Empire X - Halfway Standings

IT is interesting to compare this game's victory points at the halfway stage with what happened in our nine previous four-handed games.

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

Current Game                      18                       14                            9                  4              44

Game Nine                          18                        12                          14*                4               48

Game Eight                          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)

Andy's Carthaginians have matched their previous halfway high, but Carthage has never won one of our games.

Richard's Persians/Parthians have 14 victory points, one less than their minimum halfway score when winning, or sharing a win, in previous games.

The Macedonians' nine victory points is two below their halfway score when they won in game one, and five below their halfway score in their other win, in game nine.

Rome's four is also below their halfway score when they recorded their two wins (one shared).

So, no one is going to win game nine ... or, rather, since someone must win, something will have to give before this game is over.

Empire X - Turn 10 (260-250 BC)

Halfway victory points will be added to the starting totals at the end of this turn

The revolt dice land 5-5, meaning Syria overthrows Macedonian rule.

Andy's Carthaginians roll a 5 while invading Gallia, but there is a -1 modifier for attacking outside of the original Carthaginian empire, and another -1 modifier for Gallia being in tribal ferment during the first 10 turns, so the attack fails.

My Macedonians retake Syria, but Richard's Parhians fail in an attack on Mesopotamia.

Finally, Reg's Romans again attack Cisalpina, and a throw of 5 means they succeed, despite the Gauls of Cisalpina being, like their neighbours in Gallia, in tribal ferment.

Victory points are now added.

Andy's Carthaginians have six for controlling four provinces, two of which (IBERIA and 'AFRICA') score double points. That takes the Carthaginian score to 18.

Reg's Romans have four victory points, thanks to controlling Magna Graecia and triple-scoring ITALIA.

My Macedonians control eight provinces, including double-scoring AEGYPTUS, and so move on to nine victory points.

Richard's Persians/Parthians have two provinces, taking their total to 14.

No people is completely dominant

Empire X - Turn Nine (270-260 BC)

Situation in 270 BC

The revolt dice land 2-5, meaning Persia throws off Macedonian rule.

Richard's Parthians are drawn first, and he wastes no time in taking advantage of the power vacuum in Persia.

I counterattack, but fail, and Andy's Carthaginians similarly fail to recover Magna Graecia.

Finally, Reg's Romans head north in an attack on Cisalpina, but fail.

The Punic Wars are well underway, even if they are not Rome's sole concern

Empire X - Turn Eight (280-270 BC)

Situation in 280 BC

The revolt dice land 2-1, meaning Armenia follows neighbouring Pontus's example in throwing off Persian/Parthian rule.

Andy is drawn first, but his Carthaginians fail to conquer Gallia, and there is more bad news for Andy when Reg's Romans expel the Carthaginians from Magna Graecia.

This is the last turn in which my Macedonians receive a +1 modifier as part of Alexander's legacy, but that is not enough when I try to capture, for the second time, Parthia.

Finally, Richard also fails, in a counterattack against Macedonian-controlled Persia.

Rome has a long way to go to achieve greatness

Empire X - Turn Seven (290-280 BC)

Situation in 290 BC

The revolt dice land 3-6, which for the third time pinpoints Pontus, making the region's determination to escape dominance by either neighbouring great power all too plain.

Reg's Romans at last take Magna Graecia, meaning Rome and Carthage now have a common border.

Andy's Carthaginians are next, and he invades Magna Graecia. There is a -1 modifier for attacking outside of the original Carthaginian modifier, and a further -1 for attacking a controlled province, which means Andy needs to roll a 6, and that is what he does.

Richard's Parthians narrowly fail to take Mesopotamia, but my counterattack conquers Persia.

Carthage's rise has been sudden

Empire X - Turn Six (300-290 BC)

Situation in 300 BC

The revolt dice land 3-5, but that pinpoints independent Pontus.

