New Empire - Turn 18 (180-170 BC)

Situation after 17 turns

The revolt dice land 6-2, meaning Gallia throws off Roman rule.

Richard is drawn first, but fails to free 'AFRICA'

I easily reconquer Gallia with a 4.

Andy's Macedonians fail to free their homeland.

Reg takes advantage of the Macedonians fighting on two fronts by capturing Syria, splitting the four remaining Macedonian provinces into three isolated sections.

The Macedonians are effectively eliminated from any chance of winning, but the other three peoples are still in with a shout, even if a Carthaginian victory seems unlikely

New Empire - Turn 17 (190-180 BC)

Situation after 16 turns

I no longer have Scipio as a great captain, but for the remaining four turns of the game my Romans receive a +1 modifier for Scipio's legacy, and another +1 modifier as part of the Roman bonus when without a great captain on turns 11-20.

But first the revolt dice land 3-3, having no effect as that pinpoints independent Illyria.

Reg is drawn first, and his Persians attack Syria, but fail with a 1.

Andy chooses to try to expel my legions from Graecia, but rolls a 2.

Richard's attempt to free his Carthaginian homeland fails with a 1.

Finally, I attack Macedonia, rolling a 3, which is enough as the -1 modifier for attacking a controlled province is more than overturned by Rome's two +1 modifiers.

Rome has captured two enemy homelands - Macedonia and 'AFRICA'

New Empire - Turn 16 (200-190 BC)

Situation after 15 turns

The revolt dice land 2-4, meaning IBERIA throws off Roman rule.

I start my five campaigns my recapturing IBERIA, and then successfully take Numidia. That leaves me three goes at taking the Carthaginian homeland 'AFRICA'. Scipio does not cancel out an attacked homeland's -1 modifier, but he still receives his +2 modifier as a great captain, so my roll of 6 is easily enough. I then retake recently independent Sicilia, before attempting an invasion of Graecia. That requires a naval crossing, which just succeeds on a roll of 3 (2 or 1 would have meant the fleet was either defeated in battle or lost in a storm). There is further success when for the actual attack on Graecia I roll a 4.

Reg is drawn next, and his Persians take Syria from the Macedonians.

Richard's Carthaginians have disappeared from the map, but they will return in their homeland, ie 'AFRICA', if he rolls a 6, but his attempt this turn lands as a 4.

Andy's Macedonians ignore my capture of Graecia, and instead retake Syria, no doubt worried for the safety of double-point scoring AEGYPTUS.

The West is Red

New Empire - Turn 15 (210-200 BC)

This is the first of two turns in which I receive Scipio as a great captain, meaning five campaigns, each with a +2 modifier, and no -1 modifier for attacking controlled provinces (unless they are homelands)

The revolt dice land 4-5, meaning Sicilia becomes independent.

That is not a good omen for my Romans, but I decide to concentrate on attacking the Carthaginians, only for Gallia to repulse my first campaign (I rolled a 1). Gallia falls at the second attempt, followed by IBERIA, but Numidia repels my legions. I attack again - my fifth and final campaign of the turn - and succeed emphatically by rolling a 6.

Reg is drawn next, and he succeeds in taking Mesopotamia from the Macedonians, meaning the Persians are back up to four provinces.

Andy's Macedonians fail to respond, but Richard's Carthaginians retake Numidia.

Not a great turn for my Romans, but I am reasonably well-placed to finish off the Carthaginians next turn with Scipio's second set of five campaigns

New Empire - Turn 14 (220-210 BC)

I can expect to lose some of my gains this turn as it is the one in which the Carthaginians are led by the great captain Hannibal

The revolt dice land 5-1 - an early blow for me as that means Cisalpina expels Rome's legions.

Richard goes first, with five campaigns, each having a +2 modifier, thanks to Hannibal, and each ignoring -1 modifiers for attacking controlled provinces (except for homelands). However, the Carthaginians still suffer a -1 modifier when operating outside of their starting empire, which consisted of 'AFRICA', Numidia and IBERIA.

