Game Set-Up
- Select a battle from the scenario section of the booklet. If this is your first game of Commands & Colors: Ancients, we suggest you use Akgragas to begin, as that battle has a small number of units and no terrain rules involved.
- Place the board in the center of the table. Each scenario specifies which army is at the top or bottom of the battlefield, and players should sit on the side closest to the army they willcommand.
- Place the terrain hexes as indicated by the battle scenario map.
- Separate the blocks by Victory Banners, Carthaginian forces (brown blocks) and Roman forces (gray blocks). Place the unit blocks onto the board, matching the various units’ positions to the scenario’s battle map. Note: Each unit symbol represents an entire unit.
- Shuffle the Command card deck thoroughly and deal Command cards to each side per the selected scenario’s War Council notes. Keep your Command cards a secret from the opposing player. Place the remainder of the deck face down, alongside the battlefield, within easy reach of both players.
- Place the seven battle dice within reach of both players.
- Review any special rules or victory conditions that apply for the battle.
- The starting player, as indicated in the scenario’s War Council notes, begins play.