Magna Graecia: the Wars for Sicily

398 BC to 211 BC
Original Rules and Maps by Rob Smith
New Strategic Map and Tactical Map and Rule/Scenario adaptations by David Lynch
Introduction
Magna Graecia is a simple campaign originally written by Rob Smith designed to generate
tabletop battles for the ancient period. While the following is intended to be used with De Bellis
Antiquitatis (DBA) Ancients Rules, with only minor modification any set of rules could be
substituted.
The campaign was originally designed for recreating the wars between Dionysius of Syracuse
and Carthage over control of Sicily. There were four wars between Carthage and Syracuse over
the period between 398 BC and 367 BC. All of these wars are treated under the Dionysian
Scenario. In addition, scenarios are offered to recreate the campaigns of Pyrrhus in Sicily, and
the Sicilian campaigns of the First and Second Punic Wars. Finally, a hypothetical campaign
involving Pyrrhus, Carthage, and Rome is also included. Note that these scenarios do not extend
beyond the environs of Sicily, nor are they an attempt to encompass even an entire war on the
island. While a single scenario represents only a single season of campaigning, players may wish
to string several scenarios together (with starting positions based on the ending positions of the
last scenario) to create a multi-year campaign.
Forces
Unless otherwise stated in the Scenario description, each side begins the game with two 12
element field armies (including 2 general elements) and (possibly) a fleet. The armies are based
on the DBA lists, with certain changes made to reflect the composition of the armies used in
Sicily. Most Scenarios provide the specific army lists. The composition of the forces may
change over the course of the campaign as the armies suffer casualties; these are, however, all
the forces that either side shall receive for the entire scenario. It is important for players to
understand that there are no reinforcements, since the campaign represents a single season.
For map movement, each command is represented by a counter. The composition of each
command must be recorded. The composition of commands may change, but for commands to
shift elements, all participating commands must be in the same node.
Capital Cities
In most scenarios, each side has a capital city, which is crucial to the continuation of the war.
However, in many scenarios, the capitals do not have any strength and thus, no intrinsic garrison;
these must be provided from the forces of the field army. To facilitate this, a special rule applies
to capital cities that have strength of 0. Such cities have an inherent Sub-general of the same type
as other Sub-generals for that army. This Sub-general may never leave the city; elements under

his command may leave the city, but must remain in the node. This rule allows players to leave a
small force in garrison while taking the field army with its full complement of leaders into the
field. No counter need be placed for this garrison, simply a notation of what elements are located
in the capital.
Neutral Cities
In addition to the forces of the two opposing armies, there are various cities that begin the game
independent of the player-sides. Each city has a garrison of between 3 and 12 elements
(including a General, except for 3 element garrisons.) The size of the garrison is determined by
number next to the city name on the node maps, as follows:
0
1
2
3

3 Elements:
6 Elements:
9 Elements:
12 Elements:

3 Sp or Ax.
1 Sp or Cv (G), 2 Sp, 2 Ax, 1 Ps or Ax.
1 Sp or Cv (G), 1 LH or Ps, 4 Sp, 2 Ax, 1 Ax or Ps.
1 Sp or Cv (G), 1 Cv or LH, 4 Sp, 1 Sp or Ax or Ps, 3 Ax, 2 Ps.

These forces never leave the node of their city. They may join a battle that occurs within the
node as an allied army, however.
When either side ends the movement of a counter, other than the ship counter, in a neutral
independent city node, a d6 is rolled. If the roll is a 6, the city joins that players side, even if it is
currently allied to the opposing side. On any other result the city remains neutral, or allied to the
other side. Another roll for alliance may be made at the end of any movement phase that a
counter is in a neutral city node. (Note that this roll is not made if the city is allied to the
opposition who has a command present in the node.)
A player may attack a neutral city, in which case the city becomes an ally of the opposing player.
If the neutral citys forces are defeated, the remaining forces will become an ally of the
victorious player. Cities with only a single command may hold up within the walls of the city.
Cities with two or three commands may hold the city with one command, but must send out at
least half the remaining effective elements to meet the opposition.
Forces of neutral cities will not participate in a battle between the players within their node,
unless they are allied to a belligerent. However, if the city is attacked during the course of the
battle, the independent citys army will immediately join the side that did not attack them as a
committed ally.
Turn Sequence
Map movement is done in a move-counter-move format. There are three phases to a player-turn:
movement; combat; and post-combat movement. During a sides movement phase, it may move
all, some, or none of its counters. In three sided games (Pyrrhic and Punic War scenarios), each
side moves in order described under the scenario. (Note: as a result of this turn sequence, allies
can cooperate only in a defensive mode. This is intentional, since the allied armies on Sicily did
not cooperate closely historically.)

