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A while ago I posted this three-player scenario in the 'Carthage' section of the Geeks. It occurred to me that since the scenario mixes 'Carthage' and 'RRR' together, it might be worth while to post it here as well. So here it is.
While playing the Pyrrhus scenario in RRR I noticed that the Carthaginians have been left somewhat in the shadows, although in reality they were a major opponent to the Eagle quite as the Romans were. This was understandable at the time as the game already had enough going on in any case. It was only after purchasing Carthage that I realised that with its Carthaginian rules and markers the Pyrrhus scenario could be made a full-fledged three-player scenario. There is a great dearth of strategic games for three players around and thus I decided to have a go, in order to have something to play whenever together with two of my gaming friends.
So, here it is. This scenario/variant is made for three players and it is a mix of RRR and Carthage. The ownership of both games is required. There are no additional playing pieces, charts or so on. Everything can be found from these two games. While the rules of the scenario are long, this is much due to the fact that I have included the whole Pyrrhus scenario in them. So there is no need to check the original scenario from the game book. Although there are additions and new leaders around, the game should be playable in one evening as the original ten turns are cut to five and a half. This is done both for playability and for historical reasons. When Pyrrhus left back home in 275 it was due to affairs in Greece, not because the Romans would have beaten him, as they themselves fondly imagined. This is thus a rather neat date to end the scenario.
I must also admit that being a professional historian myself I have not been able to desist from adding historical flavour to the scenario. All is, however, done keeping in mind playability and the scenario should not in any means be too complex to handle. Rules from Carthage are mostly in use, although I had to keep something from RRR (especially Diplomacy). Two Augury markers are used so that there would be roughly the same amount of events around as in the original.
The most important change is that the Mamertines are much stronger and have their own leader (they came originally from Campania, so the local tribal leader suits them well). This is because the Mamertines were really a power to reckon. They twice faced Pyrrhus in open battle and never surrendered to him. Cleonymus is there because he has a marker in RRR and he could really have conceivably been asked for help by the Syracusans. He was still scheming at this time and it was actually he who got Pyrrhus interested in a Greek campaign. It is unlikely that Cleonymus arrives, but I think games like this should have also non-historical but plausible events to add flavour. The special rule for Megacles was made because in one of our test games Pyrrhus died in his first battle using his first LAM and this was not really what the scenario is about. Historical Megacles did die in this manner, by the way.
In the end you can find a short historical resume of the years leading up to the situation at game start. This was done both because I, as a historian, could not refrain myself from collecting it and also in order to explain why some starting positions and so forth have been changed. It is usually thought that the Samnite wars ended before the war against Pyrrhus and that the latter started when the Eagle landed in Italy. Both assumptions are wrong. The die-hards among the Samnites were still active and the last Etruscans made their peace only after being offered good terms by the Romans who had already heard that Pyrrhus has landed. Also, the war between Rome and Tarentum actually began in 281, a year before Pyrrhus arrived. Right, that is about it. What follows is the actual rules. I hope someone finds them interesting enough to read them through. Feel free to ask me any questions concerning the scenario.
A three-player version for Pyrrhus
Players: Greeks - Rome - Carthago
Duration: Six years (280-275)
After generations of warfare the Roman Republic is poised to crush the remaining resistance of its two rivals for the control of Central Italy. The Samnite tribal confederation is being hemmed in by Roman military colonies in Venusia and Luceria and cut off from supporters in Tarentum, the great trading emporium of Magna Graecia.
To the north, a few Etruscan cities continue resistance under the Vulsinii and the Volsci. They have placed their hopes on an alliance with two Gaul tribes, The Senones and the Boii. In 283 both are defeated by the Roman. Consul Gnaeus Domitius Calvinus Maximus crushes the Senones while Consul Publius Cornelius Dolabella is victorious against the Etruscans and the Boii at Lake Vadimo. The Senones are annihilated, enslaved or expelled from their lands where Praetor Manius Curius Dentatus creates military colony Sena Gallica.
In 282 the Roman senate receives a call for help from the Magna Graecian cities Rhegium, Croton, Locri and Thurii. They are threatened by the Italian tribes of Bruttians and Lucanians who have besieged Thurii. Sensing a way to undermine Tarentine power the senate sends Consul Gaius Fabricius Luscinus south to help the Greeks while Consul Quintus Aemilius Papus is to take care of the remaining Boii. Neapolis and other Roman allies in Campania are requested to man a small fleet to provide logistical help to Luscinus. He succesfully relieves Thurii forcing the tribes to withdraw. In the meanwhile Papus crushes the Boii who flee over the mountains to the Po-Valley.
Having achieved his immediate task Luscinus begins to assert Roman order over Magna Graecia. Garrisons are placed in Thurii, Locri and Rhegium to bolster Aristocrat regimes favourable to Rome. The Tarentines complain that Rome violates a treaty that forbids Roman warships from entering the Gulf of Tarento. Tarentine fleet is nevertheless preoccupied with helping King Pyrrhus of Molossia to capture the Island of Chios and cannot openly intervene.
