Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage

1996

Step into the shoes of ancient generals in Hannibal: Rome vs Carthage. This card-driven game combines military and political strategy for an epic historical showdown.

200
minutes

2 - 2
player(s)

12+

Medium Heavy

About the game

Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage is a riveting board game that plunges you into the heart of one of history’s most iconic military confrontations. The game is set during the Second Punic War, a tumultuous period that saw the mighty Roman Republic tested by the audacious Carthaginian general, Hannibal Barca. The game delivers an immersive experience by capturing the grandeur, intensity, and uncertainty of this historic conflict.

The theme and setting of Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage are brought to life through meticulously researched and beautifully illustrated game components. The board, which depicts the Western Mediterranean world, is your battlefield, and the cards, which represent historical events and figures, are your tools and weapons. As you navigate this richly detailed landscape, you’ll find yourself deeply engaged with the game’s core mechanics.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

‘Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage’ is an intricate board game that comes with a variety of components. Each piece has a unique role and contributes towards the overall gameplay. Here are the components included in the game and their respective functions:

1. Game Board:

The game board is a map that represents the western Mediterranean region, including Italy, Spain, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, and North Africa. The players move their generals and armies across the map to control different regions. The board is divided into provinces, each containing one or more spaces.

2. Roman and Carthaginian Generals:

These are the main pieces representing the leaders of the Roman and Carthaginian armies. They lead the armies and engage in battles. Each general possesses unique abilities and characteristics, affecting the course of the game.

3. Roman and Carthaginian Armies:

These pieces represent the military units under the command of the generals. They are moved around the board to control provinces and to engage in battles. The outcome of battles depends on the number and type of army units involved.

4. Control Markers:

These are used to denote which player currently has control over a specific province. Control of provinces is crucial to winning the game as they provide resources and strategic advantages.

5. Strategy Cards:

These cards provide players with different options and strategies during their turn. They can be used for various purposes like moving generals, recruiting armies, initiating battles, and other special actions. The players draw these cards at the beginning of each turn.

6. Battle Dice:

These are rolled during battles to determine the outcome. The results of the dice roll, combined with the strengths of the involved armies and the abilities of the generals, decide the victor of the battle.

7. Battle Cards:

These cards are drawn during battles and represent different battle tactics. The players play these cards to outmaneuver their opponents and gain advantages in battles.

8. Siege Towers:

These pieces are used during sieges of fortified cities. They represent the besieging force’s attempts to breach the city walls.

9. Political Control Markers:

These markers are used to keep track of the political status of each province. They show whether a province is allied, neutral, or hostile towards a player.

10. Victory Point Markers:

These markers are used to keep track of each player’s victory points. The player with the most victory points at the end of the game wins.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage is a strategy game that puts you in the middle of the Second Punic War between Rome and Carthage. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set up the game:

1. Assign Player Roles:

Firstly, the game is designed for two players. One player will take the role of Rome, and the other will take the role of Carthage. Each player’s role comes with specific abilities and responsibilities which will be detailed in the game’s rulebook.

2. Set Up the Game Board:

Unfold the game board and place it in the center of the play area. Make sure both players can easily reach it. The game board represents the western Mediterranean, where the war took place. It displays various provinces, sea zones, and cities, which are important for gameplay.

3. Distribute Initial Resources:

Each player receives an initial amount of resources. The Roman player receives 15 Combat Cards and 7 Strategy Cards while the Carthaginian player receives 10 Combat Cards and 7 Strategy Cards. The Roman player also starts with 5 generals and 10 armies on the board, while the Carthaginian player starts with 4 generals and 8 armies.

4. Position Initial Forces:

Place your armies and generals in the starting locations indicated on the board. For Rome, these are typically in and around the city of Rome itself. For Carthage, the starting locations are in and around the city of Carthage.

5. Prepare the Draw Deck and Deal Cards:

Shuffle the Strategy Cards and place them face down next to the game board to form a draw deck. Each player then draws seven cards from the deck to form their initial hand.

6. Random Elements:

There are several random elements in the game. For example, the Strategy Cards drawn by players can change the course of the game. Additionally, a player’s success in battle is determined by a roll of the dice, adding a further element of chance.

7. Determine First Player:

The Roman player typically goes first, representing Rome’s initial advantage in the war. This completes the setup and you are now ready to play ‘Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage’.

Game flow Round and round we go

‘Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage’ is a strategic board game that recreates the epic struggle between the ancient superpowers of Rome and Carthage. It is a game filled with intricate tactics and strategies, with each round or phase requiring careful thought and planning. A game is comprised of several rounds, and each round is divided into distinct phases.

