About First Man in Rome, from BoardGameGeek:
Loosely inspired on SPI's The Conquerors, First Man in Rome is an operational simulation covering the civil war between Caesar and the Optimates, initially led by Pompey the Great and later by Scipio, Cato, and the sons of Pompey.
The basic rules are the same used by the Charles Roberts Award winner The Fate of All. The final goal is to give a realistic representation of ancient warfare, without godly interventions, auguries, and Homeric duels. Moving and feeding an army of 50,000 men will require planning, and in the end players will find that the problems faced are similar to those encountered during the Napoleonic era or the American Civil War.
The three maps cover the whole Mediterranean, from the Pillars of Hercules to Parthia, and from Britannia to Aegyptus. The scale is 60 km per hex with monthly turns.
Battles can be fought using Strategic Combat, still realistic but quicker, or to their full extent using the Tactical Rules and Map - probably the best choice for a decisive battle.
And never forget, this is a civil war where political connections and money are of the utmost importance. Client kings and free cities must be persuaded to support your faction, veteran legionaries must be convinced to enlist again under the promise of money or loot, the Roman plebs must be fed, enemy kingdoms and tribes must be kept under control... And no matter what, the unexpected always happens, and everybody could abandon you should the tide turn.
All the primary classical accounts, together with a range of modern military studies, were consulted during development. In particular, De Bello Civili by Julius Caesar has been treated as the primary ancient source, since it recounts the events from direct experience - albeit through a perspective that is, at times, unmistakably partisan.
Game Highlights
60 km per hex, one month per turn
Units representing various formations, from Legionary Cohorts to Elephants
Order of battle and commanders based on primary sources and the most recent historical research
Realistic supply problems with realistic and possibly violent solutions
Cavalry Reconnaissance, Foraging and Raiding
Reaction Movement, not so easy retreats and catastrophic routs
Attrition and Army Morale, your first problems in the morning
Naval Warfare
Client States, Free Cities, enemy Kingdoms, hostile barbarians
Clementia, Revolts, Treachery and worse
Scenarios
SENATUS CONSULTUM ULTIMUM - The Rubicon and the Italian Campaign, 49 BCE
VOLUNTAS ET FORTUNA - The First Spanish Campaign, 49 BCE
AD COLLISIONEM - The Clash between Caesar and Pompey in Macedonia, 48 BCE
NILUS LETALIS - The Alexandrian War and Pharnaces, 48 - 47 BCE
DE BELLO CIVILI - The Roman Civil War, 49 - 45 BCE
-description from the publisher
