Ancients I

About this board game

Ancients I is a board game for 1–2 players with an approximately 90-minute playing time, featuring 32 scenarios covering battles from 1800 B.C. to 1400 A.D.

Each scenario brings a different conflict from a broad historical period to the table. The armies represented include forces from the ancient world through the medieval era, offering a wide range of matchups across the game’s scenario collection.

The sequence of play follows these stages:

1. Remove Leaders
2. Check for Panic
3. Reinforcements
4. Movement
5. Leaders
6. Combat
7. Rally

Among the armies included are the Hittites, Egyptians, Assyrians, Spartans, Persians, Macedonians, Romans, Carthaginians, Ancient Britons, Goths, Saxons, Vikings, Normans, Crusaders, Muslims, Mongols, English, Scots, and French.

The designer and publisher rate Ancients I as having low complexity and very high solitaire suitability. That makes its 32 scenarios suitable for both two-player sessions and solo play, while keeping the game’s stated rules complexity low.

Ancients I re-implements Ancients and was expanded by Ancients II. It was later re-implemented by Ancient Battles Deluxe: From Guts to Gunpowder, placing this edition within a broader series of games focused on battles from antiquity through the medieval period.