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HELLENES: THE PELOPONNESIAN WAR
INTRODUCTION
HELLENES: THE PELOPONNESIAN WAR
is a strategy game of the war in classical
Greece between the Athenian EMPIRE
and the Spartan LEAGUE.
The object is to amass Prestige
by winning battles and capturing or
pillaging opposing cities. 4 scenarios are
provided (playing times: 2-6 hours).
THE GAME YEAR
A Game Year consists of a NewYear
plus 5 Seasons. Players get 6 cards/Year,
playing 1 card per NewYear/Season.
NEW YEAR
Tribute (Prestige) is collected for
captured Cities, a Victory Check is
made, and the Year marker is advanced
(skip these steps in the first game year).
Then all cards not currently in
play are collected and shuffled and
each player receives 6 new cards for
the current Game Year. One is played
immediately as a New Year Event, or
discarded as a Sacrifice (see 10.4).
SEASONS
Seasons consist of an INITIATIVE (card
play) phase, followed by a PLAYER TURN
for each side. Winter, the last Season of
the year, has special rules (see 9.0).
• INITIATIVE PHASE (SEE: 3.0)
To begin each Season the players each
commit one card face-down, then reveal
them simultaneously. Cards have Action
Values and Events on opposite ends and
can serve either use but not both. Play
the card with its intended use upright
from your point of view.
The lower Action Value takes the first
Player Turn (Events have zero Action
Value). Sparta goes first in case of ties.
THE PLAYER TURN
Player Turns consist of an ACTIONS
phase and COMBAT phase, in that order.
• ACTION PHASE (SEE 3.1, 4.0)
Events are resolved first. Playing an
Event means having no Actions that turn.
Action cards entitle a player to make
1-3 Actions that turn (possibly increased
by a Continuing Event). Actions include
Group Movement, Building units, Pillaging,
and Maintenance (Winter only).
In Winter, units left outside friendly
Cities consume Maintenance. Special free
Wintering moves into friendly Cities are
allowed, but no other movement.
Copyright © Craig Besinque, 2008
• COMBAT PHASE (SEE: 6.0)
In the COMBAT PHASE, battles and
sieges for disputed areas (i.e., units of
both sides present) are resolved one at a
time (order chosen by the acting player).
1.0 MAPBOARD
The map depicts ancient Greece and
its environs. It is divided into land and
sea areas for unit location and movement.
The Spartan player sits to the south,
the Athenian player to the north.
"SICILY" is all areas on the SICILY inset
map (including the Gulf of Rhegium).
The rest of the map is "GREECE".
"PERSIA" is Phrygia, Lydia and Caria (and
considered part of the GREECE map).
1.1 LAND AREAS
Dashed black borders divide land
areas, or Provinces. Thicker black
borders divide Nations. A Province
containing a City is a CityState. Named
islands with a black outline are playable
land areas, others are not.
1.2 SEA AREAS
Blue borders separate Sea Areas.
Thick Deepwater sea borders are risky to
cross (5.22). Double lines show Narrows,
which are easier to defend (see 6.5).
1.3 CITIES
Cities [squares] and Ports [hexagons]
are color-coded by Nationality and have
City Value numbers. City Capacity (in
units) is double the City Value.
Ports are Cities with fortified
harbors. The Port symbol projects into
its single Offshore Sea, to which it
still has access when Besieged (see 7.2).
[Unbesieged units occupying a Province
have access to all adjacent seas.]
Every City has an inherent immobile
Garrison (2.3) block that is only placed on
the map as needed (they are NOT units
and do NOT count against City Capacity).
[Towns (colored circles) are barbarian
centers with no City advantages.]
1.31 CITY LOYALTY
TM
(v. 8.03d)
Rulebook Organization
This sidebar contains clarifications, examples,
and commentary. Terms with specific game
definitions for gameplay are shown in italics.
SEQUENCE OF PLAY
NEW YEAR
• TRIBUTE Collection
• VICTORY CHECK
• ADVANCE YEAR. DEAL 6 CARDS.
• NEW YEAR EVENT / SACRIFICE
SPRING / EARLY SUMMER /
LATE SUMMER / FALL
• INITIATIVE phase (card play)
• PLAYER TURNS
ACTION phase
• An Event occurs OR:
• Actions occur (any order):
Movement / Pillaging / Building
COMBAT phase
Battles & Siege Attrition
WINTER
• INITIATIVE (card play: NO Events)
• WINTERING & ACTIONS (1st/2nd Player)
(NO Group Movement/Pillaging)
• WINTERING
• Quartering (to adj. friendly City)
• Homing (to Home City)
• BUILDING / WINTER MAINTENANCE
• DISBANDING
• SIEGEBREAKING COMBAT (1st/2nd Player)
• WINTERING BATTLES
(BlockadeBreakers can Quarter)
(Failed SiegeBreakers Disband)
• SORTIES
• SIEGE COMBAT (1st/2nd Player)
• SIEGE ASSAULTS
• SIEGE ATTRITION (triple)
-------------------------------------------------City Representation
Most CityStates contained several cities.
Only the most important is shown, but
the given City Value includes all cities.
Neutral CityStates
Scenario instructions may specify
additional neutral CityStates for
that scenario. Entry into these is also
prohibited.
Cities with white numbers (green/
blue/violet) are loyal to Athens.
Black-numbered Cities (red/orange/
yellow/brown) are loyal to Sparta.
Cities retain their loyalty regardless
of occupation or control. Cities loyal to
the enemy are termed opposing Cities.
White Cities (gray numbers) are
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HELLENES: THE PELOPONNESIAN WAR
neutral (no entry).
1.32 CITY/TOWN NATIONALITY
Unit labels are also color-coded by
Nationality (the central symbol color).
A unit must be in a Home City (one
of same color/Nationality) to build up in
strength. This is crucial to game play.
1.33 SUBJECT REGIONS
Athenian Subject Cities (light blue)
are grouped into Subject Regions such as
EUBOIA and IONIA (see list sidebar p. 4).
Subject Regions containing Spartan-held
Cities are Rebellious and more likely to
Revolt (see 3.1 and sidebar p. 3).
1.4 AREA/ CITY CONTROL
City control governs Tribute (10.1),
and land/sea area control affects Retreats
(see 6.4). Control is re-evaluated at the
end of each ACTIONS and COMBAT phase.
• Sole occupation controls any area.
• Vacant CityStates are controlled
by the side to which they are loyal.
IMPORTANT: A conquered City left
unoccupied reverts to its original owner!!
• Other vacant areas are
uncontrolled (including those
containing towns).
• In cases of Siege (see 7.0), both sides
occupy a CityState. The defender
controls the City ONLY; the besieger
controls the surrounding Province.
2.0 UNITS
Wooden blocks represent Spartan
(red) and Athenian (blue) forces,
including their respective allies. A
Spartan label must be attached to the
face of each red block, and an Athenian
label to each blue block.
Mobile blocks are called units. Units
normally stand upright, their identities
hidden from the opponent. This adds
surprise and bluff to the game.
Units available for a scenario but not
in play on the map are kept face-down in
the friendly Recruit Pool.
Garrisons are immobile blocks that
defend Cities. Garrisons are NOT units.
Unused Garrisons are kept face-up in a
separate pool to be available as needed.
2.1 UNIT LABELS
Labels show a unit’s Nationality, type,
and movement/combat abilities.
Greek units have white numbers on
dark backgrounds. Greek units arrive in
Home Cities at minimum or cadre strength
Copyright © Craig Besinque, 2008
(1 cv) and remain in play indefinitely.
Barbarian units have black numbers
on light backgrounds. They arrive in
home towns (colored circles) at maximum
cv, and can make 1 free move from there,
but disband at the end of the current year.
SICILIAN Greek and Barbarian units
(Home Cities in Sicily) have gray (Sparta)
or light blue-green (Athens) background
colors on their labels.
2.11 UNIT NATIONALITY
Each unit’s central square is colorcoded to match its Home Cities/towns.
This is crucial to game play. Only
Nationality color matching matters:
Historical ID text is for interest only.
2.12 COMBAT VALUE
Units have 2-4 steps of strength,
called Combat Value or cv. A unit’s
current cv is the number on its top edge
when standing upright.
Combat Value determines how many
dice (d6) are thrown for a unit in combat.
To attack, a 4 cv unit rolls four dice
(4d6); a 1 cv unit would roll 1d6.
For each step loss suffered, a unit is
rotated 90 degrees counter-clockwise to
its next lowest cv. The sidebar shows a
cavalry unit at 1, 2, and 3 cv strength. 1
cv is termed cadre strength.
2.13 MOVEMENT RANGE
Each label has a number in a circle
showing that unit's Movement Range in
areas. Blue circles show sea movement,
tan circles show land movement. Red
outlines show elite status with a greater
chance of moving 1 extra area (see 5.3).
TM
City Control
A CityState is always controlled by its original
owner unless occupied by an enemy block.
Besieged Cities are controlled by the defender.
Area Control
Areas are controlled by the occupying player. If
unoccupied, they are uncontrolled. In Sieges, the
besieger controls the land area of a CityState.
ATHENIAN UNITS
Unit
Move
Combat
Mix
Fleet
5
F1 / F2†*
18
Hoplites
2
C1 / C2
18
Cavalry
3
A1
2
Archers
2
A1
2
Infantry
2
B1
6
Barbarians
2
A3 / C2
4
SPARTAN UNITS
Unit
Move
Combat
Mix
Fleet
5
F1 / F2†
17
Hoplites
2
C2*
21
Cavalry
3
A1*
3
Infantry
2
B1
3
Barbarians
2
C2
4
Barb. Archers 2
B2
1
Barb Fleet
3
E3†
1
† Fleets on land attack at C1.
* Elite Athenian fleets are E2 combat
Elite Spartan hoplites are B2 combat.
Elite Syracusan cavalry are A2 combat
STEP REDUCTION
2.14 COMBAT RATING
A unit’s Combat Rating is indicated
by a letter and number, such as A1 or B2.
Letters are unit agility: A units
attack before B units, etc, but defenders
of equal agility precede aggressors.
The number is the unit’s power: its
ability to damage and/or Rout opposing
forces in combat (see 6.31).
EXAMPLE: a unit rated B1 inflicts 1 cv
of enemy damage for each 1 rolled. A B3
unit does this for each 1, 2, or 3 rolled.
Strength 1
Strength 2
UNIT DATA
LAND MOVEMENT (tan) or
SEA MOVEMENT (blue) 4
UNIT
TYPE
Fleet
2
SEA COMBAT
F2
STRENGTH 4
(maximum 4)
LAND
COMBAT
C1
2.2 UNIT TYPES
2.21 HOPLITES
Hoplite units are the main
Greek land forces, formed
of tightly packed armored
spearmen that fought as a
Strength 3
431 Start
Strength
2
HOME AREAS
Orange
Historical ID
[no game effect]
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HELLENES: THE PELOPONNESIAN WAR
unit (phalanx).
Elite hoplites (as above) have better
agility [red "B"] and Forced March ability
[red-circled movement rating].
