SAMNITE WARS
INTRODUCTION
Wargame for 2-4+ players.
Theme: Expansion of the Roman Republic.
Each player on his turn takes the role of a Consul of Rome,
trying to protect the Republic and expand its borders.
On other players turns, players are the enemies of Rome.
THE MAP
The map depicts the main regions of Italy in antiquity.
Rome is in the Latin Region.
The Region marked Gaul refers to those Celts inhabiting the Po Valley.
Umbria also includes Picenum.
VICTORY
The game ends when Rome controls 6 or more Regions and the current
Consul declares the game to be over.
The player with the most Prestige Tokens (PT) is the winner.
PRESTIGE TOKENS
Players share a common set of Tokens.
Each player will accumulate their own pile of PT.
A Players pile is known as his "Triumph".
There is no limit to the number of PT.
GLORY OF ROME
Coins not owned by any player are kept in a pile off
the map. This pile is known as the "Glory of Rome"
GOLD COINS
Players share a common set of Coins.
TAX BASE AND TREASURY
Coins are owned by Rome and not individual players.
Coins not owned by Rome are kept in a off-map pile called the "Tax Base"
Coins owned by Rome are kept in a pile known as the "Treasury"
Treasury coins are kept on the Map (by Sardinia).
During his turn, the current first Consul has access to the Treasury.
Coins spent are returned to the Tax Base.
DICE
Six and ten sided dice are needed.
THE FATE DECK
Players share a common deck.
The Fate deck is kept face up.
The discard is kept face down.
CONTROL
To show that Rome controls a Region, place a PT on it on the map.
The Samnites must have 3 Tokens to be controlled.
SETUP
Place a PT on the Latin Region on the map.
Each player starts with 1D6 PT in their Triumph pile.
The Treasury starts with 1D6 Coins.
Players roll high on 1D10 to see who goes first.
TURN SEQUENCE
Players take turns.
On his a turn a player controls Rome and has the title of First Consul.
All other players are referred to as the Foes.
Each turn has 7 Phases:
1. Fate Phase
2. Taxation Phase
3. Strategy Phase
4. Event Phase
5. Resolution Phase
6. Prestige Phase
7. Etcetera Phase
FATE PHASE
All players fill their hand to 10 cards.
The Fate deck is kept face up.
The discard is kept face down.
TAXATION PHASE
Place 2 + X Coins into the Treasury.
X = The Number of Regions controlled by Rome including the Latins.
STRATEGY
The current player (The Consul) may pay X Gold to draw
X cards and put them in his hand
EVENT PHASE
The Consul rolls on the Event Table.
THE EVENT TABLE
1D10 Event:
1 Revolt
2-4 Peace (Pax Romana)
5-7 Raids
8-0 War
RESOLUTION PHASE
Resolve the current Event.
REVOLT
If you get the Revolt event, there is a Rebellion in a Region controlled by Rome.
If Rome only controls the Latins, then a Latin city revolts.
If there is more than one Region, a region other than the Latins revolts.
The Foes (all players except the Consul) decide which Region Rebels.
The Consul decides which other Player will take the role of the Rebels.
If there are 4+ players, the Roman player may pick one player to be his ally.
That player must give the Consul 2 cards from his hand.
Likewise the Rebels may pick another player to be his ally.
The Consul and the Rebels simultaneously play 1 or more cards face up to the table.
This is known as a "War Effort". A War Effort can contain a maximum of:
1 Ally card, 1 Strategy Card, 1 Troop Card, 1 Weapon Card, 1 Battle Card
Each player totals up the Force value of his played cards.
The side with the highest value wins.
If tied roll players roll high on 1D6 to break the tie.
If the Consul wins, he gains 3 PT.
If the Rebels win, the Consul loses 6 PT and roll 1D6:
On a roll of 1-3 the Region frees itself from Roman Control:
Remove the PT from it on the map.
In revolts, Rome is the attacker, and the Rebels are defenders.
PEACE
If you get the Peace event, the Consul has 2 options he may pick from:
1. Pax Romana
2. Campaign
If he chooses Pax Romana, he gains 1 Prestige Token (PT).
If he chooses Campaign, he spends 2 Gold and must pick a Region to invade.
The target Region must share a border with a region Rome already controls.
The Consul decides which other Player will take the role of the Defenders.
If there are 4+ players, the Roman player may pick one player to be his ally.
That player must give the Consul 2 cards from his hand.
Likewise the defender may pick another player to be his ally.
The Consul and the Defenders simultaneously play 1 or more cards face up to the table.
