Designer's Comments

A second run for the end of the Roman Republic game, which started in 60BC and ran for about eight game years, covering in theory the time of the First Triumvirate - Caesar, Crassus and Pompey. The game was heavily influenced by the old Avalon Hill boardgame 'Republic of Rome', and was divided in two main sections - the internal Roman political game, which involved factions in the Senate vying for honours and commands, and the Provincial (map) game. Senators aimed to become Consuls and Praetors, and then get sent out to a lucrative Province governorship, where they could interact with barbarians or try to fleece the locals for more money. There were also several non-Roman powers played. The Egyptians had an internal politicking and backstabbing game involving the daughters of Ptolemy (including Cleopatra), scheming eunuchs and army commanders, and trying not to be absorbed by Rome - Egypt also provided most of Rome's grain, so that gave them leverage but also a reason for Rome to invade. The Parthian Empire was also played as a small team, as well as single players representing Nabatea, Dacia and a couple of other minor kingdoms. Barbarian incursions were run by Control.

For the second run, I tried to give the Parthians more of an internal game, with the ageing King dying on the first turn, leaving his two sons to squabble amongst themselves and their supporters for the throne. However, the internal squabble never materialised, and so the game essentially became a re-run of the first time, with the Parthians providing a strong threat that Rome had to get organised to deal with. Egypt did manage to stay free this time, though.

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