Yoki Erdtman
Sweden
Södertälje
Handsome devil huh?
-
The title of this review means "Believe that you have it, and you do." Which refers to you getting this game. It's free, so you have no excuses. This will, as you've no doubt already guessed, be a positive review, but please stick with me to find out why I enjoy the game.
My Background:
I have recently developed an obsession for gladiatorial combat miniatures games. It started with me purchasing Ludus Gladiatorius and its expansion. I did this to score some cheap and pre-painted miniatures. I'm unfortunately not a miniatures painter, and thought this was a good way to get some minis to play with.
Ludus Gladiatorius did not prove to be much of a game, but I scoured the net and found that there are tons of gladiatorial games. I have since collected 16 titles that are worth playing and reviewing. I aim to culminate with a geeklist breaking down the various games.
I've also reviewed Glory in the Arena and Are you Not Entertained?
Familia Gladiatoria:
The game features a rock-papers-scissors actions selection mechanic, and dice rolling, no, please keep reading, I implore you.
In this game each player takes the role of a lanista, that is a manager of a gladiatorial school, a ludus. The lanista starts with stable of 6 gladiators. Each gladiator is defined by two stats, Agility and Strength, and start with a rating of 2 in each stat. The lanista has 5 stat points that he can use to increase the stats of his starting roster, but may not give any one gladiator more than 2 points.
Each gladiator also starts with a Status rating of 1. Surviving fights will earn gladiators more Status and also increase their stats. While Agility and Strength are easy enough to understand, Status is used to save against when requesting missio, that is a reprieve from the crowd and the editor (producer) of the games. Status can also be used during the game to improve your aim, but only once per point of Status.
The game features 10 pre-defined gladiators: Samnite, Murmillo, Thraex, Hoplomachus, Secutor, Dimachaeru, Provocator, Retarius, Laquerius, and Veles. They are for the most part historically accurate and well translated to the game system. It is also a cinch to define your own gladiator types based on these templates.
Action Cards:
The game comes with 16 Action Cards that you need to print one set of for each player, and then cut them out in order to play the game. They don't need to be printed on fancy card stock or sleeved, they are just meant to help you plot each turn.
The cards break down as follow, and the number of each action is limited to ensure that you must vary your tactics in the arena:
3x Move (1 hex at a time, or 1 facing change)
1x Missio (request of reprieve; giving up the fight)
2x Slash
2x Thrust
2x Defend (blocking and parrying)
2x Bash (pushing or knocking over your opponent)
2x Feint (outmaneuvering your opponent by turning his facing around)
2x Throw (used by net and lasso fighters)
Turn Sequence:
Once you've decided to play a gladiator contest, and the opposing lanista have each selected a comparable gladiator to do battle, you place your minis on your hex map (not included in the game) and proceed through this turn sequence:
1. Select 3 Actions in order
2. Initiative Roll
3. Loser(s) Replace 1 Action with Defense
4. Pre-Contact Movement
5. 1st Action, tiebreaker: Initiating Player
6. 2nd Action, tiebreaker: Initiating Player
7. 3rd Action, tiebreaker: Initiating Player
8. Roll for Collapse and/or Death by blood loss
Step 1: Select 3 Actions in Order
Each player selects 3 action cards in secret, and orders them in his hand from action 1 to 3.
Step 2: Roll for Initiative
The game doesn't tell you how to break ties, it doesn't even tell you what dice to roll, but we use 1d6. Initiative is modified by your gladiator type, where the lighter styles receive a bonus. After calculating everyone's Initiative, we use the high roll as the 1st tiebreaker, and the Initiative bonus (if any) as the 2nd (reroll if still tied).
Step 3: Loser(s) Replace 1 Action with Defense
In the rules as written this is actually step 4, but I explain why this is bad in see Step 4 below. The cool part about this rule is that the loser of the Initiative must replace one of his selected Actions with a Defend Action. Remember that it's okay to replace a Defend Action with another Defend Action, and this can be very useful sometimes.