Upon the completion of movement, possible battles are determined. If there is any node that has
counters from opposing sides in it, there must be a battle. In addition, battle must occur between
the moving sides commands and commands allied to the opposition.
Once all battles have been fought, post-combat movement is conducted by losing commands
(also called retreat). Play then passes to the next player-side.
Movement
The nodes on the map serve not only to provide battlefields, but also to regulate movement. Each
command in the army is represented by a counter (which players must provide). Counters move
from node to node along the indicated movement paths. Counters may only move from one node
to another that is connected by such a path. Each node moved into costs one movement point.
Commands that have only mounted or psiloi elements (but no elephants or expendables) have
two (2) movement points. All other land units have one (1) movement point. A fleet counter has
three (3) movement points. A counter may move as many nodes as it has movement points. At
the end of movement or post-combat movement, each node may contain no more than four
counters of the same side, plus a naval counter. When a land counter enters a node occupied by
an enemy land counter, it must halt. A counter may move through a neutral city node or a node
that contains an enemy force that is wholly within a besieged city.
Exchanging elements among commands uses a movement point. Counters of commands wishing
to exchange elements must be in the same node at the time of the exchange. Embarking onto a
fleet costs one movement point. Disembarking from a fleet also costs one movement point.
Post-Combat Movement
After a battle, the counters of one side may be required to retreat. The distance of retreat must be
at least one node and may be as many as the counters movement points. A retreating counter
may only enter a node that is empty, neutral, or occupied by friends. In addition, it must retreat
along a movement path that is still open to it at the end of the tabletop battle (see below).
If a counter cannot conduct post-combat movement because there is no adjacent node which is
empty, neutral, or occupied by friends, then the counter (and all of its elements) is destroyed.
The only exception is that a retreating land counter may retreat into a node which is occupied
solely by an enemy fleet counter. Note that a retreating fleet counter may not retreat into a node
which is occupied by an enemy land counter.
Fleets
A fleet counter is a special unit that has certain characteristics different from the land counters. A
fleet counter may only move into coastal nodes (those whose maps include a coastline.) A fleet
counter may move into nodes that contain enemy land counters without stopping, but may not
end its movement in that node. A fleet counter that enters a node occupied by the enemy fleet
must halt to fight, unless the enemy fleet is sheltered in a harbor (see below). A fleet counter has
a strength of a certain number of naval points (NPs), determined in the scenarios.

Land elements may embark onto a naval element by expending a movement point. The naval
element also expends a movement point for the embarkation. Each naval element (of whatever
kind) may carry 3 land elements, 2 mounted elements, or 1 elephant element. Disembarking from
fleets costs also both land and naval elements one movement point.
When opposing fleet counters are in the same node, they must fight or one must retreat (for the
exception, see below). To fight, each side rolls a d6 and adds the fleets current NP. The higher
modified roll wins. The loser retreats and loses a number of NPs equal to the difference in the
modified die roll. If the fleet is carrying a land counter, land elements may be lost. If there are
spare NPs (i.e., not used to carry land elements), those may be lost first, without the destruction
of land elements. However, if there are no spare NPs, a land element is lost for each NP lost. The
controlling player chooses which elements to lose. Land elements lost at sea cannot be
recovered, but NPs may be recovered.
A fleet counter may shelter in a friendly, garrisoned, fortified coastal city. It cannot be forced to
participate in combat if it is so sheltered. This is indicated by moving the ship counter into the
node and inverting it. Troops must disembark from a sheltered ship. If the city falls to siege, the
ships are destroyed (VPs awarded to the taker of the city). Ships destroyed in such a manner may
be salvaged by the victorious besieger, by rolling to recover the lost NPs as their own. These
salvaged NPs must join the new controlling sides fleet counter (by moving the fleet counter to
the site of the salvage). If the side that salvaged the ships has no fleet counter, the salvaged ships
form a new counter. A side can never have more than one fleet counter.
Land Battles
Land battles occur when a movement phase ends with opposing land counters, or their allies, in
same node, or when one side wishes to attack a neutral city. Each node has a corresponding
battle map. The battle map represents an 8 x 8 table top area, but only a 4 x 4 1 area is used for
the battle, unless multiple armies are fighting (such as a Double DBA game) in which case the
battlefield size is increase to 6 x 4.
The attackers base edge is determined by his path of entry into the node. Thus, if the attacker
enters from the west side of the node, then the west side of the game table will be his base edge.
The defender then chooses whether to defend forward, centrally, or to the rear. If the defender
chooses a forward defense, the terrain section closest to the attackers entry point is used. If a
central defense is chosen, the central section of the battle map is used. The choice of a rear
defense will place the battle in the section of the node map furthest from the attackers entry
point.
When a battle concludes the loser must retreat (see below.) Allied elements (such as city
garrisons) are assumed to have retreated into their city. If the opponent occupied the city during
the battle, then the Allied elements will surrender, and the city will immediately become an ally
of the winning side.