Duumvir Lucius Valerius, commander of the Roman ally fleet, conspires with Tarentine Aristocrats to overthrow Democrat rule. Ten Roman triremes are to arrive to the port of Tarentum when the citizens are gathered in the theatre to celebrate Dionysian festivities. In the ensuing confusion the Aristocrats are to take power supported by Roman soldiers.
Seeing the Romans arrive while they are in the midst of celebrations the Tarentines rally under a Democrat leader Philocaris and man their fleet to attack the intruders. Four Roman ships are sank and one captured. Valerius is among the killed. A Tarentine army enters Thurii expelling the Roman garrison and restoring Democrats in power.
News of what has happened creates an uproar in Rome. The senate, however, deems it prudent to proceed with care while fighting still continues against the Etruscans. A senatorial embassy is send during the winter to Tarentum to demand compensations, the release of prisoners, and the surrender of Democrat leaders. Two armies are formed for the year 281. Consul Lucius Aemilius Barbula is to keep an eye on the Samnites while his colleague Quintus Marcius Philippus faces remaining Etruscan resistance.
In Tarentum tensions flare. The council not only refuses Roman demands, but insults the ambassadors. A decision is made to appeal to Pyrrhus for help against this newest barbarian threat. The Samnites and the Lucanians join in the petition and promise large armies in support. Infuriated, the senate orders Barbula to take his army to Tarentum to press the demands with force. Barbula defeats the Tarentines and their Samnite allies and proceeds to thoroughly ravage countryside around the city walls. Disheartened, the Tarentines nominate Agis, an Aristocrat leader, as their new strategos with permission to negotiate peace at any cost.
At this moment Cineas, an ambassador from Pyrrhus, arrives and persuades the Tarentines to reconsider. An Epirote avant-guard of 3000 soldiers under Milon lands at the port and together with the city garrison forces Barbula to withdraw. During retreat the Romans suffer heavy casualties under the harassment of the Tarentines and their Italian allies. Barbula is nevertheless awarded a triumph, together with Philippus.
Realising that they have another major war in their hands the senate forms two new armies for the year 280. Barbula’s army remains in the field and he is allowed to continue in command as a proconsul. Consul Titus Coruncanius, a famous lawyer, is send north to settle the Etruscan war. He manages to defeat the Vulsinii and the Volsci and finally pacifies the land by offering generous peace terms. Barbula remains in his camp at Venusia to watch over the Samnites while Consul Publius Valerius Laevinus heads south to disrupt Tarentine alliance network before Pyrrhus arrives. His first task is to take Heraclea, an old dependancy of the Tarentines, and to cut off the Lucanians and the Bruttians from reinforcing Pyrrhus.
In the meanwhile Sicilian Greeks are struggling with the confusion and civil war that began after Agathocles, the tyrant of Syracuse, died in 289. Syracusan overrule has been shaken off in many Sicilian Greek cities. Hicetas, the Democrat Strategos of Syracusa, fights to restore Syracusan fortunes. He finally manages to defeat his main rival Phintias, the tyrant of Agrigentum, who is subsequently assassinated. In the meanwhile the Carthaginians begin once again to assert their control over the Sicilian Greeks. Enna has already sought their protection against Phintias.
In 281 Hicetas tries to deal with the Carthaginian threat, but is defeated at the battle of River Terias. This leads into the demise of Demoract rule in Syracuse. Next year Hicetas is replaced by the Aristocrat Thoenon as the leading strategos. Democrats rally around Sosistratus, the new tyrant of Agrigentum, whose grandfather was once expelled from Syracusa. Thoenon’s support collapses when Sosistratos’ army approaches and he flees to the Island of Ortygia just outside the port of Syracusa.
SET UP
Map:
- Maps from ‘Carthage’ are in use. The upper quadrant of the Italian map is not used, but the North African map is.
- Etruria is a single province covering S. Etruria and those parts of N. Etruria that are showing.
- Minor cities Arimium [2708], Fanum Fortunae [2908] and Brundisium [5402] do not exist.
- Minor city Thurii [5508] is currently sacked.
Original placements and LAMs for the first turn:
- Place only the units of Pyrrhus, Rome, Carthage, Tarentum and Syracuse on the map. All other powers begin as neutral.
- The game starts by activating Pyrrhus. After he has finished, place the following LAMs (only) to the pool for the remaining year 280: 1 Pyrrhus, 1 Megacles, 1 Milon, 2 consul (one for each), 1 proconsul, 2 siege attrition and 1 augury. All the other active leaders have already spend their LAMs for this year. Note that new LAMs can still be added by activating inactive neutrals.
Victory conditions:
A player who controls the whole of Sicily (militarily or diplomatically) or conquers Rome or Carthage wins immediately and the game ends. If nobody wins by the end of the game period, count the following VPs for territory controlled (militarily or diplomatically). Highest score wins.
