Commands & Colors: Epic Ancients, allows experienced players the opportunity to fight historical ancient battles on an Epic scale. The Command & Colors: Epic Ancient rules are not overly complex, nor do they change the way the basic game system works. The Epic game allows up to eight friends to experience the fun of an Epic Ancients battle.
The Battlefield
To create an Epic size battlefield you will need the mounted battlefield gameboard from the Rome and the Barbarians Expansion and the mounted battlefield gameboard found in this expansion. Together the two gameboards will form a single battlefield 26 hexes wide by 9 hexes deep, with a left, center and right section.
Number of Players
Epic Ancients works best with eight players, three Field Generals and one Overall Commander for each army. Each Field General will command a single section for his army, while the army’s Overall Commander will hold and select which Command cards to play for his army each turn.
In the first few Epic Ancient battles, the Overall Commanders will be under the most pressure as they explore new tactics and strategies for using and playing the Command cards. We therefore recommend that the Overall Commanders be the most experienced Commands & Colors: Ancients players.
If you can only muster six players, play with three in each army; the center Field General will also act as the Overall Commander.
With only four players we suggest one player on each side be the Field General for the left and right sections while the other is both the Field General for the center and Overall Commander. If you really feel ambitious, or opponents are hard to find, you can always choose to play an Epic Ancients scenario one-onone.
Set Up
• Select an Epic Ancients scenario and choose sides.
• Each side selects an Overall Commander who will stand behind his three Field Generals. The Field Generals should sit with the section they command directly to their front.
• Set up the terrain and unit blocks on the battlefield per the scenario map.
• Shuffle the Command cards and deal the proper number of Command cards to the Overall Commanders.
• Review any special rules and victory conditions.
• The starting side, as indicated, begins play.
A single deck of Command cards is normally used in an Epic Ancients battle, but for greater depth it is recommended that two Command & Colors: Ancients Command decks be shuffled together to create a truly grand Epic experience.
Game Turn
The side listed in the War Council notes begins play. Armies then alternate taking turns.
An Epic Ancients game turn sequence is as follows:
1. Play Command cards and Order units and leaders
a) Play up to 3 Field Command cards by issuing them to Field Generals. Reminder: a unit ordered by a Field General’s Command card cannot be re-ordered by another Field General’s Command card play.
b) When at least one Field Command card has been played, Field Generals who have not received a Field Command card may attempt to order one unit in their section using Field General’s Initiative. When an Army Command card is played, Field Generals may not attempt to order one unit using Field General’s Initiative.
c) If no Field Command cards are played, play 1 Army Command card. The Overall Commander, when playing an Army Command card, is not restricted to any one section, and may allocate the commands on the card to Field Generals in any section.
d) The Overall Commander must play at least 1 Command card (Field or Army) per turn. He cannot pass without taking any action.
2. Move
3. Battle
4. Draw new Command cards.
The Overall Commander draws two new Command cards to replenish his hand, except when doing so would exceed his army’s original Command card number (as specified in the War Council section of the battle).
Then the Overall Commander would draw only one new card.
1. Play a Command Card and Order units and leaders
In Epic Ancients, the Command card deck is divided into two classes of cards: Field Command cards and Army Command cards. However, all Command Cards are shuffled together as one deck regardless of whether they are Field or Army Command cards.
Field Command Cards
The Overall Commander may play up to 3 Field Command cards on a turn. The play of some Field Command cards may limit the number of other Field Command cards that can be played on a turn. Coordinated Attack, Outflanked, Line Command, Leadership, Double Time and the Special Inspired Field General play are cards that can or may involve units in more than one section of the battlefield, and will limit the allowed number of Field Command cards that may be played by the Overall Commander on his turn.
The Overall Commander is never required to play the maximum number of Field Command cards. Each turn the Overall Commander may elect to play one, two or a maximum of three Field Command cards or elect to play one Army Command card instead of any Field Command cards.
A Field Command card is given to a Field General when played.
Normally only one Field Command card may be given to each Field General on a turn (see Inspired Field General play below for exception).