2.22 ARCHERS
Archer units also include
other missile forces, such
as slingers and javelinists.
Combat rating is A1 or A2,
but maximum cv is low.
2.23 CAVALRY
Cavalry is the fastest land
unit, with combat of A1.
Cavalry has special abilities
in Retreats, making them
ideal for scouting, blocking and raids.
2.24 INFANTRY
Infantry units represent
light-armed forces that are
more agile (B1) in combat
than hoplites, but less
formidable.
2.25 BARBARIANS
Barbarians (including
Persians) are large nonGreek units that appear
randomly and briefly in
play. Barbarian units have black type on
light colored backgrounds.
They appear at full strength in home
towns, and make one free move (with
their full Movement Range) from there,
but disband at the end of the Year
(exception: Persians under Persian Aid).
2.26 FLEETS
Fleets are the only units able
move or fight at sea. They
can each carry 1 Greek land
unit at sea.
Fleets can occupy coastal land areas,
but must stop movement upon entering
a land area. Fleets fight with their sea
combat rating [E or F] at sea, and with
their land combat rating [C1] on land.
Elite fleets (above) have better agility
in sea combat [red "E"] and better Forced
Sail ability [red-circled movement rating].
2.27 MASSED BARBARIANS
The SITALces & PHOENicia units
(red outlined unit-box, white namebox)
are massed barbarian forces which can
appear only under certain circumstances.
For SITALces: Athenian
+1 Leader must be in play.
For PHOEN: Spartan +1
Leader AND 3 Persian Aid
Copyright © Craig Besinque, 2008
cards must be in play.
NOTE: This unit cannot
be Routed in Sea Combat
(white circle combat reting).
It cannot Overwinter.
2.3 GARRISONS
Garrisons are small unlabeled
blocks representing 1 cv City defense
forces which cannot leave their City
(e.g., to defend in the surrounding land
area). Garrisons are "blocks" but NOT
"units": they DO NOT count towards
City Capacity but DO count as defenders
regarding Siege Attrition dierolls.
City Garrisons are not represented
on the board until needed, but appear
automatically in Cities that are Besieged
(7.3) or that Revolt (see 3.1 sidebar).
Garrisons can also be built in occupied
opposing Cities (4.2) to control them after
mobile friendly units leave.
2.4 GROUP SUBSTITUTION
Pairs of labeled blocks {A/A, B/B,
etc) are provided for each side to relieve
unit congestion if desired. In crowded
areas, remove a Group off-map, placing a
Group Substition block in its location and
its twin with the removed Group.
3.0 THE CARDS
Fifty five (55) cards are provided.
431 Campaign: use only the silver
and gold cards (exclude bronze cards).
Sicily/415/413 Campaigns: use only
silver and bronze (exclude gold cards).
Begin each NEW YEAR by shuffling all
cards not currently in play and dealing 6
cards face-down to each player.
Players play 1 card in NewYear plus
1 per Season (revealed simultaneously).
Each card has an Action Value and an
Event, and may be played for either
purpose but not both.
Note: Play Cards with the operative end
(Event/Action Value) shown upright from
the owner’s point of view.
3.1 EVENTS
Events are always resolved before
Actions. Some Events can only be played
by one player (red or blue border), Some
Events are only playable under certain
conditions [stated in italics within brackets
at the top of the card].
Most Events are in effect only for one
Season. Continuing Events (with thick
borders) remain face-up and in play until
removed. Event effects are detailed in the
3
TM
EVENTS
Revolt: Place a Spartan garrison in a
vacant listed City. SPREADING REVOLT:
Alternately, place it in any vacant
City of a Rebellious Region (one that
includes a Spartan-held City, see 1.33).
Helot Revolt: Place Athenian garrison
in Sparta/ Messenia/ Pylos (if vacant).
Plague Strikes: All units (except cadres)
in the specified besieged City lose 1 cv.
Plague Continues [Plague Strikes has
already occurred]: All units (but cadres)
in the specified City lose 1 cv.
Treachery: A specified Besieged City
loses double defense for the 1st
Combat Round that turn.
Leader Ostracized: A current Leader is
deposed (return to the deck). Cannot
occur in a Leader's first year of play.
Negotiation: A besieged lone garrison
surrenders on Siege Attrition roll of 0-2
(subtract Leader Value from dieroll).
Earthquake: Opponent cannot Move or
Pillage that season.
Augury: Enemy cannot Attack/Assault
this season (Siege Attrition OK).
CONTINUING EVENTS*
Continuing Event cards (thick borders)
remain face-up in play until removed.
Leaders*: A friendly or enemy Leader
is introduced (only one per side can
be in play: a current Leader must be
Ostracized before being replaced).
Civil War*: An unbesieged City loses
double defense for rest of current Year
(mark the City with a coin). Remove
card from play next NEW YEAR.
Athens Raises Taxes*: Athens gains
+1 Action/turn, but when playing
a Revolt event, Sparta may place a
garrison in an additional qualified
Subject City for each Athens Raises
Taxes in play (TAX REVOLT). Athens
can remove this card from play in any
NEW YEAR.
Persian Aid* (see 14.3): Sparta gains
+1 Action/Turn and 1 PERSIAN army
can OverWinter. However, it loses
1 Prestige/ New Year and non-Tax
Revolts become more difficult. This
card cannot be removed.
Peace Faction Ascendant*: Peace Offers
(11.22) possible at 5+ Prestige and only
cost -1 Prestige to attempt.
War Faction Ascendant*: Peace Offers
require 10+ Prestige and cost -2 Prestige
to attempt.
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HELLENES: THE PELOPONNESIAN WAR
sidebar.
IMPORTANT: Playing an Event means that
no friendly Actions will occur that Turn
(though Combat can still take place).
3.11 LEADERS
Each side begins with a Leader card
in play (Leaders in play are kept face
up on mapboard). Leaders with a Leader
Value of +1 allow that side 1 extra Action
per Turn (except during Events).
Example: Athens plays a 2-Action
card with Pericles (+1 Leader) in play,
yielding 3 Actions that turn.
A side cannot have more than one
Leader in play. Therefore Leaders with
0 Leader Value must be removed before
a better Leader can replace them. This
cannot simply be done voluntarily: a
Leader Ostracized Event must be played.
3.2 ACTION VALUE
All cards also have an Action Value
of 1-3 (stars), which allows a player that
many Actions (plus Leader/Continuing
Event bonuses) during his Player Turn.
3.3 INITIATIVE
The cards played determine the
order of play (Initiative) for that Season.
The lower Action Value played goes
first. Events (zero Actions) are always
resolved first. If tied, Sparta goes first.
Leader Value / Continuing Events do
not affect Initiative.
4.0 ACTIONS
Cards played for Actions allow that
many Actions that Turn (this may be
increased by Leaders or other Continuing
Event cards in play, see sidebar). Actions
cannot be saved for future use.
Note: Players should place 1 die per
available Action on their card and remove
them to record Actions expended.
Actions can occur in any order
desired (e.g., built units may move that
turn, or a unit may move home to build).
4.1 GROUP MOVEMENT
All units located in a single area
(even a single block) compose a Group.
For 1 Action expended, a player can
either move a Group (Maneuver) or form
one (Muster). See 5.0 for details.
4.2 BUILDING ACTIONS
Building Actions can be used to
raise new units (Recruits) in their
Home Cities/towns, and to build units
Copyright © Craig Besinque, 2008
occupying a Home City one step.
Building cannot occur in a City that
is besieged (7.2) or a Port that is besieged
AND blockaded (8.21).
4.21 REINFORCEMENTS
For 1 Action, a unit occupying a Home
City can be increased by 1 cv. Units CAN
build multiple steps per season if the
Actions are available.
4.22 RECRUITS
For 1 Action, a random new unit can
be raised in a friendly Home City/town.
Randomly select 4 blocks from the
friendly Recruit Pool (see 2.0). Place one
in a Home City/ town (2.13), and return
the others to the Pool.
• Greek units (white type) arrive in
Home Cities (only!) at 1 cv strength
(and MAY build up further that turn).
• Barbarian units (dark type) arrive
in home towns (only!) at full strength
and immediately make 1 free move
(using their full Movement Range).
NOTE: Some nations (e.g. Aetolia) can
generate either Greek or Barbarian units.
TM
SUBJECT REGIONS [* = Ports]
EUBOIA
Chalcis 3*, Eretria 2
CHALCIDICE
Potidea 2*, Torone 1*, Stagira 1
THRACE
Amphipolis 3*, Abdera 1
PROPONTIS
Byzantium 3*, Abydos 2*,
Cyzicus 1, Sestos 1
IONIA
Miletus 2*, Ephesus 2*
Cyme 1, Thyrea 1, Cnidos 1*
SPORADES
Samos 3*. Rhodes 2*
CYCLADES
Naxos 2*, Andros 1*
WESTERN ISLES
Cephellania 1, Zakinthos 1
Group Movement
Group Movement realistically reflects the slow
and completely unreliable communications of
the times. Only units actually located together
could cooperate effectively.
Recruiting Rebel Units
For 1 Action, a garrison may be
built in an Opposing City occupied by
a friendly Greek unit (not a Barbarian).
Garrisons maintain control of conquered
Opposing Cities, freeing mobile units to
move elsewhere.
Macedonia and the Aeolian Ids can ggenerate
both Spartan and Athenian units.
The two Aeolean Ids units are Greek and can
appear as Recruits in either island City when
no enemy blocks are present. The Spartan
Rebel unit can appear in either City when
not garrisoned by Athens, capturing it and
becoming a buildable Spartan unit (initially
Athenian allies with independent fleets, both
islands eventually rebelled against Athens).
Both Macedonia units are Barbarians and can
only arrive in towns, so Pella cannot be
captured by their arrival as Recruits (Macedonia
switched sides between Sparta and Athens several
times, but mostly remained loyal to Sparta).
Both Macedonian units in play at once
represents the struggle for control between its
King Perdiccas and his brother Philip.
4.3 PILLAGING
Pillaging for Fun and Profit
REBEL UNITS. Two units can appear
in enemy territory. A pro-Spartan Aeolian
Ids fleet can appear in Lesbos or Chios
if vacant (capturing it). A pro-Athenian
Macedonia barbarian can appear in any
Macedonian town (NOT in Pella).
4.23 DETACHED GARRISONS
Pillaging is a special Action in which
units besieging an opposing City (loyal
Cities cannot be Pillaged) devastate its
territory and withdraw into an adjacent
area. Pillaging gains Prestige. See 5.5.
4.4 WINTER MAINTENANCE
In Winter [the last card played], any
unit not inside a friendly City must be
Maintained (9.1) at the cost of 1 Action to
avoid being Disbanded (9.5).
5.0 MOVEMENT
In classical times it was expensive to maintain
armed forces in the field in wintertime. Often
a besieging army would abandon a siege in
Autumn and ravage the enemy countryside
before going home for the Winter.
Watching homes, farms, and orchards being
ruined could be a crushing blow to defender
morale, and at times tempted fortified troops
to rashly sally out of a city to fight the enemy.
