ROME PBM

Hi Guys

Any update on when the Rome PBEM is going to be release.

Not as far as I know, maybe someone else has an idea, last I heard the map was ready or virtually ready, apparently it is going ot be a partial roll out with a Gazetteer coming out first followed by Map(s) & then the actual game rules & positional listing, that is at least my understanding, but there is a good chance I could be 100% wrong.

Any news on when the Roman Game is going to start?

Its only up on the Website as a work in progress, the fact that it has appeared there may give a glimmer of hope that it is nearing a launch date.

The map book and places of interest are now on the website to purchase either in a hard copy or as a PDF which is cheaper !!!!!!

Hopefully the game start will not be too far away

Basileus wrote:Hopefully the game start will not be too far away

Stories that Claudius "Basileus" Scipio has been seen ordering purple outfits, taken to marching his Legions to the top of the hill and down again and has proposed making his pet ferret the Pontifex Maximus.............have all been strongly denied by the Senators spokesman - A Celtic Slave from the far West of Britannia

Meanwhile in Dark and Wet German Forests maps omens are being studied.............but are dark promises being made to strange fire Gods?

I think that the time the game is set, the year of the four emperors, 69AD, the Roman Army was at the very height of its efficiency and the Germanic tribes had not formed into their third century confederations and benefited from decades of technology transfer. By the third century the Germanic tribes had realised that their common enemy was Rome rather than the tribal group just two miles down the road from them who had once been on a cattle raid against them. Roman population levels were still high through the empire in the first century AD, it was very wealthy and was still utterly confident. So I think a Germanic tribe going against Rome will be a bit of an uphill struggle. Better to go for the commander of a legion with a short road to Rome with Germanic auxiliaries. That would be the best option to burn down Rome if someone has that intention.

Bugger, you know my plan already.

Rome burning, everyone's favourite hobby...…..Um, which game are we talking about

J Flower wrote:Bugger, you know my plan already.

With the famous ferret fancier & commander of the Guard (?) Claudius "Basileus" Scipio writing out his curse tablets and visiting his tailors to get himself measured up for the purple while the Commander of the Rhine Legions sits in his dark forests studying maps for a quick day trip across the Alps and doing dodgy deals with the neighbours.

I decided that the best place for a hard working, underpaid, loyal civil servent of the Senate & People of Rome was on a Nile Cruise. But it seems someone is ahead of me in the que.............Bugger!

Since the Pathian's offered Vespasian 40,000 Horse Archers (a offer he declined) wonder if alongside all the men in bed sheets we could have a man in Silk PJ's and slippers?

Stuart, have you already signed up for a position in the game? Are positions available yet?

Basileus wrote:Stuart, have you already signed up for a position in the game? Are positions available yet?

Do not think a list of positions is out yet but Richard would seem to have no problem with people putting in an advance order if they want to play a particular position........since when I asked about would it be possible to be Prefect of Egypt the reply came back that someone was already ahead of me but I could be put down as a reserve.

Historically the main power blocks in the Roman Army in the year of the 4 Emperors were the Legions on the Rhine and the Legions on the Rhine (several players each?). The Guard were weaker in Military terms but could play a key role if the decision on the Emperor was limited to Rome and the Senate.

Other Roman Legions were stationed in Iberia, Britannia and in the East including Vespasian and Titus and a strong force including the elite II Legion who were trying to crush a revolt in Judea.

But it probably should be noted that historically Vespasian won when the Danube Legions got bored with the Guard etc putting up the Office of Emperor to the highest bider and declared for an old commander and did most of the fighting before Vespasian arrived minus most of his troops who were still busy with the revolt in Judea. But he had at that stage secured the backing of Roman North Africa and control over much of Rome's grain supply ditto supply of wild Animals without which its hard to supply the mob with their bread and entertainment.

