The Rise of the Roman Republic: The Ancient World, Vol. 1 (2003)

From GMT's P500 page:

Over a decade in the making - this is the project designed to warm the cockles of every gamer who loves either ancients or campaigns, or both.

The Ancient World is actually the name for a (projected) massive series of games that will cover virtually every war and campaign in ancient history on the same scale and scope that the legendary "Europa" series did for WWII. Each game and module in the series will add maps, units and all the personalities that will enable gamers to play, in some (but not daunting) detail their favorite periods.

The first volume will be the introductory Rise of the Roman Republic. We say "introductory", because we felt it would be better to start with shorter, smaller scenarios before getting into the grandeur of the Punic or Civil Wars, for example. Thus Rise of the Roman Republic will include scenarios for the Samnite Wars (which also has a three-player version that takes in the invasion of Alexander of Epirus), the invasion of Pyrrhus (including his Sicilian adventures), and the first 3 years of Hannibal, all on a single map of Italy, complete with "dated" road system.

The focal point of the system is the unusual set of mechanics that. in essence, have no "allowance" limits to movement. Units - troops under a leader - are free to move as far and as long as they want, subject to two major factors: leader capability to do so as well as attrition. While each turn covers one full year, the leaders available for that turn can move several times during that turn, again depending on their rated capabilities. (Leaders have 6 individual ratings, and Rise of the Roman Republic contains over 60 of them, including every Roman who held high-level magisterial office during that period!)

The Romans are really fun, mostly because you have to play/master the Roman political system, from yearly elections, to pro-roguing consuls, even to asking the Senate permission to do a whole bunch of things, all of which serve to make running the Roman armies about as close to "realistic" as it has ever gotten in the hobby.

The land combat system uses a unique CRT that includes the dreaded "Unusual Result" dice rolls, which replicate the battles that took place wherein the outcome belied the "odds." But you still get the Carthaginian cavalry, the elite Epirote hoplites, elephants … all the usual goodies one expects to see in such a game. And the combat system also takes into effect the aftermath of battle to all participants, even the winners.

And while Rise of the Roman Republic uses a very elegant, simple naval system (which allows players to get Superiority or Supremacy in sea areas), as this volume has little naval action, the follow-up module on all The Punic Wars will feature the complete, "advanced" naval system (and 3 new maps).

The Ancient World is aimed at aficionados of the subject, as well as those interested in the breadth and depth of campaign operations. Yet it is - and we do not say this lightly - a very playable system in which most scenarios can be finished in an evening, and none (in Rise of the Roman Republic) take more than one map.

For those for whom "Monster Gaming" is a way of life, with The Ancient War system you'll have a chance to game the Punic Wars on 4 maps … the Caesarean Civil Wars on 6 maps … even (by renting Rhode Island) the campaigns of Alexander the Great - going East and/or West! - on more maps than you want to contemplate.

The Ancient World combines the Best of All Gaming Worlds- especially after the crack GMT arts and graphics people get their hands on it. You've never seen anything like it. It IS the definitive campaign game and system on the ancients.

1 map, 2- 3 countersheets; rules and charts

Nominee for the 2003 Charles S. Roberts awards for Best Pre-World War II Boardgame (Charles S. Roberts Awards).

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