Winter Maintenance
Winter Maintenance is very expensive, but the
only way to maintain a Siege in Winter. Winter
Sieges are three times more effective than in
other seasons.
A Group is composed of all friendly
units in a single area (no limit: stack
units two-high if space is tight). Players
can move a Group (Maneuver) or form
one (Muster) at a cost of 1 Action.
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HELLENES: THE PELOPONNESIAN WAR
Maneuver. All units in a Group move
to one or more destination area[s] within
individual Movement Ranges. Units can
enter enemy-occupied areas (Engage, 5.4)
and/or Forced March/Sail (see 5.3)
Muster. Units from different areas
move into a friendly City, observing unit
Movement Ranges. They cannot engage
(5.4) or Force March/Sail (5.3).
A unit can only move once per Player
Turn (exception: 6.4 Retreats).
Units move freely through friendly
units, but must stop upon entering an
area containing enemy units (see 5.4).
Exceptions: Homing (9.21) and units at
sea during the Peace of Nicias (see 12.0).
Besieged units cannot move except to
leave a Port by sea (see 7.4).
5.1 LAND MOVEMENT
Armies can move freely on land
(exception: units may not enter neutral
areas (see 1.31 and 5.0 Scenario
instructions). Terrain has no affect on
land movement.
Fleets may enter coastal land areas
only, and must stop upon doing so.
Fleets may move from one coastal land
area into an adjacent one (must stop).
5.2 SEA MOVEMENT
Only fleets (and carried armies) may
move by sea. Units moving by sea must
stop upon entering a land area. See also
Sea Landings (6.6).
Sea Access. Fleets occupying a
coastal Province (including Besiegers, see
7.2) may move into any adjacent sea.
Fleets can enter or leave besieged Ports
via the Offshore Sea (see 1.3).
5.21 SEA TRANSPORT
A fleet can carry one Greek army
to sea, provided both units begin and
end the turn in the same area. Barbarians
cannot be sea transported.
The cv of a carried army must be
LESS THAN its carrying fleet (and may be
voluntarily reduced for Sea Transport).
5.22 DEEPSEA CROSSINGS
When a fleet Group moves across
DeepSea borders (thick blue), place a die
on each such DeepSea border crossed.
After all Actions are complete, the
opponent rolls 1 die in each case to see
whether the Group encounters a Storm:
• In Summer: add +1 to the dieroll.
• In Winter: subtract -1 from the dieroll.
Copyright © Craig Besinque, 2008
DR 1-2: STORM: the opponent rolls 1
die for each individual fleet making the
crossing, to determine SHIP DAMAGE.
DR 3-6: CALM. No effect.
5.23 SHIP DAMAGE
DR 1-3: GALE. Fleet (and any carried
army) is eliminated.
DR 4-6: HIGH SEAS. Fleet loses 1 cv
(any carried army may have to reduce cv
to remain smaller than its carrying fleet,
possibly eliminating a 1 cv army).
5.3 FORCED MARCH/SAIL
Armies and fleets (with carried
armies) can try to move one additional
area beyond normal movement range.
Place a die on the border into the
extra area and announce a Forced March
(land) / Sail (sea). After all Actions are
completed, the owner rolls one die per
unit attempting to Force March/Sail.
DR 1-3: Fatigue. Unit does not move
the extra area. [No cv loss].
DR 4-6: OK. Unit may move the extra
area (but need not).
Note: For elite units, add 2 to Forced
March/Sail dierolls. Carried armies share
the fate of the carrying fleet.
Mustering units cannot Forced March/
Sail to the Muster City.
5.4 ENGAGING
When units enter an enemy-occupied
area, they are engaging (and must stop).
Exceptions: see Homing Moves (9.32)
and Peace of Nicias (12.0).
NOTE: As garrisons are restricted to
Cities, units moving through enemy
CityStates that are vacant or only
defended by garrisons need not stop.
Engaging units are termed aggressors
and opposing units are defenders.
Mustering units cannot Engage.
TM
Actions Example
Sparta plays a 3-Actions card.
First, they Build a fleet in Corinth from 2 to 3.
Second, they Recruit, drawing 4 units from
their Recruit Pool, placing a Theban (yellow)
fleet cadre in Thebes, and returning the other
3 units to the Pool.
Third, a Group of 5 units in Sparta is moved,
dispersing to 3 different locations.
Besieged Unit Movement
Besieged units (7.2) cannot move by land.
They can, however, Sortie (8.3) to fight
besieging units in the surrounding Province (no
movement Action required).
Fleets (with carried armies) can exit a besieged
Port via its Offshore Sea (see 7.4).
Fleets on Land
Fleets of the time normally spent the night
on shore when possible. A fleet “at sea” thus
represents ships that are patrolling that sea
area by day and beaching at night.
Fleets on land have detached half their men
to act as an inland infantry force while the
other half guards their beached ships, as was
commonly done.
The Diolkos at Corinth: 2 Seacoasts
Corinth is the only Province with two
discontinous seacoasts, but a ship
skidway there allows fleets to enter or
leave via either coast (fleets must stop
upon reaching land as usual). Its Offshore
Sea is the Gulf of Corinth.
Sea Transport
To effect a Sea Transport, a fleet must begin
the turn in the same area as the army to be
carried. Since fleets must stop movement
upon reaching land, both units also end up in
the same area.
DeepSea Crossings
The warships of the time (triremes) were not
too seaworthy and left the coast at their peril.
5.41 GROUP UNCOORDINATION
Friendly Groups engaging the same
enemy Group must fight separately. A
Group that divides to move by different
routes (e.g., fleets and armies) to a
location engages as separate groups.
In such cases, the moving player
selects one Group to fight the defending
forces first. If it loses, another engaging
Group is selected to begin a new Battle
with surviving defenders (units Routed
in the first battle recover), etc. Once any
aggressor Group wins, all engaging units
unite there.
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5.42 SIEGE COORDINATION
In Established Sieges, one "moving"
group can join the besiegers in a
coordinated Siege Assault (8.1), as the
besiegers need not "move" to engage.
Sorties. Besieged units cannot make
a Coordinated attack with friendly
outside relieving forces (even though
they needn't move, they are never in
communication with the relief force).
5.5 PILLAGING
During Actions, players can win
Prestige by Pillaging an opposing City
where there is an Established Siege (7.2).
Pillaging costs 1 Action. The entire
besieging Group Withdraws (moves) into
an adjacent friendly or uncontrolled area.
No friendly units may enter the pillaged
CityState that turn. Immediately record
+1 Prestige gained [+2 Prestige if Athens
or Sparta] on the Prestige track.
A CityState cannot be Pillaged more
than once per Year.
6.0 COMBAT
During COMBAT, Battles and Sieges
are resolved where both sides occupy
the same area. These are resolved one by
one in any order chosen by the Acting
Player, completing one Battle/Siege before
another is begun.
Combat has no cost in Actions, and
can still occur without Actions having
occurred that turn (e.g., after Events).
In CityState Battles, the defender
has the option (before any units are
revealed) to immediately Fortify (7.1)
his units by retiring into the City. This
Establishes a Siege (7.0) condition: no
combat occurs this turn.
In cases of Established Siege from a
previous Turn, the acting player can
choose to wage either Siege Attrition or
Siege Assault. Siege Attrition is resolved
without revealing units (see 8.2). Siege
Assault is a special type of Battle (see 8.1).
6.1 BATTLE SEQUENCE
Engaged units are not revealed until
that Battle is being resolved. Begin Battles
by revealing all blocks (tip forward). The
acting player is termed the Aggressor, his
opponent is the Defender.
Battles are fought in Combat Rounds
until one side is eliminated, Panicked
(6.34), or Retreats voluntarily (see 6.4).
Copyright © Craig Besinque, 2008
6.2 COMBAT ROUNDS
A Combat Round consists of one
Attack (6.31) by each block involved.
Blocks attack in order of agility, with
defenders preceding aggressors of equal
agility: defending “A” blocks attack
first, then aggressor “A” blocks, then
defending “B” blocks, etc.
Once per Combat Round, before the
1st friendly unit Attacks, players have the
option to Retreat (6.4) all friendly units
rather than continue the Battle.
When all blocks in the Battle have
Attacked, a Combat Round ends. Repeat
until one side Panics (6.34), Retreats (6.4)
or is eliminated. The opponent wins the
Battle and earns Prestige (see 14.11).
6.3 COMBAT RESOLUTION
6.31 ATTACKING
To attack, roll a number of dice
equal to the cv of the attacking unit, and
apply results (Hits first, then Routs).
6.32 HITS
A1/B1/C1/E1/F1 blocks score a Hit
for each dieroll of “1”. A2/B2/C2/E2/F2
blocks score a Hit on each dieroll of
“1” or “2”. C3/E3 blocks score Hits on
dierolls of “1-3”.
Each hit reduces the cv of the
currently strongest (largest cv, owner’s
choice among equals) enemy unit by 1.
6.33 ROUTS
A1/B1/C1 / E1/ F1 blocks score a
Rout for each dieroll of “6”. A2/B2/
C2/E2/F2 blocks score a Rout for every
dieroll of “5-6”. C3/E3 blocks score Routs
on dierolls of “4-6”.
IMPORTANT: City defenders cannot be
Routed (ignore all Rout results).
For each unit attack, after applying
Hits, apply Routs to the currently weakest
enemy units in the battle (owner’s
choice among equals). Turn Routed
blocks upright (tip back to preserve cv).
They no longer participate in that Battle
(cannot attack or take battle losses).
Rout RECOVERY. Routed units recover
immediately once a Battle has ended.
6.34 PANIC
When all units of one side in a Battle
have been Routed, that side is Panicked.
First, the opposing side completes
its Combat Round for any/all units more
agile than the enemy Rearguard (defined
as the least agile Routed unit).
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Pillaging Procedure
During Actions, spend 1 Action and Withdraw
ALL besiegers from an Established Siege into
an adjacent friendly area. Only opposing
Cities can be Pillaged, never loyal ones (even if
enemy controlled).
Record +1 Prestige gained on the track (+2
Prestige if Athens or Sparta is Pillaged).
Battle Array
Tipping units forward maintains their current
strength in the battle array. When the battle
ends, tip units back upright, again preserving
current strength.
Combat Round Example
Spartan cavalry (A1) & hoplite (B2) units
engage Athenian hoplite (C2) & archer (A1)
units.
The Attack sequence is:
• Athenian archers (defending A1),
• Spartan cavalry (aggressor A1),
• Spartan hoplites (B2).
• Athenian hoplites (C2).
This completes one Combat Round.
Attack Example:
A 3 cv C2 hoplite unit rolls 3 combat dice:
each 1-2 scores a Hit, and each 5-6 scores a
Rout. A 3-4 is a miss. A dieroll of 2, 4, & 5
scores a Hit and a Rout.
City must always maintain a unit or garrison
there (at the end of each turn) or the city will
revert back to its original owner!
Eliminated Units
Eliminated units are returned to their
respective Recruit Pools (face down).
Retreats
Units can never Retreat into enemy-controlled
areas (including vacant enemy CityStates) or
into enemy-occupied areas (including Battles).