Field Command cards that indicate a specific section must be given to the proper Field General. For example, an Order three Units Left Command card may only be given to the Field General on the Left.
After issuing Field Command cards to Generals, the Overall Commander may talk in detail about the current battle situation, tactics and future strategy with one (and only one) of his Field Generals. This conversation should be out of hearing range of the other Field Commanders. The Overall Commander may not show—nor should he state—what other Command cards he holds. Once the discussion is complete, the Field General carries out the orders on the Command card. The Field General, however, does not have to follow the Overall Commander’s advice or wishes.
The other Field Generals receive their orders by courier; The Overall Commander may not talk with these Field Generals on this turn. He simply passes them the Command card, hoping for the best, because they simply carry out orders on their Field Command cards as they see fit.
To keep the game moving briskly, first pass cards to Field Generals that receive them via courier, then hand deliver orders to the Field General of your choice and discuss strategy.
Field generals may discuss tactics with each other at any time, but the Overall Commander must limit his input to the time he is visiting the front and talking with one Field General.
Field Command Card List
The following Field Command cards apply to only one section of the battlefield:
SECTION CARDS
• Order 2 Units Left, Center and Right
• Order 3 Units Left, Center and Right
• Order 4 Units Left, Center and Right
• Clash of Shields: In the Basic game this card applied to all sections of the battlefield when played. In Epic battles, this card applies to only to the section where it is issued as a Field Command.
• Darken the Sky: In the Basic game this card applied to all sections of the battlefield when played. In Epic battles, this card applies to only to the section where it is issued as a Field Command.
Special Field Command Cards: The following Field Command cards are Special Field Command cards
• Coordinated Attack: This is a special Field Command card. The Coordinated Attack card, when played by the Overall Commander, counts as three Field Command cards played this turn because it orders units in three sections of the battlefield. The play of this one card, allows each Field General to order one unit. The Overall Commander may not play any other Field Command cards and the Field Generals may not attempt to order one unit using Field General’s Initiative.
Note while this is not a particularly powerful card, playing it will allow the Overall Commander to rebuild his Command level, since he will draw two cards at the end of the turn, but will have played only this one card.
• Out Flanked: This is a special Field Command card. The Out Flanked card, when played by the Overall Commander, counts as two Field Command cards played this turn because it orders units in two sections of the battlefield. The play of this one card, allows the Field General in command of the left section to order two units, and the Field General in command of the right section to order two units.
The Overall Commander also has the option to issue his center Field General a Field Command card (making three Field Commands issued).
LEADERSHIP CARDS
• Leadership Any Section
• Inspired Left Leadership
• Inspired Center Leadership
• Inspired Right Leadership
A Leadership card is a special Field Command card.
A Leadership card, when played by the Overall Commander, may count as one Field Command card played when it only orders units in one section.
It will count as two Field Command cards played when the Overall Commander gives the card to two Field Generals in adjacent sections to order qualifying units in a group positioned in their two sections of the battlefield. A Leadership card that orders units in two sections will involve the center Field General and either the right or the left Field General. In addition to the Leadership card played that orders units in two sections, the Overall Commander has the option to issue another Field Command card (making three Field Commands issued) to the Field General that did not have units ordered by the Leadership card.
When the Overall Commander plays a Leadership card and two other Field Command cards on his turn, the Leadership card may only order units in one section.
• Double Time: A Double Time card is a special Field Command card.
A Double Time card, when played by the Overall Commander, may count as one Field Command card played when it only orders units in one section.
It will count as two Field Command cards played when the Overall Commander gives the card to two Field Generals in adjacent sections to order qualifying units in a group positioned in their two sections of the battlefield. A Double Time card that orders units in two sections will involve the center Field General and either the right or the left Field General. In addition to the Double Time card played that orders units in two sections, the Overall Commander has the option to issue another Field Command card (making three Field Commands issued) to the Field General that did not have units ordered by the Double Time card.
When the Overall Commander plays a Double Time card and two other Field Command cards on his turn, the Double Time card may only order units in one section.
