Three Ages of Rome, fast-play wargames at the army level.
Written by the author of and using the same principles as In Deo Veritas, Three Ages of Rome was designed with smaller figure scales in mind (between 6mm and 15mm), largely because we felt that players will want their armies to look the part. Three Ages has an approximate ground scale of 1 cm = 15 meters.
We have designed the rules for battles that will fit on a typical 6' x 4' wargames table, which in game terms is approximately 2,700 meters wide.
The rules can easily be used for larger, and smaller, battles. The nominal time for a turn, including moves by both sides, is about 20-30 minutes. At this rate, a four-hour battle will take about eight to twelve turns.
No rebasing is required, and gamers can use figures based for different rules systems with no need for additional calculations or changes.
Designed for ease of play, Three Ages of Rome offers a player experience based on the commander's problems. The rules are designed to create a feel for the uncertainty of ancient battles. Most games should take two to three hours to play.
Keeping your men going, even when things don't seem too good, is critical for success. Units are likely to become progressively disabled and cohesion begins to suffer. If commanders don't take care to maintain cohesion, then they could be heading for disaster!
The Age of Expansion (300BCE-30BCE) starts with Rome's wars against Carthage. Followed by Rome against Macedon, Rome against the Gallic Celts, and several civil wars between the Romans themselves. One struggle lasts through the period as Rome struggled to conquer the Spanish.
In the Age of Empire (30BCE-200CE), the Romans moved north and west, conquering territories in Germania and Britain. Spreading east, they campaigned against the Dacians and the Parthians. The Parthian kingdom was destroyed by an internal revolt and a new dynasty, the Sassanids, came to power. They would become the major threat to Rome's eastern frontier. Despite its successes, the Empire was not stable. The civil wars continued. In 69CE, there were four emperors. In 193CE, there were five emperors! This Age ends in 200CE, after Septimus Severus eliminated the other claimants for the title.
The Age of Decline (200CE-450CE) sees Rome struggling against pressures from outside the Empire. The wars with the Sassanids continued with successes and included defeats for both sides. The German tribes joined together, but they were mostly repulsed. Some new enemies, the various Gothic tribes and the Huns, pressed through the frontier. These raided deep into Roman territory, doing major damage to Roman cities, including Rome itself. The pressure was too great, and the Roman Empire broke up. The western half would not last for long, but the eastern half would rise again as the Byzantine Empire.
The six historical battle scenarios span the Three Ages, and provide different challenges. They offer players an insight into the nature of command in ancient warfare. The Terrain Generator and Scenario Generator allow the players to develop their own games. For competitive games, a system of points gives players all the information needed to exactly balance their forces.
In battle, nothing is certain, but generals that practice their skills are more likely to be victorious.
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