Empire 3: Introduction & Turn One

I HAVE got four gamers together to have a third go at playing the four-handed version of Philip Sabin's Empire.

As well as myself and my regular wargaming opponent, there is security consultant Richard Johnson and Andy, a serving officer in Britain's armed forces.

Here is a reminder of how things stand after our first two playthroughs (four points for winning, three for coming second, etc):

                                               Game One                       Game Two                            Total
Andy                                      4pts (Macedonians)         3.5pts (Persians/Parthians)   7.5pts

Me                                         3pts (Carthaginians)         3.5pts (Romans)                   6.5pts

Richard Johnson                    2pts (Romans)                 1pt (Macedonians)               3pts

Regular Opponent                 1pt (Persians/Parthians)   2pts (Carthaginians)            3pts

We will randomly draw for peoples but, as happened last time, with the proviso that anyone getting a people they have already led can ask for a redraw.

The dice fall on me to draw first, and I get the Persians/Parthians.

Richard is second and he draws the Macedonians, but having had them last time, and none too successfully, he redraws and gets the Romans, which he has also had. He turns them down too and so gets the Carthaginians.

Our early leader Andy is next up, and he draws the Romans, which leaves my regular opponent with the Macedonians, and so we all have a new people.

The situation in 350 BC with the Persians and Carthaginians enjoying 12 victory points as a legacy of their respective empires (more victory points are added at the end of turns 10 and 20)

As usual I will write up the campaign as the game goes along.

TURN ONE (350-340 BC)

The revolt dice (1-1) fall on AEGYPTUS, which is already independent and so there is no effect.

Richard's Carthaginians are drawn first, and he attacks Silicia, but rolls a 2 for the naval crossing, meaning the fleet is lost in a storm or defeated in battle.

The Macedonians attack Graecia, narrowly succeeding with a roll of 4. Macedonian control of Graecia is important for getting the best out of Alexander the Great in the next two turns.

I invade AEGYPTUS, but am thrown back on a roll of 3.

Finally Andy has to waste a turn as he first has to consolidate Roman control of ITALIA, and that requires a die throw lower than  the turn number.

Only the Macedonians prospered in the opening decade of the game