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Commands & Colors: Ancients

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Commands & Colors: Ancients

Game Information

Publisher
Designer
Year Published
Genre
GMT Games

Commands & Colors: Ancients allows you to re-fight epic battles of the ancient world. Here the focus is on the two rivals for power in the Western Mediterranean -- Carthage and Rome. Will you, as Hannibal, triumph over larger Roman armies; or as Scipio Africanus, will you beat Hannibal with newer tactics of your own?

Units in both armies can only move and fight when ordered. The command playing cards supply those orders, providing an element of luck that creates a fog of war and presents players with both challenges and opportunities. You must maximize your opportunities by playing your command cards judiciously. How well you handle the diverse units, their weapons, and the terrain, will determine victory.


Editor reviews

3 reviews

Rating 
 
4.5
Rating 
 
5.0
An astonishing expression of history and strategic shenanigans in an easily accessible package.
MT
#1 Reviewer 286 reviews
Excellent Gaming
Rating 
 
4.5
C&C Ancients is the epitome of accessible, serious wargaming. Introduced after Battle Cry and Memoir '44 (two games in the same series) it benefits from the lessons learned on those titles, expands the scope and plushes up the packaging. This one is a keep-forever title, but watch out -- it has an acre of expansions, and they'll call out to you if you give this one a go.

Really great gaming.
Rating 
 
4.0
Ancients is the definitive Command Colors system. The leadership system, combined with the support systems, actually makes you think a lot more about the positioning of your troops relative to each other. You are incentivized to form lines. There is more here than you initially think upon trying the game, but I think it ultimately ran out of gas for me after a lot of plays. Hard to fault it too much on that, even though I traded it away.

Don't buy the expansions, though, in my opinion they are completely superfluous and they are expensive.

User reviews

2 reviews

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(1)
4 stars
 
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Rating 
 
4.0
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Lightweight but fun ancients gaming
Rating 
 
5.0
The C&C system is probably best suited to ancient warfare (although I haven't tried BattleLore and have no interest in doing so). If you are familiar with the basic concepts from Memoir '44, this game bolts on fairly simple but essential concepts like evasion and battle back. Solid formations and smart positioning of leaders get rewarded over time, as you can strengthen your attacks and avoid punishing retreats.

It's all packaged up nicely. Terrain adds some flavor without burdensome rules, and the blocks are really attractive. I'm glad they didn't use chits or minis for this game...somehow it just feels right the way it is. The scenarios can be played in about an hour.

Plus it has elephants! OK, they are pretty difficult to use effectively due to fragility, but trampling enemies with elephants is just so awesome.
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Rating 
 
3.0
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