Offshore / Adjacent Seas
A Port City has 1 Offshore Sea (into which its
symbol protrudes). A besieged Port still has
access in or out via that sea (only).
Units occupying an unbesieged Province have
access to all adjacent seas.
City Control
Upright units occupying a CityState (with no
opposing units present) control it.
In a Siege situation, units of both sides are
present.
• Besieged [fortified] units (lying flat and face
down) control the City.
• Besieging units (remaining upright) control
the surrounding Polis (e.g., friendly units can
move through it without stopping).
Unoccupied CityStates belong to their original
owner. Thus, the conqueror of an opposing
City must maintain a unit or garrison there
(at the end of each turn) or the city will revert
back to its original owner!
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Then, all Routed units must Retreat
(see 6.4 below). The winning side scores
2 Prestige for winning a Battle by Panic.
6.4 RETREATS
Once per Combat Round, players have
the option to Retreat rather than continue
a Battle. This decision can ONLY be
made before the first friendly unit attack
of a Combat Round.
• All units of the Retreating Group must
Retreat into an adjacent area, but not
necessarily all into the same area.
• Units can only Retreat into areas into
which they can move (armies cannot
retreat to sea without a carrying fleet).
• Aggressors can only Retreat back into
the area from where they engaged.
• Sieges. Besiegers making Siege
Assaults (8.12) can only Retreat
back into the surrounding Province.
Sortiers (8.3) can only Retreat
back into the besieged City. Units
engaging besiegers from outside a
City cannot Retreat into the City.
• Defenders can Retreat into any
adjacent areas except those from
where they were engaged and those
that are enemy-controlled.
• Fortifying. Units defending a
controlled CityState can Retreat into
the City and fortify if desired.
• Besieged City Defenders cannot
Retreat, except from Ports (fleets &
carried armies) to the Offshore Sea (if
not enemy-occupied).
• Fleets on land defending against
a Sea Landing (6.6) cannot Retreat
except to Fortify (see 7,1).
• Trapped Units unable to Retreat must
remain in the Battle. Panicked groups
unable to Retreat are eliminated.
• Routed units can Retreat normally.
• Garrisons can never Retreat.
6.41 CAVALRY HARASSMENT
Whenever a Retreat occurs, all
Cavalry units (on both sides) get a
bonus Harassment attack on enemy units.
Apply Hits as usual (ignore Rout results),
then execute the Retreat movement.
Harassment has NO Prestige effects.
6.5 SEA BATTLES
Sea Battles are different in that:
1) only fleets can attack or take
losses in Sea Battles (use E and F combat
ratings in sea combat, E units going 1st).
2) carried armies can neither attack
Copyright © Craig Besinque, 2008
nor absorb Hits/Routs in Sea Combat.
They must reduce cv as needed to
remain weaker than their carrying fleet.
3) Narrows. Fleets engaging across
a narrows (double sea border) cannot
attack in the 1st Combat Round (in effect,
defending fleets get a "free" initial shot).
6.6 SEA LANDINGS
Units engaging from sea to land
(whether fleets or carried armies) cannot
attack in the first Combat Round (again, in
effect defending units get a "free" attack,
but remember that defending fleets
cannot Retreat!)
7.0 SIEGE
7.1 FORTIFYING
When first engaged, some or all
units defending a CityState may decline
combat (before units are revealed) and
fortify inside the City (turn these units
flat, face-down, tipped back to preserve
cv). Declining combat by immediately
fortifying does not constitute a Retreat or
a lost Battle.
Fortifying establishes Siege, but no
combat occurs in that Battle that Turn.
CityState defenders that do not Fortify
must fight a normal Land Battle (during
which they can still Retreat into the City
and Fortify later on, though this would
constitute a Retreat and a lost Battle).
IMPORTANT: City Capacity (double City
Value) is the maximum number of units able
to fortify there (garrisons DO NOT count).
Fleets can only fortify in Ports, not inland
Cities. Units unable to fortify must fight.
7.2 ESTABLISHING SIEGE
When City defenders fortify, leaving
enemy forces occupying the surrounding
land area, a state of Siege is established.
Defenders are termed besieged, enemy
aggressor forces are termed besieging.
Siege is the only situation where both
sides can occupy the same area (always a
CityState) without a mandatory Battle.
On the Turn that Seige is established,
no combat can occur, but in subsequent
Turns the City is subject to Siege Combat
(8.0) and Pillaging (5.5) .
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Cavalry Raids
In Retreats, unrouted Cavalry gets a free
Harassment attack against enemy forces.
Cavalry can engage enemy forces, Retreat
immediately, and still get a Harassment attack,
representing a Cavalry Raid. Unless enemy
cavalry or archers ('A' units) are present,
there is no risk to the engaging cavalry (as no
enemy unit will be able to attack it).
Fortifying
Fortifying is the withdrawal of defending
units into a walled city, ceding control of the
surrounding countryside to the besieger.
Walled Cities and Sieges
Walled cities of the day proved very difficult
to take by assault. More often, they fell to
siege or some kind of treachery. Siege engines
were in their infancy and catapults had not
yet been invented.
Sieges were often successful but rarely
quickly. Cities often resisted siege for a year or
two, but could not hold out indefinitely. But
Siege has its own dangers and consumes time
and resources.
Siege Warfare
Siege warfare involved circumvallation, a
process of building a containing wall around
a fortified city. For port cities. a besieging fleet
was also necessary to complete the siege.
Siege: CityState Control
Face-down units in a CityState control the city
but are besieged.
Upright units are besieging the city and
controlling the surrounding land area.
If no unit is present, the City (and land area) is
controlled according to its loyalty.
City Garrisons
City Garrisons are always present in loyal
Cities, just not represented until needed.
SIEGE: Besieged Unit Movement
Besieged armies cannot move by land. They
can only Sortie (8.3) to fight besieging units.
FLEETS BESIEGED IN PORTS CAN MOVE INTO
THE OFFSHORE SEA ONLY (AND BEYOND, UNLESS
ENEMY FLEETS OCCUPY IT, IN WHICH CASE A
NAVAL BATTLE WILL RESULT). THEY CAN CARRY
LAND UNITS TO SEA.
Unit Location: Cities & CityStates
Only in cases of Siege is a distinction made
between a City and its CityState regarding
unit location. A unit occupying a CityState
is considered to occupy both the City or the
Province (unless a Siege is in effect).
7.3 CITY GARRISONS
City Garrisons appear (no cost) in
friendly Loyal Cities whenever besieged
(remove if Siege lifted). Garrisons in
captured Opposing Cities must be built
(see 4.23) and are NOT so removed when
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a Siege is lifted.
Garrisons are immobile 1cv units
that defend Cities only: they cannot
move or defend outside their City (e.g.,
vs. Sea Landings or to impede enemy
movement through the CityState). They
DO NOT count against City Capacity.
As for all City defenders, garrisons
have A2 combat ratings, double defense,
and cannot be Routed. They must be the
LAST unit eliminated from the City.
Only 1 garrison is allowed per City.
They are not limited to blocks provided.
To wage Siege Attrition, the besieger
rolls 1 die per defending block (includes
garrisons). No units are revealed.
• In Spring, Summer, and Autumn,
each “1” rolled reduces defending
units by 1 cv.
• In Winter, each “1, 2 or 3” rolled
reduces defending units by 1 cv.
• The largest (cv) defending unit takes
each loss (owner’s choice of equals,
except Garrisons are eliminated last).
• The besieger suffers no losses.
7.4 BESIEGED MOVEMENT
Port Cities cannot be Siege Attritioned
unless they are Blockaded as well as
besieged. A Port City is Blockaded if enemy
fleets occupy its Offshore Sea.
IMPORTANT: Athens is considered to
Blockade ALL unoccupied Offshore Seas.
Armies besieged in a City cannot
move. They can, however, Sortie [8.3] to
engage besieging units without 'moving'.
Fleets besieged in a Port can move
(carrying armies) into the Offshore Sea,
precipitating a Sea Battle there if opposed
or continuing movement if not.
8.0 SIEGE COMBAT
Where Siege has been previously
established, the active player can wage
Siege Combat (either Assault or Attrition).
No Action need be spent to wage Siege
Combat (as no Movement is needed).
8.1 SIEGE ASSAULT
To begin a Siege Assault, turn all
engaged units face up (tip forward to
preserve cv). Proceed as for a normal
Land Battle, except that all City
defenders (including garrisons):
• assume an A2 combat rating,
• have Double Defense (below), and
• cannot be Routed.
8.11 DOUBLE DEFENSE
City defenders only lose one cv for
every 2 hits received. Once a block is
assigned a half-hit it must take the next
half-hit for a full step loss. However, hits
left over at the end of a Combat Round are
lost. Assaulting units take full losses.
8.12 SIEGE ASSAULT RETREATS
City Assaulters can only Retreat
back into the surrounding land area, reassuming besieging (upright) status.
Besieged armies cannot Retreat (unless
to sea, carried by Retreating fleets).
Besieged fleets in Ports can Retreat into the
Offshore Sea (unless enemy-occupied).
8.2 SIEGE ATTRITION
Alternately, the active player can
wage Siege Attrition on Cities where he
has Established Siege in a previous season.
Copyright © Craig Besinque, 2008
8.21 BLOCKADE
8.22 BLACK SEA GRAIN
Athens is considered to be Blockaded
if Spartan fleets occupy the Hellespont,
Sea of Marmara OR Saronic Gulf (note
all 3 have a blue supply symbol).
When blockaded AND besieged, Athens
is always subject to Winter Siege Attrition
rates (cv loss on DR 1-3).
8.3 SORTIES
During friendly COMBAT, some or
all besieged units can Sortie to engage
besieging forces (garrisons cannot Sortie).
As no “movement” occurs, no
Actions need be expended. Sortie Battles
proceed as normal Land Battles (neither
side has Double Defense).
Sortie Retreats. Sortied forces can
only Retreat back into the besieged City.
Besieging forces Retreat normally.
9.0 WINTER
Winter season (the last card played
each Year) follows unique rules.
Following Initiative, Winter is
divided into 3 phases: WINTERING/
ACTIONS, SIEGEBREAKING COMBAT, and
SIEGE COMBAT. The First Player (with the
Initiative) completes his phase, followed
by the 2nd Player, before continuing to
the next phase.
OverWintering. Units can survive
Winter only if they are inside a friendly
City or if are Maintained (see 9.21).
Otherwise they must Disband (9.23).
NOTE: Fleets can OverWinter in an
Inland CityState without Maintenance,
even though they cannot fortify there.
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Double Defense
Defending units only lose one step for every
two hits scored by attacking units. At the end
of a Combat Round, "half-hits" are lost.
To register a “half hit” on a unit with Double
Defense, rotate it 45 degrees counter-clockwise.
If a full step loss (90 degree rotation) is not
achievedin a single Combat Round, return it to its
former cv.
The Athenian Grain Supply
The Long Walls enclosing Athens and its
harbors Piraeus and Phalerum made Athens
practically invulnerable to siege, as long
as the naval supremacy guaranteeing
the delivery of its Black Sea grain supply
remained intact.