What is still unknown is will non Romans play much of a part in the game? Apart from the Jewish revolt and Parthian offers to help the Empire stayed intact and no outside tribes seem to have tried to take advantage. But who knows what was considered in Dacia, Parthia and in the dark forests of Germany etc or might have happened if more troops had been called away from the frontiers for longer.

Strange that Richard would be reserving positions in a game that he hasn't even really announced yet.

I don't think we know much about the system and the game objectives. I'm waiting for the system book to drop to get a feel for what the game is actually about, and what positions are available.

Deacon wrote:
Strange that Richard would be reserving positions in a game that he hasn't even really announced yet.

I don't think we know much about the system and the game objectives. I'm waiting for the system book to drop to get a feel for what the game is actually about, and what positions are available.

Game objectives = Burn down Rome  
                      = Win Chariot races
                      = Throw best Orgy in Empire



                      = Become Emperor

Apparently game basics should be similar to the basic rules of LGDR. So quite a free range of orders avaliable , same for game objectives basically you set your own.

Ambush Roman Legions in German forests.
Pillage across the Rhine
Day trips to Gaul with Fellow Tribesmen

Governor of Britain which should have three legions or Syria with three legions might be good options. Glory on the Danube or Rhine, wealth from north Africa and Egypt or senatorial support from Italy, Sicily, Spain and Gaul would all be good. So many chooses...….. Or perhaps the malign influence of a mystery religion or the Parthians, even a revolt of subdued native tribes...…. Too much to think of...….

Well, unless there is something to create a balance of power, I imagine the games won't run near as long as Glory tends to. Positions will get taken out and a winner will emerge, then there won't be enough positions left in play to keep the game going.

Looking forward to seeing the actual rule book and position list.

Deacon wrote:
Well, unless there is something to create a balance of power, I imagine the games won't run near as long as Glory tends to. Positions will get taken out and a winner will emerge, then there won't be enough positions left in play to keep the game going.

Looking forward to seeing the actual rule book and position list.

Will be interesting to see if the game is designed to be open ended like Glori or have a set end like one of the big Napoleonic battles games, Crusade or the fall of Ashur game.

In theory the the same maps and rules system could then be re-used with the odd twist for other Roman Games set around the fall of the Republic or the Germanic Invasion periods.

Deacon wrote:
Well, unless there is something to create a balance of power, I imagine the games won't run near as long as Glory tends to. Positions will get taken out and a winner will emerge, then there won't be enough positions left in play to keep the game going.

Looking forward to seeing the actual rule book and position list.

I would guess the Roman positions will be split between a few famous Roman houses. House of Julia’s, Brutas, scrippoli ect. Forgive the spelling. From memory. Perhaps a lot of European tribes/ nations. Britannia, Gaul ect. Strong Arab/Desert positions. Rather like the very old computer game Total war Rome.? Loved it. 

But i agree a much quicker and warmongering game looks most probable. But I guess that’s what most players would like. Get straight into it as opposed to Lgdr where it takes several years to consolidate a starting position.

Looking at the ages of Lgdr players I would guess a game 11 of Lgdr in a year or twos time may well make players consider strongly weather at their ages a fresh game may take rather longer than desired. So from my point of view, a quicker version of lgdr would be ideal. If that is what develops.

Just my take on things.

As much as I like the game, I don't think I have another LGDR in me. The pace of the game is just too slow. When you contemplate doing things that will take 5 years of real time to complete, that's just too long for me.

I suspect the Rome game will run faster than that, and be a lot more bloody!

Deacon wrote:
As much as I like the game, I don't think I have another LGDR in me. The pace of the game is just too slow. When you contemplate doing things that will take 5 years of real time to complete, that's just too long for me.

I suspect the Rome game will run faster than that, and be a lot more bloody!

Yep. I would totally agree with the above statement.I love the game and been playing for nearly a decade. But to start from scratch in a couple of years time or so. Thats why i hope Rome is on the same lines as lgdr but quicker and already the positions are built upto a fashion.

