1. Introduction
0. component changes
1. introduction
2. diplomatic phase
3. operations phase
4. movement
5. combat
6. political phase
7. economic phase
8. leaders
9. peloponnesian war scenario
1. Introduction
The game covers the Peloponnesian War, a thirty-year conflict between the naval might of the Athenian empire and the land power of the Peloponnesian League headed by Sparta. The objective of the game is to defeat your enemies while conserving your own strength. Historically, even though the Spartans were victorious, they were so exhausted and demographically depleted that they were defeated by Thebes in the Battle of Leuctra (371 BC) only 33 years after the war's conclusion.
In a four-player game, the players command the states of Athens, Sparta, Corinth and Thebes. In a three-player game, the Spartan player controls the units of Thebes. In a two-player game, the Spartan player controls both Corinth and Thebes. Alternate scenarios allow the players to simulate other periods in Greek history, such as the Persian invasion of 480 BC.
Each game turn represents three years of activity. Given this time scale, map scale is irrelevant, as units can easily traverse the map several times within a span of three years.
During each game turn, the major city-states take turns moving armies, fighting battles and conducting sieges. The success or failure of these operations influences the amount of revenue received at the end of the turn, and affects each side's will to continue prosecuting the war (measured as bellicosity). Revenue, measured in talents, is used to activate units for operations and build new ships, among other things. Once the victory conditions for a side are met, the game ends and the victor is determined.
The rules are organized into numbered sections and subsections. References to related rules sections are noted in parentheses, like so (1.2).
The map depicts the center of the Greek world at the time of the Peloponnesian War. The map is divided into spaces connected by paths. There are three types of spaces: Land, Coastal and Island, and three types of paths: Land, Naval and Combined. The type of path determines the types of units that can move between adjacent spaces. Fortress spaces are indicated by a fortress symbol.
Spaces are grouped into areas representing the historical districts of ancient Greece.
In the game, city-states are cities powerful enough to have an independent diplomatic stance. Each city-state has a home space and a home area (where the city is located). Some inland city-states have a port where naval forces are stationed.
Every non-neutral fortress space is controlled by a city-state. The space is friendly to the controlling city-state and its allies, and unfriendly to its enemies. Initial control is determined by the scenario being played.
Fortress spaces change control during the course of the game through the placement of garrisons (1.3.2). When a garrison is placed in a space, the owner of the garrison immediately gains control of the space. If the garrison is removed for any reason, the space reverts to its original controller. The presence of other units (combat units and leaders) in a fortress space does not affect control of that space.
A non-fortress space is controlled by whoever occupies the space (or its original controller if unoccupied). If more than one city-state occupies the space, control goes to whoever has occupied it the longest.
Spaces can also change control due to rebellion. A non-city-state space in rebellion is not controlled by any city-state. It is unfriendly to its initial controller, and is unfriendly (or friendly) to other city-states if they are friendly (or unfriendly) to the initial controller.
City-state home spaces are always controlled by that city-state. If the space is captured, the city-state surrenders and switches its allegience to the victor.
Three neighboring kingdoms played a role in the politics of Greece and the Aegean. Only a small portion of each appears on the board. Special rules apply to these areas, according to the scenario.
The various political entities of Ancient Greece are represented in the game by major city-states such as Athens and Sparta and minor city-states such as Corcyra and Epidaurus. A player takes the part of a major city-state, and may direct the actions of other major and minor city-states through the course of the game. Each major city-state, whether controlled by a player or not, has a status card, which records the city-state's treasury, bellicosity and resentment, allies and enemies.
Bellicosity measures how determined the city-state is in its efforts to continue the war. When a city-state's bellicosity drops to 0, it will surrender to any dominant city-state (6.3).
The treasury holds the amount of money (measured in talents) available to support the war effort. Revenue is added to the treasury in the Administrative Phase, and spent during the Operations Phase to conduct operations.
The tribute rate determines how much money the city-state receives from each of its tributaries. The higher the rate, the more money received. However, high tribute rates increase the resentment level.
Resentment measures the restiveness of a city-state's possessions. A city-state whose resentment is high faces greater risk of rebellion.
The status card also has boxes to hold diplomatic status markers of the city-state's allies, tributaries and enemies, as well as markers indicating any peace treaties and hostages held.
There are three types of units in the game: leaders, combat units and garrisons. For purposes of the rules, all three count as "units".
There are three types of combat units: hoplite, cavalry and naval. Each unit is printed with a strength point (SP) number, indicating the size of the unit. A hoplite SP represents 2,000 men (a Spartan SP represents 1,000 men). A cavalry SP represents 2,000 mounted men, archers and slingers. A naval SP represents 25 triremes, plus marines and rowers armed as light troops.
The counter mix intentionally limits what can be built and used in play. Players are free to exchange units of identical type, like change, as long as the total number of SPs for a particular type in the counter mix is not exceeded. If you need to "make change" which would not exceed the allowable number of SPs for a given type and nationality of unit but, for whatever reason, the countermix prohibits the exchange, you should keep track of the discrepancy on a piece of paper until the change can be made.
For purposes of the rules, the term "combat units" refers to any number of SPs of any type. "Land combat unit" refers to hoplite and cavalry SPs. "Forces" refers to all SPs and garrisons.
Combat units project a zone of influence (ZOI) into one or more spaces.
If a both land and naval combat units are present in a space, the ZOI includes the space, all spaces within one land or combined path, and all spaces within two contiguous naval or combined paths.
Home Guard: A major city-state space is considered to contain a home guard of three hoplite SPs for purposes of interception and combat. These SPs may not move, and may not be taken as combat losses. The home guard does not affect control of the space (1.1.3).
A garrison represents a detachment of men to form a permanent garrison of a city or town. Garrisons are used to gain control of spaces. A garrison is not a combat unit, although it may participate in battles and sieges. A garrison does not exert a ZOI, even into its own space.
Each leader piece represents a historical personage who participated in the conflict. A leader is printed with his name, a skill rating, representing his ability as a general (higher is better), and a bravery rating, representing the likelihood that he will personally lead his troops in a fateful charge and get himself killed (higher is braver). Many leaders have special advantages and disadvantages (8.). A leader does not exert a ZOI, even into his own space. If a leader is left in a space containing no friendly SPs or garrison, the leader is killed if the space is unfriendly or neutral, or removed from the map until the end of the turn if the space is friendly.
The game also includes various markers to denote such things as rebellions, diplomatic status, money in the treasury, and so on. These markers are explained in the appropriate rules section. For purposes of the rules, markers are not "units".
A major city-state controlled by a player may remove its combat units and garrisons from the board at any time. Units are lost permanently. Units of non-player city-states may not be voluntarily removed.
Each game turn is played strictly according to the following sequence. Each phase, and each segment within each phase, is discrete. Once you have moved on to another phase or segment, you cannot return to a previous phase or segment. The rules for each phase are covered in the rules section indicated. Note that some phases and segments comprise a number of steps (for instance, the operations phase) which are undertaken, in order, several times per game turn, as detailed in the appropriate rules sections.
Diplomatic Phase (section 2)
Operations Phase (sections 3-5)
Political Phase (section 6)
Economic Phase (section 7)
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