However, Athens with its huge population
(hundreds of thousands when all other Greek
cities were tens of thousands) was utterly
unable to feed itself if denied food imports.
In the event, Athens was finally defeated
when the Spartan navy gained control of the
Propontis and cut off its food supply.
Wintering Movement
At the end of the campaigning season, armies
of the time normally returned home for
Winter. Keeping forces in the field over Winter
was very costly and unpopular.
Since it costed resources to keep units in the
field over Winter (rather than the reverse), it
makes no sense to charge an Action cost to
return units Home for Winter.
OverWintering Fleets
Fleets can OverWinter in an [unbesieged]
friendly CityState containing an inland City
(they have reached ‘home’), despite the fact
that they cannot fortify there (7.1).
Fleets cannot OverWinter in a besieged inland
City without winning a Wintering Battle and
driving away the besiegers, as they cannot
reach 'home' without doing this. NOTE:
If this occurs and the CityState is attacked
in the Spring, the fleet will be outside the
fortifications and must fight a land battle
(Retreating if it loses), as it cannot fortify in an
Inland City.
Fleets can also OverWinter in a besieged Port,
entering via its Offshore Sea. This cannot be
prevented: a Passing Engagement may occur (if
maintained enemy fleets are present there),
but not a Wintering Battle (these only occur
when trying to break a maintained Siege to
enter Winter Quarters).
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9.1 WINTER INITIATIVE
Players play a card as usual, except
Events CANNOT be played. The player
with fewer Actions takes the first Player
Turn as usual (Sparta first in case of ties).
9.2 WINTERING & ACTIONS
In Winter, normal Group Movement
and Pillaging are NOT allowed: only free
Wintering movement is possible. Each
player in turn executes desired Wintering
moves followed by Winter Maintenance
and Building (the only Actions allowed).
9.21 WINTERING
Units NOT currently inside a
friendly City can make one Wintering
move (at no cost in Actions) to enter a
friendly City, and ONLY to enter one
(fleets can carry armies normally).
Wintering movement is the ONLY
kind of movement possible in Winter.
There are two types of Wintering
movement: Quartering and Homing.
9.211 QUARTERING
Units NOT already inside a friendly
City but adjacent to one may move into it
at no cost in Actions. If the adjacent City
is besieged, the Quartering move triggers
a Wintering Battle (see 9.41). Fleets may
make Quartering moves into a besieged
Port from its Offshore Sea.
9.212 HOMING
Units NOT inside a Home City may
make 1 free Homing move to enter one,
using their maximum possible movement
range (Forced Marches/Sails automatically
succeed). DeepSea Crossings must be
rolled for as usual.
Except when reaching the destination
Home City or its Offshore Sea, Homing
Groups move freely through any enemy
units encountered, with no effect on
either group (they are interested in
reaching home, not fighting).
However, when the destination
Home City is Besieged or its Offshore Sea
is Blockaded (8.21) by enemy forces,
the Homing Group stops there and a
Wintering Battle DOES occur (see 9.31).
9.213 DISPLACEMENT
If Wintering moves overload a
City's Capacity, units there that have not
already made a Wintering move become
eligible make one (as any "excess" units
are no longer "inside" the City).
Important: City Capacity is double
the City Value: units in excess of this
(owner's choice; garrisons do not count)
Copyright © Craig Besinque, 2008
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are outside the City for all purposes.
CityState Occupants
9.22 WINTER ACTIONS
Units in unbesieged CityStates are considered
to occupy the City or the Province, as desired.
Following his Wintering moves, each
player executes his Winter Actions, then
disbands units not OverWintering (9.0).
9.21 WINTER MAINTENANCE
Units outside friendly Cities can
OverWinter only if Maintained at a cost of
1 Action per unit (place 1 Actions die on
each unit being Maintained). Otherwise
they must Disband (see 9.23).
9.22 WINTER BUILDING
Winter Actions not spent on
Maintenance are spent on Building
(recruiting new units/adding cv).
NOTE: Barbarians recruited in Winter
must immediately disband (see below).
9.23 WINTER DISBANDING
All Barbarians on the map must now
Disband regardless of location (except see
13.0 PERSIAN AID): remove them to the
friendly Recruit Pool.
All Greek units not OverWintering
(i.e., either inside a friendly City or being
Maintained) must also now be Disbanded.
Exception: Unmaintained units engaged
in Wintering Battles are not disbanded
at this point. They are Disbanded after
Wintering Battles are resolved, IF they are
defeated and cannot enter the target City.
9.3 SIEGEBREAKING COMBAT
[Only Siege Combat occurs in Winter.
Normal land / sea battles cannot occur
without Group Movement to provoke them.]
In this phase, both players in turn
have a chance to break enemy Sieges
before Siege Attrition occurs. Only Siege
defenders can initiate these battles.
9.31 WINTERING BATTLES
Wintering units attempting to reach a
friendly City that is besieged precipitate
a Wintering Battle there. (NOTE: Homing
fleets can reach a besieged but unBlockaded
Port without fighting via its Offshore Sea).
Wintering fleets attempting to reach a
friendly Port via its blockaded Offshore Sea
precipitate a Wintering Battle there. If
victorious, they may immediately make a
Quartering move into the City.
Wintering Battles are resolved
normally (usual Prestige effects apply).
Group Uncoordination rules (5.41) apply
when more than one Group is engaging
by Wintering move.
Unmaintained survivors of Wintering
Battles not inside Cities must Disband.
9
Friendly Cities & Home Cities
Friendly Cities are those that are friendly
controlled, regardless of original Loyalty.
Units can Quarter in adjacent friendly Cities.
Home Cities are those that are the same
color coding as the unit(s) in question. Units
can make free Homing Moves to friendly
controlled Home Cities in Winter.
Quartering Movement Example
Entering Winter, an Athenian fleet remains
in the Hellespont, but Athens does not wish
to maintain this unit at sea. It cannot make
a Homing Move as Athens is too distant. It
is, however, adjacent to the friendly Subject
City of Abydos, and therefore makes a free
Quartering move there to OverWinter.
Homing Movement Example
Entering Winter, two Athenian fleets are
besieging Samos, which has revolted. Not
wishing to maintain these units over Winter,
Athens makes free Homing Moves to return
them to Athens. They move right through the
Paros Sea despite the presence of a maintained
Spartan fleet there.
Wintering Battles
Wintering Battles ONLY occur when Wintering
units attempt to break a Siege or Blockade of
their target Wintering City. Otherwise the
presence of enemy units is ignored as units
are only concerned with returning home or
maintaining sieges.
Wintering Battle Example
In the above example, the Spartans have
2 maintained fleets in the Saronic Gulf, the
Offshore Sea of target Home City Athens, PLUS
one maintained unit besieging Athens on land.
Instead of engaging the 2 enemy fleets in
the Saronic Gulf, the Athenian fleets opts to
attempt to reach Athens by landing there from
the Andros Sea, precipitating a Wintering Battle
to break the siege and reach home.
This is a Sea Landing, and the 3cv Spartan
B2 besieger rolls 5,6 scoring 2 Routs. Both
Athenian fleets must Retreat and disband,
having failed to reach Home. They might have
had better luck attempting to Winter via the
Saronic Gulf.
Displacement Example
Entering Winter, an Athenian army and fleet
are besieging Leucas but cannot be maintained.
Too far from Athens for a Homing Move, they
make Quartering moves into friendly City
Stratus. However, there is already 1 unit there,
so its City Capacity (double the City Value of 1
= 2) is now exceeded.
The original Stratus unit can now be
considered "outside" the City due to
inadequate Capacity, becoming eligible to
make a Wintering move. It therefore makes a
free Quartering move into Naupactis.
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9.32 WINTER SORTIES
Likewise, besieged units can Sortie
and attack enemy besiegers (as no Group
Movement is required).
9.5 WINTER SIEGE COMBAT
[No unit can participate in both Winter
combat phases: one is limited to Siege
defenders; the other to Besiegers.]
The First Player then does Siege
Assaults and Siege Attrition normally,
followed by the 2nd Player. This can be
considered 'offensive' Siege Combat.
NOTE: Winter Siege Attrition scores Hits
on dierolls of 1-3 (triple effectiveness).
10.0 NEW YEAR
Begin each Game Year as follows
(exception: in the 1st year of a game, skip
Tribute / Victory Check / Advance Year.
10.1 TRIBUTE
First, players collect Prestige equal to
the total Value of all opposing Cities they
control (do not count Loyal Cities).
Exception: After the Peace of Nicias is
broken, WAR RESUMES reduces Tribute by
HALF (rounded down), see 12.2.
NOTE: Barbarians that capture Cities will
disband before collecting Tribute.
10.2 VICTORY CHECK
If either player has Prestige of 15 or
more, the game ends (see 14.1). A Player
with Prestige of 10+ (5+ if the Peace
Faction Ascendant Event is in play) or
more may make a Peace Offer (see 14.2).
10.3 YEAR START
Advance the YEAR marker. Players
remove undesired Continuing Events,
then collect and shuffle all cards except
Continuing Event cards remaining in play.
Deal 6 cards to each player.
10.4 NEW YEAR EVENTS
Both players secretly commit one
card, face down, then reveal them.
Events are resolved normally, except
Revolts/ Helot Revolts cannot be
played at New Year [without Combat, so
Negotiation, Treachery etc. have no value.]
10.41 SACRIFICES
Actions are not possible at New Year.
Actions played at New Year are Sacrificed
to an OLYMPIAN: place a spare garrison
in the selected OLYMPIAN box. The Action
value of the Sacrifice is immaterial.
Sacrificing entitles a player to Appeal
Copyright © Craig Besinque, 2008
2005
to that OLYMPIAN in a later turn (see
11.0). Players can accumulate 1 Sacrifice
to each OLYMPIAN, but no more.
11.0 THE OLYMPIANS
If a player has previously Sacrificed
to a particular OLYMPIAN, he can Appeal
to that OLYMPIAN for rectification of a
specific type of unsatisfactory random
result (dieroll, recruit draw, etc.) made
by himself or the opponent (see below).
Appeals must be made immediately
after the random result, before play
proceeds. They automatically succeed,
forcing a re-roll or re-draw, as desired,
which becomes the operative result.
Remove the relevant Sacrifice block
when an Appeal is made. An Olympian
can only be Appealed to once per Player
Turn. Appeals enable the following:,
ZEUS: Discard & re-draw all 6 cards of
a New Year card draw.
APOLLO: Re-draw 4 Recruit blocks or
force opponent to re-draw a Recruit.
ARES: Re-roll Attacks for one agility
class (A/B/C etc) in a Combat Round.
DEMETER: Re-roll one complete Siege
Attrition dieroll (1 d6 per defender).
POSIEDON: Re-roll 1 Storm dieroll.
HERMES: Re-roll 1 unit's Forced March/
Sail or make one Group Homing move
of any length.
HERA: Overrule an Appeal: ie, reroll an Appeal to another OLYMPIAN.
[NOTE: only HERA do this -- players
cannot re-Appeal to the same Olympian].
