If you are looking for a game to teach your child or to introduce somebody to the hobby, I think Caesar: Rome vs Gaul would be a good choice.

There is no hexagonal grid, few pieces, and the rules are easy to learn. Your opponent will be impressed by the game board, the illustrations on the playing cards, and the amount of history packed into a game that takes about 3 hours to play.

While the game is easy to learn, finding the correct strategy is the challenge. If you are playing Caesar, you have to govern Gaul and win fame and fortune by the end of the sixth year of the game (every 8 cards played is one year). As the Gallic player your tribes only slowly awake to the danger they face, and you must use the correct amount of patience and force to disrupt Caesar’s plans. If it all works out, you may be able to launch a major uprising towards the end of the game.

How Easy Can It Be?

The game uses many of the systems found in Hannibal: Rome vs Carthage, so it you know that game you are already halfway there. If not, here is a quick description:

Players are dealt 8 cards per turn and use their cards to conduct actions. Cards are played one at a time, alternating back and forth between players until both have exhausted their hand.

Each card has an event and an Action Point number between 1-3. Players can use either the Event or the Action Points—not both. Some cards with minor events, called Bonus Events, allow the player to use both the Bonus Event and the Action Points.

When players spend Action Points, each point can be used for one of the following:

1. Activate a general for movement.
2. Place an Influence marker on the map.
3. Convert an enemy Influence marker into a friendly Influence marker in a space containing a friendly combat unit.

It is as simple as that—3 choices. It is what you do with your choices that count.

Generals

Each general has three ratings: A Battle Rating, a Command Rating, and a Movement Allowance. The Battle Rating is used in combat or when Intercepting or Avoiding Battle.  The Command Rating is the number of Combat Units the general can carry without incurring movement penalties. The Movement Allowance determines how far the general can move.

If you decide to use one of your action points to activate a general, then that general can be moved up to his Movement Allowance. During his move he can remove enemy influence markers, conduct sieges, or attack enemy units.

Combat

Combat is resolved similar to the way it was done in Successors: both players tally their Battle Strength and roll two dice. The Commanding General’s Battle Rating determines how many rerolls each player has. Cross-referencing their die rolls with their Battle Strength on the Combat Table determines the number of hits on the opposing army.

Sieges

Sieges are very similar to Hannibal: Rome vs Carthage, but now odds are factored into the siege. So if you have 2-1 odds against a city, it will fall much faster than 1-1 or 1-2 odds. Each Fortified Town or City requires three siege points to take. Combat units are safe inside until the city falls.

Submitting to Caesar

When Caesar attacks or besieges the Gauls at 3-1 odds or greater, the Gauls will automatically Submit to Caesar. This will reduce their tribe to half strength, but they survive under the Roman yoke. They are set aside and may come back into play if the Gallic player executes a major uprising.

Tribes and Fortified Towns

Every Tribe is linked to its Fortified Town. If one is eliminated, then so is the other. It is assumed that Caesar has taken enough hostages to ensure the surrender of the other group. The Gallic player has to be careful sending out his tribes to hunt down Caesar.

There are also rules for mercenaries, accumulating Gallic Influence markers and tribes in the Gallic Council Box, supply, Roman winter camps, Vercingetorix, and Caesar’s invasions of Germania and Brittania. Enough for the veteran gamer to appreciate and packaged in a game that any novice player can learn.

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