Completing The Second Cycle - Turn 15 (210-200 BC)

Situation after turn 14

This is the first of two turns in which Reg's Romans have Scipio as a great captain, meaning five campaigns for each of those turns, each with a +2 modifier, and no -1 modifier for attacking a controlled province (unless it is a homeland). Meanwhile, Andy's Carthaginians for the next five turns have a +1 modifier as part of Hannibal's legacy.

The revolt dice land 1-6, meaning Numidia throws off Carthaginian rule - a timely boost for the Romans.

Reg launches a blitzkrieg against the Carthaginian empire, taking Cisaplina, Gallia and IBERIA in successive campaigns.

He then takes independent Numidia, and finishes by attacking AFRICA. The attack is successful, but the Carthaginian homeland is a special case, and it does not fall - instead Carthage's other province(s), in this case Sicilia, revolts and becomes independent.

Andy is drawn first, and he retakes Numidia with a 6.

Richard deals me a severe blow when his Parthians take AEGYPTUS, and I suffer further gloom when my Macedonians again fail to capture Syria.

It is looking increasingly likely that victory will go to the Persians/Parthians or the Romans

Completing The Second Cycle - Turn 14 (220-210 BC)

Situation after turn 13

This is the turn in which Andy's Carthaginians get Hannibal as a great captain, but first they receive a separate boost when the revolt dice land 5-2, meaning Cisalpina expels Rome's legions.

Andy will get a +2 modifier for each of his five great-captain campaigns, but fighting outside of Carthage's starting empire means there is also a -1 modifier, although Hannibal ignores the normal -1 modifier for attacking a controlled province (unless it is a homeland).

It takes two campaigns to conquer Gallia, and then only just (Andy rolls a 3), but newly independent Cisalpina falls at the first time of asking (glad to welcome an enemy of Rome?).

For his fourth campaign, Andy switches fronts and attacks Sicilia. The naval crossing is not a problem, and the island falls on a roll of 4. However, the fifth campaign, against Magna Graecia narrowly fails on a roll of 2.

Reg is drawn first, and he chooses to try to retake Sicilia, but fails with a 1.

Richard's Parthians attempt an invasion of AEGYPTUS, but are repulsed, as is my counterattack from 'Asia' against Syria.

Carthage looks good ... for now, but Scipio is on his way

Completing The Second Cycle - Turn 13 (230-220 BC)

Situation after turn 12

The revolt dice land 2-1, which means Armenia, which has been held by the Persians, and their successors the Parthians, since the start of the game, becomes independent, helping create a large no-man's-land between the Parthians and the Macedonians.

Reg's Romans, perhaps learning a lesson from last turn's failed attempt to attack AFRICA, conquer Gallia instead, marking the first time Rome has taken land outside of Italy.

Richard's Parthians, rather than trying to recapture Armenia, take Syria, giving them a border with double-scoring AEGYPTUS.

Andy's Carthaginians try, unsuccessfully, to wrest Gallia from Roman control.

Finally, I attack Syria, but fail with a 3.

Losing AEGYPTUS would be a big blow to Macedonian hopes

Completing The Second Cycle - Turn 12 (240-230 BC)

Situation after turn 11

The revolt dice land 5-5, meaning Syria throws off Macedonian rule, isolating the Macedonian-controlled provinces of AEGYPTUS and Mesopotamia.

Richard is drawn first, and his Parthians attack newly weakened Mesopotamia, conquering it with a 5.

Andy's Carthaginians invade Gallia, but a roll of 4 is not enough as there is a -1 modifier for attacking outside of Carthage's starting empire.

I successfully attack 'Asia', a 4 being sufficient as it is not a controlled province.

Finally, Reg's Romans attempt a surprise attack on Carthage's homeland, 'AFRICA', but the naval crossing fails as Reg rolls a 2 (no modifiers are applied to naval crossings, so Rome's now-usual +1 for not having a great captain, as explained last turn, does not help).

The Persian/Parthian comeback continues apace

Completing The Second Cycle - Turn 11 (250-240 BC)

Situation at the end of turn 10

From now until the end of the game, the Romans receive a +1 modifier for campaigns without a great captain, which means every turn except when Scipio takes command in turns 15 and 16.

The revolt dice land 3-2, meaning 'Asia' again expels my Macedonians.

Andy is drawn first, and his Carthaginians attack Gallia, but fail with a 4 as there is a -1 modifier for attacking outside of Carthage's starting empire.

I am next, but I fail to reconquer 'Asia'.

Reg's Romans conquer Cisaplina, meaning all of Italy is now in Roman hands.

Finally, Richard's Parthians take Persia.