Step 4: Pre-Contact Movement
In Pre-Contact Movement the player with Initiative decides if he will move first, or if he wants to force the player with the lowest Initiative to move first. Pre-Contact Movement consists of a one hex move, or one facing change per turn. The rules then direct you back to Step 2 to reroll for Initiative and keep this up until the miniatures get into an engagement. Remember how I said I didn't like this?
So we switched Step 3 and 4 around. We found the system as written to be dreadfully boring, with rolling for Initiative a gazillion times before commencing combat, and it took much too long. Instead we roll for Initiative only once and then alternate moving as dictated by the winner of the Initiative, called the "Initiating Player", until the miniatures come into contact or someone calls for the use of Actions Cards - which is exactly how the rules as written end the Pre-Contact Movement step. This way you avoid rolling for Initiative an extra 10-15 times and get to the actual fighting a lot quicker.
Step 5: 1st Action
Each player reveals his first Action Card, and the Actions are resolved (see below). In a 2-player game you can't really be outmaneuvered during Pre-Contact Movement, but it is a threat in multi-player games.
Step 6: 2nd Action
Just like step 5.
Step 7: 3rd Action
Just like step 5.
Step 8: Roll for Collapse and/or Death by Blood Loss
Agility (AG) and Strength (ST) are reduced by wounds, and once they go into negative digits, you must save against Collapse (AG) or Death by blood loss (ST). You roll 1d6 and need to roll >= to the stat's negative integer to continue fighting.
Zone of Control:
Before we get to how you resolve Actions, I must explain a very cool mechanic called Zone of Control (ZoC). Each gladiator controls the hexes immediately in front of him. No one is allowed to enter his ZoC without successfully playing a Move Action. For most fighters, armed with a gladius (sword) your ZoC is just the hexes adjacent to you, but gladiators armed with a hasta (spear) or tridens (trident) have a ZoC that extends two hexes in front of them.
Note: The ZoC rules seem to infer that a gladiators facing is the point in between two hex sides, making your ZoC only two hex sides. We play with the three front hex sides (i.e. 180 degrees) as your ZoC, primarily because our minis are mounted on hex bases and facing a side, not a corner, but mainly because it's more common to miniature wargaming in general.
This is why Pre-Combat Movement is still interesting, and you know when to stop and switch to resolving Actions. As soon as you are next to another fighter's ZoC, you need to start resolving your chosen Actions. Let us just hope you chose well.
Resolving Actions:
This is the heart of the game. The selected Actions are compared to each other, granting bonuses or penalties to your Action Roll. Both players roll 2d6 using the high die to resolve the Action, while the low die is used to determine Hit Location if you are resolving an attack.
Gameplay feels very much akin to Ace of Aces: Handy Rotary Series or more specifically Lost Worlds. About half of the Actions depend on ST, and the other half on AG. You take your high die result, add the corresponding stat, and any modifiers - of which there are very few in the game. The high total wins and performs their action. The loser can only perform their action if his Action Card says "Mutual" by the modifier next to his opponent's selected Action.
Some moves cancel out other moves, but it depends on your fighter's stats. Sure a ST focused fighter can use Bash to cancel your AG fighter's Move every time (if he is able to plan that well or is lucky enough), and a Thrust from an Agile fighter will usually strike down a powerful Slash from a Strong fighter, but it is all highly dependent on your stats. In this game a +2 modifier is a lot! When you successfully play a Feint vs a Defend Action, and see your opponent get a -1 penalty, while you get a +2 bonus, you don't really have to roll all that well to win, but you also have to add your Agility to the total (if it's not in the negative yet, because then you subtract it instead), and your opponent adds either ST or AG, his choice.
It really feels like a chess match - in a very good way.
Damage:
If you successfully play a Thrust or Slash Action, you may damage your opponent. Now you look up the low die result from your Action roll on the hit location chart:
6 Head -1AG and -1ST, roll AG or less or fall, roll ST or less or die!
5 Arms -1AG, roll: 1-4 nearest, 5-6 furthest
3-4 Legs -1AG, roll: 1-4 nearest, 5-6 furthest, roll AG or less or fall
2 Chest -1ST or AG, see Defender's Action
1 Torso -1ST or AG, see Defender's Action
Given that your stats are reduced to track damage, the game has a death spiral. It takes a lot of clever play to cancel out an early wound. However, the only way to kill someone with one blow is with a head hit.