Hannibal first takes IBERIA, then Gallia, both easily, but fails in his first campaign against newly independent Cisalpina after rolling a 2. A second campaign against Cisaplina fails in an identical fashion, but the third succeeds with a roll of 5.

Andy is drawn next, and his Macedonians retake 'Asia'.

I attack Cisalpina, easily taking it with a 6.

Finally, Reg narrowly fails to grab Mesopotamia, his Persians rolling a 4, which fails thanks to the -1 modifier for attacking a controlled province.

Hannibal's impact has not been as great as Richard must have hoped

New Empire - Turn 13 (230-220 BC)

Situation after 12 turns

This is the last turn before first Hannibal and then Scipio appear as great captains.

The revolt dice land 3-1, meaning 'Asia' throws off Macedonian rule.

I am drawn first, and I attack Numidia, but, despite the Romans' +1 modifier in the second half of the game when without a great captain, I narrowly fail with a roll of 3 as there is a -1 modifier for attacking a controlled province.

Richard is next up, and he counterattacks against IBERIA, but rolls a 2.

Andy's Macedonians try, but fail, to retake 'Asia', rolling a 3.

Finally Reg successfully recaptures Persia from the Macedonians.

A bad turn for the Macedonian cause

New Empire - Turn 12 (240-230 BC)

Situation after 11 turns

The revolt dice land 4-1, which again pinpoints independent Bactria, and so has no effect.

Reg is drawn first, but his Persians fail to regain Mesopotamia.

I conquer Carthaginian IBERIA with a 6.

Andy's Macedonians continue their eastward expansion by taking the province of Persia (note that this is not the Persian homeland - that honour belongs to Parthia, which is now very much endangered).

Finally, Richard fails to retake IBERIA.

Roman red and Macedonian yellow have become the dominant colours

New Empire - Turn 11 (250-240 BC)

Situation after 10 turns

For the rest of the game my Romans receive a +1 modifier every turn when I do not have a great captain, which means every turn except turns 15 and 16, when Scipio Africanus will lead my forces.

However, first the revolt dice land 4-2, but Bactria is already independent, so there is no effect.

Andy's Macedonians are drawn first, and they successfully invade Mesopotamia.

Richard's Carthaginians miserably fail in an attack on Gallia (Richard rolled a 1).

I counterattack against IBERIA, but also roll a 1 - not enough, despite Rome's +1 modifier.

Finally, the Persians try to retake Mesopotamia, but Reg comes up short with a 3.

The Macedonians are slowly gaining the upper hand in their epic struggle with the Persians

New Empire - Halfway Standings

The map after 10 turns

Richard's Carthaginians have three provinces, two of which are worth double-points, meaning five victory points to add to their starting total of 12, taking them to 17.

My Romans have five provinces, including triple-scoring ITALIA, giving me seven victory points.

Andy's Macedonians have seven provinces, including double-scoring AEGYPTUS, giving them eight victory points.

Finally, Reg has four provinces, taking the Persians' victory points to 16.

Map with halfway victory points added

Here is how the current standings compare with the halfway point of out previous six games.

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

Current Game                      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)

My Romans are matching their highest ever halfway score, and the previous time they had seven points at this stage they went on to share victory with the Persians/Parthians.

Andy's Macedonians are three points below the 11 they had halfway in the only game they won.

The Carthaginians have never won a game in our series, despite five times previously having 17 or more at the halfway point.

However the Persians may be favourites as they have never failed to at least share first place when having 15+ victory points at this stage.

New Empire - Turn 10 (260-250 BC)

Situation after nine turns

Victory points, based on each people's holdings, are awarded at the end of this turn, which marks the halfway stage of the game, but first the revolt dice land 4-1, which has no effect as that pinpoints independent Bactria.

My Romans are drawn first, and I successfully reconquer Gallia by rolling a 5.

Richard launches a Carthaginian counterattack, but it fails with a 3.

Reg attacks Syria, conquering it from the Macedonians with a 5, but Andy counterattacks and takes it back.

Situation at the halfway stage