This is known as a "War Effort". A War Effort can contain a maximum of:
1 Ally card, 1 Strategy Card, 1 Troop Card, 1 Weapon Card, 1 Battle Card
Each player totals up the Force value of his played cards.
The side with the highest value wins.
If tied roll players roll high on 1D6 to break the tie.
If the Defenders win, the Consul loses 6 PT.
If the Consul wins, he gains 1D6 PT and 1D6 Gold, and a Conquest card may be played.
If the Consul does not have a conquest card, another player may play a
conquest card. If there are several, players roll high on 1D6 to see who gets the honor.
The player who plays the Conquest card gains PT according to the card and a PT is placed on
the newly conquered Region to show that Rome now controls it.
If no one has a conquest card, then the Region was defeated but remains free.
RAIDS
Enemy Regions are Raiding the Republic.
If you get the Peace event, the Consul has 2 options he may pick from:
1. Fortify
2. Campaign
If he chooses Fortify, he spends 1D6 Gold from the Treasury.
If he chooses Campaign, he spends 2 Gold and must pick a Region to invade.
The target Region must share a border with a region Rome already controls.
The Consul decides which other Player will take the role of the Defenders.
If there are 4+ players, the Roman player may pick one player to be his ally.
That player must give the Consul 2 cards from his hand.
Likewise the defender may pick another player to be his ally.
The Consul and the Defenders simultaneously play 1 or more cards face up to the table.
This is known as a "War Effort". A War Effort can contain a maximum of:
1 Ally card, 1 Strategy Card, 1 Troop Card, 1 Weapon Card, 1 Battle Card
Each player totals up the Force value of his played cards.
The side with the highest value wins.
If tied roll players roll high on 1D6 to break the tie.
If the Defenders win, the Consul loses 6 PT.
If the Consul wins, he gains 1D6 PT and 1D6 Gold, and a Conquest card may be played.
If the Consul does not have a conquest card, another player may play a
conquest card. If there are several, players roll high on 1D6 to see who gets the honor.
The player who plays the Conquest card gains PT according to the card and a PT is placed on
the newly conquered Region to show that Rome now controls it.
If no one has a conquest card, then the Region was defeated but remains free.
WAR
If you get the War event, an enemy Region attacks the Roman Republic.
Roll on the Region Table to determine which.
If you get the Latins, treat it as a Revolt instead of a War result.
If you roll a region not adjacent (sharing a Border) to the Republic, then use the
result in Parenthesis instead.
If you roll a Region that Rome already controls, treat it as a
Revolt of that Province instead.
The Consul decides which other Player will take the role of the Attacker.
If there are 4+ players, the Roman player may pick one player to be his ally.
That player must give the Consul 2 cards from his hand.
Likewise the attacker may pick another player to be his ally.
The Consul and the Attacker simultaneously play 1 or more cards face up to the table.
This is known as a "War Effort". A War Effort can contain a maximum of:
1 Ally card, 1 Strategy Card, 1 Troop Card, 1 Weapon Card, 1 Battle Card
Each player totals up the Force value of his played cards.
The side with the highest value wins.
If tied roll players roll high on 1D6 to break the tie.
If the Consul wins, he gains 2D6 PT.
If the attackers win, the Consul loses 2D6 PT, Rome loses half its
Treasury (Round down) and roll 1D6:
On a roll of 1-3 one (non-Latin) Region controlled by Rome regains its
freedom. Remove the PT from it from the Map. The Consul chooses which region.
THE REGION TABLE
1D10 Region: Notes:
1 Latins (Revolt) Civilized
2 Etruscans (Peace) Civilized; Hellenized
3 Samnites (Peace) Semi-Civilized
4 Campanians (Peace) Civilized, Hellenized
5 Gauls (Etruscans) Un-Civilized
6 Umbrians (Samnites) Semi-Civilized
7 Messapians (Samnites) Semi-Civilized
8 Lucanians (Peace) Semi-Civilized
9 Bruttians (Peace) Semi-Civilized
0 Tarentines (Peace) Civilized; Hellenized
PRESTIGE PHASE
The Current Consul gains PT equal to the amount of Gold in the Treasury.
ETCETERA PHASE
All players may discard up to 5 cards from their hands.
If the Treasury ever has more than 20 Gold, it immediately loses
1D10 Gold from Corruption.
LOSING BATTLES
A consul may not choose to campaign if Rome lost a Battle the previous turn.
This rule may be negated by playing the Recruitment or Conscription cards.
ALLY CARDS
Ally cards are worth 3 Force if you are currently in the role of that Region.