12.0 PEACE OF NICIAS
TM
SUBJECT REGIONS [* = Ports]
EUBOIA
Chalcis 3*, Eretria 2
CHALCIDICE
Potidea 2*, Torone 1*, Stagira 1
THRACE
Amphipolis 3*, Abdera 1
PROPONTIS
Byzantium 3*, Abydos 2*,
Cyzicus 1, Sestos 1
IONIA
Miletus 2*, Ephesus 2*
Cyme 1, Thyrea 1, Cnidos 1*
SPORADES
Samos 3*. Rhodes 2*
CYCLADES
Naxos 2*, Andros 1*
WESTERN ISLES
Cephellania 1, Zakinthos 1
CREDITS
Game Design: Craig Besinque
Assistance:
Ron Hodwitz
Joel Toppen
Neil Randall
Chris Farrell
Paul Heldrup
Don Clarke
Jeff Kuhn
Tim Taylor
Ken Hole
Mark Kwasny
Mike Hoyt
Charles Vasey
Gary Wright
Jeremy Murphy
Alex Besinque
Rayn Butt-Grau
The 415 and Sicily scenarios begin
with the following PEACE OF NICIAS
special rules in effect:
1. Revolt, Helot Revolt, Persian Aid
and Athens Raises Taxes events
cannot be played.
2. In GREECE (1.0), the following apply:
A. TRUCE: On land, neither side can
enter enemy territory. Players cannot
reinforce captured opposing Cities held
by friendly garrisons nor recapture lost
loyal Cities held by enemy garrisons.
Rebel units cannot be Recruited.
B. OPEN SEAS: At sea, opposing
forces can enter, pass through and cooccupy sea areas containing enemy fleets
without conflict.
12.1 WAR RESUMES
Either player can break the PEACE
10
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8.03d
Version
0.0
(canceling the above special rules) by so
declaring at the beginning of his turn.
This costs him an amount of Prestige,
depending on the current Game Year:
-5 Prestige in 415, -4 Prestige in 414,
-3 Prestige in 413, etc.
[No Prestige penalty beginning 410]
12.11 WAR WEARINESS
After WAR RESUMES, total Tribute
collected at New Year for captured Cities
is halved (round down).
12.12 DECELEA
After WAR RESUMES, the City
Capacity of Thebes rises to 12 (TRIPLE).
13.0 PERSIAN AID
For each Persian Aid card in play (415
/ 413 Scenarios):
• Spartans +1 Action / Turn.
• Spartans lose 1 Prestige / New Year.
• One Persian army can OverWinter and
remain in play for another year.
• Pro-Spartan Revolts become harder.
1 PERSIAN AID CARD IN PLAY:
REDUCED REVOLTS. Sparta can only do
Revolts where there is a red block in an
adjacent area (Tax Revolts not affected).
PERSIANS PERSIST. 1 Persian army
(though barbarian) can OverWinter and
remain in play another Year, either by
Wintering move (9.2) into a Home Town,
or by being Maintained (9.251).
2 PERSIAN AID CARDS IN PLAY:
REVOLTS END. Sparta can no longer
do Revolts (Tax Revolts not affected).
PERSIANS PERSIST. Both Persian
armies (though barbarian), can OverWinter
and remain in play, as above.
3 PERSIAN AID CARDS IN PLAY:
REVERSE REVOLTS. Athens (but not
Sparta) can now play Revolts IN REVERSE
to remove lone red garrisons from listed
Subject Cities (which revert to Athens).
PERSIANS PERSIST. Both Persian
armies can OverWinter as above.
PERSIAN FLEET. If Lysander leads
Sparta, the PHOEN fleet can be recruited
(arrives Gulf of Caunas). This unit cannot
OverWinter (MUST disband in Winter).
Battles, Pillaging and collecting Tribute.
Prestige usually begins at 0 (see scenario
description). Move a spare block along
the track to record Prestige changes in
favor of either player. (Example: Athens
gains 2 Prestige: move the block 2 spaces
towards ATHENS WINS.)
14.11 WINNING BATTLES
TRIUMPH. Players gain 2 Prestige
when all enemy units in a Battle are
Panicked or eliminated (including when a
City is carried by Siege Assault).
TROPHY. Players gains 1 Prestige if
the enemy Retreats from Combat without
being Panicked (6.331), or when a City is
captured by Siege Attrition.
SKIRMISH. No Prestige is won when
the enemy Retreats from battle without
Panic or cv loss.
14.12 PILLAGING
Players gain 1 Prestige for Pillaging
(5.5) an enemy CityState (2 Prestige for
Pillaging Athens or Sparta).
14.13 TRIBUTE
Collected at New Year. See 10.1.
14.2 WINNING THE GAME
14.21 SURRENDER
A player with +15 or more Prestige at
VICTORY CHECK wins a Decisive Victory.
14.22 PEACE OFFERS
A player with 10+ Prestige can make
a Peace Offer during VICTORY CHECK. To
do so, he reduces his Prestige by 2 and
each player rolls ONE die.
If the 2 dice total is LESS THAN
the resulting Prestige level, he wins the
game by a Negotiated Peace: see 14.24 for
Victory Level. If not, play continues.
If Peace Faction Ascendant is in play,
Peace Offers can be made with 5+ Prestige
and cost only -1 Prestige to make.
14.23 EXHAUSTION
At the end of a Campaign, evaluate
Victory as given below.
14.24 VICTORY LEVEL
10+ Prestige wins a Major Victory.
5+ Prestige wins a Marginal Victory.
0-4 Prestige: the game is a Draw.
14.0 VICTORY
14.1 PRESTIGE
Victory is gained through Prestige, as
recorded on the PRESTIGE TRACK.
Players gain Prestige by winning
Copyright © Craig Besinque, 2008
11
INDEX
Archers
2.22
Areas
1.1
Barbarians
2.1, 2.25, 4.2
Blockade
8.21
Borders
1.1, 1.2
Building (Actions)
4.2
Cards
3.0
Cities (& Control)
1.3
Cavalry
2.23
Combat
6.0
Combat Rating
2.12
Control (City/Area)
1.4
DeepSea Crossings
5.22
Disbanding
9.23
Double Defense
8.11
Events
3.1
Fleets
2.26
Forced March/Sail
5.3
Fortifying
7.1
Garrisons
2.3, 4.2, 7.3
Greeks
2.1, 4.2
Group Movement
4.1
Harassment (cavalry) 6.41
Hits
6.32
Home City/Province 2.11
Hoplites
2.21
Infantry
2.24
Initiative
3.3
Leaders
3.11
Loyalty (City)
1.31
Movement
5.0
New Year
10.0
Olympians (Appeals) 11.0
14.22
Peace Offers
12.0
Peace of Nicias
Persian Aid
13.0
Pillaging
4.3, 5.5, 12.12
Ports
1.3
Prestige
12.1
Quartering / Homing 9.21
Recruiting / Recruit Pool 4.2
Retreats
6.4
Revolts
3.1 sidebar
Rout
6.33
Sacrifice (Olympians) 10.4
Scenarios
15.0
Sea Areas & Borders
1.2
Sea Battles
6.5
Sea Landings
6.6
Sea Transport
5.21
Siege
7.0
Siege Combat
8.0
Sorties
8.3
Tribute
10.1, 11.13
Trophy / Triumph
11.11
Victory
14.0
Winter
9.0
9.2
Wintering
Winter Maintenance 4.4, 9.25
Version 8.03d
15.0 SCENARIOS
15.1 THE 431 CAMPAIGN
15.2 THE SICILY CAMPAIGN
Continual Athenian imperialism finally
provoked a Spartan-Corinthian ultimatum in
431 BC. Athenian leader Pericles argued that
war was less damaging than submitting to
Spartan demands, and championed a passive
war of attrition, relying on Athens’ Long
Walls and naval supremacy to thwart and
eventually discourage its enemies.
This strategy was quickly undermined by a
devastating plague that swept away much
of Athens and Pericles himself. Ten years of
inconclusive war was finally ended by the
Peace of Nicias.
DURATION: 431 - 422 BC (10 years).
Game time: 4 hours.
NEUTRALS: [GREECE] Argos, Achaea,
Paeonia, Persia (Phrygia/Lydia/Caria)
/ [SICILY] Syracuse, Messina, Acragas.
The Peace of Nicias unraveled within a
few years. With Sparta’s 'alliance' to Athens
and the end of its 30 year truce with Argos,
the Spartan League dissolved into a melee of
CityStates jockeying for position. Elis and
Mantinea joined with Argos, fought Sparta
and lost. Corinth and Thebes never accepted a
status quo that left Athens unbowed. Sparta's
noncompliance with the peace terms brought
the anti-Spartan policies of Alcibiades into
prominence in Athens.
Finally Athens succumbed to temptation and
sent a major expedition against Syracuse, a
faraway neutral city almost as large and rich
as itself. Disaster ensued.
DURATION: 415 - 411 BC (5 years).
Game time: 2 hours.
NEUTRALS: [SICILY] Messina, Acragas /
[GREECE] all unfriendly land territory is
out of play for both sides.
SETUP: ATHENS
SETUP: ATHENS
UNITS: See ATHENS 431 OB card.
Deploy starting units in the specified
regions (2 units are besieging Potidea).
Place Recruit Pool aside, face down.
RECRUITABLE BARBARIANS: ODRYSIA,
MACEDONIA, THESSALY, SICELS.
SETUP: SPARTA
UNITS: See SPARTA 431 OB card. Deploy
starting units as desired within the
specified regions (2 units + garrison
besieged in Potidea). Place Recruit Pool
aside, face down.
CAPTURED CITY: POTIDEA
[BESIEGED].
RECRUITABLE BARBARIANS:
EPIRUS, AETOLIA, Il lyr ia, Sicans.
SETUP: CARDS: Remove Bronze
cards from deck (use Gold & Silver
only). Remove Leaders ARCHIDAMOS
(Sparta) and PERICLES (Athens) and
place face-up in play. Shuffle remaining
cards and deal 6 to each player.
431 SPECIAL RULES
1. Actions on the SICILY map cost double
and Pillaging there gains no Prestige.
2. The Spartan barbarians units Illyr/
PHRYG and Epir/LYDIA are used as ILLYRIA
and EPIRUS in this scenario.
UNITS: See the SICILY OB card. Deploy
starting units in the specified regions.
Set the Recruit Pool aside, face down.
RECRUITABLE BARBARIANS: SICELS.
SETUP: SPARTA
UNITS: See the SICILY OB card. Deploy
starting units in the specified regions.
Set the Recruit Pool aside, face down.
RECRUITABLE BARBARIANS:
Sicans.
SETUP: CARDS: Remove Gold
cards from deck (use Bronze & Silver
only). Remove Leaders ALCIBIADES
(Athens) and AGIS (Sparta) and place
face-up in play. Shuffle remaining
cards and deal 6 to each player.
SICILY SPECIAL RULES
1. PEACE OF NICIAS rules (12.0) are in
effect and the Peace CANNOT be broken.
2. Actions on the SICILY map do NOT
cost double (Pillaging DOES earn Prestige).
