It has been a long road (no pun intended) from my original kindergarten-(well, maybe 2^nd grade) level playtest map to what we are soon having printed for ongoing play test and “Learn the Rules / Play the Game” demo session purposes, but it has been worth the trip. Readers can glance at the original Hannibal’s Revenge hand-drawn map I devised (should they want to start their day with a groan or a giggle, depending on their point of view) by going to this posting: Meet the Leaders & Gameboard of Hannibal’s Revenge | Inside GMT blog

But we would rather have gamers focus on Mark Mahaffey’s crystal-clear and elegantly clean Hannibal’s Revenge map (this is why GMT hires real artists). The cities, areas for movement (and type), as well as the notations on the map to indicate where one will encounter Storms at Sea, Barbarian Tribes, or (shudder) Macedonians are quite well depicted. So are the three major Islands, whose majority control gains either side a bonus, as does control of the majority of the map’s five Tribal areas. 

Hannibal’s Revenge uses the same basic rules system as Hitler’s Reich, the first and previous game in GMT’s Card Conquest Series (with three more titles to hopefully follow), but this game has one major difference from Hitler’s Reich: Leader Pawns. Yes, the other game had leaders, but only on its Event cards. Here, each side will have two pawns: the Carthaginians have one representing Hannibal and one for another Carthaginian general (Hasdrubal, usually). The Romans also have two: one for each of two Roman consuls in play (these are two of twelve possibilities who may be active that turn… or “Sexennium” as Hannibal’s Revenge references a turn). 

These Leader Pawns physically move on the map, engage in diplomacy or combat with tribes, take control of areas, lay sieges, another unique Hannibal’s Revenge feature, and of course, fight battles.   When they do, those leaders have different qualities that may help (or hinder) them: for some of the Roman Consuls are, well, to be kind, rather inept, or shall we say “militarily challenged”. 

Movement of these pawns by land or sea requires playing a Conflict Card and using its value to determine the maximum number of Movement Points that leader may attempt to expend. ATTEMPT is the key word here, for no move’s success is certain. Leaders must make a die roll to move, and that roll is modified by where they are going. 

Going through a “Storms at Sea” Zone is almost as difficult as trying to cross the Alps (a quick glance at the relevant charts on the map will indicate just HOW difficult that can be – and failure can be catastrophic). Moving through a non-“Storms at Sea” Zone is not as risky and the Romans, due to their Mediterranean naval superiority (resultant from the First Punic War), have an advantage over their Carthaginian foe… but even they could fail a simple coastal Sea Movement attempt.

Marching overland is easier, especially for the Romans if they are moving through their own original territories. Why? Well, because in this case, ALL roads (at least in Italia) lead to Rome!

Here’s an image of the latest Hannibal’s Revenge map…

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