1. Unfold the game board.
2. Place all 12 Roman units at the START area of the game board.
3. There are 4 Germanic units. Place 2 units on one side of the game board inside red bordered territories containing a Germanic barbarian icon.
4. Divide each dice mat among the Roman players. The Germanic player(s) can use their own perspective dice mat.
5. The Roman players always go first. The Roman player who most recently had Italian food goes first.
It is 9 A.D. The legions serving under Varus have marched deep into the Teutoburg Forest. Arminius, a Roman auxillary commander, friend to Varus, but born from Germanic nobility has united the scattered tribes of Germania and staged an ambush for Varus and his doomed Roman legions.
Now, it’s a race for survival! Arminius has unleashed his ambush and his Germanic warriors have surrounded and overwhelmed the Roman legions. Will the survivors be able to escape and fight another day, or will they fall?
Divide into two teams: Roman players and Germanic players. Then, let the games begin and see which team will win!
Above is an illustration of the game board. This will show where the Roman and Germanic units start and their areas of movement. It also shows the start and finish of the game, safe areas, and various icons to observe while playing.
A). START: This is the where all Roman units start and where the Arminius unit finishes. Germanic warriors are not allowed in this area.
B). RUSH: A Roman unit, with the correct roll of the dice and its position, can rush from a forest group area with RUSH on it to an adjacent forest group containing the word, HIDE. This can only be done with forest group areas with RUSH and HIDE. Roman units cannot rush backward.
C). HIDE: a Roman unit would land here after rushing from an adjacent forest group containing the word, RUSH.
D). SAFE AREA: This is the high ground or hilltop of the game board. This area is safe for Roman units. The Roman units are protected here and cannot be attacked by the Germanic warriors. Germanic warriors are not allowed here.
E). ROMAN FORT: This is the finish area for the Roman units. Germanic warriors are not allowed in this area.
F). LAUREL WREATH: Laurel wreaths indicate where Roman units may only enter or exit forest areas, the safe area, or the Roman fort. Germanic warriors can neither enter nor exit through laurel wreaths.
G). BURSTS: There are 8 bursts. A Germanic warrior may enter or exit a forest group area only while on a territory containing a burst symbol.
H). GERMANIC ICONS: There are two of each of these icons on both sides of the gameboard. This is the starting area for all four of the Germanic Warrior units. At the start of the game, place 1 Germanic Warrior on each of the four spaces.
Roman Circular Spaces: Roman units can only move on these spaces follwing a dotted trail.
Germanic Territories: Barbarian units only move through these spaces bordering their staring position space
Divide players into two equal teams. The Roman players move the Roman units; the Germanic players move the Germanic units. In a 3-player game, the extra player can be on either team.
To start the game, a player on the Roman team ALWAYS rolls first. The game continues with teams alternating turns. Players also alternate on their teams and should work together to win. In a 3-player game, the player who plays alone takes a turn after each opponent’s turn.
For example: If you have 4 players, first divide into teams: two Roman players (Player 1 and Player 2) and two Germanic players (Player 1 and Player 2).
Roman Player 1 rolls first and plays. When his turn is over, Germanic player 1 goes. When Germanic Player 1 is finished, then Roman Player 2 goes. When Roman Player 2 has finished his turn, Germanic player 2 takes a turn. A player’s turn is over when all possible moves have been made.
NOTE: A turn can be made up of several die rolls.
One dice tells you to either move or RUSH:
*If you a roll a 2, 3, or 4, move one Roman unit the number rolled. Always move the full count unless you are entering a forest group area, moving into the safe area, or into the Roman fort. A die roll CANNOT be split among the Roman units.
*If you roll “RUSH,” you may make on Roman unit who is already in a forest group area with “RUSH” on it move across the adjacent forest group with “HIDE” on it. Rushing is optional to only Roman players. See Rushing and Hiding on page #11
The other die tells you to either GO again, or STOP and end your turn:
*If you roll “GO,” first move to according to the other movement dice. Then roll both dice again to take another turn. NOTE: Keep rolling and take more turns, moving the same or different unit under your command of your choice on each die roll, until you roll “STOP.”
*If you roll “STOP,” first move according to the other movement die. The “STOP” die roll then ends your turn immediately.
*Roman units move by a numbered dice roll from one connected circle space to another. Each circle and forest group area counts as one on the dice roll.
*A Roman unit most move for each dice roll unless a RUSH is rolled.
*A Roman unit can move in any direction on the circle path. However, it cannot backtrack and return to the same circle, forest area, or safe area on the same dice roll but it may do so on the next roll.
*Two or more Roman units cannot occupy the same circle space. For Example: If your Roman unit would end its movement on a circular space occupied by another Roman unit, it cannot remain there. You must find an alternate route for it or move a different unit altogether. There is more than just one way to move a unit.