In theory a game set in the Roman Empire should be quicker that a C18 game since due to Roman Roads and a lack of Heavy Artillery the Legions move a lot faster than C18 armies.

Other ways I think could be used to speed the game up would be:

- To give players well or very well drilled troops and supplies from the start. As a full time professional Army which did lots of peace time training perhaps rather than all troops starting the game as raw and even the French Guards needing a years worth of drilling to bring them up to speed, Units like the II Legion could start as Veteran, other starting Legions could be regular and only newly raised units should be raw.

- Less R & D and weapon/drill amendments. Do not get me wrong I like R & D and I have no doubt some players in a Roman game will at the very least think about Elephants, Sythed Chariots Pikes & the re-invention of super-sized Hellanistic Galleys but I do not think the game should be delayed while a key player does not make a diplomatic move due to waiting for a new weapon to be invented.

Yes. Perhaps towns already built up to a standard. Perhaps start of with several years worth of recruits and money. An established income stream. Not fully built up but partially.

I would guess the overall message is. In these times and given players overall age creeping up a faster game is required. That’s certainly my view and others from what I have read.

Did a quick who's who for this game and game up with the following:

Nero - The last Julio-Claudian Emperor of Rome, Artist, Chariot Racer, Muscian and generally viewed as mad, bad and dangerous too know. After killing Rome's best General (Corbulo), the last of his relatives and making his horse a Senator he has finally stabbed himself to death before it could be done first by a outraged music lover like:

- Julius Vindex - Has called the Emperor a crap musician and revolted in Gaul. Has won the support of

- Sulpicius Galba Governor of Tarraconensian Spain & Otha the Governor of Lusitania. Both of whom are old style Roman Aristrocrat's with good links with the Praetorian Guards and the Senate. Otha got his Governnorship from Nero who had taken his wife as his mistress - but while while happy enough to swap a wife for a Province was probably a bit put out when Nero murdered her rather than giving her back.

However Julius does not have the support of:

- Aulus Vitellius one of Nero's chariot racing cronies and the other commanders of the Rhine Legions/Fleet. They may agree about the music but do not think its a good enough reason to start a revolt at their back without even having the manners to talk to them first esp as the fire of revolt has jumped the Rhine and the locals are now chucking rocks, spears, and pinching the Flagship of the Rhine Fleet (lucky the General was on shore visiting his mistress)

- Leading Spear chucker is a chap called Civilis who along with an Ala and Cohorts of Roman Equiped and trained auxiliaries have deserted the Roman Army and joined the revolt in alliance with wild tribes outside of the Empire.

Trying to figure out who they do support are:

- Antonius Primus a crony of Nero with a criminal record and the The Legions in Moesia (Balkans and Danube Legions) who do know they do not like Germans or the German Legions.

- Licinius Mucianus Gov of Syria, noted for sleeping with anyone and his current allies King Agrippa of Judea and his sister Queen Berenice. Lininius is currently trying to keep an eye of the Parthians and cush a revolt in Judea (and spreading) lead by one Simon son of Gioras.
But for reasons unknown it seems that Rome does not think the Parthians are as scared of him as they were of Corbulo who he is not up to sorting out a few rebel Jews so the powers that be in Rome have sent him a broken down old veteran of the British Campaign and three extra Legions to help him in his campaign.

- Vespasian Flavius - brother of the current Prefect of Rome would like to get on with the campaign in Judea if only someone in Rome post Nero would confirm that he is in charge not Licinius.

Trying to help sort out the mess in the east are Vespasian son Titus Flavius and Tiberius Alaxander the Prefect of Egypt - Tiberius is socially disadvantaged in that he is only a Equestrian and a freedman of Antonia (mother of the Emperor Claudius). But the same can be said about most of the people who actually know how the Empire works.

- It is also possible that the Legions in Britannia have a opinion but no one really cares what they think and they are a bit busy just trying to keep warm and trying to convince the locals that Baths and paying taxes are a good idea.