empty, or controlled only by units of the moving nation, or by units of both the campaigning nation and the moving nation, such that no combat is triggered. It is permitted to move into a zone where the campaigning player has carried out an invasion, provided there are no units of a 3rd nation in the zone.

12.3.2.3 Reaction Move

Units carrying out a reaction move may move a single zone, regardless of unit type. This move may be made to or from a sea zone, or across a strait (if the zone occupied by the leader, or an invaded zone, is a coastal zone).

If the leader conducting the campaign is aboard a fleet, a reaction move is possible from adjacent zones. A reaction move can never result in a situation with units of more than 2 different nations present. During a reaction move, the moving nation may not buy new units, rebuild cities, etc. — it is movement only.

The campaigning player cannot retreat into zones from which the defender launched their reaction move.

12.3.2.4 Submission and Reaction Moves

Some nations may or must submit to the authority of other nations if they control a certain number of zones (see the nation cards and 12.5). This number is checked after all reaction moves and before combat is resolved. It is therefore possible to change the number of zones controlled through reaction moves.

12.3.2.5 Stacking Limit and Reaction Moves

Nations carrying out a reaction move have no stacking limit. Such nations can therefore concentrate an "unlimited" number of units in a zone.

12.3.3 Raids During a Campaign

Players conducting a campaign may carry out a raid, even in a zone they have invaded. Any raid must be announced before any reaction move. If a campaigning player conducts a raid, other players may only carry out waiting moves. If the campaigning nation has invaded a zone in which it conducts a raid, the other player may choose the type of reaction move (this rule applies only to the zone containing the campaigning leader).

12.3.4 Blocking

After their leader has moved, and before reaction moves are carried out, a campaigning player may spend 1 additional gold to block all enemy units in an adjacent zone. In addition, the player must remove one unit of any type during this move. The unit is removed without fighting. Any enemy units located in a zone adjacent to the leader's zone at the end of the movement phase may be blocked. The blocked nation may score victory points for the removed unit. The campaigning player cannot block the same zone twice in a row over 2 consecutive campaign moves.

Campaign example: Fabius, a Roman leader, conducts a campaign on turn 2. After all units have moved and battles resolved, Fabius, with 3 legions and a consular legion, is in Rome. The player has 5 gold, so he can move Fabius up to 5 times (unless he loots or conducts a raid during the campaign, see 12.3).

First move: he moves via Perusia and Picenum to Ravenna, picking up a legion at Perusia and at Picenum, and attacking the 2 Celtic infantry in Ravenna. The Roman player must pay 1 gold. The other nations carry out their reaction moves. The Celts move their 2 infantry from Pavia to Verona, where they join a 3rd infantry. They cannot go any further — one movement zone (see 12.3.2.2). The Etruscans move a unit from Florentia to Pisae, which now holds a city and 3 infantry. The Romans win the battle at Ravenna.

Second move: the Romans leave one legion at Ravenna and move via Florentia, now empty, picking up 3 more legions, invade Pisae (since there is a city and one infantry at Pisae, it is possible to leave one legion in that zone, see 9.3) and attack Pavia (legions with a leader can move 4 zones). The move costs 1 gold. In reaction, the Celts move their infantry from Verona to Mediolanum. The Etruscans move 2 infantry from Liguria to Pavia to join the battle against the Romans (reaction move: no stacking limit).

12.4 Transformation

At certain points, new nations appear seemingly from nowhere. Sometimes a nation disappears and is replaced by a new nation. This new nation follows its own rules and has different units. It is therefore a completely different nation, even if it is the same color. The new nation starts with 0 gold.

12.5 Submission

Sometimes a nation may submit to a stronger nation rather than be destroyed. This has its drawbacks, but the subjugated nation survives. As soon as a nation is subjugated, its new master places the subjugated nation's submission token in front of themselves.

12.5.1 Rules of Submission

A nation may (or in some cases must) submit to a nation if it controls a certain number of zones or fewer, and if it is attacked in one of those zones by a nation eligible to become its master. The nations that may or must submit to others are indicated on the nation cards. The number of units and the income of the nation are irrelevant. If the nation card indicates that a nation may submit to another, one round of combat must first be fought. If units of both sides remain, the nation may submit. It may continue fighting and submit after several rounds of combat (if defeat looks likely). If one of the 2 nations is destroyed, the nation does not submit.

If the nation card indicates that a nation must submit to an attacker, no combat takes place. For the new master, it is enough to declare an attack against the nation with one unit.

Example: the Celts must submit to the Romans if they control 3 zones or fewer, and may submit if they control 4 or 5. The Romans attack Verona, one of 5 cities under Celtic control. After the first round of combat, neither nation is eliminated, and the Celts may submit. If they do, the Romans must retreat from Verona and from all other zones controlled by the Celts. If one side is eliminated after a round of combat, the Celts cannot submit (even if they are losing), and the Romans will have to attack in another zone. If the Celts control 3 zones or fewer, they must submit to Roman authority in the event of an attack, before the first round of combat.

12.5.2 Consequences of Submission

All of the new master's units must immediately retreat from zones containing units of the subjugated nation, even if there was no combat (this can happen when the master attacks more than one zone to secure submission).

If a nation submits, the attacker cannot oppose it. A subjugated nation cannot attack its master, and vice versa, for as long as the submission lasts (see revolts).

A subjugated nation receives only half of its income (rounded up) and half of the gold from looting or raiding a city. The other half goes to its master.

The subjugated nation also receives only half of its victory points (rounded up). The other half is lost. The subjugated nation and its master are considered allies. They may move through zones containing units of the other nation, but may not end their move in such zones (exception: movement during campaigns, see 12.3.1).

