Hannibal's Revenge

Hannibal’s Revenge is the second in the Card Conquest game series in which players recreate epic military contests of history in short, comparatively simple, easy-to-learn but hard-to-master games. As with the first game in the series, Hitler's Reich, Hannibal’s Revenge sets up in minutes and plays to a conclusion in one sitting of two hours (or less). These are not simulations but games, albeit ones packed with enough historical flavor and decision-making to give players the feeling that “you are there” at the highest levels of command.

In Hannibal’s Revenge, the 23 uneasy years of peace between the arch-rival republics of Rome and Carthage come to an end by Hannibal Barca. Son of the Carthaginian hero in their earlier conflict, he vowed since childhood to take revenge for his country's humiliating defeat in that war. Now the time has come to redeem that pledge, and he laid siege to the city of Saguntum in Spain. Rome, incensed over this attack on their ally, mobilizes for war in response.

It is now 219 B.C. (or in the Roman calendar 534 Ab Urbe Condita -that many years since the founding of the city). As the Senate and People of Rome, will you succeed in making Carthage pay for this insult and once again force upon them a humiliating peace? Or as the elders of Carthage, will you restore your city’s rightful place in the Mediterranean world to bring honor and glory to your people through victories gained in Hannibal’s Revenge?

Hannibal’s Revenge mixes deck building mechanisms with area control on a map of the Western Mediterranean. There are several ways players can win: by capturing the enemy capital (without losing their own), reducing your opponent's hand size to zero, or (as Carthage) holding out until the game ends. To accomplish all this, players can capture cities and/or play event cards that help them strengthen their hand—or weaken that of their opponent.

A player’s hand is composed of conflict cards ranging in strength from 1 to 13. Some of these cards have special powers, such as the ability to re-roll one or more dice. In conflict, the strength of these cards is complimented with the roll of the dice (standard 3, but up to 5 with events and leaders). Rome’s deck is divided into two “suits”: one for the Republic of Rome itself (e.g. “The Legions”) and another for its Latin Allies. Cathage’s conflict cards are similarly divided: one suit representing the core Carthaginian army and another for their Gallic, Spanish, and other Allies/Mercenaries.

Conflict cards can also be used to move leaders (e.g. Hannibal or his brother Hasdruble and a pool of Roman leaders of varying quality whom a Senate game mechanism assigns to command Rome’s field armies). These leaders represent their armies which move upon the game map—a map divided into sea and land areas (yes, Hannibal can again perform his legendary march across the Alps!) with some land areas identified as Roman, Carthaginian, or Neutral, some of which contain Fortified Walled Cities. Such Cities may be besieged…a sometime perilous and time-consuming enterprise.

Players may also use one or more Event cards to influence the outcome of the conflict. Conflict arises when a player tries to capture a territory or when he tries to acquire a new Event card from one of three available decks: Roman, Carthaginian, or mixed (available for both parties).

Hannibal's Revenge includes a built-in solitaire bot system to enhance solo play. For those who want to play with more than two, it also includes optional rules for 3-4 players.

Components:

One 17” x 22” Mounted Map 54 Conflict Cards (four suits of 13 cards plus 2 Prodotis - i.e. “Traitor”- cards) 72 Hannibal's Revenge Event Cards 16 Leader Cards Ten six-sided dice (five white, five black) 140+ Assorted Wooden pieces, Cubes, and Cylinders 2 Player Aid Sheets 1 Solitaire Player Aid Sheet Rules of Play manual (this booklet) - Playbook (which includes Rules for Solitaire Play)

TIME SCALE: When both players' Conflict Card decks get shuffled, a sexennium (6 years) is complete. The game can end at any moment, but will last no more than three such sexennia.

MAP SCALE: Land Areas, Major Cities, and Sea Zones (some of which can be hazardous to traverse).

UNIT SCALE: Combat strengths are determined for each combat by card play and dice rolls.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 1 – 2 (with optional rules for 3-4)