Four Go To War - Turn 10 (260-250 BC)

Situation at the end of turn nine

At the end of turn 10, which marks the halfway point, victory points, based on each people's holdings, are added to the victory point tracker at the bottom of the map (Macedon and Rome start the game with no victory points; Carthage and Persia, thanks to their imperial legacy, start with 12).

First the revolt dice land 4-3, but that pinpoints independent INDIA.

Andy is drawn first, but he again fails to conquer Syria.

I am next, and a 6 means Carthage captures Magna Graecia, and so once again borders the Roman homeland of ITALIA.

Richard immediately counterattacks, and succeeds with a 6 of his own, meaning Rome has at last conquered all of mainland Italy.

Finally Reg rolls a 5, and so takes back Mesopotamia, despite a -1 modifier for attacking a controlled province.

VICTORY POINTS

Carthage earns two each for AFRICA and IBERIA, and one each for Numidia and Sicilia, making six, thus bringing Carthage's total to 18.

Rome gets three for consolidated ITALIA, and one each for Cisalpina and Magna Graecia, moving to five.

Macedon gets two for AEGYPTUS, and one for each of its eight other provinces, making 10 in all.

The Persians have three one-point provinces, bringing their total to 15.

Halfway standings

Below is how the situation compares with the peoples' standings at the halfway point in our five previous games.

                                    Carthaginians...Persians/Parthians...Macedonians...Romans....Total
Current Game                       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)

My Carthaginians are matching their best-ever score in our series, but that previous halfway total was not turned into victory.

Andy's Persians (the people have not been revived as Parthians as the Persian empire has not been eliminated in this game, despite its homeland falling) have matched the minimum score that has always seen them come at least equal first.

The Macedonians are doing better than usual, and Reg can expect to benefit from the fact Rome will probably take longer than usual to defeat Carthage, before turning east.

Richard's Romans, despite expanding very slowly, have their normal score at this stage.