Major and minor power home provinces* +3 for each
Independent provinces** West Sicily +3
South Sardinia +3
North Sardinia +3
Corsica +3
Tripolitania +3
Cities: Capua +3
Tarentum +3
Lilybaeum +3
Agrigentum +3
Rhegium +3
King of Sicily +1 (Greeks only)
* Etruria is counted as one for all purposes. Note that Syracuse and Messana are separate provinces which also provide VPs.
** Melita and Lipara Islands do not provide VPs although they are accessible.
RULES
Use the Rulebook for ‘Carthage’ with the following modifications. Treat references to both players as 'all players' and references to 'Roman', 'Carthagenian' etc. as referring to both the other players when applicable.
6.0 Movement:
Inertia Attrition can be determined separately, if only a part of a stack has moved outside its current province.
7.0 The Naval Superiority Rules:
Rules for Naval Superiority are not in use.
9.0 Cities and sieges:
- Use the IDS from the 'Carthage' scenario.
- Cities cannot be besieged or forced to involuntary surrender, if there is a friendly non-useless army present outside them in the same hex. It has to be forced to relocate first.
- A single remaining cavalry unit can be taken in siege attrition in lieu of an infantry unit (instead of the usual two cavalry units per one infantry).
- A captured city is always placed under the control of the power (major or minor) whose leader commanded the conquerors.
12.0 Diplomacy:
- Diplomacy Chart is divided so that the 'non-Roman' side is ‘Greeks’ (G) and the 'Roman' side covers both Rome (R) and Carthage (C). Division of control between the latter is achieved by Romans being never able to conduct diplomacy in Sicily and Carthaginians in Italy.
- Any attempt to enter the cities of a neutral minor power (in any way) or to attack its units (but not merely to invade its territory) activates it automatically as an ally of the other side.
13.0 Auguries: Two augury markers are placed in the pool each year.
Use also the Scenario Book for ‘Carthage’ with the following modifications.
CR 3.0 The Sequence of Play:
Greeks draw reinforcements at the same time as Romans and Carthaginians for each of their active minor allies. They never get Epirote reinforcements.
CR 5.0 The Roman Political and Command System:
- Elections: Consuls and praetors are elected each year. They may be prorogued for one year (only) as proconsuls/propraetors with their current legions and imperiums. Proconsuls are elected (i.e. drawn from the pool) only to make up for casualties (including those due to sickness), to command troops raised by Manpower Operations, or due to events. There can thus normally be at most four consular armies in existance at the end of a Manpower Phase, unless there is a dictator.
- Placement: New consul elects may be placed in Rome, if there are currently no consular armies without a leader (i.e. proconsul). In such a case the consuls must be allotted consular armies raised during the Manpower Phase. If enough legions are not raised for this, some active proconsuls must immediately relinguish command to the consul elects who are placed with their new armies.
- Imperium: Proconsuls always retain their old imperiums, if such exist.
CR 7.4 Naval Combat:
Corvus is not in use.
CR 7.5 Raids:
A minor whose home province has been raided last turn cannot raise new land units (but can naval units). A major power is affected (by a Manpower die-roll modifier -2) only, if its home province is raided. For Rome this includes also Italian provinces controlled diplomatically.
CR 7.7 Port Harbor Capacity and Winter:
All ports begin the scenario with the low squadron capacity and this capacity cannot be raised during the game.
CR 9.55 Supply by Sea:
The port of Ostia is treated as part of Rome for purposes of the effect of naval units on siege attrition. The control of the port itself is not relevant for this.
CR 10.0 Manpower:
Greeks receive no Epirote units, only allies. They must choose every year whether to take allied naval or land reinforcements, never both. If naval, they get allied ships in one port, but do not get any land reinforcements for any minors during that year.
CR 10.12 Romans may make Manpower Operations, if there is an enemy army in Latium (only).
Add from The Rise of the Roman Republic Scenario Book
RRR 8.31 Devotio
Carthaginians
Home provinces: Carthage
Provinces under military control: Tripolitania, N Sardinia, S Sardinia, Melita*
(* not a VP province)
Army I (EF -2): Gisco (IP-5), 15 Car inf and 5 Car cav inside Carthage
Army II (EF -2): Hasdrubal (OC, IP-15), 20 Ga inf, 15 Lg inf, 20 Ib inf, 8 Nu elite cav and 2 Ga
cav inside Lilybaeum
Fleet I (CR 3): Mago, 10 qd inside Carthage
Duumvir: 1qd (CR 3) inside Caralis
Garrisons: 2 Ga inf inside Caralis and Panormus
1 Ga inf inside Enna
1 Lb inf inside Thugga, Musti, Thabraca and Drepanum
1 Nm inf inside Tacape
Manpower: No elephants (or Xanthippus) are available. May build one siege engine. Manpower modifiers for 1st Punic War are in effect. Treat references to 'Roman' as 'enemy'.
Reserve leaders: IP 2-8-9-11-12-14-16-17
Diplomats: Unnamed Carthagenian diplomats.
