The Republic of Carthage reflects approximately 350 years in the life of the ancient Carthaginian Republic. Players cooperate and compete to manage its fortunes, especially its politics, wars and trade in this simulation of political and mercantile life in Rome's ancient and most deadly enemy. In this game you must constantly balance personal advancement against the security of the state. Trade and fight to build up the empire. Vie for power in the Senate and on the battlefield. But to grow in size and power only attracts the unwelcome attention of rivals, not just your opponents, but also foreign powers like Syracuse, Pyrrhus and, most deadly of all, Rome. Are you smart and savvy enough to survive and thrive where Hannibal couldn't? Special rules even allow you to play this in conjunction with The Republic of Rome™ in a grand scenario that supports up to 12 players!

Sequence of Play

1. Reinforcements
2. Deal Strategy Cards
3. Strategy
4. Winter Attrition
5. Political Isolation Removal
6. Victory Check

Sequence of battle resolution:

1. Change of Command die roll.
2. Attacker declares battle-related cards.
3. Defender declares other battle-related cards.
4. Elephant charge declaration and charge die roll, unless elephant fright immediately played before die roll.
5. Deal BCs, display cards revealed by spy and begin battle. (Some event cards are playable during the battle.)

Battle Deck Distribution

Notes (easily-omitted rules):

1. Cannot avoid battle by moving to other player's control marker.
2. Retreats cannot end on enemy CU's – continue on to a friendly control marker or larger friendly force instead. If you meet a smaller friendly force on the way, they are swept up in the retreat. For the attacker, the retreat path must start with the space from which he entered battle.
3. Every enemy marker or unit you enter during retreat loses another strength point.
4. The max retreat distance is 4.
5. If you can't meet retreat rules, eliminated.
6. No retreat by sea – eliminated instead.
7. Campaign, Counter and Traitor cards do not break Truce.
8. You can place control markers only by playing a strategy card. You can place them in an empty space or flip them where you have armies.
9. Isolated control markers are removed. (Isolated armies tend to die.)

See also:

• Historical Timeline - what did Hannibal actually do?
• Errata
• Expansion leaders chart