These rules assume the use of figures based on 60mm wide bases. If 40mm wide bases are used, then the size of
the battlefield should be decreased to 2 x 2 as per DBA 2.2.

Retreating From Battle

In order to successfully retreat from a battle, an army must have access to a table edge with a
road that leads to a friendly or neutral node. Elements that move off or flee off such a table edge
are automatically recovered for the next campaign turn. In order to be deemed to have escaped,
elements must be able to draw a path to the table edge with a road and there must not be any
enemy elements within 500 paces of the escape path. Elements need not exit at the road itself.
Elements which cannot escape from a board edge (because the path is blocked, or there is not an
eligible node to retreat into) but which have a clear path to a city, may instead flee into the city.
If they do, the winning army may immediately declare the city to be under siege (see below.)
Sieges
Rather than storming an enemy held or neutral city, a player may opt to lay siege to it. Sieges
only occur when either (1) the defending player declares all of his elements to be in the fortified
city, or (2) after losing a battle in the node, the surviving elements have fled into the city.
If any defending elements are outside the city, a land battle must occur instead. Rather than
submitting to a prolonged siege, the defending force may sally in his own player-turn, prompting
a land or naval battle.
In order to lay siege to a city, a force must consist of at least as many effective elements as are
within the city. At the end of a full turn of siege (i.e., the besiegers made no movement), a d6 is
rolled by the besieging player (only in his own turn). If the roll is 8 or more, the city falls and all
within are destroyed, while the attacker suffers casualties equal to 20 percent of the
DEFENDERs force.
On an unmodified roll of 1, disease has arrived. On each successive turn, the phasing player must
roll a d6 for his force involved in the siege (either besieger or defender); on the roll of a 1, that
force loses 10 percent of its effective elements. The disease roll must be made for all armies in
that node until the siege ends. Even commands passing through the node must make such a roll
(except fleet counters).
Modifiers to the die roll are as follows:
2 to 1 effective elements of besieger over defender
3 to 1 effective elements of besieger over defender
Besieging Syracuse
Besieged city has an unblockaded port
Each turn of consecutive siege after the first

+1
+2
-4
-3
+1

For coastal cities, each Naval Point counts as an effective element for the besieging force. NPs of
sheltered fleets do not assist in the defense of a city.. The siege is lifted and must be started again
if the besieging army and/or fleet is forced to retreat.
Recovery of Lost Elements and Naval Points

Immediately after a battle, both sides may roll to recover destroyed land elements, inferior
elements that fled off the battlefield, or Naval Points. For each element or NP roll a d6, if the roll
is 5 or greater, the element or NP is recovered. Apply the following modifiers:
Held the battlefield
Command element (land only)
Elements of a Command whose leader was killed
Allied element (land only)

+2
+1
-1
-1

If a commander is lost and not recovered, the elements of that command must immediately be
assigned to another friendly command in the same node. If there is no such command, the
elements form a leaderless command that cannot move. If they are attacked, the battle will be
fought normally, but the leaderless elements will comprise an army of a single command with no
leader. On the first bound that the command suffers a lost element, roll for demoralization as if
the commander were just killed.
End of the Campaign
The campaign ends when 18 campaign turns have been played (the season). Alternately, the
campaign ends upon mutual agreement by the combatants (a common outcome). A side is
eliminated from the campaign when its capital is taken (nless specified by the scenario).

Victory points are earned as follows:

Each previously neutral or hostile city that is now allied
Each enemy (but not allied) commander destroyed
Each 5 enemy naval points destroyed
Capture of enemy capital