Political: Initial leading party is Magonids and attitude Cautious. Mago is a Magonid. Political modifiers for 1st Punic War are in effect. Treat references to 'Rome' as enemy. Ignore reference to Massilia.
Siege Capability Rating: -2
Initial Crew Rating: 2
Naval Tactical Superiority: -2/+3
Stacking: Carthaginian leaders or units cannot stack with Syracusan or Spartan units or leaders. Nor can they ever serve under or lead Roman or Greek (Epirote) leaders.
Romans
Home province: Latium
Provinces under diplomatic control: Campania, Etruria*, Umbria, Picenum, Sabinus
Army I: P. Valerius Laevinus (RC Calabria 201), legions III and IV outside Heraclea
Army II: T. Coruncanius (FC Etruria 202), legions V and VI inside Arretium
Army III: L. Aemilius Barbula (PC Samnium 203), legions I and II outside Venusia
Campanian legion inside Rhegium (See below)
Urban legions with the Praetor Urbanus inside Rome
Duumvir 2 tr (CR 2) inside Neapolis
Garrisons: 1 Rom inf inside Locri [6013], Sena Gallica [3008], Venusia [4707] and Luceria [4506]
Manpower: No auxiliaries are available. Can only rebuild lost naval units. May build only one siege engine.
Reserve leaders: All consuls with 2xx ID number.
Diplomats: Any Roman leader randomnly picked from the reserve pool.
Siege Capability Rating: -3
Initial Crew Rating: 0 (a duumvir can raise this to 2 in the same way as an admiral would)
Naval Tactical Superiority: 0/0 (triremes).
Naval Transport: Romans cannot use naval transportation.
Note: All original Roman legions are full and recruits.
Stacking: Roman leaders cannot ever serve under or in commando of leaders from other nations.
* Etruria forms only one province
Greeks
Home province: None
Provinces under diplomatic control: Calabria, Syracusa
Army I: Pyrrhus, Megacles, 40 Epi inf, 10 elite Epi cav, 2 el in any hex on East coast of Calabria
Army II: Milon, 6 Epi inf inside Tarentum
Manpower: No reinforcements. May build no siege engines.
Reserve leaders: Helenus (If Pyrrhus dies, new OC. In such a case, treat all references to Pyrrhus in special rules and events as referring to Helenus, unless noted otherwise.)
Siege Capability Rating: -3
Diplomats: Cineas (replaced by an unnamed diplomat if dead)
Elephants: The first time Greek elephants are used against the Romans in battle, they automatically bring a bonus of +/-5 in favour of the Greeks. No die-roll is necessary. After this elephants are used normally.
Stacking: Pyrrhus can command any allied units, save the Spartans. Megacles and Milon can command Epirote, Italian, Tarantine and Samnite units only. No Epirote leader can ever command or serve under a Roman or Carthaginian leader.
Special:
An army commanded by an Epirote leader cannot sack enemy cities as long as Pyrrhus is in play (this does not apply to Helenus as OC).
If Pyrrhus dies in battle and Megacles is stacked with him, the latter has donned the King’s armour to fool the enemy and dies instead (do not roll for his survival).
Note: Pyrrhus has already used one of his three LAM’s for year 280 before the game begins. The crossing from Ambracia in Epeiros was stormy and the fleet was scattered. This has already been dealt with. Pyrrhus’ stack can begin its move anywhere in the east coast of Calabria adjacent to Mare Adriaticum. Pyrrhus begins the game with his second LAM.
Minor powers: ITALY
Tarentines
Home province: Calabria
Diplomatic status: Greek ally (G4)
Army: Tarentine leader, 20 Tar inf, 5 Tar cav inside Tarentum
Fleet II (CR 2): 6 qd inside Tarentum
Manpower: Receives 15 Tar inf, 1 Tar cav during each Force Increase Determination Phase the controlling player chooses to take land reinforcements for its active allies (exception: Rome never gains minor power allied units). May take naval reinforcements instead (use Syracusan counters).
Reserve Leaders: None. No duumvirs, except for emergency use (use the Syracusan counter).
Initial Siege Capability: -3
Initial Crew Rating: 1
Naval Tactical Superiority: -2/+2
Stacking: Tarantine leader and units can be placed under Epirote commanders. Tarantine leader can lead only Tarantine units (land or naval)
Maximum units: Tarantines cannot have more than 40 infantry and 10 cavalry active at any given time.
Note: Tarantine leader can act also as an admiral.
Tribal Italian
Home province: Each tribe has its named home province.