3. Units not starting or shown in the
Recruit Pools are out of play. Barbarians
cannot be recruited in Greece, but Greek
units recruited there CAN go to Sicily.
4. Athens loses -1 Prestige each New
Year (Spartan Tribute 4; Athens Tribute 3).
SICILY PLAYERS' NOTES
Athens starts with its historical SICILY
expedition in Corcyra, ready to proceed. With
the Peace of Nicias prohibiting war in Greece
and a negative Tribute situation (3:4) at
home, Athens sees a window of opportunity
in SICILY. A sacrifice to Posiedon can insure
against a crippling Storm en route to Sicily.
2005
Copyright © Craig Besinque, 2008
12
THE PERICLEAN AGE
The Peloponnesian War took place during (and
effectively destroyed) the Greek Classical Age.
The Classical Greeks made breathtaking advances
in science, mathematics, philosophy, drama,
sculpture, and government. Thucydides’ history of
the Peloponnesian War, for example, is strikingly
modern in its attitude of objective observation and
studied rational analysis.
But the Greek Golden Age, like all of ancient
Greek history, was marked by ceaseless internecine
warfare born of greed, pride and ambition. In the
end, the great democracy of Athens oppressed and
enslaved its weaker neighbors and waged war to
maintain its empire. Ironically, reactionary and
militarized Sparta assumed the role of liberator of
the Greeks.
Prelude: 490-432 BC
After the famous Greek victories over Persia in
490-480, Athens formed the Delian League to
ensure Greek naval control of the Aegean, but this
evolved from a voluntary alliance into an empire.
In 433, Corinth (commercial rival to Athens
and longtime member of the opposing Spartan
League) clashed with its colony Corcyra over
the city of Epidamnus. Feeling the winds of
war, Athens backed fellow naval power Corcyra,
earning the undying enmity of Corinth.
In revenge Corinth fomented a revolt from Athens
in its former colony Potidea, then lobbied the
Spartan League to send aid against the resulting
Athenian siege, arguing that Athens had grown
too powerful and threatened to dominate all
Greece. Sparta reluctantly supported its main ally
and war began.
THE ARCHIDAMIAN WAR: 431-422 BC
So-called because King Archidamos commanded
the Spartan League, this campaign began with
Potidea in revolt and already under Athenian
siege. Thebes opened the proceedings with a failed
sneak attack on longtime foe Platea. Mutual
invasion and pillage followed, Sparta overland into
Attica, and Athens by sea into enemy territory. In
430 a devastating plague struck Athens, eventually
carrying away its great leader Pericles along with
a third of its population. Lesbos revolted but fell
to Athenian siege along with Potidea, while Platea
fell to Spartan siege.
The war spread to central Greece, with campaigns
in Acarnania, Leucas, Zacinthos, Ambracia, and
Boeotia. Civil War broke out twice in Corcyra,
but with Athenian naval support the democrats
prevailed. En route there, an Athenian fleet was
blown ashore at Pylos, a natural harbor 75 miles
from Sparta, and the decision was made to fortify
the place. A Spartan land/sea attack failed and
Spartans isolated on the island of Sphacteria in the
harbor mouth were defeated and captured.
Meanwhile, Brasidus, Sparta’s most aggressive
commander, took a Spartan army north to
Chalcidice, fomenting revolt there and in
Amphipolis. Cleon, Athen’s most aggressive leader,
replied by reconquereing several revolting cities.
The two met at Amphipolis, where Athens was
routed but both leaders died in the battle.
War weariness, the death of the two most bellicose
war leaders, and the impending end of Sparta’s
30-year truce with its arch-enemy Argos led to a
negotiated peace in 422 BC.
Version
0.0
Version
8.03d
HELLENES: THE PELOPONNESIAN WAR
15.3 The 415 CAMPAIGN
This long scenario combines the SICILY
and 413 Campaigns. It begins with the same
situation as SICILY, but adds all the forces in
mainland Greece missing from that scenario.
Facing a negative Tribute situation
(3:4) as the Peace continues but an even
larger Prestige cost to reinitiate hostilities
in Greece, Athens must decide whether its
"opportunity" abroad is worth the risk.
Conquest of Syracuse virtually
guarantees it victory, and Sparta is hardpressed to intervene. But Syracuse is far
away and more powerful than it looks.
DURATION: 415 - 404 BC (12 years).
Game time: 6 hours.
NEUTRALS: [GREECE] Achaea, Paeonia,
Persia / [SICILY] Messina, Acragas.
SETUP: ATHENS
UNITS: See Athens 415 OB card.
Deploy starting units as specified. Set
Recruit Pool aside, face down.
CAPTURED CITIES: LEUCAS, PYLOS.
RECRUITABLE BARBARIANS :ODRYSIA,
SITALCES, SICELS, THESSALY, MACEDONIA.
15.4 The 413 Campaign
In 413 BC Athens had just lost half its
fleet and much of its army in the disastrous
misadventure in Sicily. Sparta saw its
chance, reassembled the League in its original
form and rekindled the war. Aided by Persian
gold and revolts in Rhodes, Chios and
elsewhere, Sparta built fleets and took the
offensive at sea. After naval skirmishing off
Ionia, Sparta moved north into the Propontis,
threatening the Athenian food supply.
Alcibiades returned to help Athens win a
series of naval battles, but finally it met with
disaster in the Hellespont. With its grain
supply cut off, Athens had to surrender.
DURATION: 413 - 404 BC (10 years).
Game time: 4 hours.
NEUTRALS: [GREECE] Achaea, Paeonia,
Persia / [SICILY] Messina, Acragas.
SETUP: ATHENS [PRESTIGE: +3]
UNITS: See Athens 413 OB card.
Deploy starting units as specified. Set
Recruit Pool aside, face down. Set aside
LOST UNITS separately, face down.
CAPTURED CITIES: LEUCAS, PYLOS.
RECRUITABLE BARBARIANS : ODRYSIA,
SITALCES, SICELS, THESSALY, MACEDONIA.
SETUP: SPARTA
SETUP: SPARTA [PRESTIGE: -3]
SETUP: CARDS: Remove Gold
SETUP: CARDS: Remove Gold
UNITS: See SPARTA 415 OB card. Deploy
starting units as specified. Set Recruit
Pool aside, face down.
CAPTURED CITIES: PLATEA, AMPHIPOLIS.
RECRUITABLE BARBARIANS: MACEDONIA,
AETOLIA, SICANS, PHRYGIA, LYDIA, PHOENICIA.
cards from deck (use Bronze & Silver
only). Remove Leaders ALCIBIADES
(Athens) and AGIS (Sparta) and place
face-up in play. Shuffle remaining
cards and deal 6 to each player.
415 SPECIAL RULES
1. PEACE OF NICIAS rules (12.0) are in
effect. The Peace CAN be broken at a cost of
Prestige), which brings WAR RESUMES into
effect (see 12.1).
2. Actions in SICILY cost double (and
no Pillaging Prestige) unless non-Sicilian
Athenian units have been in SICILY that
year.
3. Athenian units eliminated in Sicily
are placed in a separate LOST UNITS pool.
Each New Year, ONE such unit is returned
to the Athenian Recruit Pool.
4. If Persian Aid cards are in play:
Spartan units [only] may enter PERSIA,
Persian units [barbarians] may OverWinter,
and Revolt rules are altered (see 13.0).
Copyright © Craig Besinque, 2008
2005
UNITS: See SPARTA 413 OB card.
Deploy starting units as specified. Set
Recruit Pool aside, face down.
CAPTURED CITIES: PLATEA, AMPHIPOLIS.
RECRUITABLE BARBARIANS: MACEDONIA,
AETOLIA, SICANS, PHRYGIA, LYDIA, PHOENICIA.
cards from deck (use Bronze & Silver
only). Remove Leaders PROBOULOIS
(Athens) and AGIS (Sparta) and place
face-up in play. Shuffle remaining
cards and deal 6 to each player.
413 SPECIAL RULES
1. Sparta has broken the Peace and starts
at -3 Prestige. WAR RESUMES (see 12.1) is
in effect.
2. Actions in SICILY cost double and
Pillaging there gains no Prestige.
3. Some Athens units start in a separate
LOST UNITS pool. Each New Year, one such
unit is returned to Athens' Recruit Pool (one
such unit chosen blindly may be placed on
each year of the Time Track).
4. If Persian Aid cards are in play:
Spartan units [only] may enter PERSIA,
Persian armies may OverWinter, and Revolt
rules are altered (see 13.0).
13
TM
The Peace of Nicias: 421-415 BC
Peace terms included a defensive alliance between
Athens and Sparta, and an exchange of hostages
and conquered cities (which was not honored on
the Spartan side, soon bringing a dissatisfied
faction led by Alcibiades to power in Athens).
During this period, the long-established alliance
structures broke up and reformed. Argos, Elis and
part of Arcadia allied with Athens. In 418, Sparta,
Corinth and Thebes first marched against Argos
(which was saved from defeat by a last minute
truce), then into Arcadia defeating Argos/Athens
at Mantinea before Athenian reinforcements could
arrive. By sparing the elite Argive “1000”, Sparta
gained Argos as an ally, but a harsh oligarchy it
established there was overthrown a year later.
The Syracuse Expedition: 415-413 BC
In 415, two cities in Sicily requested Athenian
aid in a struggle with Syracuse, a city almost
as large and powerful as Athens or Corinth, one
with Dorian (Spartan) sympathies, and a primary
supplier of food to the Peloponnese. Sensing a
chance to bring Sparta to its knees economically
(and add to its empire), the Athenian assembly
voted to send a sizeable expedition under Nicias
(who opposed it).
After winning an early advantage and besieging
Syracuse, the expedition was utterly defeated with
the loss of half Athen’s fleet and 1/3rd of its army.
Upon learning this in 413 BC, Sparta immediately
reconvened its old alliance to restart the war.
The Decelean War: 413-404 BC
In the second phase, the main Peloponnesian army
was based in Decelea, Boeotia (instead of going
home every winter as had been the case). Revolts
against Athens became more frequent, and it was.
hard pressed to cope with the spreading rebellion.
In addition, Sparta gained Persian Aid in exchange
for renouncing Greek Ionia, and used this to
build a fleet large enough to challenge Athens.
A protracted sea war resulted, featuring several
major sea battles. Athens won most of these, but
was continually out-built in ships, finally losing
its entire fleet in the Hellespont. Without naval
supremacy, a besieged Athens could no longer feed
itself and surrendered.
Aftermath: 403-370 BC
Sparta installed a murderous tyrannical regime in
defeated Athens, but Athenian rebels reinstituted
democracy within a year. Within a decade, Athens
had recovered its fleet, walls, and independence.
Spartan hegemony lasted less than 3 years. Empire
predictably undermined Spartan values and
institutions, and raised enemies and former allies
alike against it. Thirty years later its power was
irrevocably broken at the great battle of Leuctra.
Despite its scientific, political, intellectual and
artistic achievements, the great promise of Classical
Greece was never realized, as it never coalesced
into a single state. Many of its discoveries were
lost to mankind and not rediscovered till 2000
years later.
