Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Harder to teach
High replayability
Highly interactive
Scales well
Deep strategy
How it plays
How does it play?
Players represent barbarian hordes who sweep down from the steppes to overwhelm the remnants of the Roman Empire and then build strong expansionistic kingdoms among the ruins.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Area Movement
Move pieces between connected regions rather than along individual spaces.
Dice Rolling
Roll dice to introduce uncertainty into actions, production, movement, or resolution.
Combat Results Table
Compare opposing strength as a ratio, then consult a table to resolve combat.
Simulation
Model a real or imagined system through detailed cause-and-effect rules.
Read the full game description
Players represent barbarian hordes who sweep down from the steppes to overwhelm the remnants of the Roman Empire and then build strong expansionistic kingdoms among the ruins. These kingdoms grow into empires which become rich, corrupt, and the target of new waves of barbarian invaders. Being defeated is not the end of the game, as players may return to the fringes of civilization to amass a new horde of Huns or Germans. The unique play mechanism allows players to enter or exit at any time without disrupting the play or the victory conditions. Players may create their own history or play one of the many included historical scenarios set in the ancient and early medieval Mediterranean world.