ROMAN WAR RULES

GENERAL
These are fairly simple rules which require only tape measures and six-sided dice. The simplicity is good if you're playing the game with your children or if you just don't like complications.
The board is set up to 25mm (1/72) scale.
Pieces can move the indicated inches in each move (adjusted for up/down hill and roads).
Dice are used for all shooting/fighting results (1 die/man). I suggest at least 30-40 dice of at least three different colors. If 20 men are shooting at 20 others, it's much easier to roll 20 dice all at once. If the men are different types, use different colors for each type.
For projectiles, the "effect" is the dice numbers that indicate a "hit" on the target (other numbers are a miss). Soldiers hit then roll for survival (5,6 = survive-flesh wound : 1-4 = dead & removed from the game). Any man hit (in one turn) two or more times is automatically dead (no survival). There are different effects for different ranges.
Armored and unarmored men are subject to different effects from projectiles and in melee (hand to hand) as shown below.
Chariots and elephants use a clear plastic pattern (e.g. the size of the chariot & horses) to cover the troops "run over". A roll of 1,2,3 = man hit, then roll for survival.
BALLISTA
When a ballista is going to fire, a clear plastic burst pattern is put down (on top of troops,etc.) where the projectile is supposed to hit. For each shot a “ranging” shot is rolled with a die. The number shown is what is needed for the ballista to fire (basically is the projectile on target or a total miss). If you don’t get the ranging shot, remove the burst pattern. If you do get it, then you fire for effect on everything under the pattern. The pattern is an irregular shape as shown below with a diameter of about 1.5 inches (4 cm).











BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES
The basic idea here is that the buildings and structures are destroyed piece by piece by artillery shots. Points are assigned to buildings or parts of buildings (sections with separate roofs/1st and 2nd stories). For each ballista shot on the building 1 die is rolled and the total value is subtracted from the buildings point total. There are 4 point ranges for each building. FULL POINTS means men inside (not firing from doors or windows) can not be hit by projectiles (hits the roof first) including arrows and spears. NO PROJ. COVER means men more than 2 inches from the wall can be hit by projectiles. Those less tha 2 inches from the wall still have over the top cover (the projectile moving in an arc hits the wall not the men). NO TOP COVER means the walls of the building are just piles of rubble providing only small arms cover. ALL DEAD means whatever is left of the building has just collapsed on everyone inside (good-bye). It’s a good idea to get out before this stage. In a similar manner, structures such as bridges and fortress wall sections can be destroyed by artillery.
I've tried many variations to add to the reality of these games (supply rules, morale rules (camp followers), etc.). Most of these require ridiculous paperwork and slow the game to a crawl. Leaving them out is less realistic but more fun.

MOVING

UNARMORED MEN MOVE 10 INCHES.
ARMORED MEN MOVE 9 INCHES.
CAVALRY MOVE 20 INCHES.
ROMAN CHARIOTS MOVE 20 INCHES.[4-HORSE] (3 RIDERS MAX.)
GAUL CHARIOTS MOVE 18 INCHES.[2-HORSE] (3 RIDERS MAX.)

Ranges are adjusted for uphill or downhill.

ARCHER RANGES/EFFECTS

LANCER RANGES/EFFECTS

SLINGER RANGES/EFFECTS

SCORPIO RANGES/EFFECTS

CATAPULT RANGES/EFFECTS

BALLISTA RANGES/EFFECTS

COVER
COVER REDUCES EFFECT BY 1

Anything reasonable provides cover from archers, slingers & lancers.
Stone walls, buildings, and boulders (not little rocks) provide cover.
Buildings provide complete cover. IF MEN SHOOTING FROM WINDOWS & DOORS , they get regular cover.
Building walls (2" high), cliffs (3" high), & castle/fort walls (3" high) provide complete over the top archer and lancer cover (men within 2" of wall/cliff). i.e. they can't be hit by projectiles moving in an arc. Men more than 2 " from the wall/cliff can be hit but get cover effect (unseen target).
Men shooting down from the top of a cliff have cover from men below.
Slingers can only hit in a straight line (no over the top).
Testudo (tortoise shell) maneuver. IF Roman Triari, Princeps or Hastati are in a block formation (at least 4 across and 4 deep) and NOT engaged in melee, it is assumed they will use the Testudo maneuver if they come under missile fire and therefore are under cover.

