As listed on the HPS Simulations site, Ancient Warfare is a series that includes the following titles:
- Punic Wars
- Gallic Wars
All of the titles of this series share common traits with one another. The following is an extract from the user documentation. This series is designed by Paul Bruffell, and plays differently from the John Tiller designed series'. At the present I don' have any of these titles, so I don't have any practical experience aside from what I've read. (ST)
-Game Scale-
Each hex represents a distance of 20 metres.
Each turn represents 15 minutes of real time.Units: Typically, each unit is a regiment of Infantry, a regiment of Cavalry, or a battery of Artillery. Each Infantry and Cavalry unit has a strength value in increments of single men, while each Artillery unit has a strength value in number of guns. In addition there are specialized units such as Leaders and Supply Wagons. Infantry, Cavalry, and Artillery units are capable of firing on enemy units and each has a range value indicating the number of hexes that unit may fire.
-Style of Play-
A game turn is composed of 3 phases – Each player assigns commands to his units; movement, changing formation etc. The computer then determines the net effect of these orders as the move is played out. This last phase is known as the ‘Events Phase’. Shooting and combat is automatic. At this point the players can do nothing but watch the outcome. The game then moves on to the next turn.
Assigning movement for your units, changing formation and direction can be done in any combination and is only limited by the number of action points available to each unit. At the start of a player’s turn each of his units has a set number of action points. Assigning movement, changes in formation or direction expends some or all of these action points. Once the unit has allocated all its action points or does not have sufficient left to undertake another task then that unit has finished for that particular player turn. A unit’s action points are shown on the unit’s information box that is accessed as described under ‘Selecting Units’. A player does not have to use all the action points available to a unit.
A command is assigned by left mouse clicking the unit then the unit information box that appears and finally left clicking one of the command options that appears in the pop-up box. Hot Keys may be used as an alternative to the pop-up command box . If the command is ‘Move’, ‘Skirmish’, ‘Charge’ or ‘Forced March’ then the player has to right click the destination target on the battlefield. Given the unit has sufficient action points a line is drawn to the target hex using the least number of action points. Units may be given multiple commands or all units in the same organisation given the same command.
Combat: There are two types of combat in the game. ‘Ranged Fire’ and ‘Hand to Hand’ combat. A unit that suffers combat losses has its manpower reduced. This is shown on the unit’s information box and is represented by its strength.
Ranged Fire is simply one infantry, cavalry or artillery unit shooting at an enemy unit at a range of two hexes or more. ‘Ranged Fire’ occurs automatically once an eligible target enemy unit is in range and the friendly unit has sufficient action points to shoot. If the target is in range of your unit’s weapon and in the ‘Line of Sight’ of the same unit the target will be hit. ‘Hand to Hand’ combat will from now on be referred to as a ‘Melee’. A melee occurs when a friendly unit is adjacent to a hex occupied by enemy unit(s). There are no supply issues as most historical conflicts describe use of salvaged enemy missiles as sufficient for the day of battle.
Note - Given one hex is equivalent to 20m, the range of Legionary units throwing their pilum is one hex, hence only units adjacent to Legionary units can be so hit. Any unit adjacent to an enemy unit is considered to be in Melee therefore the initial combat factor for Legionary units is increased to take in to effect the throwing of their pilum. There is no separate ranged fire for this weapon.
Terrain can affect movement, formation changes, line of sight and combat. A player therefore needs to know what his units are capable of in all types of terrain. This can be found by playing the game and referring to the ‘Battle Charts’ at the back of this manual or under Help on the menu bar.
Up to three friendly units are permitted on a hex at any one time irrespective of their type or condition. Stacking of units is also limited by the total number of men/horses/chariots etc.-Scenario Editor-
Ancient Warfare series games come with a scenario editor in order to create new or modify pre-existing scenarios.