From: robo@suba.com (Roberto Ullfig) Subject: Republic of Rome Variant (long) Here's a variant for the Late Republic. I'd like to hear any comments... --- Late Republic Extension Rules The following rule can be used to help prevent the "end of the world" syndrome which occurs when artificial time limits dictate the end of the scenario and send all players off on a desperate grab for influence or assassination attempts. [Rule was originally mentioned by AH in a slightly different form than that presented here.] At the end of every turn, starting with the turn the second deck expires, a die is rolled to see if the game ends. The game ends on a die roll of 6 or more. There is a +2 modifier for every turn that the die is rolled without resulting in the end of the game (a maximum of 3 new turns may be added in this fashion). When a player is required to draw a new card from the deck but there are none, he instead draws from a new deck of 24 cards consisting of the following: 2 Senators : #31 Domitius, #32 Antonius 3 Statesman: #19B Lepidus, #26A Caius Octavius, #32A Marcus Antonius 3 Laws : Legion Commission, Annexation of Egypt, Octavian Law 9 Intrigue : Marcus Agrippa, Assassination Conspiracy, Foreign Levies, Assassin, Secret Bodyguard, Influence Peddling, 2x Tribune, Murder of a Tribune 5 Wars : 2nd Alexandrine War, 2nd Invasion of Germany, 3rd Illyrian War, Invasion of Parthia, 2nd Social War 2 Events : Cleopatra's Bequest, Good Omens Continue to use Late Republic Tables for Legion Loyalty/Random Events --- Recommended Optional Rules Commander Spoils of War Popularity Lost for Losing Legions New Cards: /* Most news cards were meant to have effects that are immediate (so that they pretty much have full effect on the turn they are played since the game can end really soon) and tend to promote Revolution and bring down the Republic (at least that was the intent). So, only one new province, etc...*/ --- Intrigue Cards Marcus Agrippa - Increases Military Rating (Naval Battles only) of Roman Commander by +4 (max 6) for one battle/turn (Senate must vote to send him to a battle). Remains in play until Rome is defeated in any Naval battle that he is involved in. /* I did not make him a statesman because he was not a Patrician. Octavius was not a good commander but his Generals were. */ Assassination Conspiracy - Playable during an assassination attempt to prevent the use of ALL bodyguard cards during the attempt. Gives +1 to roll (cumulative with other assassin cards). If successful, all of the assassinating player's senators lose dr Popularity (roll for each) and mortality chits equal to the victim's popularity are drawn; any senator belonging to that player in Rome is killed if his chit is drawn. There is no automatic assassination prosecution in this case. /* An attempt to reproduce Caesar's Assassination, somewhat. */ Foreign Levies - A Victorious Commander can play this card to collect an extra dr talents for each 10T of spoils listed on the War (or Revolt) Card. This is in addition to that gained by the Optional Spoils of War Rule. The Commander becomes eligible for a Minor Prosecution upon his return to Rome. /* Caesar raked Gaul for (much) more, IMHO, than what the Gallic Spoils of War would indicate. */ --- Laws Legion Commission - Add 5 new Legions and Fleets (numbered XXVI-XXX) to Rome's Pool. Playable only when there are no Legions left in the pool. Increase Unrest by +1 and playing senator loses dr/2 (FRD) Popularity. /* The Republic is getting bigger all the time. Not sure about the penalty though. Included to counter new naval battles and possible Egyptian revolt since Fleets don't become veterans. */ Annexation of Egypt - Senate must vote once to determine if Egypt will be immediately created as a Province. Vote cannot be vetoed and if passed, a Governor must be immediately voted on. Can only be played after the 1st Alexandrian War is defeated, and if the 2nd Alexandrian War, Cleopatra VII, and Cleopatra's Bequest are not in play. Once played, Cleopatra VII can only be played either as a special veto to cancel this vote (after which she is discarded) or as an Enemy Leader. Ignore if Egypt is already a province. /* An event that occurred later. */ Octavian Law - Acts like BOTH the Manilian and Gabinian Law but does not require a