A wonderful look into the details of Rise of the Republic of Rome
by BGG user: Wesley Vermaelen (WestLeigh)
Hi everybody,
This will be my first attempt to write a session report. I am doing this because me and my friends are planning to play this in a couple of weeks and I wanted to post this to make sure I am not making any huge mistakes.
Speaking of mistakes, I began play with the old 2003 playbook so there are some errors in sequence of play. I thought the Manpower step came after the “Operations Phase” and that is was skipped in the first turn. I will be fixing this later on.
Also in the 2003 playbook it is stated that ‘Roman Consuls do not have to be assigned to a province, and the Roman Player may ignore rules on asking permission to leave whatever province that consul is in’. The 2008 playbook say the Consuls have an imperium and need to ask permission from the senate in case they want to leave there assigned province.
And I used for the first turn at least, the special Praetors Urbanus which should not be used.
Note: I don’t like to use the cards to organise your cities and such, I will use the Roman and non-Roman displays though. So it might get a little messy on the board.
Initial set up.
Samnites elect (drawn randomly) G. Pontius who will lead Army I (15 inf, 4 cav). He is the overall commander and will be positioned near the border with Apulia. The Samnite leadership hope for a quick conquest of Apulia, so they can concentrate their efforts towards Rome later on.
S. Gellius will lead Army II (12 inf) and sets up in the capital Bovianum.
And finally Beneventum is strengthened with 3 inf.
Epirotes, Alexander of Epirus sets up in Lucania which according to the setup rules, he does not control. But as Paestum is medium city and the rules for military control (11.11) state that you need to control all medium and large cities and one small city in order to control the entire province, I will assume Alexander controls that province, as soon he activates.
Romans set up as per scenario rules. Marcius is the Praetor Urbanus.
1st LAM: S. Gellius (Samnites)
Ok this isn’t good, He was supposed to whatever the Romans were going to do…
So he will move south towards Larinum (4208) but stays in range of the capital. (AP 3; 12aSP; O loss).
Gellius rolls for continuation and fails with a roll of 7 (should be 4 or less).
2nd LAM: Siege Attrition
No sieges.
3rd LAM: Roman Consul
Sabinus is a very juicy target (4 victory points) and Philo has permission to leave Roman Italy (see rules set up). But as soon as the Consul for Rome crosses the border (map 3613) the tribal leaders of Sabinus start gather their followers in Corfinum in order to deny the Romans their glory (10 inf, Tribe 1 marker).
Philo undeterred by this report continues on toward Reate (AP 5; 30 aSp; 1 casualty, regular infantry legion II). He rolls for continuation (5), and by show of force asks the good people of Reate to surrender (Involuntary Surrender, roll: 3) what they promptly. Romans take control of Reate.
Roll for continuation, (4 +2 = 6), Philo wants to start slow and steady so he will set up camp in Reate.
4th LAM: G. Pontius (Samnites)
Pontius sets off for Apulia, the Apulian tribe reacts by mobilizing 12 inf, 3 cav (tribe II) in Luceria. The Samnite general moves on toward Arpi (AP 2; 23aSP; no casualties) and demands their immediate surrender (continuation roll: 2, involuntary surrender: 1!!). Arpi encouraged by the resent uprising in Luceria deny Pontius access to their city.
(Roll for continuation: 2-2=0) Pontius will continue moving south towards Canusium and demands the same form that city (AP 4; 23aSP; 0 loss, continuation: 5, involuntary surrender: 1! again!!). Again the Samnites are denied access! (continuation: 2-2=0).
Moving on to Barium in the south, without losing despair Pontius request entry into the city (AP 2; 23aSP; No loss, continuation: 0, involuntary surrender: 9). Finally a city that lets the poor Samnites in.
Continuation roll: 4+2=6. No continuation.
5th LAM: Alexander of Epirus
Alexander takes immediate control of Lucania and heads of towards Brutium. While crossing the border an army gathers in Thurii (15 inf, 1 cav) but the king of Epirus is not impressed by this show of force and will meet that rabble head on, so he moves towards Thurii. (AP 7; 33aSp; 1 infantry lost). Due to miscommunication with his forces, the army simply sets up camp in sight of their goal, continuation: 7… (no).
6th LAM: Bruttium tribe
Seeing the massive force camped out in front of the city of Thurii, the army will try to leave the city and head towards Rhegium which is heavier defended and more crucial for the control of Barium. But Alexander seeing the departure of the Bruttium tribe from Thurii immediately springs into action, making sure his orders are carried out and ties to intercept the barbarians (same hex, rolls a 3 which is less than 6 so he intercepts),(Bruttium AP 3; 17aSP; 0 loss, Alexander AP 3; 32aSP; 0 loss).
Battle
Alexander battle rating C rolls a 3 which translates to a 4
Bruttium has a battle rating E, they roll a 1 and get a 0…
result: +4
Combat Ratio adjustment
Alexander: Strength points 28 vs Bruttium strength points 16 : 1.5 vs 1
result: +1
No cavalry superiority.
Total: +5 (-10% attack loss).
Rolls a 9!! + 5 = 14! result = X(+2) unpredictable result!, start taking that valium!!
Rolls a 9 again! +2 = 11 -> */30
No loss for the Epirotes, 5 infantry loss for the Bruttium tribe. After the battle the Bruttium tribe scatters in all direction and the barbarian army ceases to exits (as per scenario rules).
Epirote Army is set to Disrupted, no roll for leader loss because Epirotes didn’t lose any forces.