Roman red is expanding in the West, and Persian/Parthian green is replacing Macedonian yellow in the East

Completing The Second Cycle - Halfway Standings

Situation after 10 turns

Andy's Carthaginians have three provinces, two of which score double points, meaning five victory points added to their starting total of 12, taking them to 17.

Reg's Romans also have three provinces, one of which is triple-scoring ITALIA, meaning five victory points.

My Macedonians have eight provinces, including double-scoring AEGYPTUS and 'INDIA', and so 10 victory points.

Richard's Parthians have three provinces, each worth one point, taking his people's victory points to 15.

Here is how the current standings compare with the halfway point of our previous seven games.

                                    Carthaginians...Persians/Parthians...Macedonians...Romans....Total

Current Game                      17                        15                          10                 5              47

Game Seven                        17                        16*                           8                 7             48

Game Six                             18                        15*                        10                  5             48

Game Five                            18                        15*                         8                  4             45

Game Four                            17                        13                        11                  5*            46

Game Three                          14                        16*                         6                  5             41
Game Two                             17                        17*                         9                  7*            50
Game One                             17                        12                        11*                 5             45

*Eventual winner(s)

Richard's Persians/Parthians may be favourites as they have never failed to at least share first place when having 15+ victory points at the halfway tage.

My Macedonians are doing better than normal, but 10 victory points is one below their halfway total in the only game they won.

Five is a normal halfway score for Romans, but Reg's prospects do not look great as only once has that been enough to win the game.

The Carthaginians have never won in our four-handed games, and 17 does not suggest that is about to change.

Completing The Second Cycle - Turn 10 (260-250 BC)

Situation after turn nine

The revolt dice land 5-1, which, not for the first time, pinpoints independent Cisalpina.

Andy is drawn first, and his Carthaginians try to recover Sicilia, but the their navy lives up to its poor reputation (in this game, at least) by fluffing the crossing on a 1.

Richard changes tack and goes after my province of Bactria, succeeding with a 5.

Reg's Romans attack Cisaplina, but fail with a 3.

I also roll a failing 3 while attacking Persia.

Halfway through, and visually, at least, it looks like anyone could triumph

Completing The Second Cycle - Turn Nine (270-260 BC)

Situation after turn eight

The revolt dice land 2-6, meaning the province of Persia throws off Macedonian rule, presumably hoping to be taken over by the newly emergent Parthians.

Andy is drawn first, and his Carthaginians attack Magna Graecia, but a 4 is not enough as there are -1 modifiers for attacking a controlled province and for attacking outside of the original Carthaginian empire.

I am next, and I would like to try to retake Persia before the Parthians get there. But I do not have the necessary block of four connected provinces to launch such an attack, and so I settle for invading (successfully) 'Asia', which means all my provinces are connected to the homeland, except for Bactria and 'INDIA' in the Far East.

Richard's Parthians attack Persia, but fail with a 2.

Finally, Reg's Romans conquer Sicilia, meaning the Carthaginians are reduced to their starting empire.

There is suddenly a lot of uncertainty about the state of affairs ahead of the turn that marks the halfway point of the game, which is when the first set of victory points are added to the peoples' starting scores

Completing The Second Cycle - Turn Eight (280-270 BC)

Situation after turn seven

The revolt dice land 3-6, but that pinpoints already-independent Pontus.

Andy's Carthaginians yet again try to invade Sicilia, and this time the naval crossing succeeds, and so does the land campaign as Andy rolls a 5, which is enough despite a -1 modifier for fighting outside of Carthage's original empire.

Reg's Romans immediately attack the Carthaginians, but roll a miserable 1.

Richard finally succeeds in freeing his Parthia homeland by rolling a 6, which means the Persians return as Parthians, and they still having one other province, in the shape of Armenia.

This is the last turn in which my Macedonians receive a +1 modifier as part of Alexander the Great's legacy, and I decide the time will never be riper for trying to conquer the Parthians, and so I attack Parthia, but fail on a 2.

The Punic Wars have begun, and the Persians/Parthians are back

Completing The Second Cycle - Turn Seven (290-280 BC)

The map, as it was in 300BC - the up-to-date map would show 'Asia' as independent rather than Macedonian-controlled

The revolt dice land 5-2, but that has no effect as Cisalpina is already free.

Reg is drawn first, and his Romans easily conquer Magna Graecia with a 6.

I take another crack at AEGYPTUS, and succeed by also rolling a 6.

Andy again attacks Sicilia, but again the Carthaginian fleet fails to survive the crossing.

Finally, Richard narrowly fails to regain his Parthia homeland, rolling a 5.

Rome has at last expanded beyond its original borders