You may use a Status point to add a +1 bonus on the Hit Location chart.
Summary:
I really enjoy this game. It is tense, fun and you can get several games played in a short amount of time. The fact that you roll 2d6, and only use the highest roll to resolve Actions, diminishes the role of luck. However, when you're the underdog, after taking some early damage, you really wish this wasn't the case.
If you have a couple of gladiator miniatures at hand, then I highly recommend that you check out this little, only 6 half-sized pages, fun and intriguing game. If you are like me it will suck you in. You will probably be complaining that AG is more powerful than ST, you might think some gladiator types, such as the Retiarius is unbeatable, but it all comes down to strategy, tactics and a small, but subtle learning curve.
You can get it for free from designer Jeffery S. Koppe and can be downloaded from Petite Guerre.
Please read my first session report for the game.
-
-
I've just had a couple of games. I'm not sure if I was playing it correctly, but it seemed that once gladiators got into contact, there wasn't really that much manouvre, it was just drawing cards until one gladiator gets worn down and the other wins.
This also seemed to be exacerbated by each player only being allowed to move one hex at a time, making it difficult to outmanouvre the opponent.
I was also unsure of the classifications of gladiators into light, medium, heavy etc. For instance, the provocator is classed as medium, and the myrmillo as heavy, but the stats of the provocator indicate that it has more armour.
On the plus side, the game is very quick, and quite descriptive in its actions.
-
Yoki Erdtman
Sweden
Södertälje
Handsome devil huh?
-
VictorJ wrote: I've just had a couple of games. I'm not sure if I was playing it correctly, but it seemed that once gladiators got into contact, there wasn't really that much manouvre, it was just drawing cards until one gladiator gets worn down and the other wins.
I think once you master the system you'll see more movement. A fighter with higher Agility than his opponent can easily outmaneuver him and gain flank and rear attacks. You should not be afraid to select Movement action cards. Especially if you have a greater Zone of Control than your opponent. Strength-based fighters have a really hard time getting close to a well played Agility fighter.
VictorJ wrote: This also seemed to be exacerbated by each player only being allowed to move one hex at a time, making it difficult to outmanouvre the opponent.
Well, you can't really outmaneuver anyone during Pre-Contact Movement, but once the fighting starts I've seen it happen many times. I always stick to the classic historical match-ups, of a heavily armed gladiator vs a lighter one, and this game does those matches beautifully!
VictorJ wrote: I was also unsure of the classifications of gladiators into light, medium, heavy etc. For instance, the provocator is classed as medium, and the myrmillo as heavy, but the stats of the provocator indicate that it has more armour.
Yeah the classifications as listed were not something I was 100% happy with. Check out my Libellus Numerarius (Character Sheets), in the files section, which features more proper classifications - IMO. 
VictorJ wrote: On the plus side, the game is very quick, and quite descriptive in its actions.
Yes, the game feels very cinematic and is quite immersive, and coupled with the quick play time it is a perfect combination.
Familia Gladiatoria remains one of my favorite gladiator games, and I have tried a lot of them by now.
-
-
Thanks for the reply Yokiboy. I must admit, your review is excellent and invaluable to understanding how the rules work, as I find the rules, as written, quite hard to understand.
We were trying 2 secutor types against each other with relatively equal stats, which in hindsight probably contributed to the lacklustre game. Next time, we'll do a retarius vs provocotor or similar to see how it plays out.
Though it didn't happen in the games I had, I can see unusual situations coming up, such as say a gladiator being pushed back, and then their next card is "thrust", they win the roll, but the opponent is not in attack range so the card is wasted.
