Oh So Deflated - Total War Rome Initial Impressions

About Total War: ROME – The Board Game, from BoardGameGeek:

Based on the world-renowned video game, Total War: ROME - The Board Game allows up to four players to play as the leaders of Rome, Carthage, Greece, and Barbarian Tribes of Gallo-Germania. Each player will conquer new lands, develop their faction, claim territories, recruit epic armies, fight enemies in intense battles, build their cities, raise taxes, spy, riot, trade, and so much more! Set in the Ancient World, Total War: ROME: The Board Game sees players take control of the main combatants in Europe from 400BC to 50BC as they seek to build their own empire and take control of the region surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. In under three hours, players will carefully balance their faction's military and economy as they compete to be the first to reach the top of the victory point ladder. Rome is the "governor" of the Ancient World, with an empire that lasted over 700 years from its development under the republic through the decline of the empire. Carthage, the jewel of North Africa in the 3rd century BC, faced the might of Rome under Hannibal until defeated during the Second Punic War of 218BC to 202BC. Greece is the intellectual centre of invention in the Ancient World, and became a great empire under Alexander the Great. The Barbarian Tribes comprised over fifty tribes ranging from the Lusitanians of Spain in the West, through the Averni of Gaul, to the Brigantes of Britannia, to the Belgae, to the Alamanii Germanic tribes, and on to the horse-based Sarmatians in the East.