MELEE

MAXIMUM "GROUP" = 10 MEN (for stay/retreat).
If attacker fires (lances) and melees, enemy killed by fire are removed before the move to melee.
Once troops have thrown lances and started to melee, they can not throw lances again until disengaged.
Retreat is a full move away from the enemy.
1 ST ROUND
Attacker rolls-if hit, defender is dead (no survival).[attacker advantage]
if miss, defender fights back.
Defender rolls-if hit, attacker rolls for survival.
if miss, both decide for stay/retreat (hidden paper, show at same time) for each group.
2ND... ROUND
Attacker rolls-if hit, defender rolls for survival BUT DEAD fight back before being removed.(fighting at same time)
if miss, defender fights back.
Defender rolls-if hit, attacker rolls for survival.
if miss, both decide for stay/retreat (hidden paper, show at same time) for each group.

CASTLE/FORTRESS

1 full move to open/close doors.
Men can move on/off walls only at corners.
STORMING
1/2 move to put up ladder (within 1" of wall).
1 move - 2 men on ladder (no firing).
1 move - men on ladder melee with 2 men in fortress (no attack advantage).
If ladder men win, put on wall.
If men stay at top of ladder, others can follow.
2 men can push ladder off wall by rolling 1,2.
Men on ladder when pushed off need 4,5,6 to survive.
On walls, only 2 men can melee at a time in each direction.
DOOR BATTERING
1 turn (5-10 men) to door- 1 turn roll "1" to knock down (1 die/turn).
DRAW BRIDGE DOWNING (from inside)
1 turn (1-4 men) to each chain. 1 turn roll 1 die/man. "1" breaks chain.
must break both chains to drop draw bridge permanently.
DESTRUCTION BY BALLISTA
Ballista fires 1 die/shot for points.
Each 2 inches of wooden wall is 20 points.
Each 2 inches of stone wall is 40 points.
Wooden fortress towers are 30 points.
Stone fortress towers are 60 points.
When all points on a wall section or tower are gone, all men on top or in are gone.

BRIDGES

1 bridge can be built by 10 men in 10 moves or 5 men in 20 moves or 1 man in 100 moves.
Ballista shots remove points at 1 die/shot.

Large bridges have 30 points at the start and allow wagons, 4 men abreast, or 2 cavalry abreast.
at 20-30 points the bridge is OK.
at 10-19 points the bridge can hold men (2 abreast) and cavalry (single file) only.
at 1-9 points the bridge can hold men (single file) only.

Foot bridges have 15 points at the start and allow 2 men abreast or cavalry single file.
at 10-15 points the bridge is OK.
at 1-9 points the bridge can hold men (single file) only.

BUILDINGS

Ballista shots remove points at 1 die/shot.
Must erase 2nd floor to get 1st floor.

FIGHTING FORMATIONS

REQUIRED FORMATIONS (Unless broken by the enemy).
Gauls (Celts) - NO FORMATION. Individuals only.
Roman Hastati, Princeps, Triari - Lines of maniples, rotate in and out.
Spanish Scutari (Heavy inf.) - Lines of maniples, rotate in and out.
Italian allies (Samnites, Lucanians, Apulians, Campanions, Bruttians) - Lines of maniples, rotate in and out.
Liby-Phoenicians (African Heavy inf.) - PHALANX.
Light African inf. - PHALANX.
Greek mercenaries (Hoplites) - PHALANX.
Macedonians - PHALANX.

NO RESTRICTIONS
Roman Velites, Numidians, Spanish Light inf. (Caetrati) - skirmishers.
Baelaric slingers, archers, artillery (scorpio, ballista, catapult) - any place and formation.
Carthaginian allies (Libyan javelinmen, Celtic-Iberians, Lustitani) - any place and formation.