Zones controlled by units of subjugated nations do not count as controlled zones for scoring victory points (the master does not score points for these zones). However, if a nation scores victory points for controlling a region (the Romans on turn 5, for example), zones controlled by subjugated nations count as controlled zones for the master nation.

A nation can have only one master, though a nation may (or must) change masters when the conditions are met.

12.6 Revolts

Some nations revolt against their master at a certain point (see the nation cards). The nation in question simply declares its intention to do so and takes back its submission token. All consequences of submission end immediately. Nations that have revolted may nonetheless be subjugated again.

13.0 Special Rules for Italia I

The following rules apply only to Italia I.

13.1 Rome

During turns 1 through 9, no nation except the Romans may permanently occupy Rome. At the start of a Roman turn (before income is calculated), all units of non-Roman nations must retreat (if this is not possible, they are eliminated), and the city of Rome is rebuilt (if in ruins) for free (no gold or units spent). During turn 10, no nation may control Rome. Throughout the game, Rome is always the capital of the Romans. The Romans cannot declare a different zone as their capital.

13.2 Hannibal's Campaign

Hannibal's campaign is a standard campaign (see 12.3) that begins in the Alps zone (the Spanish and Celtic portion is not represented in the game). In addition to their standard units, the Carthaginian player may, during their movement phase, move some or all of their units from the African zones into the Alps. This represents the entirety of their units' movement for that move. There is no stacking limit for this move.

During the campaign, the Celts, Etruscans, and Samnites may revolt against Rome. They may do so if Hannibal is in, or adjacent to, a zone containing units of the respective nation. They are then immediately no longer subjugated to Rome, and not yet to Carthage. Standard rules apply for submission to Carthage (see 12.5).

Once these nations (Celts, Etruscans, Samnites) are subjugated to Carthage, Hannibal may move freely through zones controlled by the respective nations, and may even end a move there (but not the campaign itself). Submission to Carthage ends for these 3 nations once they are subjugated to Rome.

Major battles: Hannibal may fight major battles to score victory points (see nation card) — this is a battle with at least 3 units on each side. Nations allied with Carthage count as Carthaginian units for this type of battle. The battle is won when all enemies are eliminated or have retreated.

13.3 Rome and Elephants

Roman soldiers are frightened when they face elephants. The following rule reflects this.

During combat, the first time Romans face elephants, a die is rolled for each Roman unit (except leaders and consular legions) before combat begins. On an 8-10, the units in question desert and are eliminated (the opponent may score their victory points). The second and third time, each Roman unit (except leaders and consular legions) is eliminated on a 10. For subsequent battles, no die is rolled for elephants in combat against Roman units.

Note: opponents of the Romans cannot voluntarily withdraw their elephants from combat in order to protect them for larger battles.

13.4 Turn 10

Turn 10 is a special turn. In fact, it consists of a succession of campaigns. No nation has a standard turn, so no gold is earned, no units are bought, etc.

The only nations that may move are the Romans, the Populares, and the Optimates, during their respective campaigns (they have no standard movement phase). No other nation may move or carry out a reaction move; the units of all other nations are neutral.

The 3 campaigns are conducted in this order: first the Optimates, then the Populares, then the Romans, then the Optimates again, and so on.

It is possible to pass. Turn 10 (and the game) ends when no nation has any gold left to move, or if all 3 nations have passed.

Roman legions may switch to the side of the leaders Marius or Sulla according to the following rules:

If, after a campaign move and after a reaction move, a Roman legion is in the same zone as Marius or Sulla, it joins Sulla on a 7-10 on the die, or Marius on a 9-10.

If a Roman consular legion is in the zone, a legion joins Sulla on a 9-10, or Marius on a 10. A consular legion never switches to an enemy side.

If a legion switches to an enemy side, it is replaced by an Optimate (Sulla) or Populares (Marius) legion. In all cases, the Optimate player may play first.

Major battle: the Optimates and the Populares score victory points if they win a major battle against the other side (see nation card). A battle is major if at least 3 units from each side are fighting. The battle is won when all enemies are eliminated or have retreated.

14.0 Special Rules for Italia II

The following rules apply only to Italia II.

14.1 Roman Foederati

The Western Romans begin the game with Roman Foederati infantry. The Foederati move and fight like other infantry. However, they are cheaper to buy (3 gold instead of 6 for a legion). They are treated differently from other units during combat (see 10.4).

Their drawback is that they may switch to the side of the independent Foederati nation, or to the Ostrogoths, once those nations have entered the game. At the start of the first round of combat, a die is rolled for each Roman Foederati unit present in a zone occupied by independent Foederati or Ostrogoths. On a result of 6-10 (9-10 if only Ostrogoths are present) the Foederati switch to the other side; they are then replaced by an enemy infantry unit (if available).

14.2 Cavalry

Cavalry is the medieval version of consular legions. They move and fight like consular legions, with one exception: a cavalry unit that is hit cannot retreat.

Cavalry rolls one attack die but can withstand 2 hits. After the first hit is received, they continue fighting normally. If they survive combat, they are restored and considered undamaged. This also applies during the second phase of a major invasion (see 12.2) or during a reaction move (12.3). If 2 cavalry units are fighting in a zone, the third hit eliminates the first cavalry unit, and the 4th hit eliminates the second.

14.3 Patrimonium: Conversion

Twice per game, the Patrimonium player may convert any unit belonging to another player (but not 2 units in the same battle!) in any zone occupied by a Patrimonium unit. This can be done before any round of combat; the converted unit then fights in that same round for the Patrimonium. If the unit survives combat, it is replaced by a Patrimonium unit of the same type, if one is available. If none is available, the unit is removed from the board.

Cavalry and leaders cannot be converted.