Military Units

The game offers in details most of the land troops that prevailed over this period, from mighty Roman Legions to barbarian tribesmen, Carthaginian war elephants, Parthian cavalry or even revolted slaves or gladiators (of Spartacus' fame).
Naval units are also in, from heavy Roman war galleys (''Quinqueremes'') to agile pirate vessels (''Liburna'').

Land Units

• Roman Legions,
• War Elephants from Carthage or the Greek Oriental monarchies,
• dozens of infantry and cavalry types, from Barbarian and civilized nations alike,
• Archers et slingers,
• local militias and revolts,
• Or even the fearsome Parthian horsemen,

Naval Units

• Roman Quinqueremes,
• Venetian Warships (i.e. Gallic)
• Greek and Carthaginian galleys,
• Liburnes and pirates
• and various types of merchant vessels

In both cases (land and naval), all units have different and distinct characteristics, including :

• Purchase cost, both in gold and human levies,
• Combat factors and resistance,
• Movement potential,
• Morale,
• Experience,
• Discipline.

Each of the above can be examined by the player, both through visible symbols present on the units sprites and also with mouse tool-tips and roll-overs.

Top

Movements and Combats

Units move according to their movement potential and also depending on supply, terrain, weather and climate.

They may suffer attrition losses if the movement conditions are not favorable, be it from lack of supply, time of the year or adverse weather or terrain conditions.

On the map, all units (armies and fleets) are represented by animated sprites, and you can give them orders directly with mouse selections or some keyboard shortcuts. Combats, both on land and at sea, are resolved on a strategical level, a design decision linked to the game's objectives and purposes.

 

Battles

When player's units are involved in a battle, the game opens the battlefield mode, where the players are asked to take decisions at supreme commander levels, i.e.:

• Choose the battle tactics that will prevail in that combat, among a global choice of 8 possibilities (not all are always available, as this depends also on your commander's skills, terrain, the opponent's choices, etc…)
• Parameters such as morale, experience and discipline of your units, as well as terrain (on land) influence the battle start and outcome, as well as the tactical success of your maneuvers.
• Generals and Admirals on both sides will sometimes benefit from military stratagems, whose opportunistic use may well alter battle results drastically (such as ambush, successful reconnaissance, corruption of enemy mercenaries, desertion of some opponent's forces, spy, traitor, etc…)

Sieges and Assaults

All aspects of ancient siege warfare are also included, in particular the Roman army expertise in that field, such as :

• Siege and defense works
• Supply of both besiegers and besieged units
• Siege trains (ballistas, catapults, towers, etc…)
• Blockade of enemy ports
• Stratagems (spies, traitors, surrender, etc.. .)

 

Command and Organization

Each of the player's units or of its opposing nations are led by military leaders whose capacities are variable and include :

• Hierarchy,
• Oratory Skill (to lead troops before and during battle, or save them while in retreat)
• Military talent (to get the widest choice of tactics as well as to counter the enemy's)
• Ruse (representing your guile to counter enemy moves, play stratagems, etc… )

Those leaders are either historically available (especially among Rome's opponents, but also some junior Roman legates), but in the political game, it is in the Senate that the great commanders will be appointed to, maintained in or removed from command.

• That is there that political strategy can have its importance, especially when it will become necessary to nominate the competent leaders to fight renowned enemies such as Hannibal.
• But devious players can always have less than competent leaders appointed by the Senate, in order and hope that their likely failure would ruin their career and popularity (but beware of the risk of such moves for the sake of Rome)
• finally, players subordinates to others will have a certain leeway in not obeying orders or finding excuses, especially when in political conflict at the same time.

Lastly, players will be allowed to use the reorganization features
of the game the way they see fit, both on land and at sea,
if they take into account the limits of their commanding
officiers and their political obligations