+1VP
+1VP
+1VP
+10VP

Scenarios
Dionysian Wars, 398 BC - 367 BC
Belligerents are Carthage and Syracuse. This is a two player scenario, with two sides. Carthage
moves first.
Carthage begins the game in control of nodes 00, 01, 02, 03, and 04. All of those cities are allied
to Carthage. Node 00 (Motya) is the Carthagenian capital and has a strength of 0 in this scenario.
Carthage begins with one 500 point army and a fleet counter of 20 NPs, which may be deployed
in any controlled nodes.
Syracuse begins the game in control of all nodes east of the line created by nodes 09, 10, 11, and
12, inclusive, plus node 08. However, only Himera (08), Paliki (22), Catana (24), and Naxos (26)
are allied to Syracuse. Syracuse is the capital of Syracuse and has a strength of 0 in this scenario.
Syracuse begins with one 500 point army and a fleet counter of 20 NPs, which may be deployed
in any controlled nodes. However, Syracusan counters cannot begin in a fortified city node that
is not allied.
Pyrrhic War, 278 BC - 276 BC
Belligerents are Carthage against Pyrrhus and Syracuse. This is a three person scenario, with one
player each for Pyrrhus, Syracuse and Carthage. There are three sides: order of movement is
Carthage, Pyrrhus. Syracuse.
Carthage begins the game in control of all nodes west of a line created by nodes 27, 17, 22, and
30. All of the cities along or west of that lilne are allied to Carthage. Node 01 (Lilybaeum) is the
Carthagenian capital and has a strength of 0 in this scenario. Carthage begins the scenario with
one 500 point army and a fleet counter of 15 NPs, which may be deployed in any controlled
node.
Syracuse begins the game in control of nodes 23, 24,25, 26 and 31. Only Catana (24) is allied to
Syracuse. Syracuse begins the game with one army of 300 points and a fleet counter of 12 NPs,
which may be deployed in any controlled node. Syracuse is the capital of Syracuse and has a
strength of 0 in this scenario.
Pyrrhus begins the game in control of node 28 only. Pyrrhus has an army of 350 points, all of
which must be deployed in node 28. Messena is Pyrrhus capital in this scenario, has a strength
of 1, and is permanently allied to Pyrrhus.
Special Rules:
VPs for all three sides are calculated independently.

If Syracuse is captured, Syracuse is out of the game, the fleet transfers to Pyrrhic control and
Syracuse can earn no further VPs. The Pyrrhic player may continue to fight, however, until his

army is destroyed, the Carthegenians surrender, the campaign season ends, or Messena is taken.
If Syracuse falls, the Pyrrhic player may earn 2 VPs for each Pyrrhic command that is exited off
the map through Messena. Commands cannot exit the map if Carthagenian land or naval forces
are in Messena. Only one command may exit per turn.
If Messena falls while Syracuse is still intact, the Pyrrhic player may continue to fight.
Hypothetical Pyrrhic War, 275 BC
Belligerents are Pyrrhus, Carthage, and Rome. This is a three person scenario, with one player
each for Pyrrhus, Carthage, and Rome. Order of movement is Pyrrhus, Carthage, and Rome.
Carthage begins the game in control of all nodes west of a line created by Panormus, Entella, and
Selinus (nodes 10, 12, and 4.) All of the cities along or west of that lilne are allied to Carthage.
Node 2 (Lilybaeum) is the Carthagenian capital. Carthage begins the scenario with the following
elements which may be organized into commands as the Carthaginian player chooses:
The Carthaginian player also begins the scenario with a single 12 element fleet, consisting of 1
Quinqreme (G), 9 Quinquremes, and 2 Triremes. The fleet may be deployed in any node
controlled by the Carthaginian player.
The Pyrrhic player begins the game in control of all nodes south of a line created by Gela and
Catana (nodes 14 and 21.) Pyrrhus begins the scenario with the following elements which may
be organized into commands as the Pyrrhic player chooses:
The Pyrrhic player also begins the scenario with a single 12 element fleet, consisting of 1 Pentare
(G), 8 Pentares, and 3 Triremes. The fleet begins the scenario deployed in Syracuse.
The Roman player begins in control of nodes 30 (Messana) and 32 (Regium) only. The Roman
army consists of 2 consular legions, consisting of the following:
1st Consular Army: 1 Cv (G), 1 Cv, 4 Bd, 4 Ps, 2 Ax.
2nd Consular Army: 1 Cv (G), 1 Cv, 4 Bd, 4 Ps, 2 Ax.
The Roman player also begins the scenario with a single 6 element fleet, consisting of 1
Quinqreme (G), 4 Quinqremes, and 1 Trireme. The fleet begins the scenario deployed in
Regium or Messana.
Special Rules:
VPs for all three sides are calculated independently.
In order to represent the jealous nature of the Roman consuls sent to Sicily, the Roman player
may not adjust the content of his two armies. If both armies become under-strength, then the
Roman player may attempt to transfer elements from one of the armies to the other to bring it up
to full strength. This may only be done if both armies are in the same node, and if the Roman
player rolls a 5 or 6 on a d6.