• Line Command: A Line Command card is a special Field Command card.
A Line Command card, when played by the Overall Commander, may count as one Field Command card played when it only orders units in one section.
It will count as two Field Command cards played when the Overall Commander gives the card to two Field Generals in adjacent sections to order qualifying units in a group positioned in their two sections of the battlefield. A Line Command card that orders units in two sections will involve the center Field General and either the right or the left Field General. In addition to the Line Command card played that orders units in two sections, the Overall Commander has the option to issue another Field Command card (making three Field Commands issued) to the Field General that did not have units ordered by the Line Command card.
It will count as three Field Command cards played when the Overall Commander uses the card to order units across all three sections. The Overall Commander can issue no additional Field Command cards in this case.
No section can have units ordered by more than one Line Command card.
The Overall Commander can play two Line Command cards on his turn so long as both cards only order units in one section each, or one card orders units in one section and the other orders units in the other two sections.
The Overall Commander can play three Line Command cards on his turn so long as each card only orders units in only one section.
Field Generals may certainly discuss how they will jointly implement Leadership, Double Time and Line Command cards for more than one section, but cooperation is not mandatory.
Inspired Field General Play
Normally the Overall Commander may only give a single Command card to a Field General. However, when the Overall Commander has in his hand two Section Command cards that are exactly the same, both cards may be given to one Field Commander and is considered an Inspired Field General play.
The following Section cards qualify for an Inspired Field General Command card play:
• Order 2 Units Left or 2 Units Center or 2 Units Right—(the Inspired Field General may order up to four units in his section).
• Order 3 Units Left or 3 Units Center or 3 Units Right—(the Inspired Field General may order up to six units in his section).
• Order 4 Units Left or 4 Units Center or 4 Units Right, when two Command card decks are used—(the Inspired Field General may order up to eight units in his section).
Note that an Inspired Field General play will count as 2 Field Command cards issued, leaving only one additional Field Command card available to issue. If two Field Order cards have already been issued, an Inspired Field General play is not possible.
Field General’s Initiative
If the Overall Commander has played at least one Field Command card in the turn, any Field General that has not had any of his units ordered by a Field Command card may decide to act on his own initiative and attempt to order one unit in his section.
The Field general rolls one die with the following effect:
 |
Green Circle |
one light unit (light infantry, light sling infantry, light bow infantry, auxilia infantry, light cavalry, light bow cavalry, light chariot, light barbarian chariot or light war machine unit) of the Field General’s choice is ordered. |
 |
Blue Triangle | one medium unit (medium infantry, warrior infantry, medium cavalry or camel unit) of the Field General’s choice is ordered. |
 |
Red square | one heavy unit (heavy infantry, heavy cavalry, heavy chariot, elephant or heavy war machine unit) of the Field General’s choice is ordered. |
 |
Leader Helmet | Any unit of the Field General’s choice is ordered. In lieu of a unit, an attached leader may be detached and ordered, or an unattached leader may be ordered. |
 |
Banner | One unit of the Field General’s choice must retreat its movement. The unit may not battle. If the unit cannot retreat its full movement, standard block loss for each unused movement point applies. |
 |
Crossed Swords | One unit of the Field General’s choice in his section must lose 1 block. The unit may not battle. |
If the symbol rolled does not correspond to any unit under the command of the Field General making the initiative roll, no unit is ordered. The roll has no effect.
Army Command Cards
The Overall Commander may only play one Army Command card on a turn. An Army Command card may not be played if one or more Field Command cards were played in the turn.
Conversely, Field Command cards may not be played on the turn an Army Command card is played. When an Army Command card is played, it is not given to a Field General. Instead the Overall Commander plays the card and must allocate orders to his Field Generals. Army Command is determined at the moment the Army Command card is played by counting the number of Command cards in the Overall Commander’s hand, including the card being played. The number of cards counted equals the number of units that may be ordered by the card being played.