After rolling the dice, when leaving the START area, All Roman units start on the circular space indicated by the blue arrow. All Roman units must start their movement on this space first when exiting the START area.
*Two or more Roman units can occupy a forest area or the safe area. There are no limits to the amount of units that can reside in these areas, but they cannot stay there for long, or they risk automatic death if one Germanic warrior enters the forest group. (See page 16 for more details).
*Roman units can move past other Roman units on any of the circular paths but cannot occupy the same space as another Roman unit.
*Roman units can pass through a Territory or a forest area occupied by a Germanic warrior or move onto a space inside that occupied Territory. For Example: If you roll a GO, you might move and land on a space inside an occupied Territory and take the chance that you’ll roll a number next to move off that space and out of that territory.
WARNING:
At the end of a Roman player’s turn, if any Roman unit is inside a territory occupied by a Germanic Warrior, it is automatically KILLED by that warrior. Germanic Warrior Retreat: If more than one Roman units end their movement inside a Territory occupied by a Germanic warrior, that warrior must move back TWO Territories.
* START: Once a Roman unit leaves the START area (Roman starting placement), it cannot return. The START space is only safe from Germanic warrior attacks, but not from Arminius. If your Roman units are slow to leave the START area, Arminius will automatically KILL all Roman units remaining if he is able to reach it.
* Center Safe Space (High Ground)
A Roman unit can enter this space from 3 different Laurel Wreath spaces. Entering counts as one move on the die roll. When a Roman unit enters the Safe Area, your move for that unit immediately ends. You do not have to land here by exact count. More than one Roman unit can be here at the same time. No Germanic warrior can attack any Roman unit in here.
*You rolled a 3 and GO. Move 2 spaces to enter the forest group and then end your move. Then roll again since you rolled GO. As mentioned, your turn will end once you roll STOP.
*A Roman unit only enters or exits a forest area through a Laurel Wreath icon (unless the unit is rushing). If a Roman unit lands on this icon, that Roman unit can either immediately move or slide into a forest area, safe area, or the Roman fort, or can decide to remain on that circular space.
*A Roman unit can return to a forest area it already visited (except for the START area and the ROMAN FORT), but not on the same dice roll on which the unit exits the forest area.
As Mentioned on page 10, When a Roman unit enters a forest area or the safe area, the movement for that unit immediately ends. This applies no matter how many moves are left on the die. Place the Roman unit inside the “entered” forest area. See the example below.
Roman units may exit a forest area on another die roll by moving onto any connected circle space with a Laurel Wreath and continuing to move if there are more moves left on the dice.
You rolled a RUSH and GO. Rush across but then roll again. If you rolled STOP, you would apply your movement first, then immediately end your turn.
If “RUSH” is rolled and a Roman unit is already in that forest area with “Rush” on it, that Roman unit has the option to rush acrosss to the adjacent forest area with “HIDE” on it.
Note: Roman units can rush only from certain forest areas with RUSH or HIDE icons on them. However, Roman units cannot RUSH back after their intial RUSH movement.
IMPORTANT: Only Roman units RUSH. Germanic Warriors cannot RUSH or HIDE!
*Try to get as many Roman units out of the START area as quickly as possible before Arminius arrives.
*Spread out the Roman units evenly on the gameboard as soon as possible so you always have a unit that you can move safely.
*Don’t concentrate on only one unit because you’ll leave the others open to an attack
*Be careful not to have too many Roman units hiding in the same forest area. It only takes one Germanic warrior to KILL THEM ALL!
*Often you may have to risk sneaking past the Germanic warriors. For Example: You may enter Germanic warrior-occupied forest areas or Territories with the hope of exiting quickly on that same turn!
*Play cautiously if you lose many Roman units, but don’t despair! If you already have two Roman units in the Roman Fort, you can still win the game even if you only have one Roman unit left on the gameboard! However, don’t take risks if you have only a few units left.
YOUR MISSION:
You move both the Arminius unit and the Germanic warriors to chase down, ambush, and kill escaping Roman units!
THE GOAL OF ARMINIUS is to make it to the START area before all Roman units can escape and kill them all!
THE GOAL OF THE GERMANIC WARRIORS is to kill as many Roman units as possible to prevent THREE from reaching the Roman Fort!
ON YOUR TURN:
1.Roll the red Arminius die and the two black Germanic Warrior dice.
2.Move the Arminius unit according to the red die.
3.Then move a Germanic Warrior of your choice according to the black dice.
THE RED ARMINIUS DIE:
This die tells you either to move the Arminius unit or not. NOTE: The Arminius die can only be rolled ONCE per turn for each Germanic player. This applies even if the Germanic player rolls GO on the movement dice and continues his or her turn.
*If you roll a 1 on the red Arminius die, move the Arminius unit ahead one space on the blood spatter trail towards the START area.
*If you roll a symbol on the Arminius die, you do not move the Arminius unit on this roll.