They are worth 2 Force if you are the Consul and Rome controls that Region.
Otherwise they are worth 1 Force.
USE OF CARDS
Many cards have the “Only” condition.
The Consul may use cards specific to non-Roman regions if Rome controls them.
For instance, if Rome controls Gaul, the Consul may use the Chariot card.
VICTORY CARDS
These are used to modify the PT gained or lost by the Consul after a Battle that
Rome has won. These can be played by any player.
DEFEAT CARDS
These are used to modify the PT gained or lost by the Consul after a Battle that
Rome has lost. These can be played by any player.
If a Defeat card is played, the entire Treasury is lost.
PEACE CARDS
These are played by the consul during a Pax Romana Event.
CARD LIST NOTATION
A = Ally Card
B = Battle Card
C = Conquest Card
V = Victory Card
P = Peace Card
D = Defeat Card
X = Special Cards
W = Weapon Card
T = Troops Card
S = Strategy Card
THE FATE DECK
Card Name Type Force Notes:
Latins A -
Etruscans A -
Samnites A -
Campanians A -
Gauls A -
Umbrians A -
Messapians A -
Lucanians A -
Bruttians A -
Tarentines A -
Siege B 2 Attacker only
Fortifications S 2 Defender only
Warriors T 2 Non-Civilized only
Soldiers T 2 Civilized only
Hoplites T 2 Hellenized only
Maniples S 3 Rome and Samnites only
Tribesmen T 1 Non-Civilized only
Barbarians T 1 Non-Civilized only
Hordes T 3 Non-Civilized only
Discipline S 2 Civilized only
Swords W 1 +1 for non-Semi-Civilized only
Javelins W 1 +1 for Samnites
Spears W 1 -
Shields W 1 -
Slingers W 1 -
Armor W 1 +1 for Civilized only
Cavalry T 2 -
Initiative B 2 -
Leadership B 2 -
Tactics B 2 -
Terrain B 2 -
Morale B 2 -
Surprise B 3 -
Archers W 2 Messapians only
Phalanx S 3 Hellenized only
Ferocity B 2 Non-Civilized only
Warships T 2 Civilized vs. Civilized only
Greek General B 3 Free defending Tarentines only
Legions T 3 Rome only
Centurions S 2 Rome only
Military Roads S 2 Rome only
Gladius & Pilum W 2 Rome only
Fortified Camps B 2 Rome only
Italian Allies T 1 -
New Foe S 2 Enemy of Rome only
Coalition S 2 Enemy of Rome only
Artillery W 2 Civilized only
Chariots W 2 Gauls only
City States S 2 Civilized Defender only
Tyrant S 2 Hellenized only
Citizenship C - Gain +3 PT
Assimilation C - Gain +3 PT
Integration C - Gain +3 PT
Garrison C - Gain +1 PT
Influence C - Gain +2 PT
Power C - Gain +2 PT
Annexation C - Gain +2 PT
Expansion C - Gain +2 PT
Colonies C - Gain +2 PT
Occupation C - Gain +1 PT
Development C - Gain +2 PT
Subjugation C - Gain +1 PT
Plunder V - Gain 3 Gold
Take Slaves V - Gain 2 Gold
Decisive Victory V - Gain +2 PT
Pyrrhic Victory V - Lose -2 PT
Severe Terms V - Gain +1 PT and 2 Gold
Sue for Peace V - Gain +2 PT and 1 Gold
Humiliating Defeat D - Lose -2 PT
Pass Under the Yoke D - Lose -2 if Rome is the Attacker
Ransoms D - Lose -1 PT
Rome is Sacked D - Lose -4 PT Rome as defender only
Tribute P - Gain 3 Gold Gain +3 PT
Trade P - Gain 1 Gold Gain +1 PT
Govern P - Spend 2 Gold Gain +4 PT
Build P - Spend 4 Gold Gain +8 PT
Taxation P - Gain 3 Gold
Prosperity P - Gain 2 Gold Gain +2 PT
Patronage P - Spend 3 Gold Gain +6 PT
Politics P - Spend 1 Gold Gain +2 PT
Intrigue P - Spend 2 Gold Opponent Loses 4 PT
Dictatorship P - Gain +1 PT
Treaty X - Negate a War Event; Pax Romana Instead
Hostages X - Negate a War Event; Pax Romana Instead
Diplomacy X - Negate a War Event; Pax Romana Instead
Scandal X - Consul loses 3 PT
Plague X - Consul may not Campaign
Recruitment X - Spend 2 Gold. Consul may Campaign
Conscription X - Spend 2 Gold. Consul may Campaign
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