Republic Of Rome Game Views
The Republic of Rome is an abstraction of over 250 years of history. It simulates the politics of the Roman Senate during the republic. The players take the part of various factions vying for the control of the senate. They control the various powerful families of the time, who compete for state offices, military command, economic concessions and new adherents. To win the player must get their faction to become the most powerful in Rome. While doing this, however, a balance must be maintained. A hostile world situation, and the vagaries of the public of Rome means that the players must also cooperate so that Rome herself doesn't go down under this pressure. If Rome does not last, neither does the senate, and all players lose!
Unfortunately - all of this interest didn't translate into any sizable increase in the player base. A number of people expressed their desire to play but were unable to due to scheduling conflicts. This is something completely out of my control. With Republic of Rome (RoR) being a six-hour game it makes it very difficult for many players to elect to chew up one of their precious afternoons where they might be able to play two or three other games. Scheduling is always going to be one of those necessary evils - but something that is always going to be a source of frustration no matter what is done.
Over the years Republic of Rome has gained a reputation as a challenging game with a steep learning curve. The player base also has a well earned reputation as being both consistent with the same players back year after year but also as being quite cutthroat. This combination presents a daunting challenge for new players and unfortunately it scares off much needed new blood. Over the years as the GM of RoR I have tried to go out of my way to help new players overcome their initial hesitation and feel confident enough to be comfortable playing. There is just no way however to explain what is not in the rules. What makes Republic of Rome one of the most unique games at the WBC is the nuance and what is NOT in the rules. Every game becomes a very unique experience as there really is no set strategy that you can follow like you can in most games.
The three scenarios are differentiated by the nature of the foreign threats to Rome (in the Early Republic the state faces existential crises from foes like Carthage, while in the Late Republic Rome's enemies are weak and wars become opportunities for personal advancement by ambitious generals), by the availability of various Law cards that can be played and which illustrate the erosion of Republican tradition (allowing, for example, senators to retain their own personal armies or govern multiple provinces by proxy), and by the presence of Statesman cards representing specific famous senators of the time who have special abilities within the game.
Republic Of Rome Game Images