Example: The initial Command for an army is eight. On the first four turns, the Overall Commander plays three Field Command cards per turn, and replaces two cards per turn. At the start of turn five, the Army’s Command is four. The Overall Commander on turn five elects not to play any Field Command cards, but instead plays an Order Light Troops Army Command card, and may only order four light units.
After orders are allocated to each Field General the Overall Commander may talk in detail about the current battle situation, tactics and future strategy with all of his Field Generals, but he may not show—nor should he state—what other Command cards he holds. Once the discussion is complete, each Field General executes the number of orders he was allocated, but the Field Generals do not have to follow the Overall Commander’s advice or wishes.
Army Command Cards List (army command cards have the text—equal to command)
• Order Light Troops
• Order Medium Troops
• Order Heavy Troops
• Order Mounted
• I Am Spartacus
• Move-Fire-Move
• Mounted Charge
• Rally
Special Army Command Cards
• Counter Attack: May be used to counter a Field Command card that was given to a Field General or counter an Army Command card played by the opposition.
• First Strike: The First Strike card is a reaction card that is played by the Overall Commander out of his hand during the opponent’s battle phase. In Epic Ancients, the defending unit, when playing the First Strike card, will battle with two additional dice first.
2. Move
As in standard Commands & Colors: Ancients game, all unit movement must be completed before any battling. Field Generals should make sure all movement is completed for all sections of the battlefield before any battling starts. The Overall Commander cannot comment - if a Field General neglects to move a unit in his section, it is just the fortunes of war.
A unit may only be given one order in a turn. A unit in a section may cross over into another section under the command of a different Field General, and it may battle if movement or terrain restrictions do not prevent it from doing so. However, it may not be immediately ordered again in this new section on the same turn.
Unit and Leader movement is governed by the Movement rule section in the core rules.
3. Battle
As in standard Commands & Colors: Ancients game, each unit in Epic battles are checked and resolved one ordered unit at a time, in the sequence of each Field General’s choice. Each Field General must announce and resolve one unit’s battle entirely, before beginning the next one. Field Generals are advised to conduct unit battles simultaneously, if feasible, to speed play.
When units in two sections are ordered to battle the same enemy unit, the Field Commanders must coordinate to determine the order of attacks.
The Overall Commander normally does not resolve any battles ( he will resolve battles if he commands one or more sections on the battlefield).
How a unit battles is governed by the Battle section in the core rules.
4. Draw new Command cards
Once all the actions (movement and battle) of the Command cards played are completed, the cards are collected and discarded.
The Overall Commander then draws two new Command cards, regardless of the number of cards he played on the turn, unless doing so would give him more cards that his original Command Card number.
Playing three Field Command cards in a turn will reduce the Army Command level in the next turn by one since only two new Command cards will be drawn to replenish the hand. Playing only one Field or Army Command card in a turn will allow the Army Command level in the next turn to increase by one (if two new Command cards can be drawn to replenish the hand).
Epic Victory
The object if an Epic Ancients battle like a standard Ancients battle is to be the first player to capture a set number of Victory Banners.
Field Command Cards
(All limited to one section only)
• Order Two Units Left, Center and Right
• Order Three Units Left, Center and Right
• Order Four Units Left, Center and Right
• Clash of Shields
• Darken the Sky
Special Field Command Cards
• Out Flanked (Counts as two Field Command Cards; two sections ordered)
• Coordinated Attack (Counts as three Field Command cards; all sections ordered)
• Leadership Any Section
• Inspired Left Leadership
• Inspired Center Leadership
• Inspired Right Leadership
• Double Time
• Line Command
Army Command Cards
(Army command cards have the text equal to command)
• Order Light Troops
• Order Medium Troops
• Order Heavy Troops
• Order Mounted
• I Am Spartacus
• Move-Fire-Move
• Mounted Charge
• Rally
Special Army Command Cards
• Counter Attack - May be used to counter a Field Command card that was given to a Field General or counter an Army Command card played by the opposition.
• First Strike - The First Strike card is a reaction card that is played during the opponent’s battle phase by the Overall Commander.