Just as a thought, with pre game movement I noticed that the rules say "any player may declare that action cards are to be used at the end of movement", which indicates you can force cards can be drawn at the outset, even where figures are far away from contact. Therefore, if a player losing initiative is forced to use a defence card (and therefore only have 2 movement cards in the hand of 3), the winner gets to move three hexes (as they can use 3 movement cards), and the loser only two - so maybe there can be some attempt at out manouvre by the lighter gladiator. Though, it would be tedious, its equates to a 50% better approach. Do you read this the same way?
-
Yoki Erdtman
Sweden
Södertälje
Handsome devil huh?
-
VictorJ wrote: Thanks for the reply Yokiboy. I must admit, your review is excellent and invaluable to understanding how the rules work, as I find the rules, as written, quite hard to understand.
Thanks, glad to be able to help.
VictorJ wrote: We were trying 2 secutor types against each other with relatively equal stats, which in hindsight probably contributed to the lacklustre game. Next time, we'll do a retarius vs provocotor or similar to see how it plays out.
A retiarius vs secutor, or hoplomachus vs murmillo are two classic match-ups that are both fun in Familia Gladiatoria.
VictorJ wrote: Though it didn't happen in the games I had, I can see unusual situations coming up, such as say a gladiator being pushed back, and then their next card is "thrust", they win the roll, but the opponent is not in attack range so the card is wasted.
Oh, but that's the point of it. It's great outmaneuvering your opponent like that.
VictorJ wrote: Just as a thought, with pre game movement I noticed that the rules say "any player may declare that action cards are to be used at the end of movement", which indicates you can force cards can be drawn at the outset, even where figures are far away from contact. Therefore, if a player losing initiative is forced to use a defence card (and therefore only have 2 movement cards in the hand of 3), the winner gets to move three hexes (as they can use 3 movement cards), and the loser only two - so maybe there can be some attempt at out manouvre by the lighter gladiator. Though, it would be tedious, its equates to a 50% better approach. Do you read this the same way?
I should have noted this before. We only allowed to switch to the cards once a gladiator was in a hex adjacent to his opponent's Zone of Control, otherwise you could run into people trying to play on the weakness of the rules as you point out.
-
-
OK, I have tried it again, with a retarius vs secutor, this time there was a fair bit a manouvre. The secutor found it hard to close but managed to get a couple of hits, while the retarius, being able to get a lot more attacks in, couldn't get any damage on the secutor (and lost the net!) due to being hit earlier - so the "death spiral" effect came into play. Anyway, a lot better than the first attempt.
The only thing we were unsure about was whether the 3 action cards had to be played in a pre-set order, or whether you could chose the appropriate card out of your remaining hand. We found it faster by not using a pre-set order.
-
Yoki Erdtman
Sweden
Södertälje
Handsome devil huh?
-
VictorJ wrote: The only thing we were unsure about was whether the 3 action cards had to be played in a pre-set order, or whether you could chose the appropriate card out of your remaining hand. We found it faster by not using a pre-set order. They definitely should be used in a preset order, which is why losing initiative and having to replace one card with a Defense card can be very dangerous. It also brings up the tension level in the game IMO.
-
-
Just played our first couple of tester games, and a couple of questions/ comments.
I was a samnite and the other players was a retarius, and i did feel a bit like i was chasing him round the arena, since he was always trying to keep his distance from me, and winining initiative more times than not... it did get a bit boring in our second match. However I just read your last comment - we were choosing our cards, not puting them in a pre, set order,this might make all the difference....
Since movement is simultanious (if you both move)- we let the player with the initiative move second to give him the avantage.
Also, bash seemed pretty useless against this player, since almost all his moves are agility based, and moving him 1 hex away would give him an advantage.
One last question, when a player is knocked down, how does he get back up again?
-
-
sorry one last question, can a player move in any direction? It states a player can move backwards, but is this only to the hex directly behind, or can you sidestep to your rear as well...?
-
Yoki Erdtman
Sweden
Södertälje
Handsome devil huh?
-
panzerfaust101 wrote: Just played our first couple of tester games, and a couple of questions/ comments.
Alright!
panzerfaust101 wrote: I was a samnite and the other players was a retarius, and i did feel a bit like i was chasing him round the arena, since he was always trying to keep his distance from me, and winining initiative more times than not... it did get a bit boring in our second match. However I just read your last comment - we were choosing our cards, not puting them in a pre, set order,this might make all the difference....
