GMT have decided to reconfigure Commands & Colors Ancients: Expansion #4, Imperial Rome, by adding a completely new Roman army. The price of the Expansion remains unchanged. The total block count (including spares) increases to 293 blocks. The reasons for the decision were numerous, but the primary consideration was that if we did not provide a new army, the red and gray Roman armies would have been increased in size to fight the new battles, and we did not want the holders of expansions 2 and 3 to “repurchase” units they had already bought. You will note by the listing of Imperial Roman units that the army composition is not like either earlier Roman army, and that it is decidedly weaker than its predecessor, the Julian army.
Purple – Imperial Roman Units
- Light Infantry – 6 units (24 blocks)
- Light Bow Infantry – 2 units (8 blocks)
- Light Sling Infantry - 5 units (20 blocks)
- Auxilia Infantry - 8 units (32 blocks)
- Warrior Infantry – 1 unit (4 blocks)
- Medium Infantry – 9 units (36 blocks)
- Heavy Infantry - 3 units (12 blocks)
- Heavy War Machine – 1 unit (2 blocks)
- Light Cavalry - 4 units (12 blocks)
- Light Bow Cavalry – 2 units (6 blocks)
- Medium Cavalry – 4 units (12 blocks)
- Heavy Cavalry - 2 units (6 blocks)
- Heavy Cataphract Cavalry - 2 units (6 blocks)
- Leader – 4 leaders (4 blocks)
We have increased the Eastern Kingdom army to reflect the increasing dominance of the mounted units, particularly the light archers and heavy cataphracted cavalry. You’ll get a chance to use armored camels as well. Regular camel units have been provided in case you wish to revisit older battles such as Magnesia and use the Eastern Kingdom army instead of the Greek army.
Tan - Eastern Kingdom Units
- Warrior Infantry - 1 unit (4 blocks)
- Light Cavalry - 2 units (6 blocks)
- Light Bow Cavalry - 6 units (18 blocks)
- Heavy Cataphract Cavalry - 5 units (15 blocks)
- Camel - 2 units (6 blocks)
- Cataphract Camel - 2 units (6 blocks)
We have also increased the Barbarian army – again to reflect the increasing use of heavier mounted units,
Green - Barbarian Units
- Medium Cavalry - 2 units (6 blocks)
- Heavy Cavalry - 4 units (12 blocks)
- Black Rectangular Wagon Blocks
- Baggage Wagon (one side), Wagon Laager (opposite side) - (5 blocks)
- Black Square Blocks
Eight of these blocks are for the Imperial Roman victory banners and two are for Special Unit markers. Each block receives a label on one side only.
We have decreased the number of card holders in Expansion #4 from four to two, but feel the increase in blocks more than offsets the transfer of the other two card holders to Expansion #5.
Imperial Rome is the fourth expansion for Commands & Colors: Ancients.
By now, all of you that own this game have already discovered that Commands & Colors: Ancients is an expandable game system. A game system that allows players to effectively portray stylized Ancient historical battles that play to a conclusion in less than an hour.
In this expansion we have taken the opportunity to present a number of battles that we just did not have room to include in prior expansions. The Romans fight in Britain at Medway 43AD, against Boudica at Watling Street 61 AD, and later at Mons Graupius 84AD. Antony and Octavian of the Second Triumvirate battle it out twice with Cassius and Brutus at Philippi 42BC. But the main focus of this expansion is Rome's conflicts against the Parthian Empire, Teutonic Barbarians and internal turmoil of civil wars until Constantine becomes the undisputed Roman Emperor around 325AD.
Imperial Rome is packed full of unique and interesting play concepts and new units: cataphracted cavalry, wagon laager forts, massed units of horse archers, light infantry tossing caltrops and more. Each of these concepts operates within the confines of the original system rules, with only slight modifications to reflect historical abilities and importance. So, rules-wise, if you own Commands & Colors: Ancients, you'll have no trouble learning the few new special rules.
Components:
* 293 blocks and four sticker sheets
* 1 sheet of new terrain tiles
* 2 wooden card holders
* scenario booklet
* 2 reference cards
Important: In order to play the scenarios in the Imperial Rome expansion, you will need a copy of the basic Commands & Colors: Ancients game and copies of Expansion Nr. 1 Greek vs The Eastern Kingdoms and Expansion Nr. 2 Rome vs The Barbarians.
Welcome again & Enjoy!
Richard Borg
CLICK HERE for direct GMT web page. (updated April 3, 2009)
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