Fall of Rome

2018

Experience Pandemic: Fall of Rome, a unique cooperative board game. Recruit armies, fortify cities, and forge historical alliances to halt the decline of the world's greatest empire.

60
minutes

1 - 5
player(s)

Medium

About the game

Welcome to the thrilling world of ‘Fall of Rome’, a board game that offers a unique blend of strategy, history, and excitement. Embark on an exhilarating journey back to the tumultuous days of the Roman Empire, where power, intrigue, and conquest rule the day.

The theme and setting of ‘Fall of Rome’ are deeply rooted in history. As a player, you are thrust into the heart of the Roman Empire during its decline. You take on the role of a powerful leader, navigating the treacherous political landscape, defending your territories against barbarian invasions, and striving to preserve the glory of Rome.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Fall of Rome is a board game that involves strategy, combat, and diplomacy. Here are the main components of the game and their respective roles:

1. Game Board

The game board represents the Roman Empire, divided into a number of provinces. The players move their units across the board, invading provinces and defending their territories. The board also has a turn track and a scoring track.

2. Unit Pieces

There are several types of unit pieces: legions, fortifications, and barbarian hordes. Legions are the main military units of the players, used for attack and defense. Fortifications help in defense. Barbarian hordes are non-player units that move according to specific rules, threatening the players’ territories.

3. Cards

The cards in Fall of Rome are used to determine the actions of the players and the barbarian hordes. There are two decks of cards: the Roman deck and the Barbarian deck. The Roman deck contains cards that allow the players to recruit units, move units, build fortifications, and so on. The Barbarian deck determines the movement and attacks of the barbarian hordes.

4. Dice

Dice are used in combat to determine the outcome of battles. There are two types of dice: one for the Romans and one for the Barbarians. Each type has a different distribution of outcomes, representing the different capabilities of the Romans and the Barbarians.

5. Tokens

Tokens are used to keep track of various game elements, such as the strength of units, the ownership of provinces, and the position of players on the scoring track. There are also special tokens for certain game effects.

6. Player Mats

Each player has a player mat that provides an overview of their resources, their available actions, and their current score. The mat also has spaces for the player’s cards and tokens.

Game flow Round and round we go

Fall of Rome is a strategic board game where players take on the roles of barbarian nations aiming to tear down the decaying Roman Empire. The game is played in rounds, each of which is divided into different phases. Players perform specific actions during each of these phases.

The game begins with the Setup Phase, where the game board is prepared and players choose their nations. This includes:

Placing the game board in the center of the table.
Distributing initial armies and cities to each player according to their chosen nation.
Placing the Roman legions and cities on the board.
Shuffling the event deck and placing it face down.

Once the setup phase is complete, the game proceeds in rounds. Each round of Fall of Rome is divided into the following phases:

1. Event Phase: The top card of the event deck is drawn and its effects are applied immediately. Events can have a wide range of impacts, including strengthening or weakening the Roman legions, changing the rules of the game, or affecting the actions players can take.

2. Barbarian Phase: Players take turns in clockwise order performing their actions. Each player can do the following on their turn:

Migration: Move their armies across the game board.
Battle: Engage in combat with Roman legions or other players’ armies.
Control: Establish control over territories by having the majority of armies in a region.
Reinforcement: Add new armies to territories they control.

3. Roman Phase: The Roman legions, controlled by the game itself, carry out their actions. This includes:

Moving along predefined paths on the game board.
Engaging in battles with players’ armies.
Fortifying their cities.

4. End Phase: Players check if any victory conditions have been met. The game ends immediately if a player has achieved their nation’s specific victory condition or if Rome has fallen to a barbarian nation. If no player has achieved victory, the game continues with the next round starting with the Event Phase.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

The game ‘Fall of Rome‘ is a strategic board game in which players take on the role of Roman leaders trying to defend the empire from invading barbarian tribes. During a player’s turn, they can take a series of actions to mitigate the barbarian threat and manage their empire. Here is a breakdown of the actions a player can take:

Moving Troops:

Players can move their troops from one region to another in an attempt to defend against barbarian invasions. The strategy here is to anticipate where the barbarians will attack next and ensure that there are enough troops to defend that region.
Recruit Troops:

Players can recruit new troops to strengthen their defenses. However, recruiting troops cost resources, so players must balance their need for more troops with their available resources.
Build Fortifications:

Another defensive measure players can take is to build fortifications in vulnerable regions. While this can be a strong deterrent to barbarian invasions, it also consumes resources, so players need to carefully consider where to build these structures.
Harvest Resources:

Resources are vital for recruiting troops and building fortifications. Players can harvest resources from regions within their empire. The strategic choice here is deciding which regions to harvest from, as barbarians can pillage harvested regions.
Trade:

Players can also trade resources with other players. This can be a powerful strategy for acquiring the resources you need or for depriving your opponent of resources they need.
Combat:

If a region is invaded by barbarians and there are troops present, combat occurs. The outcome of combat is determined by dice roll, but players can influence the result by having more troops or fortifications in the region.

Each of these actions has strategic implications, and players must carefully consider their options on each turn. Understanding the potential risks and rewards of each action can greatly influence the outcome of the game.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

The game of ‘Fall of Rome’ ends when one of the two following conditions is met:

The Barbarian Invasion: This is the primary end game condition. If all five barbarian tribes have invaded Rome, the game ends immediately. It’s important to note that this refers to the presence of at least one barbarian figure from each tribe within the city of Rome itself, not merely advancing towards Rome on the game board.
Victory Points: The game can also end when a player reaches or surpasses a predetermined number of Victory Points (VP). Once a player reaches this threshold, all other players are given one final turn before the game concludes.

