Brian Bankler
United States
San Antonio
Texas
"Keep Summer Safe!"
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This morning I played a game against Rob
Robert Ramirez
United States
San Antonio
Texas
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it's been a year or two for each of us. Fortunately we had the Universal Head's lovely player aids. Rob took Carthage and I took Rome. The first turn was pretty typical ... drop some PC markers, and Hannibal crossed the Alps without incident. He made a deep incursion into Rome (dropping one CU to prepare a flip), which was intercepted by the full army, Despite the card advantage, Hannibal lost and the retreat penalty meant his army was cut in half. (Forgetting the retreat penalty was a big deal). At the end of the turn Syracuse flipped.
The next turn Rome worked on retaking Syracuse (with the help of the treachery card to get 2 siege roles) as well as subjugated the Southern tribe. Hannibal stayed in the Alps and rebuilt his army .. both players had a fair number of event cards to add CUs to the board and additional PC markers were being placed. Control of provinces remained relatively even for the next few turns, as both Consuls stayed in Northern Italy (adjacent to each other) to keep Hannibal bottled up, Bad weateher stopped the first invasion of Southern Italy, and then the second Meanwhile a Carthaginian army invaded southern italy. The followon invasion occured, but without a solid base of spaces to retreat to the Roman forces managed to surround and destroy the invasion force.
The next turn Marcellus (Proconsul after destroying the Southern invaders) counter invaded Carthiginia. In my hand I had the Numidian revolt (to remove all PCs in Eastern Numidia) as well as Numidian Allies desert. Hannibal was winning small battles in Northern Italy, but with ~22 local legions and two consuls Rome was happy to lose while causing reasonable attrition. Marcellus managed to several key spots of the African provinces and surprise Hanno in the battlefield (when his allies deserted). Hasdrubal tried to return home from Spain, but bad weather stopped him. Rome ended the turn in control of Eastern Numidia and almost gained Control of Carthiginia. Still, that was enough to lead 10-8 provinces by the time Scipio showed up. Marcellus could have started to besiege Carthage, but I decided on the long game and grab as much PC markers.
Scipio set up to reinforce Northern Italy. Marcellus stayed Proconsul in Africa against a weakened Hanno. Hasdrubal's finally arrived in Carthage, at which point I played a Major campaign to move G. Nero (?) to Spain and drop troops to take Baetica... Hasdrubal dispatched most of Marcellus on the next impulse, but then I had Hanno Counseled Carthage, so Hasdrubal was stuck. Then Celitbera revolted. Hasdrubal retook Africa, but the damage was done. Turn 7 saw Rome up 11-7.
As our (real) time limit approached at turn 8, the last turn saw Rome suffer it's first revolt (Corsica-Sardina) while Hannibal smashed his way through Varro, who got Routed via a Double Envelop. However Scipio "Italianus" intercepted as Hannibal marched into Rome and repulsed the invaders and captured Hannibal, which was enough to call it.
Toward the end of the game we noticed that the two Carthaginian generals that start with Hannibal hadn't been taken from the box, so (as per SABG tradition) an asterisk was put by the winner's name. Mago would have been useful to dispatch to pick up more troops. In my defense (as Rome), I'm the one who asked "Where are your other generals?" But I'd been so focused (with my 2 counsuls/turn) that it seemed reasonable that Carthage only had three generals until I remembered.
Anyway, a fun game, taking about 4 hours. I need to play this more, as always. At least I can mark this as a game I wanted to get played during the summer. Just a little late.
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Russ Williams
Poland
Wrocław
Dolny Śląsk
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Bankler wrote: Toward the end of the game we noticed that the two Carthaginian generals that start with Hannibal hadn't been taken from the box
Oops...! 
Quote: I need to play this more, as always.
Yep, it's a great one.
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Tim
United States
San Antonio
Texas
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Bankler wrote: (as per SABG tradition) an asterisk was put by the winner's name.
What can you do? It's tradition.
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Brian Bankler
United States
San Antonio
Texas
"Keep Summer Safe!"
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I also realized (this afternoon) that we messed up the Elephants. Rob was pretty sure that he had to lose one each battle, but we couldn't find the rule. (It's hidden under the section marked "Elephants." I know). Also, we forgot that Carthage can choose to make Rome play first.
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Eric Brosius
United States
Needham Heights
Massachusetts
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If an army with elephants takes a retreat loss, the first must be an elephant.
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Robert Ramirez
United States
San Antonio
Texas
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Eric Brosius wrote: If an army with elephants takes a retreat loss, the first must be an elephant.
Yep, that was the rule. We just couldn't find it.
It was a great game... Jst to admire how well this one has aged was totally worth despite nerfing carthage a bit without mago/ gisgo. In my own defense, when i got to Brian's, the game was already set up without mago or gisgo in Hannibal's box, and i didn't question it.
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Brian Bankler
United States
San Antonio
Texas
"Keep Summer Safe!"
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r3gamer wrote: Eric Brosius wrote: If an army with elephants takes a retreat loss, the first must be an elephant. Yep, that was the rule. We just couldn't find it. It was a great game... Jst to admire how well this one has aged was totally worth despite nerfing carthage a bit without mago/ gisgo. In my own defense, when i got to Brian's, the game was already set up without mago or gisgo in Hannibal's box, and i didn't question it.
I think I just did it via the Map, which lists the space as "Hannibal, 8 CUs and 2 Elephants" (although I'd have to look to be sure).
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