Each round of ‘Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage’ is structured as follows:

Reinforcement Phase: During this phase, players draw strategy cards. Rome starts with 7 cards, while Carthage starts with 6 cards. The number of cards drawn can vary later in the game based on control of certain provinces.
Strategy Phase: Players use their strategy cards to perform various actions. These can include moving generals, recruiting armies, initiating battles, and more. The strategy phase continues until both players have used all of their strategy cards.
Political Control Phase: Control of the provinces is determined. Areas without troops are controlled by the last player to move or fight a battle there, while areas with troops are controlled by the player with the troops.
Revolt Phase: In this phase, areas controlled by Carthage can potentially revolt. A die is rolled for each area, with a result of 6 causing a revolt.
Attrition Phase: Players roll a die for each of their armies. On a roll of 1, the army loses a unit. On a roll of 6, the army is safe. In winter rounds, rolls of 1 or 2 cause a loss.
Victory Check Phase: Players check if the victory conditions have been met. If one player controls a certain number of provinces, they win the game immediately. If not, the game continues to the next round.

Players perform the following actions during each phase:

Reinforcement Phase: Draw strategy cards from the deck.
Strategy Phase: Use strategy cards to move generals, recruit armies, fight battles, or perform other actions.
Political Control Phase: Determine control of each area.
Revolt Phase: Roll a die for each area controlled by Carthage, potentially causing a revolt.
Attrition Phase: Roll a die for each army, potentially causing a loss of units.
Victory Check Phase: Check if the victory conditions have been met. If not, proceed to the next round.

In ‘Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage’, the aim for each player is to control a certain number of provinces. The game continues round after round until this victory condition is met, or until all rounds have been played.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

The game of Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage is a complex strategic board game that requires careful decision-making and tactical planning. During each player’s turn, they have a variety of possible actions and strategic choices that can significantly impact the course of gameplay.

At the beginning of each turn, players draw strategy cards. These cards can be used in a variety of ways during the player’s turn, and understanding how to use them effectively is crucial to success.

Here’s a breakdown of what happens during a player’s turn:

Draw Strategy Cards: At the start of each turn, players draw strategy cards. These cards provide a variety of actions and advantages that can be used during the player’s turn.
Choose a Strategy Card to Play: The player must choose one of the strategy cards from their hand to play. The number in the top left corner of the card indicates how many actions the player can take on their turn.
Perform Actions: Based on the strategy card played, the player performs a series of actions. These can include moving armies, engaging in battle, placing political control markers, and more.

Here are some of the possible actions a player can take:

Move Armies: Players can move their armies across the game board to gain control of key territories. An army can be moved a number of spaces equal to the number on the played strategy card.
Engage in Battle: If a player’s army ends its move in a space with an enemy army, a battle ensues. The outcome of the battle is determined by comparing the strengths of the armies and the roll of dice.
Place Political Control Markers: Players can place political control markers on the game board to indicate their control of a territory. This is a key aspect of the game, as controlling territories is a major way to gain victory points.
Recruit Troops: Players can use their strategy cards to recruit new troops to their armies. The number of new troops a player can recruit is determined by the number on the played strategy card.

Each decision a player makes during their turn can significantly impact the course of the game. By carefully choosing which strategy card to play and how to use their actions, players can outmaneuver their opponents and gain the upper hand.

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

Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage is a strategic board game that simulates the struggle between the Roman and Carthaginian empires during the Second Punic War. The game ends under two different conditions and the winner is determined based on specific victory conditions.

The first scenario that ends the game is when one of the players controls all the provinces at the end of a turn. This is called a complete control victory. The game also ends after the ninth round, in which case the winner is determined by the number of provinces controlled, with some provinces being more valuable than others.

Before the final scoring, players must take the following actions:

Ensure all battles and sieges are resolved.
Count the number of provinces each player controls.
Calculate the total value of all controlled provinces. Some provinces have more strategic value and thus contribute more points towards the final score.
Adjust the score for any special conditions specified by the game, such as holding certain key provinces.

The player with the highest total score wins the game. In case of a tie, the player controlling Rome (the Roman player) wins.

