IMPACT and MELEE ©

ROMAN WARS against MACEDONIA 280

280-148 BC

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A Simple Game of Ancient Warfare between the

Roman Republic and the Macedonian Empire

From 280-148 BC

2009© Rosser Industries – The second in a series of simple ancient battle games
 IMPACT and MELEE –ROMAN WARS vs MACEDONIA

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2009© Rosser Industries

IMPACT and MELEE – Rome vs. Macedonia
A simple and quick war game of a Macedonian vs. Roman battles

Game pieces are represented by top down full color photos of Macedonian and Roman warriors of the
time of the Roman Republic (@ 280-148 BC). Print out the game board (6 x 4 rectangle of squares sized
on an 8.5”x 11” piece of paper). You will have to provide your own six sided dice.

HOW TO WIN

Macedonians win by eliminating all Roman Hastiti and Princeps units or the Roman player gives up. The
Roman player wins by eliminating all Macedonian Pike and Companion Cavalry pieces, or the
Macedonian player gives up.

ROMAN GAME PIECES (39 attack points, 30 defense points)

3 each Roman Hastiti – Attack 5, Defense 3, No shooting
3 each Roman Princeps - Attack 5, Defense 4, No Shooting
3 each Roman Velites – Attack 1, Defense 2, Shoot 2 squares
1 each Roman Triarii – Attack 3, Defense 5, No shooting
1 each Roman Cavalry – Attack 3, Defense 2, No shooting

MACEDONIAN GAME PIECES (34 attack points, 33 defense points)

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4 each Macedonian Pike – Attack 4, Defense 5, No shooting
4 each Macedonian Peltist – Attack 2, Defense 2, Shoot 2 squares
1 each Macedonian Archers – Attack 2, Defense 1, Shoot 4 squares
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2 each Macedonian Companion Cavalry – Attack 4, Defense 2, No shooting

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GAME SETUP
Macedonian player sets up first, then Roman player sets up.
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Macedonian player places all units along his edge of the game map, there can be no more than 2 game
pieces in a square at any one time. Pike units and Cavalry units can only have 1 game piece in a square.

Roman Player sets up along his side of the map with no more than 2 game pieces placed in a square at
any one time, except the Roman cavalry pieces which can only have 1 game piece in a square at any one
time. All units must be on the game board before the game can start.

HOW TO MOVE
Macedonian player moves first. All Macedonian infantry game pieces can move forward one square, or
turn 90° toward one side or the other of the square they are in, no other move is allowed.

Macedonian pieces move one at a time.

Roman Cavalry and Macedonian Companion Cavalry can move one or two square(s) straight ahead, or
turn 90°, or move 1 square straight ahead then slide diagonally one square up and to the left or right.

All other Roman infantry game pieces can move forward one square, or turn 90° toward facing one side
or the other side of the square they are in, no other move is allowed.

Roman pieces move one game piece at a time.

HOW TO ATTACK

When a game piece moves next to an enemy game piece, an attack can occur. Attacks can only occur to
the front of your unit.

The moving player rolls a number of 6-sided dice equal to the attack value of the piece (Roman Hastiti
would roll 5 dice). The enemy unit being attacked rolls a number of dice equal to the defensive value of
that game piece (Macedonian Companion Cavalry rolls 2 dice).

For every 5 or 6 that is rolled, the enemy unit receives 1-hit. When a unit receives 2-hits in one game
turn it is removed from the game.

Roman Princeps and Triarii can eliminate 1-hit each time it is attacked due to their armor, this only
applies if they are attacked from the front.

Macedonian Companion Cavalry get to eliminate 1-hit each time they are attacked because of their
training and armor. Macedonian Pike subtract 1-hit each time they are attacked through the front
facing of the unit, this subtraction ceases once a Macedonian Pike game pieces is destroyed (reflects the
disordering of the Pike phalanx formations)

Macedonian Companion Cavalry that moves 2 squares straight ahead and attacks get to double the
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number of dice (4-dice x2 = eight (8) dice) they throw when this occurs (simulates cavalry charging the
enemy)
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ROMAN LINE REPLACEMENT

When a Roman Princeps unit is positioned in the same square with a Roman Hastisi unit, the Roman
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player has the option to “reverse” the Hastiti and Princeps game pieces just before the Macedonian
player rolls the Macedonian attack dice. This will allow the Princeps (with better defense rolls) to be
attacked instead of the Hastiti. The same rule applies with the Roman Triarii, and any Roman Princeps
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or Hastiti game pieces in the same square with it.