One die tells you to either move or enter a forest area:
*If you roll a 1 or 2, move any one Germanic Warrior of your choice the full amount shown on the die.
NOTE: A warrior die roll of 2 cannot be split among other Germanic warriors units.
*If you roll “ENTER,” you may move one Germanic warrior into a forest area if it is already on a Territory with a burst symbol. Entering a forest area is optional.
NOTE: If there are no Germanic warrior units on a Territory with a BURST symbol, you cannot move. Either roll again or end your turn according to the other die.
*If you roll “GO,” first move according to the other black die. Then roll both black dice again to take another turn! Remember: the red Arminius die can only be rolled once per turn.
NOTE: Keep rolling and take more turns, moving the same or different Germanic warrior of your choice on each die roll, until you roll “STOP!”
*If you roll “STOP,” first move according to the other black die. The “STOP” die roll then immediately ends your turn and will proceed to the next Roman player.
There are 10 Arminius blood spatter spaces near the START area. When Arminius is on the last space, he will only need a roll of 1 on the red Arminius die to enter the START area and KILL all Roman units still there.
NOTE: Once Arminius has KILLED all Roman units there (or if all Roman units have escaped the START area), you do not need to roll the red die anymore or move Arminius.
*Germanic Warriors move from one large red-bordered Germanic Territory to another adjacent one by full count of the die roll.
*Germanic Warriors are not allowed into the START area or the Roman Fort. Germanic Warriors also cannot enter the center safe area (high ground).
*Germanic Warriors can pass through but cannot occupy the same Territory occupied by other Germanic Warriors
*The same forest area cannot be occupied by more than one Germanic Warrior. However, several different forest areas can each have one Germanic Warrior inside at the same time.
*Germanic Warriors cannot RUSH from forest area to forest area.
*Germanic Warriors cannot double-back onto the same Territory on the same die roll of two. For example: If a German player rolls a 2, that unit of choice cannot move one and back one for its movement.
Germanic Warriors may only enter or exit a forest area through Bursts on red-bordered Germanic Territories.
To enter, the following must happen:
1.The Germanic Warrior must already be on a Territory with a Burst to be able to enter the forest area.
2.You must roll “ENTER” on the die.
IMPORTANT: On an “ENTER” roll, only ONE Germanic Warrior can enter a forest area at a time.
To enter, place the Germanic Warrior in the forest area it is “ENTERING.”
NOTE: A Germanic Warrior can reenter a forest area it has already visited any number of times as long as the above two steps are met.
When a Germanic Warrior enters a forest area with Roman units in it, it immediately kills ALL Romans there.
A Germanic Warrior can stay in a forest area or may exit a forest area on another turn. To exit, a Germanic Warrior moves back onto the Territory with the Burst by number die roll and continues to move if there are more moves left on the die.
If Arminius enters the START area or a Germanic Warrior enters a forest area with Roman units inside, all Roman units there are KILLED. Remove them from play and place them away from the game board.
If a Germanic Warrior unit lands on or passes through a territory with a Roman unit, that Roman unit is killed. If a Germanic Warrior passes through two different territories with a Roman unit in each territory, both Roman units are killed. See Figure 1
If a Germanic Warrior lands on or passes through any Territory with more than one Roman unit, one Roman unit is automatically killed and the other can retreat into the nearest forest area. If there are more than one Roman unit, all but one are automatically killed and the last can retreat to the nearest forest. However, this can only be done if the territory containing the attacked Roman units are bordering a forest area. If the territory is not bordering a forest area, ALL are automatically killed. See Figure 2
Figure 1 Figure 2
*Move a Germanic Warrior towards the START area as quickly as possible to make it more difficult for the Roman units to get out!
*Spread the Germanic Warriors out over the game board to cover as much ground as possible and to close off all Roman units escape routes! Prevent the Roman units from sneaking past towards the Roman Fort!
*Be patient and wait for opportunities! If all four Germanic Warrior units work well together, there will be few escape routes for the Roman units.
*Threaten to enter forest areas that hold several Roman units by sitting on the Bursts!
If the Roman players get three Roman units to the Roman Fort, the Romans win this survival race! (Once inside the Roman Fort, a Roman unit cannot be attacked.)
If the Germanic players KILL 10 Roman units, they’ll prevent the Roman players from getting 3 Roman units to the Roman Fort! The Germanic Players win!
For a more challenging match. Play one game and see how many Roman units the Roman players can save. Then switch the sides and see how many Roman units the former Germanic players can save. The team that saves the most Roman units wins!
For a more challenging victory for the Roman players, as mentioned before, The Arminius dice can only be rolled once per turn whether the Germanic player rolls a STOP or GO. However, for a harder difficulty, whenever a Germanic player rolls their perspective dice, they can now roll the Arminius die along with their warrior dice more than once per turn, only if a GO is rolled on the movement dice.
GERMANIC
ROMAN