Diplomatic status and yearlycontingent:
Campania Roman ally (R4) 9 Ita inf, 2 Ita cav
Etruria (both provinces) Roman ally (R0) 12 Ita inf, 1 Ita cav
Umbria Roman ally (R4) 5 Ita inf, 1 Ita cav
Picenum Roman ally (R4) 2 Ita inf
Sabinum Roman ally (R4) 10 Ita inf
Samnium Neutral (G3) 14 Sam inf, 2 Sam cav
Apulia Neutral (G3) 7 Ita inf, 2 Ita cav
Lucania Neutral (G3) 6 Ita inf, 1 Ita cav
Bruttium Neutral (G3) 3 Ita inf, 1 Ita cav
Manpower: Tribal Italian minors receive their yearly contingent immediately when they are activated and during each Force Increase Determination Phase the controlling player chooses to take land reinforcements for its active allies (exception: Rome never gains minor power allied units). Reinforcements are placed inside each tribe’s home province, either in controlled cities, or in Greek armies currently there. If reinforcements cannot be placed when activated, they are forfeited. If the Tribal Italian minor is no longer controlled, no new reinforcements are gained, but already activated units remain Greek allies.
Restrictions: Tribal Italian units cannot leave Italy. Samnites are an exception to this and they can be freely moved anywhere.
Stacking: Tribal Italian units can be commanded by Epirote or Tarentine leaders only.
Maximum units: Italian tribes cannot have more than 60 infantry and 15 cavalry active at any given time. For the Samnites these figures are 45 infantry and 10 cavalry.
Minor powers: OUTSIDE ITALY
Syracusans
Home province: Syracusa (treated as a separate one-hex province)
Cities under military control: Megara, Netum, Helorus, Camarina
Diplomatic status: Greek ally (G4)
Army: Sosistratus, 18 Syr inf, 2 Syr cav inside Syracusa
Garrisons: 2 Syr inf inside Agrigentum
1 Syr inf inside Megara [6219], Netum [6420], Helorus [6520] and Camarina [6222]
Manpower: Receives 6 Syr inf, 1 Syr cav during each Force Increase Determination Phase the controlling player chooses to take land reinforcements for its active allies (exception: Rome never gains minor power allied units). May take naval reinforcements instead. Reinforcements are placed in Syracusa (inside the city or in an army outside it). May build one siege engine if the controller forfeits all minor ally reinforcements for that year.
Reserve leaders: Hiero (event only). Syracusans have no duumvirs, except for emergency use.
Initial Siege Capability: -1
Initial Crew Rating: 1
Naval Tactical Superiority: -2/+2
Restrictions: Syracusan units cannot enter Italy.
Stacking: Syracusans can be commanded by their own commanders, Pyrrhus or Cleonymus. Syracusan leaders can also be admirals. Syracusan squadrons cannot be commanded by anyone else than a Syracusan admiral.
Maximum units: Syracusans cannot have more than 40 infantry and 7 cavalry active at any given time.
Sicilian Greeks
Home province: E. Sicily (note: does not include Syracusa or Messana)
Cities controlled: Controls all cities in E. Sicily not under the control of other powers
Original diplomatic status: Neutral (G2)
Garrisons: 8 Sic inf in Leontini, 2 Sic inf in Tauromenium
Manpower: Receives 4 Sic inf during each Force Increase Determination Phase the controlling player chooses to take land reinforcements for its active allies (exception: Rome never gains minor power allied units). Reinforcements are placed inside E. Sicily, either in controlled cities, or in armies currently there.
Restrictions: Sicilian Greeks cannot leave Sicily.
Stacking: Sicilian Greeks may only be commanded by Pyrrhus or Cleonymus.
Mamertines
Home province: Messana (treated as a separate one-hex province).
Cities under military control: Mylae (5816), Tyndaris (5818) [use neutral flags to show control]
Original diplomatic status: Neutral (C2)
Army: Leader (use Campanian tribal leader), 18 Mam inf, 2 Mam cav outside Messana (use Mamertine units of both colours).
Manpower: Receives 1 SP of any kind per year, but only to make up losses and only inside Messana.
Restrictions: Cannot ever stack with the Syracusans. Must always remain under their own leader, or garrisoning cities controlled by the Mamertines.
Note: Mamertine leader can be subordinate to Epirote or Carthaginian leaders. It cannot ever move outside Sicily, except to Rhegium or any hex adjacent to it.
Special:
Libyans
If the Greeks control cities in Carthage or Tripolitania and Pyrrhus is personally in either of these provinces, the Libyans rebel against Carthaginian rule. They do not control any cities or provinces, but send reinforcements to Pyrrhus.
Manpower: During Force Increase Determination Phase Pyrrhus receives in his army 2 SPs per city under his control in Carthage or Tripolitania (except for Carthage, Tunis or Utica). One in every six SPs so raised during a single turn is cavalry, the rest infantry.
Restrictions: Libyans cannot be moved outside Africa nor detached from an Epirote army.
Note: If Pyrrhus leaves Africa, the Libyans remain with any Epirote army left behind, but do not send additional reinforcements. If there is no Epirote army, the Libyans go home and are removed from the game. In this case they shall not reappear later even if the necessary conditions would again be available.
Campanian Legion (see original Roman placements)
Campanian Legion remains a loyal Roman garrison until Pyrrhus scores a victory over the Romans or takes a medium or large Roman controlled city by any means. After that the Legion rebels (place a revolt marker on it). All other Roman garrisons in Bruttium are removed (treat Roman units as if they had surrendered voluntarily).