If both Lilybaeum and Panormus are captured, the Carthaginian player surrenders and all
Carthaginian counters are removed from the game.
The Pyrrhic player may continue to fight until his army is destroyed. If Syracuse falls, the
Pyrrhic player may earn 2 VPs for each Pyrrhic element which embarks on a fleet from either
Catana or Tauromenium. This represents Pyrrhuss decision to leave Sicily to contest the Throne
of Macedon. Pyrrhic naval forces cannot exit the map if any Carthaginian or Roman naval
forces are within one node of the city of embarkation, or in Regium.
The Roman player may continue to fight so long as he retains control of Regium.

First Punic War, 264 BC - 241 BC

Belligerents are Rome, Carthage and Syracuse. This is a three player scenario with three sides.
Carthage moves first, followed by Rome and then Syracuse.
Carthage begins the game in control of nodes west of a line created by nodes 27, 17, 18, 19, and
20, inclusive. All cities in that are allied to Carthage. Node 01 (Lilybaeum) is the Carthagenian
capital and has a strength of 0 in this scenario. Carthage begins with one 500 point army and a
fleet counter of 16 NPs, which may be deployed in any controlled nodes.
Rome begins the game in control of node 28 (Messena), which is the Roman capital and has a
strength of 2 for this scenario. Messena is permanently allied to Rome (but will join Carthage or
Syracuse if defeated in a field battle). However, the Roman side is not out of the campaign if
Messena falls. Rome begins the game with one 500 point army and a fleet counter of 12 NPs in
Messena.
Syracuse begins the game in control of all remaining nodes, the cities of which are allied to
Syracuse. Syracuse is the capital of Syracuse and has a strength of 0 in this scenario. Syracuse
begins with one 325 point army and a fleet counter of 10 NPs, which may be deployed in any
controlled nodes.
Special Rules:
Carthagenian, Syracusan and Roman VPs are all calculated separately.
Hiero, the Tyrant of Syracuse, was a fickle ally. He begins allied to Carthage. However, if the
Carthagenians lose a land battle, the Syracusan player may choose to switch sides. He must
announce this immediately or forgo the change of sides until his ally loses another battle.
Subsequently, whenever the player ally of Syracuse loses a battle, the Syracusan player may
switch sides.
Second Punic War, 219 BC - 210 BC
Belligerents are Rome, Carthage and Syracuse. It is another three person scenario with three
sides. Rome moves first, followed by Syracuse and then Carthage.

Syracuse begins the game in control of nodes 22, 23, 30 and 31, with Paliki (22) allied to
Syracuse. Syracuse is the capital of Syracuse and has a strength of 0 in this scenario. Syracuse
begins with one 300 point army and a fleet counter of 5 NPs, which may be deployed in any
controlled nodes.
Rome begins the game in control of all remaining nodes. All fortified cities in those nodes are
allied to Rome and have strengths of only 1. The Roman capital is Messena, which has a strength
of 1 for this scenario. Rome begins the game with one 500 point army. Atleast one Roman field
army command must begin in Messena. Rome has a fleet counter with 10 NPs that begins in
Messena.
Carthage begins the game in control of no nodes and with no allies. Carthage begins with one
300 point army and a fleet counter of 5 NPs. The Carthagenian army and fleet counters do not
begin deployed. Instead, On the first Carthagenian turn, the army and ship may land at any node
on the southern portion of the island (between 00 and 30, inclusive) that is not occupied by a
Roman counter. The Carthagenians may land at nodes containing fortified cities and roll to ally
them or attack them in the normal fashion. Carthage has no Sicilian capital in this scenario.
Special Rules:
All three sides accrue points independently.
If the Syracusan and Carthagenian fleets can be brought together, they may be combined into a
single counter (with the NPs equal to the total NPs of the two fleets). The allied players
determine who will command the fleet (it moves during that players phase and can only
transport that players troops.) If VPs are attained by the combined fleet, they are divided equally
among the two allied players (fractions being lost).
Since Carthage has no capital, they can only be totally defeated by destruction of the army.
There is an additional -3 to the die roll when besieging Syracuse (for a total -7), because of
Archimedess defences and Hippocratess excellent defensive command. However, the Romans
earn 20 VP, rather than the usual 10, if they take Syracuse.

CAMPAIGN MAPS

Map 1

Map 4

Map 2

Map 5

Map 3

Map 6

Map 7

Map 10

Map 8

Map 11

Map 9

Map 12

Map 13

Map 16

Map 14

Map 17

Map 15

Map 18

Map 19

Map 22

Map 20

Map 23

Map 21

Map 24

Map 25

Map 28

Map 26

Map 29

Map 27

Map 30

Map 32

Map 31

Key