Commands & Colors: Ancients

7th Printing

Commands & Colors: Ancients is a historical board game designed by Richard Borg and published by GMT Games. It is a strategic wargame that recreates battles from ancient history, focusing on warfare during the classical period.

In Commands & Colors: Ancients, players command armies from various ancient civilizations, such as Rome, Carthage, Greece, and Persia, among others. The game uses a unique card-driven system that guides players’ actions and provides a balance between strategic planning and tactical decision-making.

The game board is divided into a grid of hexes that represent the battlefield, with terrain features and different types of units depicted on the map. Players use command cards to issue orders to their units, enabling them to move, attack, or utilize special abilities. The cards drive the tempo of the game and introduce a fog-of-war element, as players must work with the cards they have to execute their strategies.

Combat in Commands & Colors: Ancients is resolved using custom dice, with different symbols representing hits, misses, and other effects. The rules for combat take into account unit strengths, terrain modifiers, and other factors to create a realistic representation of ancient warfare.

The game includes numerous scenarios based on historical battles, allowing players to recreate famous engagements and explore different tactical situations. It also provides a level editor, which allows players to create their own custom scenarios and expand the game’s replayability.

Commands & Colors: Ancients offers a mix of strategic depth and accessible gameplay. The combination of card-driven mechanics, tactical decision-making, and historical flavor makes it a popular choice among wargame enthusiasts and fans of ancient history. The game’s expansions further expand the scope, introducing new armies, units, and scenarios for players to explore.