Home Province: None. As long as Rhegium is under rebel control, it is treated as 'destroyed' for purposes of deciding the control status of Bruttium.
Diplomatic status: None. No diplomacy is possible with the Campanian Legion.
Army: A single full Roman ally legion inside Rhegium.
Reinforcements: None.
Restrictions: Cannot be moved.
Cleonymus (see events)
Cleonymus and his Spartans arrive by event.
Diplomatic status: Always controlled by the Greeks.
Army: Cleonymus, 10 Gre Inf in any port in Sicily.
Reinforcements: None.
Restrictions: Spartan units cannot enter Italy. They always remain in one stack, led by Cleonymus.
Note: Cleonymus is OC for Sicilian Greek and Syracusan units. He refuses to serve under anyone else. If victorious in battle or siege, his survival die-roll is modified by -5. If Epirote troops or leaders arrive in Sicily, Cleonymus is immediately removed. The remaining Spartans are removed with him.
Augury Table
01-09 King of Sicily
If Syracusa and the Sicilian Greeks are allies of Pyrrhus, and he himself is currently in Sicily, he is declared King of Sicily.
10-18 Assassin!
If Pyrrhus is King of Sicily and he is currently in Sicily, an assassination attempt is made against him. Make a casualty roll as if Pyrrhus had been hit and ignore wounded result.
If Pyrrhus dies, the King of Sicily title is lost (it can still be later recovered by Helenus, if the event in question is rerolled). The diplomatic status of Syracusa and Sicilian Greeks is moved –4 in favour of Carthage.
If Pyrrhus survives, remove Sosistratus marker permanently from play (he flees). Syracusa and Sicilian Greeks are moved –2 in favour of Carthage on the Diplomatic Status and then become neutral in the equivalent place in the Neutral Status. Remove their units from the map (but keep a note of them). If these minors are later reactivated, their remaining units can be placed as if reinforcements. Syracusa receives also Hiero as a new leader.
19-22 Renewed vigour
Return one randomly chosen LAM already used this turn among the active markers. It shall be used again in the normal way.
23-24 Drought in Italy
Down one Row to Movement and Inertia Attrition in Italy for the remainder of this turn.
25 Severe Drought in Italy
Down two Rows to Movement and Inertia Attrition in Italy for the remainder of this turn. Also, add one to Siege Attrition die-rolls. In addition, a city’s IDS may not be used to reduce Aps from Movement Attrition.
26-27 Drought in Sicily
Down one Row to Movement and Inertia Attrition in Sicily for the remainder of this turn.
28 Severe Drought in Sicily
Down two Rows to Movement and Inertia Attrition in Sicily for the remainder of this turn. Also, add one to Siege Attrition die-rolls. In addition, a city’s IDS may not be used to reduce Aps from Movement Attrition.
29-30 Drought in Africa
Down one Row to Movement and Inertia Attrition in Africa for the remainder of this turn.
31-32 Great Weather, Good Crops in Italy
Up one Row to Movement and Inertia Attrition in Italy for the remainder of this turn. Also, subtract one from Siege Attrition die-rolls for the besieging units only.
33 Great Weather, Good Crops in Sicily
Up one Row to Movement and Inertia Attrition in Sicily for the remainder of this turn. Also, subtract one from Siege Attrition die-rolls for the besieging units only.
34-35 Great Weather, Good Crops in Africa
Up one Row to Movement and Inertia Attrition in Africa for the remainder of this turn. Also, subtract one from Siege Attrition die-rolls for the besieging units only.
36-39 Revolt of the Siculi
The natives of Sicily revolt and take Enna [3315]. All units inside it are removed to nearest friendly city. Place “Siculi Revolt” marker in Enna. All movement and supply through this area is blocked. If unchecked, the revolt will grow. At the start of any year (turn), that there is a Siculi Revolt in Enna, the effects above are increased by a radius of one hex in each direction (use appropriate markers to note this). The revolt is suppressed by moving an army of at least 10 SP into Enna.
40-42 Election declared invalid
If a Dictator has been chosen this turn, remove him. The Senate has determined irregularities existed in the election process. Remove both the Dictator and his Master of Horse. Choose a new Dictator and Master of Horse immediately.
43-46 Consul Falls Ill
Roll a die; 0-3 it is the Consul for Rome, 4–9 the Field Consul. Roll again; odd, he dies, even he is ill (treat as wounded). In both cases the Consul is replaced according to normal rules (8.6).
47 Unlike a Virgin
The Consul for Rome has been caught with his toga down, in flagrante delicto, with young Sextilia, heretofore one of the Vestal Virgins. The Consul is removed from office for the remainder of the year (he is returned to the pool next year). This event can occur only once.
48 Arrest That Man!
The Consul for Rome is expelled from the Senate – and his office – by the Senate, which has found him to be in possession of ten pounds weight of silver goblets, obviously more than the Senate has decreed. Remove the Consul permanently from play and replace immediately with a new Consul.
