INTRODUCTION Card game for 2-8+ players. Europe circa 400 AD. Each player represents a nation existent at the time. Each turn represents 5 years. VICTORY Be the first player to accumulate 10 Territory Tokens. DEFEAT Any player who loses all his Territory Tokens is wiped out. He may renter the game as another Nation not yet played. THE NATIONS Each Player picks one nation, starting with the Primary nations, then secondary, then tertiary, then quaternary. >Primary Nations: Western Roman Empire Huns Visigoths Ostrogoths >Secondary Nations: Eastern Roman Empire Vandals >Tertiary Nations: White Huns Sassanids >Quaternary Nations: Franks, Slavs, Burgundians, etc. THE DECK Players share a common deck. The deck contains one of each card listed. DICE 6 and 10-sided dice are needed. TOKENS There are 2 types of Tokens: Army Tokens Territory Tokens SETUP Each player starts with: 1 Unique Nation 5 Territory Tokens 10 Army Tokens 5 Randomly dealt cards. Roll high on 1D10 to determine Turn order TAKING TURNS Record player turn order. Turn order does not depend on players seating position. Seating position does determine who can attack whom. Seating position can change during the game. TURN SEQUENCE Players take turns. Each turn has 5 Phases: Fate Phase Recruit Phase Event Phase Conquest Phase End Phase FATE PHASE Draw 1D6 cards. If the deck runs out, shuffle the discard and draw from it. RECRUIT PHASE Gain 1D6 Army Tokens. EVENT PHASE Most Event cards are played in this Phase. CONQUEST PHASE You may attack the player to your immediate left or right. You are the Attacker. The target player is the Defender. Each player calculates a War Total (WT) as follows: WT = Army Tokens + Card Force Bonuses + 1D10 Army Tokens = Each side adds up all their Army Tokens. Card Force Bonuses = Some cards when played (discarded) offer a Force Bonus. Allies = Other players may send the combatants Armies and Cards. The player with the higher WT wins the War. The Loser loses 1D6 Army Tokens. The Winner loses 1D6 – 3 Army Tokens. The Winner takes a Territory Token from his opponent. If WT are equal or differ only by 1 there is a stalemate, and Both sides lose 1D6 Armies. Allied Armies are the last to be made casualties. (They usually run away) END PHASE Max hand size is 8 cards. Discard excess cards. NATION SPECIAL ABILITIES Each Nation has a Special Ability: >Western Roman Empire: Skilled: Max Hand Size = 10. Plus Force cards played provide an additional +2 Force. >Huns: Horsemen: They get an extra Conquest Phase each turn. >Visigoths: Berserkers: In Conquest phase sacrifice an Army Token to get Force +3 >Ostrogoths: Populous: Roll twice and use the better roll in Recruit Phase. >Eastern Roman Empire: Manipulators: Draw an extra card in Fate Phase. >Vandals: Migratory: The may change their seating position in their own Fate Phase. >White Huns: Aggression: Army Tokens get +1 Force when Attacking. >Sassanids: Defenders: Army Tokens get +1 Force when Defending. >Quaternary Nations: No Special Abilities CARD LIST NOTATION X = Event: Play in opponents Event Phase: Target player loses 1D6 Armies G = Event: Gain 1D6 Armies in Event Phase A = Armies F = Force C = Event played during Conquest Phase E = Event played in Event Phase S = Look at opponents hand: play anytime Q = Gain an Extra Conquest Phase K = Negate a Leader card just played L = Leader card P = Play on opponents turn: He may not attack you this turn. I = Play on opponents turn: He may not attack at all this turn. M = Player may change his Seating Position in Event Phase V = Play only after you have won in Conquest Phase: Gain 1D6 Armies in Event Phase D = Draw 3 cards in Event Phase Y = Automatic Stalemate in Conquest Phase DO = Defender Only AO = Attacker Only CARD LIST Card Name Type Notes Epidemic X Pestilence X Famine X Decadence X Corruption X Conspiracies X Disorder X Factionalism X Manpower Shortage X Impoverished X Collapse of State Apparatus X Assimilation X Civil War X Lose Economic Base X Insurrection X Spiral of Decline X Usurper X Revolt X Rebellion X Great Leader LC F+10 Gifted General LC F+9 Strong Leader LC F+6 Brilliant Commander LC F+8 Experienced Commander LC F+7 Warlord LC F+5 Opponent has Weak Leader LC F+5 Opponent has Foolish Leader LX Opponent has Mad Leader LI Wise Leader LG Charismatic Leader LG Clever Ruler LD Ambitious Leader LQ Assassination K Treason K Killed in Battle K Deposed K Early Death K Slaves G Mercenaries G Allies G Taxation G Prosperity G Vassals G Puppets G Confederates G Tribes G Reserves G Host G Unity G Subjects G Horde G Auxiliaries C F+3 Infantry C F+3 Cavalry C F+3 Barbarians vs Barbarians C F+4 Campaign Q Annexation Q Pretext for War Q Invasion Q Favorable Omen Q Incursion Q Overrun Q Expedition Q Conquest Q Scouts S Spies S Driven Out Y Absorbed Y Peace P Diplomacy P Treaty P Hostages P Intrigue I Succession I Sea Power C F+5 Fleets C F+5 Counter Attacks C F+5 Spoils of War V Pillage V Loot & Burn V Sack Cities V Take Prisoners V Stratagem D Intrigue D Prophecy D Ruthlessness C F+7 Valor C F+7 Fortifications C F+8 DO Garrisons C F+4 DO Walled Cities C F+8 DO Fortify C F+8 DO Siege Engines C F+8 AO Siege Artillery C F+8 AO Besiege C F+4 AO Cities Surrender C F+8 AO Migration M Shifting Borders M Major Movements M Pressure on the Frontier M New Lands M Ransoms XG Raids XG Tribute XG Traitorous Allies XG Logistic Strategy C F+9 Put to the Sword C F+6 Lay Waste C F+6
THREE PLAYER VARIANT Rome: Special Abilities of Western & Eastern Roman Empire Attila the Hun: Special Abilities of Huns & White Huns Goths: Special Abilities of the Visigoths & Ostrogoths