The Peloponnesian War not only devastated the
population, lands, honor and economy of Ancient
Greece, but its potential as well.
Version
Version
8.03d
0.0
STRATEGY TIPS
Plan each year's campaign carefully,
using your cards to best advantage.
Because of the short campaigning year and
the slow progress of Seiges, players must plan
their campaign year carefully, maneuvering
decisively and keeping in mind the possible
need for controlling the Initiative when
opportunity or crisis arises.
Protect your Cities.
City capture is the most powerful method of
accumulating (or losing) Prestige. A captured
opposing city will continue to produce Prestige
year after year for as long as it is held.
But Cities are very hard to take: barring a
favorable card Event, (Treachery, Civil War),
Siege Assaults require a huge strength
advantage to succeed.
Besiege weakly defended opposing
Cities (e.g., garrisons only).
To capture a City, a superior friendly army
must first drive the defenders inside the
city walls, establishing a Siege. Once this is
done, either Siege Attrition or a Siege Assault
may be attempted in future turns. Without
an assisting card, Siege Assault should only
be attempted with a very favorable (3:1+)
strength ratio. Since units have hidden values,
this usually means attacking cities defended
only by garrisons (a good argument for
recruiting early and often).
As much as is consistent with
prudent defense, concentrate forces
in threatening locations, preferably
in friendly Cities.
During a Siege, a besieging army is exposed
in the field: the formation of a superior enemy
force within striking range threatens an
unfavorable battle.
Battles are the second most powerful method
of accumulating (or losing) Prestige. Therefore
the best response to an enemy Siege can be
concentrating a threatening army nearby.
Muster is a very efficient method of
concentration.
Use Tempo to advantage.
Many maneuvers otherwise impossible or
unwise can be obtained via a double turn
(moving last in one Turn, then first in the
next Turn). Initiative manipulation via astute
cardplay can allow a player to outrun superior
enemy forces, or besiege a City and Pillage or
capture it before the opponent can respond.
Play to your strengths.
The threat of elite units will make your
opponent reluctant to engage on your turf
(Sparta on land, Athen at sea).
In battles, enemy forces are imprecisely
known, but both quality and quantity of
units have effect. The ability of elite units
to strike first even when attacking can rout
defenders before they can fight back (light
units like cavalry and archers can also serve
this purpose). For this reason, Spartan hoplites
Copyright © Craig Besinque, 2008
and Athenian fleets must be treated with great
respect, although they can be overwhelmed
with superior numbers.
Campaign where superior enemy
forces cannot easily challenge you.
Besiege the opponent in locations where
he will be unable to concentrate superior
forces against you, either because of distance,
intervening seas, or his forces being already
committed or widely dispersed.
For Sparta this means inland areas like
central Greece and Thrace. For Athens this
means islands like Cythera or distant lands
like Macedonia (or even central Greece if the
Spartans are dispersed).
Use Events with discrimination,
considering the cost in lost Actions.
The Spartans, particularly, can benefit from
Events (including Revolts). However Revolts
must be used with discretion, as many Revolts
will be easily suppressed by Athens, resulting
in a net Prestige loss.
Using an Event has an opportunity cost in
lost Actions, but late-year Revolts are likely to
garner instant Prestige for holding an opposing
city at New Year. Timely use of Treachery can
unexpectedly capture an enemy city thought
to be securely defended.
In the absence of better opportunity,
you can always Pillage somewhere.
Do not disdain Pillaging, a reliable method
of gaining Prestige. Multiple Pillaging
expeditions can threaten rapid Prestige
gains. As Winter (or a superior enemy
force) approaches, besiegers can Pillage
(withdrawing to sea or an adjacent friendly
City to avoid engagement).
Wintering
It is usually a slight advantage to move last
in Winter, as the opponent Winters first,
sometimes simplifying one's own Wintering.
Overwintering concentrated Groups in large
cities allows a quicker start to the next Year.
NOTE: Forming a respectable group in Fall
allows some punching power if needed to
gain Winter shelter. Moving last in Fall may
clarify this need or a lack of it. (The group
need not be overwhelming as it must only
defeat maintained enemy units besieging the
Home City.)
Revolts
Unsupported Revolts are often a losing
proposition. Athens can usually squash lone
Revolting garrisons, with battle Prestige won
often outweighng any Tribute lost. The reverse
applies equally to Helot Revolts.
One good ploy is to park a fleet in the
Offshore Sea of a Port for which you have a
Revolt card, then play the Revolt. If Athenian
fleets attack, you only have to survive long
enough to retreat into the (now friendly) port.
Fleets on Land
Fleets on land are vulnerable, as they can
only Retreat to sea (6.4). Many decisive naval
battles involved trapping a fleet on the beach.
14
Port Sieges
Players should realize that besieging Ports
is different from (and harder than) besieging
other Cities. Firstly, Ports must be Blockaded
before they can be Siege Attritioned.
More seriously, if the Offshore Sea is not
patrolled (occupied), the opponent can simply
ship in reinforcing units to bolster the defense.
DeepSea Crossings
These moves are dangerous risks. If a storm is
encountered some loss is certain and total loss
is very possible. Crossings can be made safe
by stopping at islands en route. If you must
cross quickly, try to time it for Summer.
Use the Islands.
In addition to avoiding DeepSea risks, fleets
wary of enemy contact can land on islands
between moves. Then enemy fleets must make
a sea landing to engage them rather than
merely starting a sea battle.
STRATEGY NOTES
The Peloponnesian War was not a quick war: it
lasted 27 years. A sea power confronted a land
power, neither eager to challenge its opponent
on its own “turf”. Both sides viewed it as a
war of attrition, as should players. Though
quick decisions are possible , this is usually
the result of a mistake (for example, a major
city being left under-defended). While always
ready to seize opportunity, players should be
prepared to campaign patiently.
A Game Year passes quickly, and then units
must Winter. Game Years should be thought
of as short, sharp campaigns with limited and
focused objectives. Over-dispersion of effort
can reduce prospects for that year.
Upon receiving cards, players should
decide on a campaign plan for the year and
attempt to execute it. Unforeseen events and
opportunities may arise, but an overall plan
ensures that something may be accomplished
unless a better option appears.
Use of Events should be carefully considered,
as their use reduces the effective length of the
year, making effective campaigning difficult;
bunched Events in some years and longer
campaigns in other years may be preferable.
While establishing Siege is key to most
offensive operations, a besieging army must
not be left exposed to counterattack by
superior enemy forces. A lost battle is almost
as damaging as a lost city. A good response
to enemy Siege is to form a superior army
within striking range, threatening to relieve
the City before it can be reduced. [Of course,
with hidden value units, “superiority” is often
uncertain.]
While it is obviously advantageous to build
up strength before operations, remember
that captured Cities contribute Prestige every
game-year: early City captures may quickly
dominate the Prestige picture.
Version 8.03d
HELLENES: THE PELOPONNESIAN WAR
SEQUENCE OF PLAY
GAME YEAR
NEW YEAR
• TRIBUTE Collection
• VICTORY CHECK
• ADVANCE YEAR. DEAL 6 CARDS.
• NEW YEAR EVENT / SACRIFICE
SPRING / EARLY SUMMER /
LATE SUMMER / FALL
• INITIATIVE phase (card play)
• PLAYER TURNS
ACTION phase
• An Event occurs OR:
• Actions occur (any order):
Movement / Pillaging / Building
COMBAT phase
Battles & Siege Attrition
UNIT DATA
UNIT
TYPE
Fleet
TRUCE: No Invasions/Attacks on Land
OPEN SEAS: No conflict at Sea
WAR RESUMES
PRESTIGE cost: -5 in 415, -4 in 414 etc.
WAR WEARINESS: 1/2 Tribute, round down.
DECELEA: Thebes City Capacity = 12
PERSIAN AID & REVOLTS
1 Persian Aid Only if red block adjacent
2 Persian Aid No pro-Spartan Revolts
3 Persian Aid Reverse Revolts [Athens] &
PHOEN fleet can appear (if Lysander)
Copyright © Craig Besinque, 2008
DIEROLL†
LAND
COMBAT
C1
WEATHER
0-2 STORM Fleets check SHIP DAMAGE
No Effect
† Dieroll +1 in Summer / -1 in Winter
SHIP DAMAGE
(Storms)
SEA COMBAT
F2
HOME AREA
Orange
431 BC
Start
2 CV
Corinth
Historical ID
[no game effect]
DIEROLL
STORM RESULT
1-3 GALE
Fleet eliminated
4-6 HIGH SEAS
Fleet -1cv*
* Carried army may have to reduce cv
to remain less than carrying fleet.
FORCED MARCH/SAIL
DIEROLL*
RESULT
SIEGE ATTRITION
1-3 FATIGUE
No extra move†
4-8 SUCCESS
Moves 1 extra Area
RESULT
DIEROLL SEASON
1
* Elite units add 2 to dieroll.
† Unit remains in previous area.
SPRING/SUMMER/FALL 1 cv loss
1 cv loss
1-3 WINTER
ATHENIAN UNITS
UNIT
415/413 SPECIAL RULES
PEACE OF NICIAS [GREECE]
STORMS
(Deepsea Crossings)
3-7 CALM
WINTER
• INITIATIVE (card play: NO Events)
• WINTERING & ACTIONS (1st/2nd Player)
(NO Group Movement/Pillaging)
• WINTERING
• Quartering (to adj. friendly City)
• Homing (to Home City)
• BUILDING / WINTER MAINTENANCE
• DISBANDING
• SIEGEBREAKING COMBAT (1st/2nd Player)
• WINTERING BATTLES
(BlockadeBreakers can Quarter)
(Failed SiegeBreakers Disband)
• SORTIES
• SIEGE COMBAT (1st/2nd Player)
• SIEGE ASSAULTS
• SIEGE ATTRITION (triple)
STRENGTH 4
(maximum 4)
LAND MOVEMENT (tan) or
SEA MOVEMENT (blue) 4
TM
MOVE COMBAT MIX
SPARTAN UNITS
UNIT
MOVE COMBAT MIX
F1 / F2†
17
2
C2*
21
3
A1 / A2
3
Infantry
2
B1
3
Barbarians
2
C2
4
Barb. Archers 2
B2
1
E3
1
Fleet
5
F1 / F2*†
18
Fleet
5
Hoplites
2
C1 / C2
18
Hoplites
Cavalry
3
A1
2
Cavalry
Archers
2
A1
2
Infantry
2
B1
6
Barbarians
2
C2 / C3
4
3
Barb. Fleet
† Fleets fight as C1 on land.
* Athenian elite fleets are Combat E2..
† Fleets fight as C1 on land.
* Spartan elite hoplites are Combat B2..
PRESTIGE
TRIBUTE: (Captured opposing Cities only): +CityValue each New Year.
BATTLES: Trophy (Enemy Retreats w/ loss): +1; Triumph (Enemy Elim/Panicked): +2.
+2
SIEGES: City taken by Seige Attrition: +1; City Taken by Assault
+2
PILLAGING (opposing CityStates only): +1; (Athens/Sparta).
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Version 8.03d