49-52 Heavy Weather in the Mediterranian
For the remainder of the turn it costs 10 DPs to enter and All-Sea hex, and ten is subtracted from each disaster die-roll.
53 An attempted coup in Carthage fails
The Carthaginian player removes randomly one leader from his Leader Pool. This leader has tried to return Carthage into a kingdom, but failed. He has been summarily executed in a grisly manner. Remove him from play.
54-57 Senate Acts Huffy
This event is triggered only if Pyrrhus is in Italy. Otherwise treat is as no event. Roll a die for every city occupied by Roman troops in the province in which Pyrrhus presently is. If the die-roll is higher than that city’s IDS plus the number of SP’s inside it, the city revolts. Place an “In Revolt” marker on the city. The city now belongs solely to the units inside it, and must be captured by any player to take control. In addition, do the same for all Roman-occupied cities in provinces adjacent to the province in which Pyrrus is in, but subtract two (-2) from the die-roll.
58-62 Gauls Threaten Etruria
As soon as the Roman player draws a Consul or Proconsul LAM, he must send that Consular Army (two legions) to Arretium. If there is no Consul of Proconsul available with a Consular Army, one must be raised immediately. The army send to Arretium must remain there for the remainder of this turn and the next. At the end of the next turn, the Roman player rolls one die: the result is the number of infantry SP’s he must remove from the legions activated by this event. If the die-roll is 4 or higher, a cavalry SP must also be removed. This event cannot occur again while still active.
63-72 Cineas
The Greek player subtracts two (-2) from any Diplomacy die-rolls for this turn (excluding rolls on Disaster Table). The second time this augury is rolled, Cineas dies. He is replaced by the ambassador counter on the reverse side.
73-74 Trouble Back Home
There is major trouble brewing back in Epirus and some troops must be send back home to support Philippus, the oldest son of Pyrrhus and his regent. Remove a number of Epirote infantry SP’s equal to a die-roll. If this event occurs again, treate as no event.
75-81 Roman Fortitude
The Romans stiffen their upper lips, hitch up their belts, and answer the call. Roman OC can make a Manpower Operation this turn even if there are now enemy units in Latium.
82-86 The Senate Gets Cheap
Next time the Roman player seeks to raise or reinforce legions, subtract two (-2) from the die-roll. This does not apply if there is any enemy force of 20 SP’s or more within five hexes of Rome.
87-90 Libyan Raids
Libyans raid Tacape [Cr-4237] area. The Carthaginians must place (or increase) Tacape garrison to 2 inf and also place 1 inf in Gigithis [Cr-4735]. These garrisons must remain in place until the end of the next year. If the cities already have the required garrisons, or do not belong to Carthage, treat as no event. Otherwise, the Carthaginian player upgrades the garrisons immediately by redeploying the required inf SPs from anywhere in Africa. Nationality restrictions still apply. If unable to comply, both cities become uncontrolled and Tripolitania is considered in revolt until they are retaken by the Carthaginians.
91-95 Sardinian Revolt
The Sardinians decide this is as good a time as any to raise a ruckus. The controller of Sardinia removes 10 SPs of Infantry and 1 SP of cavalry from his forces in play (but not under siege or under any manpower restrictions) and places them in Caralis [It-4332], where they must remain until this event is rolled again. If such forces are not available, the player must draw them from any new troops raised until he has enough or the event is rolled again.
96-99 Champion from Sparta
This event is triggered only, if Syracusa is controlled by the Greeks. If there are currently no Epirote troops or leaders in Sicily, Greek player may call a Spartan adventurer Cleonymus there. See minor descriptions for details. Cleonymus can arrive only once.
00 Volcano Erupts!
Roll a die; if the result is even, Mt. Etna [It-6018] erupts; if odd, Mt Vesuvius [It-4512] goes over the top. Roll one die and multiply that die-roll by 10. This number is the percentage of SP’s in that hex (Vesuvius), or adjacent to it (Etna) that are immediately removed.
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Rob Tyson
United States
Landing
New Jersey
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Excellent work. I'll have to try it out one of these days.
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Richard Berg
United States
South Carolina
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Why don't you submit it to C3i, GMT's magazine . . . which loves tis sort of stuff.
RHB
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Living up north here in Finland I am not all that familiar with C3i, unfortunately. Might they be interested? How do I contact them?
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Brian Sielski
United States
Pequannock
New Jersey
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Hmmm ... it does look interesting. Maybe I can get Tyson to play.
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Mark McG
Australia
Penshurst
NSW
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There are moves afoot to get a VASSAL mod done for this scenario. Perhaps a few playtests before going to C3i might be sensible.
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I would be honoured, if someone takes enough interest in my scenario to work it out to a module. Thank you kindly. I am not quite certain what VASSAL is, having only used Cyberboard, but I guess it is a somewhat similar system?
The three-player version has been tested a few times, but more or less with the same team. So, I would be very interested to hear how it works with other people. Keep me posted and ask, if you have any questions concerning the scenario.