Upon the end of the game, final scoring takes place. Here are the actions players must take before final scoring:

Clearing the Board: All players need to remove their game pieces from the board. This includes military units, forts, and colony markers, but excludes barbarian figures.
Tallying Individual Player Scores: Each player counts their individual Victory Points, which can be gained through a variety of means such as defeating barbarian invasions, building structures, and achieving specific objectives. Players should ensure they have included any bonus Victory Points from game cards or special abilities.
Calculating the Final Score: After tallying their individual scores, players add any leftover resources they have to their total Victory Points. Every set of three resources—gold, grain, and stone—counts as one Victory Point.

The player with the highest total score after these calculations is the winner of ‘Fall of Rome’. In the event of a tie, the player with the most leftover resources wins. If there is still a tie, the player who went first at the start of the game is declared the winner.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

Fall of Rome is a thrilling board game where players attempt to manage the decline of the Roman Empire. Scoring in Fall of Rome is based on a combination of military strategy, resource management, and diplomacy. Here is a detailed breakdown of the scoring system:

1. Military Strategy:

For each enemy unit defeated, players earn 1 point.
If a player successfully defends Rome from an invasion, they earn 5 points.
Conquering an enemy city will earn a player 10 points.

2. Resource Management:

For every 10 resources a player has at the end of the game, they earn 1 point.
If a player has the most resources at the end of the game, they earn an additional 10 points.

3. Diplomacy:

For each successful alliance formed, players earn 3 points.
If a player ends the game with the most alliances, they earn an additional 5 points.

Tie-Breaking Rules:

If two or more players have the same score at the end of the game, the player with the most resources wins.
If there is still a tie, the player who has the most alliances wins.
If there is yet another tie, the player who defeated the most enemy units wins.
If all these are equal, the game ends in a shared victory.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Fall of Rome is a complex and strategy-driven board game. There are several special rules, exceptions, and important rule clarifications that players should be aware of.

1. Barbarian Leaders: These pieces have unique abilities and should not be treated as regular game pieces. A player can only control a barbarian leader if they have the corresponding card in their hand. If a player loses their leader card, they lose control of that leader.

Example: If a player has the Goth Leader card, they can control the Goth Leader piece on the board. If they lose this card, they also lose control of this leader.

2. Rome’s Fall: The game immediately ends if Rome is captured by a barbarian faction.

Clarification: If Rome is under siege, but not yet captured, the game continues. It’s only when a barbarian faction has completely taken over Rome that the game ends.

3. Movement Rules: A player cannot move their pieces into a territory that is already occupied by another player’s pieces, unless they are allied.

Exception: Barbarian factions can move into territories occupied by other barbarian factions. This is the only case where pieces from different players can occupy the same territory.

4. Alliances: Players can form alliances to strengthen their positions. However, alliances can only be made at the beginning of a player’s turn and can be broken at any time during the game.

Clarification: When an alliance is broken, all pieces from the allied player must immediately leave the territories of the player who broke the alliance. They can move to any adjacent territories that they control or that are unoccupied.

5. Victory Conditions: The game can end in several ways. If Rome falls to a barbarian faction, that faction wins. If Rome is still standing after a certain number of turns (depending on the number of players), the player who controls the most territories wins. If there is a tie, the player who controls Rome wins.

Special Rule: If Rome is still standing but all players have been eliminated except one, that player wins, even if they do not control the most territories.

6. Special Cards: There are several special cards in the game that can significantly alter the course of the game. These cards can be used at any time during the player’s turn, but only once.

Example: The ‘Diplomacy’ card allows a player to immediately form an alliance with another player. The ‘Assassination’ card allows a player to remove a barbarian leader from the game.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Advanced Strategies for ‘Fall of Rome’

Understanding the game mechanics is crucial. Players should spend time learning about the different tribes, their strengths and weaknesses, and how they interact with each other and with the Roman empire.
Knowing when to engage in battle is key. Sometimes, it’s better to avoid combat and focus on forging alliances or building infrastructure.
Try to anticipate your opponents’ moves and plan your actions accordingly. This includes predicting where they might move their units and what they might use their resources for.

Tips for Beginners

Start by reading the rulebook thoroughly. Understanding the rules will make the game more enjoyable and less confusing.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. If you’re unsure about a rule or a strategy, it’s always better to ask for clarification than to make a mistake.
Practice makes perfect. The more you play, the more familiar you will become with the game’s mechanics and strategies.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid spreading your forces too thin. It’s important to have a strong defense, but if you try to protect every part of your empire, you may end up leaving all areas vulnerable.
Don’t underestimate the power of alliances. While it can be tempting to try to conquer everything yourself, forming alliances with other players can provide valuable support.
Make sure to manage your resources wisely. It can be easy to spend all your resources on battle, but don’t forget about building infrastructure and forging alliances.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay

Always have a plan. Before you take your turn, think about what you want to achieve and how you can make the most of your actions.
Stay flexible. The situation can change quickly in ‘Fall of Rome’, so it’s important to be able to adapt your strategy as needed.
Communication is key. Make sure to communicate with your allies to coordinate your moves and share information.