Yeah in playing a Strength fighter vs an Agility fighter you definitely have to chase him down, and this can be very tricky to do as the Move action is Agility based. Notice how I pointed this out in the original review by stating how beginning players will most likely find Retiarii unbeatable? 
However, the answer is to hide behind your scutum and bide your time. Your three maneuvers of choice are Bash, Defend, and Move, with an occassional Feint.
The Bash maneuver is ST-based and grants a +2 bonus vs Move, while giving the moving player a -1 penalty, and don't forget the +1 bonus for using a scutum for a total +4 swing in your favor! That is not to be ignored. However, it does seem so futile that all you end up doing is pushing him away, which is the opposite of what you want, but that's where you have to be clever in chosing your three maneuvers.
Bash-Move-Bash, Defend-Defend-Move, Move-Bash-Feint, ah yes, the Feint can really mess up a Retiarius. However, be careful with the Feint, if you match it against a Move you're toast.
If you can time your Move so it's up against a Thrust or Throw, then your doing very well, and should soon have the retiarius on the business end of your gladius!
panzerfaust101 wrote: Since movement is simultanious (if you both move)- we let the player with the initiative move second to give him the avantage.
That's by the rules. The gladiator with the higher Initiative may elect to move first, or force his opponent to do so.
panzerfaust101 wrote: Also, bash seemed pretty useless against this player, since almost all his moves are agility based, and moving him 1 hex away would give him an advantage.
Yes, a Bash will hardly ever land a Retiarii on his behind, but you cancel his movement, if he played Move, and if you planned for it, you're now following up with a Move when he's not expecting it, or better yet planning to play a Throw card.
panzerfaust101 wrote: One last question, when a player is knocked down, how does he get back up again?
Ah, yes, that's not covered in the rules (although there's several ways to end up knocked down). I've played it similar to getting untangled from a net or lariat, that you must successfully play a Move, at -2, but you don't actually get to move only stand back up. The simplest solution is to let a gladiator struggling to stand up to pick his facing upon successfully doing so.
I haven't unfortunately played Familia Gladiatoria in a long while, but seem to recall that we handled getting unsnarled from a net or lariat the same way as I've detailed above for standing up. However, the rules state that you must succeed with both a Move maneuver and an Agility roll (with no mention of how to actually resolve the latter; is it just a 1d6 roll under Agility?). Since you roll Agility to perform the Move, and must be successful to get unsnarled, that was enough for us, and I would guess the true intent of the rules.
-
Yoki Erdtman
Sweden
Södertälje
Handsome devil huh?
-
panzerfaust101 wrote: sorry one last question, can a player move in any direction? It states a player can move backwards, but is this only to the hex directly behind, or can you sidestep to your rear as well...?
No need to be sorry Paul. No, you can only move directly forward or backwards in accordance with your facing. This is why a successful Feint can be devastating to your opponent's plans.
However, this is not specified in the rules, but it was what I personally found to work best. If you allow movement in any direction, the Feint and planned order of your Move cards lessen in importance. Say you were to use the (IMO) weird implied front-hex-corner as your facing rule, instead of front-hex-side. This would imply that you could move forward and backwards to a choice of two hexes, and a choice of 4 out 6 of a minis surrounding hexes. IMO this detracts from the system. I recommend sticking with just moving to the one front-facing hex, and the one rear hex.
As you can tell, the rules are not very detailed, and there are some small holes, and no example of play. Perhaps I ought to post all my interpretations in the Rules forum, although they're all found in this thread by now.
-
Arseniy Tolstikov
Russian Federation
Moscow
-
Dear Yoki.
First of all, thank you veyr much for the review about this great game.
Also thank you for data sheets, that you've added with new Gladiators.
May you please answer several questions about these sheets?
1. In the rules for Familia Gladiatoria, they say, that gladiator with lighter armour gets +1 to Initiative roll. In your gladiators data-sheet, for exmaple Retiarius, he aldready has +1 intitiative in the profile. Does this mean, that in case Retiarius fight someome in Medium or Heavy armour he gets +2 to initiative roll (for ligher armor, and for being Retiarius)?