Pirate War to be in play. Both law's rules are now in effect if they weren't before. If both laws are already in play, all non-aligned Veteran Legions become aligned to the current HRAO. --- Events Cleopatra's Bequest - State gains 50 Talents. Requires sending Field Consul with 4 legions and 4 Fleets. Rebel Consul may keep bequest. Creates Province of Egypt. If Cleopatra VII is played (or in play) this event is discarded (as well as Cleopatra) before the Field Consul is sent. As soon as the Field Consul is sent, Cleopatra VII can only be played to give a rebel governor of Egypt +3 to his military rating during his rebellion. Ignore if Egypt is already a province. /* This represents Cleopatra WANTING to enter the Republic */ Good Omens - +1 to all non-rebellion combat rolls during this turn. /* Need something good to happen. Helps those commanders win wars so they can rebel. */ --- Statesman #19B M. Aemilius Lepidus 5-2-6-4 Nullifies ALL Standoff (NOT Disaster) results /* Couldn't find much info on Lepidus; Standoff numbers in this period are fairly high anyway so his special isn't THAT useful. */ #26A Caius Octavius 2-5-9-5 Antonius Faction Loyalty: 0 TWO free tribune plays/turn /* Not sure what to give him. */ #32A Marcus Antonius 5-2-8-5 Octavius Faction Loyalty: 0 Nullifies both Alexandrine War Disaster/Standoff /* Associates him with Egypt in some fashion. */ --- Senators #31 Domitius 1-2-9-3 /* An old family used to round the number of senators to 32. */ #32 Antonius 3-2-8-1 /* Not sure if Antonius' were Patricians, but they did serve as Consuls before the revolution. */ --- Wars 2nd Alexandrine War 2/2/6 D18/S17 20T Inactive/Drought/Eliminates Egyptian Grain Inactive until attacked, matched, or Cleopatra VII is played (or in play) as a Leader Naval battle must be won first Revolt if Egypt is Province Strength x2: 2 related Wars Victory creates province of Egypt Cleopatra VII's effects apply to this card as well Change Alexandrine War (Late Republic) Rename to 1st Alexandrian War Revolt if Egypt is Province Strength x2: 2 related Wars [Attacks: Egypt] /* If Antony doesn't use Egypt's forces in revolt then maybe Cleopatra stirs up a little war. Fairly fictional. */ 2nd Invasion of Germany 8/0 D10/S18 15T Inactive Inactive until attacked or matched Strength x2: 2 related Wars [Attacks: Transalpine Gaul] Change Invasion of Germany (Late Republic) Rename to 1st Invasion of Germany Strength x2: 2 related Wars [Attacks: None] /* This represents Germanicus' Invasion that occured much later with the added possibility of an Earlier German Invasion. */ 3rd Illyrian War 10/2 D17/S18 10T Inactive/Drought Inactive until attacked or matched Strength x2: 2 related Wars Strength x3: 3 related Wars [Attacks: Illyricum] Change 1st and 2nd Illyrian Wars (Early Republic) Strength x3: 3 related Wars /* This represents Tiberius' Campaign that occured much later. */ Invasion of Parthia 15/0 D11/S15 50T Inactive Inactive until attacked Does NOT match Parthian War [Attacks: Egypt] Change Parthian War (Late Repbulic) Add Egypt to the beginning of the Attack list /* Antony's ill-fated invasion of Parthia. */ 2nd Social War 5/0 D17/S18 5T Active Strength x2: 2 related Wars Activates all Inactive Wars that have a matching War, but does not increase their Strength. All cards that apply to Social War also apply to 2nd Social War (Julian Law, etc, ...) Change Social War (Late Republic) Rename to 1st Social War Strength x2: 2 related Wars /* Makes the Social War Laws a little more useful. */ Errata: Wars only attack provinces if they are Active. Errata: Neither Social War activates Inactive Wars that do not have a matching War (Invasion of Parthia, Invasion of Britain, ...) --- Provinces Egypt (Border Province) Base Strength: 3/8 Personal Income: dr + 7 State Income: DR + 4 Local Taxes: 60 Maximum Forces: 8/15 Defends Against: Both Alexandrine Wars, Invasion of Parthia, Parthian War The Governor of Egypt must be a prior consul; if no prior consul is available, elect any senator for a one-year term (returning in the following revenue phase). A one-year governor is subject to the full fining/prosecution if he takes personal income. Egypt must be allocated before a prior consul is sent to any other provinces; the last available candidate rule is in effect. robo@suba.com