Roman players also get one, 1-dice attack before any attack roles are made, by all Hastiti and Princeps
game pieces, this simulates the throwing of Pilum just before melee.

MACEDONIAN PIKE UNITS

Macedonian Pike game pieces double their attack dice when facing cavalry or heavy infantry opponents
(4 attack dice x2 = 8 dice thrown). This only occurs until the first Macedonian pike unit has been
destroyed.

FLANK AND REAR ATTACKS

When you attack an enemy game piece into its side or rear, add +1 to all your dice rolls. What would
normally be a hit when rolling a 5 or 6, now is a hit when rolling a 4, 5, or 6.

Archers cannot shoot into the flank or rear of an enemy unit. It is assumed the enemy unit would turn
its’ shields toward the enemy archers or javelins.

Defensive subtraction for hits is not allowed when the enemy unit being attacked is being attacked in its
flank or rear.
TERRAIN

These two armies did not have to fight on a level plain to be effective. Because of this, this game
includes two terrain pieces, FOREST and a HILL.

If a Macedonian Pike unit that moves onto the HILL square, will have one dice less attack rolls, and two
dice less defense rolls.

The only units allowed to move into a FOREST square are Roman Velites or Macedonian Peltists. When
they are on the FOREST square they can be attacked by adjacent enemy game pieces, but the enemy
game pieces deduct 1-dice from their attack rolls.

Each player rolls one dice for each terrain piece (1-Hill, 1-Forest) one at a time. The high roller for that
terrain piece then decides where to place the terrain piece on the game board, or to put it back in the
box and not play with it during this game session.

OPTIONAL RULE - ELEPHANT

If you wish to refight Pyrrhus invasion of Italy in 280-275 BC you will need to add an elephant to the
Macedonian forces (Pyrrhus). Subtract one Companion Cavalry and one Macedonian Pike, and replace
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them with one Elephant. An Elephant has the following characteristics.

ELEPHANT has 6 attack dice (3 attack dice when shooting), 4 defense dice (2 against Roman Velites), Can
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shoot 2 squares.
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The Elephant has a range of 2 for shooting, and hits on a 5 or 6 die roll. It moves like Macedonian
Companion Cavalry but when attacking. When it attacks or defends against Cavalry, it doubles its attack
and defense dice.
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Elephants that are hit once in a turn are subject to panic. Roll a 6-sided die and if the roll is a 5 or 6, the
Elephant panics and moves two squares directly away from the unit causing the hit. (This could be a
diagonal move, if being hit by shooting. Any unit in the elephant’s path (friend or foe), are immediately
attacked by the Elephant with the Elephants normal attack dice. Units receiving 2-hits are removed
immediately.
MOVEMENT EXAMPLE: (Not to scale)

(A) Roman Hastiti game piece

can move forward one (1) square, or
(B) Turn 90° to the right, or
(C) Turn 90° to the left

C ↑ B
Roman
Hastiti

MOVEMENT EXAMPLE TWO: (Not to scale)

Macedonian Companion Cavalry can move to any of the

“A” gray squares, or turn to face “B” and
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“C” in one movement turns
If they move to A1, and attack, they double their attack dice.
A2 A1 A2
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A2
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C ↑ B
Macedonian
Companion
Cavalry

ATTACKING – An archer firing (4 squares) can hit game pieces in the following squares.
HIT

HIT HIT HIT

HIT HIT HIT HIT HIT

HIT HIT HIT HIT HIT HIT HIT

↑
Macedonian
Archer
DESIGNER NOTES

I like simple games, but I also like to see the two sides in a game be balanced, but not the same. In this
small game you will see the classic Pike vs. Pilum contest. Can the Macedonian pikes and Heavy Cavalry
pin the center and turn the flanks of the Roman army, or will the Roman heavy infantry grind the
opposing army down in a battle of attrition

This is not the Macedonian army of Alexander and his conquests, this Macedonian army represents the
final version of the Greek pike armed heavily armored phalanx type army. Combined with a small force
of shock action cavalry, the Macedonians have an army where the individual parts each have a unique
part to play. If they work well together they should win, if not they will be destroyed.