2. Some weapons in your data sheets have -1/+0 or +1/+1 characterisitcs. What does it mean?
3. And one question according the action cards. As I can't clearly understand this in the rules. What modificators shall I use when resolving Action Roll? Do I add or deduct from my roll the modificators mentioned in my card, or in my opponents card.
I.e: I played THRUST, the enemy played DEFEND. What shall happen? Shall I deduct -1 (as stated in my Thrust card towards enemy's Defend card). Or shall I use modificator in my enemy's card Defend against my Thrust which is zero?
Thank you again for supporting this great game. Hope to hear your reply.
-
Yoki Erdtman
Sweden
Södertälje
Handsome devil huh?
-
ArsTerra wrote: Dear Yoki.
First of all, thank you veyr much for the review about this great game.
Also thank you for data sheets, that you've added with new Gladiators.
Thanks for the compliments Arseniy, and I'm glad you liked my files for the game.
ArsTerra wrote: May you please answer several questions about these sheets?
Of course.
ArsTerra wrote: 1. In the rules for Familia Gladiatoria, they say, that gladiator with lighter armour gets +1 to Initiative roll. In your gladiators data-sheet, for exmaple Retiarius, he aldready has +1 intitiative in the profile. Does this mean, that in case Retiarius fight someome in Medium or Heavy armour he gets +2 to initiative roll (for ligher armor, and for being Retiarius)?
The way I play the game each gladiator modifies his Initiative Roll by his own Initiative modifier. Say a Retiarius is facing off against a Murmillo, then the Retiarius rolls a d6+1 while the Murmillor rolls a d6-1. I just wanted a bigger Initiative advantage for the lighter gladiators and more range in the Initiative modifiers to begin with. You may of course play by the original rules and simply grant the lighter of the two gladiators a +1.
ArsTerra wrote: 2. Some weapons in your data sheets have -1/+0 or +1/+1 characterisitcs. What does it mean?
That is the -1 damage modifier for being adjacent to an opponent with a weapon meant to be used at a distance. See the notes for Spears and Tridents in the Gladiator Types listing under Hoplomachu and Retiarus in the rules.
ArsTerra wrote: 3. And one question according the action cards. As I can't clearly understand this in the rules. What modificators shall I use when resolving Action Roll? Do I add or deduct from my roll the modificators mentioned in my card, or in my opponents card.
I.e: I played THRUST, the enemy played DEFEND. What shall happen? Shall I deduct -1 (as stated in my Thrust card towards enemy's Defend card). Or shall I use modificator in my enemy's card Defend against my Thrust which is zero?
Yes, let's go with your example you played Thrust, while I played Defend. I look at my Defend Action Card and see that I get to choose to defend using ST or AG plus the high roll of my 2d6 (as normal) since I'm defending vs a Thrust I get a +0 modifier (that is none). You have a look at your Thrust Action Card and look up the modifier listed under Defend which states that you get a -1 modifier on your AG + high d6. Does that make sense?
Basically, you look at your own Action Card. Its title is the Action you are performing. The "Score" details whether to use your ST or AG Score to perform the Action. However, your Action's Score is modified by the modifier listed next to the Action performed by your opponent, under "Opponent's Action Modifier" on your Action Card.
ArsTerra wrote: Thank you again for supporting this great game. Hope to hear your reply.
No problem. Please let me know how things work out for you and what you think of the game.
-
Arseniy Tolstikov
Russian Federation
Moscow
-
Dear Yoki!
Thank you a lot for the clarifications! 
The game is very interesting! I've played several fights with my friend. Unfortunately at that time we messed up the rules and played wrong 
This weekend I hope we'll got chance to play it properly. Also we're thinking of some features to be added - to make the campaign part more interesting (like adding money into the game, "totalizator" for the fights, and some other stuff).
I'll let you know as we play again. And of course will share some thoughts
-
|
|
Posted Mon Jun 22, 2009 9:22 pm