Reg's Romans again fail to conquer Magna Graecia, and the Parthian revival falters when Richard launches an unsuccessful campaign against Mesopotamia.

I narrowly take AEGYPTUS, rolling a 4, which is enough, despite a -1 modifier for attacking a controlled province, as my Macedonians still enjoy a +1 modifier as part of Alexander the Great's legacy.

Finally, Andy's Carthaginians retake IBERIA.

For the first time the Carthaginians are looking quite powerful

Empire X - Turn Five (310-300 BC)

Situation in 310 BC

The revolt dice land 6-1, which has no effect as 6-1 pinpoints independent Gallia.

Richard's Parthians are drawn first, and he succeeds in taking Persia from my Macedonians.

Reg's Romans fail in an attack on Magna Graecia, and Andy's Carthaginians likewise fail to retake IBERIA.

Finally, I attack AEGYPTUS, but narrowly fail with a roll of 3 - my +1 modifier for having recently had a great captain was cancelled out by a -1 modifier for attacking a controlled province.

The Parthian comeback gathers pace

Empire X - Turn Four (320-310 BC)

Situation in 320 BC

The revolt dice land 3-5, meaning Pontus seizes its chance, now Persian rule has been drastically weakened, to become independent.

Andy's Carthaginians are drawn first, and, at the third attempt, he takes Sicilia, rolling a 5 for the naval crossing, and a resounding 6 for the land campaign (and sheepishly admitting afterwards that he had momentarily forgotten he lost IBERIA last turn - if he had remembered, he would have campaigned there!).

Richard is drawn next and he rolls a 6, thus freeing his homeland of Parthia, and so returning to the game as the Parthians.

Next it is my go, and I immediately attack Parthia, but fail, despite a +1 modifier for no longer having a great captain, but having had one no more than five turns ago (I roll a 1).

Finally, Reg consolidates Roman control of ITALIA, which is shown by adding a second Roman counter to the province, and is ready to start expanding next turn.

The Parthian revival bodes ill for my Macedonians

Empire X - Turn Three (330-320 BC)

Situation in 330 BC

The revolt dice land 2-3, meaning double-scoring IBERIA expels the Carthaginians.

This is the second, and last, turn in which my Macedonians have Alexander the Great, and I begin by attacking Persia, but it takes two campaigns to conquer the province after I first roll a 1.

However, I partially make up for this by taking the Persian homeland Parthia at the first attempt. But then it takes my final two campaigns with Alexander to capture Bactria.

Andy's Carthaginians retake rebellious IBERIA.

Richard narrowly fails to free his homeland (he rolls a 5 instead of the required 6).

Finally, Reg again fails to consolidate Roman control of ITALIA.

Macedonian expansion did not go without a hitch, but overall I am reasonably satisfied - the key surely being to conquer the Persian homeland

Empire X - Turn Two (340-330 BC)

Situation in 340 BC

The revolt dice land 6-3, meaning Mesopotamia throws off Persian rule.

This is the first of two turns in which my Macedonians are led by Alexander the Great, who can launch five campaigns, instead of the usual one, receives a +2 modifier, and ignores the usual -1 modifier for attacking a controlled province (unless it is a homeland).

I start by taking independent Thracia, then pick up 'Asia' and Syria, before cutting inland and taking Mesopotamia and Persia.

The latter is not the Persian homeland, but I am now well-placed to attack their real homeland - Parthia - next turn.

However, Richard hits back. He is drawn first of the remaining three peoples (great captains always start a turn), and immediately attacks Persia, regaining it despite a -1 modifier for attacking a controlled province (Richard rolls a 5).

Andy's Carthaginians again set sail for Sicilia. This time the naval crossing is not a problem, but the campaign proper fails when Andy rolls a 1.

Finally, Reg fails to consolidate Roman control of ITALIA - he needed to roll a 1 (one less than the turn number), but got a 5.

We have remembered to place the starting victory points on the tracker at the bottom of the map - they will be added to after turns 10 and 20