(UPCOMING) 65 - ROME, LLP

Before there was Empire, there was a ...Partnership? Yes, it was a world of clients and patrons where the words "The Senate and People of Rome" were not the hollow phrase it became under the Empire. For Senators, engaging in business was taboo, but money-making (even from graft) was not, and citizens of the growing Republic shared in their patrons’ wealth and prestige. But it was at best, a limited liability partnership, an unsuccessful general might merely be banished and replaced by another, but an unsuccessful legion might be....decimated.

ROME, LLP. is a solitaire game of the Roman Republic by Philip Jelley, as it grows from a small city state in 400 BCE to an empire in 27 BCE, when Octavian took the imperial name of Augustus. A prequel to the popular ROME, INC. (ATO 53) and ROME, IInc. (ATO 61) you will again be running a business, but this time the “Republic of Rome” is starting from scratch with minimal resources and highly competitive rivals, Brennus the Gaul, Hannibal Barca, Mithridates the Great, Spartacus, and Queen Cleopatra. The player operates behind the scenes, promoting and removing consuls, censors, governors, and tribunes (and dictators in a real emergency) as Roman legions monopolize the Mediterranean.

The pair of consuls rule Italia, allowing the player to choose which of the co-CEOs are best for the job in hand (unless they start arguing, which could be disastrous), with a censor to maintain public morals, and an obstructive tribune representing the workforce, vetoing senatorial appointments, and changing the game by proposing new laws. Provinces grouped into Italia and the eight proconsular commands of Aegyptus, Africa, Gallia Cisalpina, Gallia Transalpina, Hispania, Macedonia, Pontica, and Syria, each controlled by a Governor, who collects taxes, quells insurgents, and fights wars, but may March on Rome and make himself Dictator For Life.

Patrician and plebeian Statesmen are rated for their military, administration, popularity, and intrigue abilities, and gifted with a special ability. For example, Marcus Antonius has 4 Military, 1 Administration, 5 Popularity, and 4 Intrigue, making him a good general, appallingly corrupt administrator, exceptionally popular, and more than happy to remove his political rivals with a stab in the back, while his Leader special ability encourages him to rebel and might even make him an Aegyptian Leader like Cleopatra. Legions, auxilia, colonies, and fleets are used to fight wars and garrison provinces. Loyal allies protect the frontier as natives are civilized until they are ripe for annexation. Enemy leaders and barbarian wars pillage their way from province to province until defeated, encouraging revolts, and reclaiming territory. Fighting a war may mean a glorious triumph, ghastly disaster, or bloody stalemate, perhaps Fabius had the right idea.

Victory is determined by winning Prestige, earned by prudent administration, annexing provinces, winning wars, and plying the people with bread and circuses. If the barbarians take Rome, the Republic will fall and the game ends in in defeat, but bankruptcy and popular revolution will have the same effect. You alone control the mechanics of a rising republic, choosing four distinct “starting points” (400 BCE, 267 BCE, 149 BCE, and 82 BCE) and running scenarios lasting 10-40 turns (if you get that far), depending on your business acumen and endurance. Each turn represents 5-15 years, with 10 turns in each of the four scenarios. You can extend the game into ROME, INC. and ROME, IInc. for a truly epic game charting the rise and fall of history’s greatest empire.

You decide where to allocate resources (capital spending), raise new forces (hiring), undertake prestige projects (public relations), pleasing the Senate (shareholders) and the People (workforce), or even setting aside a reserve for a rainy decade or two. You need to blend military acumen with careful administration, as well as intrigue, making the most of what you have each turn, just like any modern-day business. ROME, LLP. will give you a new perception of how war is a cost, business is a benefit, and empire is somewhere in between. It’s up to you to find a balance.

ROME, LLP and issue #65 of ATO

Map - One full color 22" x 34" PtP mapsheet
Counters - 280 full color 1/2" die-cut pieces
Rules length - 12 pages
Charts and tables - 2 pages
Complexity - Medium
Playing time - From 2 to 4 hours per scenario
How challenging is it solitaire? - Excellent

Design - Philip Jelley
Development - Russ Lockwood
Graphic Design - Mark Mahaffey

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