Victory Conditions:

Complete Control Victory: If a player controls all the provinces at the end of any turn, that player wins immediately.
Turn 9 Victory: If the game reaches the end of Turn 9 and no player has achieved a complete control victory, the game ends and the player with the highest total score wins. The score is calculated based on the number and value of provinces controlled by each player. Some provinces have more strategic value and thus contribute more points towards the final score. If there is a tie in total score, the Roman player wins.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage is a strategic board game that involves a point scoring system. This system is based on the control over important cities and provinces, battles won, and political control.

Control over Cities and Provinces:

Each city under a player’s control at the end of the game is worth 1 point.
Control of a province is determined by who controls the majority of cities in that province. Each province controlled is worth an additional point.

Battles:

For every battle won, a player receives 1 point. However, if the battle was against a larger force, the player receives an additional point.

Political Control:

At the end of the game, the player with political control of the Roman Senate or the Carthaginian Senate receives a bonus of 3 points.

Tie-Breaking Rules:

In the event of a tie, the following rules are applied in order to break the tie:

The player who was not in control of Rome at the start of the game wins.
If still tied, the player with the most provinces wins.
If there is still a tie, the player who won the most battles against larger forces wins.
If the tie persists, the winner is determined by a game of chance, such as a roll of a dice or flip of a coin.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage is a complex strategy game with several unique rules and exceptions. Here are some key points to keep in mind:

1. Card Play Exception: During a turn, a player can play a Strategy Card for the event, for Ops, or to place PC markers but not for two or more of these purposes. However, a player can play more than one card per turn.

2. Carthaginian Home Territories: The provinces of Africa, Sardinia/Corsica, and Sicilia are the Carthaginian home territories. If Rome controls all of these at the end of a turn, Rome wins the game.

3. Battle Card Limit: In battles, each side is limited to the number of Battle Cards it can hold by the size of its army. Each CU allows a player to hold one Battle Card. This limit includes any Battle Cards that are drawn during the Battle Continuation Round.

4. Naval Movement: A player can move an army by sea using Naval Movement, but there is a risk of being intercepted and attacked by enemy naval forces. The risk is greater if the moving army is larger.

Exception: An army cannot use Naval Movement to move from a port to another location in the same province.
Rule Clarification: An army can use Naval Movement to move to a port in a province where the other player has a PC marker, but the moving player must then fight a battle there if there is an enemy army.

5. Siege Battles: An army that is inside a walled city is under siege. It cannot move out or fight a field battle. However, it can attempt a sally (a sudden attack) against the besieging army.

6. Hannibal’s Oath: This is a special rule that applies only to Hannibal. If Hannibal is in play, the Carthaginian player must always attempt to win the game by military means and cannot win by political means.

7. Revolts: In provinces where a player has a PC marker, there is a risk of a revolt. A revolt can be caused by an enemy Strategy Card or by losing a battle in the province.

Exception: There are no revolts in home provinces or in provinces where a player has a tribe.
Rule Clarification: If a revolt occurs, the player removes his PC marker and replaces it with one of the other player’s PC markers.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Advanced Strategies:

Pay close attention to your hand: Your card hand is crucial in determining your strategy for the round. Use it to your advantage by playing your cards right and planning your moves ahead of time.
Focus on the Battle cards: Battle cards can turn the tide of the game in your favor. Acquire them and use them strategically to gain the upper hand.
Monitor your opponent’s moves: Keep a close eye on your opponent’s moves and try to anticipate their strategy. This can help you plan your counterattacks more effectively.

Beginner Tips:

Understand the rules thoroughly: Before you start playing, ensure that you understand the rules of the game completely. This will help you make better strategic decisions during the gameplay.
Start with a defensive strategy: As a beginner, it is advisable to start with a defensive strategy until you get a hang of the game. This will help you learn the ropes while minimizing losses.
Use your cards wisely: Don’t rush to use all your cards at once. Save your powerful cards for crucial moments in the game.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Ignoring the opponent’s strategy: One common mistake players make is focusing too much on their own strategy and ignoring what their opponent is doing. Always keep an eye on your opponent and try to anticipate their moves.
Not using cards effectively: Another common mistake is not using cards effectively or wasting powerful cards at the wrong time. Make sure to use your cards strategically.
Overextending your forces: Avoid spreading your forces too thin. Concentrating your forces can often lead to more effective attacks and defenses.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

Plan your moves ahead: Try to plan your moves a few turns ahead. This will help you stay one step ahead of your opponent.
Practice: The more you play, the better you get. Practice as much as you can to understand the game mechanics deeply.
Analyze your games: After each game, take some time to analyze your moves and identify where you could have done better. This will help you improve your strategy for future games.