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Mark McG
Australia
Penshurst
NSW
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Romans on a Boat
- can the Romans take control of a Carthaginian Fleet when making a Naval Transport operation?
- can the Carthaginians deny the Romans use of Naval Transport (since I think the alliance deal was that Rome used Carthaginian ships)?
- does the Roman Naval Transport Limitation of the First Punic War Scenario apply?
I guess similarly Greek & Carthaginians and (the unspeakable) Greek & Roman cooperation
Late Edit: and I assume the Corvus is prohibited..
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Hans van der Drift
Australia
Bulimba
Qld
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We are playing the Three player version and one of the players has asked:
Not sure the Greek manpower thing works as intended. Pyhrrus will add more than the equivalent of a full consular army every turn to his manpower under the current interpretation. That means he will end up with 100's of men sitting around in the provinces within in a few turns. In the original RRR scenario Pyhrrus had to do a manpower action to get new troops which meant he had fewer actions that year to campaign - a trade off between action and raising men. If this is correct as stands, he gets 3 activations a turn and a huge tide of manpower. Not quite sure the play balance is right. I really think we need to check with the scenario designer.
I think the raiding can slow it down, but he is insistent on me asking you the question.
Regards
Hans
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This is an interesting question and I am glad you took it up. It has raised eyebrows here in Finland as well. First the question of having the Greeks take reinforcements during the Force Increase Determination. In our games I noticed that Pyrrhus always takes the reinforcements in any case as he has a 70 per cent chance to keep on going after that. In five years he is likely to miss only one action or so. Hardly a reason to refuse reinforcements.
So having Manpower Operations is really superfluous and only slows the game down (it appears that the game designer has come to the same conclusion as he added the FID phase to "Carthage"). Besides, with Manpower Operations Pyrrhus is allowed to take reinforcements also during the first year and thus he actually gains more reinforcements this way than when he is using the FID. Therefore I decided to scrap Manpower Operations for the Greeks altogether.
Then some figures: Rome has 108 infantry/24 cavalry in its armies at game start. Assuming it gains the equivalent of one legion each turn (a vague assumption based on a modifier of -3 for three lost provinces and a consistent die-roll of five), it ends up with 198/44 units by the time the game end (plus some garrison troops). Granted, there is no way to make any precise assumptions here, but lets say Rome shall have at least something like 160/40 during the game.
The Tarantines begin with 20/5 and Pyrrhus has 46/10 (+2 elephants). Thus a total of 66/15. Assuming the four most likely Italian candidates for alliance with Pyrrhus are activated in the first year (the Samnites, Apulians, Lucanians and Bruttians), this figure rises by 30/6 to 96/21. If Pyrrhus continues to keep this alliance together for the next five years (not certain, but there is also a chance that more Italians are attracted to join in) the Eagle gets an additional 245/40 as reinforcements. It is, however, quite likely that the Greeks shall take naval reinforcements once in order to have something against the Punic naval power. If so, the reinforcements in Italy drop to 200/33. Thus Pyrrhus would have something like 246/48 for his grand total in Italy. Yet all of these troops are unlikely to ever be collected to an army and some shall in all likelihood be send to Sicily, together with Pyrrhus' veterans.
All there figures are, of course, theoretical as armies suffer constant drain of units, probably between 10 to 20 each year. But they give the impression that the Greeks shold have (if everything goes fine) something of a numerical superiority in infantry (but not cavalry) against the Romans. Figures of ancient history are notoriously unrealiable, but it seems a fair assumption that Pyrrhus had somewhat larger forces than the Romans at his disposal at the high tide of his success. It thus seems that there is no reason to put breaks on Greek reinforcements.
On the other hand, your question makes me wonder whether different playing styles affect these outcomes. Maybe some prefer to keep gathering strength without doing anything to cause losses (I do not consider this a sensible policy, but it is possible). That would indeed lead into massed armies, which is unhistorical and probably beyound the manpower levels available in Italy at that time. So, in order to avoid this, it is probably better to have maximums for each minors. After all, they are not likely to affect most games at all.
So I shall add the following maximums to the scenario:
Syracusans 40/7
Tarantines 40/10
Italians 60/15
Samnites 45/10
All these figures are quite arbitrary, but they have a reason behind them. Syracusa did field large armies and although there are no exact figures for the Tarantines, they are known to have faced the Romans also by themselves (they were not really the party-folk Roman historians would have us think). Both Greek city states relied heavily on mercenaries and could probably muster mercenary armies of the nature of some 20.000 men or so. Italian tribes were more than a match to the Greek cities in Italy and appear to have had quite large manpower reserves. The Samnite confederacy was really a league of Italian tribes and was certainly able to field armies of the size of a Roman consular army.
I shall now modify the scenario above based on comments made here and elsewhere. Thank you kindly for your input. It is always heartening and instructive to hear comments from other players when trying to create a new game scenario.
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Posted Sun Apr 26, 2009 8:50 am