The Roman army in comparison is the classic heavy infantry army. Hastiti, Princeps, and Triarii are all
heavy infantry armed with sword and pilum (Long spear for Triarii). Their formations are flexible (for
infantry) which allows them to attack normally on a hill square (rough terrain). They have a tactical
system that has been developing for generations, and the backing of all of central Italy during this time.
They use their multitudes to wear down an opponent over the long term.

Romans lost battles but won wars, the Macedonians only really have one army, so if it is lost, so is their
state. With both sides looking for a battlefield they each can fight effectively on, let the battle begin to
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determine which system, and state, will prevail.

Elephants are not a normal feature of this period of Roman warfare (280 BC) and were a real shock
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when Pyrrhus introduced even a few against the Roman armies. The optional rule allows for their
inclusion in the games by sacrificing some of the Macedonian Companion Cavalry and Pikeman.
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PARTIAL BIBLIOGRAPHY
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ROME and her ENEMIES, Editor Jane Penrose, Osprey Publishing, 2005
GREECE and ROME at WAR, Peter Connolly, Prentice Hall, Inc. 1981
FIGHTING TECHNIQUES of the ANCIENT WORLD, Simon Anglim, Phyllis G. Jestice, Rob S. Rice, Scott M. Rusch, John Serrati,
GREENHILL BOOKS, 2002
The COMPLETE ROMAN ARMY, Adrian Goldsworthy, THAMES and HUDSON Ltd., 2003
ALEXANDER the GREATS CAMPAIGNS, Phil Barker, PATRICK STEPHENS LTD, 1979
LOST BATTLES, Reconstructing the Great Clashes of the Ancient World, Phillip Sabin, HUMBLEDON CONTINUUM, 2007
WARFARE in the CLASSICAL WORLD, John Warry, UNIV. of OKLAHOMA PRESS, 1995
WARFARE in the ANCIENT WORLD, edited by Sir John Hackett, FACTS ON FILE, INC, 1989
And,
SLINGSHOT Magazines, published by the SOCIETY of ANCIENTS, varied authors
MACEDONIAN GAME PIECES

↑ Front ↑
Macedonian Archers

Macedonian
acedonian Archers

Macedonian Pikemen

↑ Front ↑ ↑ Front ↑ ↑ Front ↑ ↑ Front ↑

Macedonian Pike Macedonian Pike Macedonian Pike Macedonian Pike

Macedonian Companion Cavalry

↑ Front ↑ ↑ Front ↑ ↑ Front ↑

Macedonian Macedonian Macedonian
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Companion Cavalry Companion Cavalry Companion Cavalry
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Macedonian Peltists
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↑ Front ↑ ↑ Front ↑ ↑ Front ↑ ↑ Front ↑

Macedonian Peltists Macedonian Peltists Macedonian Peltists Macedonian Peltists

Elephant (Optional)

↑ Front ↑
Elephants
 Woods Hills

ROMAN GAME PIECES

Roman Hastiti

↑ Front ↑ ↑ Front ↑ ↑ Front ↑

Roman Hastiti Roman Hastiti Roman Hastiti
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Roman Princeps
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↑ Front ↑ ↑ Front ↑ ↑ Front ↑

Roman Princeps Roman Princeps Roman Princeps
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Roman Triarri
Triarii Roman
Roman Velites
Velites

↑ Front ↑
Roman Triarii
↑ Front ↑ ↑ Front ↑ ↑ Front ↑
Roman Velites Roman Velites Roman Velites

Roman Cavalry

↑ Front ↑
Roman Cavalry