7th LAM: Alexander of Epirus
Having just destroyed the Bruttium tribe, Alexander is going to demand the surrender of the south of Bruttium and he starts by demanding the involuntary surrender of Thurii. (roll: 6, ok).
Thurii, having seen the might of Alexander before his doorstep opens his gates to let the king in. (Continuation: 0+2 = 2, ok).
Having wasted to much time in Thurii, he sets of to Croton where he knows there are some eager Greeks willing to join his army. (AP 5; 32aSP; 1 inf loss). (Continuation: 4, ok).
Alexander stands in front of the gates of Croton and gives a moving speech about solidarity among Greeks whereupon the citizens open the gates and let the courageous king in. (Involuntary surrender: 8, yes!).
(Continuation: 4+2 = 6)
Continuing on with his tour, Alexander moves to Locri (AP 3: 31aSP: 0 loss) and tries to do the same with the inhabitants of that city, he needs that town as supply source for the upcoming siege of Rhegium. (Continuation: 2, involuntary surrender: 2!! ok).
Having established a supply base, he tries to convince his army to move to Rhegium and start a siege. (Continuation: 3+2 = 5) Moves the entire army to Rhegium and sets up a siege (Continuation: 1) He finally places Regium under siege!
Good Rolls for Alexander (he does have a high campaign rating).
8th LAM: Siege Attrition
Only one siege in Italy, Rhegium. Inside the town they were not expecting the fast advance of Alexander so they didn’t have time to stock up on food. (Inside Attrition Roll: 8 -> 3 dead!!!).
Outside Attrition Roll: 7 -3 (supply) = 4 -> 2 loss infantry.
The city pleads with the Alexander for food and surrenders their city to the mercy of great king.
9th LAM: Roman Consul
Consul for Rome, Philo in Reate activates and starts to move toward Alba Fucens the capital of Sabinus. He needs this medium time in order to control the province. (AP 10; 29aSP; 2 loss -> 1 regular, 1 veteran)
He gives the order to his legions to start the siege but somehow these orders get lost in the confusion of the mountainous trek. (Continuation: 9).
10th LAM: G. Pontius (Samnites)
Trying to kickstart his campaign in Apulia he heads toward Gnathia in the south so he can conquer that town and head back north in case the Romans try something funny. (AP 2; 23aSP; 0 loss, continuation: 7!! no…)
It is simply not happening for Pontius…
11th LAM: Sabini tribe
The tribe will try to march towards their capital and “avoid” (not the military term) the Romans. By entering hex 3811 (south-east of Alba Fuens) the Roman consul tries to intercept them (he can’t intercept them when they enter the city hex because the Sabines intend to enter the city) roll: 1 +1 (one hex away) = 2 and he succeeds.
Battle:
Philo battle rating C rolls a 1 -> 3,
Sabines have a battle rating D, they roll a 7 -> 4
result: -1 (it isn’t looking good for the Romans).
Combat Ratio adjustment
Romans: Strength points 23 vs Sabine strength points 10 : 2 vs 1
result: +2
No cavalry superiority.
Roman discipline: Romans have one veteran legion. +1
Total: +2
Rolls a 9 + 2 = 11 -> 20/30
Romans loss 2 veterans, 2 regulars and one cavalry (from legion II), legion II is upgraded to veteran legion.
Sabine tribe loss 3 warriors but the survivors all run for the hills and the tribal army ceases to exist.
Consular Army I is set to disrupted, leader loss 5 < 9, Philo is safe.
12th LAM: Apulia tribe
The tribe of Apulia moves south in order to liberate Barium, but when they enter near the city Pontius reacts by trying to intercept them. Roll of 8 +2 = 10 -> no interception.
They are now quite vulnerable, because of the failed interception, combat +2. But the Apulian tribe knows what happened to the Sabines and Bruttium tribe and do not want to have the same fate and stop in Barium. (AP 4; 20aSP; 0 loss, continuation: 6 No continuation).
13th LAM: G. Pontius (Samnites)
Pontius knows he is in danger of losing the town of Barium, so he quickly wants to conquer Gnathia and head toward Barium in order to destroy the threat of the Apulian tribe.
(Involuntary surrender of Gnathia, roll: 9), ok! he enters the town and orders his army to immediately start to resupply for the big battle to come and the trek north.
Continuation: 7+2= 9! Unbelievable instead of resupplying the army simply sets up camp and waits for the coming winter… Pontius is furious!
14th LAM: Roman Consul
Having waited almost an entire campaign season, the Field Consul in Capua sees his opportunity to enter Samnium and start harassing the Samnites, G. Pontius is in trouble way down in the south and Gellius is probably not able to respond. So why not start with Bovianum, the capital of Samnium. Gellius is indeed able to intercept the Consular Army in Bovianum (with a +3, 2 hexes and river), he is not going to do it for fear of failure to intercept and getting caught totally unprepared. (AP 11; 30aSP; 2 losses one from each legion).
Continuation roll: 8 -> no…
15th LAM: Siege Attrition
No sieges…
End of campaign season.
The situation at the end of 327 B.C.
As I said in the beginning I though the manpower phase happened now, but that it was skipped in the first year (327 B.C.). I will try to fix this later on.
No devastation attempts.
Inertia Attrition for Praetor Urbanus (AP 2 -7 for Rome: no attrition).
Recovery from battle, the Epirote army is set to normal, consular army I of Philo set to normal.
Victory points:
Rome: 4 (2 Latium, 2 Campania).
Alexander: 6 (3 Bruttium, 3 Lucania).
Samnites: 3 (3 Samnium).
So this is the end of the first year, I will hopefully post the second year, especially for the Roman elections.
Thanks for reading.