Hellas: History of the Ancient Seas I
by
Sound of Drums
Once again, we are headed to the era of classical Greece. Only this time we will add the smashing of timber to the sound of hoplites crashing into one another. Sparta and Athens are locked in a deadly duel for the hegemony of Greece. Both sides have allies and mighty warriors and great generals on their side. You can hear the shouts of Brasidas and Alcibiades in the distance, along with a hundred or more generals. Pericles had put Athens into a position where she could fight an all-out war for about a decade (contrary to popular belief, rowers were usually not slaves and were highly trained war machines), and war is not cheap. Athens depends on its famous 'Wooden Walls' to keep the foe at bay. Sparta is nearly unbeatable on land. The contest at times resembles a fight between a dolphin and a bear. They each bellow at each other waiting to try and come to grips with the enemy.
This is what comes with the game:
1 large 84 x 60cm mounted map board
241 wooden playing pieces
38 playing cards
74 Talent coins
2 recessed double layer Player Sheets
for tracking Troops & income
2 Play Tracks for development & Resource tracking
2 Play Aids with Resource Icons, Cost Table, and Stability Status
"Archimedes" solo mode Rules & Cards
1 Rulebook
The second edition includes a printed German & French Rulebook
Historical Period: Ancients
Game Length: 180 minutes
Players: 1-2 Players
Age: 14+ years
Complexity: 5/10
Solitaire: yes
This is another one of them newfangled 'Eurogames' that we here have heard about. Heck, this here game even comes with Meeples! Meeples no less. All kidding aside, this is another game that shows us that a wargame does not have to fit into a tiny little hex covered hole. Yes, you can have your cake and eat it too. Hellas is a delightful wargame that is trussed up in its Sunday finest to give you both great gameplay and sartorial splendor.
The map and box are large ones. It also comes mounted; truth be told an unmounted map is getting harder to find these days. The map is a beautiful reproduction of a map from ancient times.
The names of the cities and areas are all done so that Thucydides himself could find his way around it. The shape and distances have been a played with, so that all of the important areas of the Peloponnesian War fit on the map. The map consists of areas and cities. It runs from Sicily in the east to Ionia in the west. It is extremely colorful and very vibrant looking; this of course fits the Eurogame model.
I could go on and list every different Player Aid that comes with the game. It would probably just bore you though. They are all mounted and are just as much artwork as the map is. It is good to be a wargamer in 2024. The wooden meeples etc. are another fantastic
addition to this wonderful game. There are two Rulebooks. One is for the game rules, and the other is for the 'Archimedes' solitaire play. The Rulebooks are in full color and are in magazine form.
The cards are also well done. However, they are the only parts of the game that I would consider 'average'. They fit right in, but do not really have an artistic flourish about them.
The game plays as either a solitaire or two-player one. One player is the Spartan player and the other the Athenian. You can play the game as an empire builder or more of a strictly wargame. The game itself is pretty easy to learn and play. However, the nuances of play give you a myriad of choices. The player is given so many choices in their fight for hegemony of Ancient Greece. There is a 'normal' setup for the game and a Peloponnesian War scenario. The only thing about the Peloponnesian War scenario that gives me pause is the starting
talents, money, for both sides along with how much income both sides bring in. The scenario has Sparta having more in the bank and more coming in than Athens. I do not believe that is historical, at least until Persia opened its purse to Sparta. So, you have economic warfare along with land and sea. This game is dripping in historical immersion.
Play is relatively quick and very fun. While it might look like Axis & Allies 400 B.C.E. it is definitely not. You need to have your thinking cap on to come up with a coherent long-term strategy.
The game also has three expansions. These are:
I New Markets - This expansion makes it so the merchandise that is shown on the map for all of the different areas is to be now random.
II Pirates and Barbarians - These two new additions to the game are placed by the player but are controlled by the AI. They could help your side or turn against you in a heartbeat.
III New Armies - This comes with wooden blocks and stickers. This adds the Fog of War to the game.
This is what Sound of Drums has to say about Hellas:
"The game series “History of the Ancient Seas” is the ultimate journey through these exciting times. Build new fleets in your city to explore unknown lands, conquer islands and build a great empire.
In HELLAS, the first installment in the “History of the Ancient Seas” game series, you will lead one of two great City States – Athens or Sparta.
HELLAS is originally a two-player game, but the “Archimedes” solitaire bot allows you to play HELLAS in full solitaire mode!
Your goal is to become the leading empire in known world. To achieve this, you will need to build armies and fleets to increase your military might, expand trade routes, conquer islands and provinces, develop your military skills, economic efficiency and culture, while always keeping an eye on the wealth, happiness and stability of your people.
The game is played in highly interactive micro-impulses. The heart of the game is the “action cycle”. An action chosen by a player can’t be chosen by the other player in his upcoming segment. And each action can only be chosen a limited number of times each turn. There is always more you need to do than you can actually do.
You will move your wooden meeples (representing legions, ships, armies and fleets) across the beautifully illustrated map from the center of the Hellenistic world to the shores of Persia in the east and the sandy beaches of Sicily in the west to expand your trade network and increase your trading status.
War or peace: That is your decision! You can expand your empire by leading your people to war! But war is costly, and the outcome is uncertain. You can lead your empire to the golden age of civilization by keeping the peace and bringing stability and wealth to your people without following the path of war. Offer terms to aggressive enemies to distract or delay them, but always be prepared to defend your empire."
Thank you, Sound of Drums, for allowing me to take this game out for a spin. I have to use that worn out phrase 'easy to learn and hard to master' to help describe it. For anyone who is into gaming and Ancient History this is the cat's meow. However, if you are just looking for a great playing and easy to learn game this is also your cup of tea.
This is a little teaser about Sound of Drums 'Battles of Napoleon' series. I will have a review forthcoming on Eylau 1807. This is what Sound of Drums has to say:
"The bloody winter battle of EYLAU 1807 will be the first volume in this series. Special rules like the possibility to launch a massive cavalry charge and features like snowstorms, Russian Cossacks and the French Guard add distinctive flavor of the battle.
EYLAU 1807 will contain 1020 large (5/9”) counters, 2 huge maps (each 22”x33”), charts and tables.
Marc von Martial, one of the best graphic artists in the business, is in charge of the artwork. Gamers can expect beautiful era style maps and counters, and they will not be disappointed by his skills and love for the detail.
The first volume EYLAU 1807 is a great hit on Gamefound and is shipping early 2024. It will be followed closely by QUATRE BRAS 1815 and LIGNY 1815. The collection of data, like precise orders of battles, map research for WATERLOO 1815, BORODINO 1812 and AUSTERLITZ 1805 are in the works."
Volume I: EYLAU 1807 (released & shipping)
Volume II: QUATRE BRAS 1815
Volume III: LIGNY 1815
Volume IV: WATERLOO 1815
Volume V: BORODINO 1812
Volume VI: AUSTERLITZ 1805
Volume VII: DRESDEN 1813
Robert
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